At this year’s Nampo Harvest Day, Johann van der Westhuizen sat down with Farm Space at the Big Dutchman stand to discuss three of our featured products — the CompoTower, SiloCheck AIR and the ViperTouch controller. Watch the interview below and find out what these technologies could mean for your farm.
Nampo Harvest Day is one of the biggest moments in the South African agricultural calendar, and 2026 was no exception. At the Big Dutchman SA stand, Johann van der Westhuizen sat down with Farm Space to discuss three of our featured products that are making a real difference in pig and poultry production across Southern Africa.
In the video above, Johann explains each of these products in detail — how they work, what makes them unique, and why they are well suited to the realities of the South African farming environment.
CompoTower
The CompoTower is an innovative vertical composting system housed in a sealed stainless steel tank. It is designed to convert organic material — such as dry layer excrement, broiler manure or separated pig slurry — into valuable organic compost, while taking up minimal space on your farm.
- Vertical, sealed stainless steel construction with a small physical footprint
- Microorganisms break down organic material in an aerobic environment
- The higher the dry matter content of the input, the shorter the residence time in the tower
- End product is a high-quality organic compost suitable for horticulture and agriculture — can also be pelletised
- Optional air scrubber removes more than 99% of ammonia and more than 90% of dust from exhaust air
- Easy handling and fast commissioning
SiloCheck AIR
The SiloCheck AIR is Big Dutchman’s latest radar-based, fully wireless silo fill sensor. It measures the feed level based on the entire surface of the feed in the silo — not just a single point — and sends data wirelessly to your smartphone, tablet or PC.
- Radar-based sensor technology with high accuracy — compatible with all standard silo types
- Completely wireless with a battery life of up to 10 years
- Easy installation on the silo roof — no cables or external power supply required
- Integrates with BFN Fusion via the OrbitX IoT gateway for cloud-based farm management
- Notifications and alarms when feed levels reach a pre-defined minimum threshold
- Three-day feed level forecast accessible from any device, anywhere
- Data can be sent automatically to feed mills or suppliers for streamlined ordering
The single biggest input cost on any pig, egg or poultry farm is feed — and the single biggest risk is inefficiency. Big Dutchman’s automated systems take both variables off the table.
— Johann van der Westhuizen, Big Dutchman SA — Nampo 2026ViperTouch Controller
The ViperTouch is Big Dutchman’s latest generation climate and production computer for poultry houses. It provides comprehensive control over all aspects of house climate and production management through an intuitive 7-inch or 10-inch touch screen interface.
- Controls fresh air, exhaust air, heating, cooling, air mixers, emergency opening and alarms
- Compatible with all ventilation strategies: negative pressure, balanced pressure and CombiTunnel
- Automatically records feed and water consumption, bird weights and mortality
- Three control modes: Basic, Flex and Profi — select based on your preference and operational needs
- Modular hardware and easy software updates allow for future expansions and upgrades
- Connects directly to BigFarmNet Manager and BFN Fusion for advanced data analysis and cloud management
- Supports 40 languages
These three products point clearly to Big Dutchman SA’s direction: intelligent, integrated technology that puts the farmer in control.
Want to find out more about any of these products, or would you like to arrange a consultation with our team? Get in touch with us today, we are ready to help you take your farm to the next level.
