Ross Customer Seminar aims to bring Aviagen closer to customers

The sixth annual Ross® Customer Seminar, jointly organized by Aviagen® and its Grandparent customer PPR Broiler of OAO Agrocombinat Dzerzhinsky, recently took place in Minsk and was attended by more than 70 Ross Parent Stock customers. 
Following the tradition of previous years, the seminar topics were chosen by the customers, thus making sure they were tailored to current challenges and specific points of management. 
Marcel Janssen, Aviagen Regional Technical Manager for Eastern Europe and the CIS, talked about the genetic progress in the Ross 308. Rik van den Bos, Aviagen Veterinary Consultant, gave a very interesting presentation about drinking water quality, its influence on bird health, methods of control and use of acidifiers. Goran Slunjski, Technical Service Manager for Aviagen LLC, covered male management between 18 and 30 weeks. 
Nutrition Consultant Eduard Mailyan talked to seminar participants about key factors in parent stock and broiler nutrition. Timea Torma, Aviagen Kft Incubationist, wrapped up the event with a presentation about optimizing hatchability. 
Tyark Osterndorff, Aviagen Business Development Director for Eastern Europe and the CIS, commented: “Every year we put our heads together a few months before the event to prepare something special and memorable for our Belarusian seminar. We know how much PS customers look forward to and appreciate this seminar and we feel very close to them. Every year we receive the ‘best ever seminar’ response and that creates the motivation and quite a pressure for us to deliver something new and exiting the next year.”
A highlight of the evening proceedings was the presentation of the Flock Awards: The winners of this year’s best Broiler Flock Award were Agrocombinat Dzerzhinsky, with PF Druzhba and Smolevichi Broiler as runner-ups. The Best Ross Parent Stock Flock Award for Belarus was given to OAO Alexandriyskaya, with Skidelskaya PF second and Belarusneft Osobino third. 
Poultry Farm Druzhba was also welcomed to the Ross 400 Club, having achieved an EPEF of 412.6, making it the second member of the Club from the Republic of Belarus.
Yuri Fesin, Director of PPR Broiler, said: "We would like to join Aviagen to give our best wishes to OAO Alexandriyskaya as the winner of this year’s Best Ross Parent Stock Flock Award. We are very happy that Ross birds achieve such great results in PS and Broiler for our Belarusian poultry producers. This re-affirms our loyalty to Ross and we want to thank Aviagen for another successful seminar."
Janssen added: “We would like to congratulate our Ross Parent Stock and Broiler Flock Awards winners on achieving such outstanding results. This is testament to the genetic potential of the Ross 308 and the hard work and dedication of our customers to ensure that this potential is realised in their operations.”