Grains

Producers told to stay on high alert to deal with mycotoxin challenge

09-Jan-2015 By Jane Byrne

Mycotoxins are posing a very real threat to livestock in the UK, with higher adulteration levels noted year on year, says Alltech.

Feed industry outlook for 2015

23-Dec-2014 By Jane Byrne

As 2014 draws to a close, we seek out the opinion of manufacturers, suppliers and US and EU trade representatives to determine how next year might play out for the global feed sector.

SHV offer only one on the acquisition table, as Nutreco takes on UK export unit of ForFarmers

22-Dec-2014 By Jane Byrne

Nutreco has still not received anything more tangible from Cargill in relation to a potential counter acquisition bid.

Solve grain and oilseed storage bottlenecks or access to feed and EU trade could be hit: study

19-Dec-2014 By Jane Byrne

Investment must be stepped up to improve infrastructure in the EU grain and oilseeds sector to maximize trade and ensure that EU livestock producers have good access to feed, concludes a new report.

Follow our guide on FSMA animal rule implementation to cut costs, AFIA tells FDA

19-Dec-2014 By Jane Byrne

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) needs to take additional steps to lower the costs associated with the proposed animal food rules under the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), says the American Feed Industry Association (AFIA).

Syngenta might look to put Viptera controversy "to bed" after Chinese authorization, says lawyer

18-Dec-2014 By Jane Byrne

China’s long awaited approval for Syngenta’s contentious GM corn strain, MIR 162, may see that biotech firm settle the multiple lawsuits against it, which were triggered by allegations of damages from the sale of the seed into the US prior to Chinese...

Review of bird flu safeguards urged to curb new outbreaks

16-Dec-2014 By Jane Byrne

All parties in the poultry supply chain, including feed producers, need to assess how they can help limit avian flu outbreaks, with no certainties about whether the spread of the disease will be checked in the coming weeks, says an industry specialist.  

Cargill likely to be hard at work 'behind the scenes' in bid to secure Nutreco: analyst

15-Dec-2014 By Jane Byrne

An analyst reckons US agri-giant Cargill will make a concrete offer for Nutreco soon even though such a counter bid must come in at least 8% higher than the €44.50 per share offer from SHV, a stipulation that private firm secured when finalizing its bid...

Review: improving feed efficiency in dairy cows

10-Dec-2014 By Lynda Searby

Residual feed intake is emerging as the main tool for measuring feed efficiency and making genetic progress in efficiency-related traits among dairy cattle, but is not without its challenges, finds a new review.

ForFarmers plugs gaps in UK portfolio through takeover of forage business

09-Dec-2014 By Jane Byrne

Dutch group, ForFarmers, has continued its recent expansion drive in the UK through the acquisition of a feed and forage business in a deal valued at €19.3 million ($23.8m).

Campaigners claim breakthrough as Wiesenhof reverts to GM free soy feed

08-Dec-2014 By Jane Byrne

Wiesenhof, the largest German poultry provider, is once again set to use GM free soy only, and anti-GM advocates say it is just a matter of time before the rest of that country's poultry sector follows suit.

WHO and FAO in call for experts for new feed risk symposium

05-Dec-2014 By Jane Byrne

The FAO and WHO are holding a joint meeting next May in an attempt, they say, to shore up feed safety and ensure fair practices in feed and food trade.

FEFAC backs extension of soy moratorium but says new deforestation policing model 'has teeth'

05-Dec-2014 By Jane Byrne

EU feed industry body, FEFAC, has welcomed the move by soy players in Brazil to extend the soy moratorium in the Amazon region until May 2016 but says the monitoring mechanism to replace that voluntary pact is robust.

SHV confirms final takeover bid for Dutch feed group Nutreco

05-Dec-2014 By Jane Byrne

Dutch investment company, SHV, has published its offer memorandum for Nutreco, revealing that its €44.50 per share offer begins Monday next and ends on 17 February 2015.

Praise for EFSA’s more ‘streamlined’ reporting guidelines

02-Dec-2014 By Jane Byrne

EFSA has released new guidance for statistical reporting that it says will make it easier to understand and repeat statistical analyses used in its scientific assessments.

Exclusive Interview

Aqua feed innovation gets R&D focus at InVivo NSA

02-Dec-2014 By Jane Byrne

Precision feeding is critical in ensuring more sustainable aquaculture, says InVivo NSA as it strives to reduce waste through innovation in aqua feed.

Early animal nutrition trends: Part 2

In ovo nutrients, CLA for sows, and weaner diets: new feeding strategies at EuroTier 2014

28-Nov-2014 By Jane Byrne

At EuroTier 2014 we heard about the latest research findings in poultry nutrition, a new ingredient for lactating sows that benefits piglets and the feeding strategies Danish piglet producers use in the absence of antibiotics.  

