From October 1, 2025, Ulf Meyer will assume the role of Chief Development Officer of Big Dutchman.
In this new position, he will be responsible for the group’s investment companies, digital solutions such as Apollo, and innovative new developments, such as the Sharky cleaning robot and the mobile vaccinator MultiVacc – two products that were awarded medals at the last EuroTier show.
Mr Meyer has been part of the Big Dutchman family since 1990 and worked in different positions, significantly contributing to the company’s positive development. He will continue to fulfil his current role as Head of Europe on an interim basis.
“Ulf Meyer and his team were successful in the last years. With his expertise, he will now also drive forward our innovative and high-tech products and our investment companies,” said CEO Steffen Bersch.
Meanwhile, Mr Meyer said: “I would like to express my gratitude for the trust placed in me and look forward to this new task. At the same time, I want to thank my previous team, who have done an outstanding job over the past years.”
Sharky cleaning robot
Big Dutchman claims Sharky 430 as the world’s first highly automated cleaning robot for rearing and laying aviaries with flexible programming.
Sharky 430 is an innovative solution for farmers who want to reduce their workload and improve hygiene in the house. The innovation is a joint development by Big Dutchman and Envirologic from Sweden.
The robot is slim and has a well-designed cleaning arm with a nozzle that easily and reliably reaches any area of an aviary, even those that are difficult to access, such as nests and troughs.
One of the robot’s most important features is its flexibility. The cleaning programs can be adapted to the specific aviary type for optimal cleaning results. For Big Dutchman aviaries, cleaning sequences are pre-programmed. Sharky 430 is able to completely clean even larger systems that can be up to 3.6 meters wide and up to 4.3 meters high.
The automation of Sharky 430 is particularly innovative. The robot cleans without touching the aviary and does not need guide rails. It can also be used without human supervision, for example during the night.
The farmer receives automatic status messages on the smartphone to stay up to date. The supply line, up to 130 metres long and also laid automatically, ensures maximum flexibility of Sharky 430.
Sharky 430 significantly increases the degree of automation in poultry houses, which not only promotes efficiency and occupational safety, but also boosts bird health due to improved hygiene. Water is only used as required, for example: consumption can be reduced to protect the environment.
Sharky 430
Mobile vaccinator
With the mobile vaccinator MultiVacc, Big Dutchman has developed a semi-automatic vaccinator which promises easy handling while offering high vaccination accuracy.
If required, up to four injections into the breast muscles plus the pox vaccine into the wing can be administered at the same time. This reduces the stress caused by the vaccination process. The birds do not have to be caught and moved several times.
The vaccine type and its quantity may be set beforehand using a computer, tablet or smartphone. The central control unit then dispenses the exact dosage of the vaccine.
Incorrect operation is thus nearly impossible. A vaccination protocol allows for an evaluation of the number of vaccinated birds, of the dosages, and of any potential error messages.
MultiVacc