27 February 2023

2 minute read

By: Lee Williamson

Andrew Mitchell, product engineer with Georgia Poultry and Hog Slat, recently spoke with The Poultry Site’s Sarah Mikesell at the International Production & Processing Expo (IPPE) annual conference held in Atlanta, Georgia, USA.

“Hog Slat and Georgia Poultry have a wide variety of offerings for broiler, turkey poult, adult turkeys, roosters and other breeder applications,” said Mitchell.

At IPPE, two different of turkey feeders were featured.

“The new turkey poult feeder has a two-piece top design with four spokes,” said Mitchell.

It's made of an impact copolymer and polypropylene material that provides for durability and longevity. The feeders are made in North Carolina, USA.

“The design of the turkey feeder offers a winchable cone which provides for greater feed presentation and adjustability,” said Mitchell.

The feeder is easy to install and is a good work around for the producer.

“The second turkey feeder showcased is designed for pullet and roosters,” said Mitchell. It offers an anti-swing, anti-fluid, flood lockout, and feed shut-off slides. These features assist with feed distribution, availability, and presentation.

“All the varieties of the feeders have a very low-profile height to allow small birds access to the feed,” he said. “It has the proper feed presentation and amount of feed per feeder for pullet and rooster installation which are very important. The two-piece top design feeder allows for easy installation and replacement if there's ever an issue with feed presentation or availability”.

Impact of feeder system on-farm

“The two biggest benefits for producers using the feeder systems are feed availability and efficiency,” said Mitchell. “Efficiency is an important proponent of feed conversions.”

Using the turkey feeder system allows the birds not to waste feed while providing availability of feed so the birds can gain and reach grow-out as soon as possible.

“However, on the pullet rooster side of production, the producer is limiting feed for growth and maturity while having it readily available to encourage birds to eat and so that all the birds get their fair share,” said Mitchell.

Learn more about feeder systems provided by Georgia Poultry and Hog Slat