Centurion opens new hatchery in Iowa

The official opening of Centurion’s new layer hatchery in Goldfield, Iowa, the CPI-Prairie Gold Hatchery took place last month.

Along with the grand opening and before the premises became a strictly controlled bio security area off limits for visitors, an “open house” was held. Under guidance of Centurion’s project manager Steve Hilleson and hatchery manager Mark McGuire, a walking tour through the hatchery was set out.

The new 35,000 square feet facility, with an annual capacity of 18 million pullet chicks, was built by Henning Construction and is equipped with Pas-Reform Hatchery Technology’s incubation – and air handling equipment, Prinzen egg handling machinery and Warrior chick processing automation. Farm Credit Services of America provided the financing. The new hatchery has a capacity three times larger than the old facility in Beaver Dam Wisconsin it is replacing and is complementing the other Centurion hatcheries in Alabama, Missouri and Pennsylvania and the partnership with Nelson Poultry Farms in Kansas. The five hatcheries are strategically located with a combined capacity of 55 million pullet chicks annually.

The day after the ceremonies the first eggs arrived from Centurion’s nearby CPI-Clarion Breeder Farm and the hatchery started official operation.

Gijs Schimmel, president of Centurion Poultry thanked the many customers, family and friends present, for their effort to come to the open house despite the wintery weather. He pointed out that Iowa, with over 50 million laying hens, has the largest egg layer population in the US and therefore it made sense to choose Iowa for its expansion.