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BRITISH UNITED TURKEYS 40TH
THIS year British United Turkeys (B.U.T.) celebrated 40 years in the turkey breeding business. Having grown from relatively small beginnings in the UK in 1962, the company is now widely regarded as the world market leader. Today they supply breeding stock into the most sophisticated integrated markets, as well as having a wide genetic pool to provide specialist strains for niche markets, such as organic and the traditional farm fresh markets.
The brainchild of Rupert Chalmers Watson, B.U.T. was formed following the amalgamation of three UK turkey breeders, Fenton Barns, J S Lintern and Hockenhull Turkeys. The aim of the newly formed company was to operate an efficient large scale genetic programme selling breeding stock on a franchise basis, to breeders in the UK and Europe. The B.U.T. strains were the creation of Hugh Arnold, who ran the company's breeding programmes for over 30 years until his retirement in 1994.
Today B.U.T. is a member of the Hubbard ISA Group, the poultry breeding sector of Merial Animal Health, set up in 1997 when the then parent company Merck Inc merged its animal health and poultry breeding businesses with those of Rhone-Poulenc. The result of the merger was to create the largest poultry breeding organisation in the world with interests in turkeys, broilers and commercial egg laying stock.
One of the key features behind the success of B.U.T. has been the ability of the company to recruit staff and hold on to them. Today the senior team shares well over 100 years' service with the company:
* Martin Shea, now head of production for the Hubbard ISA Group, joined B.U.T. in 1970 and became managing director in 1997.
* Dr Cliff Nixey, director of Technical Services, has 39 years' service with the company.
* Director of Veterinary Services Phil Wilding has 27 years.
* Richard Hutchinson, head of Sales and Marketing, 26 years' service.
* Director of Production Bernard Sutcliffe, 32 years.
Technical and veterinary excellence
While genetic progress in line with the demands of the industry has been a major factor in the success of B.U.T. the company's enlightened approach towards research, both in house and in cooperation with independent research establishments, has been equally influential.
Director of Technical...