Pork Journal March/April 2012

PJMarchApril2012:PJJanFeb09 2/05/12 12:10 PM Page 1

Pork Journal

March/April 2012 Volume 34, Number 2

Pan Pacific Pork Expo 2012 – positioning Australian pork: different by choice

Breeding sows benefit from NSP-degrading enzymes

Fernleigh’s rare breed pigs add to consumer appeal for alternative pork

PrintPost Approved PP243096/00002 ISSN 1032 3759

Australian pork industry ahead on stall free move

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Contents 8 MAIN FEATURE Fernleigh’s rare breed pigs add to consumer appeal for alternative pork Fiona Chambers and her husband Nicholas run the Fernleigh Free Range pork farming operation from their Daylesford Victoria property, a business Fiona established in 1990. In 1995 Fiona began raising the endangered Wessex Saddleback breed.

Dr Siobhan O’Sullivan from University of Melbourne will speak at PPPE.

Pork Journal March/April 2012 Volume 34, Number 2 Editorial Enquiries Peter Bedwell or Rosemary Embery 0419 235 288 Sales: Peter Bedwell Phone: +61 2 4368 2220 Mob: 0419 235 288 Email: rembery@iinet.net.au Website: www.primarymedia.com.au PORK JOURNAL consists of a bi-monthly management magazine and an annual industry review.

Published by C D Supplies Pty Ltd (ACN 091 560 557)

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16 NUTRITION FEATURE Breeding sows benefit from NSP-degrading enzymes Kevin Liu reports that recent studies reveal feeding non-starch-polysaccharides (NSP) degrading enzyme may help the sow increase its voluntary feed intake thus reduce weight loss up to 20% and backfat loss by 24% during lactation.

NEWS 4 Pan Pacific Pork Expo 2012 – positioning Australian pork: different by choice Pan Pacific Pork Expo (PPPE) Chairman and Australian Pork Limited (APL) Director John Coward stated that the theme for the 2012 PPPE is ‘Positioning Australian Pork: Different by Choice’.

6 Australian pork industry ahead on stall free move The Australian pork industry’s voluntary move away from the use of sow stalls by 2017 is making substantial progress, with around one in three sows now spending their pregnant lives sow stall free.

14 2012 Eye on Australia report – we don’t like the supermarkets much Eye On Australia, a report on consumer attitudes produced annually for more than two decades by Grey Group and Sweeney Research, reveals that consumers are less than impressed by big retail. Though the ‘Big Two’ supermarkets go on about lower prices, the shoppers aren’t buying it.

22 Farmers demand pretection from activists Victorian farmers have demanded the State and Federal Governments step in to safeguard them from the economic damage inflicted by animal activists.

23 Piggery nutrient management plan case studies now available A series of case studies on the development and implementation of Nutrient Management Plans for ten Australian piggeries has been released by Australian Pork Limited (APL).

24 Fermented liquid feed – Microbial and nutrutional aspects and impact on enteric disease in pigs Feeding FLF of good quality results in reduction of the number of enteric pathogens like coliforms and Salmonella, and the few published studies on its effect on important pig diseases like porcine proliferative enteropathy and swine dysentery also indicate reduction of the incidence of these diseases in pigs fed fermented liquid feed.

PORK JOURNAL, March/April 2012

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NEWS Pan Pacific Pork Expo 2012 – positioning Australian pork: different by choice Pan Pacific Pork Expo (PPPE) Chairman and Australian Pork Limited (APL) Director John Coward stated that the theme for the 2012 PPPE is ‘Positioning Australian Pork: Different by Choice’.

“This theme is aligned to the current industry strategic direction and sets the scene for presenters and exhibitors to provide the information and technologies that stimulate the industry to better address the changes ahead,” he said.

“Understanding the impacts of increased volumes of imported pork and the industry initiative of ‘Shaping our Future’, PPPE 2012 will provide producers and industry with up to date key information that focuses on current issues impacting pig production.

“Such issues are: changes to sow housing resulting from changing consumer and customer expectations; better managing the changing environmental platform which includes Carbon Farming Initiatives and implications, plus a host of up to date research reports from the Pork CRC and the various APL R&D activities,” Mr Coward said.

“For exhibitors and sponsors, PPPE 2012 is providing greater exposure than ever before. The organizing committee paid attention to the 2010 participant’s survey comments and has now allowed more floor space for exhibitors, more time for networking and interacting with other exhibitors, industry colleagues and world class speakers all on the one level.

“An added value for exhibitors is that PPPE and the poultry Information Exchange 2012 (PIX 2012) will be held back to back with the trade display built for PIX. PPPE and PIX have agreed that exhibitors taking part in both exhibitions need not dismantle their stands if they don’t need to,” Mr Coward explained.

“This link between both exhibitions has been done in an effort to minimise transport, storage and additional cartage costs for involvement in both events.

“APL members will again have on offer the ‘Attendence Assistance Package’.

“Members on the eastern seaboard will receive coverage of airfare to and from the conference plus one night accommodation.

“For members traveling from the west it will be the same offer with airfares but

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two night’s accommodation.

