Breeder Management & Nutrition Webinar Series

R. A. (RICK) VAN EMOUS, PhD., is a Senior Researcher in Animal Nutrition at Wageningen Livestock Research in the Netherlands. He received his bachelor’s degree in Animal Production from HAS Dronten (Netherlands). Dr. van Emous started his career as a research assistant at COVP-DLO Centre for Poultry Research in Beekbergen. He joined Cobb-Europe as a Technical-Commercial Advisor before returning to COVP-DLO where he worked intensively studying how laying hens respond to different housing systems. He earned his doctorate from the Wageningen Institute of Animal Sciences (Netherlands)in 2015 with a focus on the feeding behaviour and practices of modern broiler breeders.

EDGAR O. OVIEDO-RONDÓN, PhD., is a Professor and Extension Specialist in the Prestage Department of Poultry Science at North Carolina State University (United States). In these roles, his responsibilities include research in broiler and broiler breeder nutrition and management, incubation, and data analytics. His research activities are related to feedstuff quality and processing, evaluation of feed additives – especially enzymes, mineral metabolism, intestinal health, avian bone and muscle development and its impacts on locomotion and meat quality, incubation effects, as well as the application of data analytics and computer modeling. Dr. Ovideo earned his veterinary degree from the University of Tolima (Colombia) and his Master of Science in Animal Nutrition and Production from the State University of Maringa (Brazil). His doctorate in Poultry Science was earned at the University of Arkansas (United States) and he recently earned a master’s degree in business administration from North Carolina State University (United States). Dr. Oviedo is the author/co-author of over 100 peer-review publications in scientific journals, has participated in over 300 proceedings at international meetings, nearly 300 abstracts at national and international scientific meetings, and written over 90 press articles, and 10 book chapters.

HUGO ROMERO-SANCHEZ, Ph.D. is the Executive Global Poultry Solutions Manager at NOVUS, where he leads a cross-functional team to identify and improve practical nutritional solutions for poultry customers. Prior to joining Novus he worked with Trouw Nutrition, serving as a poultry nutritionist and technical manager in South America and the United States, and working in the global division where he supported poultry integrations through feed formulation, modeling, and farm management. Dr. Romero-Sanchez received his bachelor’s degree in zootechnics from La Salle University (Colombia) before completing his master’s degree in animal health and animal production at the National University of Colombia where he researched energy and protein metabolism in broilers raised at high altitudes. He was the recipient of an international scholarship to study at the University of Jerusalem (Israel) and was later appointed assistant professor at the University of Antioquia in Colombia. Selected for a prestigious Fulbright scholarship, he traveled to the United States to earn his doctorate at North Carolina State University. There he studied the effects of male broiler breeder feeding programs on fertility and broiler performance. Dr. Romero-Sanchez has worked in academia in Colombia for 10 years, and in 2021 joined the Poultry Science Prestage Department at North Carolina State University as an adjunct professor.

SILVIA PERIS MIRAS, DVM, PhD., is the Executive Regional Technical Services Manager for Europe, Africa & Middle East at NOVUS. Prior to joining NOVUS, she led the team of Technical Documentation and Registers before becoming Technical Director at Industrial Técnica Pecuaria (ITPSA), Spain. Dr. Peris graduated with a degree in veterinary medicine from Autonomous University of Barcelona (Spain) where she went on to earn her doctorate in veterinary medicine with a focus in small ruminants, lactation physiology, and milk production. She completed her post-doctoral fellowship at the Hannah Research Institute (Scotland) before returning to Spain where she was named associate professor in the Department of Animal Production at the Autonomous University of Barcelona. Dr. Peris has (co)authored various papers and publications and spoken at many international industry meetings and activities during her career.

AITOR ARRAZOLA, PhD., is a biologist interested in studying and understanding animal behaviour and how to apply this knowledge to improve animal welfare through research and find solutions to on-farm behavioural and welfare problems. He is currently a postdoctoral researcher with Purdue University (Indiana). His research experience focuses particularly on addressing animal welfare concerns in livestock and developing reliable behavioural and physiological welfare indicators to assess the wellbeing of animals under commercial conditions and management. He received his doctorate through the Department of Animal Biosciences at the University of Guelph (Canada).

HENK ENTING, PhD., is the Senior Poultry Technology Lead for Cargill Animal Nutrition. In this role, he is responsible for developing and implementing poultry technology within Cargill Animal Nutrition globally. He also contributes to the company’s innovation project portfolio. Dr. Enting graduated with distinction from Wageningen University (Netherlands) with a master’s degree in animal breeding, nutrition and agricultural economics and a doctorate thesis on the effect of low-density diets on broiler breeders and their offspring. After receiving his master’s degree, he worked as a poultry nutrition researcher and poultry cluster coordinator at Schothorst Feed Research in Lelystad (Netherlands). With his doctorate degree completed, Dr. Enting started as a poultry researcher at the Nutreco Poultry Research Center in Casarrubios del Monte (Spain). He returned to the Netherlands to join Trouw Nutrition as a global poultry technical manager and then to Nutreco as a poultry application and solution specialist before moving to Cargill.

