HatchTech, a global provider of incubation technology, and Pas Reform, a global supplier of integrated hatchery solutions, announced that they have entered into a long-term global strategic patent agreement covering post-hatch early feeding for day-old chicks.

Significant academic research has been undertaken worldwide into the digestion and feed absorption processes of young chicks and the role of post-hatch feeding, the companies said.

Building on the outcome of these studies, the HatchTech research and development team began research and testing of early feeding, becoming a patent holder for early-feeding solutions for day-old chicks, the announcement said. Based on this knowhow and its commitment to finding innovations beyond the tried and tested, HatchTech launched HatchCare in 2014, which provides newly hatched chicks with the basic necessities of life — feed, fresh water, light and fresh air — right from birth.

In 2018, Pas Reform launched SmartStart, a post-hatch feeding solution that provides newly hatched chicks with nutrition and hydration in a single formulation. The announcement said SmartStart helps customers implement post-hatch feeding easily and flexibly and comprises two key elements that can be applied individually or together: precision feeding and intelligent lighting.

“After years of innovating and a successful market adoption of HatchCare, it is great to see other incubation technology providers acknowledging the benefits of early feeding,” HatchTech founder and chief executive officer Tjitze Meter said. “We firmly believe that early feeding can be a key driver of animal-friendly and antibiotic-free poultry production, and this patent license agreement will help the poultry industry going forward.”

Pas Reform CEO Harm Langen added, “This is a clear win-win agreement, which will benefit our customers. It underlines the importance of early feeding for the production of robust day-old chicks and promotes the worldwide growth potential of this innovative concept. The agreement gives both companies the freedom to further develop and market their post-hatch feeding solutions.”

The agreement takes effect immediately.

HatchTech is a leading food technology company that enables poultry companies worldwide to maximize the genetic potential of their birds. Drawing on expertise in early-stage chicks, it creates research-based products for incubation, chick transportation and brooding and delivers and services customers’ projects worldwide. HatchTech supports customers in more than 40 countries from its headquartered in the Netherlands and offices in China and Ukraine.

Pas Reform has specialized in the development of integrated hatchery solutions for the poultry sector since 1919. Its mission is to support customers with smart, sustainable hatchery solutions that consistently achieve the highest-percentage hatch of fertiles and deliver uniform, healthy, day-old chicks.

Source: HatchTech and Pas Reform, which is solely responsible for the information provided and is wholly owned by the source. Informa Business Media and all its subsidiaries are not responsible for any of the content contained in this information asset.