June 27, 2022

Aviagen: Ross UK 2021 Flock Awards celebrate breeder success

Aviagen's UK team recently welcomed over 50 guests to the 2021 UK Ross^®Breeder Flock Awards ceremony on June 9 at the Luton Hoo Hotel in the United Kingdom.

A celebration of Ross breeder performance and customer success, a special guest speaker and opportunities for relationship strengthening and idea sharing characterised the first in-person Flock Awards since 2019, Aviagen said.

The top award of the evening went to the team at Brooke Farm at Banham Poultry (2018) Ltd., who achieved an 170.28 chicks per hen housed (chicks/HH).

"Collectively, Aviagen Ross 308 UK breeder customers have something to be proud of as the top nine 2021 flocks produced on average 165.5 chicks/HH," Aviagen said.

In the past five years, Ross UK breeder performance in general has gone from strength to strength, seeing an average annual gain of more than 2.7 chicks/HH, 0.3% hatchability, and total egg improvement of 2.9. As an example of this steady improvement, the average 2017 breeder result was 141.5 chicks/HH, compared to today's 152.3 chicks/HH average.

"On behalf of the UK team, I congratulate the 2021 UK Flock Award winners, who are an inspiration to breeder growers in the UK and around the world," said Stuart Thomson, head of UK sales and technical at Aviagen."I am humbled and amazed at their performance and the people behind the birds who made it possible. The skill with which they tend to the flocks, the dedication and passion for their birds, and daily hard work on the farm all play a role in attaining breeder results that place them  at the pinnacle of the UK breeder market."

Thomson added that the 2021 recipients exceeded Aviagen's standard performance objectives, which is particularly impressive given ongoing economic and other global challenges.

- Aviagen