Jan-Mar 2021 edition of Livestock & Poultry Middle East magazine

JANUARY - MARCH 2021

VETERINARY

VACCINES MANURE MANAGEMENT

REPRODUCTION

ANIMAL HEALTH

ROBOTS AQUACULTURE

ROSS 308

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2 CONTENTS

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NEWS 04 EUROTIER DIGITAL REVIEW

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VETERINARY VACCINES 20 MANURE MANAGEMENT

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REPRODUCTION 23

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BIOSECURITY 24 ANIMAL HEALTH 27 ANIMAL NUTRITION 28 FODDER EQUIPMENT 30 POULTRY 32 ROBOTS 36

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32 Editor Matthews Matthew

Associate Editors Megha Mary Matt Jessie Jorge

Contributors Dr. Hansel Geo Thomas Neville J. Chandler

Published by Matt Media© (USA) LLC 2021

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EGG PROCESSING

37

AQUACULTURE 38

36

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UAE

United States

United Kingdom

Matt Media LLC P.O. Box 25694 Sharjah Media City

Matt Media (USA) LLC. 1713 E. Morgan Court.

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Email: info@livestockmiddleeast.com | gulfag@emirates.net.ae Livestock & Poultry Middle East & Asia is designed to serve the fast growing livestock and poultry sectors in the Asia and Middle East region by providing the expert information to our readers in our four comprehensive issues in a year. It is circulated throughout Middle East region and worldwide in addition to the extra distribution at various Livestock, Poultry, Aquaculture and Agriculture Shows. The magazine provides editorial coverage on a wide range of topics which are of interest to industry professionals.

All rights reserved. The opinions and views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publishers.

Readers are requested to seek specialist advice before acting on information contained in this publication, which is provided for general use and may not be appropriate for the reader’s particular circumstance. The publishers regret that they cannot accept liability for any error or omissions contained in this publication.

JANUARY-MARCH 2021

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News EW NUTRITION ACQUIRES FEED QUALITY AND PIGMENT BUSINESS FROM NOVUS INTERNATIONAL EW Nutrition, a global provider of animal nutrition solutions, announced that it has acquired the Feed Quality and Pigments business from Novus International, Inc. Under the terms of the agreement, EW Nutrition becomes the owner of world-renowned brands such as Santoquin® feed preservative, SURF•ACE® feed mill processing aid, and Agrado® feed ingredient. The acquisition also gives EW Nutrition ownership of a state-of-the-art production facility in Constantí, Spain.

“This transaction will bring additional value to our customers, further reinforcing EW Nutrition’s global market position, and increasing

its product portfolio and geographical reach,” says Michael Gerrits, Managing Director of EW Nutrition.

“The products acquired will further support EW Nutrition’s mission to mitigate the impact of antimicrobial resistance by providing comprehensive animal nutrition solutions.”

Dan Meagher, President and CEO of Novus International, Inc., explained that the sale is part of Novus’s Project Destiny, a multi-year plan to transform the company into the industry’s leading provider in animal health through nutrition solutions by focusing its resources on core platforms and emerging technologies.

“We are pleased to have found a committed owner for these platforms so that they may continue bringing value to the industry,” said Meagher. “This event is a significant milestone in our Project Destiny journey.

Now that our Feed Quality and Pigments platforms are in good hands with EW Nutrition, we are excited to focus our energies on developing new, innovative technologies into meaningful nutrition solutions for our customers.”

The transaction was closed on February 1, 2021. A robust services agreement between the companies is governing critical activities to ensure customers are supported through the transition.

EVONIK TAKES NIR TECHNOLOGY FOR RAW MATERIAL AND FEED ANALYSES MOBILE Evonik has launched AMINONIR® Portable, a mobile NIR service with a world’s-first feature: amino acid calibrations.

AMINONIR® Portable enables the reliable determination of energy, nutrients in feed raw materials and feed, as well as amino acids in feed raw materials, on-site and independent of a laboratory.

The hand-held device connects with the user’s tablet or cell phone. It only requires mobile signal reception and a handful of feed or raw material without further sample preparation to

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determine their quality at almost any location within minutes.

“The efficiency of animal feeding, and the ecological footprint of livestock farming, strongly depend on the nutritional quality of raw materials and feeds,” says Dr. Stefan Mack, head of Service Marketing in the Animal Nutrition business line at Evonik. “We have always supported our customers in optimizing those. Now, as the first in the world, we’re offering a comprehensive mobile solution. This will allow

for timely quality checks and decision-making at critical steps in feed production which is very difficult to achieve when relying only on the traditional lab setup”.

AMINONIR® Portable can be used to analyze over 40 different feed raw materials and feed mixtures for livestock including broilers, laying hens and fish. It significantly extends the application of near-infrared spectroscopy (NIR), which Evonik has been offering as AMINONIR® services for 25 years.

JANUARY-MARCH 2021

PROBLEM

Shifting from Traditional to Battery Cages will be challenging in manure management Low moisture content Manure are collected by batch Due to low moisture content, handling and processing will be easy

High moisture content Must take out manure everyday Improper management can generate flies and cause serious odor problems.

KOHSHIN IS THE KEY!

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COMPOSTER Pre-Composting Material to be processed: Any kind of animal and Temperature of biodegradable wastes manure can reach up Capacity: 4.4 tons (5.9 m3) ~ 70 tons (93 m3) / Daily to 80°C which helps Process Duration: 24 to 30 days reduce bad odor Process Procedure: Daily Input or Batch Production

Final Product Pelletized and uniform size

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Semi-Composter/Dryer

Scrubber Aeration System Optional item to Helps activate aerobic bacteria for reduce ammonia and better decomposition other gas emissions Easy to use Affordable price One sided rail (No barrier in putting and removing raw materials) Drying time ranging from 5 -12 days depending on weather condition 1-1 Tsujikiri, Tokuzane, Shippo-Cho, Ama City, Aichi Pref., JAPAN 497-0016 Tel: +81-52-442-1166 FAX: +81-52-442-5109 Email: info@kohshin-s.jp URL: http://www.kohshin-s.jp

WEB

VIDEO

6 NEWS

AL AIN FARMS ANNOUNCES THE WINNERS OF THE FIRST BOVINE COMPETITION IN THE UAE Al Ain Farms, UAE’s first and largest local dairy brand, has announced the winners of the seven-day local dairy farmers contest, First in Region Bovine Competition, that gathered the representatives from all local farmers and dairy industries competing in a challenge of highest milk production per a cow. The winner of the contest was Al Rawabi Dairy, who clinched the title and a cash prize of AED 20,000. Marmum Dairy took second place, with an AED 19,000 cash prize, and Al Ain Farms took third place and AED18,000. 7 more winners were announced from Al Rawabi Dairy, Zakher Dairy Farm, Al Ain Farms, Al Dahra Dairy Company and Emirates Dairy Farm who all took the title of the winners of the bovine show, first in region. Other participating farms

included MTKMN, Marai Farms and Hilli Farms.

As an active supporter and advocate of local dairy farming, Al Ain Farms instituted the event as a platform to bring local farmers and large-scale dairy producers together, who jointly play a key role in providing fresh, healthy, and nutritious produce for residents of the UAE and by their combined efforts play a major role in the

food security of the country. The event also emphasizes Al Ain Farms’ commitment to animal welfare, and the exceptional standards of animal care adopted by each participant in and throughout the event, as the cows were hosted by Al Ain Farms veterinary teams and handlers, and were taken care with all needs of food, water, milking and care 24/7 on Al Ain Farms site.

The judging of the competition entries was under the expert guidance of Dr. Roula Shaaban, the first Emirati female veterinarian and counselor for the Middle East and North Africa region of the World Veterinary Association, supported by two more Emirati female veterinarians. This was the first all-female vet jury recorded in the Middle East.

FRISKIES® BRINGS MORE FELINE FUN WITH THE REBOOT OF CAT FISHING 2, A GAME DESIGNED ESPECIALLY FOR CATS

This past year, people have spent more time at home than ever before, and as cited by

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Forbes, gaming has been on the rise across the country.

While humans have been honing their gaming skills, Friskies is focusing on another contender: the cat gamer.

Friskies is thrilled to announce the launch of its updated game designed for cats, Cat Fishing 2, available now for free for iOS and Android devices.

The game provides a creative, simple way to enrich your cat’s life and support mental stimulation. The games are perfect for playtime while encouraging them to pounce and move like they would in

the wild, engaging their natural hunting instincts.

The update includes special sounds and schools of fish to keep them clawing back for more. The game even allows cats to prowl for prey in a custom pond stocked with virtual fish and decorations.

The more fish your cat catches, the more points they rack up.

The game is available now via free download for iOS and Android devices. For more information about Friskies gaming options, please visit www.purina.com/friskies/catgames.

JANUARY-MARCH 2021

8 NEWS

BEST START IN LIFE FOR SALMONIDS

BioMar’s LARVIVA ProStart, a revolutionary first feeding diet, is now available for salmonids.

LARVIVA ProStart creates value in terms of feed behaviour in the water and a more active start feeding response of the fry supporting a more robust, highperforming fry.

BioMar’s first feeding diet LARVIVA ProStart has been thoroughly tested in multiple commercial trials on various salmonid species including Rainbow trout and Atlantic salmon. The feedback from hatchery managers has been

very positive.

The trials have proven that salmonid larvae fed on LARVIVA ProStart have improved prerequisites for the best start, which has a positive influence on the rest of their lives.

The benefits of LARVIVA ProStart at first feeding are multifaceted: LARVIVA ProStart is highly digestible and the particle size ranges are very much in control. LARVIVA ProStart has an extraordinary behaviour in water, providing an extremely slow sinking speed and a very high water stability.

