July-Sept 2020 edition of Livestock & Poultry Middle East

JULY - SEPTEMBER 2020

POULTRY RENDERING

ANIMAL NUTRITION FEEDING SYSTEMS

FORAGE INDOOR PEN SOLUTIONS

RESEARCH AQUACULTURE

2 CONTENTS

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NEWS 04

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EGG GRADING

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COLD STORAGE

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POULTRY BEDDING

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POULTRY RENDERING

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ANIMAL NUTRITION 24 ANIMAL HEALTH 26 FEEDING SYSTEMS

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FEED SOLUTIONS

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FORAGE 34 INDOOR PEN SOLUTIONS

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RESEARCH 36 AQUACULTURE 38

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35 Editor Matthews Matthew

Associate Editors Megha Mary Matt Jessie Jorge

Contributors Dr. Hansel Geo Thomas Neville J. Chandler

Published by Matt Media© (USA) LLC 2020

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EQUINE 40 Cover Photo Courtesy: Alltech

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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.

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FISHERIES AGRI CONSTRUCTION REAL ESTATE

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News

ADM ANIMAL NUTRITION INTRODUCES NUTRIPASS™ L ENCAPSULATED LYSINE ADM a global leader in animal nutrition, announced the launch of NutriPass L, an encapsulated lysine supplement that is rumenstable and intestinally available to cows.

“NutriPass L gives producers an edge by improving the return on investment of nutrients fed,” said Brad Dalke, vice president, ADM Animal Nutrition. “Through effective encapsulation, NutriPass L supplies a consistent and stable supply of metabolizable lysine for lactating cows and growing cattle.”

Lysine is an essential amino acid that must be provided through feedstuffs, since cows do not produce it naturally.

Lysine is a biological building block that supports improved

production performance in lean tissue gain, milk components and milk volume. Per 100 grams of product, NutriPass L has been shown to meet or exceed net delivery of metabolizable lysine when evaluated against comparable products.

Encapsulating lysine makes it possible for producers to supply a balanced, cost-effective diet, through the reduction of higher cost protein ingredients in the ration. NutriPass L supports optimal milk production, animal growth and creates opportunities for nutritionists to limit nutrient wastage in rations.

“ADM uses a proprietary matrix encapsulation technique to manufacture NutriPass L,” said Brian Lammers, PhD, dairy

nutritionist, ADM Animal Nutrition.

“Our process enables a lysine product that is uniform in shape and size with a protective coating, aspects that promote improved mixing capability and high intestinal release.”

NutriPass L can be mixed with a wide variety of feed ingredients and forages. It is manufactured in the United States at an advanced production facility under stringent quality-control measures and is formulated with domestically sourced ingredients.

NutriPass L joins ADM’s expansive portfolio of livestock nutrition-based technologies and feed solutions.

For decades, ADM has supported the animal nutrition market with specialty feed additives, premixes and compound feeds.

EVONIK LAUNCHES ITS OWN GAA-PRODUCT GUANAMINO® Evonik has launched GuanAMINO®, its own guanidinoacetic acid-product (GAA) used to enhance energy metabolism in livestock production.

The launch of GuanAMINO® comes almost two years after Evonik’s former supplier terminated its agreement, although Evonik continued to supply its customers until at least the end of 2018. The end of the previous arrangement opened options for Evonik to further develop the use of GAA in animal nutrition and supply the global market with its own GAA product.

GuanAMINO® provides farm animals with the natural creatine precursor GAA, which supplies creatine in the best way to animals,

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improving their performance, ensuring optimal nutrient utilization and therefore return over feed costs.

“GuanAMINO® is the best supplemental creatine source due to its outstanding stability in feed processing and high bioavailability to the animal. Adding GuanAMINO® to the feed closes the gap in creatine supply, thereby increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of nutrition and optimizing production costs of farm animals,” says Dr. Torben Madsen, Head of Product Line Sustainable Healthy Nutrition at Evonik Animal Nutrition.

“We are proud to achieve this major milestone on our continuous way to provide our customers the best

solutions for their individual needs.

With GuanAMINO®, we offer our customers the best creatine source and therefore another performance enhancing solution in our portfolio for sustainable, animal protein free diets,” says Dr. Madsen.

Creatine is vital for vertebrates as it contributes to ensuring that high energy demanding cells (particularly muscles) are supplied sufficiently.

With the addition of GuanAMINO® to animal feed, the feed conversion in livestock production can be improved significantly.

GuanAMINO® is granulated, virtually dust free, free flowing and has handling characteristics which make for easy usage in daily operations.

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NEWS 5

BAYER COMPLETES THE SALE OF ITS ANIMAL HEALTH BUSINESS UNIT TO ELANCO Bayer has completed the sale of its Animal Health business unit to U.S. company Elanco Animal Health Incorporated.

The companies had signed an agreement to this effect in August of last year. The transaction was completed after fulfillment of the closing conditions, including the receipt of regulatory approvals.

Upon closing of the transaction, Bayer received 5.17 billion U.S. dollars (before tax) in cash after deduction of customary purchase price adjustments, along with 72.9 million shares of Elanco Animal Health common stock, corresponding to 15.5 percent of the U.S. company’s outstanding stock. Bayer maintains its intention to divest the stake in

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Elanco in due course. The shares are subject to certain retention periods until mid-2021.

The divestment of the Animal Health business is the largest transaction in a series of portfolio measures Bayer initiated in November 2018. The company has already completed the sale of the Coppertone™ and Dr. Scholl’s™ consumer health brands and of its 60 percent stake in German site services provider Currenta. Bayer’s former Animal Health business has about 4,400 employees and achieved sales of 1.57 billion euros in 2019. It develops and markets innovative products and solutions for the prevention and treatment of diseases in companion and farm animals.

“We would like to thank the employees of Animal Health for their long-standing commitment and the success this has brought for Bayer. In Elanco we’ve found a strong new owner for our Animal Health business. This transaction creates one of the global animal health leaders,” said Werner Baumann, Chairman of the Board of Management of Bayer AG. “We’ve also succeeded in safeguarding the interests of the workforce.” Under the agreement with Elanco, all Bayer Animal Health employees will have at least one year of employment protection against unilateral termination with similar and no less favorable benefits in the aggregate.

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6 NEWS

ADISSEO REINFORCES ITS AMBITION IN AQUACULTURE Adisseo is a global leader in animal nutrition that offers solutions for precision feeding, animal performance, feed integrity and technology services.

Its Business Unit Aquaculture, acquired with Nutriad in 2018, globally leads product development, product management, technical services and sales for a specialized range of feed additives. The history of the BU Aquaculture began in the late nineties when Dr. Peter Coutteau, currently BU Director Aquaculture, initiated pioneering research on the development of nutritional and health promoting

concepts for a diversity of aquaculture species. Throughout the incorporation of the aqua team into Nutriad in 2009 and Adisseo in 2018, a specialized portfolio of additives has been developed for aquafeed producers.

Adisseo’s ambitions in aquaculture have further empowered the rapid development of the BU. Adisseo continues to expand the global/local aqua teams and increase its presence in key markets for aquaculture in Asia, China, Latin America, Middle East and Europe. Also, the focus on R&D and innovation

in aquaculture was reinforced with the recently inaugurated Aquaculture Station by Adisseo (ASA), a RAS test facility at St Johns Island, Singapore. These significant investments will enhance Adisseo’s capacity in applied research as well as its leadership position in aquaculture innovation. The recently announced joint venture with Calysta to produce and commercialize a novel single-cell protein illustrates Adisseo’s ambition to continuously seek for innovative and added-value solutions for the aquaculture industry.

INCORPORATING NUCLEOTIDES INTO CHICKENS’ DIETS REDUCES THE NEGATIVE EFFECTS CAUSED BY ‘CLOSTRIDIUM PERFRINGENS’ IN THE INTESTINE

The use of nucleotide supplements in broiler chickens’ diets has been shown to notably decrease the negative effects that Clostridium perfringens bacteria has on their intestinal health and growth.

This is the main conclusion of a study entitled The impact of exogenous dietary nucleotides in ameliorating Clostridium perfringens infection and improving intestinal barriers gene expression in broiler chicken, which was carried out by a group of experts in animal nutrition and

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microbiology from the Veterinary Faculty at Cairo University (Egypt).

This study, published in Veterinary and Animal Science, was based on 270 chickens randomly split into six treatment groups over 35 days.

“Chickens infected with Clostridium perfringens that followed a diet supplemented with Bioiberica Nucleoforce™ saw an improvement in the function of their intestinal barrier and their intestinal histomorphology, which had a positive effect on their growth parameters” said Oriol Roigé, Product Manager at Bioiberica Animal Nutrition.

Gut health is, of course, crucial

when it comes to achieving a high and profitable growth rate in poultry farming. A widespread practice for tackling infections caused by Clostridium perfringens was the use of antibiotic growth promoters (AGPs); however, nutritionists are trying to find natural alternatives, as the afore mentioned study stated. One of these alternatives is to supplement the diet of young animals with bioactive substances such as nucleotides.

“Naturally occurring nucleotides are barely present in optimal concentrations in plant- and animal-based feed. As such, here at Bioiberica, for years our recommendation has been to follow a nutritional strategy in healthy chickens based on Nucleoforce™, which provides the nutrients necessary for the intestinal immune system to function properly,” added Oriol Roigé.

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NEWS 7

IDEXX LAUNCHES GROUNDBREAKING NEW PROCYTE ONE HEMATOLOGY ANALYZER WITH DRAMATICALLY SIMPLIFIED USER EXPERIENCE IDEXX Laboratories, Inc., a global leader in veterinary diagnostics and software, announced the launch of the ProCyte One™ Hematology Analyzer. The new analyzer’s advanced technology delivers breakthrough workflow simplicity and consistent, accurate results at the point of care. The ProCyte One Hematology Analyzer is available today for pre-sale in North America and for pre-sale in select European markets later this year, with a global rollout planned for early 2021. The company expects to begin shipping in volume in the first quarter of 2021.

