Renovation with standout features in Canada

Canada - The Canadian poultry industry is committed to quality, sustainability, and animal welfare. With these strict regulatory standards, Canadian farmers are often faced with the need to renovate their barns to meet industry requirements and market demand. Renovations also allow farmers to explore new technology and increase the ecological efficiency in their barns. Harhil Farms completed its renovation in the fall of 2024, standing as a benchmark for modern poultry farming by combining innovative equipment with thoughtful design to ensure optimal welfare and productivity, setting a high standard for other farms to follow.

Located just outside Lacombe, Alberta, Harhil Farms underwent a significant renovation. This impressive upgrade, completed by Penner Farm Services in collaboration with Vencomatic Group and Craig Van Stryland, the owner of Harhil Farms, has transformed the existing structure into a layer barn showpiece, serving as a model of efficiency and advanced technology in egg production.

A showcase of innovation

The project at Harhil Farms is Penner’s first ECO Zero barn in Alberta, marking a major milestone in the province. Despite the challenges of renovating an existing barn, the Penner team, led by Tim Toews and the team, exceeded expectations by housing more birds than originally planned.

“We are proud of this project as we were able to house even more birds than the customer was expecting and fit a lot of new equipment into the existing space. This was our first ECO Zero barn in Alberta, and although it was a learning curve, we overcame the obstacles with the support of Vencomatic Group,” said Tim Toews. “It’s great to have this showpiece barn just 20 minutes from our office.”

At the core of the Harhil Farms renovation is the Bolegg Gallery 2 Tier with top plate, an innovative system designed for barns with low ceilings. This system maximizes the use of vertical space, allowing for more birds per square meter while maintaining easy inspection and access. The barn can now house 24,449 birds, a significant increase from its previous capacity, without compromising animal welfare or operational efficiency.

The ECO Zero system

One of the standout features of this renovation is the integration of the ECO Zero system, a highly efficient ventilation system that requires no additional air inlets or outlets. Using a combination of heat exchange and indirect evaporative cooling, the ECO Zero system helps maintain optimal temperatures inside the barn while significantly reducing energy consumption—saving up to 75% on heating costs. The system also improves overall air quality by lowering ammonia and fine dust emissions, creating a healthier environment for both the birds and farmers. The automatic washing system within the ECO Unit ensures it operates at peak efficiency with minimal maintenance.

Egg packing and handling

The barn is also equipped with the Prinzen 70, a packer designed for efficient and gentle egg packing on 30-cell trays. With a points-down setting ratio of 99.7%, it ensures the careful handling of eggs. The compact design, ease of operation, and low maintenance costs make it an essential tool for poultry farmers. The short payback period due to performance and reduced operational hours for egg handling further underscores its value.

Alongside the Prinzen 70, the barn features the Ergostack 70, a semi-automatic stacker that maximizes processing capacity by stacking trays up to six high. Paired with the Stack Outfeed Unit, it offers fully automated tray stacking for increased efficiency in egg handling.

Additional equipment includes the Meggsius Detect, which ensures no further contamination from leaking eggs by stopping the egg conveyor for manual removal. This innovation reduces cleaning time and ensures a clean, high-quality product.

A model for modern farming

The Harhil Farms renovation showcases Penner Farm Services' ability to partner with farmers to deliver complex projects while integrating cutting-edge technology to enhance productivity and bird welfare. As Penner continues to support farmers across the province, Harhil Farms stands as a blueprint for future poultry projects, proving that with the right expertise and equipment, even an older barn can be transformed into a high-performing, environmentally friendly operation.