The Aviagen Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) Production Management School portfolio continues to grow, and during 17-23 February, customers joined the very first EMEA Ventilation School. Held in Toledo, Spain, the school saw 18 diverse attendees from 10 countries spanning 3 continents – from Sweden, to Zambia, to Japan.

Equal mix of theory and real-life practice

Students experienced a balance of classroom learning and practical hands-on training at a local farm. During the small-group classroom sessions, they engaged with Aviagen and industry specialists and with one another to explore bird environmental needs, litter management, preventive maintenance and other aspects of effective broiler and breeder housing ventilation.

Half of their time was spent working on farm to test their understanding and put into practice how a ventilation system should be operated.

The School also emphasized the importance of observing bird behavior and considering environmental conditions while choosing the type of ventilation. A critical take-away was an understanding of the theory and practice behind minimum, transitional and tunnel ventilation, with on-farm practice opportunities for each of these three major ventilation types.

“Aviagen is committed to ongoing education and improvement, and has a long history of sharing the latest knowledge with our customers and future generations of poultry professionals,” commented School Director Nick French. “Our goal for the Ventilation School was for students to work together to deepen their knowledge of ventilation management tools. The rich exchange of ideas and friendships they formed while completing this learning journey with their colleagues from around the globe were invaluable.”

Enthusiastic reaction from students

Ronald L. Samulde, production manager for Bounty Fresh Food in the Philippines, commented that he will apply the ventilation knowledge to his own operation: “The school offered an invaluable opportunity for poultry colleagues from different countries to work together to enhance our understanding of the true essence of poultry ventilation for the best welfare of our chickens. I feel privileged to have been part of the school.”

Andrew Clarkson, general manager of Ross Breeders in Zambia, Africa, added, “I left the course with a much better understanding of how air, humidity and gases move in a poultry house, and of the requirements needed for the birds to thrive in an environmentally controlled system. The ventilation knowledge I gained will help me f effective stockman.”