“ProCyte One reimagines point-of-care hematology with a radically simple workflow that virtually eliminates complexity without sacrificing performance,” said Jay Mazelsky, President and Chief Executive Officer of IDEXX Laboratories. “Sometimes innovation is about making things simple in order to expand capabilities and advance what’s possible.”

Packed with leading-edge technology and artificial intelligence, the ProCyte One Hematology Analyzer transforms point-of-care hematology with: • Reference laboratory-quality results, bringing added confidence to clinical decisionmaking.

• Reticulocyte counts with every complete blood count (CBC), serving as an early warning system for a variety of clinical issues.

• Unprecedented workflow simplicity from automatic quality control and load-andgo components, delivering results in under 5 minutes.

• Unique pay-per-run and auto-replenishment model that

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allows customers to only pay for the tests they run when they run them, relieving financial stress and the burden of inventory management.

• Small footprint, freeing up valuable clinical workspace for other uses.

• Clinical decision support tools, simplifying results interpretation.

• Sustainable design, featuring recyclable containers to reduce waste.

ProCyte One also greatly enhances the clinical value of the entire IDEXX VetLab® suite as

hematology and chemistry are foundational to veterinary medicine in both sick and wellness visits. The IDEXX VetLab suite with ProCyte One offers veterinarians a complete picture of their patients’ health via seamlessly integrated diagnostic results available on IDEXX VetLab® Station and VetConnect® PLUS. Trusted, comprehensive results during the patient visit enable veterinarians to intervene and treat patients even faster, accelerating case management, advancing patient care, deepening client relationships, and offering economic value.

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8 NEWS

DUPONT ANIMAL NUTRITION TO PARTNER WITH PROTEON PHARMACEUTICALS IN THE POULTRY INDUSTRY DuPont Animal Nutrition, a business unit of DuPont Nutrition & Biosciences (DuPont), announced a partnership with Proteon Pharmaceuticals to bring the emerging bacteriophage technology to poultry producers in selected countries, strengthening DuPont’s gut health solutions for poultry and helping to further mitigate antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

The threat of antimicrobial resistance sparked recent investment into bacteriophage technologies.

Modern analytics and omics technologies have enabled screening and identification of bacteriophage candidates for a specific bacterial challenge, with significant feed and food safety

implications. This emerging technology is already used in the animal food industry.

DuPont invited Proteon Pharmaceuticals to partner for their compatible work culture, solid scientific approach and leading position amongst their peers in bringing phage technology to market.

Poultry farmers in selected markets are already benefiting from using Proteon’s technology to ensure biosecurity via the waterline and to improve production efficiency.

“Proteon Pharmaceuticals is a pioneer in bacteriophage technology used in animal farming. They have been developing this technology for more than 10 years. It has

been tested in Europe and Asia and proven in terms of efficacy and stability,” said Aart Mateboer, business leader, DuPont Animal Nutrition. “This technology fits with our nutribiotic approach. We are pleased to add it to our range of solutions for poultry producers.”

“We strongly believe that our technology might be considered as the future of animal health and nutrition and will help to reduce antibiotic use and antimicrobial resistance.” said Jarosław Dastych, CEO, Proteon Pharmaceuticals.

“We are excited to take this next step with DuPont to bring the benefits of bacteriophage technology as a feed additive to poultry producers globally.”

COWMANAGER INTRODUCES AUTO DRAFTING INTEGRATION WITH PROTRACK CowManager, the leading cow monitoring company, has announced its new feature - Auto Drafting. Auto Drafting is the first fully automatic drafting integration solution released by CowManager and currently integrates with LIC’s Protrack. This new feature allows cows with a heat or health alert to be automatically drafted based on the animal’s alerts. It saves farmers valuable time and reduces stress, especially during breeding season.

The Auto Drafting technology removes the need to manually enter the cows requiring special attention. With the user-friendly Auto Drafting application, farmers are fully in control over which cows are drafted through alert filters and time schedules. Its integration with Protrack makes it possible to draft cows to multiple directions i.e. cows with a health alert are automatically draft left and cows

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with a fertility alert, to the right. This gives farmers the opportunity to work, breed and treat cows more precisely. It saves time, costs and can result in lower empty rates and improved general health of the herd.

“Now with the integration, if the cows are on the platform or on the yard and they transition into the green, into their full heat then they get drafted straight away which is definitely a bit of stress relief as well” explains James Dallinger, owner of Taane Farms in Cambridge.

CowManager created the Auto Drafting integration with Protrack after huge demand from farmers.

“A manual interface with LIC’s herd management system MINDA was already created and data could easily be manually imported into CowManager. This new draft integration allows farmers to fully focus on the cows that require extra attention and prevents data entry mistakes” says Koen van Meurs, Head of R&D at CowManager.

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NEWS 9

PLUKON ACQUIRES MAJORITY IN OPTIBRUT Plukon Food Group B.V. and Optibrut GmbH announced that they have entered into an agreement in principle for the acquisition by Plukon of 51% of the shares in the German hatchery Optibrut.

Plukon is best known as a major European player in the poultry sector.

The acquisition of the German Optibrut is in line with Plukon’s ambition to invest further in the quality of its chicken chains.

Optibrut, built in 2017, is one of the most modern hatcheries in Western Europe. Optibrut has been an important strategic partner of Plukon since the start. Optibrut supplies day-old chicks, mainly for the Dutch and German markets, both to broiler farmers who supply Plukon and to third parties. The use of early feeding and the control of

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the entire parent animal chain, partly in-house, are important reasons for the acquisition.

The integration of Optibrut within Plukon is part of the joint desire to further deepen the quality and cooperation in the chain together with the poultry farmers. With the acquisitions of DUC in France (2017) and recently VMR in Spain (2020), Plukon has already acquired hatcheries within its ranks. As a result of these experiences, Plukon grew the desire to apply the advantages of a further integrated chain approach with early nutrition in other countries where Plukon is active.

Plukon expects early nutrition to become the standard in the Netherlands and Germany in the coming years. With the takeover of Optibrut, a major step has been

taken towards achieving this goal.

Optibrut already has good experience with an integrated approach to rearing parents, breeding farms under its own management and under the direction of delivery of day-old chicks with early nutrition to broiler farmers.

Both parties are therefore looking forward to share this knowledge and experience with a common focus, to take valuable further steps to improve chain efficiency, sustainability and animal welfare, which should ultimately result in a better end product for consumers.

Plukon is pleased that the current shareholders of Optibrut, Messrs Groot Koerkamp and Knol, will continue to lead the joint venture and looks forward to further longterm cooperation.

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10 NEWS

PIONEERING LIVESTOCK FARM TAKES DELIVERY OF FIRST NEW HOLLAND BR6090 ROUND BALER IN THAILAND When livestock operation Scot Thai farms wanted to increase their productivity when baling rice straw, they looked no further than the New Holland BR6090 Roll-Bar™ baler and became the first owner of such a machine in Thailand.

Established in 2005, Scot Thai farms is a commercial beef operation situated in Amnat Charoen province in Eastern Thailand. The company’s General Manager Phillip Taylor said: “The main focus of our machinery operations is to ensure that we have enough fodder to see us through the year. Although rice straw is plentiful in Thailand, producing quality bales of good quality straw isn’t always easy as a lot of the straw is burned after harvest as the landowner wants to plant a new crop as quickly as possible to achieve growing three crops per year. Having a dependable baler that can do the job makes all the difference in a time-critical environment such as this.”

No stranger to running agricultural machinery, Scot Thai is an advanced operation with a mixed fleet of equipment including a telehandler, rotary rake, seed drill and two round balers producing 85x90cm bales - which annually produce 500-1000 bales per year depending on the volume of straw available. The new BR6090 will go behind a 135HP tractor and produce bales that are 120x125cm in size. Their decision to upsize the baling equipment was taken to improve efficiencies in the field and reduce the amount of handling per tonne of the crop that the team had to do.

“Our 85x90cm bales have many uses in our operation and in the local community, but the ability to produce larger, denser bales will help us to maximise our storage space and ensure the fodder lasts for many months,” commented Taylor. “When feeding the livestock, we will save time and diesel as the

greater volume of crop per bale will mean that it will last longer resulting in fewer trips to the feeder for our machinery,” added Taylor.

The baler in question, a BR6090 made in Płock, Poland, was chosen for its simple-yet-robust design which offers the ability to produce a well-formed, dense bale whilst being easy to operate and maintain in the field.

Wiz Jupawang, New Holland Sales Specialist for Thailand, said: “We decided to offer the BR6090 as it is a robust, easy-to-operate baler that is ideally suited to the agricultural conditions in Thailand.

The optional CropCutter™ system performs well in sugarcane trash, and the wide 2.0m pickup and strong rotor ensure that in paddy straw or corn stover, ground losses are kept to a minimum.

Coupled with a simple-but-strong chain and bar bale forming system, the BR6090 is the ideal round baler for the Thai farmer.”

SYRENA® BOOST: DELACON ENTERS AQUA MARKET With Syrena® Boost, Delacon brings along a full phytogenic solution to serve modern aquaculture practices.

The premixture targets gut performance and productivity. It is a solution for all aqua species.

To date, trial results are available for Tilapia. Delacon’s aqua team proudly announces the worldwide launch of Syrena® Boost.

Disease outbreaks, food safety assurance, and unstable productivity are just a few challenges in aquaculture.

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On these demands, Delacon developed Syrena® Boost with well-selected bio actives. The product is a premixture of specific saponins, spices and essential oils.

The phytogenic solution serves an efficient, profitable yet sustainable aquaculture production, say Delacon experts: Trial results show improved feed intake (6%), a boost in specific growth rate (5%), and a ROI (4:1).

“For developing Syrena® Boost, we released our phytogenic expertise. In-vivo and in-vitro trials underline the performance of the product. It is a natural product with high quality, standardized

and proven active ingredients,” says Alex Makol, Species Leader Aqua.

Sensitive ingredients of Syrena® Boost are micro-encapsulated.

