Grains

Alltech: bacteria offer untapped potential for improving cereal crop health

22-Aug-2014 By Lynda Searby

Scientists on Alltech’s crop science programme are working to make crops ‘healthier’, by harnessing microbes that can boost their nutritional value and disease resistance. 

Cattle feed or biogas? Crop-fed anaerobic digestion creates competition for animal feed supplies

21-Aug-2014 By Lynda Searby

Researchers from Bangor University, UK, warn that diverting fodder crops to farm-scale anaerobic digestion in the UK could put pressure on animal feed supply and cause damage to the environment through land use displacement.

Californian research yields cattle feed from rice straw

19-Aug-2014 By Lynda Searby

Researchers at the University of California (UC) Cooperative Extension have been working on converting rice straw into cattle feed, providing a potential solution for livestock producers confronted with feed shortages as a result of California’s crippling...

Rain damage drives EU wheat onto feed market

14-Aug-2014 By Lynda Searby

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has raised its forecast for projected EU feed wheat supplies for 2014/15 by 2.5 million ton in its World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE), which were published this week.

Multiple mycotoxin interactions need to be better understood, says Biomin

11-Aug-2014 By Lynda Searby

Whilst the setting of maximum levels for fumonisins in maize is an important step, more attention needs to be given to the impact of the occurrence of multi-mycotoxins in feed grains, according to animal nutrition firm Biomin.

JBS United: We don’t believe porcine feed ingredients are a vector for PEDv

11-Aug-2014 By Lynda Searby

Despite having joined forces with fellow US feed giant DeKalb Feeds to offer non-porcine swine feed, JBS United rejects suggestions that there could be a link between Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea virus (PEDv) transmission and the use of porcine plasma in...

Russian embargo: Brazil could reap the rewards on soy and meat exports

08-Aug-2014 By Jane Byrne

The Russian ban on food and agricultural products from the EU, North America, and Australia, looks likely to support a hike in grain, oils and meals as well as meat exports from Brazil to that market.

EFSA rejects French move to ban GM crop in Europe

04-Aug-2014 By Nathan Gray

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has said French documentation supporting the country's attempt to ban Monsanto's MON810 genetically modified maize in Europe contains no new information or scientific basis to support such a ban.

'FCR too simplistic a measure for livestock emissions gauge' says UK pig expert hitting out at Defra report

01-Aug-2014 By Jane Byrne

UK pig industry representatives have criticized a report from Defra looking at the progress of various livestock sectors on climate change targets saying feed conversion ratio (FCR) is too simplistic a metric for GHG emission performance.

Bunge grows on 'robust livestock economics', shows big jump in Q2 profits

31-Jul-2014 By Jane Byrne

Strong oilseed processing margins in most regions and buoyant demand has boosted profits at leading commodities trader, Bunge.

Pressure to ease on Indian poultry producers as soymeal prices predicted to go lower

29-Jul-2014 By Jane Byrne

An expected softening of domestic soy meal prices will bring some relieve to poultry producers in India, who have seen their profitability hit in the past six months, says an analyst.

Rabobank weighs up prospects for pork markets in China, Mexico and the US

25-Jul-2014 By Jane Byrne

The cost of feed grains in China has increased steadily in 2014 adding to the pressure on pig producers in that market, with some smaller farmers abandoning the pork business over the past few months, says Rabobank.

Feed sector lobbyists disappointed over 'lack of progress' on GM approval process

24-Jul-2014 By Jane Byrne

EU feed and cereal sector representatives say the postponement of a decision on the authorization of eight genetically modified (GM) crops by the European Commission is ‘highly problematic’ for the security of protein supplies.

UK project earmarks type of rapeseed most benefical to pig and poultry market

18-Jul-2014 By Jane Byrne

UK cereal experts are looking at ways of improving the nutritional value of rapeseed and meal for non-ruminants.

EU feed industry on edge as it awaits approval of eight GM crops

17-Jul-2014 By Jane Byrne

Huge disruption to feed grain trade and subsequent price hikes would follow if the EU regulator does not approve eight genetically modified (GM) crops before the summer recess, say trade groups.

'We have seen complex cocktails in feedstuffs' - EU feed safety expert says mycotoxin legislation not strong enough

10-Jul-2014 By Jane Byrne

Mycotoxins pose the greatest threat to animal productivity and need greater legislative focus, says a professor who has led an EU funded project evaluating emerging risks in the animal feed sector.

Bell completes vertical integration aquaculture model with plant-based feed mill

07-Jul-2014 By Jane Byrne

US aquaculture firm, Bell Farms, has become a fully integrated fish farm with the completion of a new feed mill at its Indiana base that is set to produce around 907 metric tons (MT) of plant-based fish feed monthly.

