July 31, 2023

 

Aviagen ANZ appoints new technical services manager

 

The Aviagen^® Australia and New Zealand (ANZ) team has announced the appointment of Robert Haggarty as its new technical services manager.

 

The appointment aligns with the company's strategic focus on enhancing customer support in response to the popularity of the Ross® 308 broiler breeder.

 

Haggarty will benefit customers in Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and Papua New Guinea with over 35 years of extensive expertise in the poultry industry, Aviagen said.

 

Originally from Scotland, the United Kingdom, Haggarty began his poultry career in 1981 as an egg collector on a large broiler breeder farm. His passion for the industry led him to pursue poultry management studies at the Scottish Agricultural College in Auchincruive.

 

Throughout his career, Haggarty worked predominantly with the Ross 308 breed and gained valuable experience in farm management, overseeing various rearing, laying and broiler farms across Scotland for 18 years.

 

He then transitioned to Ireland, where he worked with the country's leading turkey company, providing practical advice and support to breeders and broiler growers. In 2005, he relocated to New Zealand, serving as a broiler advisor, and later assuming the role of production manager for a large integrator in Queensland, Australia.

 

Haggarty 's journey eventually led him back to Scotland, where he became a production manager for Aviagen, responsible for implementing and managing trial farms. He then moved into a customer service role, supporting distributors and their customers in the Turkey, Middle East and Africa (TMEA) region for a decade.

 

During the challenges posed by the COVID pandemic, Haggarty returned to New Zealand, where he was appointed national broiler manager for the country's largest integrator.

 

Haggarty is eager to forge strong relationships with Aviagen's customers by conducting regular visits, ensuring quality follow-up and leveraging his profound understanding of the challenges faced by commercial integrations, Aviagen stated. He will report directly to ANZ senior technical services manager Debbie Fisher.

 

"I'm delighted to have the opportunity to work with Aviagen's customers across Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific," Haggarty said. "By combining the latest management learnings from Aviagen with my extensive practical field experience in integrations, I aim to provide targeted and practical advice to our clients."

 

Michael Leahy, managing director of Aviagen ANZ, said: "We are thrilled to welcome Robert back to Aviagen. His vast knowledge and experience, along with his passion for our industry, will undoubtedly make him an invaluable resource for our clients, assisting them in maximising the genetic potential of their birds, while increasing their business profits."

 

- Aviagen