Aviagen's Arbor Acres conducts customer roadshows

 

Under its brand name Arbor Acres^®, Aviagen recently completed a series of roadshows for individual customer companies in South Africa. 

The events were designed to address production issues, transfer technical information and keep companies updated on any developments related to the poultry industry.

Every roadshow was tailored to a specific customer, who was each allowed a farm visit for better understanding of the company's internal production functions.

These roadshows provided customers an opportunity to review production performance. Participants discussed performance data from the local market, comparing them to their own situations. Where, measures would be adopted to improve performance.

This year the roadshows were held at Potchefstroom and involved Arbor Acres's South African customers Chubby Chick, Supreme Poultry and Mike's Chickens.

"We host a roadshow every year as a way of promoting the transfer of expertise," said Deon Venter, Arbor Acres South Africa technical manager for breeders and broilers. "We bring in international speakers from a number of specialty sectors of the poultry industry. They provide us with the latest scientific developments in poultry during the event."

Jack Searle, agricultural and processing director of Supreme Poultry, summed up the customer response: "The Arbor Acres' roadshow gives us an independent view of our own progress and the opportunity to tap into international expertise. This is helpful in that independent, factual assessments can direct us to address issues that contribute towards continuous improvement."

Speakers included hatchery specialists sharing international best practices, data developed from product trials and the advantages of fast feathering over slow feathering chicks in the hatchery. 

Technical service provided market data for local and international benchmarking, while also discussing lighting programmes for breeders.  Coccidiosis in breeders and broilers was also highlighted together with a detailed presentation on the goals and procedures of the global genetics research and development programme.