New crop research could open the door to better performing feed barley

23-Jun-2014 By Jane Byrne

Barley with improved grain phytase activity could soon be a reality if regulators classify new plant breeding techniques in the same way as traditional breeding methods and do not label them GM, says a plant science expert.

Alltech warns about build-up of mold and mycotoxins in stored feed

20-Jun-2014 By Jane Byrne

Moisture levels, rising temperatures, the availability of oxygen and poor feed management during storage contribute to changes in the levels and types of mycotoxins in feed, says an expert on the grain contaminants.

EU strategic feed material supply, lower FCR and GM trace detection limits high on FEFAC's agenda

20-Jun-2014 By Jane Byrne

The EU feed sector is aiming to further reduce feed conversion rates and has made lower phosphorous and nitrogen intake in livestock a priority for the coming years, according to the latest policy review from feed manufacturer representatives, FEFAC.

What's holding back the US organic feed sector? Trade group leads pioneering research project

16-Jun-2014 By Jane Byrne

The growth in demand for organic animal feed is far outstripping supply, said the Organic Trade Association (OTA), as it looks to review the barriers to the take-up of organic farming in the US.

WASDE report: Positive outlook for global wheat supplies

13-Jun-2014 By Jane Byrne

USDA, in its outlook this week, is bullish in its forecast for global wheat supplies for the marketing year 2014 to 2015.

Limited feed wheat availability sees hike in oat usage by UK compounders

10-Jun-2014 By Jane Byrne

Greater availability, combined with lower open market prices for oats and a historically small wheat crop, has seen a hike in the use of oats in animal feed in the UK in recent months.

Reports from VIV Europe

Mycotoxin threat not going away any time soon: Biomin reveals latest survey findings

27-May-2014 By Jane Byrne

The mycotoxins, DON and FUM, were found in over 50% of feed grains samples analyzed by Biomin in its latest survey of the prevalence of mycotoxins in cereals globally, with piglets at risk from the levels of DON concentrates found.

Reports from VIV Europe

Feed sector questions WWF rating tool on commitment to responsible soy supply

27-May-2014 By Jane Byrne

The WWF soy report card is not the only game in town, says FEFAC as it defends the feed industry’s role in promoting sustainable soy production.

Camelina oil could replace 100% of fish oil in Atlantic salmon feed, says study

22-May-2014 By Stephen Daniells

Total replacement of fish oil with camelina oil (Camelina sativa) in the diet of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) does not affect weight gain and growth rate in the fish, according to new data from Canada.

The Alltech Symposium

Drones, sensors, and the hive-mind: How technology could drive a new agricultural revolution

20-May-2014 By Stephen Daniells

Technology such as drones and robots are set to usher in a new age of precision agriculture, which would lead to an end to the chemical ag system reliant on pesticides, fertilizers, and herbicides, according to experts.

Commodity risk controls and UAE meat import policy sees Agthia's feed profits jump

29-Apr-2014 By Jane Byrne

Competitive grain sourcing, lower poultry imports and feed production efficiency have helped generate a profit hike of 35% for the animal feed and flour division of United Arab Emirates (UAE) food group, Agthia, for the first quarter of this year.

‘We see huge growth potential for the aquafeed market in Vietnam,' says De Heus

28-Apr-2014 By Jane Byrne

The Dutch feed group is extending its fish farming R&D capabilities for the Asian country in tandem with the construction of new factories in its strategy to be one of the top five feed makers in Vietnam.

FDA admits language used in FSMA feed rule muddied the waters: agency set to revise grain proposal

25-Apr-2014 By Jane Byrne

A senior FDA official, in a move to quieten the outcry over the animal feed rule, said there is 'minimal' risk associated with feeding spent grains and it will revise the language around the regulation.

Feed firms should get ready to leverage hog sector consolidation in Mexico: Rabobank

25-Apr-2014 By Jane Byrne

Mergers are expected in the Mexican hog sector in the coming years to offset the impact of the PED virus - Rabobank says global feed companies should be ready to capitalize on the feed demand generated by a more consolidated industry.

China sees rebound in poultry consumption - feed sector set to gain

22-Apr-2014 By Jane Byrne

A leading analyst firm in China is predicting a rebound in domestic poultry feed consumption with warmer weather reducing the risk of further outbreaks of avian flu.

Corn output estimates lowered for Ukraine on back of financial and political instability, says Agritel

15-Apr-2014 By Jane Byrne

Political insecurity in the Black Sea region and a lack of credit flow in Ukraine has hit grain sewing, forcing a leading grain analyst to downgrade its corn output expectations for that country.

