New Cobb laboratory focuses on animal genetics, biosecurity

A new biotechnology laboratory doubling the capacity of work on health diagnostics and animal genetics has been opened at the Cobb worldwide headquarters at Siloam Springs, Ark. The $2 million investment in the 11,000-square-foot complex enhances the range of testing to provide for future product development and continued growth. An assay that took four hours can now be completed in one hour.
New biosecurity features have been incorporated such as wearing company clothing with laboratory specific colored coats, laminar flow sterile hoods, room specific ventilation and new sample flow and showering-out procedures so that staff can visit bird facilities the next day. There is a walk-in refrigerator and freezer housing the diagnostic sample library and retaining DNA from at least two generations of pedigree birds. A viewing hallway enables visitors to see work in progress.