How the flagship of the Vitebsk agro-industrial complex closes the production cycle, builds early and resuscitates old buildings

OJSC “Vitebsk broiler poultry farm” is heading for 2030: 100 thousand tons of poultry meat annually and a full closed production cycle. Here large-scale work does not cease for a day. Correspondents "R" visited the enterprise, which today looks more like a single giant construction site.

- In 2022, a new slaughter shop was launched, which installed the best equipment of world leaders, says Anna Norkus, CEO of the poultry farm. - This is a complex project, on the ground floor only technical control cabinets occupy 400 meters in length! The workshop has the highest level of automation and robotics.

In November 2025, the factory completed the reconstruction of the feed mill and increased its capacity to 225,000 tons per year. Today, the company consumes about 180 thousand tons, but the safety margin is designed for the future.

- There is something to feed, there is where to process - we need to build up the sites. We provide ourselves with 100 percent quality feed. So building new workshops is more than justified, notes Anna Vasilievna.

In early September of this year, broiler shop No. 5 was opened: 15 poultry houses of 48 thousand heads each. The workshop will produce 11.8 thousand tons of poultry in live weight per year.

- This is the third modern project, which implements the main principle of poultry farming “empty – busy”, – explains Deputy Director General for poultry Alexey Kirnoz. The bird comes in at once, is grown without replanting, goes for slaughter, after which deep disinfection is carried out. We're breaking the veterinary chain. The figures are impressive: the project cost is 118 million rubles, in fact, 95.9 million were mastered. Savings of 22.1 million (almost 19 percent). Under the standard 15 months built in 10. A significant part of the work was performed by the household method, this allowed to reduce the time and save money. Anna Norkus separately drew attention to the hard work and perseverance of builders:

In winter, when the flooring required a plus temperature, and the bird had to be planted in February, the teams worked on weekends, warmed the contours, fought for every meter.

The general contractor at most facilities is Stroysfera. This is not a random choice: the company consistently wins tenders, offering the optimal ratio of terms, prices and quality. With its own repair and construction site of the factory, which is about 150 professionals, the builders have developed a symbiosis, honed over the years, which allows you to keep a high bar of quality.

Sergei Moskalev. Our company has been cooperating with the poultry farm for a long time. To be honest, I have already lost count of how many objects were made together: the first slaughter shop, feed mill, sites in Kurino, Losvido, — lists the deputy chief engineer — the manufacturer of works of Stroysfera Sergey Moskalev. The main requirement of the customer is quality and timing. But you need to know the technology of not only construction work, but also production in general. You have to go into everything. There's no other way. The closest object to the finish line is a new incubator for 24 million eggs per year.

- This is the third incubator. In fact, we can say that the third factory, says Deputy General Director for Construction Igor Vecherov. Two active incubators incubate 44 million eggs, a new one will add another 24 million. Construction began this year, in November we are already starting. General construction work is completed, equipment installation and commissioning are underway. According to the project, the deadline is 2027. We're going a long way ahead. The site employs 120-140 people per day only the general contractor, plus four subcontractors.

The technology of the future incubator is honed to the smallest detail: the egg comes from the workshop of the parent herd, passes the fumigation chamber, then into the incubation room. After 18 days - to the control room, where it is checked for fertilization. The unfertilized are removed, the rest are in the exit halls. After 21 days of bookmarking, the chickens.

There is also a sorting and vaccination hall, and loading chickens goes directly in a warm vestibule at 25 degrees. No stress for the bird and no drafts. A separate complex is the zone of sanitary processing of containers: unloading of dirty boxes, washing machines, drying.

- We have provided a powerful transformer substation and a backup diesel generator, so that in the event of an accident, not for a second to interrupt the incubation process and not disturb the microclimate, explains Anna Norkus.

With the commissioning of the facility, the total capacity of the incubators of the factory will reach 68 million eggs per year. This will allow the poultry farm to fully provide itself with a daily chicken and make the necessary sanitary breaks between batches. Another unique project is the reconstruction of the former slaughterhouse No. 2 for the production of finished products. Three years ago, it was closed because the factory started a new slaughter shop. But the old squares decided not to abandon.

The builders had to show the wonders of engineering. Initially, it was planned only to replace the technology, but when we delved into the project, it turned out that the walls were worn so much that they had to be dismantled completely, and the floors – remodeled from scratch. From the old building remained only the roof and metal frame, brought from Germany in the 2000s. It was polished, cleaned, and it will continue to serve the factory. Until December 1, the production of cheese-dried and smoked products will open here. The planned volume is 108-110 tons per month. These are products with high margins, excellent logistics and huge demand. The market demands, and we give the answer, the CEO emphasizes.

An important part of the project is a modern logistics warehouse of finished products. Robotic storage and shipping system will not only increase efficiency, but also bring logistics to a qualitatively new level. From modern farms to new stores In the agro-town of Kirovskaya, a new dairy complex "Alexandria" is being built for 1,164 cattle places. Investment in the project is 27 million rubles.

