Aviagen speaks at World Poultry Science Association meeting in Russia

At a recent meeting of the World Poultry Science Association (WPSA) in Russia, Aviagen’s UK Breeding Programme Director, Jim McAdam, outlined some of the challenges currently facing the industry and how a balanced approach to breeding was needed to continue supplying world markets.

Held in Moscow’s Sergiev Posad All Russian Research and Development Poultry Institute, the meeting attracted poultry industry experts including Roel Mulder, General Secretary, WPSA, and Zhanna Emanuylova, director and chief geneticist at Smena, The Federal State Breeding Poultry Company.

Jim McAdam told the audience: “Despite continuing global growth, the poultry industry has faced some tough challenges in recent years. Most notably, the threat from disease and the volatile nature of raw materials has meant that trying to find a ‘standard’ production system is more difficult than ever.”
McAdam also highlighted the potential for significant progress in Central Asia and Eastern Europe, predicting double digit growth in those and other emerging markets. Aviagen plays a crucial role in helping emerging markets grow by providing products that are best suited to the marketplace and offering the highest quality technical support in the industry.

Mr McAdam said: “Thanks to increased efficiency and improvements in welfare and genetic potential, chicken meat is now a major source of protein across the world and accessible to people who just a few years ago would simply not have been able to afford it.

“A single pedigree male is ultimately responsible for around 50 million broilers or 70,000 metric tons of poultry meat. Consistently selecting the right candidates to produce the next generation is critical. The delivery of improvement in key traits is achieved by incorporating sophisticated selection tools, enabling steady improvements in body weight, feed efficiency, processing traits, broiler welfare and liveability while at the same time optimising reproductive performance.”