Development and Performance Evaluation of a Rubber and Canvas Strip Fingers Defeathering Machine

Human labour requirement in poultry products processing has continued to increase and more demanding, especially defeathering which is faced with challenges such as lacerations hygiene handling. To solve these challenges, mechanical proffered a solution, further posed problem of equipment cost efficiency operation. This paper investigated developed low-cost axial-loading (horizontal) dual fingers for small medium-scale processors. study reported the development machine comprises an axial drum strip fingers, flaps on carcass pluck off feathers motion. The electrically powered power 0.304 kW at rating 0.269 kW. performance evaluation carried out broiler, cockerel layer birds soaking temperature 80 degree Celsius average time 1 minutes showed that effectiveness varies respect quality cleaned produced. It was also observed it takes about 60 seconds completely defeather broiler 2.4 kg weight, 70 old breed bird 1.2 weight 105 1.3 local chicken. However, test less effective chicken low temperature, because toughness skin. Comparatively, canvass (leather) have highest while rubber produced least efficiency. Therefore, canvas finger performed better than fingers.