- The old complex is morally and physically obsolete. Today, there is an active Holsteinization, cows have become larger, and the former rooms for them are cramped, explains Anna Norkus. On milking, they are forced to stand obliquely to simply accommodate, and in the drives before milking literally crush each other. What comfort and high yields can we talk about? Therefore, not only three new modern cowsheds are being built here, but also a milking and dairy block, feed trenches, a transformer substation, gas is being supplied, and the territory is being equipped. At the same time, the reconstruction of existing buildings is underway: the roof is being changed, modern sanitary checkers with changing rooms and eating rooms are being equipped.

- Previously, people came to work just to the farm: there was no place to change clothes or relax normally. Now we create comfortable conditions for both animals and workers, emphasizes Anna Vasilievna.

Construction work is in full swing: the foundations of the barn and milking-milk block are already ready, the installation of a reinforced concrete frame is underway. More than 40 people work at the facility every day.

The company does not forget about consumers. By the end of the year, a new branded store in the agro-town of Babinici will open its doors. The 315-square-meter retail area will feature a wide range of products, not just poultry products.

- Of course, in a calm rhythm to enter the object in such a short time would be unrealistic. But we don’t know how to build quietly – we are used to working 24/7. Today, the construction of engineering networks is almost completed here, improvement is underway, commercial equipment is ordered and waiting for delivery. We will succeed and launch! – said the CEO. The team, who looks with one eye, Anna Norkus proudly notes:

- In 26 years of my leadership, we haven't had a single loan arrears. We always think about our strength, measure steps and pay off debts on time. They never owed a debt to the state.

The CEO is grateful to the poultry farm’s team of specialists: they have been working for many years, they know all the problems from the inside, the technology, they understand the goal of the enterprise. I would like to express my gratitude to thousands of people for their responsibility and patience:

- We look at the world with one eye and do one thing. Thanks to their work, today we have the opportunity to build, develop and be happy.

The average salary at the factory is 3000 rubles. The Director-General acknowledges:

- It's hard work. When you look at how people on the conveyor work without leaving, at a temperature of plus 4 degrees ... They deserve more. However, today it is impossible to give more: construction, loan portfolio are underway. But that's what we want.

The shortage of personnel forces to attract migrant workers. The company already employs citizens from several countries. The leadership is enough: they work well, earn decently. But we have to deal with housing. Closing the Circle: Strategy 2030 Ambitious plans are not limited to the current year. The next large-scale step is the construction of broiler shop No. 6 in the Gorodok district, which will be a full analogue of the newly opened fifth. Project documentation is already undergoing state expertise, and the start of construction and installation work is scheduled for October. The volume of investments is 141.6 million rubles.

The main vector of the strategy is unification and a closed cycle. In order not to depend on external factors - not to buy a more expensive alien incubation egg and reduce the associated epizootic risks - the factory is developing two strategic projects with a total cost of about 120 million rubles: the workshop of breeding young animals No. 3 for 47 thousand heads in the Lioznensky district (about 40 million rubles); the site of the parent herd No. 5 with a capacity of 15 million eggs per year in the Vitebsk district (about 80 million rubles). Thus, the company will completely close the production cycle - from its own incubation egg to finished products on the counter. Particular attention is paid to ecology and recycling. The more a factory produces, the more pressing the question is what to do with waste. A project of an innovative forage flour plant with four lines is being developed: processing of blood, pen, soft waste and incubation waste. Each stream separately, each becomes an independent product with a high protein content, which will be fed to animals. The capacity is 50 tons of flour per day. The preliminary cost of the project is 50 million rubles.

- Today, the recycling shop is cracking at the seams and was in the center of the factory, which is technologically wrong. We already have to give some of the waste to the side, explains the CEO. And most importantly, now everything is cooked together: blood, pen, and soft waste. Because of this, indicators are not constant. Each type of raw material should be cooked separately. Then each flour will be stable quality, one will not spoil the other.

At the same time, the expansion of treatment facilities by another 2,400 cubic meters per day is being planned - an investment of about 20 million rubles. Today, the factory has a capacity of 3000 cubic meters, and given the growth of production, this is no longer enough.

The whole new five-year plan at the Vitebsk broiler will be held under the sign of large-scale construction. The total investment in the development program for 2026-2030 is 360.8 million rubles. All facilities are implemented within the framework of the State Program "AIC of the Future". The strategic goal is to produce at least 100,000 tons of live weight poultry per year.

- We plan to complete the five-year plan ahead of schedule – for a year for sure, or maybe for a year and a half, says Anna Norkus.

I'm listening to the CEO, and there's no doubt about her words. For the Vitebsk broiler poultry farm, large-scale construction is not just the construction of walls. This is the creation of a foundation for food security of the country, new jobs for the region and confident movement into the technological future.

alimova@sb.by