The WWF is stepping up pressure on the feed industry to source soy responsibly following the release of a new research report, which found that 93% of the soy consumed in the EU is embedded in animal feed.
Canadian Bio-Systems claims to have made a breakthrough in enzyme technology that promises swine and poultry producers significant improvements in daily gain and FCR (feed conversion ratio).
The US is exporting record levels of feed grains to South America, on the back of free trade agreements with Colombia and Peru, say latest figures from the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service.
US fermentation technology specialist, Diamond V, has been engaging with academia to ensure curriculum development within agriculture industry orientated education programs reflects the needs of the marketplace.
The AsiaPacific and Central and South American regions, where usage rates remain lower than in North America and Europe, are the markets that offer the most growth opportunities for feed enzyme producers, said a market analyst.
US food service firm Aramark has agreed to work with its suppliers to eliminate the use of hormones and feed additives that it says are harmful to animals, including recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH or rBST), zilpaterol hydrochloride and ractopamine.
The US feed sector has questioned the reporting obligations sought under the Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD) as the FDA releases the final version of the rule that aims to bring the use of medically important antimicrobials under veterinary supervision.
Poultry industry feed demand will be under pressure for the remainder of 2015 and beyond given the increasing number of avian flu outbreaks globally and the impact of trade restrictions on breeding stock supply in several markets, said an analyst.
Speculative funds in agricultural commodities currently are said to be broadly short, and such positions benefit when grain prices fall, said an industry specialist.
EFSA is to carry out a new risk assessment for animal and human health related to the presence of dioxins and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in food and feed.
The European General Court has found against, Timab, part of France’s Roullier Group, over an appeal it lodged challenging a fine – nearly €60 million - that the EU Commission had imposed on it due to its participation in a feed phosphates cartel.
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), in a scientific opinion, said ferrous carbonate would be insufficiently bioavailable for young animals such as piglets, calves and chickens, as they require a highly efficacious iron source for a rapid response...
The margin between world grain production and demand is far too narrow to call, making the market sensitive to weather - both good and bad, said a commodities analyst.
Spanish feed additive producer, Rubinum, says the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) is ‘out of control’ and it is calling for a debate at EU parliamentary level on the future role of the EU risk assessor.
The Brazilian ministry of the environment has extended the deadline for soy farmers to complete the Rural Environmental Registration (CAR) by one more year.
There could be a weakness in inorganic feed phosphate (IFP) prices when an additional 250,000 tons capacity from a Middle Eastern player comes on stream in early 2017, said an analyst.
Ohio based Shur-Green Farms sold contaminated soy oil soon after an earlier shipment of the product was responsible for causing losses of $1 million and the death of 57,000 turkeys at a network of family farms in Michigan, alleges the US Food and Drug...
Cargill said it has been helping integrated pork producers meet productivity gains and has fined tuned a feed mill’s phytase use though leveraging its system of mathematical modelling and ‘big data’.
There is now much more awareness globally about what eubiotics can do in pig production, what they can’t do and how to ensure their greater effectiveness in terms of production and cost, said a DSM specialist.
The US feed industry has welcomed a move from the US Senate vote on a motion related to fast tracking the negotiating authority of President Obama in global trade deals.
Nutreco has extended its feed sales contract with Marine Harvest and has managed to reduce its exposure to the loss of business from Mercadona in Spain, said CEO Knut Nesse.
Possibility of pre-submission meetings with groups of applicants on cards: EFSA
EFSA said a recent meeting with feed additive producers shows the various initiatives it has carried out aimed at improving the way it communicates with industry have been well received.
Spanish firm, Rubinum, is awaiting judgment from the EU Court of Justice on a case it has brought against the EU Commission over its decision to not sanction its feed additive, Toyocerin.
Chinese imports of maize are expected to be cut from three to two million tons in 2015/16, reports the grain market analysis division of a UK agriculture research agency.
A new study shows curcumin is effective in improving the immune status of weaned piglets, and could be part of a producer’s toolbox in a shift away from antibiotics.
Archer Daniels Midlands (ADM) aims to leverage expected growth in the swine, poultry and aquaculture sectors in China over the next decade by expanding its premix footprint there with a new plant.
US headquartered, Balchem Corporation, in its Q1 2015 results, reported that its animal nutrition and health unit realized sales of $42.7 million, an organic growth increase of 4.5%, over the prior year comparable quarter.
Special Edition: Environmental footprint reduction initiatives
The interplay of academic institutes, industry and multi-disciplinary content means an EU post-graduate program is fielding highly trained experts to help ensure environmentally sound livestock production, said Aarhus University.
Production of Nutrinsic’s new, sustainable protein source for animal and fish feed is about to go online after some ‘to be expected’ teething problems delayed kick-off by several months.
The new LCA guidelines, developed under the LEAP project, are ‘game changing’ as they synchronize the plethora of existing feed impact assessment methods and provide the feed sector with one set of rules to reduce its environmental footprint, said FEFAC.
Lallemand Animal Nutrition said it is partnering with the US institute, Texas A&M AgriLife Research, to document mode of action, biomarkers of efficacy and benefits of existing yeast and bacteria strains for beef and dairy cattle.
Tyson Foods said probiotics are one of the nutritional tools it is using in its shift away from human medicine important antibiotics in its broiler chicken flocks.
The Agthia Group said expansion of an existing feed production facility to keep up with the growing demand of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) poultry market is near completion.
The Masan Group has a acquired a 52% and 70% equity interest in Vietnam French Cattle Feed JSC – Proconco – and Agro Nutrition Company JSC – Anco – respectively - a deal which makes it the second leading animal feed producer in Vietnam.
Special Edition: Environmental footprint reduction initiatives
Alltech has bought one of the largest animal nutrition players in North America, Ridley, saying the combined businesses will have annual revenues in excess of US$1.6 billion.
The EU Commission’s GM proposal, adopted yesterday, is deeply flawed and, if enacted, would see the EU livestock sector crumble and unable to compete globally, said a raft of agriculture trade groups.
