Photo: Left to right are Company Secretary Anthony Clarkson, Chairman John Wignall, new Directors Jim Shacklady and Keith Henderson
Two companies in the North of Britain have merged to promote the excellent Bovans Goldline bird. Farm Fresh Hatchery Ltd., of Tarleton, Lancashire, established since 1964, has provided quality day old chicks and point of lay pullets ever since, and is still owned by the families who originally started the Company. Farm Fresh Hatchery Ltd., now incorporates Blue Barns Hatchery, of Chester le Street, County Durham for the supply of the Bovans Goldline day old chicks. Blue Barns Hatchery began trading in 1972. Jim Shacklady and John Henderson joined forces to form the Company, and when John retired in 1993, his son Keith Henderson continued in the business.
The whole of the north of England will be covered by the dedicated sales/fieldsmen of James Wignall and Bill Kirkham in the north West, Keith Henderson and Jim Shacklady in the north East. The four will jointly cover Scotland, offering continuous support throughout the life of the bird and beyond. The Bovans Goldline is a robust bird and is an excellent performer in alternative and intensive systems. Important traits are – prolific egg numbers, egg size, liveability, feed efficiency, total egg mass, egg quality and negligible floor eggs.
The merger brings together the knowledge and expertise of the two Companies and will eventually centralize the Bovans Goldline chick sales throughout Northern Britain.
The hatchery at the Tarleton site has recently undergone an extensive programme of modernization and expansion and is capable of hatching over three million layers per year.
John Wignall, the Chairman of Farm Fresh Hatchery Ltd, said "we are looking forward to having a closer association with Jim Shacklady and Keith Henderson and welcome them onto the Board of Directors. It is a very positive step for both parties and a way forward for increasing sales of a very good product. Together with the backing and support from Hendrix Genetics, the world's leading Poultry Breeders, we will be able to offer Northern Values with Worldwide Success".