InVivo NSA eyes Mexican, Brazilian and Asian broiler markets with new pre-starter

27-Nov-2014 By Jane Byrne

The Latin America and Asian poultry sectors are the target of a new pre-starter for chicks, Genesa, from InVivo Animal Nutrition and Health, which promises better feed intake, bird immunity, and viability in the absence of antibiotic growth promoters...

SHV to finalize offer for Nutreco shares by early December

26-Nov-2014 By Jane Byrne

Nutreco says the offer process from SHV is “on track” with the investment firm saying it will publish its offer memorandum on its intended acquisition of all the animal nutrition company’s shares at the start of next month.

Analysts question shareholder view on acquisition bids for Nutreco

21-Nov-2014 By Jane Byrne

This week has seen shareholders in Nutreco such as Dutch pension group, APG, call on the Dutch fish and animal feed manufacturer to open its books to Cargill and Permira, the potential contenders to a €3 billion ($3.7bn) acquisition bid by SHV Holdings.

FAO sustainable feed survey shows far reaching demand for greater use of food waste in animal diets

18-Nov-2014 By Jane Byrne

The need to minimize water pollution, enhance biodiversity and exploit food waste for feed use are seen as critical by respondents to an FAO global survey, run as part of a project to develop more sustainable animal feed production and use.

FeedNavigator at EuroTier 2014

ForFarmers, Nutreco, and Alltech reveal benefits from focus on young animal diets

18-Nov-2014 By Jane Byrne

The feed industry and livestock producers are recognising the importance of feeding their animals an optimum nutrient supply in the first few weeks of life in order to get productivity gains throughout that animal’s lifetime.

Farmers, feed makers, genetic geniuses: industry mingles in Hannover

14-Nov-2014 By Jane Byrne

As the show draws to a close, we look back at some of the key events and debates.

Canadian breeding program yields new wheat feed variety

13-Nov-2014 By Lynda Searby

A new high yield feed wheat that offers improved disease and fusarium resistance will be planted in Western Canada next spring.

Live! EuroTier 2014 in Germany

13-Nov-2014 By Jane Byrne

A round-up of tweets, both insightful and amusing, from the animal production industry gathering in Hannover.

SHV hikes bid for Nutreco as Cargill throws its hat in the ring

10-Nov-2014 By Jane Byrne

A bidding war is underway for Nutreco after SHV raised its offer to €44.50 ($54.87) a share in response to acquisition interest shown from Cargill, which is keen to take on the Dutch group’s fish feed division.

Lower feed costs assist record pork price margins

09-Nov-2014 By Lynda Searby

Pork producers in the US, Brazil and Mexico are witnessing record margins, with low feed costs playing a role, according to Rabobank’s pork quarterly for Q4 2014.

Study supports inclusion of up to 60% distiller grains in cattle feed

09-Nov-2014 By Lynda Searby

New research suggests that the addition of small amounts of calcium oxide to neutralize the acidity of distiller grains could enable this corn alternative to be used at higher levels in livestock feed mixes.

Teagasc: Birth weight is king for getting top performance and feed efficiency in pigs

09-Nov-2014 By Lynda Searby

Researchers at Teagasc have come up with some pragmatic solutions to the issue of maintaining growth in pigs weaned from large litters, including amino acid supplementation for sows and increasing weaning age to four weeks.

Feed ingredients distributor acquires AgriNutrition

Insects, bacteria and new amino acids: will NPD push Barentz into pole position in Europe?

07-Nov-2014 By Jane Byrne

Barentz Animal Nutrition, which has just acquired its JV partner, AgriNutrition, is aiming to be the leading specialty feed ingredient distributor in Europe by extending its geographical reach, and investing in new protein sources such as insect and bacterial...

EU crop research may be relegated to second tier status if GM restrictions remain, warn scientists

04-Nov-2014 By Jane Byrne

Europe may lose vital ground in terms of plant science knowledge unless field trials are allowed of genetically modified (GM) plant varieties that have been deemed safe, said leading plant scientists in an open letter.

GM free feed debate in Germany heightens as Edeka brings out poultry range under OG label

03-Nov-2014 By Jane Byrne

Leading German retailer, Edeka, has initiated a regional roll-out of own-label chicken products certified under the German government-backed non GM seal, Ohne Gentechnik (OG).

Genetics, welfare and nutrition touted as the way to higher milk yields in China

31-Oct-2014 By Jane Byrne

Animal nutrition firm, Alltech, says its tie-up with Nestlé on an educational initiative for China’s dairy sector is trying to improve the environmental profile of the dairy sector there but is primarily aimed at lowering feed costs and boosting milk...

Cargill backs Canadian research facility looking to convert low quality crops into high performing feed

31-Oct-2014 By Jane Byrne

A new Canadian university based research facility that Cargill is backing to the tune of $2.46 million will focus on turning down-graded wheat, durum or corn crops into high quality animal feed.

