Case story: Danish Poultry - Introducing traceability and documentation
THE CHALLENGE - The increasing demand for documentation and traceability has led to the launch a new system by the poultry industry as an important part of the existing quality system for production of broilers.
The Danish Poultry Meat Association launched the new system to serve as the “engine” of the industry’s quality concept of “Quality assurance in the chicken production” - abbreviated KIK.
The system documents the quality and traceability intensively through all parts of the Danish chicken production.
The Danish production of broilers has already a very high level of food safety and animal welfare and is among the best proven in the world. “It is a position that we want to maintain and very much like to expand. Therefore, the industry now introduces the KIK system as a natural part of getting the full benefit of the quality concept, which covers the whole production chain”, says Per Vinther Møller, Chairman of the Danish Poultry Meat Association.
According to customers around the world, it is particularly the increasing demand for documentation and traceability from consumers that has encouraged the Danish poultry industry to launch the system.
How the system works
Basically, it is a traceability system where all relevant information is gathered from the various stages in the production. The system is “web-based”, which means that it is accessible from all over the world via the Internet. The users do not need to have any special programs installed on their computers; only a user name and a password and you are ready to go.
It is also a “real-time system, which means that when data is typed, it is in principle instantly available to everybody else. The system also has a large number of reports which provide data on production efficiency, traceability and statistics to the industry.
“Although in principle the system is only a “tool” to support the quality management system, it also offers some relief by cutting down on paperwork and new opportunities such as the ability to make new statistical analyses due to the increased details registration”.
“Data only has to be typed in once – i.e. during registration. This provides both an administrative relief and a higher degree of data validity. When data is moved more or less manually, it’s extra work and there is always a risk of mistakes”, says Jacob Roland Pedersen, Chairman of the KIK management group.
Security
“The system is subject to considerable, documented security. Since the system also needs to provide economic data for the producers, it has been extremely important to the industry to make sure that no other than the primary producer can see his/her financial data”, says Anders Langballe, Project Manager and System Administrator at Lyngsoe Systems, who developed the database in cooperation with the Danish Poultry Meat Association. He continues: “The security is controlled through rights, and here the primary producer determines who should have authorization to financial data. In addition to the security, the KIK system contains all data related to the statutory selfregulation, including production data needed by the slaughterhouse prior to processing. Consequently, a report from the system is just as valid as their reported control data with signature”.
Key to production management
The KIK system provides very high levels of details for the registrations. This means that each primary producer - in addition to making records to ensure documentation and traceability - also continuously extracts key performance indicators for the production and thereby uses the system for production optimization.
Therefore the database is preprogrammed with a variety of standard reports, which offer production specific information as well as industry statistics.
Through the system, feed stuff companies are allowed to monitor the efficiency of the food provided. In this way, they are able to improve and optimize the composition of the food supplied.
Increasing consumer confidence
“We have high hopes for the system. There is no doubt that the Industry will gain from the system through higher consumer confidence in the Danish chickens production”, says Jacob Roland Pedersen, Chairman of the KIK management group and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine at Läntmannen Danpo.
Benefits:
• Full documentation of the production process
• Overview of the supply chain
• One system for all information
• Ability to make statistical analyses to improve earnings or diminish cost in the value chain
• Ability to make statistical analysis regarding the production conditions
- e.g. will the amount of positive salmonella samples decrease if a different type of coccidiostat is used?
- e.g. will the pad index decrease if more bedding is used and a different heat source is installed?
• Full accountability of chickens throughout the production chain. With daily reporting of producersof diseased poultry, a mass balance is established.
• Accredited system allowing veterinarians, slaughterhouses and key customers to monitor the mass balance and general health of a batch of chicken.
SELECTED TESTIMONIALS
Erik Dam Jensen, HEDEGAARD agro and representative of DAKOFO in the KIK steering committee.
