Hatchery Foreman

**Job Advert Summary**:
**Minimum Requirements**:
Minimum Grade 12

NDip or BTech in Animal Production or Agriculture or relevant qualification could secure

Valid Code EB drivers’ license

Minimum of 5 years in a Hatchery environmen,

Minimum of 3 years supervisory and leadership experience

Extensive practical knowledge of and adherence to animal welfare policies

Well-developed interpersonal and labour relations skills

Ability to communicate on all levels within the organization

Able to communicate in English - both verbal and written

Attention to detail and good analytical skill

**Duties and Responsibilities**:
**Grading**

Receiving of eggs from laying farms or external supplier

Recording of egg core temperatures

Verify eggs received and dispatched

Co-ordinating and management of the egg bank

Planning of flocks to be set and setter cards

Maintain Pre-Heat Room and Preheating of egg sets

Monitoring of cold room temperatures and RH% including hygiene and housekeeping

**Setters**

Monitoring of environmental conditions and pressures including hygiene

Planning and monitoring of setting of eggs in the incubators

Planning and monitoring of transfers into the hatchers

Monitoring of embryo temperatures

10 day candling

Record and monitor water loss.

Monitor and record accuracy of incubators

**Hatchers**

Prepare hatchers for transfer

Monitor and record environmental conditions

Transfer eggs into the hatchers

Verify flocks transferred

Program controllers for eggs transferred

Measure, monitor and record hatch window

Transfer of chicks to the chick holding area

Sample chick fluff per hatch

Cleaning and sanitizing processes to be audited

**Chick Take-off**

Observe chick quality and contamination of chick debris

Observe quality of chicks during chick transfer from chick basket to carousel

Audit chick counting and record any variances

Monitor and record chick quality

Measure and record chick weight

Measure and record yoke free body mass

Analyze and record unhatched eggs per flock

Measure and record vent temperatures

Monitor environmental conditions

Ensure availability of vaccines

Prepare vaccine and administer

Record culls per flock

Prepare delivery note to dispatch

Dispose of culls and debris as per procedure

Monitor and record truck temperature prior to loading

Dispatch chicks as per placement plan

Verify chicks loaded with IDN and chick truck driver

Communicate, dispatch with farm manager, chick placement supervisor, and hatchery

Reconcile chicks hatched to placement delivery notes and other hatchery and farm manager daily

Audit and manage seal register

**General Production**

Ensure the submission of samples to the laboratory (blood, water, dust, mortality and feed) as required by

best operating practices to enable proactive management of potential animal health issues.

Manage the vaccination process to ensure immunizations and vaccinations are done in time and according to the RPM, BOP and veterinary specifications.

Ensure that effective rodent control measures are in place.

**Hygiene and Biosecurity**

Adhere to the VCD and BOP procedures

Ensure compliance to SHEQ and Risk Management

Training of staff with regards to animal welfare, food safety, equipment within the operation and Bio-security procedures

**Maintenance**

Test equipment and the standby generator on a weekly basis to ensure reliability and good working order.

Test the alarms, daily, in the morning and afternoon, to basis ensure good working order.

Maintain the hatchery grounds

**Animal Handler**

As an Animal Handler you will ensure that flocks are provided with the following freedoms:

- Freedom from hunger, thirst, and malnutrition
- Freedom from physical and thermal discomfort
- Freedom from pain, injury, and disease
- Freedom from fear and distress
- Freedom to display normal patterns of behaviour, as allowed in facilities