Congratulations to Agriculture Production Manager, Dominic Lucas, who won the Zoetis-NFU Poultry Trainee Award at the recent NFU annual conference.

This award, now in it's 16th year, recognises up-and-coming, relative newcomers to the poultry industry, with candidates of all ages judged on their workplace training and development plans for the future. The winner receives a £2000 grant for training, focussed on improving bird performance and welfare.

With a array of talented and ambitions individuals entering, a  final shortlist of three candidates were chosen, with Dominic being picked as the eventual winner at the NFU's annual conference. 

Jamie Shattock, Dominic's line manager commented “Dominic is a highly credible, well grounded person who has achieved a great deal at Avara and is an exemplary role model for the younger farming generation. He demonstrates pride in what he does and wishes to impart that on to others he is training.  I believe Dominic is an ambassador for the future of the poultry industry.”

When asked about how he intends to spend his training grant, Dominic stated "I am planning on using the grant for poultry respiratory health and food safety courses, which are run by Vet Works. These courses are delivered over a week's period where key topics and modules are covered such as: Avian respiratory anatomy/physiology, Salmonella, Campylobacter and Antimicrobial resistance".