Aviagen has announced that, for the first time, the International Ross 308 bird will be distributed through Ross Poultry Breeders (Pty) Ltd South Africa, Aviagen's long-term partner in the market. A series of roadshows, introducing the International Ross 308 to customers, also took place.

The International Ross 308 will replace the local South African Ross products and South African customers will now be able to take advantage of the performance benefits of the same Ross 308 stock as other Ross customers worldwide.

Jim McAdam, Aviagen's UK Breeding Programme director and a regular visitor to South Africa, commented: "When we entered the market in South Africa, effective research and development was only just beginning and the high altitudes of many South African farms meant we needed a local breeding programme to effectively acclimatise the birds.

"Today we select for a vast number of different genetic traits and this selection process has led to continuous performance developments for the International Ross 308 we sell in every other market. The International Ross 308 is the world’s leading broiler and rightly so, offering exceptional performance and value.

"We have looked carefully at the future market projections and the ongoing development for the International Ross 308 and we feel that the time is right for this move. Customers in South Africa will not only benefit from enhanced product performance, but also from increased customer support provided by Ross Poultry Breeders (Pty) Ltd in strong partnership with the Aviagen technical team."

As part of the introduction process, a series of roadshows has been organised by Ross Poultry Breeders (Pty) Ltd to demonstrate the potential of the International Ross 308 in the South African market and also to underline best practise in husbandry.

Aviagen staff alongside the Ross Poultry Breeders (Pty) Ltd South Africa team, Aviagen's long term partner in the market

Michael Longley, Aviagen International Technical Service manager, said: "The International Ross 308 is very similar to the South African bird it is replacing, differences in management are very minor but the potential for improved performance is huge.

"Aviagen see the market in South Africa as a very important one with excellent growth in the next decade. The International Ross 308 will help deliver that growth and ensure security of supply for our customers. As the International Ross 308 is a global product it means we have access to Aviagen's unrivalled supply network. As a company, Aviagen is committed to continuously provide relevant and practical advice to enable customers to get their best performance from their Ross stock and to working closely with our distributors worldwide to provide the best possible support."

Roadshows took place in Gauteng, Natal and Cape Town throughout August and featured presentations on the world performance of the International Ross 308, biosecurity measures and day-to-day management. Guests were invited from local poultry companies and the response was excellent with attendees from CEO to management level coming to show their interest in the International Ross 308.

As part of the Aviagen global offering, technical support for the International Ross 308 is very in-depth and available immediately to customers either via the Aviagen web site [click here] or the local Ross Poultry Breeders (Pty) Ltd South Africa Technical customer support team for further information.