According to Christina Frisk, Product Manager Fresh Water species for BioMar EMEA, all these make the particles easily available for the fry, increasing the intake of nutrients and

enhancing an even feed intake for the whole batch of fry. As the first feeding response is more uniform across the batch, the growth of the fry becomes more homogenous.

“Fry prefer to eat at the top of the water column and they simply cannot resist to LARVIVA ProStart, so to say, Christina Frisk explains, with a smile.

She adds: - LARVIVA ProStart is highly palatable and increases the swim up effect in the fry.”

Additionally, LARVIVA ProStart provides an improved growth (SGR) and feed conversion (FCR). The fry become more robust right from the start and the survival rate is higher.

LARVIVA ProStart is produced with the very special microencapsulation technology.

It is a cold production process that gives a very high digestible protein contribution from the carefully selected high quality raw materials used in the unique formulation of this feed.

DIANA FOOD LAUNCHES A RANGE OF ORGANIC AND ANIMAL WELFARE CHICKEN SOLUTIONS Symrise Diana Food announces the launch of a range of Organic and Animal Welfare Poultry solutions specifically developed to meet the rising demand for ethical food and drink among consumers around the world.

Available now, these products benefit food manufacturers with a wide sensory pallet enabling them to create their own taste signature. They can add a boiled or rotisserie note; a fatty, juicy meat note; or

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an umami note to their creations. This new line also has performance benefits in terms of solubility, turbidity and mouth feel.

Diana Food’s range of chicken products comprises two types of ingredients. Organic solutions with organic hen broth and hen bone broth in both liquid and dehydrated forms; organic hen meat powder and organic hen fat.

In the Animal Welfare offer, products include liquid and dehydrated free range chicken extracts; free range hen meat powder and free range chicken fat.

JANUARY-MARCH 2021

NEWS 9

BIOIBERICA COMPLETES ITS CHONDROPROTECTOR LINE AND LAUNCHES CONDROVET® FOR PUPPIES

Bioiberica Companion Animal Health completes its line of supplementary foods for joint health with the launch of Condrovet® for Puppies (120 tablets). The product is recommended to nurture growing joints, principally for fast-growing large breeds and in breeds predisposed to hip dysplasia.

The product contains 500 mg of chondroitin sulphate (100% purity), 18 mg of vitamin E, and 10 mg of manganese sulphate.

Chondroitin sulphate is a fundamental component of joint cartilage and helps to maintain joint function and mobility. Vitamin E helps prevent the appearance of

THE BUSINESS NETWORK LINKING PROFESSIONALS FROM FEED TO FOOD

osteochondral disorders and limits the formation of free radicals associated with joint disease. Manganese sulphate is an essential cofactor in your pet’s Glycosaminoglycan synthesis.

“Over the last three years we have completely overhauled the line of supplementary foods for the joint health of companion animals. We now offer Condrovet ® Force HA, Condrovet® Force HA for Large Breeds, and Condrovet® for Puppies. All of these boast a unique scientifically backed formula, both due to the dose and combination of its ingredients”, explains Alfonso Velasco, director of Bioiberica Companion Animal Health.

CALENDAR MEAT & POULTRY INDUSTRY RUSSIA 2021 MOSCOW | MAY 17-19 VIV TURKEY 2021 ISTANBUL | JUNE 10-12 ILDEX VIETNAM 2021 HO CHI MINH | JULY 21-23 POULTRY AFRICA 2021 KIGALI | SEPTEMBER 1-2 VIV QINGDAO 2021 QINGDAO | SEPTEMBER 15-17

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MEAT PRO ASIA 2021 BANGKOK | SEPTEMBER 22-24 BANGKOK | SEPTEMBER 22-24 VIV MEA 2021 ABU DHABI | NOVEMBER 23-25 ILDEX INDONESIA 2021 JAKARTA | NOVEMBER 24-26 VICTAM AND ANIMAL HEALTH AND NUTRITION ASIA 2022 BANGKOK | JANUARY 18-20

Organized by

JANUARY-MARCH 2021

VIV EUROPE 2022 UTRECHT | MAY 31-2 JUNE

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10 NEWS

CHORE-TIME’S NEW DIRECT-DRIVE ENDURA® FANS OFFER LOW MAINTENANCE, SUPERIOR EFFICIENCY

Chore-Time has introduced direct-drive models of its innovative ENDURA® Fan. The new 57-inch (145-cm) directdrive fans meet grower requests for low maintenance, while maximizing energy efficiency through variable-speed capabilities.

With no belts, pulleys or bearings, the direct-drive motor eliminates the need for regular greasing, as well as other

common maintenance needs on ventilation systems. For further reliability, the materials used in the proven ENDURA Fan design were strategically selected to provide corrosion resistance, high strength and maximum durability in both extreme high and extreme low temperatures.

The direct-drive ENDURA Fans efficiently produce one of the highest airflow ratings in the industry. Variable speed functionality allows growers to achieve further energy savings by slowing the fan whenever the air flow requirements allow. Fan speed is controlled automatically by a CHORE-TRONICS® 3 Controller, in combination with a variable frequency drive.

Even greater efficiency comes

from the use of Chore-Time’s HYFLO® Shutters featured on the ENDURA Fans. HYFLO Shutters do not suffer the typical 12- to 15-percent loss of efficiency and air speed typical of dirty louver-style shutters, so air speed is maintained to the end of the flock, when it is needed most. HYFLO Shutters improve fan performance by minimizing obstructions during operation. A cable attachment helps maximize efficiency by allowing the HYFLO Doors to float left or right together.

Other features of the directdrive ENDURA Fans include a black, high-density polyethylene cone for light control and a long glass fiber composite shroud and HYFLO doors for durability.

#TOGETHERFOROURPLANET: BRITISH EMBASSY RIYADH LAUNCHES SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN TO ENCOURAGE ACTION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE As we recover from COVID-19, it is critical that we build back greener and more resilient, protecting the environment for future generations. Our world continues to get hotter, and climate change is a challenge for all. It is crucial that all countries and people take action to safeguard our planet.

The British Embassy in Riyadh launched the #TogetherForOurPlanet campaign, calling on all of society to pledge one climate action to stop climate change.

The campaign drives awareness about the impact of human actions on climate change, and calls on the private sector, institutions, individuals and

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the wider community in Saudi Arabia to do their part in helping to tackle global warming.

Individuals and organisations can share their pledge on their social media channels tagging @UKinSaudiArabia and using the campaign hashtags.

Speaking to social media influencer Rajeh AlHarthi, British Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Neil Crompton said: “Climate change is real and affects us all. Saudi leadership on climate and environment is critical as we accelerate progress towards achieving our global climate commitments.

At the Riyadh G20 Summit last year, under Saudi Presidency, world leaders supported the

Circular Carbon Economy framework, and reaffirmed commitments to the Paris Agreement. The UK and Saudi Arabia share common areas of focus, including on transitioning to clean energy, research into energy efficiency and green technologies, and protecting nature.

In November, the UK will host the UN climate change conference COP26, in Glasgow, in partnership with Italy.

COP26 is an opportunity and pivotal moment for countries to work together to combat climate change and commit to urgent action. Every one of us has a part to play. #TogetherForOurPlanet”

JANUARY-MARCH 2021

NEWS 11

VAXXINOVA US GAINS MARKET RIGHTS TO SRP CATTLE VACCINE FROM ZOETIS Vaxxinova US has acquired marketing rights from Zoetis for a vaccine against Salmonella in cattle.

Until now, the SRP Salmonella vaccine – the first USDA-licensed vaccine to use SRP technology – was manufactured by Vaxxinova US but marketed by Zoetis.

With the latest license acquisition, Vaxxinova US now owns the commercial rights to SRP Salmonella and will market the product under its new name, Vaxxon ® SRP ®.

Dr Larry Slinden, senior technical service vet in Vaxxinova’s US division, said: “At the end of the day, the only change is the name and the label. The same manufacturer, quality assurance and technical expertise are backing the product.”

Vaxxinova’s SRP vaccines are unique, as they use purified protein antigens to induce antibodies that recognize bacterial cell wall pores called siderophore receptors. Vaccines made from SRP proteins generate antibodies that block bacterial uptake of iron, which is a

critical nutrient for bacterial survival.

Earlier, Vaxxinova introduced its Vaxxon ® SRP ® SE vaccine against Salmonella enteritidis in poultry to the US market. This was the first SRP vaccine to be brought to the US market since the acquisition of Epitopix.

AKVA GROUP ACQUIRE 33.7% OF OBSERVE TECHNOLOGIES AKVA group has acquired 33.7% of the shares in Observe Technologies Ltd (Observe) to further strengthen its digital strategy, as presented at the recent Capital Markets Day. “We have been partners with Observe technologies on the development and delivery of their AI feeding solution since 2018, so it is great to be able to further strengthen the relationship by taking an equity stake,” says Andrew Campbell, COO International in AKVA group.

Observe, through partnership with AKVA, has successfully sold and delivered

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their artificial intelligence (AI) feeding solutions to more than 20 farm sites in 5 different countries. With this new agreement, AKVA and Observe will continue to develop and leverage their complimentary technologies and solutions using AI to partner with customers to improve fish performance.

“The AI technologies of Observe and the customer base of AKVA presents an exciting opportunity to bring new precision feeding solutions to fish farmers around the world to help improve growth and lower feed conversions,” Campbell says.

AKVA Observe has a growing presence also in the Nordic market the past years.

“We are experiencing an increased demand for AKVA Observe and positive feedback from customers.

Observation and analysis in realtime with instant and simple presentation of the data is key for effective operation. AKVA Observe is pure software that can be used with any kind of hardware e.g. existing cameras - thus no need for additional equipment in the cages to take advantage of AKVA Observe”, says Thomas Hoff, Sales Manager Software.

