Nick French takes IFRG back to the future

Aviagen® Global Head of Technical Transfer Nick French recently addressed the 40th anniversary meeting of the Incubation and Fertility Research Group (IFRG) as keynote speaker by providing advice on how hatcheries can address the modern issue of handling vast quantities of data.

Aimed at academics and commercial personnel with an interest in early bird fertility and incubation, the IFRG is officially affiliated as a working group with the World Poultry Science Association (WPSA). Although historically held in the UK, the latest meeting took place in Berlin, Germany.

As the longest serving attendee of the IFRG, which has met almost every year as far back as 1975, French was the ideal choice to also take attendees through 40 years of the IFRG, speaking about its history and looking to the future of bird fertility research.

French said, “I have had a long affinity to the IFRG so it was a pleasure to be asked back for its 40th anniversary. As my role at Aviagen covers a lot of data analysis, I was asked to give a talk on how hatcheries can survive the ‘data mountain’ they face. I looked at what data can be used for and how to make sense of it.”

“Given my historical attachment to the Group and the special occasion of the anniversary, I also gave a presentation on its history which was aptly titled ‘My Life with Eggs’!”

Aviagen places significant importance on research with industry groups as a vital part of knowledge transfer and as such has been a long-standing supporter and contributor to the IFRG through sponsorship and regular attendance or presenting at the meetings. It also authors a large number of papers for the meetings.

French continued, “My own involvement since 1980 has been extensive, organising meetings, submitting papers and of course becoming Chairman of the group 2009 - 2012. The IFRG has always been a great conference attracting foremost experts on fertility and incubation as well as hatchery managers and specialists from industry and aviculture.”