On July 5, Aviagen® S.A.U. celebrated the opening of its first new Grandparent (GP) rearing farm in Villanueva de Sigena, in the Huesca province of Spain. The modern farm is owned by Aviagen contract farmer Premier Poultry SL. Abellana family from Agramunt, Lleida province. The opening marks the first new farm for Spain, Portugal and Morocco (S.A.U. region), with four planned GP rearing farms, three GP production farms and a hatchery in the works for the 2017-18 fiscal year.

Aviagen S.A.U. currently has a significant presence in the region, with multiple GP farms and a hatchery. The additional facilities will accelerate production capacity to keep up with high demand for Aviagen’s quality breeding stock. The heightened investment indicates considerable growth in the S.A.U. region.

New farm boosts S.A.U.’s capacity, biosecurity and performance

With an annual capacity of 32,000 grandparent (GP) chicks, the rearing farm, along with the six facilities to come, will double Aviagen S.A.U.’s capacity to 160,000 GP, which equals 7.2 million parent stock (PS).

The farm encompasses three modern houses, all with state-of-the art equipment and specialized attributes to protect the health, welfare and safety of the birds.

Among the farm’s many advancements, chain-feeder technology promotes efficient feed distribution by accurately measuring feed and providing uniform nutrition for every bird. Ceiling and tunnel ventilation with pad cooling contributes to bird comfort. And, biosecurity is protected with top-of-the-line biosecurity innovations along with an isolated farm location.

S.A.U.’s expansion results from market growth and high product demand

The increase in capacity introduced by the new facilities is a direct response to market growth and the popularity of Ross® breeding stock, which is the region’s market leader. The up-and-coming slower-growing Rowan Range® brand has also been introduced to the market. In Morocco, Aviagen has doubled its sales in only two years, and Portugal commands an 80 percent share of the market.

Grand opening highlights farm’s modern features

The grand opening at the farm was attended by 120 guests, including 100 customers from throughout Spain, Portugal and Morocco. Guests participated in a farm tour, along with presentations on the farm’s high-technology features.

Among the presenters were Aviagen S.A.U. General Manager Sergio Illán, who gave details on Aviagen’s future expansion projects, Xavier Asensio, technical manager of Aviagen SAU, who presented the outstanding aspects of the farm and Jorge Camacho from Big Dutchman, who explained the farm’s technological innovations.

“Ross has enjoyed widespread popularity in the region since 1985. Due to its excellent performance and productivity, Ross has grown to become the brand of choice, as its demand continues on an upward trend,” explains Illán. “Our new facilities will help us keep up with the needs of these broadening markets. Aviagen’s farms and hatcheries incorporate the highest standards in poultry equipment, with advanced characteristics that ensure utmost biosecurity, performance and efficiency. Aviagen’s ongoing investment in the region attests to our firm commitment to our customers and their continued success.”

Villanueva de Sigena farm owner Jaume Abellana Puyol says he and his family are “honored” to become an Aviagen S.A.U. contract farmer, “We consider the new farm an opportunity to learn the best management practices from the leader in poultry genetics and apply them to our other ventures.”

Positive feedback from customers

Aviagen S.A.U. customers have also expressed their enthusiasm about the industry’s most leading-edge features of the new facilities and the implications for their businesses:

“What I like most about the new farm is its biosecurity innovation – an automated public access control system with automatic showers, concrete flooring between houses to reduce vegetation, pad cooling with easy cleaning and disinfecting even when birds are present, the homologated incinerators to avoid waste trucks coming to the premises, electrical mains concentrated in one room with external access so maintenance workers don’t need to enter the farm environment and upgraded vaccination and grading procedures through the new grading device developed locally– are all strategic details that work together to optimize bird security, health and welfare.” – Enric Jaumejoan, parent stock technical manager, Corporació Alimentària de Guissoma

“We would like to express our appreciation for being invited to visit the first step in Aviagen SAU’s major expansion project. The growth is testament to a company with broad future horizons and vision, both of which guarantee product quality and total traceability. These qualities position Aviagen SAU as a leader within the food chain, from production to consumer.” – José Manuel Henares, managing director, Incusur Avicola S.A.

About Aviagen
Since 1923, Aviagen® has established itself as the world's leading poultry breeding company, developing pedigree lines for the production of commercial broiler chickens under the Arbor Acres®, Indian River®, and Ross® brand names. The Rowan Range® and Specialty Males® are specialty breeding stock from Aviagen that offer greater flexibility for customers to meet specific or niche market requirements. The company is based in Huntsville, Alabama, USA with a number of wholly-owned operations across the United Kingdom, Europe, Turkey, Latin America, India, Australia, New Zealand, and the U.S., and joint ventures in Asia. Aviagen employs more than 3,900 people and has a distribution network serving customers in more than 100 countries.

For further information, please visit www.aviagen.com.