Brazilian tour demonstrates company’s commitment to “Breeding Success Together” with its valued customers

CAMPINAS, Brazil – During September and October, Aviagen^® Brazil began an enriching journey as part of the “Aviagen Connection” tour, traveling across Brazil to provide poultry producers with the latest knowledge and expertise aimed at optimizing the potential of their Ross^® 308 AP breeding stock. Close to 500 Ross 308 AP customers in the cities of Pará de Minas (MG), Goiânia (GO), Recife (PE), Chapecó (SC), Rio Claro (SP), Cascavel (PR) and Maringá (PR) benefited from the invaluable insights into enhancing the health, well-being, performance and feed efficiency of their birds. The interactive format of the seminars offered opportunities for interesting discussions among all the participants.

Male and female conformation, progeny management and quality, hatchability optimization and other management tools tailored to optimize the performance of Ross 308 AP were some of the topics presented during the meetings. Ross birds have been increasing in popularity throughout Latin America, as more and more poultry growers come to benefit from their healthy growth rate and productivity, even in challenging environments.

Aviagen Connection attendees in Goiania

The Ross 308 AP: Delivering performance excellence

During the seminars, Aviagen Product Coordinator Jane Lara Grosso discussed the Ross 308 AP development outlook for the near future and Aviagen’s commitment to balanced breeding for the benefit of customers and the entire industry.

Aviagen Connection attendees in Recife

Over the past three years, performance data has been gathered from more than 17 million breeders, and the results have been impressive. The Ross 308 AP breed has consistently shown remarkable performance, with high egg and chick production rates, as well as improved overall health and productivity. “On average, these Ross birds achieved exceptional results, with each hen producing 206.7 total eggs and 166.1 total chicks by the time they reached 66 weeks of age. This outcome clearly demonstrates the genetic potential of the Ross 308 AP breed," explained Grosso.

Additionally, the broiler performance segment included data from more than 3 billion chickens processed from 2015 to 2023. “This data demonstrated that Ross 308 AP chickens exhibited superior characteristics such as better viability, bone strength, and resistance to various stressors, along with higher meat yields,” said Grosso. “The Ross 308 AP proves to be the cost-effective choice. From the cost per day-old chick, to the cost per kilo of live chicken, and even the cost per kilo of the production industry mix, it consistently yields the highest returns throughout the entire production chain.”

Participants in Rio Claro

Ideal young male conformation for fertility

During a presentation titled, "Optimizing Rooster Conformation for Fertility," Marco Aurélio Romagnole de Araújo, Technical Services Manager at Aviagen Brazil, talked about important factors related to how roosters are shaped and managed to improve their fertility. He stressed the need to strike a balance in developing the right physical attributes in male chickens, which includes ensuring their organs, skeletal structure, and pectoral muscle mass develop adequately at different stages of their lives. Additionally, he emphasized the importance of managing their weight and providing consistent stimulation to enhance their overall performance in terms of fertility.

Optimal female conformation productivity (rearing)

Guests in Cascavel

Aviagen's regional Technical Services Supervisors across different regions in Brazil underscored the significance of maximizing the physical attributes of female chickens to enhance their productivity. They emphasized the importance of carefully managing various factors during the rearing phase to ensure that the chicken population has sufficient fat reserves and well-developed breast muscles by the end of this phase. Achieving this goal requires strict control over their diet, providing a well-balanced feed, and implementing effective management practices to control their weight and ensure uniform growth.

"In essence, this phase is like constructing the foundation for success. Investing in the intensity and quality of management during this period leads to the development of flocks that will ultimately deliver superior productivity," Araújo explained.

Guests in Maringa

Optimizing female management for persistence and progeny quality

Aviagen's regional Technical Services Supervisors in Brazil also discussed an important aspect of female chicken management, which focuses on ensuring consistent productivity and high-quality progeny. The presentation underscored the significance of three crucial factors: water quality, lighting, and carefully balanced nutrition. Aviagen experts emphasized the need for providing fresh, clean, and drinkable water, with daily monitoring of consumption using a hydrometer. They also recommended regular testing to ensure the water supply's quality and daily maintenance of drinkers.

Furthermore, the presentation highlighted the importance of strategies involving lighting to stimulate the chickens and maintain the right quality of lighting in their living quarters throughout the production phase. Additionally, it emphasized the careful management of feeding and body weight during this stage.

"In essence, these measures are vital to ensure consistent productivity and the health of future generations of chickens," explained Araújo.

Enhancing hatchability: Key factors from egg to hatchery

In the lecture titled, "Enhancing hatchability: Key factors from egg to hatchery," presented by regional Technical Services Supervisor and incubation specialist, Felipe Kroetz, the importance of precise data collection during incubation was highlighted. Kroetz emphasized the need for accurate data to identify and address potential issues. He also noted the evolving role of artificial intelligence in predictive maintenance during incubation and embryonic development.

Kroetz emphasized the significance of meticulous attention to detail in the hatchery, where even the smallest details can significantly impact results.
“Hatching success relies on careful observation and fine-tuning of numerous factors, particularly regarding chick quality,” advised Kroetz.

Breeding Success Together with customers

Luiz Mansano, Aviagen's Commercial Manager in Brazil, emphasized Aviagen’s commitment to continuous improvement, stating, “Our in-person Aviagen Connection seminars are just one way we are “Breeding Success Together” with our customers. Through personalized advice tailored to their unique needs, we empower them to achieve optimal outcomes with their Ross 308 AP breeder chickens, ultimately strengthening their ability to feed current and future generations with sustainable, nutritious chicken meat.”