Handling and removing chook manure is an arduous process, but a NSW poultry removal business is finding it easy with its huge fleet of Bobcats.
When it comes to the Australian chicken meat industry, it’s certainly not chicken feed.
The sector contributes significantly to the domestic economy, with an estimated gross value of production (2021-22) of $2.97 billion and an estimated retail value of $6.6b.
The meat is the most popular source of animal protein to Australian consumers, with annual per capita consumption exceeding 50kg (and increasing year on year). Indeed, you’re likely to be one of the 68 per cent of Australians who eat chicken meat as part of a meal at least twice a week because of its affordability, popularity with the entire household, versatility and taste.
One of the biggest poultry regions is the Western Riverina in NSW, renowned for its livestock operations, and where most poultry are produced under intensive indoor production systems, housed in large sheds.
There’s a combination of ready access to grain supplies, level land at a reasonable price, secure water supply, separation distances from potential conflict interfaces, and good transport networks.
But with most poultry farms running thousands of birds, it is essential that the huge amounts of litter are cleaned out regularly.
Litter removal procedures typically involve collection of spent litter (often by contractors who supply Bobcats or loaders), sweeping or vacuuming remaining material, and washing sheds with detergents and sanitisers.
It’s a practice which requires skill and also experience. Odour and dust can be released while pushing up litter within sheds, while loading litter into vehicles or during transport. Disturbing litter during removal can release built-up gasses, which can be harmful to human health in high concentrations (inside the shed).
The clean-out needs to be managed to minimise odour and dust impacts on neighbours and to minimise the risk of disease transmission between growth cycles.
Riverina Poultry Services manager Paul Demamiel knows full well the techniques involved with efficient and safe litter removal.
This can include carrying out clean-outs during favourable weather conditions, using dust suppression equipment at loading, removing litter from the site before litter moisture causes odour problems, and of course using the most efficient equipment.
And for Paul, nothing beats a Bobcat, with the company currently using a fleet of up to 15 of the brand’s skid steer loaders for the task.
“Riverina Poultry Services removes chicken litter from Baiada/Steggles chicken sheds in the Griffith and surrounding area within about a 100 km radius,” he said.
“This includes all broiler chicken farms under Baiada’s control, which currently amount to 549 sheds. They are cleaned out every 53-60 days and replenished with day-old chickens.
“When we started the processing plant in 2015, we processed around 600,000 birds per week and our staff numbered six. They now process up to three million birds per week and our work force is 18.”
Paul set up the business with brother Graeme, who was working in North Queensland at the time and “came home to help”.
“I started with Steggles in 1997 as a farmhand, working my way up to farm manager for 12 years, then moving into a husbandry manager role for four,” he said.
“I then shifted my focus to the cleanout process which was controlled in-house, but when Baiada bought the business and decided to contract this area out, I decided to apply for the contract in 2014 as I had been running this area.”
Paul secured the contract and started out with six skid steers — a mix of Bobcats and a couple of other brands — two telehandlers and two litter elevators to load trucks.
It wasn’t long before the Bobcats won Paul over with their efficiency and performance.
“When we took over we were keen to try a few different machines to find out what suited our business best, but ultimately we ended up going solely with Bobcats as they handled the environment the best. Their newest models have gone to a new level, with easy access for maintenance and cleaning,” he said.
All in all, the company currently employs the 15 Bobcats, five telehandlers and four elevators, as well as two trucks to move the equipment.
It also uses a number of attachments including buckets, sweepers, drum sweepers and grader blades for removing litter quickly off the walls.
But why so many Bobcats?
“We clean the sheds out about every eight weeks. So the 549 sheds every eight weeks or so works out anywhere from 10 to 18 sheds a day depending on the cleanout program,” Paul said.
“We have three Bobcat skid steers up the front of the process cleaning out corners and blading the litter into the centre, so our telehandlers can push all the litter down to one end of the shed.
“Then we have four Bobcat skid steers loading two different elevators at the end of those sheds, filling around 35 to 45 semi-trailer loads of chicken manure daily. There are 12 to 14 trucks contracted every day removing around 9000 cubic meters per week.
“We also have another three to four Bobcats sweeping and cleaning up after we have emptied the sheds. So on any given day we have around 11 skid steers operating and three telehandlers.
“Due to the importance of making sure we achieve our targets each day, we also have two machines on standby, so servicing or break downs do not impact us.”
But wait, there’s more. Paul keeps two more Bobcats at the workshop, with a set of forks on them to move pallets of oil around and for general clean-up duties.
Another Bobcat is usually at the farm with a stick rake on it.
“We have found the chook manure is harsh on the electrics and sensors of the machines but the engine bays are easy to wash down,” he said.
Buying Bobcats also meant dealing with Clark Equipment Sales, the major distributor of the brand in Australia.
“Our fleet of Bobcats have been acquired over the last nine and a half years. We trade back to them when we purchase new stock from time to time or sell privately,” he said.
“Clark also supplied our buckets, hitches for moving elevators in and out of shed doorways, drum sweepers and other spare parts.”
Paul has nothing but praise for the partnership with the Canberra branch from which the equipment was purchased.
“Jon Fisher has been the manager for as long as I have been dealing with them, but for the past five years Madelein van der Watt has been the sales manager and we have a great relationship. It just comes down to a quick phone call and we have a deal done,” he said.
“Our maintenance has been done by our own mechanic who regularly calls Clark’s service team for advice and they are very helpful.
“They’re about four hours away, and sometimes we take our machines back to Clark for warranty work; and now, due to the size of our operations, they will come to us.
“We are well and truly entrenched in Bobcat and Clark; unless there’s a shift in quality, service, price and trade, we will continue to purchase more moving forward.”
Madeleine said Riverina Poultry had always been a pleasure to deal with.
“We have a long and lasting relationship. They have always returned to Clark Equipment for new equipment, services and parts,” she said.
“The Bobcat skid steer loaders sold to Riverina Poultry range from the M-series to the newer R-series machines.”
Madeleine said that since inventing the world’s first true compact loader in 1958, Bobcat has constantly improved on its original concept: a tough, agile and versatile compact machine that can tackle a large number of jobs.
“Today, the innovation continues. The Bobcat skid steer loader features a superior design that outperforms other brands while maximising uptime and delivering unmatched comfort durability and manoeuvrability,” she said.
The S66 R-Series and S76 R-series skid-steer loaders are engineered to take on the toughest jobs, even when working in tight areas.
The 74hp, vertical lift path machines come standard with two-speed travel and Bobcat Super Float tires for precision turning, skidding and manoeuvrability with minimal soil disturbance.
They boast powerful lifting capabilities, increased capacity and height, deliver powerful breakout forces and fast cycle times, while ergonomic controls and in- cab displays featuring machine information and corresponding performance data help maximise productivity.
As well there is an inline engine and durable direct-drive system, lift arms with cast-steel construction and an improved cooling system to make even the most challenging workdays easier.
To find out more about the Bobcat range, contact your nearest Clark Equipment branch.
