The benefits of the Sollio Agriculture egg production network

Egg farmers are all looking for the best yields. To achieve this, Sollio Agriculture focuses on genetics, feed and support.

Sollio Agriculture’s poultry network brings many benefits to egg farmers, including:

• A stable supply of hatching eggs
• Genetics that meet the needs of each farm
• High-quality poultry feed
• Personalized support

A stable supply of hatching eggs

“Breeding stock and hatching capacity are the keys to success,” says René Bergeron, Genetics Agri-Advisor at Sollio Agriculture. “We have to meet the needs of egg farmers.”

A seasoned agri-advisor, Bergeron covers the areas of eastern Ontario, Newfoundland and Québec where Sollio operates. “We focus on genetics to ensure we can provide the products in demand and meet that demand at all times.”

To that end, about 15 years ago, Sollio Agriculture teamed up with Hendrix Genetics, a Dutch company, and McKinley, a hatchery in Ontario, to ensure a year-round supply. “When we run out of hatching eggs, we buy some from them, and when they run out, we sell some to them,” says Bergeron. “It’s a guarantee of good service for our customers, because the supply is not as constant as with broiler chicks.”

Genetics that meet the needs of each farm

Hendrix Genetics offers a range of layer breeds to meet the different needs of egg farmers. “The market and farmers have different needs, depending on their buyers, their equipment and their type of production, whether it be free-run, organic, conventional, enriched or aviary,” says Bergeron. “With Hendrix Genetics, our gene pool meets all these needs. Feed conversion can be a key factor in achieving an equivalent number of eggs laid.” Such characteristics can be found in the various breeds offered by Hendrix Genetics, which include:

• Shaver
• Dekalb
• Babcock
• Bovans
• Hisex
• Bovans Brown
• ISA Brown

Bergeron says that “McKinley Hatchery’s role is to supply our farms with high-quality chicks that meet the different needs of our egg farmers, who are paid based on the grade and quality of the eggs that they produce. So, the more high-quality eggs the hens lay, the greater the profit for the farmers.”

High-quality poultry feed

“Our adapted feed program is key to everything that we offer. Sollio Agriculture knows exactly what each breed of hen needs and what its tolerance levels are at every stage of its life,” says Éric Dion, Specialized Advisor at Sollio Agriculture. “It’s a bit like Harley-Davidson: they sell Harley oil, but they don’t make it. However, they do control 100% of the inputs for their iconic motorcycles right from the start.”

Personalized support

Competition is fierce among companies that work with egg farmers. So why choose Sollio Cooperative Group?

“Firstly, because of the genetics, and secondly, because of the service, which is a real advantage,” says Dion. “We maintain a presence all along the supply chain, in genetics, technology and feed. My colleagues and I can support customers in all three areas. This is unique to Sollio Cooperative Group. We have our own feed programs, which we adapt based on the breed of the bird the customer is buying, the needs of the end buyer of the eggs, the type of production of the farmer, and the needs of the grader.”

The goal of every Sollio Agriculture poultry agri-advisor is to maximize the profitability of our member farmers.

Source: This article was originally published in French in the March 2021 issue of Coopérateur magazine.