Analytical equipment

Trends in US swine production: feed costs, sow management, going beyond litter size, the use of AI and growing welfare concerns

03-Jun-2021 By Jane Byrne

Challenges from the past year have changed the focus in US swine production. Priorities have moved from increasing performance to optimizing performance through more efficient and sustainable cost of production strategies, say three US industry insiders....

Cargill and ZELP align to tackle methane emissions in the dairy industry

01-Jun-2021 By Jane Byrne

Agribusiness giant, Cargill, and UK company, ZELP, are partnering on novel technology that is designed to neutralize methane as cows exhale.

METEX assessing impact of leakage incident at its amino acid production facility in northern France

27-May-2021 By Jane Byrne

METEX says a review is underway of an incident that occurred at its amino acids production plant in Amiens, northern France.

Canada and UK partnerships aim to boost sustainable agriculture, productivity and animal health

20-May-2021 By Jane Byrne

UKRI has pledged over £2.2m (US$3.1m) to seven agri-tech firms to develop new agricultural techniques that will help countries meet their net zero emission targets. The funding is being awarded through UK Research and Innovation’s (UKRI) UK-Canada: enhancing...

Lallemand and consultancy to measure heat stress risk for UK dairy cows in real time

14-May-2021 By Jane Byrne

There is limited data available on the impact of heat stress in indoor and outdoor UK dairy herds, so Lallemand Animal Nutrition and Chalcombe Ltd, an independent dairy consultancy company, are launching the first ever UK-based, real time trial to support...

DNA barcoding could transform traceability of bulk agri commodities, and spur greater use of blockchain in the feed industry

12-May-2021 By Jane Byrne

Blockchain applications stand to offer the feed supply chain substantial benefits and efficiencies in the goal to improve feed safety and animal health.

DSM launches new tool aimed at supporting environmental reporting in farming

07-May-2021 By Jane Byrne

DSM has just released a new service, Sustell, developed in collaboration with consultants, Blonk, that it says provides analysis and results of environmental impact assessments, interventions and improvements throughout the animal protein value chain.

Special Edition: Blockchain in the feed industry

Blockchain technology making its presence felt in agri-commodity trading

30-Apr-2021 By Jane Byrne

The agri commodity sector is seeing a number of new initiatives using blockchain technology to improve efficiency in transactions.

Evonik revises amino acid analytical tool and makes it available as an app

16-Apr-2021 By Jane Byrne

Specialty chemicals company, Evonik, says version 6.0 of its AMINODat database is now available for the first time as a web application. This new format allows the data to be updated several times a year.

Trouw Nutrition flags mycotoxin concerns for poultry producers from corn harvested in Q4 2020

09-Apr-2021 By Jane Byrne

Early examination of corn for use in 2021 feed production suggests the need for producers to continue to check for mycotoxin presence and be aware of where they source their feed ingredients, says Trouw Nutrition, Nutreco’s animal nutrition division.

Rabobank seeks startups focused on feed efficiency for its FoodBytes! platform

09-Apr-2021 By Jane Byrne

Animal feed related startups, among others, are being encouraged to participate in this year’s FoodBytes! Pitch – Rabobank’s innovation discovery platform.

Plugging gaps in knowledge around mycotoxin impacts in poultry

09-Mar-2021 By Jane Byrne

A review of the literature sees that Ochratoxin A (OTA), a widespread mycotoxin, can affect gut dysbiosis in birds, including increasing gut permeability, immunity, and bacterial translocation, eventually leading to gut and other organ injury.

Bunge: We are committed to using our position and scale to lead the industry's progress on deforestation

09-Mar-2021 By Jane Byrne

Agribusiness giant, Bunge, last week announced it was launching a new monitoring program in the Cerrado, becoming the first global company to foster mass action in that region to track indirect purchases of soybeans.

Feed additive outlook: Rally in amino acid prices, high level of M&A activity

08-Mar-2021 By Jane Byrne

Feed additives markets are quite active as Chinese production has returned with a bang after Spring Festival and is now fully operational, according to the Swiss feed additive trading and data platform, Kemiex.

The Big Interview

Wilbur-Ellis Nutrition sees acquisition prospects ahead

23-Dec-2020 By Jane Byrne

Washington-based feed and ingredient business, Wilbur-Ellis Nutrition, anticipates M&A activity in its space continuing despite ongoing pressure from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Nutreco launches ambitious new soy and palm oil sourcing policy

18-Dec-2020 By Jane Byrne

Dutch fish feed and animal nutrition group, Nutreco, is aiming to source soy and oil palm ingredients by 2025 that are free from both legal and illegal deforestation, with the purpose of limiting its impact on biodiversity and climate change.

