As a celebration of exceptional performance and dedication to poultry breeding, Cobb-Vantress recently presented its annual Flock Awards to North American poultry customers who demonstrated remarkable results in 2018.
Launched in 2004, the awards program recognizes top-performing facilities in the United States, Canada, Mexico and Central America that are maximizing the genetic potential of Cobb breeding stock. Each year, the Cobb technical services team conducts an annual Sold Flock Breeder Survey to determine the award recipients based on egg production, hatchability, chicks per hen housed and life of flock hen mortality.
Cobb representatives announced the winners in January and will host individual ceremonies to present winners with plaques to commemorate their achievements.
“With the support of our dedicated technical service team, our customers continue to exceed the possibilities of Cobb breeder performance each year,” said Ken Semon, senior director of technical service for Cobb North America. “Their commitment to excellence is unparalleled, which is evident in the high level of performance these winners achieved last year. All of the winners should be proud of their accomplishments, and our top performers will continue to serve as motivation, driving the North American poultry breeding industry to newfound levels of success.”
The full list of 2018 North American winners include:
| Award | Cobb-Vantress Customer | Location | Country |
| Co-National Best, Cobb500 | George’s Inc. | Harrisonburg, Va. | United States |
| Co-National Best, Cobb500 | Pilgrim’s | Harrisonburg, Va. | United States |
| Co-National Best, Cobb700 | Tyson Foods, Inc. | Noel, Mo. | United States |
| Co-National Best, Cobb700 | Tyson Foods, Inc. | Oglethorpe, Ga. | United States |
| Cobb500 Fast Feather Top Flock Producer | Pilgrim’s | Moorefield, W.Va. | United States |
| Cobb500 Slow Feather Top Flock Producer | Pitman Family Farms | Sanger, Calif. | United States |
| Cobb700 Top Flock Producer | Peco Foods, Inc. | Sebastopol, Miss. | United States |
| Cobb500 Package Top Flock Producer | Tyson Foods, Inc. | Snead, Ala. | United States |
| National Best | Synergy Agri Group Inc. | Port Williams, Nova Scotia | Canada |
| Cobb500 Fast Feather | Synergy Agri Group Inc. | Port Williams, Nova Scotia | Canada |
| Cobb500 Slow Feather | Cooperative Fédérée De Quebec | Victoriaville, Quebec | Canada |
| Total Eggs Per Hen Hatched (Mx x 500F) | Synergy Agri Group Inc. | Port Williams, Nova Scotia | Canada |
| Regional Best, Cobb500 | CMI-IP – Avicola Villalobos | Guatemala City | Guatemala |
| Cobb500 Fast Feather | CMI-IP – Avicola Pollo Rey | San Jose | Costa Rica |
| Cobb500 Slow Feather | CMI-IP – Avicola Villalobos | Guatemala City | Guatemala |
| Mexico Best, Cobb500 | Buenaventura | Villaflores, Chiapas | Mexico |
“It is a great privilege to be receive the Best Cobb Package award,” said David Pruitt, breeder hatchery manager at the Tyson Foods, Inc. facility in Snead, Alabama, and winner of the Cobb500 Package Top Flock Producer award. “It was a team effort – and one that would not have been possible without the family of one of our dedicated growers coming together after losing their father midway through the flock.”
Source: Cobb-Vantress, Inc.