Rapeseed, faba beans and gut health: new Scottish monogastric center sets out its stall

28-Oct-2014 By Jane Byrne

A new monogastric science research center in Scotland is evaluating the benefits of faba beans and the nutritional value of rapeseed varieties in terms of their benefits for pig and poultry health and in the context of finding home-grown alternatives...

French poultry sector must review ‘fixed’ feed contracts and consolidate for scale: analyst

27-Oct-2014 By Jane Byrne

French poultry production businesses must invest at the farm level and increase scale via mergers and acquisitions at home and abroad or lose further ground to the competitive German, Dutch and Belgian producers, who, using more efficient models, are...

Greening the industry - FEFAC wants sector help to measure environmental footprint of feed

21-Oct-2014 By Jane Byrne

FEFAC is calling on feed manufactures to join an EU-backed project looking to develop the parameters by which a company can prove the green credentials of an animal nutrition or food or drink product.

Analysts say firms such as Cargill and DSM could still trump SHV's offer

‘We believe it is a fair price,’ Nutreco backs takeover offer from investment firm SHV

20-Oct-2014 By Jane Byrne

Animal and fish feed group, Nutreco, said it fully endorses the bid from privately-held Dutch investment firm, SHV, to acquire it for €40 ($51) per share, or €2.69 billion ($3.43bn), and it dismissed speculation about third party bids for the business.

InVivo investments continue unabated - French firm buys Brazilian pet food and dairy feed maker

17-Oct-2014 By Jane Byrne

InVivo NSA says the acquisition of Brazilian animal nutrition group, Total Alimentos, has strengthened its position in pet food but also its foothold in the dairy and aqua feed segments in that market.

ForFarmers on the asset trail in the UK and beyond

17-Oct-2014 By Jane Byrne

Dutch feed group, ForFarmers, said it is not ruling out further acquisitions in the UK, following the recently announced rebranding of its operations in that market.

Germany set to see more widespread use of GM free soy label in coming months

14-Oct-2014 By Jane Byrne

There is still buoyant demand in Europe for non GM soy as a feed ingredient, despite some meat sectors in Germany, the UK, Denmark and Sweden debating the feasibility of retaining a GM free policy, says an industry insider.

RTRS and ProTerra align standards to boost sustainable soy volumes

10-Oct-2014 By Jane Byrne

An alignment of two responsible soy standards, RTRS and ProTerra, will help boost physical flows of certified soy by keeping audit costs low, increasing market transparency and enhancing farmer training, says the ProTerra Foundation.

Syngenta case shows US market is not impervious to foreign rules: legal expert

10-Oct-2014 By Jane Byrne

The lawsuits brought against Syngenta over sales of its GM corn seed, MIR162, into the US prior to trait approval by China keenly show other countries' regulations cannot be ignored in domestic courts and by US companies, says a law professor.

Agri giant's Q1 results show solid performance for animal nutrition and meat division

Cargill on alert for return of PEDv, but impact of virus 'less detrimental than anticipated'

09-Oct-2014 By Jane Byrne

Cargill has not had any new cases of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDv) within its pig operations since March this year, but the agri-giant is not throwing caution to the wind as a result.

GM debate: US review finds no safety or nutritional variance in GM and conventional feed

18-Sep-2014 By Jane Byrne

A US scientist, in a review of the literature, reports that GM feed is safe and nutritionally equivalent to non-GM feed, with no indication of any unusual trends in livestock health since 1996 when GM crops were first harvested.

Rabo AgriFinance sues failing US grain brokerage, farmers also allege fraud

12-Sep-2014 By Jane Byrne

A credit lending firm, Rabo AgriFinance, is suing US commodities broker, Turner Grain Merchandising, which is said to be on the brink of filing for bankruptcy, for an alleged breach of contract.

German GM free soy feed debate gathers pace: Retailers demand that poultry sector reverts to its previous policy on GM

05-Sep-2014 By Jane Byrne

Early next year could see a reintroduction of GM free soy feed into the German poultry supply chain if a working group involving poultry producers and food retailers can reach unanimity on the issue.

Researchers crack rapeseed genome code: benefits set to be huge for animal and human nutrition, says INRA

05-Sep-2014 By Jane Byrne

The successful deciphering of the complex genome of the oilseed rape by an international group of scientists will accelerate ongoing breeding efforts around the crop to benefit animal and human nutrition, says INRA.

Search continues for fish meal replacements: US animal nutritionists rate non-GM soy cultivar alternatives

01-Sep-2014 By Jane Byrne

US researchers say two non-GM soybean protein sources could be valuable fishmeal replacement options for juvenile cobia, a species that the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) reports has massive aquaculture potential.

Beer industry’s loss is aquafeed's gain

25-Aug-2014 By Lynda Searby

Barley that doesn’t make the grade for the brewing industry is being turned into a feed ingredient for aquaculture via a patented process that improves its nutritional value.