Will BASF and Adifo software tie-up see the end of ‘least cost' feed formulation model?

11-Dec-2020 By Jane Byrne

BASF and Adifo say their new software partnership will advance feed formulation and support more sustainable animal protein production as sustainability can now be a used as a parameter in feed formulations and rations.

Evonik develops mobile NIR tool aimed at improved ingredient management and feed quality

03-Dec-2020 By Jane Byrne

Evonik has launched AMINONIR Portable, a mobile near-infrared spectroscopy (NIR) service that includes amino acid calibrations.

InnovaFeed opens biggest insect protein plant globally, secures €140m in funds, and partners with ADM to build US site

19-Nov-2020 By Jane Byrne

Insect protein producer, InnovaFeed, has announced the opening of its insect protein production site in the north of France, it has also closed a new €140M (US$166M) fundraising effort to accelerate its domestic and international expansion strategy, while...

NWF says cyber incident contained, as threat analyst warns agribusinesses to remain vigilant

17-Nov-2020 By Jane Byrne

Following a cyber incident at the start of the month, UK fuel, food and feed distributor, the NWF Group, says it acted promptly to instigate precautionary measures, engaging specialist external support to limit the damage and manage the incident.

Bunge flags tighter monitoring of high-risk areas of deforestation in the Cerrado

13-Nov-2020 By Jane Byrne

Agribusiness giant, Bunge, says its recently released 9th Non-Deforestation Progress Report highlights additional progress the group has made toward its goal of achieving deforestation-free value chains worldwide by 2025.

Industry group hails focus on feed as part of EU methane emissions reduction strategy

23-Oct-2020 By Jane Byrne

EU feed trade group, FEFAC, has welcomed the European Commission’s recognition of feed materials and additives as part of the solution to help reduce methane emissions from cattle farming.

DSM to sell its resins, materials businesses to focus on nutrition and health

30-Sep-2020 By Jane Byrne

DSM has agreed to sell its resins and functional materials (RFM) and associated businesses to Covestro for an equity value of €1.6bn, as it continues to focus on divisions core to its nutrition and health linked operational goals.

Single cell protein company takes home top prize in innovation competition

24-Sep-2020 By Jane Byrne

Finnish company, eniferBio, has won this year’s Nutreco Feed and Food Tech Challenge (NFTC2020).

The benefits of ‘mini-guts’ for evaluating alternative feed proteins

18-Sep-2020 By Jane Byrne

A multidisciplinary research team studied the effects of alternative feed protein sources on the animal's small intestine, using ‘mini-guts’ or organoids, as an alternative for animal tissue.

Non-GMO advocates hail 'first open source detection test' for a gene-edited GM crop

07-Sep-2020 By Jane Byrne

The first-ever public detection method for a gene-edited crop has been successfully developed and published, according to a group of non-governmental organizations, non-GMO food associations and a food retailer behind the development.

Alliance shedding light on how to boost FCR, welfare in fish farming

02-Sep-2020 By Jane Byrne

Lighting innovator, Signify, and aquaculture industry advisor, ScaleAQ, have joined forces to boost fish welfare, production and yield for fish farmers by providing an optimal light spectrum, light distribution and control system for aquaculture producers....

Feed additive production enters maintenance season, China sees covid-19 clusters and severe flooding

06-Aug-2020 By Jane Byrne

Feed additive markets are comparably quiet given that it is the holiday period, but there have been a few notable developments of late, said Kemiex, a trading platform for raw materials used in the feed, food, vet and pharma industries.

COFCO looks to develop a more traceable and sustainable soy supply chain in Brazil

04-Aug-2020 By Jane Byrne

Chinese agri-commodities giant, COFCO International, and the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, are partnering to help improve the sustainability of soy farming in Brazil’s Cerrado Biome.

Precision feeding could reduce nutrient excretion in growing pigs, benefit sow production

30-Jul-2020 By Jane Byrne

A French research team evaluating precision nutrition approaches say that, for growing pigs, precision feeding strategies are a promising solution to reduce nutrient excretion by adjusting the nutrient supply to each individual pig at different points...

Evonik and BASF invest in Chinese digital pig farming tech startup

21-Jul-2020 By Jane Byrne

Specialty chemical companies, Evonik and BASF, have both invested in a Chinese technology startup, SmartAHC, that is said to enable more intelligent and healthier pig farming.

BASF acquires digital livestock farming technology company

07-Jul-2020 By Jane Byrne

German agrochemical giant, BASF, has announced the acquisition of Cloudfarms, a software company for livestock farm management, traceability and precision farming with a focus on pig production.

