Anne-Marie Neeteson
“Hand in hand – Aviagen, welfare and sustainability”
Aviagen is committed to bird welfare, which is a cornerstone of the Three Pillars of Sustainability. Global Vice President of Welfare & Compliance Anne-Marie Neeteson is the company’s chief welfare advocate. Here she shares her passionate view of the importance of welfare to Aviagen and to the future of the global poultry industry.
BY AVIAGEN
What is the importance of welfare and sustainability to the poultry industry? How are they connected? “If I were to name what I feel to be the most important contribu- tor to sustainable meat production it would be animal welfare. Healthy animals are more biologically efficient, which is good for the environment and the economic sustainability of producers. They are more resistant to disease, their liveability is strong, and they perform better. This all strengthens the ability of farmers to put food on the tables of families in their growing communities throughout the world”.
What are Aviagen’s values of welfare and sustainability? “Our company believes in and upholds the internationally accept- ed “Five Freedoms” as the ideal state to strive for. Our birds are provided with fresh water, feed, careful handling, health care and an environment that meet their unique needs. We also live and breathe three fundamentals of animal husbandry – responsible handling, skilful flock management and thorough training. We hire people with a passion for poultry and make sure they have the know-how to give our birds the best-possible care”.
What is the importance of welfare for Aviagen? “For Aviagen, welfare and sustainability are inseparable, and we strive toward continuous improvement through our balanced ap- proach to breeding. Our breeding goal includes a wide range of welfare-focused traits which leads to improvements for future generations. For our staff welfare is not an extra, it is an intrinsic part of their everyday work”.
14 ▶ SUSTAINABILITY AND WELFARE | OCTOBER 2020
How does Aviagen incorporate welfare in its ethos and day-to-day operations? “Aviagen people on farms and hatcheries around the globe have a special bond with the birds and are passionate about their health and wellbeing. Ours is also a culture of accountability, and many of our employees are trained welfare auditors. So, alongside peri- odic external audits, these dedicated people regularly check in on the birds and make sure they are thriving”.
Could you talk about the three Pillars of Sustainability, giv- ing examples of Aviagen’s contribution to each pillar? “Aviagen is committed to the principles of the Environmental, Economic and Social pillars, which are deep seated in each and every aspect of our business”.
Environmental: “Chicken is a livestock species with a very low environmental footprint. Aviagen has worked for decades to breed efficiencies which contribute to making commercial chick- en production environmentally sustainable. We are most proud of our contribution to improvements in feed conversion ratio (FCR) which is the amount of feed required per unit of live weight. FCR is the main driver of carbon footprint in livestock production and improving it provides a crescendo of environmental benefits: a re- duction in waste that could pollute the environment, shrinking of our footprint of farmland to grow the feed, cutting of fuel con- sumption for transportation, and more. In the end, we use less of everything to produce each kilo of meat, and that’s what our world needs to protect our planet”.
Economic: “It is so interesting to work for a primary breeder and
PHOTO: AVIAGEN
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