This ensures thermal stability and slow intestinal release of sensitive ingredients.

Binh Nguyen Ngoc, Asian Regional Sales & Technical Manager Aqua, adds: “The aqua market is developing fast.

Farmers rely on performance and productivity. Additionally, they carefully look at future economic and political factors. Using a full phytogenic feed additive such as Syrena® Boost will be very attractive.”

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NEWS 11

PHAGE TECHNOLOGY REDUCES SALMONELLA IN GROUND TURKEY A new study shows that phage technology can be a useful tool for poultry processers experiencing challenges in mitigating bacterial contamination within food products.

In ground turkey, the study showed a decrease in Salmonella prevalence of 38.6 percent (a 17.8 point difference from the control of 46.1 percent and the treatment of 28.3 percent) when turkey parts were treated with Finalyse™ SAL prior to grinding. Finalyse SAL is an antimicrobial from Arm & Hammer Animal and Food Production that uses naturally occurring phages to reduce presence of Salmonella in poultry processing.

The study compared two batches of bone-in drums from the same flock. The control batch was dipped in 500ppm peracetic acid (PAA) for 30 seconds. The treated batch was also dipped in PAA for 30 seconds followed by an application of 107pfu/mL Finalyse SAL solution for 30 seconds. The control and treated batches were shipped to the same grinding facility and ground separately prior to Salmonella sampling and analysis.

Over a one-month period, this process was repeated for a total of 18 batches with samples collected from 10 random trays for both the control and treated groups.

Test results showed 46.1 percent Salmonella prevalence in controls. Finalyse SAL reduced the Salmonella prevalence to 28.3 percent.

The phage technology in Finalyse SAL activates in the presence of Salmonella to invade and kill the harmful bacteria. Phages, or bacteriophages, are viruses that infect bacteria and destroy their host cell. This safe, natural and biodegradable technology only activates when Salmonella is present and naturally degrades without its host.

Finalyse SAL is not a broad-spectrum antimicrobial, but instead specifically addresses Salmonella presence in poultry products. It is effective against nearly the top 20 serovars that are human health hazards. Using Finalyse SAL with a broad-spectrum antimicrobial, such as AviBrom™, allows poultry processors to tackle a variety of pathogenic issues and reduce transmission of foodborne pathogens throughout processing.

“When used as part of a multi-hurdle, multitechnology food safety approach, Finalyse SAL is an effective intervention in reducing Salmonella in ground turkey,” says Dr. Jack McReynolds, R&D and Technical Director, Arm & Hammer Animal and Food Production. “ARM & HAMMER™ food safety expertise and technology is designed to work in combination to combat tough challenges facing poultry processors.”

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12 NEWS

GRASS AND STRAW HARVEST INNOVATION FROM KUHN Grassland and straw harvesting machinery from KUHN that was due to be showcased at cancelled events across the country includes a combination of new launches alongside first demonstrations of technology launched at indoor conventions over the winter.

The mounted 3.1 metre vertical folding FC 3115 D is the latest addition to the company’s extensive grassland machinery range, with 126˚ hydraulic vertical folding giving this model the beneficial features of compact transport, great manoeuvrability and reduced loading on the tractor’s rear wheels.

Targeted at both livestock farmers and contractors, this mower conditioner is suitable for use in combination with a front

mounted unit and includes several technological advantages common to KUHN’s more advanced models.

Features include the exclusive Lift-Control suspension system, non-stop safety breakaway, the maintenance-free OptiDisc cutter bar and the Fast-Fit quick release blade system.

New to the market in 2020 is KUHN’s VB 7100 high density variable chamber round baler series, which includes VB 7160 and VB 7190 models producing bales up to 1.6 and 1.85 metre diameter respectively.

Featuring the company’s patented i-DENSE twin tension arm system, VB 7100 balers are capable of bale densities of up to 140kg/m3. Bale pressure is

adjusted automatically in response to moisture sensor data, so requires no operator control and therefore allows efficient baler performance.

New to the market for 2020 is KUHN’s SB large square baler range offering increased capacity and higher density baling.

Including the SB 890 (80 x 90cm bale size), the SB 1270X (120 x 70cm), the SB 1290 (120 x 90cm), and the extreme density SB 1290iD (120 x 90cm), the SB balers have been developed with an improved crop intake system compared with earlier models. A new crop guard design, combined with increased torque on the rotor and feeder fork driveline, gives these models up to 15% higher intake capacity and greater endurance.

MEATSCAN FOR CONSISTENT FAT CONTROL IN MEAT PRODUCTION A new near infrared analytical instrument is helping natural meat producers Strauss Brands to get fat declarations spot on. The handy and easy-to-use instrument is valuable both for USDA labelling and smooth customer relationships.

Under the motto ‘nature gives, we accept’, Strauss Brands are committed to raising cattle in

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a compassionate and natural manner – free to roam on open pastures, never administered antibiotics or hormones.

“We are doing things a bit more difficult, so the payback is not so high, but from the standpoint of ethics we feel a whole lot better about the situation,” says plant manager Wayne Bucholtz. “We are trying to lead in doing things in a

humane way.”

The forward-looking perspective is mirrored in the approach to quality control and labelling.

“We wanted to make sure that everything going out is fat tested, so if we promise our customers 80% lean they get 80% lean,” says Bucholtz.

A new MeatScan near infrared (NIR) analyser has been in use for over a year. “It’s going very well,” says Bucholtz. “On a regular basis we take the results we get from the FOSS and send in samples and compare results.

Our results are pretty much on.”

Bucholtz continues: “A lot of people in the meat industry just eye it up, but I am not a fan of this. If you are going to label a product, it has to be accurate.

If a customer says it is too fatty, you have the data to discuss things. The FOSS makes this quicker and more accurate.”

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NEWS 13

JAMESWAY AND CHICK MASTER WILL BE INTEGRATING TO CREATE A NEW STRONGER, WORLD-CLASS ORGANIZATION TBG, the parent company of Chick Master, Jamesway and Petersime, has been active in the poultry industry since 1982. With other businesses in the food and poultry sector, including Moba, TBG holds a strategy of creating long-term value by establishing leadership in various B2B market segments.

Considering poultry equipment as an attractive market segment for sustainable, long-term growth, TBG is committed to further invest in the business to provide the world-wide customer base of Chick Master, Jamesway and Petersime with high quality hatchery solutions and unequalled service levels.

Acquiring the shares of Chick

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Master Incubator Company in 2018, has been an important milestone in the development of the Hatchery Division of TBG. After having dedicated the last two years to reinforcing the sales and service teams at both Jamesway and Chick Master, we are now ready to set the next step in the Hatchery Division’s development.

In our pursuit to provide our customers with industryleading products and services, the two North American-based businesses, Jamesway and Chick Master, will be integrating to create a new stronger, worldclass organization.

“As we move forward, we will remain strongly committed

to continue offering our two distinct, successful brands,” said Paul Degraeve, CEO of the Hatchery Division of TBG. “Chick Master and Jamesway each have unique value propositions that our loyal customers have come to expect.”

The move, to be completed

by March 2021, will establish a new combined headquarters and manufacturing operations physically integrated at the existing Jamesway facility in Cambridge Ontario. While the integration will include procurement, quality, finance, human resources and IT, a U.S. office will continue to be maintained in the Medina Ohio area.

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14 NEWS

PRODUCT LAUNCH: VILOFOSS® PECKSTONE FRESH VILOFOSS® PeckStone pre-occupation materials have been used for 8 years worldwide in all types of farming for laying hens, broilers and turkeys and are constantly being developed. The PeckStone variants “medium”, “hard”, “extra hard” and “active” are available in different degrees of hardness to suit every type of flock and for a wide range of applications.

With the VILOFOSS® PeckStone

fresh we are introducing another innovation. The new mineral stone is characterized not only by the proportion of coarse limestone grit. The special feature is its content of valuable essential oils.

The beneficial effects of thyme and eucalyptus on the respiratory and gastrointestinal tracts are well known. They are used in special products by many people.

Chickens also benefit from the

aromas gently extracted from fresh herbs by using steam.

Even when pecking at the new VILOFOSS® PeckStone fresh, the effect on the respiratory tract can be released before they are absorbed together with the minerals.

The VILOFOSS® PeckStone fresh is offered in an advanced white transparent bowl of 10 kg. It is suitable for use in organic farming.

FORFARMERS PARTNER IN RESEARCH PROGRAM ON SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTION OF GRASS AND FORAGE CROPS

Wageningen University & Research (WUR), ForFarmers and several agricultural companies, are starting a new research program to increase the sustainability of the agricultural sector, focussing on the sustainable production of grass and forage crops. Two of our innovation managers from the Nutrition Innovation Center (NIC) at ForFarmers are intensively involved in this research program.

The majority of Dutch agricultural land (about 65%) is used for the production of forage for livestock, such as grass and maize. Due to this large area requirement, the way in which forage is produced has a major impact on the sustainability of

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Dutch agriculture as a whole.

That is why WUR, in conjunction with the seed breeding sector and parties active in the agricultural production chain - including ForFarmers - will be investigating how to cultivate crops in the next four years in a way that is climatefriendly.

The current way forage is produced does not exploit the potential of grass and homegrown forage; this applies to both quantity and quality. It also has an impact on the quality of ground and surface water, on soil quality, on the climate and on biodiversity.

The new research program “Forage, Soil and Circular Agriculture 2020-2023” strives for

sustainability in various areas. From reducing emissions to sustainable soil management and from increasing biodiversity to increasing forage quality and utilisation and to increasing the innovative strength of agribusinesses.

The way in which the research program is organised is a publicprivate partnership. This means that the government via the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality - collaborates with parties from the business community, in this case the seed breeding sector and agri business.

ForFarmers is one of those parties. Other parties in the consortium are Agrifirm, Cumela, Zuivel NL and Plantum. The implementation of the program lies with Wageningen Plant Research, Wageningen Livestock Research and Louis Bolk Institute.

