AP (Automated Production Services) has introduced three new on-site services to provide swine producers with barn controller training and equipment audits.
Called AP Services, the programs are offered at producer locations within the continental U.S. and at AGCO facilities in Assumption and Taylorville, Illinois; Sioux City, Iowa; Jackson, Minnesota; and Omaha, Nebraska. “This is a new way to help swine producers by offering professional operational staff training and reducing equipment downtime,” said AP national sales manager Mark Hayden.
- Controller training is available for any AP controller model, including programming and testing of all hardware and instruction for up to five barn staff. For those more experienced with its controllers, AP can pre-program the unit, save it on a memory stick and send it to the producer for uploading. “We’ve experienced growing demand for training due to the retirement and other turnover of experienced barn staff who operate the controllers,” Hayden explained.
- Ventilation equipment audits are designed to help producers create a better environment for their staff and animals, as well as reduce energy costs. The results of the audit, which are offered for AP as well as competitor systems, are presented in a written report with recommendations for corrections or improvements. “On-farm audits provide not only ventilation settings based on fans and inlets, but also specific solutions for the operation,” Hayden said.
- Equipment audits help ensure that AP barn equipment, such as fans and heaters, remain in good operating order. The audits can also cover its gestation sow feeding and electronic sow feeding systems, as well as AP Bio-Dri units, which help prevent the spread of viruses by thoroughly heating and drying trailers after a washdown.
Hayden said all services are fee-based and that AP will continue to offer controller training as part of new barn installations. He added that these new services are not intended to address repairs or immediate troubleshooting issues, which usually can be addressed at no charge by accessing AP’s online video library or by arranging for a technician video link.
To learn more, visit https://www.automatedproduction.com/ap-sales-and-service/ap-services.html.
