With global demand for poultry continuing to soar, SRUC has teamed up with Aviagen to increase research and promote sustainable production.
Building on a long tradition of mutual collaboration in applied poultry research, this strategic alliance aims to increase research to deliver future technological and breeding solutions which promote sustainable poultry production.
The mutual goal is to provide affordable and healthy animal protein in an environmentally sustainable way to a growing world population, often in areas where agricultural resources are limited. This alliance will complement SRUC’s track record in applied research and Aviagen’s expertise on global breeding, and will result in knowledge and tools that can be used in applied breeding programmes.
The focus of the research will be in areas related to balanced breeding for efficiency, health, welfare and environmental adaptability through the identification of novel traits underlying biological functions in the modern broiler and broiler breeder.
This alliance will also spearhead further research in poultry nutrition, welfare, animal health, meat science and management systems, which are key to deliver optimal sustainability for producers worldwide. Furthermore it will create opportunities for training in poultry production and management for the benefit of the poultry industry as a whole.
Wayne Powell, Principal and Chief Executive of SRUC, said: “We are delighted to announce this strategic alliance with Aviagen, something that will play a vital role in helping to meet the global demands of poultry production. In keeping with our plan to become a unique 21st-century university, it is also another excellent example of SRUC working directly with industry leaders, bringing together world-class research and developing a future skills and training program fit for the modern world.”
Dr Santiago Avendano, Director of Global Genetics, Aviagen Group, said: “As a global breeder focusing on balanced breeding for sustainable production, our focus is to predict breeding values for production, health, welfare and environmental adaptability with the highest possible accuracy. SRUC’s expertise and focus on applied research will be key to Aviagen’s efforts on the identification of novel markers and biomarkers for metabolic function supporting biological performance, such as immune and gut function and novel approaches to measure and predict meat and product quality.”