The system:
About the system Erik Dam Jensen says: ”Like some of the others, I was probably a little sceptical at the beginning as it is quite an ambitious project with many players involved. But as the project progressed, I noted with pleasure that it is now an indispensable tool for the entire chicken trade. It is also very likely that the database will become more important to customers of the chicken slaughterhouses and thereby help support the sale of Danish chicken meat”.
Erik Dam continues: ”With the database we now have a complete reporting tool with regard to slaughter weight and feed consumption of all batches of slaughter chicken in Denmark. This is huge progress to all parties involved in the production chain”.
Cooperation with Lyngsoe Systems:
”Lyngsoe Systems have been very helpful in guiding us through the process of entering data into the database and in assisting the producers in creating us as theirsupplier and thus in making our data available in the
database”, says Erik Dam.
Slaughter chicken producer Thomas Knudsen and chairman of Rose Poultry’s producers’ association.
The system:
Thomas Knudsen has been involved in the development of the KIK database right from the start. Thomas Knudsen, who is a member of the steering committee, volunteered as a test person and has cooperated with Lyngsoe Systems in the development of the database. Thomas Knudsen says: ”We have succeeded in developing a very user-friendly solution. Thanks to the database, all slaughter chicken producers are now part of the effi ciency that allows for signifi cant effi ciency improvements in the production.”
Cooperation with Lyngsoe Systems:
”I have taken an active part in the various system tests right from the beginning. Lyngsoe Systems have listened to my comments and input and have a deep understanding and knowledge of the user’s world.” ”I am surprised by the positive and constructive approach that Lyngsoe Systems have had to our line of business – without prior knowledge. No matter the challenge, we are never told that it cannot be done. Lyngsoe Systems have always picked up the challenge and have completed the task”, says Thomas Knudsen.
Bent Holten, producer advisor at Lantmännen Danpo.
The database and cooperation with Lyngsoe Systems:
About the database and cooperation with Lyngsoe Systems Bent Holten says: “Eight years ago the Danish slaughter chicken sector decided that we wanted a traceability database and we wanted it to be the world’s best. The unique part is the scope of traceability, i.e. right from chicken hatchery to slaughter chicken breeding, feed manufacturing catching and transport, slaughtering, veterinary control, and stable washing companies. Representatives for all links in the business started to look at what happens right now and in the future – with a lot of new procedures as a result”.
He continues “it must be registered that everyone is following the procedures and an independent audit must check that everyone is doing as they should. The purpose is to show the customers that Denmark has ”the world’s most well-documented production of slaughter chicken. The chicken trade chose Lyngsoe Systems to develop a database that stores all registrations. Developing such a database from scratch is a huge process. No matter how thorough the preparation has been, unexpected issues will inevitably pop up and changes will have to be made. With Lyngsoe Systems, the chicken trade has a professional partner that understands our needs and that quickly adapts the database to change requests from the chicken trade”.
“During the process, the chicken trade decided that we also wanted to connect effi ciency control to the socalled KIK-database. This means that we now have the world’s best effi ciency control, thanks to all Danish slaughter chicken slaughterhouses contributing with key fi gures. Many are also giving their fi nancial fi gures. This effi ciency control helps the farmer to streamline his own production and inspires him to decide where to purchase his feed” says Bent Holten.
LYNGSOE SYSTEMS
Lyngsoe Systems is a provider of logistics solutions including Warehouse Management, Asset Management, Food Traceability and RFID. Lyngsoe Systems’ solutions are based on known and used technologies that enable our customers to improve their customer service, productivity and reduce costs in their business. Lyngsoe Systems has since the mid-1970s delivered quality solutions worldwide and has thus built up an extensive knowledge and experience in project management, system design, consulting, installation, support and maintenance of small and large IT-based logistics solutions. Our reference list is extensive with more than 2,700 installations in Europe, USA, Asia, Australia and include GAP, Target Stores, Copenhagen Airport, Dan Cargo, McDonald’s, Danfoss, Deutsche Post, HAVI Logistics, Australia Post, United States Postal Service, Reebok, Timberland and others.
