Introducing B&B Gates and the Iowa 1 Warehouse
B & B Gates started as a side business run by Barry Polema in the machine shop on his farm just outside of Doon, Iowa. For many years, Barry spent his days working a full-time job to support his family and nights welding hog and cattle gates in a small corner of his shop. Over […]
Read More >A Successful Sales Story: Run Hai Yuan
A Successful Sales Story: Run Hai Yuan Wuyuan Run Hai Yuan is a branch company of Shanxi Long Hai, who is one of the biggest breeder companies in China. They started building breeder farms in Inner Mongolia in 2018. They purchased 71 breeder houses of watering system from VAL-CO in 2019. After using our VAL-CO […]
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Duck Watering Opportunities in the UK
During the Pig and Poultry Exhibition, the team from Grange CSE Ltd in East Yorkshire, England was approached by a producer of ducks in traditional sheds. He was interested in using the mini drinker and Val Watering nipple drinker system in place of the drinkers normally installed in duck farms. He has three goals. First […]
Read More >Marijan Skvorc – Grower Spotlight
Marijan Skvorc – Croatia Marijan Skvorc started poultry farming in 2004 when he built a 25,000-head broiler house. After 10 years of successful business, he added another house in 2018, growing total bird capacity to over 50,000 chickens. He installed watering lines and feed lines, radiant brooders, and other VAL-CO products in his houses. So […]
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Grower Spotlight: Garvin Gouraj
For Garvin Gounraj, the legacy of farming started three generations ago in the rice paddies of South America. Garvin’s family immigrated to New York in the early 1990’s. Shortly after, they made their way to Maryland where they transplanted their roots and continued their farming legacy. His father and mother once raised sheep, goats, and […]
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Protecting On-Farm Worker Safety
Farming is recognized as one of the most dangerous professions in the U.S. Because many farms are small farms and employ fewer than 10 people, farm safety is mostly unregulated. Farm hazards range from respiratory hazards created by dust and gases, exposure to chemicals like pesticides and cleaners, UV radiation from sun exposure, and illnesses […]
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Brooding For Success Creating the optimal environment for young birds to thrive in during the brooding period will set producers up for success throughout the entire rearing period. The ideal environment consists of optimal floor and air temperature, access to ample food and water, fresh clean air, and dry litter. Heat Chicks cannot regulate […]
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Vehicle Disinfection to Prevent Disease Introduction On Farms
The spread of viral disease has been at the forefront of animal and human health for the past few years. Avian Influenza (AI), Porcine Reproductive & Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS), Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDv), and other highly contagious pathogens are all a threat to animal agriculture. Highly Pathogenic AI viruses cause severe, systemic disease with […]
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The 2024 International Production & Processing Expo (IPPE) had the largest trade show floor ever with 621,350 square feet of exhibit space and 1,427 exhibitors. This year, IPPE has more than 31,000 poultry and egg, meat, and animal food industry attendees representing 130+ countries. Sponsored by the U.S. Poultry & Egg Association, American Feed Industry […]
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2023 A Year in Review 2023 was a year for growth and new developments. We saw record attendance return to the industries biggest tradeshows. We released a slew of innovative new products, and we lost one of the industries most notable inventors, Fred Steudler. While IPPE’s attendance might have waned a bit, the rebranding […]
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Biosecurity Practices that Everyone Should Follow
Biosecurity Practices That Everyone Should Follow Control of human traffic: Restrict visitors to essential personnel only. Ideally, from a biosecurity standpoint, there would be no visitors at all. All people moving onto and within the site should be approved and records kept, including all contractors, service people, maintenance personnel, site visitors, friends, and neighbors. […]
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The 2022 Avian Influenza pandemic has run rampant for more than a year now. It has killed more than 58 million birds to date. It has affected egg and meat prices dramatically and it is starting to feel like there is no end in sight. The current means of control focus on higher impact biosecurity […]
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Grower Spotlight: Mark Strouth
From the late 1980s onward, Mark’s father and brothers started a legacy of family farming, and they haven’t given it up yet. Somewhere in the windy plains of Iowa, Mark and his three brothers own and operate a menagerie of swine barns that they have collected over the years. Around ten houses in total are […]
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Supreme Court Upholds California’s Prop 12
On May 11, 2023, the Supreme Court upheld California’s Proposition 12, a landmark animal welfare measure that bans the sale of pork from sows that are confined in small spaces. The 5-4 decision was a victory for animal welfare groups and a setback for the pork industry. In 2018, California voters passed Prop 12 (also […]
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Water is an important nutrient that directly affects a flock’s health and wellbeing. Birds must have adequate access to clean water for optimal consumption. It’s important to understand the difference between water usage and water consumption. Water usage is what goes through the water meter. It measures the water used for cooling systems, as well […]
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Clean Drinking Water in Four Simple Steps
Clean drinking water in the poultry house is arguably the most important resource that we should provide. There are tons of tips and tricks out there to ensure that your water is the best water it can be, so we’ve narrowed it down to 4 main points. Check these things regularly and rest assured your […]
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In case you missed it, the 2023 IPPE took place this week at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, GA. The show halls were brimming with renewed energy and excitement as the industry moves forward from AI, Covid, and economic challenges. This year, VAL-CO showcased some of the newest developments that we have been […]
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In 2018, California voters passed Proposition 12 (Prop 12) which is a ballot initiative to provide more space for farmed animals, in particular laying hens, breeding sows and veal calves in California. Prop 12 is also known as the Farm Animal Confinement Initiative and offers protections to egg-laying hens, mother pigs, and calves raised for […]
Read More >2022 brought back what is arguably the most exciting event in the industry, the International Production & Processing Expo. It also brought new COVID strains and the stress of pandemic business, but regardless, spirits remained high as poultry professionals from all walks of life came together. Traffic and attendance were notable reduced as so many […]
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