SCHOOL EDITION 24 APRIL 2024 - Flipbook - Page 20
20 FARM WEEK
NEWS
NOVEMBER 09 2017
Aviagen and Moy Park team up to
honour Ross 400 club winners
A
VIAGEN welcomed 55 Moy
Park farmers into the
Ross 400 Club at a special
event recently held at the
Dunsilly Hotel in Antrim.
The awards event was organised
collaboratively by the Aviagen UK
team and Moy Park to commend
the hard work and management
excellence that enabled farmers to
get exceptional performance results
with their 75 winning flocks.
Ross 400 Club membership has
skyrocketed since its inception in
2009, growing from an original three
to 215 today. Membership in the
elite Club is reserved only for the
best of the best poultry producers
who, through perseverance and
exceptional management skill, tip
the scale on performance, scoring a
Production Efficiency Factor (EPEF)
of 400 or more with their poultry
flocks.
The EPEF measures production
efficiency by taking into account a
number of influences on performance,
such as nutrition, feed efficiency,
husbandry, and production management. Due to the careful flock
management of Ross customers, as
well as incremental improvements in
the genetical aptitude of Ross broiler
breeding stock, the EPEF scores
have gradually risen throughout the
years. The top-achieving Moy Park
inductee for the 2016 entries scored
SUPPLY:
Fifty-five
farmers who
supply Moy
Park were
admitted
to the
Ross 400
Club which
recognises
the UK’s
best
performing
flocks.
an impressive 430.
The celebration was opened by
John Harrison, NI broiler manager
for Moy Park, who introduced and
congratulated the new 400 Club
members.
“Moy Park farmers have a long and
successful history of membership
in the Ross 400 Club, and we
feel privileged to be part of the
initiative,” said Mr Harrison. “The
accomplishment is a testament to
the commitment and hard work
our farmers put into their flocks
at every level of production, from
the health and well-being of the
birds, to operational efficiency.
The impressive stockmanship of
our growers, high-quality Ross 308
broiler breeding stock, and Moy
Park’s industry-leading farming and
operational facilities make for a
winning combination.”
Aviagen Technical Service Manager
Stuart Thomson also presented
an overview of the Ross 400 Club,
explaining its beginnings in the UK,
its expanding success and what it
means to Aviagen and its customers.
His presentation gave a glimpse into
future plans for the club, including a
steering group and an online forum
on the 400 Club website for members
to exchange ideas and experiences.
“We’d like to extend a warm welcome
to the winning Moy Park farmers,
and are proud of the proficiency
they have demonstrated with their
Ross flocks,” says Mr Thomson. “It
is this level of management skill
and diligence that optimises the full
genetic potential of Ross birds and
results in great performance and
productivity for our customers.”
The winning Moy Park farmers
were presented with certificates to
recognize their achievements.
“It is great to be part of the Moy
Park Group and to be here today with
other growers who have achieved
flock production efficiencies in the
UK’s top one per cent. The close
relationship is obviously working
well, and we will all strive to be
here next year again,” said Moy Park
grower Cathal Duffy.
