Neil Leeming, CEO of Tom Barron Limited states: “When we started this new venture, we were already totally convinced that our move to distribute the NOVOGEN layers would be a welcome alternative for the UK and Irish layer industry.

"Now I can say that this has been confirmed 100 per cent by our customers, who have embraced our decision and have placed more NOVOGEN birds than we had expected at the beginning. The best of it is that the customers who received the first flocks early 2012 have already given us their repeat orders for the NOVOGEN layers.

"That is the best proof of the genetic quality of the NOVOGEN breeding stock and the service we give to the industry. Being a family-company, established more than 100 years ago, it is very important to us to give our customers a real choice of the best products available around the world. This move also secures the supply of commercial layers from the only independent commercial layer hatchery in the UK and Ireland.”

“The first results in the UK of the NOVOgen Brown layers placed since early 2012 in different housing systems are looking very good. The rearing has gone well, without any problems, and it was remarkable to see that the NOVOGEN birds handled the transfer to the production farms very well. They kept their appetite and were able to gain bodyweight just after transfer. They behave very calm, but certainly not lazy! Even when you hold them back before the onset of lay, to increase the egg weights, they still come into lay very easily and hit the peak at the target age. Peaks have been between 95- 97 per cent, mortality very low and the egg quality is very good.

"These birds are just doing exactly what the NOVOGEN team told us they would do!” ads Dough Kirkby, sales manager for Tom Barron. “It is just a great pleasure to work with these pullets and to see happy customers coming back to us. They produce very well under different circumstances including the enriched cages, barn and free range systems."