Broiler breeder genetics and management practices in Europe have changed drastically over the last decade. Both must be increasingly tailored to the evolving export developments and changing consumer demands such as the shift to more processed meat products, the growing attention for improved animal welfare and reduced use of antibiotics in production.

As a leader in poultry nutrition, Novus International, Inc. hosted its first European, Middle East and African Breeder Roundtable Forum on the 5th and 6th of February in Utrecht, The Netherlands, with the goal of bringing a selected group of the industry’s leading experts in breeder production and scientific research together, to share knowledge and reveal opportunities for future development.

“The clear trend in continuous genetic progress, in depth focus on flock management, health status of hens and their progeny is resulting in the implementation of higher performing, tailor-made nutrition technologies to raise the production performances of breeder farms and hatcheries.” said Silvia Peris, head of technical services in Europe and the Middle East for Novus. “Nutritionists thus have the responsibility to strive for a high quality of the eggs and resulting chicks, improving both the quantity and quality of the final product has become the key production target.”

The event included nine experts with different involvement in breeder production including representatives from the genetic companies, from all over EMEA who spent two days discussing the obstacles between today’s production and the next level of performance and profitability. Brand-new research on the impact of management and equipment on breeder production from Wageningen University Research as well as multi/transgenerational effects of a reduced balanced protein diet assessed by the Catholic University of Leuven where presented. Novus shared its latest epigenetic studies assessing the impact of MINTREX^® fed to breeder hens on expression of genes involved in intestinal immunity and gut barrier function in their chicks.

These technical collaborations are a great help for Novus to create nutritional solutions to either alleviate or eradicate barriers to breeders reaching their full potential.