“All arrangements for the APL Membership Assistance Package will require booking though APL,” Mr Coward concluded.

The PPPE 2012 Exhibition Hall opens at 9.00 am and the Plenary Conference Sessions commence after registration, lunch and the Chairman’s welcome and the official opening is at 12.45 pm May 16.

The material presented is intended by the organisers to be thought provoking presentations to stretch the audience’s minds in relation to the event theme, ‘Positioning Australian Pork: Different by Choice’.

The first speaker is Dr Siobhan O’Sullivan from the University of Melbourne School of Social and Political Sciences.

Dr O’Sullivan is a much published author and academic and her most recent book is ‘Animal equality and democracy,’ published in 2011.

Her paper is ‘Community attitudes, political realities and the pork industry in Australia’.

Stephen Wiedemann from FSA Consulting in Toowoomba is well known to the Australian pig industry for his work on environmental issues concerning intensive livestock management.

His paper, ‘Vegetable versus meat based meals – how does their carbon footprint stack up’ has the potential to be a real ‘myth buster’.

The first speaker in the afternoon Plenary Session 2 commencing at 3.10 pm is John Stanley, head of John Stanley Associates.

He has been described as the ‘Retail Guru’ and he has also been described as the leading horticultural consultant in the world today.

His skills in perishable retailing: food, plants, flowers and pets, anything that cannot be put on a shelf and ignored in fact, apply equally to all fields of retailing .

Mr Stanley was voted one of the fifty most powerful and influential people in the United Kingdom in 2008.

“His paper is ‘Defining what you’re selling in the competitive world of retail’.

The next speaker in this session is already well known to many in the

PORK JOURNAL, March/April 2012

Top: Dr Siobhan O’Sullivan, University of Melbourne. Above: Melina Tenson, RSPCA Australia.

Australian pig industry.

Dr Mike Varley from The Pig Technology Company is a key consultant in the UK pig industry. His topic at PPPE 2012 is ‘Differentiation, a UK pork industry perspective’.

The final paper of the afternoon, ‘Competitive solutions from the Pork CRC for High Integrity Pork’ will be presented

by Dr Roger Campbell, CEO of the Pork CRC, an organisation that has already generated critical science based solutions for an industry that faces more than its fair share of challenges.

At the end of Plenary Session 2 there will be the presentation of the Ron Collins Memorial Travel Award followed by the Industry Cocktail Party.

“The concurrent sessions on May 17 are about providing thoughts and ideas w

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NEWS v which can be implemented immediately and the concurrent sessions each feature a producer’s perspective on each of the three key topics, according to the organisers.

Sessions commence at 9.30 am but the exhibition hall is open from 8.30 am.

Topic 1 – ‘Working towards confinement free housing’ features Geordie Charles, from Charles IFE who will speak on his experiences with group housing, followed by Dr Rebecca Morrison from Rivalea Australia who reports on ‘Alternative farrowing and lactation housing options’.

The final paper in this session is presented by Melina Tensen from RSPCA Australia. Her topic is ‘RSPCA Australia’s views on current and future approaches to sow housing’.

Topic 2 – ‘Working towards carbon conscious pork’ starts with Tom Smith, Kia –Ora Piggery, reporting on his experiences with biogas, followed by Hugh Payne, Department of Agriculture and Food WAwith ‘Microbial management of greenhouse

gas emissions’.

Finally in this session, Tony Craddock, Rural Directions, in his paper offers advice on ‘Utilising spent shelter bedding for broadacre cropping’.

Topic 3 – ‘Working towards effective positioning of differentiated pork’, includes a producer perspective from Mark McClean, Riverhaven Enterprises on Asian pork marketing.

Peter Haydon, Marketing Manager at APL speaks about, ‘Differentiating Australian pork from your competitors’, then Annette MacFarland from Woolworths advises on ‘Opportunities for pork in value adding and product differentiation’.

The sow lameness workshop sessions, ‘Healthy pork, healthy future’, are conducted

by Mark Wilson from Zinpro Performance Minerals and Chris Richards & Associates.

Respite from a head full of science ideas and facts comes at 3.30 pm that day with the ‘Happy Two Hours’ that rounds out the PPPE 2012 event.

Top: Dr Rebecca Morrison from Rivalea Australia. Above: Stephen Wiedemann from FSA Consulting.

Australian pork industry ahead on stall free move The Australian pork industry’s voluntary move away from the use of sow stalls by 2017 is making substantial progress, with around one in three sows now spending their pregnant lives sow stall free.

This finding came from the most recent nationwide survey of pig producers, conducted by the industry’s peak representative body, Australian Pork Limited (APL).

APL CEO Andrew Spencer said that the survey is part of the industry’s ongoing monitoring of the progress being made on this extremely important issue.

Back in November 2010, at the APL Annual General Meeting, a resolution was overwhelmingly supported by Australian pork producers to voluntarily commit to the phase out of the use of sow stalls by 2017. No other pig industry in the world has voluntarily moved to undertake such action.

The results of this first survey, taken some 12 months later, are resounding proof that Australian pork producers are strongly committed to ‘walking the talk’.