JUXING CHEN, PhD. is the Senior Manager of Structure and Functional Biology at NOVUS. Since joining in 2012, , Dr. Chen’s research has included maternal feeding/epigenetic modification, gut health, structural integrity, and soybean meal quality. Dr. Chen’s research in maternal feeding mainly focused on delineating the mode of action of maternal supplementation of organic trace minerals on the growth and development of progeny in poultry, swine, and ruminants. Her research findings have been published in the book, Nutrition of Hyperprolific Sows; the Journal of Animal Science, and various industry publications.

REBECCA FORDER, PhD., is a Senior Lecturer at the School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences at the University of Adelaide (Australia) where she teaches physiology and poultry production. Her expertise in gastrointestinal physiology has complemented and strengthened projects aiming to develop novel dietary strategies to enhance gastrointestinal development and improve the lifelong productivity of animals in intensive farming systems. Through invaluable mentorship by Professor Philip Hynd (University of Adelaide), Dr. Forder’s interests have expanded into the area of developmental programming and how the maternal environment influences offspring growth and performance as a means to optimise commercial breeder management.

JOHAN BUYSE, PhD., obtained his master’s in Bioscience Engineering with a specialty in animal production at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (Belgium) before beginning his doctoral research at the same university on the influence of intermittent lighting on broiler performance and underlying physiological working mechanisms at the Laboratory of Livestock Physiology (promotor prof. E. Decuypere). Since then, Dr. Buyse has served as a full professor at the Faculty of Bioscience Engineering (KU Leuven) before he was named the head of the Laboratory of Livestock Physiology there. In his current role, Dr. Buyse is responsible for several courses such as Animal Physiology, Animal Production and Welfare, Poultry Production and Husbandry, and Poultry Nutrition. During this research career, he was a laureate of the Royal Academy for Sciences, Letters and Fine Arts of Belgium for his contributions to agricultural research. He has (co)authored over 320 international, peer-reviewed papers, and several book chapters. He has also served as a member on the editorial board of several international journals.

JUAN CARLOS ABAD, DVM., is the Technical Manager with Cobb-Spain. When not assisting customers he serves on the Facultad de Veterinaria at Universidad Complutense Madrid (Spain). Dr. Juan Carlos earned his degree at Universidad Complutense. His research in broiler breeders includes performance in antibiotic-free environments, pathogen response in traditional and ABF settings, and follicular development. Dr. Juan Carlos is a member of the Security Committee of Spanish Veterinary Drugs Agency, and the Poultry Veterinary Study Group of the European Union; secretary of the Spanish Branch.

DAVID CAVERO PINTADO, PhD., is the Chief Geneticist at H&N International in Cuxhaven (Germany), one of the world’s leading layer breeding companies. He also leads the layer breeding program at H&N. His fields of expertise are comprised of animal breeding and husbandry with a special focus on poultry genetics including genomic selection. A native of Spain, Dr. Cavero graduated from the University Politécnica of Madrid (Spain) with a degree in Agricultural Engineering. He earned his doctorate from the Christian-Albrecht University in Kiel (Germany).

KAREN WEDEKIND, Ph.D. is a Research Sr. Scientist of Comparative Nutrition at NOVUS. Dr. Wedekind works on innovative nutritional research that demonstrates the value of NOVUS solutions. Her research includes lameness in swine, and the effect of trace minerals, enzymes, and methionine in poultry. She is an expert in MINTREX® Bis-Chelated Trace Minerals and methionine source HMTBa. She is the author or co-author of 20 patents and has contributed to various publications. Dr. Wedekind has a master’s degree in animal science from the University of Kentucky (United States), a doctorate in animal science from the University of Illinois (United States), and a post-doctorate in animal science from the University of Nebraska (United States). She is a member of the Poultry Science Association, the American Society of Animal Science, and the American Society for Nutrition.

MATT BEKKER is the Regional Technical Services Director, APEC at NOVUS. He has extensive experience in the poultry, swine, beef, and dairy industries, working in both practical and research capacities. His areas of interest include the development of the next generation breeding stock across all species, antibiotic-free production, and solutions to modern meat myopathies in swine and broilers. His recently published work includes gut health and performance in broiler chickens, antioxidant effect on the fertility of bulls, feed digestibility and gut health in the presence of protease, and the role of copper in broiler intestinal integrity and performance. Mr. Bekker has a master’s degree in agriculture from the University of New England with a focus on nutrition and physiology. He is a registered animal scientist with the American Society of Animal Scientists.