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12 NEWS

ALTOSID® IGR, THE INDUSTRY STANDARD FOR HORN FLY CONTROL, ANNOUNCES LOWER PRICE TO PROTECT CATTLE AND BOTTOM LINES Altosid® IGR, the industryleading feed-through insect growth regulator for horn fly control, is now available at a price of 2 to 3 cents per animal, per day. This lower price point improves the cost efficiency of Altosid ® IGR, a solution proven to dramatically lower horn fly populations on pasture and improve weight gains in treated cattle by as much as 15.8%.

“Altosid IGR has truly represented the gold standard for horn fly control for nearly 50 years, and we’re excited to make the best value in the industry even better,” said Mark Upton, director of sales for the Feed Additive Group at Central Life Sciences. “Horn flies are the number one economic pest

threat to cattle on pasture, so it was important to us to make Altosid IGR accessible to more operations of all sizes.”

Horn flies infest cattle on pasture with populations that can reach as high as 4,000 flies per animal in untreated herds. Even populations of 200 horn flies per animal can inflict up to 28,000 bites per day, which equates to a loss of two gallons of blood over the entire season. These losses from horn flies cost the industry an estimated $1 billion each year

due to the stress they inflict and cattle disease they spread, inciting weight loss as high as 50 pounds per yearling.

“Producers using Altosid IGR for horn fly control are not just protecting their cattle, they’re protecting their bottom line,” said Upton.

“We’ve conducted studies that have shown that at this new price, increased weight gains from treated cattle could potentially produce a return on investment of as much as 13:1 with Altosid IGR.”

BAG-IN-BOX FROM DINNISSEN CAN AUTOMATE ITS CUSTOMERS’ PRODUCTION PROCESSES ONE STEP FURTHER

Production lines become even more efficient with the new bag-in-box solution from system integrator Dinnissen Process Technology. This innovation makes it possible to place bags in boxes automatically, and to pack, label and transport these

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boxes fully automated. With this addition, Dinnissen can automate its customers’ production processes one step further.

Dinnissen’s bag-in-box solution adds one final process step to the production process of powders, granules or granulates. Bags and big-bags (FIBC) have already been automatically filled and sealed, but can now also be packed in boxes, as compactly as possible. The bag-in-box solution vibrates sealed bags flat, transports them via a conveyor belt to a funnel, after which the bags are automatically placed in boxes. If desired, the boxes are then labeled fully automatically.

With the bag-in-box solution, producers can compactly pack

up to 60 bags per hour into boxes.

Dinnissen Process Technology has been developing machines, complete production lines and customized solutions for the food, feed, pet food and chemical industries since 1948. The main focus is on the efficient handling and processing of powders, particles, and granulates. From product intake, conveying and handling, feeding and weighing, mixing and processing, milling and grinding, sifting and packaging: System integrator Dinnissen automates, optimises and innovates entire production processes with tailor-made solutions.

JANUARY-MARCH 2021

NEWS 13

OIL-DRI ANNOUNCES PATENT IN KOREA FOR NOVEL MINERAL-BASED FEED ADDITIVE FORMULATION FOR MODERN ANIMAL PROTEIN PRODUCTION Oil-Dri Corporation of America (NYSE: ODC), a leading manufacturer of sorbent minerals, doing business as Amlan International, announced that the Korean Intellectual Property Office has issued Patent 1021882090000 entitled “Clay Product and Uses Thereof.” The patent protects the unique and proprietary mineral-based technology of two of Amlan’s natural feed additives, Varium ® and NeoPrime ®, which help global producers meet consumer demands for high-quality antibiotic-free animal protein.

The patent provides a methodology for using a natural, mineral-based formulation to mitigate the effects of exposure to

pathogenic bacteria and the disease-causing toxins they produce, which damage gut health and function. Amlan’s mineral is specifically selected for its chemical composition to allow for optimal thermal activation, a proprietary process that is tailored to optimize the binding capacity of each product. Varium and NeoPrime are performance feed additives that promote intestinal health and function and can replace the need for in-feed antibiotic growth promoters.

Advancements in feed additive research and formulation are helping to transform animal protein production by providing proven and reliable alternatives to in-feed antibiotics used to promote

growth and productivity.

Last year, the United States and the EU issued similar patents for the formulation featured in Varium and NeoPrime. China issued a similar patent in 2018.

“Feedback on Varium from poultry integrators has been incredibly positive and recognized by many, including Fox Business Network’s INNOVATION NATION series.

Reports show poultry producers who incorporate Varium into their poultry production are able to improve the feed conversion rates and grow healthier birds that are less stressed and have increased the marketability of their products through improved skin, liver and feet quality,” says Dan Jaffee, President and CEO, OilDri Corporation of America.

EW GROUP ANNOUNCES THE ACQUISITION OF HYGIENA FROM WARBURG PINCUS TO FORM A LEADING FOOD SAFETY, VETERINARY AND ENVIRONMENTAL DIAGNOSTIC SOLUTIONS COMPANY EW GROUP, a German strategic holding company in the field of animal breeding, health, nutrition and diagnostics, announced the acquisition of Hygiena, a leader in food safety and environmental testing solutions. The terms of the transaction have not been disclosed. The transaction is expected to close in March 2021.

Hygiena, headquartered in Camarillo, California, USA, with 9 locations around the world, develops, manufactures and distributes food safety and environmental diagnostic

JANUARY-MARCH 2021

solutions. The products are sold in over 100 countries to more than 10,000 customers.

For two decades, Hygiena has been committed to providing accurate and easy-to-usediagnostic tests, supported by the most knowledgeable technical service teams in the industry.

“We have always been committed to providing the best-in-class diagnostics and customer support around the world. This new partnership with EW GROUP will accelerate our growth, enhance our global capabilities, and expand

our portfolio of products for our customers,” said Steven Nason, CEO of Hygiena. “I couldn’t have imagined a better outcome for Hygiena and our Hygiena team. We are so excited to continue our mission within EW GROUP and look forward to joining forces with the BioChek and Biotecon teams. Warburg Pincus has been an amazing partner in our journey over the past four and a half years. I would like to thank them for their close partnership, invaluable contribution and strategic insight.”

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14 NEWS

RESEARCH AND INNOVATION IN ANIMAL HEALTH: A STRENGTHENED PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN INRAE AND CEVA SANTÉ ANIMALE Philippe Mauguin, CEO of INRAE and Dr. Marc Prikazsky, Chairman & CEO of Ceva Santé Animale (Ceva), signed a first framework agreement aimed at consolidating their collaboration in animal health. This signature comes in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic and the outbreak of avian influenza in France. It affirms a shared objective of conducting joint “One Health” work, a global health concept at the crossroads of animal, human and environmental health and in particular, the prevention of infectious diseases of animal origin and the improvement of animal welfare.

The Covid-19 pandemic, most likely, an infectious disease of animal origin (zoonoses) and the recent wave of avian influenza impacting Europe, have highlighted the need to build

knowledge of the potential risks for the emergence of new epidemics, as well as the necessity to either prevent them or improve control solutions. For over 40 years, INRAE, led by the Carnot France Futur Elevage Institute and Ceva, the leading French-based veterinary biopharmaceutical company, have been conducting joint projects to develop new pharmaceuticals and vaccines for farm animals.

The existing partnership in addition to licensing INRAE technologies, involves many forms of collaboration, including exchange of laboratory personnel, testing of anti-infective treatments and vaccines and several joint research projects.

The two share a common vision of how to transform current farming practices to be as sustainable and

animal welfare-friendly.

This agreement provides a framework for action priorities in terms of research, innovation and economic development, and intensifies their interactions in two areas: Area 1: Diagnosis, Prevention and Treatment of Infectious Diseases • Early detection/diagnosis of diseases (precision breeding and artificial intelligence, “bedside” diagnosis) • Vaccines and immunostimulants • Antibiotics and alternative treatments (pre-probiotics, bacteriophages, etc.)

Area 2: Optimization of Production and Animal Welfare • Optimization of reproduction (fertility, fecundity) and milk production • Improvement of animal welfare (behaviour/ pheromones)

SOMMET DE L’ÉLEVAGE THE BEGINNING OF A NEW ERA

This year, the SOMMET DE L’ELEVAGE celebrates its 30 th birthday. It’s a great occasion for our show to begin a new era with several new features: •The show becomes a 4-day event • A new 10,000 m²

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exhibition hall is under construction • The SOMMET goes digital And not forgetting all the usual highlights of our packed programme, including this year the organization

of the Aubrac and Simmental breeds national championships, a new Exhibitors’ gala evening, etc.

The SOMMET continues to reinvent itself, rising to new challenges, and this new edition is definitely placed under the sign of revival.

Save the date for the 5, 6, 7 and 8 October in ClermontFerrand, France!

JANUARY-MARCH 2021

NEWS 15

IFF OBTAINS OMRI LISTING FOR ENVIVA® PROVALEN PLUS Danisco Animal Nutrition now part of IFF (NYSE: IFF), announced that the U.S.-based Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI) has reviewed its poultry probiotic Enviva® Provalen Plus and it is now included in the OMRI Products Lists©.

Enviva® Provalen Plus is used in the production in the livestock feed ingredients to help support the needs of the organic poultry markets. It is “allowed with restrictions” for use in compliance with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Organic Program. The use restrictions are important qualifications developed by OMRI to provide producers in certified organic systems with guidance to ensure they use the product in a manner that is compliant with the standards.

Enviva® Provalen Plus is a five-strain Bacillus probiotic feed additive for poultry litter

management. The additive comprises two distinct groups of bacteria with unique properties: • Three strains of enzymeproducing bacteria selected specifically to digest poultry manure, thus promoting the natural drying of litter.

• Two unique strains of bioactive peptide-producing bacteria selected for inhibition of specific bacterial populations in the litter, like coli and C. perfringens, thereby maintaining lower ammonia levels and lower bacterial challenge.