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NEWS 15

USE OF MONIMAX® IN TURKEYS Prevention of coccidiosis by inclusion of anticoccidial products in turkey feed is standard practice. Until recently, ionophores and synthetic products were the only tools available to turkey producers in Europe for coccidiosis control.

Monimax ® is the first combination product registered for use in turkeys for fattening in Europe.

Today, most turkey producers include one anticoccidial product in the feed during the complete grow-out (a ‘full’ program). In general, inclusion starts from the first day of life and continues until the age of 10-12 weeks. For these full programs, ionophores, known for their slow induction of resistance, are most frequently used.

The majority of turkey producers will use monensin in winter and lasalocid in summer.

However, due to increased outbreaks of coccidiosis or

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necrotic enteritis, shuttle programs with synthetic products are gaining popularity. Most commonly, synthetic products are included in the diet for the first 5-6 weeks of age (for instance in the brooding period when brooding and moving is applied).

This is then followed by the inclusion of an ionophore in the grower stages, most commonly at the lowest registered doses to avoid the risk of toxicity by introduction of these products in older turkeys. In farms with very high infection pressure, a full synthetic program (with e.g.

Coxiril ® or Stenorol®) is applied.

The addition of Monimax® to the list of anticoccidials for turkeys is game changing, as nicarbazin has not been used in European turkey diets before. The combination of nicarbazin and monensin in Monimax ® results in a synergistic anticoccidial activity compared to each individual

component, allowing monensin and nicarbazin to be used at lower dosages. Monimax® will guarantee robust coccidiosis control in the more challenging conditions that producers are facing today.

Since most producers have a history of monensin use, it is advised to start with a full Monimax ® program until 10-16 weeks. Another option is to use Monimax ® in a shuttle program with Coxidin ®. For this program, the highest registered dose (50/50 ppm) is recommended and, when brooding and moving is applied, Monimax ® should be included until at least two weeks after moving the turkeys to the fattening farm.

The strong anticoccidial effect in combination with the registration for use in the target species makes Monimax ® the product of choice for coccidiosis control in turkeys.

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16 NEWS

MULTI-MYCOTOXINS CONTAMINATION EXPOSES RUMINANT LIVESTOCK TO HEALTH AND PERFORMANCE ISSUE Ruminants have a unique digestive physiology characterized by a pre-systemic fermentation and digestion of plant constituents such as cellulose by microorganisms comprising the ruminal flora.

This particularity requires feeding regimes that include enough amounts of forage to maintain a functional rumen flora. Then ruminant nutrition consists to equilibrate diet with fiber, energy and protein in order to raise the highest performance and genetic potential of the animal.

Hence, ruminant diets are complex and with variable composition what induces the risk of exposure to a wide variety of mycotoxins. Feeding concentrates, high carbohydrate feeds like grains, expose greatly ruminants to regulated mycotoxins (aflatoxins, fumonisins, zearalenone,

trichothecenes, ochratoxins and ergot alkaloids). With forages and consumption of preserved feeding stuffs such as silage, hay, and straw, ruminants might be exposed additionally to entirely different classes of mycotoxins produced by different species of Alternaria (e.g., AAL toxins, alternariols), Aspergillus (e.g., cyclopiazonic acid, gliotoxin), Penicillium (e.g., mycophenolic acid, roquefortines, PR toxin, patulin or marcfortines) or Monascus (citrinin and monacolins).

In line with our 30 years of research and development commitment at Phileo by Lesaffre, our focus on helping to mitigate

the impact of mycotoxins on farm animal, is focusing on Safwall® 3B Integrated Strategy. Safwall® is a selected yeast fraction supplement which adsorbs and neutralizes mycotoxins to reduce their absorption by animals at risk, protecting the rumen functionality, the intestines and organs from the potentially devastating impact of in-feed mycotoxins.

CUBICFARMS TO ACCELERATE GLOBAL SALES OF HYDROGREEN AUTOMATED LIVESTOCK FEED SYSTEMS WITH NEW RESELLER AGREEMENT

CubicFarm ® Systems Corp. (“CubicFarms” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce that it has signed a global reseller agreement with Hydrogreen Global, LLC (“HGG”). HGG has the nonexclusive right to globally market and sell CubicFarms’ HydroGreen fully-automated hydroponic growing systems that produce

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live, green, nutritious feed for livestock.

Highlights of CubicFarms’ reseller agreement with HGG: • HGG will help drive the promotion, marketing and sales of HydroGreen systems.

It is licensed to use the “HydroGreen” name and trademark in these authorized reseller activities to maintain

brand consistency in the marketplace.

• H GG will develop a global dealer network to increase customer uptake worldwide, by leveraging its access to an industry dealer network in over 40 countries.

• H GG will manage customer experience and all aspects of the sales cycle by providing

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NEWS 17

purchasers of the systems with installation, training and troubleshooting services, and managing warranty claims.

• HGG is entitled to purchase HydroGreen machines, parts and consumables at wholesale costs, for resale.

• HGG will be responsible for the payment of dealer sales commissions.

HGG is owned by Total Dairy Solutions – a Colorado, USbased company developing and commercializing integrated technologies and supply chain management for the meat and dairy industries, so that the resultant food products better satisfy consumer requirements of nutrition, health, traceability, animal welfare, and environmental protection. Total Dairy Solutions provides complete and robust plans for large-scale

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dairy projects worldwide, that include customized solutions for equipment, cow comfort and feeding, and farm management.

Kevin Fiske has been appointed the Chief Executive Officer of HGG. Mr. Fiske currently serves as President of Fiske Electric, an established electrical contractor specializing in large commercial and agricultural projects for over 35 years. Fiske Electric has completed the design and build of multiple dairies ranging in size from 700 to 6,000 cows.

He is also Partner at Total Dairy Solutions. In addition, Mr. Fiske runs his own 700-cow family dairy operation with his son Brian.

This global reseller agreement will replace CubicFarms’ relationship with Artex Feed Solutions, first announced in the Company’s press release dated

December 11, 2019. Artex Feed is in the process of being dissolved, and its President John de Jonge – also a board member of CubicFarms – continues to oversee business strategy at CubicFarms’ livestock feed division HydroGreen Inc. (renamed from CubicFeed Systems as part of a strategic brand realignment).

The HydroGreen system sprouts grains, such as barley and wheat, in a controlled environment with minimal use of land, labour and water. The system performs all growing functions including seeding, watering, lighting, harvesting, and reseeding – all with the push of a button – to deliver livestock feed in just six days without the typical investment in fertilizer, chemicals, fuel, field equipment and transportation.

LIVESTOCK & POULTRY ME

18 EGG GRADING

PRIORITY ON FOOD SAFETY NEW MOBA OMNIA XF2 GRADING MACHINE

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oba, the world’s leading producer of high-quality integrated systems for the grading, packaging and processing of consumption eggs, introduces its new extension in the Omnia grader family: the Omnia XF2. The XF2 has a new and improved infeed system and new hygienic features. With a capacity from 45,000 to 255,000 eggs per hour the Omnia XF2 series is now available in all capacities.

The Omnia XF2 grading machine has a new infeed system. The infeed has an open frame design which makes it easy to access during cleaning. The infeed can be foamed and high pressure cleaned.

With food safety in mind the XF2 offers new features: • Infeed: open frame construction for cleaning • The orientator grippers can be

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cleaned out of place • The packer parts can be cleaned out of place All Omnia graders (XF2/FT/PX) are now available in all capacities.

The Omnia grader reaches for top efficiency, food safety and strong service network for a worryfree operation.

About Moba Group Established in 1947, Moba is the world’s leading producer of high-quality integrated systems for the grading, packaging and processing of eggs. Headquartered in Barneveld, the Netherlands, Moba has a product development department of approximately 100 employees and a factory in which the production of the machines takes place. Total staff amounts to 850. Moba is always close to its customers thanks to its global sales and service network, which

encompasses offices in Japan, Italy, China, Malaysia, Dubai, the UK, Germany, France, and the US, as well as support from agents and distributors.

The vision of Moba is to enable food producers worldwide to feed consumers around the world with healthy and affordable egg-based food. Moba is developing from a producer of egg grading machines to a technology company that develops high-quality integrated systems for the egg industry.

Moba supports its customers with intelligent solutions that ensure the highest yield, reduction of costs, and the efficient utilization of resources such as energy, water, and animal nutrition. Every day, Moba’s systems process around one billion eggs worldwide.

For more information, visit www.moba.net

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COLD STORAGE 19

Committed to providing customized refrigeration system solutions

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ingxia Wishlong Refrigeration Technology Co., Ltd. is a refrigeration system integration service provider specializing in consulting, planning, design, installation and maintenance of various large and medium-sized cold storage, freezing, and preservation projects in China.

The company is a national high-tech enterprise with 26 national utility model patents and one software copyright; listed to establish the Cold Chain Branch of the China Communications Logistics Planning and Design Institute; it has been rated as China's excellent cold chain product by the Cold Chain Committee of

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the China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing Application case "Golden Chain Award"; awarded "Excellent Cold Chain Logistics Technology Service Provider", "High Quality, Good Quality, and Excellent Price' Three Excellent' Cold Chain Technology Service Provider" by China Cold Chain Logistics Alliance; awarded

by China Food Industry. The association and the food logistics professional committee were rated as "excellent cold chain equipment enterprises in the entire food industry chain"; "Best User Word of Mouth Award"

by China Cold Chain Industry Integrity and Mutual Aid Alliance; "Best Application Promotion Award" by German Bitzer Equal

title. Since 2006, it has signed strategic cooperation agreements with internationally renowned refrigeration brands such as Bitzer, Danfoss, Siemens, and GEA. Focusing on refrigeration for 20 years, Wishlong Refrigeration Technology Co., Ltd. is committed to providing users with customized refrigeration system solutions such as consulting planning, project design and construction, operation management, and cold chain temperature monitoring.

The company provides personalized refrigeration system solutions for enterprises in the logistics field, agricultural field, biological products field and commercial field.

