Winners of the Best Hatch Award: Wayne Farms – Elkin North Carolina
Back Row (L to R) Drew Shore, Matthew Gentry, Michael Herndon
Front Row (L to R) Paul Taylor, Joe Cook (holding award), Marty Reece

Winners of Most Chicks per Hen: Case Farms, Morganton, North Carolina
Front Row (L to R): Monica Bramlett, Cindy Meeks
Back Row (L to R): Bradley Beaver,Brian Wilson, Johnny Hipps, Kim McCann, Kenny Kincaid

Winners of Most Eggs Per Hen Housed: Peco Farms, Batesville, AR
(L to R) Duane Weems (Live Operations Manager), Rusty Langle (Breeder/Hatchery Manager), Peyton Weaver
(Breeder Service Tech), Darrell Robertson (Breeder Service Tech). Not pictured- Eric Elaim (Pullet Service Tech)

The first annual Aviagen Flock Awards went to customers who achieved world-class results with Ross 708 females based on five performance metrics: total eggs per hen housed, per cent of hatchability, and chicks per hen housed.

In separate ceremonies led by Aviagen representatives, winners received an engraved crystal egg for their accomplishments, which were based on 2013 results. The 2013 Flock Award recipients are:

• Peco Farms, Batesville, AR. Peco Farms took the Flock Award for Most Eggs Per Hen Housed by achieving an average of 162.23 to 65 weeks of age.
• Wayne Farms, Elkin, NC. Wayne-Elkin won the Flock Award for Best Hatch with 87.47 per cent, based on hatch to 65 weeks.
• Case Farms, Morgantown, NC. Achieving an average of 136.63 chicks Case-Morgantown won the Flock Award for Most Chicks per Hen. Breeders were measured up to 65 weeks of age.

"We at Aviagen recognize this group of US customers, who through their stellar results have demonstrated to the industry what can be achieved with the Ross 708 female breeder," said Frank Dougherty, vice president of sales for North America.

"It’s a pleasure to work in collaboration with these leading-edge companies, and we congratulate them on their achievements. I can think of no better group to win these inaugural Aviagen Flock Awards."