Enviva® Provalen Plus has a dual mode of action that inhibits the growth of pathogenic bacteria in the litter, while also reducing environmental impact, improving the quality by reducing undigested nutrients and promoting beneficial bacteria.

The product is proven to be the best natural, in-feed litter control product to constantly support live production managers in their day-to-day operations. Good litter conditions lead to improved health and performance of the birds.

FEED INDUSTRY CAN EXPECT REGULATORY SHIFTS, NEW PRIORITIES The American Feed Industry Association (AFIA) hosted its annual Feed Education Program recently, covering what the animal food industry can expect on food and worker safety from U.S. federal agencies in 2021 and what to look out for when improving biosecurity at feed facilities.

“More than 260 feed industry personnel joined us in learning what is coming down the pike from a new administration and how it could affect our businesses,” said Gary Huddleston, AFIA’s director of feed manufacturing

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and regulatory affairs. “We know for sure that there will be coronavirus-related safety protections heading our way from OSHA, such as a potential Emergency Temporary Standard, in addition to increased inspections and enforcement.”

The program discussed upcoming priorities for the Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Labor and Occupational Safety and Hazard Administration; the Food and Drug Administration’s inspection plans for 2021; educational opportunities from the AFIA; an update on the AFIA’s Feed Facility

of the Year program; and the latest food safety and biosecurity practices for feed facilities.

“Water is the number one area to look at when improving biosecurity in a feed facility,” said Richard Obermeyer, Aviagen’s director of feed production.

“Standing water is a bacterial reservoir and a major fomite for viruses and salmonella. Getting rid of any possible water spots is a must.”

The 2022 AFIA Feed Education Program will take place Jan. 26 in Atlanta, Ga., during the International Production & Processing Expo (IPPE).

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16 NEWS

GLOBAL FISHERIES AND AQUACULTURE HARD HIT BY COVID-19 PANDEMIC, SAYS FAO REPORT Global fisheries and aquaculture have been hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic and could face further disruption in 2021 as lockdowns affect supply and demand across the sector, according to a report by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

The report, The impact of COVID-19 on fisheries and aquaculture food systems, was featured during the 34th session of the Committee on Fisheries (COFI) hosted by FAO. Fish supply, consumption and trade revenues for 2020 are all expected to have declined due

to containment restrictions, the report noted, while global aquaculture production is expected to fall by some 1.3 per cent, the first fall recorded by the sector in several years.

“The pandemic has caused widespread upheaval in fisheries and aquaculture as production has been disrupted, supply chains have been interrupted and consumer spending restricted by various lockdowns,” said FAO Deputy Director-General, Maria Helena Semedo.

“Containment measures have provoked far-reaching changes, many of which are

likely to persist in the long term.”

While food itself is not responsible for the transmission of COVID-19 to people, the report stressed every stage of the fisheries and aquaculture supply chain is susceptible to being disrupted or stopped by containment restrictions.

INTRODUCING X-STREAMER™: PETERSIME’S NEW INCUBATOR THAT TURNS DATA INTO MAXIMUM HATCHERY PERFORMANCE

Petersime continues to push incubator technology forward and is proud to announce its new generation of single-stage incubators. The X-Streamer™ is the world’s first intelligent incubator that turns data into maximum hatchery performance thanks to a unique combination of built-in intelligence, patented Embryo-Response Incubation™

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technology and advanced design features.

With hatcheries becoming larger and more integrated, data and traceability have become increasingly important. In answer to this trend, Petersime has developed the X-Streamer™, the first intelligent incubator that knows which eggs are on board and uses this knowledge to guide its users to the best incubation practices and results; not only for eggs from easy-to-incubate midage flocks, but also for more challenging young and old flocks.

The X-Streamer™ brings

powerful software and tools to the hatchery that help hatchery managers maximise their hatchery profit.

Based on information about the hatching eggs and their background, the software built into the X-Streamer™ automatically provides accurate programming information for each specific batch of eggs.

“The intelligent functions of the X-Streamer™ ensure that hatchery managers can maximise incubation performance, while making working procedures for hatchery operators simple and error-free”, says Rudy Verhelst, Business Development Manager at Petersime. “What is more, the software offers full traceability at hatchery level and provides extra insight in the hatchery operations by connecting data. This way, big data from a hatchery’s perspective become a reality.”

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NEWS 17

ANIMAL FEED ENZYMES MARKET WORTH $1.88 BILLION BY 2026 | CAGR 7.3% The global animal feed enzymes market size is expected to reach USD 1.88 billion by 2026 and is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 7.3 % from 2018 to 2026.

The market is anticipated to grow significantly over the forecast period owing to factors such as rising cost of feedstock, increasing meat consumption and rising pressure to increase the overall animal yield. The market is also anticipated to grow due to the rising awareness regarding the benefits of animal feed enzymes particularly in emerging regions such as Asia Pacific.

These additives result in the maintenance of proper overall health of animals. They result in the improvement of digestion of essential nutrients such as proteins as well as increase in the availability of amino acids. They also offset the negative effects of undigested nutrients in the gut health. Such trends are benefitting the overall market growth.

There has been a rapid growth in the overall world population thus putting strain on the available food resources. This has

put pressure on the animal husbandry participants to maximize output while reducing the usage of resources. Enzymes aid in these efforts as they help in proper absorption as well as digestion of nutrients.

Grains which are normally utilized in the production of animal feed such as barley, corn and wheat have hard coating which does not completely break even during the milling process.

The coating is indigestible.

However, these additives result in the degradation of these cover molecules thus aiding the overall digestive process of animals as well as the proper maintenance of gut health.

Meat is considered as an essential part of the diet as it incorporates many valuable

nutrients that are highly beneficial for health. Meat and meat products contain protein, micronutrients, and minerals that are beneficial for growth and development.

Moreover, meat processing offers improved food safety, reduced price, and extended shelf life. Rising demand of meat across the globe is expected to favorably benefit the market growth.

Asia Pacific is the most lucrative regional market, where the latest demand has been supported by rising demand of the developing countries, primarily of Southeast Asian region and Indian Subcontinent. China, Japan, Western Europe, and the United States are some of the countries contributing significantly for the industry growth.

INTRODUCING THE RUCHENNA DUCK HATCHERY Introducing the “Anas” Poultry Farm and Hatchery owned by Anna and Marcin Fratczak in Ruchenna 27, Poland.

The hatchery was commissioned in 2019 and

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utilises eight EmTech Single Stage PrimoTech ‘high capacity’ Setters using the 60 egg stackable tray and three VidaTech VT240D, 15 stack, hatchers.

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18 NEWS

LANTMÄNNEN INVESTS IN ROBOTIC MILKING FROM DELAVAL

With seven new DeLaval VMS™ robots Nötcenter Viken strives to reach new production levels.

Lantmännen has in recent years conducted several successful projects to increase the production results from its test farm, Nötcenter Viken, in Falköping, Sweden. To increase the production levels even further, the old rotary is now being replaced by seven milking robots - DeLaval VMS™ V300 and DeLaval VMS™ V310.

“The business investments that we have done in the last years have paid off, and the primary reason for that is high quality feed and well-balanced rations, together with great management. We now have a milk production level very close to 13,000 kg ECM. Going forward, we want to take the production and the tests to the next level, and for that we need new milking equipment.

The new robots will allow us to better utilise the cows’ full potential, as well as improving our feed trials,” says Ulrika Nilsson, Operations Manager at Nötcenter Viken.

There are two barns at Nötcenter Viken that host 450 dairy cows and 500 heifers and calves in total. One of

the barns will be equipped with four VMS™ V300 that has several unique features, including DeLaval PureFlow™, a separate wash cup that cleans and prepares the teats and DeLaval InSight™, an advanced camera- and software combination that result in an efficient milking process. The second barn will host three VMS™ V310, which in addition to the technical features of the V300, includes DeLaval RePro™, a feature that detects heat and pregnancy by measuring the progesterone levels in the milk based on an advanced bio model.

The installation project will soon commence and is planned to be finalised during September 2021.

EXPERTISE IN NEW COBB BROILER BREEDER MANAGEMENT GUIDE HELPS CUSTOMERS OPTIMIZE FLOCK PERFORMANCE The new Cobb Broiler Breeder Management Guide includes expanded, updated, and newly added technical expertise in broiler breeder production management to help customers succeed.

The company’s latest recommendations in the influential handbook are intended to help support more yield, better feed conversion, and healthy flocks for customers.

“As part of the Cobb commitment to quality, we work hard every day to make sure customers have access to the latest expertise that will help products reach maximum performance,” said Cody Polley, director of world tech

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support. “This broiler breeder handbook is important to customers and helps make quality protein accessible, healthy, and affordable worldwide.”

The guide covers topics such as feed management, chick management, water

management, egg handling, and biosecurity best practices alongside extensive new information and important updates.

All management guides and supplements are housed on Cobb’s website www.cobb-vantress.com.

JANUARY-MARCH 2021

20 VETERINARY VACCINES

FOR VACCINES

GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY FOR BETTER PROTECTION

M

EVAC is the first and largest private factory for manufacturing vaccines in Egypt, the Middle East and Africa) officially launched in 2011 with an “Egyptian & American partnership” utilizing the most recent global technologies in the vaccines production with an international quality standard to serve livestock, poultry & fish with more than 330 Employees working inside MEVAC and more than 55 innovative Vaccines for Poultry, Ruminants, Aqua, & Equine, reach more than 15 countries in 2020 & will reach more than 30 countries around the world by 2023.

MEVAC is International Facility (American Egyptian) for Veterinary Vaccines Production with International Accreditations “Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) Following WHO Guidelines, ISO 9001, ISO 18001, ISO 45001”.

