The award was made by Michel Morein, Vice-President of the Regional Council of Brittany, a body which exists to develop the attractiveness of Brittany and the quality of life of the people who live in this region of France. It was received on behalf of DSM by Vérane Gigaud, who is responsible for poultry market development in France. The setting was the social event organised for exhibitors at the closure of the first day of the 25th Innov’SPACE trade fair, held in Rennes, the administrative capital of Brittany, last month.

Rovimix Maxichick is the combination of Rovimix Hy-D® (free-flowing spray-dried 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 powder) and Carophyll® Red 10% (canthaxanthin in a corn starch-coated matrix). This innovative combination of two highly already successful products, offers the poultry industry significant benefits. It improves the fertility and hatchability of the breeder flocks while increasing the life expectancy of the hatching chicks. It actually delivers an observed return on investment of 4:1. Rovimix Maxichick is suitable for all poultry breeder types. Patent protection has been sought for this addition to DSM's poultry feed portfolio and is currently pending.

Produced by DSM in the USA, Rovimix Hy-D is a unique vitamin D metabolite. It plays a major role in the mineral metabolism of breeding poultry and encourages the formation of a healthy skeletal structure. This makes chicks stronger and more persistent when they hatch out, which creates the conditions for a higher survival rate. Rovimix Hy-D also strengthens the immune system, likewise supporting the healthy growth of newborn chicks.

Carophyll Red 10%, meanwhile – which is produced by DSM in France – is an effective antioxidant. It improves the fertility of hens and roosters alike by enhancing the antioxidant status of hens, egg yolks and embryos. Embryo mortality is reduced by over 30 per cent, and the day-old chick has better survival prospects.

Fernando Cisneros, Global Category Manager Carotenoids, commented: "Rovimix Maxichick is a further example of DSM's innovation and constant drive to improve the efficiency of animal production. This innovative combination of two tried and tested DSM products gives poultry breeders substantially increased value thanks to improved breeder performance and chick quality."