Hy-Line International Explained

Hy-Line International
Parent:EW Group
Foundation:West Des Moines, Iowa (1936)
Location:West Des Moines, Iowa, U.S.
Key People:Jonathan Cade, President
Industry:Hatchery
Homepage:Hy-Line.com

Hy-Line International or Hy-Line is a multi-national genetics company that raises and sells commercial/industrial laying chickens. It is a subsidiary of the German EW Group.[1] The firm has subsidiaries in multiple countries including Brazil, Japan, and the United Kingdom and has 60 distributors in more than 50 countries worldwide.[2]

Corporate

The firm is a subsidiary of the privately owned German livestock breeding company EW Group. Its president is Jonathan Cade; Thomas Dixon serves as the firm's director of international sales and marketing[3]

Operations

Hy-Line directly operates subsidiaries in the United Kingdom, Italy, Australia, Brazil, and South Africa.[4] Many of its subsidiaries were formerly distributors bought out by Hy-Line, including Hy-Line Italia (formerly Valversa) and Hy-Line South Africa (formerly Hy-Line Chicks).[5] In several countries it has instead signed exclusivity deals with distributors. In India, Amrit Group has distributed Hy-Line chickens since July 2014 when a new 'poultry hub' was established as part of plans to capture 30% of the Indian egg-laying market by 2017–2018.[6] [7] Sales in Vietnam are exclusively licensed to the Ba Haun Company since 2013.[8]

Products

Products of the company include the Hy-Line W-36, Brown, and Silver Brown lines.[9]

Criticism

Hy-Line International has been subject to criticism from animal rights group Mercy for Animals following the release of a video alleged to have been filmed inside of a Hy-Line hatchery, showing the process of chick culling. The video went viral and received widespread media attention across the English-speaking world.[10] [11] [12] [13]

Hy-Line Australia was sued in 2013 for unsafe practices at its chicken hatchery at Huntly near Bendigo, after a fire in one of its sheds in April 2009 left an employee trapped due to a lack of fire exits. The man escaped by breaking through floorboards. The case was settled out of court for an undisclosed sum.[14] [15]

Sponsorships

Hy-Line Australia is the name-sponsor of the Hy-Line Australia Oval, which is a home ground of the Heathcote District Football League.[16] It also sponsors the Hy-Line International Research Award of the Poultry Science Association.[17]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Ter Heerdt sells shares to EW Group . poultryworld.net . 2022-12-18.
  2. http://www.hy-line.com/aspx/links/links.aspx?navid=9 Hy-Line website, links
  3. http://www.thepoultrysite.com/poultrynews/17068/leadership-changes-at-hyline-international Poultry Site, leadership changes at Hy-Line
  4. Web site: Hy-Line's South African success story. PositiveAction Magazines. PositiveAction Magazines. 8 July 2014.
  5. News: Hy-Line Acquires Italian Egg Layer Distributor Valversa. 8 July 2014. PoultrySite. 21 June 2012.
  6. News: Amrit Group to foray into 'Hy-line' layer breed chicken. 8 July 2014. India Times. 30 June 2014.
  7. News: Amrit Group to set up poultry hub in Bengal. 8 July 2014. Hindu Businessline. 4 July 2014.
  8. News: Ba Huan to supply US quality chicken. 8 July 2014. VietnamNews. 3 August 2013.
  9. http://www.hyline.com/aspx/products/productinformation.aspx Product Information
  10. News: Baby Chickens 'Cooked Alive' At Hatchery, Animal Rights Group Contends. 8 July 2014. Huffingtonpost Canada. 15 April 2014.
  11. News: Chicks 'ground alive' by poultry producer. 8 July 2014. Herald Sun. 3 September 2009.
  12. News: Chicks Being Ground Up Alive Video. 8 July 2014. Huffington Post. 17 September 2009.
  13. News: Baby chicks ground up alive: animal rights video goes viral. 8 July 2014. BoingBoing. 1 September 2009.
  14. News: Trapped worker sues Hy-Line chicken farm. 8 July 2014. Bendigo Advertiser. 29 August 2012.
  15. News: Trapped man's case over as Hy-Line settles out of court. 8 July 2014. Bendigo Advertiser. 31 August 2012.
  16. Web site: Hy-Line Australia Oval, Huntly. FoxSportsPulse. FoxSports. 8 July 2014.
  17. News: Poultry Science Association Announces Award Winners. 8 July 2014. PoultrySite. 3 July 2014.