Tunnel Ventilation at Pembrook Colony

 In 2015, Harold Hofer of Pembrook Colony in Ipswich, SD was facing a few major challenges with their current turkey barns. In the middle of the summer, when it would reach temperatures over 100 degrees Fahrenheit, and the wind would quit moving in their curtain barns, the internal temperature quickly became too hot. Every year, they were losing birds throughout the summer because they could not regulate the temperature in the barn to cool the birds to a normal temperature.

Harold and the Pembrook staff knew they needed air moving during the hot South Dakota summers, so they decided to start looking for a new system. After doing their research and weighing their options, they decided on building a new tunnel ventilation barn with New Standard Group.
 

“I met with Tim (at New Standard) and I knew I could trust them more than other barn design companies by looking at the success of their previous barns.” 

The new barn took three months to build, and the Pembrook staff quickly saw the changes they were looking for. When asked whether he preferred his two curtain barns or the new tunnel ventilated barn, Harold was quick to assure us that they made the right decision.

“We decided to try something different and I think the tunnel barn is way better. It’s a lot easier to operate this new barn because I actually have control.”

Impact on Production and Daily Operation

The tunnel ventilation system is quickly paying for itself in Pembrook. When comparing the birds in all three of their barns, on a year average the tunnel-ventilated barn produces birds that are 1.3 pounds heavier than their two curtain barns. The automation in the new barn is also making daily operations much easier for the Pembrook staff.

“Daily, we don’t have to worry about that barn compared to a curtain barn. With a curtain barn, every time the weather changes, you have to go change something. And with a power-ventilated barn, it’s all automated.”

Pembrook’s Future Plans

Pembrook Colony is currently in the middle of constructing a new brooder barn with a New Standard design. This barn will use chimney and ceiling intake ventilation; a barn design well suited to warmer interior temperatures with a great variance in outdoor conditions. With the new brooder, Pembrook can expect to see optimum performance from the moment they place the poults to the day they go to processing.