Antony Taylor, who has been appointed sales manager, and is responsible for the UK and providing sales support for Cobb Ireland.

With 14 years' experience of the broiler industry, Mr Taylor is taking over the area from Allan Meldrum who has been working with Cobb for the last 15 years and has decided to continue on a reduced basis and to pursue other personal interests.

Mr Taylor's initial experience was on his family's 40,000 broiler unit in the Preston district. Then in 1998 he joined the AF plc co-operative at Preston as poultry feed specialist, progressing to become poultry account manager after the business was acquired by BOCM Pauls.

He is married with a 16-month-old son and lives at Elswick near Preston .