From the shadows, into the light

2017 ushered in a number of new investments in the supply chain for layers. We are committed to investing in new facilities all over the world to raise high quality genetics that will deliver the products needed for our customers.

Hendrix Genetics Layers has recently invested in 

• Two research facilities in Canada for pure lines, great grandparent, and grandparent stock
• Commercial layer hatchery in full production in Grand Island, NE, USA
• New grandparent farm in Virginia, USA
• (Great) grandparent facility in Brazil, Fazenda Domelia
• Recently remodeled parent stock hatchery in Lorris, France equipped with new incubators and mechanical installations

The two new Canadian research facilities were built with high biosecurity standards in mind. When entering the facility, employees change from their outside clothes into coveralls and then proceed through the transitional zone (named the “no man’s land”) to the wet shower. They then shower and change into another set of clean clothes. The extra “dry shower” principle lowers the chance of contaminants transferring into the barns. The buildings are also outfitted with LED lighting, motion sensing lighting in the entrance building, a wastewater collection system, and an automated manure removal system. Eggs are collected using a conveyer system which was designed so that data collection using handhelds can be completed easily by the staff. The individual pens also measure feed conversion, egg weight, body weights and many traits related to egg quality, of the birds for research and selection purposes at the pure line level.

In October 2017, we opened a new (great) grandparent facility in Domelia, Brazil.

This facility is setup in a so called “brood-grow-lay” principle, which means that the flocks will arrive at the premises as day-old chicks and leave the barns when they are ready for depletion after the production period. Furthermore this new location is located on a premises of 200 acres at a very remote location, far from any contact with other livestock. The facility contains two houses with 18,000 bird capacity each containing GGP and GP stock

With the completion of this new facility, we can ensure that Brazilian egg producers are delivered healthy, high performing products from the genetic brands Bovans, Shaver, Hisex, Dekalb, and ISA.

As of October 2017, our commercial hatchery in Grand Island, Nebraska is fully operational. 

The hatchery is outfitted with 30 incubators and 18 hatchers. With these capabilities, about 100,000 pullet chicks per day, five days per week can be hatched for distribution to US egg producers. 

Hatching eggs are supplied by new contract parent stock farms, with capacity for 40,000 birds per farm, located close to the hatchery to ensure that optimal egg quality is maintained up until setting. 

The hatchery will supply a high volume of layer brands suited for the market. With the demand for cage-free eggs, this US production hub is an important step in providing top quality layers that are docile and highly productive, leading to increased efficiency for US egg producers and the US market.

We have also recently remodeled an existing parent stock farm in Virginia to become the first grandparent stock facility in the US. In this facility, multiple genetic lines can be kept separate during rearing and production. Flocks are reared in a separate barn on the same premises and are moved into the production houses at an age of 18 weeks. The production facility is equipped with enriched family pens which makes it possible to keep all eggs of the different genetic lines strictly separate during production and collection.  With this new GPS back-up location in the USA, we are able to safeguard the supply chain for our customers in the years to come. 

In France, we have recently completed the remodel of our parent stock hatchery. Among the updates are new incubators and mechanical and electrical installations to ensure the chicks leaving the hatchery are top quality. The combination of latest technology and new heat recovery systems that are being used, is a perfect combination to lower the carbon footprint of this activity and to enhance the overall biosecurity and quality of the products that are being produced from this exciting hatchery facility. 

With these new investments around the world, we are committed to providing high quality genetics with innovation, sustainability, and collaboration at the center.