Cool chooks
AgriFutures Australia has released a publication by Mark Dunlop that describes the first Australian trial of a low-pressure, overhead sprinkler system that reduces the need for conventional evaporative cooling pads or high-pressure foggers in meat chicken houses.
Evaporative cooling in the grow-out sheds is used to cool the birds during warm weather but uses a lot of water and also increases the relative humidity in the shed. In contrast, in-shed sprinkler systems intermittently apply relatively small quantities of water directly onto the birds at regular intervals, which keeps the bird cool while using much less water — 56% less over a one-year period.
The publication, Effect of an in-shed sprinkler cooling system on temperature, relative humidity, water usage, litter conditions, live weight and mortality, is available for purchase or download on the AgriFutures Australia website.
Reimagining native aquaculture in NZ with low impact on fish and environment
Fish health is the focus of a new aquaculture trial of native snapper in a specially designed...
Texture challenge for plant-based calamari
Recreating the chewy texture properties of fried calamari rings in a plant-based form has been a...
Two Aussie startup finalists in PepsiCo Greenhouse Accelerator Program
The PepsiCo program attracted strong interest from startups across Australia and NZ seeking...