'Second-generation smart farm' boosts broiler productivity 5%, cuts power use 35%

Data technology is set to transform broiler farming, which has long relied heavily on the experience and intuition of individual farmers. The new approach tracks temperature, humidity and harmful gases throughout a barn in real time and automatically adjusts ventilation by calculating the required airflow in advance. Field trials showed productivity rose about 5 percent while power consumption and ammonia emissions fell by roughly 35 percent and 20 percent, respectively.

The Rural Development Administration announced Wednesday that it has completed field verification of a "second-generation broiler smart farm" — a system that comprehensively applies barn-collected data on feed intake, temperature and humidity to livestock and environmental management.

The earlier first-generation broiler smart farm also automated feed supply, watering and ventilation, but it operated around individual pieces of equipment in isolation. Because the data could not easily be consolidated, farmers still had to rely on personal experience and intuition to assess barn conditions and respond accordingly.

The second-generation smart farm goes a step further. Jointly developed by the National Institute of Animal Science, Chonnam National University and Emotion, the system consists of a mobile environmental management device that roams the barn measuring conditions and managing the floor, an active ventilation control system that calculates required airflow in advance, and an integrated management system that consolidates all livestock and environmental data in one place.

The mobile device travels through the barn, measuring ammonia, hydrogen sulfide and carbon dioxide concentrations as well as temperature and humidity at multiple points. The collected data is displayed as an "environmental distribution map" that uses color coding to show which areas of the barn are hot, humid or high in gas concentration.

In areas prone to moisture — such as around the water lines where chickens drink — the device automatically spreads litter. The aim is to reduce the labor burden on farmers while suppressing ammonia generation. Tests at actual farms showed ammonia emissions fell about 20 percent compared with barns where the device was not used.

Ventilation also shifts from a reactive approach to a proactive one. Under the old system, ventilation fans only kicked in once a temperature sensor reached a preset value. The new technology calculates in advance how much ventilation is needed to maintain a target temperature, factoring in outdoor weather, barn structure, insulation performance and the heat generated by the chickens themselves.

The effect was most pronounced during hot periods. Daytime barn temperatures dropped by up to 2 degrees Celsius compared with the conventional sensor-based method. Tunnel fan operation fell 48.3 percent and power consumption dropped 35.2 percent.

All data streams converge on a single dashboard. Farmers can check temperature, humidity and gas concentrations alongside feed and water intake and the chickens' body weight. Analytical information such as projected weight and feed efficiency is also provided, helping farmers take a comprehensive view of flock condition and barn environment before deciding on any action.

Productivity also improved. Comparing farms before and after adoption, the production index — a composite measure of livestock productivity — rose 4.8 percent. The feed conversion ratio, which measures how much feed is needed to add 1 kilogram of body weight, improved 3.4 percent. The survival rate of chickens raised to market size climbed 2.0 percentage points, from 96.8 percent to 98.8 percent.

Translated into economic terms, the researchers calculate that a single 30,000-bird broiler house generates an annual economic benefit of about 14.5 million won ($10,500). The figure is based on six production cycles per year, an average market weight of 1.5 kilograms and a feed price of 592 won per kilogram, with gains from improved feed conversion and survival rates factored in.

The Rural Development Administration plans to add one more pilot farm in Jeongeup, North Jeolla Province, this year and will pursue wider distribution to farms next year by linking the technology to its new-technology dissemination program.

The agency also has overseas markets in its sights. It is conducting on-site verification research in Malaysia, a country with high chicken consumption that is actively introducing windowless barns and smart farms as part of its food security strategy. The plan is to validate the technology against local climate and farming conditions before establishing a foothold for entry into the broader Southeast Asian market.

Yoo Dong-jo, head of the livestock life and environment division at the National Institute of Animal Science, said the results are significant because they allow more precise management decisions in broiler barn environments that previously depended mainly on farmers' experience, by adding data collected on the ground. "Going forward, we will work to improve the field applicability of data-based livestock technology, build a foundation for its distribution, and ensure it translates into tangible results that farmers can feel," he said.