Aviagen’s Dr. Derek Emmerson Discusses Selection Strategies and Nutritional Response at PSA 2012

October 17, 2012 - HUNTSVILLE, AL – Dr. Derek Emerson, vice president, Research and Development for Aviagen, addressed attendees at the 2012 Poultry Science Association annual meeting about biological implications of current selection strategies in poultry. The meeting which was hosted by the University of Georgia in Athens was held in July. 

Dr. Emmerson discussed multi-environment and feed conversion rate (FCR) selection strategies and the impact to nutritional responses and other management practices, with particular regard to how multi-environment selection might positively influence gut function and overall health to improve the efficiency of production.

From a yield perspective, Derek emphasized the ongoing importance of improvements in the efficiency of nutrient utilization in chicken production. “As our birds develop greater yield potential, they must become more efficient in nutrient utilization because amino acids are the essential building blocks for muscle growth,” said Dr. Emmerson.

Yield remains important despite current market conditions in the US because it is an efficiency factor just like FCR and is part of the cost equation for the economics of meat production. The industry’s definition of yield may be different today emphasizing total meat yield rather than just white meat yield but is still important in current market conditions.

“Aviagen selects stock with a high genetic potential for the global marketplace and selection across multiple environments helps to ensure that the potential is realized by our customers,” added Emmerson.

This year marked the 101st PSA annual meeting and Aviagen was again proud to be a sponsor of the event. Dr. Derek Emmerson has been invited to present at PSA meetings multiple times in recent years.

Alabama Agriculture Commissioner John McMillan Leads State Delegation in Tours of Aviagen’s State-of-the-Art Veterinary Lab and Feed Mill

October 17, 2012 – HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – A group of Alabama officials and educators, led by the state’s Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries John McMillan, recently began a tour of North Alabama agricultural businesses with a visit to the Elkmont Veterinary Services and Poultry Diagnostic Laboratory built and operated by Aviagen, the world’s leading poultry breeding company. The group also toured Aviagen’s state-of-the-art Poultry Feed Mill in Athens.

A contingent of dignitaries met with Aviagen executives Oct. 2 to discuss the company’s role in providing an affordable source of protein for people throughout North America and the world, its contributions toward making Alabama the nation’s No. 2 poultry producing state, and its breakthroughs in establishing and following best practices that protect poultry and feed from harmful pathogens. These topics are vital to the state’s agriculture and extension programs, and to Aviagen’s longstanding collaboration with the state and its academic institutions like Auburn University. Aviagen executives also outlined the company’s history, philosophy and direction.

“Here in Alabama, poultry and eggs account for 65 percent of total agricultural sales, and that makes industry leaders like Aviagen responsible not only for their own financial success,
but a major contributor to the health and welfare of our state’s agricultural economy,” said Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries John McMillan.

Joining Commissioner McMillan for the tour were:
• Dr. Bill Batchelor, Dean, College of Agriculture at Auburn University
• Dr. Gary Lemme, Director of Alabama Cooperative Extension Systems
• Mr. Johnny Adams, Executive Director, Alabama Poultry & Egg Association (AP&EA)
• Mr. Daniel Autrey, Chief of Staff/Legal Counsel, Department of Agriculture and Industries
• Mr. Ray Hilburn, Membership Director, AP&EA

“At Auburn, we’re committed to offer a poultry sciences curriculum that reflects the latest best practices and technologies in use today – both here in Alabama and around the world, said Dean Batchelor. “Our long-standing relationship with Aviagen ensures our faculty and programs dovetail with the poultry industry needs. As a result, we’re better equipping our graduates for successful careers as food animal veterinarians, nutritionists and geneticists.”

Randall Ennis, Chief Executive Officer for Aviagen added, “We were pleased to be able to share with State and University officials about Aviagen’s vision and our impact and contribution to the global poultry industry. We’re not just a company that does business in Northern Alabama, but we service and reach all corners of the globe from here. With that,
we are fortunate to operate in a State that offers support and understands the importance and impact that agriculture has in feeding the world. It was an honor to host Commissioner
McMillan and his party as we showed them our state-of-the-art facilities and discussed the impact that Aviagen’s operations are having on the region and beyond. The more we work
together with the state and our academic institutions, the more Aviagen can make a difference.”

The meeting, which was arranged by the AP&EA, included a tour of the Aviagen Veterinary Services and Poultry Diagnostics Laboratory, which is an authorized National Poultry
Improvement Plan (NPIP) Laboratory and reflects the company’s dedication to ensuring the health status of its breeding stock and products, and its support of the broiler industry’s
efforts to promote food safety. The laboratory provides dedicated areas for an array of laboratory diagnostics including bacteriology, serology, molecular diagnostics, genomics
research, and pathological exams. The facility, which serves all Aviagen breeding-production facilities in the United States, is designed to meet biosafety level II (BSL-II) standards and
rigorous employee safety criteria.

The group also toured Aviagen’s recently multi-million dollar Poultry Feed Mill, which supplies pelletized and crumbled feed to the company’s pedigree operation in Tennessee
and to approximately 115 Aviagen growing and breeding farms in Alabama. The feed mill is designed to ensure biosecurity while maintaining record feed output, and its careful use of
energy has resulted in significant energy savings: electricity consumption dropped 15 percent, natural gas usage dropped by 28 percent, and carbon emissions plummeted by 43
tons annually. Expansion of bin storage at the feed mill also allows Aviagen to purchase more ingredients from local suppliers and farms.
For more information about Aviagen visit www.aviagen.com.

About Aviagen
Aviagen is the world's leading poultry breeding company, developing pedigree lines for the production of broiler chickens under the Ross, Arbor Acres and Indian River brand
names. The company is based in Huntsville, Alabama, USA with a number of wholly-owned operations across the United Kingdom, Europe, Latin America, Brazil, India, Australia, New
Zealand and the USA and joint ventures in Europe, South Africa, Turkey and Asia. Aviagen employs 3,200 people and has a distribution network serving customers in 120
countries. For further information please visit www.aviagen.com.