Egg Breeder Buys Poultry Breeder
by May 9, 2005 12:00 am 230 views
Erich Wesjohann GmbH & Co. KG of Germany announced recently it had purchased Aviagen International Group Inc. of Huntsville, Ala.
“The Wesjohann group is the leader in pedigree lines in the egg industry,” said Randall Ennis, president of Aviagen Inc.
“We are a leader in the broiler industry. The transfer of knowledge across the company makes us more efficient in what we’re doing.”
Aviagen develops pedigree lines for the production of broiler chickens and turkeys principally under the Ross, Arbor Acres, L.I.R., Nicholas Turkeys and C.W.T. brands. Its distribution network serves 275 customers in 85 countries.
Erich Wesjohann Group retains 50 percent of the breeder market for turkey and chicken eggs worldwide.
Aviagen retains about 48 percent of the global breeder market for turkey and chicken broilers.
Aviagen Inc. does provide breeding stock to Arkansas customers such as Simmons Foods Inc. of Siloam Springs, and George’s Inc. of Springdale, as well as some limited stock to Tyson Foods Inc., Ennis said.
A Tyson Foods, subsidiary, Cobb-Vantress Inc. of Siloam Springs, produces most of the company’s breeding stock. Ennis said Aviagen is a direct competitor to Cobb-Vantress.