Just like in many other countries of the world, eggs produced in alternative systems are gaining popularity in Israel. This trend has recently also been acknowledged by the Ben Shemen agricultural school, located not far from Jerusalem. Budding farmers learn the ins and outs of barn egg production with a welfare aviary from Big Dutchman. The Ben Shemen settlement, to which the agricultural school of the same name belongs, provides a satisfied conclusion regarding the Natura Nova Twin aviary: “We had a great first batch.” Big Dutchman General Manager Martin Prang explains that this is the first installation of the bestseller in Israel, acknowledging his happiness about this sign of trust from the Middle Eastern country.
Gaining new knowledge with a Big Dutchman aviary
Best-selling welfare system now installed in Israel
Even if most layers in Israel are still housed in cages, there are more and more indicators that the industry is moving in a new direction. Projects with alternative systems are on the rise, and the Israeli parliament is working on bills to create a new legal foundation for egg production in the country.
The corresponding system change means that egg producers will venture into uncharted territory – which is definitely one of the fortes of poultry equipment supplier Big Dutchman. “We have been accompanying farmers who switch from poultry cages to alternative systems all over the world in the past 40 years. Apart from our tried and tested equipment, another great advantage is therefore that our employees and sales staff have so much experience with this switch,” says Prang.
The figures speak for themselves. To date, far more than 100 million laying hen places worldwide have been equipped with a Big Dutchman “Natura” aviary, which is considered to be especially animal-friendly.
It is therefore not at all surprising that the first batch of pullets that was moved into a laying aviary in Ben Shemen was reared in a Big Dutchman system as well. The long-term Big Dutchman customers Yona Glicksman and his sons Benny and Moshe were the first pullet producers in Israel who equipped their barns with rearing aviaries. The family is very happy with the results, as recorded in this article.
Four decades of knowledge really pay off: Big Dutchman can offer farmers an impressive range of aviaries.
“No barn is like the other. Many poultry farmers will keep the outer shell of the building and equip their barn with a new system. Others will construct an entirely new barn. Some prefer barn egg production, others want to provide their layers with a range so they can leave the barn during the day. We have great solutions for all requests,” says Prang about the modular Natura system, which includes a vast variety of options.
Agrotop, the Big Dutchman sales agency in Israel, was responsible for realising the construction project in Ben Shemen.
