Job Summary
The Senior Veterinary Doctor will be responsible for providing veterinary leadership and technical oversight across the Company's breeder farms, ensuring optimal flock health, biosecurity, vaccination, disease prevention, production performance, and compliance with veterinary and animal health standards.
The role will work closely with Farm Management, Production, Hatchery, Nutrition, and other relevant departments to achieve optimal breeder flock performance, egg production, hatchability, fertility, and overall farm productivity.
Key Responsibilities
Provide veterinary leadership and oversight for breeder farm operations, ensuring optimal flock health, welfare, fertility, egg production, and overall performance.
Develop, implement, and monitor flock health programmes, including vaccination, medication, disease prevention, treatment, and health monitoring protocols.
Conduct routine flock health assessments, post-mortem examinations, disease investigations, laboratory submissions, and diagnostic evaluations, and recommend appropriate corrective actions.
Monitor breeder flock performance indicators, including mortality, uniformity, body weight, egg production, egg quality, fertility, hatchability, and other key production parameters.
Develop and enforce effective biosecurity programmes across breeder farms, including disease prevention, visitor control, sanitation, pest control, farm hygiene, and movement protocols.
Supervise and guide Veterinary Officers and other technical staff on flock health and veterinary practices.
Monitor the proper use of vaccines, medications, antibiotics, disinfectants, and other veterinary products, ensuring compliance with approved protocols and withdrawal periods.
Collaborate with Nutrition, Hatchery, Production, and Farm Management teams to identify and resolve factors affecting flock health, reproductive performance, egg production, and hatchability.
Maintain accurate veterinary records and prepare regular reports on flock health, mortality, disease incidence, vaccination, medication usage, and performance trends.
Liaise with veterinary laboratories, pharmaceutical companies, consultants, regulatory authorities, and other relevant stakeholders on disease diagnosis, veterinary products, and technical matters.
Ensure compliance with applicable veterinary regulations, animal welfare requirements, food safety standards, and Company policies.
Lead disease surveillance and outbreak response activities and provide timely recommendations to Management on emerging health risks and preventive measures.
Requirements
Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) or equivalent veterinary qualification from a recognized institution.
Must be fully registered and licensed to practise veterinary medicine in Nigeria.
Minimum of 6years' post-qualification experience, with at least 7 years of hands-on experience in commercial breeder farm operations.
Strong practical experience in poultry breeder health management, including broiler breeder flock management.
Proven experience in breeder vaccination programmes, disease prevention, diagnosis, treatment, biosecurity, and flock health monitoring.
Strong knowledge of breeder flock reproductive performance, including egg production, fertility, hatchability, flock uniformity, body weight management, and egg quality.
Experience managing and responding to poultry disease outbreaks, including coordination of laboratory diagnosis and corrective measures.
Good understanding of poultry nutrition and its impact on breeder health and reproductive performance.
Experience in developing and implementing farm-level biosecurity and disease-control programmes.
Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret flock performance and health data and recommend appropriate interventions.
Proven leadership and team-management skills, with the ability to supervise and develop veterinary and farm personnel.
Strong communication, reporting, decision-making, and problem-solving skills.
High level of integrity, accountability, attention to detail, and commitment to animal health and welfare.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, particularly Excel, for data analysis and reporting.
Willingness to work across breeder farm locations and respond to critical flock health situations when required.
Key Competencies:
Breeder Flock Health Management
Poultry Disease Diagnosis & Control
Biosecurity Management
Vaccination & Medication Management
Flock Performance Analysis
Poultry Reproductive Management
Disease Surveillance & Outbreak Management
Veterinary Team Leadership
Problem Solving & Decision Making
Communication & Stakeholder Management