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MEVAC Vision

Providing High Quality Effective Solutions for Better Animal Health with International Quality Standards.

MEVAC Mission

Ensure safety, potency and efficacy of veterinary vaccines using international technology standards to defend the community against the threats of emerging infectious diseases by customizing vaccines for local specific diseases.

MEVAC plays an important role in improving and protecting animal health in order to protect human health, food safety and reach a healthy community by reducing the spread of epidemic diseases that are constantly changing and threatening livestock in order to increase production and protect the economy.

MEVAC interested in the field of Research and Development (6.5% from total revenue) through a specialized

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VETERINARY VACCINES 21

team focus on knowledge, science, technology, research and development with the latest international standards with more than 58 scientific publications aims to find integrated and innovative solutions for human & animal health.

MEVAC always provides the best innovative solutions to serve livestock, poultry & fish industry with high-quality vaccines for better protection against the recent threats like: • MEFLUVAC Avian Influenza H5 Vaccines Range (for protection against H5N1 – H5N8).

• MEFLUVAC Avian Influenza H9 Vaccines Range (for protection against recent H9N2).

• MEVAC ND7 Plus Range (for Protection against NDv

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genotype VII).

• MEVAC Multi IB Range (for Protection against IB Classic & Variant strains).

• MEVAC IB VAR2 (for protection against IB VAR2 strain).

Also for Livestock industry like: • MEVAC Aphthovac (for protection against Foot & Mouth Disease FMD 7 Strains) • MEVAC LSD (for protection against Lumpy skin disease LSD Neethling Strain) • MEVAC Sheep pox (for protection against sheep pox RM30 Strain) MEVAC reach to the global presence in less than 10 years of success and excellence in the veterinary vaccine market in Egypt, bypassing all international standards and statistics in the field of animal health.

Dr. Magdy El-Sayed, CEO

For more information, visit www.me-vac.com

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22 MANURE MANAGEMENT

Improper Disposal of Poultry and Livestock Wastes “Especially Wet Manure” will be Disastrous to Farms and Environment (WEB)

(Video)

D

ue to unstable environment caused by global warming and continuous innovations of advance technology equipment, many farmers now are force to “Shift from Traditional Cages into Fully Automatic System or Battery Cages”. However, it has an adverse effect as it will give you a challenge in handling or managing the wet manure that will be taken out every day.

Nowadays, many farmers main concerned is how to get rid of the wet manure.

For proper treatment of the wastes, Kohshin has the right solution through effective way of composting. Kohshin has various model of Dryer & Composting machines where they are designed to cater small to larger amount of wastes.

Thru continuous innovation, Kohshin has develop additional system such as Pre-Composting, Scrubber, Aeration and

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Compo-master (Used for data monitoring using Sensors at Pre-composting).

During the process thru Kohshin system, beneficial microorganism will be generated such as mesophilic (25-40oC) and thermophilic (40-75oC) bacteria that will generate heat. At every level of temperature, different bacteria will exist and they will release enzymes which are beneficial to the plants. As a result of effective processing using

Kohshin technology, the final product will be dried & odorless, free of bad pathogens, pelletized & uniformly sized, harmless to the plants, easy to handle & apply. With the mentioned characteristics, product will be safer to use, valuable and easy to sell compare to the unprocessed or partially composted final products.

For more information, visit www.kohshin-s.jp

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REPRODUCTION 23

Tips to target better beef reproduction

R

eproductive loss has a large impact on the performance of northern beef herds, so MLA has developed a toolbox of information to provide practical steps to get more calves on the ground.

There are many reasons for calf loss (in utero or post calving) but unless calves are examined soon after abortion or death, it can be difficult to determine the cause.

Understanding the causes of reproductive loss is important to find a solution, to lift whole herd productivity as well as increase profitability, as every breeder that fails to produce a weaner can reduce business income by approximately $400/head.

MLA’s suite of Reproductive Performance Tips & Tools helps producers improve the reproductive performance of their herd.

The first step is to determine when losses are occurring to work out if the problem is failure to conceive, abortion or losses at or after calving.

3. Benchmark maiden heifer performance: Low pregnancy rates in maiden heifers may mean they were below critical mating weight at joining. If they are above critical mating weight, this may indicate an underlying disease exists.

4. Assess fat breeder cows: Most cows should be pregnant to achieve the goal of one well grown weaner per breeder, per year. A non lactating cow at pregnancy diagnosis suggests abortion or calf loss. Fat, non lactating and non pregnant cows suggest a permanent infertility problem.

Dig deeper with data

Another way to determine what’s causing reproductive loss is to submit samples for analysis from non pregnant breeders or deceased calves.

Sampling and recording data can help identify reproductive diseases. Consult your veterinarian on how to collect and store samples for

pathological diagnosis.

When collecting samples, focus on: Cow history: Accurately record identity, the property identification code (PIC), age, pregnancy status, lactation status and body condition score for animals sampled.

Calf/foetal/placenta specimens: Collect a fresh foetus, deceased calf or placenta (if available). If a veterinarian is unavailable to collect, keep fresh specimens chilled until one can be contacted.

Cow samples: Collect 15–30 blood samples and vaginal swabs from identified mobs of non pregnant and pregnant cows. Keep records for each cow sampled.

Bull samples: Collect swabs from the prepuce of bulls where the pregnancy rate is low or a venereal disease is suspected in the breeder herd.

For more information, visit www.mla.com.au

Here are four tips to diagnose reproductive loss on farm this autumn:

1. Check cow body condition: If pregnant cows are in body condition score less than 2.5, nutrition could be an issue – check their pastures and supplementation program.

2. Review pregnancy status of different age groups: Lower pregnancy rates in first calf cows than mature cows can indicate nutritional issues.

JANUARY-MARCH 2021

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24 BIOSECURITY

Authors: Oscar Jaime Betancur (Independent advisor) Cristian Giraldo Ríos (Elanco Animal Health, Colombia)

B

iosecurity is a fundamental pillar of livestock production, which allows preserving the health status of the animals. Biosecurity focuses on preventing both the possible entry of infectious agents, and their spread within the farm. At a global level, there are multiple biosafety studies and protocols that are recommended for livestock farms; the implementation of any of these must be based on the epidemiological reality of each farm. Any investment to prevent the entry of infectious agents will pay off financially

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by maintaining the health of the animals, humans and the environment, one health concept, and obviously the productivity of the animals. Pest control is a fundamental part of biosecurity protocols. It is always suggested to use products (disinfectants, pesticides, vaccines, etc.) of proven efficacy and good quality.

Mini Review Health, one of the basic pillars of animal production, nowadays finds its best ally in the implementation of biosafety practices. Poultry farmers and pig farmers have come a long way in this regard; however, in some parts of the world, cattle farming systems remain in a

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BIOSECURITY 25

Biosafety in livestock facilities, the road to efficient productivity

“sanitary comfort” zone, where biosecurity programs are not optimally used [1]. When we talk about biosecurity, we talk about prevention. Preventing the introduction of harmful agents (pathogens, toxins or pests) to a farm is known as bioexclusion; on the other hand, to prevent the spread of harmful agents within the farm it is called biocontainment [2]. The main objectives of biosecurity in livestock farms are to preserve the sanitary status of animals and ensure the production of safe food [3].

Some of the benefits of biosecurity on livestock farms include: improving animal health and welfare, which translate into increased productivity, and therefore greater efficiency and profitability; produce safe, healthy and high quality meat, milk and

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its derivatives; help prevent the introduction of external diseases; decrease the economic losses of some diseases that cannot be treated or controlled using vaccines or other management strategies (for example, leukosis); minimize the spread of infectious agents from one region to another and from one stable to another; reduce disease treatment costs; reduce the use of medications; increase consumer and buyer confidence; protects human health; maximizes genetic export markets [4]. The resources necessary to protect against the incursion of a disease can be compared to the impact of the disease in the event that biosecurity fails. It has been possible to determine a positive cost-benefit ratio of 1: 1.6 (for every dollar invested there is a return of 1.6 dollars) in favor of the implementation of a biosafety program [5].

A biosecurity program is normally developed from a risk assessment process, where the most epidemiologically important diseases for the particular farm are identified; later, a plan is developed to prevent the

introduction of harmful agents or their spread within the herd, which requires an optimal understanding of their biology and epidemiology.

The next step is the implementation of the program and finally its evaluation [6]. The plan must be written as a standard operating procedure of strict compliance, and must be socialized and understood by all the employees of the farm, here the alignment between the producer, the veterinarian and all the employees of the company is key [7].

In general, livestock biosecurity programs should include: a) external barriers, such as functional perimeter fences, closed entrance door and with warning signs for visitors, defined parking area and away from animals, sanitary showers [2]; b) plan for the introduction of new animals, buy only animals with a known sanitary status, buy certified semen free of diseases, an adequate quarantine process that allows total isolation with the other cattle on the ranch (they should not share water, food, feces, or contaminated fomites), constant clinical diagnosis and laboratory tests, initiation of the

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26 BIOSECURITY

vaccination and antiparasitic plan [8]; c) quality food and drinking water; d) cleaning and disinfection plan of vehicles, facilities, tools, equipment [2], boots (correct use of foot baths or disinfection mats [9]), for which it is essential to use products of proven efficacy, and ideally disinfectants that act on presence of organic matter; e) farm staff and visitors, use the stable’s own clothing (boots and overalls), records of entry and origin of external personnel, quarantine of visitors, adequate personal hygiene, employee training programs [10]; f) biofertilization of paddocks with manure, in case the local authorities allow its use, it is very important to know the pathogenic load of any manure that is used for this purpose and its sanitary implications; ideally if that manure is previously bioremediated or sanitized before use g) pest control, implement disinsection practices (especially flies) and rodent control [3].

