AVIAGEN has announced its 2019 Flock Award winners – farmers and hatchery managers who deliver exceptional performance from breeder flocks.
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the awards, and over that time hatchability of Ross breeders has increased 3%, with 29 extra chicks per hen housed last year, when compared with when the awards launched.
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P D Hook’s Andy Whiting, Mark Potter, Stephen Deerness and their team earned the Top 2019 Flock Award with an impressive 167.79 chicks per hen housed.
Overall, there were 27 winners, including breeder (rear and lay) and hatchery managers – eight of whom were first-time achievers.
One producer reached a notable landmark; their eighth award.
Experience
The winners had an average of 26 years’ poultry experience and a range of 2 to 44 years of service to the industry.
Aviagen’s head of UK sales and technical Stuart Thomson said: “We congratulate our stellar performers and are delighted by their remarkable achievements, which have again exceeded our Ross Parent Stock performance standards.
“This level of success is possible only through hard work, coupled with great dedication and expert stockmanship.”
Resiliance
Blake Williamson, general manager of Aviagen UK, added: “Our customers have been incredibly resilient in the currently challenging situation, yet they continue exceeding excellence.
“We applaud these #FoodHeroes for their dedication and amazing results, and look forward to being part of their continued success.”
Across the board there were breeder improvements in 2019, Aviagen said, with:
- An increase of 5.1 chicks/HH (per hen housed)
- Four more total eggs/HH
- 3.7 extra hatching eggs/HH
- A 1% rise in hatchability
- 135 flocks that exceeded 150 chicks/HH
- 17 flocks that surpassed 160 chicks/HH