Tereos scientists talk up animal protein substitutes for piglet and fish feed

14-Apr-2014 By Jane Byrne

Partial replacement of animal proteins by wheat proteins in the diet of piglets and veal calves can boost the animal's growth performance while wheat gluten could also improve the environmental profile of the aquaculture sector, said Tereos Syral...

FDA reviewing part of animal feed rule after fury over spent grains proposal

08-Apr-2014 By Jane Byrne

The US regulator said it is re-evaluating a section of the animal feed rule that brings a brewing by-product, used as feed, under the regulation after an angry reaction from feed users and the brewing industry.

Cofco joint venture with Noble will help China diversify feed grain sourcing, analyst

08-Apr-2014 By Jane Byrne

The move last week by the Chinese state-owned food and feed giant, Cofco, to take a $1.5 billion majority stake in Noble Agri – the agribusiness arm of the Noble Group – will help China to diversify the source of its grains such as soy and corn, says...

"African poultry sector to reach Brazil levels by 2019" - Alltech says global feed compounders are missing out

04-Apr-2014 By Jane Byrne

Africa’s chicken and broiler industry is five years away from equivalence with the Thai or Brazilian sector but international feed compounders are not yet exploiting this massive business potential, says a leading animal nutrition firm.

Rapeseed cake in ruminant diets could cut methane emissions

01-Apr-2014 By Jane Byrne

The use of rapeseed cake in the production of livestock feed cuts methane and carbon dioxide emissions by up to 13%, without affecting digestibility in vitro, according to the initial results of a EU-funded research project.

EU pig and cattle feed demand is forecast to weaken

28-Mar-2014 By Jane BYRNE

There will be a continuing slide in demand for pig feed in the EU this year due to productivity challenges in the sector and cattle feed demand is set to decline on better weather conditions for grasslands and forages production, says trade group.

Exclusive Interview: we talk to MD feed and nutrition at Cargill India

"We can boost milk output by cow by a liter per day" - Cargill reveals ambitions for dairy feed in India

27-Mar-2014 By Jane BYRNE

The Indian dairy feed market has huge potential for growth, with education around animal nutrition essential for boosting milk productivity, says Cargill.

Compound feed group ForFarmers sees sharp fall in profit

25-Mar-2014 By Jane BYRNE

Dutch feed firm, ForFarmers, saw a dip in profits in 2013 due to adverse currency effects, higher volatility in commodity prices and lower profit margins in Belgium and Germany.

Agrivida bids to transform corn stover into high value animal feed

25-Mar-2014 By Jane Byrne

A US biotechnology partnership is aiming to increase the digestibility and feed conversion ratio of a grain by-product to save costs for the livestock sector.

German anti-GM soy in feed advocates set to stage rebuttal event

24-Mar-2014 By Jane BYRNE

The German poultry sector’s claim that supplies of non-GM soy from Brazil can no longer be guaranteed is untenable, said the anti-GM lobby in Germany which is holding a ‘correction’ forum in April to inform the feed industry about the reality of soy volumes.

Soy harvest expectations contract on the back of Brazil heat

14-Mar-2014 By Jane BYRNE

Warm weather in Brazil and Paraguay looks set to shrink the global soybean harvest by 3 per cent, claims the latest grains report by the USDA.  

Poultry feed consumption in China down on bird flu outbreak

11-Mar-2014 By Jane Byrne

Poultry feed consumption in China has seen a massive drop amid the fallout from the new outbreak of bird flu, which has killed at least 32 people.

UK compound feed prices continue to fall

10-Mar-2014 By Jane Byrne

Average prices for compound feed across all animal categories in the UK have slipped in the past quarter, says Defra in its animal feedstuffs price report.

EU project aims for non-GMO alternative to soy for feed and food

07-Mar-2014 By Jane Byrne

Greater access to a non-GMO, allergen-free crop source for feed could result from a new EU-wide agriculture project that was initiated this week.

Russia Ukraine standoff - how it impacts the grain markets

Ukraine crisis will not hit grain export volumes, says Kiev based analyst

06-Mar-2014 By Jane Byrne

The Ukraine political crisis will not hit wheat and corn export volumes, says a Kiev based market analyst, as the growing threat of war between that country and Russia has sent global wheat prices soaring this week.

The Alltech Feed Tonnage Survey

Poultry feed rules the roost for global feed tonnage: Alltech Survey

03-Mar-2014 By Stephen DANIELLS

Feed tonnage for poultry was at a ‘surprisingly high’ 444 million metric tons in 2013, with six percent growth over 2012, according to the Alltech Feed Tonnage Survey.

US feed deal aims to cut through red tape on export to China and Brazil

28-Feb-2014 By Jane Byrne

A bid to streamline the export of US feed ingredients is underway with a new certification process that aims to help manufacturers comply with complex quality protocols in countries such as Brazil and China.