Today integrated pest management has been commonly referred as bioprotection. Pests are an economic, health and social problem, due to food contamination, damage to facilities, transmission of infectious agents, reduced production, as well as being a constant nuisance

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for animals and employees. Its epidemiological importance is such that pest control is suggested as a critical control point within livestock facilities [11].

It has been determined, for example, that a rodent can consume 10% of its body weight daily and contaminate 10 times what it is consumed [12]. Rodents can consume and contaminate the balanced feed with feces, urine, and hair, reducing palatability for livestock [13], or worse, contaminated feed represents a significant risk of infection for cattle, as it is clearly established the role of rodents as vectors of a wide number of pathogens, including Leptospira spp., Salmonella spp., Cryptosporidium spp., among others [14]. On the other hand, house flies (Musca

domestica) are a nuisance for employees and animals, and if not controlled, they can irritate cows, reduce feed conversion and milk production due to the stress they cause in animals. Flies are carriers of a large number of infectious agents; its relationship with infectious mastitis, has been verified, and severe infestations can increase the bacterial count in milk [15]. Control of flies and rodents must be carried out under an integrated pest management model, which requires discipline, creativity, and the use of products with proven efficacy.

In summary, ranchers need to be aware of the importance of biosecurity plans in their herds. Prevention will always be better than cure. Any biosecurity program must be adjusted to the epidemiological conditions of each farm, as well as the available resources.

Comprehensive pest control is a key element as a biocontainment and bioexclusion mechanism in livestock herds. Preserving the health status of our animals is the best way for an efficient production.

For more information & references request, please email to: cristian.giraldo1@elancoah.com obetancur@hotmail.com

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ANIMAL HEALTH 27

Mycotoxins: An opponent you must not disregard

L

ivestock producers and feed experts know that the symptoms of toxic metabolites from fungi are diverse. This often makes it difficult to link problems on the farm specifically to mycotoxins.

And yet they are accountable for global losses of up to 1.2 billion US dollars every year!

To help poultry farmers detect the threat to their animals, our partner Zydus in India conducts regular mycotoxin analytical studies. These studies focus on detecting mycotoxins in the feed to determine whether animal health or performance is reduced due to these harmful toxins. A broad range of mycotoxins is analysed to detect potential contamination by more than one mycotoxin, which can

lead to even greater problems due to negative synergistic effects between the various mycotoxins.

High-performance mycotoxin binders such as Anta®Ferm MT80 are always the right choice, because they are effective against a broad spectrum of mycotoxins. This allows livestock owners and breeders to protect their feed without any negative effects on nutritional value.

Multiple mycotoxins exposed: Feed analyses reveal the extent of the problem

In a recent study conducted by Zydus Animal Health in India, 50 feed samples were collected and tested for the most common

Figure 1: Proportion of contaminated feed samples by number of mycotoxins detected above threshold

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mycotoxins. The results (Figure 1) show that all feed samples were contaminated by at least two mycotoxins and, in the case of 81% of the feed samples, even three or more. This shows how serious the threat of multimycotoxicosis for Indian poultry farmers, feed manufacturers and the global poultry industry really.

Required action

Sophisticated quality control measures and proper storage conditions are two important factors in the battle against mycotoxins. These are to be coupled with the use of highly effective mycotoxin binders, which should be applied as early as possible. Due to its ability to bind a wide range of mycotoxins, the multicomponent binder Anta®Ferm MT80 is a proven measure in acute mycotoxin poisoning, especially if feed is contaminated by more than one mycotoxin. Moreover, since it has no negative impact on valuable nutrients, it can also be safely applied to prevent mycotoxicosis.

So act now and benefit from the properties of this product.

For more information, visit www.dr-eckel.de

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28 ANIMAL NUTRITION

DAIRY PRODUCERS CONTINUE TO ADOPT THE KESSENT® PRODUCT RANGE FOR RUMINANT NUTRITION

K

emin Industries, a global ingredient manufacturer that strives to sustainably transform the quality of life every day for 80 percent of the world with its products and services, realizes noticeable growth in market share of amino acids for ruminants just one year after launching KESSENT®, it’s product range of Methionine solutions, for customers in the EMENA (Europe, Middle East, North Africa) region.

One year after bringing the KESSENT product range to market, Kemin Animal Nutrition and Health – EMENA believes it has successfully started a new era in amino acid implementation.

“Every day, Kemin feeds more than 400,000 milking cows in the EMENA region with our solutions, and we are seeing increasing interest – via customer requests – for our Methionine and Lysine supplements for use

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in dairy sheep, goat and beef cattle daily formulations,” said Diego Martinez del Olmo, Product Manager – Amino Acids, Kemin Animal Nutrition and Health – EMENA. “The work we have conducted over the years has focused on the need for amino acid implementation in every ruminant diet, which is clearly proving beneficial, as we are now in partnership with more than 200 customers to ensure that ruminant diets are formulated with amino acids.”

Last year, Kemin Animal Nutrition and Health – EMENA debuted its KESSENT product range, which was born from the company’s expertise in encapsulation technology.

The introduction of KESSENT completed the business unit’s

Ruminant Essentialities portfolio, making Kemin the only provider of both Methionine and Lysine in a reliable way and the only partner to provide customers with the support and know-how to achieve optimal results.

“Kemin pioneered the entire amino acid balancing concept.

Today, we are reaching and perfecting the next level in ruminant nutrition through extensive services, solution offerings and technical expertise,” said Javier Mateos, Senior Ruminant Business Manager, Kemin Animal Nutrition and Health – EMENA. “The amino acid balancing concept strongly relies on rumen-protected Lysine, LysiGEM™, a product fully based

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ANIMAL NUTRITION 29

on our proprietary technology. By launching KESSENT, we have a complete amino acid balancing solution,” said Mateos.

The KESSENT product range includes KESSENT® M, the best source of metabolizable Methionine due to a unique encapsulation and core technology, and KESSENT® MF, a pellet-stable, rumen-protected

JANUARY-MARCH 2021

Methionine available in Liquid, Dry and Arome Dry forms. The KESSENT MF product range is a novel, cost-effective Methionine solution for high-temperature feed manufacturing processes and the only solution to prevent rumen degradation and meet Methionine requirements.

In the past decade, the dairy nutrition industry in the EMENA region has realised that a close working partnership between customer and company – in combination with the right solutions and technical expertise – is necessary for successful nutrition implementation. Based on its industry knowledge and expertise, Kemin continues to serve the market with the best products and services.

With its five-step evaluation process, Kemin Animal Nutrition and Health – EMENA offers customers reliable guidance by using data from different scientific studies conducted in various universities around the world. These studies have provided consistent results with regards to stability and reliable matrix values.

“Our goal is to continue expanding our solutions offering so we can address the needs of our customers and deliver essential nutrients for their animals as sustainably, efficiently and effectively as possible,” said Mateos.

To achieve this, Kemin Animal Nutrition and Health – EMENA has broadened and

strengthened its team of experts and created a digital Lifelong Learning platform for customers to share knowledge, insights and expertise.

“Our platform has three main goals. First, we want to generate, adapt and transfer new scientific insights for the most profitable implementation on the farm – not just at the theoretical level. Second, Kemin will provide customers with the continuous training and support that is crucial to achieving their best results. Lastly, we will make sure every product application is tailored to our customers’ specific needs, which is only possible when we work in close partnership. This is critical to our customers’ success which, in turn, becomes our success, as well,” said Mateos.

As Kemin Animal Nutrition and Health – EMENA sees changes in customer priorities across the entire region, it is adapting its own strategy. In 2021, Kemin customers will have an expanded portfolio of products and services, with particular focus on environmentally responsible production. These solutions will address nitrogen excretion, CO2, carbon footprint and animal welfare while supporting customers with the necessary calculations and evaluation. Kemin’s sustainable solutions impact customers and the environment by reducing nitrogen and phosphorus excretion, along with improving responsible raw material usage – beneficial not only for lifecycle analysis and animal welfare, but also for milk producers and end-users.

For more information, visit www.kemin.com

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30 FODDER EQUIPMENT

THE RIGHT EQUIPMENT FOR FODDER CROPS

F

ounded by the Caligari family in Pralboino, in the province of Brescia in North Italy, the farming company Crocetta has been rearing dairy cows for over eighty years.

All the activities undertaken by the company, from animal

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husbandry to cultivating fodder crops in the surrounding countryside, translate into a single, genuine end product: high-quality milk.

Nowadays the company is run by Angelo Caligari, who every day passionately takes forward the business

he inherited from his father and uncles. It is work which requires a lot of care and dedication, and which every day sees Angelo and his staff busy from the crack of dawn to late afternoon.

“Here the morning starts early – says Angelo Caligari -

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FODDER EQUIPMENT 31

tires offer you? For sure, great stability and perfect control of the vehicle. The tractor does not lose power or speed, which makes our work in the fields much easier – Angelo notes.

“We needed a product which would let us have the best possible ride, both on the road and in the field. AGRIMAX FORCE tires provided a perfect answer to this need thanks to their IF technology which lets you work on different types of terrain without having to change tire pressure. Lastly, the product’s properties and features ensure the cleaning of the tire in just a few minutes once you leave the field.”

AGRIMAX FORCE is the highly innovative BKT product designed to equip large, powerful tractors on every type of terrain, thus improving their performance.

The IF technology which is a feature of these tires ensures that vehicles can have a wider tireprint and so excellent

flotation on the ground, thus reducing the impact on the soil.

Resistance, traction, speed and flexibility are without question the qualities which best characterize AGRIMAX FORCE tires.

“These tires really meet all our needs, simplifying the day to day work we do in the field. It is equipment which helps us manage our land and so preserve its health and thus contribute to the final production of high-quality milk.”

Fully meeting the needs of customers: this is one of BKT’s most important goals and the company is constantly working to expand and increase the efficiency of its tire ranges.

