November 26, 2020

 

Aviagen Asia Pacific hosts virtual training seminars for customers

 

 

On November 4-13, Aviagen Asia Pacific hosted its annual Seminars: Arbor Acres^® Training Seminar Asia (AATSA), Indian River^® Training Academy (IRTA) and Ross^® Asia Training Seminar (RATS).

 

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the sessions were held virtually. The content included a mix of live stream, recorded presentations, panel discussions and question-and-answer sessions. The intention of the seminars is to share beneficial information with Arbor Acres, Indian River and Ross customers, helping them to continually improve the health and welfare of their flocks and the productivity of their businesses.

 

To support the virtual sessions, Aviagen established a state-of-the-art broadcast studio at its office in Bangkok, Thailand, equipped with innovative features and capabilities for increased interactivity to enhance the customer experience.

 

On November 4, Dr. Rafael Monleon, business manager for Aviagen Asia Pacific, and Greg Hitt, regional technical manager, kicked off the meetings by welcoming their customers.

 

Dr. Santiago Avendano, Aviagen's global director of genetics, then spoke on Aviagen's strategy to deliver the right bird for the right market globally, with Arbor Acres Plus, Indian River and Ross 308 meeting the specific needs of Asia Pacific customers. The brand-specific meetings followed this initial session.

 

"We could not have been more pleased with the engagement of our Arbor Acres, Indian River and Ross customers during these online sessions. We're proud of our customers throughout the region and the results they are seeing, which is due to their hard work and skill in maximising the genetic potential of their birds," said Hitt.

 

"We value every opportunity to get together with our valued customers," added Dr. Monleon. "In the current turbulent times, we've found the webinars to be an effective alternative to our normal in-person meetings and have received an overwhelmingly positive response."

 

Arbor Acres breeder teams explored the theme "Optimizing bird performance through good management." Attendees followed the journey of the breeder from day-old chick to offspring in the hatchery, discussing effective veterinary care, ventilation and nutrition for maximum chick production.

 

A highlight of the programme included a presentation by Dr. Jeanna Wilson from the University of Georgia, one of the foremost experts on fertility and male management. Yash Jaiswal, who was recently appointed brand manager for Arbor Acres Asia Pacific, commented: "Having Jeanna join us demonstrates that the highest caliber experts see Arbor Acres as a brand they wish to be associated with."

 

During the Indian River sessions, a host of internal and external experts explored the topic of "Breeding Sustainability: Feeding future generations."

 

Multiple speakers discussed the sustainability of the industry through smart farming tools:

 

- Dr. Lenny van Erp, professor of precision livestock farming at HAS University of Applied Sciences in the Netherlands, discussed the use of robots and visualisation tools to improve the understanding of what was occurring in the chicken houses and ensure the optimal environmental conditions for the birds;

 

- Mark Wright, business development manager with Skov Asia, spoke on using sensors to collect big data throughout a poultry operation, enabling customers to make more accurate and timely decisions throughout the production process, leading to less waste and more efficiency;

 

- Wilbert Wilkens, founder and director of Food Insights, explained the potential use of blockchain technology to provide enhanced transparency and real time provision of data between links in the food production chain.

 

Additionally, Dr. Tuen Veldkamp, senior researcher in poultry nutrition at the University of Wageningen, the Netherlands, spoke on the use of algae and insect protein as alternative feed ingredients to promote sustainable agriculture.

 

Dr. Rafael Monleon, acting brand manager for Indian River Asia Pacific, commented: "Aviagen's advancements in feed efficiency contribute greatly to the sustainability of our planet, but we are always looking at ways to further reduce the carbon footprint of poultry production."

 

Customers participating in the Ross virtual rooms shared ideas on best management practices to optimise broiler performance in Asia Pacific. The speakers included:

 

- Dominic Elfick, international product manager for Aviagen Asia Pacific, discussed Ross performance potential in Asia;

 

- Dr. Susan Watkins of the University of Arkansas presented ways to ensure high-quality water, which is paramount to bird health and welfare;

 

- Twan van Grewe, global technical manager at EW Nutrition, explained novel nutritional approaches when producing antibiotic free birds;

 

- Dr. Sarge Bilgili of Auburn University covered strategies to maximise meat quality.

 

Larry Blackstone, brand manager for Ross in Asia Pacific, expressed his thanks to all clients who attended, saying: "Our clients across the region are seeing the advantage of using the Ross 308 in their operations. Many customers are exceeding current reproductive performance objectives and are seeing extremely competitive broiler performance, especially in the area of feed efficiency."

 

- Aviagen