Poultry is the most-consumed meat in both the United States and worldwide. Much of this expansion is due to the growth of large-scale production methods capable of delivering birds – especially chicken - to consumers at relatively low prices.
Bulk carbon dioxide has become an integral part of the booming poultry industry. In fact, at virtually every stage of a chicken's life-cycle, CO2 is used to maximize production. CO2Meter has had the opportunity to work with many producers in the industry, and we’ve developed an understanding of how our products are used.
• It starts with egg incubation. Using CO2 as a blanket gas over the eggs helps regulate overall temperature, resulting in fewer "early peeps". Many of our clients use our 1% CO2 Transmitter/Controller to monitor and control the CO2 levels.
• For eggs used in vaccine production, a virus is inserted into an egg, incubated, harvested, then innactivated. This process requires carbon dioxide levels in the 5-11% range, which can be achieved using our 30% CO2 controller in a NEMA4 enclosure.
• Once the eggs have hatched, thousands of chicks are shipped from hatcheries to growers in trucks. Temperature and CO2 levels inside the trucks are logged for insurance purposes using our Remote CO2 Data Logger with the head unit inside the cab and the transmitter in the truck's trailer.
• Chicks metabolize their food more slowly under high-CO2 levels. By regulating CO2, growers can shorten the time it takes to transform the chicks into broilers or egg laying hens. Many of our clients use the 1% CO2 IAQ Transmitter/Controller to maximize the balance between production and energy efficiency.
• Once it is time for slaughter, CO2 is used in controlled atmosphere stunning (CAS) as a humane alternative to electrical stunning. The birds are placed in a portable unit or a sealed building that is flooded with CO2. Unconsciousness occurs at 40% CO2 levels within seconds, and death occurs at 65% CO2 concentration. To monitor high CO2 levels – and to protect farm workers from accidental leaks, our clients use 100% CO2 Sample Draw Meters.
• Packaged poultry maintains its shelf-life longer using CO2 for modified atmosphere processing (MAP). Vacuum-sealed packages of poultry get up to 20% more shelf life by replacing the normal air in packages with CO2. To test the atmosphere inside packages, we offer the iSense CO2 & Oxygen MAP Inspection Station. This unit allows spot-check verification of sealed packaging equipment.
