Headstart Hatching, a new custom turkey hatchery startup expected to hatch approximately 45 million turkey poults a year, has appointed Dr. Gorica Rajcic-Spasojevic as its general manager.
She brings 35 years of turkey industry expertise to Headstart, having previously held key technical and operational roles with Foster Farms, Jennie-O Turkey Store and Willmar Poultry Company. She is one of the top turkey embryologists in the world.
In her new position, Gorica will oversee operations for Headstart’s state-of-the-art hatchery, the first to include technology from sister company Next Nest Hatching, which provides poults with immediate access to feed, water and light after hatching. She will focus on optimizing poult quality and the potential rewards of introducing early nutrition.
"There is no one better suited than Gorica to lead Headstart," said Rick Huisinga, CEO of parent company Life-Science Innovations. "Her unmatched experience and commitment to continuous improvement will be invaluable as we work to maximize the potential of this innovative hatchery technology. We are blessed to have her back on our team."
Gorica holds a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree and a Master of Science in poultry embryology. She is a Diplomate of the American College of Poultry Veterinarians.
Headstart Hatching will operate the flagship production & development hatchery featuring sister-company Next Nest Hatching technology. Life-Science Innovations, the owner of both start-ups, has been a part of the turkey industry for over 75 years and is committed to bringing positive technical change to the turkey industry and value to its customers.
Early nutrition for poults will trigger opportunities and challenges up and down the supply chain, and Gorica is part of the company’s commitment to ensure its customers obtain maximum value from their investment.
