Farmers Weekly Awards 2024: Poultry Farmer of the Year finalists

Technical innovation and a desire to meet society’s wider needs are shared objectives for this year’s three exceptional finalists.

Finalists

• David and Helen Brass – The Lakes Free Range Egg Company, Cumbria
• Chris Wright – IEC Poultry, Shropshire
• Ryan Wright – Moy Park, Lincolnshire

The judges

Kerry Maxwell – communications manager at the British Poultry Council, with a keen interest in public relations and marketing

Nigel Edwards – with an eagle eye and technical acumen, the 2023 FW Poultry Farmer of the Year runs Whittal Poultry in Herefordshire

Philip Clarke – Farmers Weekly’s News and Opinion editor, and former editor of Poultry World, has judged the poultry category for 15 years

See also: Farmers Weekly Awards 2024 – Beef Farmer of the Year finalists

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David and Helen Brass, The Lakes Free Range Egg Company, Cumbria

With a flock of some 130,000 laying hens, owners David and Helen Brass are still very much “hands-on” when it comes to supplying eggs to their high-tech packing station, situated on the edge of the Lake District.

The majority of the eggs packed every day actually come from contracted farms and, while these producers are given plenty of freedom to operate as they choose, the pair like to lead by example.

Tree planting has always been a priority, as a means of encouraging ranging, and there is a constant focus on high standards of bird welfare and low environmental impact.

As well as their free-range and organic layers, supplying the likes of McDonald’s, Sainsbury’s, and Tesco, the Brasses also have their own hatchery and pullet rearing operation.

Production and innovation

Bird performance is exceptional, with the owned flocks achieving an average of 355 eggs a bird a year compared with the industry norm of 344.

“Increasing bird welfare increases the productivity of your birds, and is key to becoming more sustainable – economically, environmentally and ethically,” says David.

The introduction of white hens laying white eggs on one of their farms is key to extending the egg production cycle, while lowering the carbon footprint.

But there is also a huge emphasis on research and innovation on farm, within the business, and for the wider poultry sector.

For example, the new hatchery is being used to develop strains of birds to produce both blue and dark brown eggs to meet changing consumer demand, particularly “pick-your-own egg” initiatives in some top-end supermarkets.

The pullet-rearing part of the business has pioneered “dark brooding” to reduce energy consumption, while giving chicks the most natural start, ensuring better feather cover with less feed consumption.

In conjunction with the Food Animal Initiative and Oxford University, David has also developed a bespoke “Bird Box” management system.

This allows him and other producers to record and monitor their flocks in real time, benchmarking against each other and incorporating alarms if anything deviates from the expected, such as bird weight or water consumption.

“The farmer can’t be there 24/7, but our computer system can,” says David.

The environment

Environmental delivery is a concept that has driven David and Helen long before it entered Defra policymakers’ vocabulary.

They have been planting trees for almost 30 years and now boast an average 25% tree cover – both on their own ranges and on those of contract producers.

As well as sequestering large amounts of carbon, this encourages birds to range further and reduces feather pecking and stress, so lifting egg production.

The business also requires its farmers to have an active biodiversity action plan and pays for an on-site visit by an ecologist.

The farms are now home to numerous red-listed bird species. Half of all ranges have recorded barn owls, and bats are recorded on all farms.

The packhouse also makes full use of renewable energy, and some of their poultry sheds have underfloor heating, powered by biomass.

The firm has also created a bespoke feed to optimise bird performance while reducing soya.

Over five years, soya has dropped from 19% to 8% of the ration. This is sourced from areas of the world with lower risk of deforestation.

David also involved in researching the role of trees in ammonia absorption from the air, especially near the sheds.

The numbers

• 8 flocks of owned birds
• 250k new trees on owned and contracted farms
• £2m invested in developing a “Bird Box” management system
• 355 eggs a bird a year
• £40k amount donated to cancer charity from sales of “Laid with Love” eggs

Farm facts

• Egg packing business, supplied by own birds and contractors
• Own hatchery and pullet rearing
• Free-range and organic birds
• 162ha of ranges
• Bespoke, low-in-soya poultry ration

Judges liked

• Positive approach to innovation
• Commitment to environmental improvement
• Programme of apprenticeships and training across the business

What the judges say

“The Brasses are pioneers in the egg sector, always looking to the future not the past. They are happy to share their experience with others – whether schoolchildren, other farmers, policymakers or researchers.”

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Chris Wright, IEC Poultry, Shropshire

Broiler production runs in the blood for site manager Chris Wright, who is following in the footsteps of both his father and his grandfather.

The technological aspects of poultry production are far removed from anything his predecessors would have experienced, however, with the unit Chris manages for IEC Poultry, in Shropshire, boasting some of the latest gizmos.

But he is adamant that automated environments and banks of computer-generated data are no substitute for the sight, sounds and smells of all that might be going on in a poultry shed.

Chris has been involved in the poultrymeat sector for approaching 15 years, starting as a stockman and working his way up, including time as a contract farmer for Moy Park.

He then spent 18 months working for the Applied Group, before joining IEC Poultry in 2020.

Production and innovation

Broiler management is top-notch at the company, where 240,000 birds are reared in four large sheds, supplying processor Maelor Foods.

Under Chris’s watchful eye, the farm has achieved numerous European production efficiency factor (EPEF) scores of over 400, with several recent ones of more than 440, placing his unit at the top of Maelor Foods’ league table.

But the real focus is on margin/sq m, and Chris is proud to have seen a 30% uplift in the four years he has been in charge. “EPEF is a guide to performance, but it does not equate to profit,” he says.

Attention to detail is everything, from the placement of top-up bales to the height of the drinkers, while conducting twice-daily data analysis.

