ASIAN POULTRY MAGAZINE, AUGUST 2020 ISSUE: Delima Emas’s story began with a group of IT workers who decided to move into poultry farming, writes RAJESWARI RAMANEE. They all shared a love for creating smart systems for businesses, and also a passion for farming.
Executive Director, Muhammed Saleh Abdul Malek took the lead by converting that passion into an organic poultry business. In addition to being antibiotic-free and using organic feeds, the farm calls on nano-filtered water e-tracking smart systems.
The farm opened on the outskirts of Kuala Selangor , about an hour west from Kuala Lumpur, with Ross and Cobb birds. “If you ask our neighbors if they are bothered by the smell of chicken dung or flies, they will say no. That is because of the feed supplements and water that we use, and we also dehydrate the waste. This is something we addressed at the beginning because one of our goals is peaceful co-existence within the community around us,” Mr. Saleh said.
The company has formulated supplements from olive leaf extract, arabica gum, turmeric and essential amino acids, which are added to its feed. The result has been less foul-smelling manure and better growth and mortality rates, without the use of antibiotic or other additives.
From the beginning, Delima Emas has been using a customized Japanese nano-filtration system that helps build the chickens immunity. The water is channeled through an array of pipes before reaching a large room containing filtration tanks for various stages of cleaning and mineralization. It is then channeled directly into the hen houses. This multiple-step process is contained within a 20 x 20 sqft. area.
“We created an app connected to sensors in the coops, and I can check it via live feeds,” said Mr. Saleh. Everything from ventilation fans, water and feed channeling to equipment malfunctions is monitored. “In this changing economic landscape, we need to look at smart farming systems. This country is becoming increasingly tech-savvy, with connected technology being encouraged and pushed. We have the background and expertise, so we jumped at the opportunity,” said Mr. Saleh.
With the right kind of financial support, there is similar, integrated smart farms that could cater for smaller community groups. “This kind of model is environmentally friendly with no waste products leaving the farm. It delivers cost savings, and can bring through small farmers so they can earn a living without having to make large investments,” he added.