The Ross 400 Club celebrates exceptional broiler performance and Mr Speller was on hand to talk about the reasons behind his success.

Eighty broiler growers from the Czech and Slovak Republic attended a broiler seminar held in Lednice, a small city in South Moravia. The focus was on the excellent performance of the Ross® broiler but also on sharing information and advice on how to achieve the magical 400 European Production Efficiency Factor (EPEF).

Neil Clark, Regional Technical Manager, said: "EPEF is the equation used to measure the technical performance of a flock and takes into consideration the FCR, liveability, live weight and age of the bird. It is very difficult to achieve a score of 400 as there are many factors that contribute to the success of a flock.

"As a 400 Club member David is in a very exclusive group of broiler growers. It was great for our customers in the region to hear from someone who has had so much success in his operation, effectively sharing information across regions and borders."

David Speller added: "At Applied Poultry we fully recognise that the key to a successful broiler business is to maximise all the potentials available. This for us means good genetic potential, good quality chicks, good feed, water and environment along with good management and facilities. If any one of these elements is deficient the whole business model is challenged."

Milan Stastny, owner of Susarna Pohorelice Company, who was in the audience, commented: "Our flocks can very often achieve an EPEF of over 300, but now we could see that to reach 400 is also possible with a lot of effort and attention to detail. Such events, where we can get experience from different countries, are very valuable for us."

Mr Speller's presentation was followed by lively discussions. Other topical subjects featured on the agenda were veterinary and nutritional presentations to enable attendees to get practical advice on all aspects of broiler growing.