Aviagen Group and Rocio Group signed a strategic agreement on April 8 for a joint venture. Under the agreement, Avicola del Norte (Avinor), a Rocio Group company, becomes a subsidiary of Aviagen under the name Aviagen Peru. The new business will help Aviagen realize its vision to further expand its reach in Latin America and maximize value in the Peruvian market.

The Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research (FFAR) announces the launch of the SMART Broiler, a research initiative offering $4 million for research supporting the development and commercialization of automated monitoring tools that quantitatively assess key animal welfare indicators in broiler chickens. FFAR is excited to partner with McDonald’s Corporation as a cofounder on this initiative. The SMART Broiler program is now accepting applications to improve animal welfare.

“Hatcheries are a great place to multiply Salmonella,” said Don Waldrip, DVM, technical services veterinarian for Zoetis.