COBB’S launch of the new MV male will help the company maintain its leading position in the broiler breeder business, said Joel Sappenfield, president.
(From left) Joel Sappen eld, Garrison Qi and Roger Vessell
The new MV male that was launched across Asia in March will be a “game changer” due to superior reproduc- tive performance at the breeder level and robust growth at the broiler level combined with exemplary feed conver- sion and weight gain.
The MV selection program is based on animal welfare, robustness and enhanced disease resistance as well as performance traits.
The MV line underwent extensive field trials conducted on a commercial scale in extreme environments in Europe, the Middle East and South America, both at the breeder and broiler level.
The bird thrives well on different types of corn and wheat-based diets. The MV male showed better welfare traits and economic results versus its predecessor, said Mr Sappenfield.
The MV male also boasts lower mortality, high fertility and high hatchability.
Mr Sappenfield expects that avian influ- enza will continue to threaten the global poultry trade. For example, authorities in Thailand, the Philippines, South Korea and China have applied blanket bans on imports of breeding stock directly from countries infected with bird flu such as the United States or Europe.
As a result, the company decided to invest in a grandparent project in New Zealand to supply grandparent broiler breeding stock for markets in Asia Pacific.
New Zealand’s Overseas Investment Office has already granted approval for the company to proceed with the purchase of land. Construction is likely to be finished in late 2018.
Located in Rotongaro, near Huntly, South Auckland, the farm and hatchery complex on a 148-hectare site will cost US$40 million.
The New Zealand project is strategically important for the company’s plan to grow market share in Asia by developing a reputation for being a reliable supplier of breeding stock.
“New Zealand is off the flight path of wild birds. It is naturally compartmentalized and we see a lot of value in being there,” he said.
Cobb already has GP businesses in China, which means that customers there can be confident that there will be no dis- ruptions in the breeding stock supply due to import bans, said Mr Sappenfield.
Also, it is working closely with universities in China to provide training and technical support for its quality assurance team. Cobb is planning to set up labs in China and the Philippines to mon- itor bird health. This shows Cobb’s commitment to customer service and assures that Cobb’s breeders and broilers are per- forming at their full potential.
“What sets us apart today is our service support,” he said.
“Cobb is targeting a 52% share of Asia’s parent stock market by the end of 2017 and we expect to achieve a much larger market share within the next 3-5 years,” said.