University of Chester secures millions for poultry welfare and sustainability innovations

UK – Researchers at the University of Chester are undertaking two groundbreaking projects to enhance poultry welfare, production efficiency, and sustainability. 

The projects, supported by millions in government funding, spotlight innovative solutions that integrate artificial intelligence and sustainable feed alternatives into poultry farming.

The university’s Centre for Research into Environmental Science and Technology (CREST) is a key partner in the FeedFlow initiative, which is led by the insect farming company Flybox®. 

With over £3 (US$3.9) million from Innovate UK under DEFRA’s Farming Innovation Programme, FeedFlow uses AI and Black Soldier Fly (BSF) larvae to address health, welfare, and sustainability in poultry production. 

The project brings together several industry players, including FLOX, a UK-based poultry-tech start-up, alongside Nottingham Trent University, Courteenhall Farms, and Clarke Group Construction.

Larry Kotch, CEO of Flybox®, emphasised the project’s innovative approach: “This project, leveraging advanced AI and BSF larvae, will deliver exceptional results to tackle challenges in health, welfare, and sustainability.”

FeedFlow is designed to optimise poultry welfare and reduce environmental impact by unifying data from farms and processing factories through an AI-based platform developed by FLOX. This platform provides real-time data on flock welfare and alerts on potential health issues. 

With BSF larvae added to feed, the system offers a high-nutrient alternative to traditional feed, more effectively tackling poultry health challenges. 

Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) will assess emissions reduction potential to quantify environmental benefits, led by University of Chester researchers.

In a second initiative, CREST received a £1.5 (US$1.95) million grant from Innovate UK’s Transforming Food Production Challenge Fund for the NetFLOX360 project. 

Partnering with 2 Sisters Food Group (2SFG) and led by FLOX, NetFLOX360 aims to integrate poultry farming and processing data through AI to improve sustainability and decision-making across the poultry supply chain. 

CREST’s Dr Kennedy Mutua highlighted the data gap across the poultry value chain, emphasising that NetFLOX360 will provide poultry producers and processors access to real-time, actionable data.

Prof. Julieanna Powell-Turner, Associate Dean of Research and Innovation at the University of Chester, sees these projects as crucial for addressing persistent challenges in poultry farming, such as leg health issues, high mortality rates, and ammonia emissions. 

She noted, “BSF larvae offer significant potential to reduce global warming by efficiently converting organic waste into high-protein feed.”

These projects reflect a wider movement towards sustainable agriculture, with experts like Prof. Emily Burton from Nottingham Trent University highlighting the importance of LCA to measure and justify the impact of such interventions. 

Sign up to receive our email newsletters with the latest news updates and insights from Africa and the World HERE.