May 6, 2015
Asia's largest layer breeding hub starts operation
The first batch of 100,000 US Hyline chicks had arrived at North Agriculture's layer breeding farm in Lutai, northeast of Tianjin province, last week. With a capacity of 4 million layers, the layer breeding hub is said to be the biggest in Asia. After a construction period of more than a year, it is now officially in operation with the arrival of the first batch of chicks.
Five companies in four different countries, namely, China, United States, Germany and Netherlands, had invested a total of RMB1.176 billion in this key development. It is understood that the US-based poultry breeding company Hy-Line will be providing quality chicks, while the German and Dutch companies will be providing layer breeding and egg processing equipment.
Covering a total area of 72.6 hectares, the hub includes the construction of a layer breeding farm, young adult chicken farm, egg processing plant, feed mill, organic fertiliser plant, biotechnology research and development unit, organic farming and other related logistics.
The supporting feed mill is currently in operation, and has an annual feed output capacity of 200,000 tonnes. Eggs processing plants with an annual capacity of 70,000 tonnes of eggs and 10,000 tonnes of liquid whole eggs, 10 young adult chicken sheds and 14 layer sheds are still in construction, and are scheduled to be completed by end of this year. Meanwhile, the construction of an organic fertiliser plant with an annual processing capacity of 100,000 tonnes of fertiliser, is also in the pipeline.
The eco-friendly and modern layer breeding hub is set to be fully operational by 2016.