LIVESTOCK & POULTRY ME

20 POULTRY BEDDING

Spanvall Poultry Bedding considerably reduces pododermatitis/footpad burns

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or several years, there has been an ongoing debate regarding problems with footpad burns in chickens.

Various measures have been taken to solve the problem and now Spanvall, already known for its quality shavings, offers a product that significantly reduces pododermatitis. An additional

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advantage of Spanvall’s product is that it is very suitable for both broiler and breeder production.

The product itself is a patented blend of shavings and peat as well as micro woodchips and a low pH value of approx. 4.5%.

Jacob Ostergaard, Spanvall’s CEO: “We have developed a type of bedding that works perfectly

in poultry houses. It has been found to reduce footpad burns to well below 5%. We can also see an improvement of FCR in the houses that use Spanvall Poultry Bedding.”

Over the past few years, Spanvall has been conducting research in order to find the most optimal bedding for both

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POULTRY BEDDING 21

broilers and breeders: “Spanvall Poultry Bedding is optimized to absorb ammonia and also allows ventilation to penetrate the bedding and remove moisture from the house. Both of these measures help reduce pododermatitis enormously.”

The normal standard rating scale for footpad burns ranges between 0 and 50%, with 50 being the worst, but there have been cases where much higher ratings have been given. Fewer or no footpad burns means better animal welfare but also has a financial effect. Jacob Ostergaard explains: “When we bring pododermatitis down below 5% we see greatly improved FCR as well as substantially improved quality of the slaughtered chickens, all of which contributes to improved profits for the slaughterhouse and the farms.

That's why we are talking about a combination of financial benefits and animal welfare."

This Spanvall product can be delivered in containers in big bales or in smaller bags.

For more information, visit www.spanvall.com

JULY-SEPTEMBER 2020

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22 POULTRY RENDERING

Innovation in poultry rendering Mavitec solutions create high protein and high digestibility

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ith a global growing need for proteins and energy, processing animal by-products offers an essential part of the answer to this problem. Mavitec, expert in high quality process systems for the recycling of animal byproducts, has one clear mission:

maximize the value of your byproducts in the most economic, ecologic and ergonomic way.

Within the rendering industry animal by-products are processed in a professional and sanitary way. Animal by-products are products from the meat production chain which are not considered to be edible. The composition and the quality of the by-products may vary from country to country depending on cultural and/or eating habits. However, before use in other processes they have to be treated and processed first.

Nutrient management Mavitec is specialized in designing, engineering, manufacturing and installation of high quality process systems for the recycling of animal by-products. Mavitec

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is worldwide active from its headquarters in The Netherlands and known for creating the best nutrient values in the market.

Mavitec machines turn animal by-products into high quality proteins and oils such as meat and bone meal, poultry meat meal, feather meal, blood meal, whole meal, tallow, fat and oil, suitable for use in pet food, animal feed, oleochemical and/ or pharmaceutical industry.

Mavitec’s commitment is supplying solutions for taking by-products from one process and recycling them in valuable products for further applications.

Maco van Heumen, CEO of Mavitec Group: ‘The way of processing determines the value of the end products. This is why we say that rendering is

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POULTRY RENDERING 23

Poulty rendering One of Mavitec’s specialities is poultry rendering, a process that handles all by-products of the slaughter process. There are different ways of poultry processing and the quality of end-product depends on the raw material composition you put in the system. Van Heumen explains: ‘Basically it means, what you put in you will get out.

Poultry by-product processing starts with five possible product flows: feathers, blood, soft by-products (heads, legs, intestines), Doa’s and farm/hatchery by-products.

All products can be processed into valuable end-products with each its specific process. The main objective is to stabilize the products by driving off the moisture, sterilize the product and turn it into a combination of protein (meal) and oil or only a protein. By following the processes described in EUlegistation 1069/2011 guarantees can be given in terms of end-quality and the security to be free from any salmonella, e. coli or clostridium.

Each product has its own specific

process that can be designed, based on capacity in a batch or continuous process. Volumes above 50 tons raw material per day are mostly processed in continuous systems, while smaller volumes are processed in a batch process.

Poultry meat meal has an average protein content varying from 62-68% with a digestibility above 80%. The oil content can be used as feed additive or for biofuel industry. Feathers have a protein content varying from 82-88% with a digestibilty above 80%. Blood has a protein content of 93-95% with a digestibilty above 90%.

End-products from Doa’s, hatchery and farm waste can be used for fertilizer applications.’

New! Complete protein and oil analysis High nutrient values and high digestibility are the key ingredients for use in high

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quality pet food or animal feed.

Mavitec continues developing and the latest innovation is a new in-line method to analyze and optimize the quality of these meals and oils. The in-line Near InfraRed Spectrometer (NIRS) provides real-time data for moisture, protein, tallow/fat/oil, ash and FFA. A fast, easy and reliable in-line continuous quality management & process control tool to get insight in the quality of endproducts. The unit enables you to extract the highest possible value from each batch or continuous process. The result: high value management information and the best possible quality parameters. A valuable addition to the rendering process to maximize the value of your endproducts.

For more information, visit www.mavitec.com

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Photo Credit: Mavitec B.V., Carl Zeiss Spectroscopy

not waste handling it’s nutrient management. With our extensive experience, technology and processes we are able to extract the highest possible protein out of feathers, blood or other poultry by-products.’

24 ANIMAL NUTRITION

Heat stress in layers is under control thanks to Biovet’s Alquerfeed product line Alquerfeed Layers and Alquerfeed Ovoponedoras prevent eggshell quality problems due to heat stress

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n warm seasons, the basic thermoregulation mechanisms are insufficient and heat stress causes problems in the birds. Initially, lethargic birds are observed, with stretched wings, increased water consumption, decreased feed intake and low productive performance.

Thermoregulation of birds and the consequent loss of calcium Birds lose heat by evaporation through panting, but, along with heat loss, there is also excessive loss of blood CO2, which leads to metabolic alkalosis. In order to restore the CO2 blood levels,

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birds mobilize it from the bones as calcium carbonate (CaCO3). This causes a general decalcification of the animal, which is aggravated by the elimination of calcium as CaO through the urine. The loss of this mineral has a direct impact on the quality of the eggshell since calcium is an essential element for its formation.

Consequences of heat stress in laying hens Due to the low availability of calcium for the shell formation, the percentage of broken eggs increases and a high percentage of eggs without shell may appear.

Another consequence of the loss

of calcium is the cage layer fatigue syndrome characterized by the inability of the hens to stand up due to the fragility of the bones after the mobilization of calcium carbonate to the blood. For the same reason, fractures of the femoral head are also observed.

To make matters worse, when heat stress lasts a long time or birds are exposed to extremely high temperatures, mortality increases due to cardiorespiratory failure.

Effective solutions to specific problems Biovet, S.A. has developed solutions for laying hens affected by heat stress. In order to avoid the

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ANIMAL NUTRITION 25

metabolic alteration that leads to the mobilization of calcium from the bones, Biovet, S.A. has developed Alquerfeed Ovoponedoras, a vitamin-mineral supplement designed to be incorporated in the feed or drinking water of laying hens to avoid the loss of calcium in the kidneys and, thus, to improve the eggshell quality. This product reduces economic losses due to broken eggs, which generally increase during the warmest periods of the year, and it reduces the incidence of cage layer fatigue syndrome.

Field trials support the efficacy of Alquerfeed products The positive effect of Alquerfeed Ovoponedoras has been tested in several field trials. The graph shows the results of a trial where the reduction of broken eggs can be observed thanks to the addition of Alquerfeed Ovoponedoras in drinking water at 0.5 ml/l in 76-week-old hens.

As seen in the chart, the product was administered through drinking water 5 days after the farm suffered an increase in the percentage of broken eggs as a consequence of heat stress. An immediate reduction in the percentage of broken eggs was obtained. After only 4 days of administration, a 56.44% reduction in broken eggs was obtained. On the 19th day with the product, the number of broken eggs remained stable and the reduction was 64.22% from the beginning of the administration of Alquerfeed

Ovoponedoras, which consolidates the efficacy of the product.

Biovet, S.A. has developed Alquerfeed Layers for situations in which restoring metabolic disbalances caused by heat stress is not enough to minimize the percentage of broken eggs, because a greater amount of calcium is required. This product combines the technology of Alquerfeed Ovoponedoras with mineral metabolism pronutrients.

The latter are active natural molecules that increase the absorption of calcium and other essential minerals in the intestine, which optimizes the laying process, especially in birds during high production periods.

Heat stress, a problem also in broilers In broiler production, heat stress is quite common and associated with significant economic losses. It is especially important in periods of stress, such as in chick reception, in the fattening farms, or when densities are high. A decrease in

the growth and daily consumption are commonly observed, which worsens the feed conversion rate and, when birds tend to dissipate too much heat by panting, animals may suffer from fractures of the femoral head due to the loss of calcium, as it occurs in layers.

The inclusion, in drinking water, of additives rich in electrolytes and vitamins is highly recommended to compensate disbalances and prevent heat stress consequences.

For this purpose, Biovet, S.A. has developed Alquerplus Revital, which provides the correct proportions of ions, glucose (which facilitates intestinal absorption of ions), water-soluble vitamins and citric acid, which facilitate digestion. In addition, AVAL Premium, another solution developed for this purpose, is a general restorative that also includes pronutrients that act as liver and intestinal conditioners, and immunostimulants, which help palliate the effects of the heat stress and recover the proper production levels.

In conclusion, it is necessary to identify how heat stress affects each single farm and apply a specific prevention measure to improve the profitability of farms in the seasons when birds are most susceptible to this type of stress.

For more information, visit www.biovet-alquermes.com

JULY-SEPTEMBER 2020

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26 ANIMAL HEALTH

Use of natural antioxidants to prevent woody breast in broiler chickens

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roducing high quality meat is a primary goal of the poultry industry. In the recent years, as chicken breeds are genetically selected for faster growth and larger breast meat, there has been an increase of myopathies (diseases of the muscle in which the muscle fibers do not function properly) mainly affecting the breast.

