First face-to-face awards ceremony since beginning of pandemic

EDINBURGH, Scotland. – The Aviagen^® UK team was delighted to welcome over 50 guests to the 2021 UK Ross^® Breeder Flock Awards ceremony on June 9 at the Luton Hoo Hotel. A celebration of Ross breeder performance and customer success, a special guest speaker and opportunities for relationship strengthening and idea sharing characterized the first in-person Flock Awards since 2019.

The top award of the evening went to the team at Brooke Farm at Banham Poultry (2018) Ltd., who achieved an impressive 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.

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.

Going for Gold

In harmony with the gold-level performance of the 2021 winners, inspirational guest speaker Eve Muirhead OBE, Captain of the British Olympic Curling team, had a captive audience at the ceremony. Eve won a bronze medal at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, and she and her team became champions at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. In keeping with the Olympic spirit, as a team-building exercise after dinner, attendees were invited to have a go at carpet curling.

“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. 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,” commented Stuart Thomson, Head of UK Sales & Technical.

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

“We are honored to take home the top 2021 Flock Award, said Marion Whittred, Breeder Area Manager, Banham Poultry (2018) Ltd. “Our team works hard to continually advance the health, wellbeing and performance of our birds, which is key to fulfilling our mission to help feed the nation and the world. Thank you to the Aviagen team for this special recognition of our team effort.”