Hy-Line International, in conjunction with Hybrid Poultry Farms Ltd Zambia, hosted for the first time in Sub-Saharan Africa the Hy-Line Brown Technical Seminar at the Intercontinental Hotel in Lusaka, Zambia. The seminar attracted approximately 80 attendees composed of poultry farmers, managers, and other key players within the industry from across the region. The latest developments in genetics were discussed for the Hy-Line Brown breed, and the core issues of value creation through genetics, optimizing saleable chicks, disease prevention, and nutrition in the African poultry sector were also deliberated upon. It also presented the future of the African egg industry as envisioned by Hy-Line.
The occasion was formally opened by Jonathan Cade, president of Hy-Line International, and Richard Keeley, managing director of Hybrid Poultry Farms Ltd Zambia. Both speakers spoke about the recent progress in Hy-Line Brown genetics and echoed that the partnership between the two businesses focuses on supplying African egg farmers with high-quality day-old chicks that are better equipped with enhanced genetic abilities to meet the surging demands on the continent’s egg market.
One of the major topics addressed in the seminar was how genetics can be used to enhance poultry farmers’ productivity through value addition. Through genetics, egg production will increase without compromising efficient resource use by the African egg industry, which is expected to grow tremendously for the next couple of decades. It enables farmers to produce more eggs with less input, which is an important factor as egg consumption grows across Africa.
Experts from Hy-Line and industry co-hosts CEVA, EW Nutrition, HIPRA, EmTech, and Urban Farmer contributed presentations on a variety of subjects, including nutrition, disease prevention, and hatchery management best practices. Given the unfavorable climate and high prevalence of infectious diseases in the area, disease prevention is the top priority for chicken farmers in Africa. In order to maintain the wellbeing and productivity of layer flocks, promote scientific advancements in nutrition and appropriate management techniques.
In the future, the African egg industry has to face tremendous growth due to the expansion of the population and the demand for high-quality, reasonably priced sources of protein. It is expected that in Africa by 2040, the population will rise above 2 billion people. As incomes grow, as well as the awareness of the protein benefits, consumption will likely increase manyfold across the continent. Per capita egg consumption in Africa today is less than one egg per week, whereas the average consumption globally stands at 3-4 eggs a week. A mere nominal increase of 2.6 more eggs a year per person would double the per capita egg consumption by 2040.
This would mean that, with average improvements in poultry genetics, the number of laying hens could almost triple across the continent. The event emphasized the fact that Africa could be at the epicenter of global egg production, alongside other growing regions such as Southeast Asia, India, and Latin America.
Innovation and collaboration were at the core of the Hy-Line and Hybrid Poultry Farms’ seminar, which identified these two factors as key for the support of growth in Africa’s egg industry. Leading experts and key industry stakeholders converged to facilitate laying the framework for the future of egg production in Africa: areas of genetics, management, and sustainability.
As Africa’s egg industry looks toward the future, Hy-Line Brown genetics with other technological advancements will continue to play an important role in helping meet the needs of the growing population. The knowledge and plans that come from this seminar will surely help continue the success and further development of egg production in Sub-Saharan Africa.