The most frequent myopathies are white striping (white lines of fat tissue running through the breast meat) and woody breast.

Woody breast is a myopathy that is characterized by the breast meat being hard to the touch. This hardness can be present already in the live bird, as early as few weeks old, and can be detected by palpation. In the slaughterhouse, breast meat is scored using a rating system based on severity from 0 (no indication of woody breast) to 3 (severe).

Woody breast does not harm the animals and their meat is healthy to eat, but it affects their marketability.

Compared to normal breasts, woody breasts: • Have unpleasant texture and mouth feel

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• The muscles are rigid and show a viscous exudate on the surface • Lose more water before and during cooking • Have a higher pH after slaughter • Are less tender (higher shear force) before and after cooking For all the above, woody breasts are unappealing, cannot be marketed to consume directly and are usually destined to produce ground meat.

It is estimated that 5-10% of the breast fillets produced worldwide show mild or severe woody breast conditions.

Such a high incidence also increases the costs at the slaughterhouse that needs to check the hardness of the breasts of each carcass after defeathering.

Metabolic consequences of woody breast Broilers with high growth rate, feed efficiency and breast muscle yield are more prone to woody breast, because the muscle tissues grow disproportionally big and their normal metabolism cannot be properly supported by the connective tissue and the circulatory system.

During the woody breast syndrome, the metabolism and the structure of the muscle changes: • The muscular fibers lose their normal structure and become larger • The deposition of collagen and fats increases • There is an infiltration of immune cells involved in muscle repair • The blood flow in the breast muscle is reduced, making it difficult to supply oxygen and nutrients.

Metabolic waste accumulates in the tissue As a result of the above, there is an increase of the concentration of free radicals, mainly reactive oxygen species (ROS), that produces oxidative stress in the muscular tissue. ROS start inflammation and induce changes in the muscle cells that ultimately lead to woody breast.

Use of natural antioxidants to prevent woody breast Animals have developed their own antioxidant defense system to fight with free radicals. This system includes the presence in the body of fat-soluble

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ANIMAL HEALTH 27

antioxidants (vitamins A, E, carotenoids, etc), water soluble antioxidants (ascorbic acid, uric acid, taurine, etc.), antioxidant enzymes and redox systems.

The antioxidant defense system prevents the damages caused by free radicals. Dietary supplementation with antioxidants is a way to improve its efficiency.

Synthetic antioxidants such as BHA and BHA have been long used in feeds and foods to prevent oxidation, but

their potential toxicity and increasing customer awareness has started a research for natural alternatives.

Natural antioxidants extracted from plants, including essential oils, contain powerful antioxidant molecules, mainly phenylpropanoids, phenols, polyphenols and carotenoids.

Compared to synthetic antioxidants, some natural antioxidants show a greater antioxidant capacity. Besides, usually natural antioxidants exhibit a wide range of biological effects, such

Antioxidant capacity of natural antioxidants DPPH tests assesses the capacity of antioxidants to neutralize and clear free radicals. Our product based on antioxidant essential oils, PhytoShield©, shows higher capacity than vitamin E, vitamin C and BHT.

as microbiocide, anti inflamatory or immune boosting actions, positively affecting animal health and productivity.

In the case of woody breast, administering high doses of antioxidants, especially during the grower and finisher stage of chickens, has been proven to reduce the onset of myopathies and the incidence of woody breast by 50%. Antioxidants work by: • Eliminating oxygen-derived free radicals (ROS) • Improving the resistance to metabolic stress and metabolic wastes • Decreasing the synthesis of collagen • Increasing vasodilation and blood flow On the other hand, in a previous research we proved that the administration of the natural antioxidants contained in Phyto Shield© improves certain meat characteristics also linked to woody breast, such as: • Percentage of fat • Water loss before and after cooking • Tenderness • Sensory qualities of the meat

Antioxidant capacity of natural antioxidants The total antioxidant capacity is a measure of both water-soluble and fat-soluble antioxidant molecules contained in the essential oils or plant extracts. This assay is based on the reduction of Mo(VI) to Mo(V) and the formation of the green phosphate/Mo(V) complex. Our product based on antioxidant essential oils, PhytoShield©, shows higher capacity than vitamin C and vitamin E.

Other tips to reduce the incidence of woody breast • Reduce the amino acids in the diet to slow down growth • Keep the birds within the standard growth curve and the recommended weight ranges • Avoid environmental stressors and optimize ventilation Product of choice PhytoShield© is a supplement of antioxidant essential oils, electrolytes and vitamins intended to promote growth, improve general health and keep the animals hydrated, especially in stressful moments.

For more information, contact info@plusvet.eu

JULY-SEPTEMBER 2020

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28 ANIMAL HEALTH

Hidden Profits in the Immune System of Poultry W

hile dwelling through the last couple of decades, poultry industry is been thriving incredibly. Beside assimilating profitable traits during selections, immune system is been underestimated; arising to increased susceptibility for pathogens, environmental and managemental factors.

The time from hatching to the onset of feeding is a critical period in the development of hatchling chicks. Around 2-5% of hatchlings do not survive this critical post-hatch period because of limited body reserves, and many survivors exhibit stunted growth, inefficient feed utilisation, reduced disease resistance or poor meat yield.

The gut represents an evolving ecosystem crosstalk between the immunity and microbiota.

Knowledge on poultry immunity facilitates the development of antibiotic alternative strategies to improve growth potential of poultry. Optimal combinations of various alternatives, coupled with good management and husbandry practices, is the key to maximize performance.

Compromised immunity leading to an increase in the incidence of metabolic disorders, reduced resistance to infectious disease like Marek’s diseases, Egg drop syndrome, Necrotic enteritis, Coccidiosis, Infectious bursal diseases,

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etc; and higher mortality. In routine practice, some chicks of a hatch may often spend up to 36-48 hours without any access to feed or water. This causes poor viability and retarded growth.

Thus, the time from hatching to the onset of receiving nutrition is a critical period in the development of hatchling poultry.

Appropriate nutrition and access to feed immediately after hatch can accelerate yolk utilisation and stimulate the growth and development of immune systems. So, why delay?

Providing nutrients immediately post-hatch contributes to poultry enterprise profitability.

NUCLEOVIN, an Immune Optimizer Our innovative research team has brought a state-of-the-art recipe which fulfils the deficits and modulates immunity directly.

NUCLEOVIN is a potential immunomodulator, contains nucleotides, probiotics and vitamin C in its active forms.

Numerous experiments on the product have shown highly significant outcomes. It can either be fed for prophylactic purpose

as a non-antibiotic growth promoter or along with antidotes during outbreaks and also as a stress reliever.

Action zones of NUCLEOVIN – Immunosuppression: In environmental temperature, diseases, toxicity, vaccination, forced moulting and imbalanced nutrition; Reproductive performance: Fertility, hatchability and egg production.

Benefits Improved FCR, enhanced vaccine action, optimum hatchability, fertility, embryo survival and development, improved egg characteristics, reduced toxin stress, improved feed intake and FCR in heat stress, diseases resistance and reduced mortality.

For more information, visit www.vinayakcorporation.com

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ANIMAL HEALTH XXXXX 29 29

PICA IN DAIRY COWS – WHAT IS IT AND HOW BEST TO TREAT IT O

ver the last number of weeks, one of the most common signs of mineral deficiencies in dairy cows has been Pica: a desire to eat things that do not have any nutritional value. A record number of dairy farmers are reporting that their cows are unsettled and licking and chewing foreign objects such as stones, plastic and clay.

While there is little research on Pica, it is generally thought there are three main causes: a lack of phosphorus, sodium, or the incidence of rumen acidosis. A sodium deficiency tends to occur in grazed grass due to an oversupply of potash, while a phosphorus deficiency is usually caused by a low index of phosphorus in the soil or rapid grass growth rates. Rumen acidosis is far more prominent in grass-based systems than we think; due to the emphasis on the production of high D-value grass with low fibre levels.

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Current research into the inclusion of multi-species such as plantain and chicory indicates that they help to counter this.

Addressing phosphorus and sodium deficiencies To address the phosphorus and sodium deficiencies, we recommend supplying salt licks to your cows that contain a high level of phosphorus.

Here at Agritech, we supply a Mineral Salt Lick containing 10% Phosphorus, which is ideal for this purpose. This will address all three causes of Pica, allowing the cow to produce extra saliva, and in turn, counteract rumen acidosis at some level. The availability of top-quality hay can also prove useful, as will the inclusion of our Rumicare Rumen Buffer in the diet where possible.

Supplementing spring born calves Another key area to keep an eye

on at this time of the year is spring born dairy bred calves, particularly those who have been raised on whole milk. While milk replacer contains added levels of trace elements in vitamins, whole milk contains very low levels of these key elements. With this in mind, it is important that calves are supplemented with minerals as it is highly likely that they will begin to become depleted.

Free choice mineral buckets are a convenient way of administering minerals and vitamins to young stock, or alternatively, some minerals can be added to calf rations. Our Super Thrive Mineral buckets and our Multiboost Powder Minerals are both very high spec supplements, essential for achieving optimum vigour and health in young stock.

For more information, visit www.agritech.ie

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30 FEEDING SYSTEMS

Roxell is expanding the range of MiniMax™ feeder pans The modular broiler feeder designed for efficient growth

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oxell’s round feeder pan for broilers is now modular, which means we can offer four different versions of the MiniMax. The best pan composition can be determined by asking the following questions: • At what age do you think chicks should stop stepping into the pan to eat?

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• What end weight are you aiming for with your broilers?

• What type of floor will your feeding system be used on?

The result is a MiniMax feeder pan that is adapted to the preferences and practices of each poultry farmer. The feeder pan therefore helps poultry farmers to grow more efficiently.

Cost-effective way to grow broilers For 35 years the MiniMax feeder pan has set the standard for optimal feed intake for broilers.

This is due to the patented design: a stepped bottom pan with a special anti-waste edge.

Both features improve the chickens’ feed intake and prevent

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FEEDING SYSTEMS 31

spillage because feed cannot fall over the edge of the pan.