LDC sets responsible soy sourcing targets for 2020 and beyond

30-Jun-2020 By Jane Byrne

Louis Dreyfus Company (LDC), in its latest sustainability report, stressed the strides it has made towards more sustainable soy production practices in Brazil.

DSM acquires Erber Group, gets mycotoxin control portfolio, boosts its gut performance management capacity

12-Jun-2020 By Jane Byrne

Netherlands based health and nutrition player, DSM, today announced that it has reached agreement to acquire Austria’s Erber Group for a value of €980m.

The technology behind predicting mycotoxin levels in corn and wheat harvests

09-Jun-2020 By Jane Byrne

Biomin has released the results of statistical analysis showing that many parts of Europe can expect potentially harmful levels of mycotoxin contamination in the upcoming 2020 corn and wheat harvest.

AIC looks to improve UK farmer access to feed advisers

04-Jun-2020 By Jane Byrne

The Feed Adviser Register (FAR) run by UK feed and ag services trade group, Agricultural Industries Confederation (AIC), has launched a new initiative to allow farmers find nearby feed companies that employ registered feed advisers.

Collaboration key to ensuring traceability and responsible best-practice, says Skretting

26-May-2020 By Jane Byrne

The topic of sustainability is one that is more important than ever following the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Skretting CEO, Therese Log Bergjord.

AVT Reliability offering free thermal imaging support to help keep workforces safe

19-May-2020 By Jim Cornall

UK based plant-reliability company AVT Reliability Ltd is using its involvement in thermal imaging – usually employed to detect faults in factory equipment – to help companies protect their workforce.

Feeding behaviour will be evaluated as part of Northern Ireland poultry welfare research project

15-May-2020 By Jane Byrne

Academics from Queen’s University Belfast have been awarded US$310,738 for research towards intelligent welfare monitoring of broilers in production barns.

DSM and NC State research tie-up to deliver on animal gut health, precision nutrition and big data

30-Apr-2020 By Jane Byrne

DSM Animal Nutrition and Health business group has signed a 10-year long research partnership with a US university.

Latin America: Cargill provides equipment to boost SARS CoV-2 testing capacity

24-Apr-2020 By Jane Byrne

Cargill says polymerase chain reaction (PCR) equipment it donated to biochemical researchers and professionals at Magallanes University and the University of Concepción in Chile will dramatically increase the testing capacity for SARS CoV-2, the cause...

Weather conditions impact on mycotoxin risk

21-Apr-2020 By Jane Byrne

Regional weather conditions contributed to varying mycotoxin risks across geographies last year, found a 2019 global mycotoxin risk analysis report by Trouw Nutrition.

Probiotic and single cell protein producers make it to Nutreco startup challenge final

09-Apr-2020 By Jane Byrne

Some 15 finalists have been selected to advance to the next round of the Nutreco Feed and Food Tech Challenge (NFTC).

Coronavirus: UK feed sector adapting to rapidly changing economy, remote auditing set to get underway

09-Apr-2020 By Jane Byrne

The AIC, the UK feed and agri-supply industry representatives, says that supply chains in the UK are holding up as business adapts to the new trading landscape triggered by the COVID-19 outbreak.

ForFarmers talks feed production and logistical efficiency during the coronavirus crisis

27-Mar-2020 By Jane Byrne

In the latest instalment of Feed Matters, FeedNavigator’s podcast series, we talk to Steven Read, chief operating officer, ForFarmers UK, to hear how the company is navigating a trading landscape utterly changed by the outbreak of COVID-19 globally.

Coronavirus: AIC moves to ensure availability of food and feed in the UK

20-Mar-2020 By Jane Byrne

Ensuring that feed and food supplies continue uninterrupted, while guaranteeing compliance with UK government rules to delay the spread of coronavirus are the top priorities of the AIC.

Blockchain brings traceability to animal feed, safety and production

20-Mar-2020 By Aerin Einstein-Curtis

Neogen is partnering with Ripe Technology to improve the connection between livestock genomics, feed use and food safety.

Canadian canola producers seek to reopen Chinese market

13-Mar-2020 By Aerin Einstein-Curtis

The Canola Council of Canada is asking the Canadian government to increase efforts to resolve ongoing trade tension with China and support efforts to diversify markets following an estimated $1bn loss in exports.

Data collection, communication drive ag technology innovation

05-Mar-2020 By Aerin Einstein-Curtis

Integrating collected data and providing actionable insights along the animal production chain are driving the development of new agricultural technologies.

special edition: reports from IPPE

Digital tech seeks to boost feed, livestock sector production

02-Mar-2020 By Aerin Einstein-Curtis

Integrating technology and animal nutrition to provide usable insight for producers is one area where digital development and the use of new tools can help improve industry productivity.