“We do benchmark performance against the rest of the group, but I’m more interested in benchmarking against myself, always aiming to improve on last year,” he says.

There is also a focus on innovation.

Chris has conducted successful trials with miscanthus as a highly absorbent bedding material, and has devised his own “platinum” wash programme to create the best starter environment.

He also helped company O3T develop a drinking water system – the O2X machine – which uses “nano-bubble” technology to reduce pathogens in the drinker lines, without the need for chemicals.

This has led to fewer rejects and Chris has invested his own money in the venture.

Plans are also afoot to expand production with planning permission for four new sheds.

Consultancy and leadership

As well as overseeing production for IEC Poultry, Chris acts as a consultant for two other, larger units, supplying Avara Foods.

Applying a similar mindset to the way he runs his own unit, Chris has seen these farms shoot up the rankings, with one recently achieving an EPEF of more than 450.

“It is very rewarding to help other growers,” he says. “Through strategic guidance, I have propelled these farms into the top quarter of the Avara league table.”

Many of the management methods he has devised are now in operation on the consultancy farms, and Chris is very happy to share his data to help them improve.

He is looking to expand his consultancy role in the coming years.

Staff management is also important and Chris ensures his staff are offered at least two training courses a year – one related to poultry, the other one entirely of the staff member’s choosing.

Educating the public is another of Chris’s passions, and the farm – which has viewing windows in all the sheds – hosts regular school visits.

Chris is looking to extend this to his consultancy farms.

The numbers

• 2.55kg average weight of birds at 38 days
• 2 shed manager positions on staff, as well as Chris
• 12% average level of pododermatitis
• 3.3% average 38-day mortality
• 51p uplift in margin (per sq m) over four years

Farm facts

• Four sheds housing 240,000 birds
• Established in 2016 by Keith Wilson of IEC Solutions (International Energy Crops)
• Ground-source heat pumps and biomass boilers
• Solar panels and batteries in situ
• Plans to build four more sheds on site approved

Judges liked

• Passion for the poultry sector
• Driven to improve performance
  every year
• Close attention to bird welfare

What the judges say  

“As well as running a top-flight unit, Chris is always looking to improve, while sharing his considerable knowledge. He is driven and passionate, and a strong ambassador for the poultry sector.”

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Ryan Wright, Moy Park, Lincolnshire

Taking responsibility for Moy Park’s flagship broiler unit in Lincolnshire has been both a privilege and a challenge for Beech Farm site manager Ryan Wright, who has combined his passion and experience to great effect.

Taking responsibility for the new, state-of-the-art facility has been quite a transition for Ryan, who previously worked as an assistant farm manager on one of Moy Park’s older, 1970s-style units.

However, he has risen to the challenge, as evidenced by the impressive performance figures, and by his willingness to engage openly with others in the whole supply chain, who have been keen to see how broiler production is changing.

Production and innovation

Beech Farm has been fully operational for just over a year and, with nine crops now through the doors, Ryan has achieved an average European production efficiency factor (EPEF) score of more than 440, putting the farm in the top 1% nationally.

That is testament to Ryan’s management skills as he get to grips with a farming system that really is cutting edge.

The farm uses heat exchangers, ground-source heat pumps, solar energy generation, battery storage and rainwater harvesting.

Attention to detail is everything, says Ryan. “Pre-heating is something we put a lot of emphasis on, tailored to provide the best environment for the chicks.”

Water purity is also paramount, so he takes out all the filters between crops and disinfects them. “That alone is worth a couple of points on our EPEF,” he says.

Correct litter management, optimised airflow and precision drinker setting all contribute to bird health, with pododermatitis scores of less than 10%, and crop mortality of around 3%. 

“Birds are really sensitive to airflow, so we smoke the sheds regularly and calibrate the inlets for each crop. It’s a lot of work, but it pays off,” says Ryan.

Making use of multiple renewable energy sources also benefits the margin, so the farm is well ahead of its projected 10-year payback schedule.

As a Sainsbury’s supplier, the farm is operating at a maximum stocking density of 30kg/sq m, compared with the Red Tractor standard of 38kg/sq m.

“I prefer it as, when I’m walking the sheds, I can see more of the birds individually and can study them closer.”

Marketing and vision

The focus at Beech Farm is very much about meeting customer demand and, being a supplier of Sainsbury’s Happier and Healthier chicken, it is the chosen site for regular buyer visits.

That is a good thing, says Ryan, as it gives him the chance to talk with those further along the supply chain.

As a member of the Sainsbury’s Chicken Farmer Group, he also gets to attend events with others in the supply chain, and receives regular feedback from the supermarket on how he is doing on health and welfare metrics.

“It is clear the needs of our customers are changing. This farm and the birds we grow are clear evidence of that, meeting the demand for locally farmed produce, managed in a more sustainable way, with a high level of care towards our birds.”

Given growing consumer interest in the environment, the farm also boasts a conservation area, with native trees, wild flowers, and sonic detectors, which are designed to measure pollinator activity.

With an eye to the consumers of the future, Ryan has played host to school visits to help younger generations understand where their food comes from, and see what career opportunities there might be in the poultry sector.

The numbers

• 500 native trees planted
• 20% extra floor space for broilers to grow on
• 3 full-time staff
• 1MW solar energy generation
• 13k litres/day water consumption a shed

Farm facts

• 264,000 broilers in six sheds
• Growing for Moy Park on rented holding
• Shaded windows, to avoid direct sunlight
• Solar panels, battery storage, ground source heating
• Rainwater harvesting and internal misting system

Judges liked

• Strong focus on the future of poultry production
• Leads by example when it comes to staff management
• Motivated to meet customer demand

What the judges say  

“As well as being an exceptional farm manager, Ryan has great awareness of what is going on beyond the farmgate, responding to the changing needs of his customer and the end consumer.”