Modern and Sustainable:
Turkey Hatchery Miko
"With the completion of the 'Hatchery Modernization' project by Miko, Austria is now home to one of the most modern and sustainable turkey hatcheries in Europe. It stands confidently in international comparisons with other turkey hatcheries, not only in terms of capacity."
On June 17, 2023, after 12 years, Miko Hatchery opened its doors once again and showcased its latest investment to an interested audience.
More than 400 invited guests took the opportunity to witness firsthand the extensive modernization measures at the turkey hatchery in Upper Austria. Approximately 2,000 square meters of newly created space in the hatchery were equipped with the latest incubators and ventilation systems from the Belgian incubator manufacturer 'Petersime.' Additionally, a spacious chick storage room and indoor loading facilities for 4 chick trucks were established.
Highest Quality
The goal of achieving top-quality chicks from excellent hatching eggs, thereby laying the foundation for successful poultry farming among their customers, is the standard that the Miko family has set for themselves with this investment step. The company convincingly demonstrated the benefits that the modernized hatchery brings to turkey farmers.
From a hygiene perspective – which is crucial for all farmers – Miko Turkey Farm's hatchery meets the highest quality standards, surpassing legal requirements by a significant margin.
100 % CO2-neutral
Sustainability has always been a central concern for the family business, and following this investment, the hatchery operates 100% carbon-neutral. In addition to a photovoltaic system capable of supplying the hatchery with electricity during peak times, a heat pump harnesses waste heat from the cooling system (necessary for cooling eggs from the 5th day of incubation) to heat the building. Any additional electricity required comes from renewable sources.
The Modernization in Detail
- Now, a total of 6 hatchery rooms with 26 incubators are available. This capacity is sufficient to meet the anticipated increase in demand for Austrian turkey chicks and to continue fulfilling orders from the CEE region. The industry's common goal is to increase the self-sufficiency of turkey meat in Austria.
- The high number of separate hatchery rooms allows for workflows where "hygiene" is uncompromisingly the top priority. On a total of 2,500 square meters, the chicks are not only hatched, sorted by gender, vaccinated, and quality-checked, but also stored for up to 24 hours under optimal conditions. The indoor loading of up to 4 large chick trucks has been made possible.
- All work areas are equipped with modern GRP panels that, using the lotus effect, ensure the highest cleanliness in the operating rooms. Both the entrance and the living areas have more than doubled in size.
- The interplay of a modern ventilation system, the heat pump, and the incubators allows for the reuse of heat generated by the eggs and chicks during the incubation process. The so-called 'cooling water' is used to heat the building.
- The hatchery's carbon footprint will, after a few steps that are still to be optimized, be reduced to zero. The hatchery is operated purely with electricity in all areas, produced exclusively (partly through its own PV system) from water or the sun. Thus, the hatchery is climate-neutral after this investment step!
- All requirements regarding animal welfare and organic production can be fully met by Miko Hatchery Farm.
Construction Start and Transition While Operations Continue
The construction of a new hatchery building commenced on September 27, 2021, after several years of planning, amid the COVID-19 crisis. In close collaboration with a renowned general contractor and a local construction company, the 1,800 m² building was quickly erected. From February 2022 onwards, the installation of the new incubators and ventilation technology, originating from Belgium, began, while chicks continued to hatch in the old hatchery.
The transition from the old to the new building took place in the summer of 2022 without interrupting ongoing operations. Subsequently, the existing part of the hatchery was renovated and overhauled. Finally, on February 15, 2023, the new, fully expanded, and renovated hatchery was successfully put into operation.
The European Union, the country of Austria, and the state of Upper Austria have provided a significant financial support for this project. Without this important contribution, the realization would not have been possible. The owning family explicitly expresses gratitude to all involved entities for the grants provided!
