EDINBURGH, Scotland. – Ross^® Central Africa (RCA), Aviagen^®’s joint venture in Zambia, successfully hosted its annual Breeder Distributor Customer Focus Team (DCFT) meeting from 15–19 September 2025 at the Protea Hotel in Lusaka. More than 70 attendees drawn from Central and Southern African countries – including Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana, Namibia, and Malawi, among others – took part in the meeting, where they engaged in a series of presentations covering the latest developments and best practices in breeder management, nutrition, biosecurity, and flock performance. Alongside the lectures, participants also took part in practical sessions designed to strengthen their skills and apply best practices directly to their poultry operations. Through the Ross Breeder Executive Club, top-performing breeder customers were also recognized across the region for achieving exceptional breeder productivity of over 150 chicks per hen housed at 60 weeks.

Expressing his thanks, Victor Kwaramba, Technical & Operations Director of Hatch Solutions, Zimbabwe, commented ‘’On behalf of Hatch Solutions, I'm extremely grateful for the experience that I have had through my attendance to the DCFT. We have had the opportunity to learn from the source and through the experience of others with great insights, open environment and well-coordinated learning exposure.’’

‘’The Ross Central Africa DCFT has provided a unique environment for learning, knowledge exchange, and building valuable connections. I especially highlight the interaction with different African cultures, which broadened my perspective on poultry farming across the continent. A topic that particularly resonated with me was Salmonella control, a bacterium with significant public health impact, emphasizing the importance of applying effective strategies to ensure safety and quality in poultry production. The event had an extremely positive impact, added real value to my professional development, and strengthened my motivation to continue contributing with excellence and passion in poultry farming,’’ commented Sheldon Sande, Hatchery Quality Control Technician, Higest, Mozambique.

Misumbi Ng’onga, Hatchery Supervisor at Zamharvest Zambia, added: ‘’Being invited to the Ross Central Africa Breeder DCFT has been a wholesome and exciting experience. I have learned so much, from production and bird health to the importance of having accurate data – and so much more. The lessons I’ve learned here have changed my perspective about how to handle different challenges in my area of work.’’

Speaking at the close of the meeting, Jeremy Watson, the newly appointed General Manager of Ross Central Africa, remarked: “It was wonderful to see such a strong response from our customers, with so many delegates joining us for this four-day event. We had excellent presentations from Aviagen, and we look forward to future events that will focus even more on practical skills within the poultry industry and the customer service our Aviagen team provides. A truly valuable and successful experience.”