That is why BKT Stories, i.e. the first-hand experience of the ambassadors who use BKT tires, such as Angelo Caligari, are essential for the brand.

For more information, visit www.bkt-tires.com

at 6 we start work in the sheds and this goes on to around 9, after which and until the end of the day we focus on managing and cultivating our fields where the fodder used to feed our herd grows.”

In order to optimize the work in the field, Angelo decided to fit out his John Deere 8360 R tractor with BKT’s best-selling tires, AGRIMAX FORCE. “What advantages do these

JANUARY-MARCH 2021

LIVESTOCK & POULTRY ME

32 POULTRY

Aviagen Anadolu Achieves a First for the Turkish Poultry Industry with Compartment Status Turkey becomes Aviagen’s fourth production base to achieve compartment status worldwide

A

s a result of excellent biosecurity standards, Aviagen® Anadolu officially obtained compartmentalization status from the Turkish Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry on October 27, 2020. This allows the company to continue to deliver birds to customers all over Turkey and the Middle East and to countries who

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have formally recognized and accepted compartment status, when an Avian Influenza (AI) outbreak has occurred in other parts of the country.

Aviagen Anadolu production facilities were inspected by the Turkish Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry within the scope of the “Directive on the Definition and Declaration

of Compartments Free From Mandatory-to-report Avian Influenza” prepared under the “Regulation on DiseaseFree Compartmentalization”, as a result of which Aviagen Anadolu received the compartment certificate approved by the Ministry on October 27, 2020 following the United Kingdom, US and Brazil,

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POULTRY 33

thanks to its efforts towards biosecurity.

Compartmentalization ensures that a company with compartment status can export from its establishments located in the defined compartments when the Avian Influenza disease occurs in a country or region.

Compartmentalization takes a proactive approach to prevent the disease from penetrating into the establishments located in a compartment and

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guarantees that the necessary high-level biosecurity measures are taken; all activities are recorded and traceable in a transparent manner; and management and production systems are constantly inspected and controlled through internal or Ministry inspections. It is possible for such companies to prevent not only Avian Influenza, but also other infectious agents from penetrating into their establishments thanks to the high-level biosecurity measures put in place.

The capacity of a company with compartment status to export depends on countries’ bilateral agreements through which they recognize each other’s status. Aviagen Anadolu will continue to successfully represent Turkey in exporting markets with the support of the officials of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry as the public authority, and of sectoral associations and organizations for a sustainable compartment status and its recognition by other countries.

This compartment status will also enable sustainable production within the Turkish poultry industry and the continuous supply of high generation stock (Grand Parent and Parent Stock) without any problems, so that consumers can have access to healthy, sustainable and affordable poultry meat. The approval of compartments in various countries through bilateral agreements between public authorities to guarantee the supply of parent stock is strategically important for the Turkish poultry industry in order to continue to meet the domestic demand and to maintain, and

further improve if necessary, its strong position in the international arena.

John McGrellis, General Manager for Aviagen Anadolu, expressed the hard work and dedication that contributed to this achievement. “I am delighted that the Turkish government assessed our facilities and procedures, found them compatible with chapter 4.4 of the OIE health standards for zoning and compartmentalization, and granted Aviagen Anadolu enhanced compartment status.

This process began over 2 years ago and required intensive and challenging work by Aviagen and official veterinary services staff, especially recently during very difficult pandemic restrictions. The recognition of our very high biosecurity standards and disease monitoring protocols should give confidence to all our customers; domestic and international that Aviagen Anadolu will continue to invest in protecting our stock and thereby ensuring security of supply. Although the compartmentalization status was awarded in October, the process is ongoing, and regular surveillance and auditing will be required by the official veterinary authorities to ensure continued compliance Unrestricted to the regulations. I hope in the upcoming months and years the Turkish Government will be able to develop bilateral agreements between other importing countries, accepting compartmentalization and providing options for trade in the unfortunate event of an Avian Influenza disease outbreak.”

For more information, visit www.aviagen.com

LIVESTOCK & POULTRY ME

34 POULTRY

KEEPING CHICKS WARM WHEN THE

POWER GOES OFF

W

hen an unexpected storm shuts down the power grid people are lucky. We can put a comfy fleece jacket over long johns and snuggle under a toasty quilt. Baby chicks can’t. In the old days their broody mom would welcome them into her fluffed up feathers, where they’d be warmed and comforted by her. Today, most chicks rely on brooder heat that usually comes from electricity.

If they get too cold, they’ll perish. So, how do you keep them warm when the power fails? Fortunately, there are several ways to do it.

Move the Brooder to the Warmest Place: On even the coldest days sunshine can warm a house or brooder. When the power fails, if possible, move the brooder to the warmest place in the house. That often might be inside a south facing sunny window.

Grandma’s Secret: In the old days before modern central heat grandma stayed warm by filling a bottle with hot water and tucking it under her bed’s quilts.

Although called a “bottle” most were actually rubber bladders that gradually released heat from the water inside. It works as well today as yesterday, but there’s a problem. Many people have an electric stove, so how do they heat water when there’s no power?

An inexpensive camping stove is

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the answer. Even folks who never go camping benefit by keeping a stove and fuel at the ready to cook their own meals and keep the chicks warm. Fill a glass or metal bottle with hot water and put it in the brooder. Replace it as soon as the water cools.

Hand warmers to the rescue: During the past decade warmers of many brands have entered the market and are sold where farmers, construction workers, and ice anglers buy supplies. Inside a plastic bag is a mixture of iron powder, charcoal, and a catalyst in a cloth-like paper bag. All the mixture needs is oxygen to begin emitting gentle heat. Rip open the sealed, plastic outer covering. Shake the inner pouch to activate the warmth.

Many warmers last upwards of ten hours. They are inexpensive and handy.

Whether using a hot water bottle or hand warmer to keep the chicks snug it’s best to not let them directly touch either device. Otherwise, they could get burned or peck the chemicals from a hand warmer. Fabricating a barrier in the brooder to physically keep the chicks away from the heat source ensures safety while letting them enjoy warmth. Wrap them in a towel is one option.

Safety, Thermometer, and Insulation

Some people keep their chicks

warm using candles. They work but present fire danger. The tips listed above don’t require flames so are safer but can be overdone and put the chick’s health in jeopardy.

Cold is lethal to baby chicks.

So is heat. Newly hatched chickens love being in a brooder about the temperature of the human body, or just below 100 degrees. Putting too many hot water bottles or hand warmers in the brooder could raise its temperature into the lethal zone. To make sure they are comfortable, look and listen.

Chicks communicate. If they are too cold, they’ll huddle together and usually peep loudly. If too hot they’ll scatter away from the heat source and also peep.

Remove or add heat sources to keep the brooder the right temperature.

A thermometer also helps ensure that the temperature is just right. Insulation helps ensure that any emergency heat sources are most effective. An old blanket surrounding the brooder holds in heat. Just make sure enough air gets in for comfortable breathing.

Hopefully a power failure is short and welcoming electricity soon warms the house and brooder. Having a backup heat plan in case the power go out makes sense.

For more information, visit www.hoovershatchery.com

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POULTRY 35

Hubbard celebrates 100 years commitment to poultry breeding

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n 1921 Mr Ira Hubbard officially created the Hubbard Farms company in Walpole, New Hampshire, USA. This was the very beginning of what finally became one of the leading primary broiler breeding companies in the world.

From the early start onwards the Hubbard family members quickly built up their reputation and business through smart and hard work, paying respect to their employees and customers, and continuously improving the quality of their chicks. The evolution of markets’ and consumers’ demands engaged Hubbard Farms in keeping on the move despite the several economic and conjunctures we know. They adapted their breeding, keeping their traditional New Hampshire barred feather bird, to diversify and offer a white feather breed to meet a new market segment.

In the 50’s Hubbard Farms strengthened its portfolio, offering various breeds to the US operators. Gradually, moving to a fully integrated system allowing for an even better control on the breeding process and product quality, and starting up the sales of Parent

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Stock and Grandparent stock day-old chicks.

International expansion started in the 1960’s in Europe and then towards the rest of the world. At that time Research & Development became the core business to ensure to keep on moving forward and continuously listening to market trends, customer needs and consumer demands. During the following decades, business has been made with great successes and some setbacks.

The start of the new century highlights a turning point in market trends and consumer demand especially in North America and Europe for higher welfare values, better animal health and meat quality.

Through its long experience and large Hubbard Premium portfolio, Hubbard has been able to continue to be the undisputed preferred supplier in this growing market segment.

Since 2018, becoming an independent member of the world leading Aviagen Group, a new era has begun. Substantial additional investments in the Hubbard Premium and Conventional R&D programs in France and the USA, as well

as in the production facilities in France, USA, Brazil, and Poland have further strengthened Hubbard’s future.

The Hubbard teams are even more than ever committed to deliver quality chicks with good customer support, meeting or exceeding expectations, should it be with the outstandingly performant Hubbard Efficiency Plus breeder female or with the well-known Hubbard Premium range. Hubbard’s genetic programs remain designed and dedicated to providing efficient, healthy, high-quality and tasty chicken meat for the world’s growing population.

The original company values have remained intact: knowledge and passion, commitment and respect to its customers and values.

Hubbard has a rich history of longstanding breeding experience, continuous product and process improvements, implementation of state-of-theart selection tools, managed by dedicated teams duly trained and always committed to deliver high quality products.

For more information, visit www.hubbardbreeders.com

LIVESTOCK & POULTRY ME

36 ROBOTS

ChickenBoy analysis robot: keeping track of flock health in the broiler house

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hickenBoy is an analysis robot for permanent bird monitoring and measuring of climate parameters in broiler houses.

