Battery-Powered Litter Raking Machine

A battery-powered litter raking machine is a walk-behind tined implement used in deep-litter poultry sheds (broiler, breeder and turkey houses) to loosen caked bedding, dry the litter and reduce ammonia and carbon-dioxide accumulation. Regular raking is part of bird-welfare and bird-health management in modern Indian poultry operations.

Function

A horizontal shaft carrying spring tines or rotating fingers is driven by an electric motor running off an on-board lead-acid battery. The tines penetrate the caked litter as the operator pushes the machine forward, breaking it into friable fragments and aerating the underlying material.

Design and specifications

Indian manufacturers include Bala Industries (Pune), Chishtiya Rakewell (Vadodara), JBS Krishi Farm, Stepupify and PakshiMitra Poultry Technologies. The PakshiMitra Hero raking machine was developed through nine design iterations over two years specifically for the Indian broiler segment. Both battery-only and small electric-motor variants are sold.

Operation

Raking is typically scheduled once or twice per week during a broiler cycle and more frequently in hot, humid conditions. The operator walks the machine systematically down each pen, avoiding birds and feeders. Loosened litter dries faster, reducing footpad dermatitis, hock burn and ascites incidence linked to elevated ammonia.

Subsidy and adoption

The implement is included in equipment lists for some state poultry-development schemes and for National Livestock Mission projects. Adoption is concentrated in contract-broiler operations in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra and Karnataka.

References

Poultry Raking Machine. Bala Industries.
PakshiMitra Raking Machine. Poulmart.