Cobb-Vantress Inc. Continued



Cobb Europe – Focus on Efficiency and Service

The creation of Cobb Europe will introduce pure line production of grandparent stock into mainland Europe, enabling us to better serve emerging poultry industries. The changes will also allow customers the ability to take full advantage of Cobb’s major investment in research and product development in the United States by providing a more direct route for product distribution.

"Given our parent company’s understanding of the importance of the future of our products, we are investing an increasingly significant proportion of our sales in research and development," says James Bell, President of Cobb. "We want to give all our customers the early benefit of the advances that this brings in both the Cobb 500 and in new products."

"We are confident that the new structure of Cobb Europe, based in Holland, and its management team will meet the changing needs of our customers and provide for an exciting future for the breed," says Jerry Moye, Vice President of Cobb.



Cobb Brazil – Focus on Strength and Expansion

With the introduction of great grandparent stock into its South American subsidiary, Cobb-Vantress Brasil, Cobb is strategically positioned to further grandparent production capabilities around the globe. Located near Sao Paulo, the state-of-the-art farm, hatchery and feed mill give Cobb the ability to tightly control all aspects of grandparent and parent stock production, giving customers the highest quality product. Consistent, resilient performance of Cobb breeds, supported by strong technical service for customers, has led to spectacular expansion and Cobb’s prominent position as a market leader.

"The addition of pure line stock into Brazil now gives Cobb customers the added security of a third major distribution point for grandparent stock into rapidly expanding world poultry markets," says President James Bell.



The Bottom Line

More than 60 countries around the world carry the Cobb 500. Our flagship product is still the industry standard because it excels as a complete package. As a competitive broiler in live cost per pound/kilo, the Cobb 500 has shown that yield can be added without sacrificing growth rate or feed conversion. The Cobb 500 achieves optimal results in the hatchery, at the breeder and broiler farms, on the processing line and in the retail store. Its unique, well-balanced characteristics and high meat-yielding tendencies result in a bird that is universally accepted in all markets. Backed by years of field-testing and long-term customer success, the Cobb 500 continues our company’s mission of excellence. We bring you the optimum balance in performance characteristics through selection in more than 35 traits such as:

Egg Production
Sexual maturity
Egg size
Eggshell quality
Fertility
Hatchability
Chick quality
Sexing accuracy
Feather type
Feed Conversion
Livability
Growth rate
Leg and skeletal strength-
9 key points
Breeder/broiler heat resistance
Ascites resistance
Feather and skin color
Degree of feathering
Disease resistance
Eviscerated Yield
Breast Meat Yield
Breast Conformation
Meat Quality
Carcass Leanness
Part Yields
Condemnation
Carcass uniformity

The Future

Being owned by the world’s largest poultry producer gives Cobb a unique perspective and a single focus: quality of product and service. We know what it means to compete in the world poultry industry at the producer level. We know the market pressures and production challenges for companies like yours. To meet these challenges requires a phenomenal reinvestment in research and development. Fast-paced development work continues on the Cobb 500 broiler breeder and on newer products, like the Cobb 700 and the Avian breed. Performance is now being assessed at a new testing unit that compares four commercial breeds at a time and more than 40 broiler crosses a year. Cobb is striving to produce the same product the world around. The Cobb 500’s unique, well-balanced characteristics and high meat-yield have served as a catalyst in the trend towards value added poultry products, and continues to be the benchmark by which all other breeds are measured.

Research and Development

Introduction of the latest technology, like identifying the presence of individual genes, is set to accelerate genetic progress. Utilizing natural breeding methods together with the technology to track the transmission of genes provides new opportunities for genetic progress such as improving disease resistance. Not only is there the ability to increase selection pressure, but also to select on genetic potential rather than on agricultural performance alone. The aim is to bring all customers genetic advancements rapidly and supply the best quality chickens at the right price. The potential for introducing new technology also places new responsibilities on poultry breeders. Concern for the continual well-being of Cobb stock, for research ethics, and for the environment underlie the breeding policy.



Quality

Cobb takes seriously its responsibilities at the start of the food chain. A long-established, comprehensive quality assurance program sets the standards for the health and well being of all Cobb stock. Cobb has invested more than 32.5 million dollars in facilities aimed at providing the utmost in biosecurity. Three new full pedigree farms, a dedicated grandparent hatchery, and the latest addition, a state-of-the-art environmentally controlled feed mill complement existing facilities. The completion of additional pedigree farms allows Cobb the safety of physically separating not only research and trial lines, but biosecure pedigree lines from one another as well. Additionally, the introduction of great grandparent stock from the United States into South America and mainland Europe adds to Cobb’s ability to assure all our customers of an uninterrupted supply of premium product in the face of disease or regulatory challenge.

Feed hygiene is an essential part of our biosecurity program. Total control of ingredient temperature and air flow throughout the feed-milling process, microbial testing of all incoming ingredients and implementation of all-vegetable diets are only a few of the ways we are helping reduce the possibility of microbial contamination.

These efforts, along with years of experience in eradication techniques at Cobb’s European breeding center, have brought us to where we are today; Cobb Europe supplies salmonella-free breeding stock to more than thirty countries. Techniques proven in Europe are also being utilized in the United States. Additionally, Cobb participates in the U.S. Government’s pilot program authored by the National Poultry Improvement Plan with the objective of eliminating Salmonella enteriditis from the top of the food chain. Cobb’s recently expanded state-of-the-art laboratory processes thousands of samples each week from feed, litter, air, blood serum, meconium and the intestinal tract of our breeding stock throughout the genetic pipeline, providing up-to-date health status profiles of all our flocks.



Environment

Cobb demonstrates a respect for all team members by providing a safe working environment and security for the future, cooperating with the communities in which we work and live, informing them of our business while respecting the laws and the environment. Cobb takes all practical steps to avoid pollution, follow regulatory guidelines on disposal of animal waste, recycle energy, and use renewable or recycled materials. Our concern is for the future of the world’s broiler industry, as well as the Cobb breed and team members.



Solutions

Cobb understands that to be viable in today’s market, providing genetically superior breeding stock is not enough. There must be complete support at all levels. The Cobb Technical Representatives traveling your area, together with the World Technical Support Team continue to provide practical guidance on all aspects of the Cobb and Avian breeds. The team consists not only of commercial poultry industry experts, but specialists in nutrition, genetics, microbiology, veterinary medicine, environmental control, statistics, and breeder, hatchery and broiler management.

The combined U.S., European and South American breeding and technical services divisions also benefit from joint projects with a large number of the world’s leading poultry research centers and institutes. The support team’s continued involvement in research and development provides the link between Cobb’s internal activities and the research world at large. Staying true to one of Cobb’s main objectives, the technical support team gathers and disseminates information from producers and researchers with one goal in mind: to assist our customers in utilizing the genetic potential of Cobb products to help maximize profits. Our goal is to make the Cobb Technical Team the benchmark for the poultry world.



Unified Team Approach

From customer visits to Cobb representation at conferences, seminars and trade shows, whatever the need, wherever the avenue, Cobb personnel make themselves available. That means total support. Whether it’s through the Cobb World Technical School or an intensive data analysis by our technical representatives, Cobb strives
to provide easy access to all the latest technology and information – an ongoing dedication to maintain the highest quality of both product and service.

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