Equipped with different sensors and several cameras, ChickenBoy is suspended from a rail system under the ceiling and keeps track of what is going on in the barn. A powerful processing unit analyses the data, partially with complex AI algorithms, and prepares a graphical representation for the customer. “We want to provide the farmer with an adequate digital cockpit that shows information about the broiler house in a clear and easy-to-understand manner,”

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says Dr. Heiner Lehr, CEO of Faromatics, the robot’s manufacturer.

The added value for the customer is obvious. The cockpit comprises multiple two-dimensional maps of the barn that visualise, for example, the current air quality very exactly, based on values such as temperature, air speed, humidity and the concentration of harmful gases (CO 2 and NH 3).

The measured data can also be viewed in diagrams that indicate the progress of the batch.

The greatest

strength of ChickenBoy is its intelligent image evaluation.

For example, the robot finds dead birds and leaking nipple drinkers. Through a deeplearning functionality, it is able to discover the spread of possible intestinal diseases in the flock early on, based on permanent excrement rating.

To complete its bundle of features, the robot provides images as well as audio and video tracks of the current situation in the barn.

“With ChickenBoy, digitisation has now truly found its way into broiler houses,” says Christian Woltering, Big Dutchman Sales Manager for broiler production in Germany.

“Across the board, the customers who installed the first robots during a pilot phase were very happy with the system. All of them were able to use the collected data to further optimise their production regarding climate and bird health.”

Keeping tabs on the flock – irrespective of the location, permanently and with more precision than any farm staff: with ChickenBoy, this long-standing wish of many broiler producers has now come true.

For more information, visit www.bigdutchman.com

JANUARY-MARCH 2021

EGG PROCESSING 37

Moba launches the Crono9 loader S

ince its introduction, the state-of-the-art Crono loader family has been the standard in the egg processing industry — the perfect answer for your egg loading needs. The Crono loaders are designed to guarantee maximum performance and continuous operation during the process and dramatically reduce egg loss. And now Moba introduces the latest member of the family, the Crono9, the loader with the highest capacity (225,000 eggs per hour) available on the market.

Egg loading has always been a critical factor in the egg breaking process. Most production’s dead times in egg breaking is due to loader stops. All kinds of eggs of different qualities, ages, sizes and shapes must be loaded properly and quickly. A loader must adapt to all of this mutable raw egg intake in a

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fast and effective way to keep up with the high capacity.

The handling of these fragile eggs needs to be performed at a constant speed, smoothly and gently, to guarantee a constant egg supply to highcapacity egg breaking and separating systems.

High efficiency and performance With an innovative design concept, the Crono9 will do just that, while even matching the capacity of the Synchro626, the largest egg breaker/separator in the world.

The key is the revolutionary Crono loading system that surpasses commonly used loading technology, which is based on suction heads mounted on rotation arms. The Crono series uses innovative Multilink servo-assisted autoadjusting technology, which combines maximum efficiency and performance with gentle

egg handling. Due to the revolutionary Multilink system, the Crono loader can be easily adapted to different types of eggs and trays, which reduces the downtime of your machine.

With the Crono9, you can expect everything the Crono series has to offer, such as a fully washable stainless steel design and Cleaning in Place, with some additional upgrades.

The Crono9 no longer has an empty return movement that limits the capacity. Thanks to its new feature, the dual feeding arm, the return path is eliminated, which improves productivity. This is just one of the many advantages that the Crono9 has to offer: • The equipment is fully servo driven to drastically reduce maintenance time • Better accessibility for quick and easy cleaning to meet the highest hygiene standards • Capable of handling the most challenging eggs and trays: - Two-step egg release system, specially designed for second-grade eggs - Contactless stuck egg detection for empty trays that accurately detects stuck eggs on flats without misplacing them - Four-sided tray pickup that works especially well with wet trays • Multizone automatic foaming cleaning system The Crono9 is fully compatible with egg breaking systems. And due to its compact design, the Crono9 has a small footprint and can be easily configured according to your plant and room layout.

For more information, visit www.moba.net

LIVESTOCK & POULTRY ME

38 AQUACULTURE

Fishing for change in the Emirati desert

I

government to make the UAE a global hub for agricultural technology and innovation,” says Lionel Dabbadie, a Senior Fisheries and Aquaculture Officer at FAO. “Fish farming is a great example of innovation being successfully applied.”

Consumer appetites have changed

In the Arab Peninsula, Emiratis are among the biggest fish consumers and the orange spotted grouper known as ‘Hamour’ is a local favourite.

But as consumer demand has grown, fish stocks have plummeted. The COVID-19 pandemic has also had an impact on consumer expectations and demands for locally produced food. Even though the UAE is a country that needs to import 90 percent of its food requirements, more and more consumers now want to source their food closer to home. So there is enormous potential.

With technical support from FAO, the UAE is investing in modern technologies to build sustainable and profitable aquaculture production that will maintain the country’s fish supply, improve its food security and transform its food system. There has already been incredible progress.

“We are at the beginning; we are working with pioneers,” says Dabbadie, who has had almost 30 years’ experience as a scientist and aquaculture expert in countries as diverse as Brazil, Madagascar, Thailand and the Philippines.

Innovation and technology for sustainable aquaculture

FAO estimates that freshwater availability has decreased by two thirds in the Near East and North Africa in the past 40 years, and it is expected to fall by another 50 percent by 2050.

However, experts have found ways to use desert salt water, or brackish water, for fish farming.

Innovations such as

©

FAO/FameMedia

t’s hard to imagine a more inhospitable landscape.

Beyond the shores of the Gulf in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), parched sand dunes roll across the desert for hundreds of kilometres. It’s no mirage.

In fact, three-quarters of the country is covered by desert.

Summer temperatures often soar above 40 degrees Celsius, and freshwater is hard to find. This ancient land recalls centuries of history, but these days the country’s dunes are better known for tourist safaris than their agricultural productivity.

Fishing or farming in such a harsh environment seems ambitious. But FAO has partnered with the UAE in a joint project to develop and expand the country’s fledgling fish farming industry. The aim is to make aquaculture more energy efficient and economically viable to meet the demands of a growing population and their appetite for fish.

“FAO is working with the

LIVESTOCK & POULTRY ME

JANUARY-MARCH 2021

AQUACULTURE 39

Technicians at Emirate Fish Farm sample fish larvae (left) and produce phytoplankton to feed the fish in the farm (right).

Recirculating aquaculture systems conserve precious freshwater and allow for fish farming, even in the desert. ©FAO/FameMedia

integrated aquaculture systems, aquaponics or Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS), where water can be recycled or reused, have been developed with a special focus on the unique water scarcity needs of arid countries. Recirculating systems not only conserve precious freshwater, but create ideal conditions for fish, even in harsh desert conditions.

At fish farms like the Emirate Fish Farm at Al Wathba, 40 kilometres from the UAE capital, Abu Dhabi, staff use the latest computer technology to monitor the temperature and quality, as well as oxygen levels, of the water 24 hours a day.

Sensory alerts immediately indicate if there is any variation that could threaten the fish’s survival. Any interruption in the energy supply could be fatal.

Grouper, salmon, seabass and caviar

Aquaculture is a priority for the UAE government, which has listed it as a key component of its National Food Security Strategy. The strategy includes initiatives which promote resilient agricultural practices

JANUARY-MARCH 2021

to increase productivity, while helping to maintain ecosystems.

The government is committed to enhancing local production with the use of modern technologies and developing international partnerships to diversify food sources.

A Marine Innovation Park has been established at the Sheikh Khalifa Marine Research Centre in Umm Al Quwain as part of UAE’s plans to advance their bio-science technology innovation and marine science research.

Today, private operators produce 500 -1 000 tonnes of organic Atlantic salmon, grouper, seabass, yellowtail kingfish or caviar at several different facilities throughout the country. Dabbadie says the challenge is to improve the technology and reduce the production costs.

“If they can create economies of scale, they could lift production here to 30,000 tonnes by 2030,” says Dabbadie. “If they can do that, then it will become more profitable.”

The integration of solar energy production – in which UAE is a pioneer - with aquaculture

and other innovations, such as selective breeding, also has potential to develop the sector, and this is where FAO is playing an active role.

In a country working to achieve a carbon-neutral society based on renewal energy, these facilities can provide job opportunities for young people and ensure a steady supply of fish for local consumers into the future.

“Technical agriculture requires a high level of technical skill.

We need to invest in training the young generation and this is one of the government’s objectives,” says Fatema Al Mulla, Senior Research Analyst at the UAE’s Food and Water Security Office.

FAO is committed to transforming agriculture, forestry and fisheries, with the intention of eliminating hunger, malnutrition and food insecurity as part of attaining the Sustainable Development Goals.

By developing its blue agri-food system, the UAE has the potential to not only meet the needs of its own society but to share its knowledge and expertise with new generations elsewhere.

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40 AQUACULTURE

MAJOR EXPORTER OF MEDITERRANEAN SPECIES OF SEA BASS AND SEA BREAM T he core of business of the company is the fish farming and trading of the Mediterranean species Sea Bass and Sea Bream and the trading of fresh fish from open sea fishing.

The company was established in 1993 (under the name Blue Island Fish Farming Ltd) as a mariculture unit. A turning point for the company has been its

LIVESTOCK & POULTRY ME

conversion in 1999 into a Public Company and its listing in the Cyprus Stock Exchange. This development contributed to the growth of the company both in the field of mariculture and in the field of fresh fish trading.

Today the company distinguishes itself in the Cyprus market in the fields of mariculture and fish trading, in addition to its size and its

modern organizational structure and infrastructure. Both the structure and the infrastructure of the company are continuously developing, with a view to offering a reliable and complete service to its clients, both in Cyprus and abroad.

Currently the company exports to most of the European countries, the United States, Russia and the Middle East.

JANUARY-MARCH 2021

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