The wings in the pan mark out a pecking zone, which means each broiler will eat out of its own compartment and cannot eat selectively. Each animal therefore receives the correct composition of feed to ensure consistent growth in the group.

The low height – 60 mm or 2.36”– means that the pan is suitable for day-old chicks and you do not need to supply an extra source of food in the house. From day one, the chicks can see the feed and climb effortlessly into the pan. This guarantees the best start. The bottom pan is now also available in two volumes: • a shallow pan with a standard

feed capacity that is perfect for broilers up to 3 kg (or 6.61 lb).

• a double capacity pan for chickens with a heavier end weight. A benefit of opting for the extra feed capacity is that the pan is only 0.5 cm (or 0.2”) higher than the shallow version.

Results show that the base of the MiniMax pans buries easily into the litter, which lowers the step into the pan even more.

The feed flow occurs according to a 360° principle, meaning that the pan fills consistently and evenly across the entire surface area. By adjusting the feed volume, you can provide the right amount of feed. Your broilers will therefore reach their end weights in a cost-effective way and you will use precisely as much feed as you need.

Easy management of the MiniMax feeding system Managing the feeding system is quick and easy to manage, day after day. The size of the feed opening can be adjusted to the type of feed. There are three feed settings for adjusting the feed volume during a flock. With the control pan at the end of the feeding line, the feeding system can work fully autonomously and precisely. When the minimum or maximum level is reached, the pan sends feedback, which starts or stops the feed flow. The feed level in the control pan can be influenced with an LED light that attracts chickens to the end of the feeding line. The automatic MiniMax feeding system is

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reliable, without requiring any intervention from the poultry farmer.

You can save time with the two patented cleaning functions: • The pan rotates automatically when you use a pressure washer, which means you can reach all corners of the pan without any extra effort.

• If you opt for the extra cleaning option, you can also open the top cap of the pan, so you can clean all the internal components such as the inner cone, without getting water in the feeding tube.

The bottom pan, made of flexible plastic, can be removed from the base with a simple click so it can be cleaned manually.

Due to the robust design of this mechanism, the pan will never unintentionally come loose from the base. Save time and money when performing thorough maintenance and start on a new flock quicker than ever before with the MiniMax. For more information, visit www.roxell.com

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32 FEED SOLUTIONS

Westway Feed Products: more than 50 hours of time saving W

hen there are changes on the raw materials market, Westway Feed Products shifts gears quickly. The formulation software BESTMIX and the ERP solution MILAS help this specialist in the field of liquid animal feed supplements to ensure its customers optimum quality for a correct price.

Moreover, the synergy between both Adifo software solutions allows more than 50 hours of time saving!

Westway Feed Products is the largest North American manufacturer of liquid animal feed supplements. This experienced company supports livestock farmers by means of liquid feed supplements, feed mill products, feed supplement tubs, dried molasses and a range of industrial products. Although the main ingredient is molasses, this manufacturer also processes additional co-products such as glycerin, whey, corn solubles, corn steep and soy solubles.

The challenge “During the corona crisis, fuel prices have sharply decreased,” says Larry Wallace Jr., technical services manager at Westway Feed Products. “The availability of biodiesel has decreased, which compromised the supply of glycerin - a co-product of biodiesel - for our feed supplements. Furthermore, we had to reformulate, amongst other things, the recipes with Condensed Molasses Solubles (CMS). Obviously, we had to quickly respond to this modified

ingredient availability.”

The solution For the reformulation, Westway Feed Products relied on BESTMIX. “This software gives us insight into the impact of a recipe adaptation on the end product,” Larry Wallace Jr. explains. “The formulation software seamlessly transfers these new recipes to the MILAS ERP package. This allows us to save lots of time and effort, compared to our previous software application.”

“For our formulators, the

What preceded In 2012, Westway Feed Products opted for BESTMIX as a software solution in order to streamline its recipe formulation. In 2018, MILAS, the sector-specific ERP extension for Microsoft Dynamics, was implemented. Today, MILAS is live at 6 of the 28 production entities of Westway Feed Products.

Since last year, this company also relies on the integration of graphic labels (or ‘feed tags’) between BESTMIX and MILAS.

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FEED SOLUTIONS 33

automatic label creation means a significant benefit. Each time they send a new recipe to MILAS, BESTMIX immediately sends along the appropriate label. While everything used to be performed manually in the past, our employees now have more time to focus on tasks with added value,” Larry Wallace Jr. says. From an operational point of view, there was also a considerable time saving. “In the past, the production department always had to review and approve new formulas and labels. It was an unnecessary step since this task is was already being performed by the formulators themselves.

Now, that belongs to the past thanks to Adifo’s software, which contributes to our efficiency, of course.”

Westway Feed Products itself

Larry Wallace Jr., technical services manager at Westway Feed Products

verified how much time the different teams have gained thanks to the combination of BESTMIX and MILAS. The formulators have gained 5-10 minutes per recipe formulation.

The production department registered a time saving of 3-5

minutes per formulation.

“If we convert it into the 259 formulas with Condensed Molasses Solubles (CMS) in Houston, this means a time saving of 34 hours for the formulators and of 17 hours for the operational teams. In total, the Adifo software has allowed a time savings of 51 hours, purely for the reformulation of recipes with that one single ingredient,” says Larry Wallace Jr. The future “Now, the reformulation of recipes is mostly performed in a reactive way,” Larry Wallace Jr. concludes. “In the future, we aim for a more proactive approach. We want to evaluate our ingredient composition on a regular basis in order to anticipate price and market fluctuations. The Adifo software offers us the necessary tools for this purpose. We want to roll out MILAS towards even more production facilities. The fact that the Adifo consultants are real partners for us during this entire process, strengthens our ambition.”

For more information, visit www.adifo.com

JULY-SEPTEMBER 2020

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34 FORAGE

BARR-AG Canadian Farm-based forage, processor and exporter

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arr-Ag Ltd is a Canadian Family Farm based operation growing 37,000 acres of forage crops, cereal crops and oil seeds.

Barr-Ag Ltd is the largest Canadian farm-based forage, processor and exporter. The ability to grow, harvest, and process allows Barr-Ag’s staff to ensure a higher and consistent quality.

This begins with the selection and preparation of the fields, rotation of crops, the attention to harvesting equipment, (with our own fleet of cutters, and balers) and then the ability to select the quality product to process and export. Barr-Ag Ltd farms both irrigated and dryland farms.

Barr-Ag Ltd have invested

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significantly in new state of the art equipment for drying, pressing and processing of their alfalfa, timothy, dehydrated corn silage, plus the wheat, barley, canola, mustard crops.

This includes importing and installing state of the art drying, and re-bailing equipment from the top manufacturers in Europe. This new equipment will provide the ability to increase the quality and consistency of products that are processed and exported.

Barr-Ag Ltd markets are Japan, Korea, Taiwan, China, Middle East, Europe and USA. Over 90% of products produced are exported from Canada. Over 80% of the product exported is grown on the farms of Barr-Ag Ltd.

Barr-Ag Ltd has 2 processing facilities in Alberta. These are located on the plains in the shadow of the Rocky Mountains. As a result of our climate, soil fertility and elevation, the use of Pesticides is very limited, and pests are controlled naturally.

All alfalfa and timothy crops grown are non-GMO. Barr-Ag Ltd has experienced farm operators, production staff and export staff who have been with Barr-Ag Ltd for many years. Barr-Ag Ltd has a fleet of their own trucks and have excellent connections with the Rail and Ocean freight companies.

For more information, visit www.barr-ag.com

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INDOOR PEN SOLUTIONS 35

The NEW Ultra Flex-Pen™ – The Ultimate Indoor Pen Solution A

gri-Plastics, the Calf Housing Specialists, have been making calf hutches since 1995. The first product the VanBuuren family developed was an outdoor hutch made for one calf. Over the years, Agri-Plastics created a variety of outdoor hutches and expanded its product offering to include a variation that works for indoor barn operations. Introducing the Ultra Flex-Pen: a versatile indoor pen system for individual or grouped calves.

The Importance of Stressless Transitions This versatile housing system was developed so that single pens could convert to a group pen simply by detaching a side panel. This innovative, stand-alone solution allowed calves to be housed individually, then grouped when health permits. By keeping stress levels down, calves have a better chance to grow strong and healthy.

They also learn how to socialize within smaller groups. Therefore, it helps ease the transition into a larger herd.

Ventilation is also very important, so a large rear rotary vent helps control airflow.

The new Ultra Flex-Pen features include: • Ultra lightweight for easy setup and cleaning without jeopardizing durability • Self-aligning panels use EZ-Glide Connection Tabs and Hinges for easy and quick setup • Ultra bio-secure • Ultra rear rotary venting has no steel wire to rust, fully adjustable air flow control, and no separate parts to lose or store • Optional Integrated sliding side panel vents for additional air control from side to side • Individual penning used to maximize pens per room size • Individual pens interlock together for a clean line of

calf spaces • Center panels can be removed to create a group penning option • Ultra pen access with a bi-swing front door for maximum flexibility • Large egronomically-designed door handle • Ultra tough, non-metal door frame made with a structural compression molding process • Ultra Flex-Pen panels available in a 5’, 6’, and 7’ lengths to fit any size barn operation and allows for optimum calf space • 10-year Warranty – One of the best warranties in the business The Ultra Flex-Pen – a versatile indoor pen system for individual or grouped calves.

For more information, visit www.calfhutch.com

Evolving the Flex-Pen to the next level Pens need to be durable and strong, but also lightweight so they are easy to move. So Agri-Plastics developed the next generation of indoor transition pens – The Ultra FlexPen. A new compression molding process keeps the panels lightweight. Smooth surfaces and curved edges make it easy to clean.

JULY-SEPTEMBER 2020

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36 RESEARCH

Fatty acids yield benefits in early lactation dairy cows New research from Michigan State University, USA, demonstrates significant improvements in cow productivity with specific fatty acid supplementation through early lactation

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he concept of feeding fat in dairy rations is nothing new – the energy-dense nutrient is hugely beneficial to meeting increased nutritional requirements as cows simultaneously produce milk while maintaining body condition ahead of breeding.

