As the landscape of the poultry industry undergoes a major shift toward a brave new world of “post antibiotics” production, a new partnership has emerged to help producers make this transition successfully and profitably, while upholding high standards of animal health and welfare.

The partnership, involving Poultry Partners and Country Junction Feeds, is designed to integrate health and nutrition expertise and resources, including expanded antibiotic-free feed mill capacity.

The aim is to provide poultry operations with complete dedicated support to achieve an optimized approach to successful raised without antibiotics (RWA) or antibiotic free (ABF) production.

“We are in a brand new time for poultry production that requires enhanced integrated approaches,” says Dr. Tom Inglis, Managing Partner with Poultry Health Services, which is part of Poultry Partners. “On the one hand, we have to listen to what our customers and consumers want and take the steps needed to provide that in the marketplace. On the other hand, we need to do this in a way that does not sacrifice the productivity and profitability of poultry operations or sacrifice the health and welfare of the animals.”

“We believe that by optimizing the integration of nutrition and health management we can help poultry operations meet both of these requirements very successfully. It’s a new partnership that we are very excited about. We also believe it’s a model that fits the way of the future.”

Poultry Partners includes Poultry Health Services, which provides industry-leading veterinary and health management services. It also includes Nutrition Partners, which is a nutrition company that brings vitamin and mineral knowledge and support, while providing leading premix options including a poultry premix. Both companies are headquartered in Airdrie, Alberta, and collaborate as Poultry Partners serving customers across Western Canada.

“The poultry industry is shifting very quickly to ABF – a lot quicker than many envisioned,” says Darryl Lewis, President at Nutrition Partners, which is part of Poultry Partners. “The timing has never been more critical to provide integrated, value added approaches to help producers succeed in this new environment.”

Country Junction Feeds, headquartered in Wetaskiwin Alberta, is building on a 100-year history serving customers across the province, the country and into the U.S., specializing in quality bulk and bagged feeds for beef, dairy, equine, poultry, swine, goat, lamb, certified organic feeds and more. It is among the first feed mills to achieve ionophore-free, antibiotic-free status, ensuring all feed sourced from Country Junction Feeds is verified to meet the strict requirements of ABF production and related claims / labels.

Country Junction Feeds brings complete feed solutions to the partnership, including enhanced full-spectrum nutrition knowledge and support, along with dedicated ABF feed supply capacity.

“We have always believed in being proactive and staying ahead of the curve to help operations seamlessly transition to evolving needs,” says Dr. Nancy Fischer, nutritionist with Country Junction Feeds. “This new partnership is a major step forward to accomplish this on the poultry side. It fits ABF, but very importantly, does this in a way that minimizes risk, upholds profit potential, and keeps health and welfare at the centre of solutions. It takes advantage of the latest knowledge and options, to give operations the full support needed for successful, modern poultry production.”