Page 8 - National Poultry Newspaper

Farm effluent is valuable
LIVESTOCK waste, including the liquid run- off from the shed wash- down process, is a valu- able fertiliser resource.
It is a simple process and based on the design of the pump.
“These pumps are used in concrete batch plants, piggeries and for all types of aggressive applica- tions,” Mood said.
This is especially so with the advent of not only efficient high-pres- sure wash kits but also the introduction of washing robots.
These big cast-iron virtually unbreakable motor pumps have been designed with a priming tank built into the cast body.
“Handling a mixture of wash water – sometimes including caustics – and the remnants of poultry manure in a slurry form can be corrosive.”
Capturing that liquid resource and using it on farm or offering it as a saleable product is an ob- vious opportunity.
Thus, for priming, all the operator has to do is fill the pump with water, hook up the suction lines and – ensuring there are no air leaks at the cou- pling – start the motor.
If there are particular issues where corrosion is a problem, Aussie Pumps offers a 316 stainless- steel impeller option at minimal extra cost.
Aussie Pumps has de- veloped a range of self- priming centrifugal pumps suitable for han- dling liquid effluent.
The water in the pump is expelled through the outlet, creating a vacuum inside the pump.
“We are supplying more and more stainless impel- lers with our big cast-iron pumps because that virtu- ally indestructible mate- rial is both corrosion and abrasion resistant,” Mood said.
The range of pumps – from2”tobig6”–will handle flows of up to 4000LPM.
The vacuum opens the check valve mounted inside the suction port, drawing water up through the suction line and... bingo, the pump is in ac- tion.
The pumps other major advantage for users is a built-in inspection and clean out port, mounted belowthesuctioninletof the pump body.
Aussie Pumps product manager Mood Ellahi said, “The secret of the system is very simple.”
Impellers are a big cast- iron open-vane design for handlingsphericalsolids in suspension.
“Self-priming pumps mean no additional prim- ing devices or problems with re-priming the line, as may be necessary with an end-suction pump.”
Silicon carbide seals are standard, and a stainless- steel wear plate is mount- ed inside the pump body to extend the body life – providing protection fromanykindofabrasive slurries that may move through the pump.
Thus, cleaning out the pump body without dis- connecting pipework is an easy task, accom- plished in a matter of minutes.
The Aussie Pumps GMP range of self- priming centrifugal trash pumps prime themselves.
“We designed these pumps with farmers in mind and particularly thinking about the move- ment of liquid waste,” Mood said.
This 22kW semi-trash pump offers an astonishing 78m head and vertical lift of 6m. It will also pump up to 1250LPM.
These pumps are also a major success for diary and piggery applications.
Further information, including details of the complete product range, is readily available from Aussie Pumps at www. aussiepumps.com.au
With an increase in shoppers choosing cage free and free range eggs, it’s clear the welfare of egg-laying hens is of concern to many. Photo: Raiyan Zakaria
Cracking egg labelling
n Myth-busting egg labels to help inform shoppers
alone is not necessarily a conclusive indicator of good welfare.
The vast majority of cage eggs come from layer hens confined to battery cages in which each hen has less space than the size of an A4 piece of paper.
AUSTRALIANS care about animals and their welfare.
rally social and inquisitive birds.
roosting.
Where hens are given ac-
As a nation, we as con- sumers are progressively seeking to be educated with the products we buy.
For good welfare, they need freedom to move around, spread and flap their wings, a nest in which to lay their eggs, places to perch and areas to dust bathe in order to remain happy and healthy.
cess to the outdoors – free range – that outdoor range needs to be a quality envi- ronment with shaded areas and vegetation to encour- age the hens to venture out- side and explore.
Cage eggs
With the increase in shop- pers choosing cage free and free range eggs, it’s clear the welfare of egg-laying hens is of concern to many.
Choosing RSPCA Ap- proved eggs is one way to make sure you are buy- ing certified higher welfare eggs from either cage free or free range hens.
Whether your RSPCA Approved eggs have come from barn or free range hens, you can be sure that the farms have met the RSPCA’s detailed animal welfare standard for hens and are regularly assessed. Labelling terms cracked
The RSPCA considers the ongoing use of barren battery cages as the grav- est animal welfare issue in Australia today, in terms of the number of animals affected and how severely their welfare is compro- mised.
However, the abundance of different labels adorning egg cartons means choos- ing higher welfare eggs can be a confusing endeavour.
Hens on farms with the RSPCA Approved certifi- cation live in enriched en- vironments that are either fully indoors or indoors with outdoor access and which are assessed regular- ly to make sure the RSPCA standard is met.
Currently, there are no nationally agreed defini- tions for product labelling in Australia – except for eggs sold in cartons where the label often reflects the housing system.
There are many other la- bels found on egg cartons, here’s how to recognise what they mean.
Hens in battery cages suf- fer throughout their lives, unable to express their natural behaviours and enduring chronic health conditions such as osteo- porosis due to their lack of exercise, all while standing on bare wire.
While this is a good step, there are still ambiguous and potentially misleading terms being used on egg cartons.
At the RSPCA, we know good welfare can be achieved in indoor barns with proper provisions for space, good lighting, se- cluded nest boxes and en- richment such as litter for dustbathing and perches for
In Australia, eggs sold in the carton should be labelled according to the farming system that pro- duced them – cage, barn, free range.
Labels you might see on egg cartons such as ‘hen coops’ and ‘enriched col- ony reared’ give the ro- manticised impression of
Good welfare for layer hens on RSPCA Ap- proved farms
Free range eggs are re- quired to include the out- door stocking density or space allowance on their cartons – however, this
Egg-laying hens are natu-
* continued P9
Page 8 – National Poultry Newspaper, August 2022
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