Something that is new however is the developing science which continues to improve our knowledge on the roles of different fatty acids, the building blocks of fat, on animal performance.

According to Dr Richard Kirkland, Global Technical Manager for Volac Wilmar Feed Ingredients, research

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findings present dairy producers with opportunities to target specific fatty acid blends according to requirements on individual farms.

“Data indicate key roles for palmitic (C16:0) and oleic (C18:1) fatty acids at different stages of lactation and depending on requirements at farm level,” says Dr Kirkland.

“C16:0 is very beneficial in improving milk fat production and yield, but it is now clear that this may be at the expense of body condition and weight loss in early lactation, the knock-on effects of which may include poor fertility.

In contrast, delivering C18:1 to the small intestine, achieved by supplementing with rumen-protected calcium salts, improves total fat digestibility and can enhance fertility throug him proved egg and embryo development. Unlike C16:0, C18:1 helps partition nutrients toward body fat stores, reducing body condition loss in the critical early lactation period.”

The importance of C16:0 to C18:1 ratio In a recent study presented at the American Dairy Science Conference in June 2020, Professor Adam

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RESEARCH 37

Lock’s group from the Department of Animal Science, Michigan State University evaluated the response to Mega-Max, a rumen-protected fat supplement containing a 60:30 ratio of C16:0 to C18:1 on cow performance from calving through early lactation.

“There’s a long-standing industry dogma that fat shouldn’t be fed to fresh cows as body fat is also being mobilised to provide energy.

However, findings from our previous research indicated this needs to be challenged and something that needed to be analysed further,” explains Professor Lock.

During the study, dairy cows were offered a control ration with or without supplementation with the Mega-Max calcium salt formulation from calving until 24 days in milk.

From days 25-67 in milk each group was further subdivided into control or Mega-Max-supplemented rations.

“Throughout the fresh period (days 1-24 in milk), control and fat supplemented cows maintained similar body condition. However, the fat supplemented group saw notable increases in milk fat percentage and yield, resulting in 3.1 kg more energy corrected milk than the control group,” explains Professor Lock.

“Supplementing cows in the fresh period and then throughout the peak period (days 25-67 in milk), had no effect on dry matter intake but increased milk yield by 5.1 kg per day and milk fat content by 0.2%.

This led to a significant increase in milk fat yield from 1.76 kg to 2.07 kg per day in control and fat-supplemented treatments, respectively. Crucially, this was achieved without increased loss of body weight or condition score.”

Managing the C16:0 to C18:1 ratio through lactation Data from this new study support the concept that fatty acid profile through early lactation is crucial

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Professor John Newbold, PhD, Professor of Dairy Nutrition at Scotland’ s Rural College

to ensuring production responses resulting from supplementation with fat do not push the cow into further negative energy balance.

These findings highlight the opportunity to manage the C16:0 to C18:1 ratio through lactation, says John Newbold, Professor of Dairy Nutrition at Scotland’s Rural College.

“It is clear that when considering fat supplements for dairy cows, lower C16:0, with higher C18:1, supplements are most appropriate through early lactation to help partition nutrients toward body reserves and prevent excessive body condition loss. Further more, providing more C18:1 to the ovary is beneficial for development of embryos and the improved digestibility provides an additional

Professor Adam Lock from the Department of Animal Science, Michigan State University

boost in megajoules,” explains Professor Newbold.

Calcium salts remain the only effective method of supplying C18:1 to the small intestine without disrupting rumen fibre digestion and reducing milk fat production, with the data from Michigan State indicating that a 60:30 ratio of C16:0 to C18:1 in calcium salt form is especially beneficial.

Moving into mid-lactation, target body condition score should be met so a higher C16:0 supplement can be considered to fuel milk and milk fat production, says Professor Newbold. For some farms, the supplementation of a high-C16:0 supplementat 80-90% C16:0, may be beneficial in late lactation to prevent cows from gaining excess body condition ahead of calving.

Dr Richard Kirkland, Global Technical Manager for Volac Wilmar Feed Ingredients

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38 AQUACULTURE

How to tackle the most common aquaculture challenges

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he unpredictable nature of the current environment — including the increasing prices of raw materials for aquaculture, the reduced availability of animal-based proteins, using fish meal for fish feed, disease risks and health pandemics — is an ongoing concern, and the industry will be impacted by all of these issues for years to come. It is time for us all, as an industry, to adopt new strategies and learn to co-exist with new norms. This will, no doubt, be a test for each stage of the food chain, but there are some long-term approaches that the industry can take to help increase our profitability and sustainability.

The ultimate objective for producers Without a doubt, the most important

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goals for producers in the aquaculture industry are to: • Produce healthy fish in the most sustainable manner.

• Reduce the use of marine ingredients.

• Aim for increased growth.

• Reduce operational costs.

Attempting to improve weight gain and lower the feed conversion ratio (FCR) puts increased pressure on the digestive tract to function with the highest efficiency. Considering this, maintaining the health and welfare of fish and shrimp will still be critical for efficient production.

Stress from the rigors of production, disease resistance, age and feed, combined with external factors — such as temperature, salinity and pH — can cause imbalances in the gut,

potentially leading to disease.

Diets in the aquaculture industry have changed significantly over the last number of years and will continue to be modified and improved. From a sustainability perspective, there is an ever-growing need to reduce fish meal and fish oil in aquaculture feeds.

Feed ultimately provides energy and nutrients to support the development of the species. Providing the correct balance of feed is crucial for protecting against foreign pathogens and is critical for the system to function optimally. Formulations must be highly digestible, and each ingredient must add value to and enrich the diet to impact performance. As feed ingredients are derived from several different sources, significant planning, research and development can lead to more sustainable, economical and

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AQUACULTURE 39

responsible feed solutions. When considering any change to an existing diet, the nutritional requirements of the species must be met. Each aquatic species has a different set of nutritional requirements, and they can fluctuate depending on their stage in the lifecycle.

Aquafeed is comprised of a selection of natural feed ingredients, including: • Essential amino acid sources • Essential fatty acids • Vitamins and minerals Imbalances in the diet will lead to a lack of required nutrients, which will have a direct impact on the performance and welfare of farmed fish.

The gut is the key to success To fully protect fish and shrimp for long-term success, protecting them right from the start is crucial. Their first point of interaction with outside world — the skin, gut and gills — play a vital role in protecting the animal against the environment and its internal physiology. The gut is a complex system of tissues and organs that play an essential role in all interactions related to these functions: • Food digestion and absorption • Metabolism • Defense mechanisms • Immune response An unhealthy gut cannot defend itself. A healthy gut, on the other hand, can digest and absorb the maximum amount of nutrients, providing the most benefit for the farmer.

Importance of maintaining and improving gut integrity: 1. Choose the correct selection of ingredients to prevent gut inflammation.

2. Increase the growth of good bacteria.

3. Create a solid foundation for health and growth.

The use of mannan-oligosac charides (MOS) in diets has been shown to improve gut performance.

However, their function can be altered depending on the strain of yeast, the fermentation conditions and the processing methods.

Recent trials carried out with trout, carp, catfish, tilapia, seabass, sea bream, sole and salmon show the effectiveness of MOS in aquaculture species, promoting a healthy growth rate and improving intestinal morphology. The effects of different

concentrations of dietary MOS in carp (Cyprinuscarpio) included higher weight gains as well as improved FCR, productivity and immune parameters (Zhou and Li, 2004). Improvements in growth performance and reduced FCR and mortality have also been observed in MOS-treated juvenile common carp (Culjak et al., 2006) and rainbow trout (Staykov, 2007). Similar results have also been observed in European seabass (Torrecillas et al., 2006; Ramirez et al., 2016).

Bio-Mos® is a unique product derived from a selected strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast using a proprietary process developed by Alltech, Bio-Mos is incorporated into animal diets to support overall animal performance. Effective during all phases of growth, Bio-Mos is designed to feed the gastrointestinal tract, thereby maximizing performance and profitability. Bio-Mos has been shown to maintain gastrointestinal health and integrity, contributing to increased growth and lower FCR. It has also displayed an ability to increase the absorptive surface area supporting the immune system, and stimulating the natural defenses and health status of the animal.

For more information, visit www.alltech.com

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40 EQUINE

WHAT VACCINES DOES YOUR HORSE NEED?

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ll horses should receive annual vaccination against the five core diseases. It’s important to make sure your horse is healthy and feeling his best all year. Annual vaccinations are key to ensuring your horse’s health and well-being against potentially fatal equine diseases. But what vaccines does your horse absolutely need?

Every horse is unique, and every environment is unique. To determine what vaccinations your horse needs, talk with your veterinarian first. Your veterinarian can advise you on the potential disease risks in your area, the best time for core disease vaccination and what risk-based vaccines are right for your horse.

Core Vs. Risk-based Diseases There are two categories of diseases that pose the most serious threats to horses: • Core Diseases: The five core diseases include rabies, West Nile virus, Eastern and Western equine encephalomyelitis, and tetanus. All horses are exposed to these potentially fatal diseases and need to be vaccinated annually according to the American Association of Equine Practitioners.

• Risk-based Diseases: Equine influenza virus and herpesvirus are the most common risk-based diseases that your horse may need to be vaccinated against. Vaccination

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will vary depending on your horse’s unique lifestyle and environment.

The Danger of Core Diseases Is Real Protect your horse from the potentially fatal core diseases every spring with Core EQ Innovator®, the first and only vaccine to protect horses against all five core equine diseases in a single injection.

Additional annual risk-based vaccinations may be needed based on your horse’s unique lifestyle and

environment. Protect your horse from diseases like equine influenza, equine herpesvirus, strangles, and leptospirosis through annual vaccination.

In addition to advising on critical core and risk-based vaccinations, your veterinarian can develop the best possible preventive health care plan for your horse that includes proper diet and regular dental exams.

For more information, visit www.zoetisUS.com

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