Damate starts production of its own hatching eggs in Rostov region
Damate Group, the largest turkey producer in Russia, has raised the first batch of the parent herd at its own facilities in Rostov region. 18 thousand heads of breeding turkeys were transferred from the young stock area to the nesting site. According to the schedule, the specialists expect to receive their first hatching egg in May.
To date, Damate is the only turkey producer in Russia with its own parent herd of industrial volume. It is planned to fully complete the formation of the herd population of up to 80 thousand heads by 2022. The annual production capacity of the hatching egg will be 10 million pieces.
"Creating your own parent turkey herd is one of the priority tasks, which will become a key advantage of the company in the future. This will enable us to reduce our dependence on imported hatching eggs, as well as significantly reduce biological risks. We continue the systematic and gradual transition of the company to self-sufficiency in the incubation egg," commented Rashid Khairov, CEO of Damate Group.
"In 2021-2022, the Don enterprises of Damate Group for the production of turkey and duck meat should reach full capacity and this corresponds to the agreements with the regional government," said Viktor Goncharov, First Deputy Governor of Rostov region. "The regional budget, for its part, provides support by subsidizing enterprises to purchase hatching eggs. Our own parent herd will strengthen the company's position and become an excellent basis for its development."
Thanks to the qualified and careful care, the bird is transferred from the young stock area to the nesting site with a high degree of safety of the livestock, the uniformity of the herd and the optimal weight. Laying turkeys have already reached maturity and are ready to lay eggs.
The company practices the use of automatic nests and floor keeping of turkeys in the production of hatching eggs. Much attention is paid to the light regime in this area, which affects the egg productivity of the bird. To this end, the specialists of Damate regulate the intensity and duration of daylight hours and the feeding regime, depending on the age of the bird and its biological rhythms.
The resulting hatching egg will be sent to its own hatchery to hatch the day-old turkeys.
Damate uses hatching eggs of the BIG-6 cross-a reference breed for turkey production in the Rostov region. For many years, the same cross of meat-type poultry has successfully established itself in Penza region, where Damate's turkey processing facilities for 155 thousand tons per year are located.
It should be reminded, that Damate is implementing a project to restart the complex for the production of turkey in Rostov region with a planned capacity of 85 thousand tons per year. The company started the formation of the parent herd in September 2020, when the first batch of daily young animals was brought from the UK to the rearing site in Rostov.
