Aviagen helping hatch ‘poultry house of tomorrow’

HUNTSVILLE – Aviagen has made a significant donation toward the development of a Poultry Science Smart Farming Research Facility for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.

Called the “poultry house of tomorrow,” the state-of-the-art facility, equipped with the latest technological advancements in the industry, will facilitate cutting-edge broiler research. Aviagen is based in Huntsville’s Cummings Research Park.

Dr. Bryan Fancher, vice president of Global Technical Operations, worked closely with the university’s agriculture department on the innovative project. He also spoke at the grand opening ceremony last month. Fancher earned a bachelor science degree in poultry science and a master’s in animal nutrition from Arkansas.

“It has been an honor for Aviagen to help financially support construction of this exciting project and for me to personally participate in creating the unique house design concepts,” said Fancher. “This facility will generate important new research findings and, as importantly, will serve as an excellent training center to prepare students for the future of poultry farming.

“We look forward to seeing creativity and innovation prosper here.”

The poultry house is equipped with technologies to collect real-time data for bodyweight, feed and water intake and environmental conditions. The “smart farming” data will be transferred to a cloud-based data storage service, allowing rapid and remote access through an app.

“Aviagen is honored to contribute to this remarkable endeavor,” said Dr. Marc de Beer, president of Aviagen North America during the grand opening celebration. “We are fully committed to supporting the next generation of poultry professionals and leaders. They hold the very future of our industry, and their dedication and innovation are essential for shaping a better world.

“We take pride in fostering their vision and passion, recognizing the sustainability of our industry hinges on their success.”