Water system helps improve pig and poultry production

An innovative project aimed at boosting efficiency and productivity in the livestock industry through enhanced water technology is gaining momentum.

British agri-tech firm Oxcel has reported successful outcomes from Innovate UK-funded trials, confirming that its nano-oxygen-enhanced water technology delivers significant benefits for both farmers and the environment.

The trials were carried out with Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) and the UK Agri-Tech Centre. Oxcel said its plug-in farm-ready solution yielded promising results for the UK’s the intensive livestock industry.

The system enhances dissolved oxygen levels in drinking water, helping to increase levels of animal welfare, productivity and carbon efficiency – all without requiring changes to farm infrastructure.

Better performance

Field trials with poultry producers reported reduced mortality, fewer abattoir rejections and increased carcass weights. Pig trials resulted in faster growth rates, improved feed efficiency, reduced feed intake and slaughter weights five days earlier.

SRUC’s research showed oxygen-enriched drinking water significantly improved broiler welfare indicators, including reducing hock burns and white striping, better feather condition and improved gut health.

SRUC professor of poultry nutrition Farina Khattak suggested the system could offer a farmers a practical and scalable water supply. “Water quality is vital for animal health, yet it is often overlooked,” she said.

“Our research demonstrated that oxygen-enriched water can significantly enhance both welfare and meat quality, offering farmers a practical, non-pharmaceutical solution to improve production standards.”

Simple system

At the core of the system is a simple, nanobubble delivery system that quadruples the amount of dissolved oxygen in drinking water. Commercial trials have shown that welfare improvements and profit increases can go hand in hand.

By enhancing gut health and resilience, this technology enables farmers to achieve higher animal welfare standards, greater liveweight gains and better farm economics without disrupting existing infrastructure.

Oxcel said founder and chief executive Alex Leigh said the company engaging with investors to scale up the technology – delivering better profits for farmers while reducing the environmental impact of meat production.

Fiona Short, livestock innovation lead at the UK Agri-Tech Centre, said the project was an excellent example of how Innovate UK funding could successfully bring industry and academia together to enhance livestock production.

Livetec Systems acquires Jonah’s Handling

Poultry handling specialist Jonah’s Handling has been acquired by livestock biosecurity and protection experts Livetec Systems.

Jonah’s Handling has more than 18 years of experience across Norfolk and Lincolnshire, particularly in the turkey sector. The acquisition strengthens Livetec’s position with an expanded portfolio, says Livetect managing director Gordon Samet.

“Welcoming Jonah’s Handling into the Livetec portfolio is a major step in expanding our offering to deliver an even broader range of services to meet the poultry industry’s increasing needs,” he explains.

“This acquisition enables us to offer fully integrated, end-to-end depopulation and handling services, positioning us to better support our clients in overcoming operational challenges, enhancing efficiency, and improving overall resilience.

“At the same time, we’ll continue to uphold high standards of animal and workforce welfare as well as biosecurity, which are so vital to the sector.”

Jonah’s Handling will remain trading under its current name as it transitions into Livetec Handling Services, a new division of the Livetec Group. Mr Samet said a structured approach would ensure continuity and minimal disruption to all customers.

“We see this acquisition as a natural extension of our ongoing commitment to protecting both livestock and the workforce. It reinforces our focus on being professional, reliable and approachable.”

Livetec will continue delivering practical solutions backed by scientific expertise, said Mr Samet. “We look forward to supporting our customers with our expanded services and continuing to be a trusted partner in livestock protection.”