The survey also showed the peak use of sow stalls is occurring at between one and four weeks after mating with around 67% of sows still being in stalls at this time.

Thirty three percent (or one in three sows) are not being housed in stalls at all during

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Andrew Spencer, CEO APL.

pregnancy.

Additionally, around 80% of production already complies with the Model Code of Practice for the Welfare of Animals - Pigs (3rd Edition, 2007) which requires by 2017 that sows can only be housed in stalls for up to six weeks of a pregnancy.

Mr Spencer said “This actually means 80% of the industry is five years ahead of the regulations. The other clear indicators of progress are the fact that on average, two

PORK JOURNAL, March/April 2012

thirds of sows, at any one point in time during pregnancy, are not in a stall at all and are housed in groups.

“The Australian pork industry has given a strong commitment to make the phasing out of sow stalls a reality. Clear indications are now showing the industry is well ahead of its 2017 target.”

Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Senator Joe Ludwig welcomed the action to date.

“The industry is making real progress towards phasing out sow stalls,” he said.

“I look forward to this level of commitment continuing as they work to achieve their end goal.”

RSPCA Australia CEO, Heather Neil, said “It’s good to see this commitment by Australian pork producers and a third of sows already benefiting from a stall free environment.

“The RSPCA appreciates the significance of the commitment these pig producers have made and we look forward to monitoring the industry progress towards a complete end to the use of sow stalls in Australia.”

Australian pork producers will continue to closely monitor the progress made on sow stalls through varying types of producer surveys carried out throughout the year.

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F

Fiona Chambers with a Wessex Saddleback piglet.

Fernleigh’s rare breed pigs add to consumer appeal for alternative pork

By PETER BEDWELL

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PORK JOURNAL, March/April 2012

iona Chambers and her husband Nicholas run the Fernleigh Free Range pork farming operation from their Daylesford Victoria property. The business was established in 1995 when Fiona began raising the endangered Wessex Saddleback breed.

Fernleigh’s certified organic pork was the first to be recognised as such in Victoria and Fiona is the Managing Director of the ‘Rare Breeds Trust of Australia’ (RBTA) and is also a director on the Rare Breeds International (RBI) world board.

Apart from her farming and Rare Breeds Trust responsibilities, Fiona is a lecturer at Marcus Oldham Agricultural College in Geelong and holds a Diploma of Applied Science specialising in animal health, genetics and nutrition.

She is currently working on a Master of Animal Breeding Management at Sydney University.

Fiona has delivered papers on the subject of sustainable farming and the conservation of farm animal genetic diversity at conferences in Australia, the US, UK, Europe, Fiji and Vietnam.

In 2010 Fernleigh and Fiona won the Age newspaper’s ‘Best Bacon’ category of The Foodies Guide to Melbourne, and in 2011 the ‘Delicious’ Food Heritage Award in Australia. These are just two of the most recent awards for Fiona’s efforts to re-establish rare breeds in the Australian diet.

Apart from established free range principles, “we also strongly believe in the need to conserve farm animal genetic diversity and so we choose to breed a rare and endangered animal, the Wessex Saddleback,” Fiona said.

According to available information, the Wessex Saddleback (also known as the Wessex Pig) is a domestic breed that was once common in Wiltshire and the New Forest area of Hampshire in the UK. In the UK it was crossbred with the Essex Pig to produce the British Saddleback and is now extinct as a separate breed in the UK but survives in Australia and New Zealand.

The Wessex Saddleback is described as being ideally adapted to foraging in woodland areas.

As pig farming became more intensive after WW2 in the UK, the extensive systems to which the Wessex Pig was suited declined and with it the breed itself.

In 2008 there were less than 100 breeding sows and as such was considered critically endangered by the Rare Breeds of Australia Trust.

In its country of origin the Wessex was w

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Above: Fiona Chambers with Wessex Saddleback pigs which are now extinct in the UK but preserved in Australia and New Zealand.

v always considered to be an ideal bacon producer and today that suitability is put to good use by Fernleigh Free Range whose award winning bacon is sold as either a short loin or streaky product.

Other popular products from Fernleigh are sliced leg ham, prosciutto, chorizo and capocollo (made from pork neck and dry cured whole).

There are three important strands to the Fernleigh Free Range operation and they are breeding and maintaining the pigs themselves, creating and marketing the products made from their meat and now, teaching other would-be endangered species free range farmers how to own and breed pigs.

“Fernleigh Free range is regularly inundated with calls from small scale farmers, would be pig keepers and pig lovers who are keen to know more about the best way of handling and managing free range pigs,” Fiona explained.

“As a result of this growing interest we started running one day pig handling workshops in 2008 to provide a way for people to find out about owning pigs, learn some skills and ask all the questions that occur to them.

“We call our seminars ‘A Pig Day Out’ and they give would be growers the opportunity to benefit from the 16 years of experience accumulated at Fernleigh Free Range

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in breeding rare breed pigs.

“Since we introduced A Pig Day Out, more than 150 participants have attended our on-farm pig handling workshops with some coming back a second time to build on their skills,” she revealed.

“The workshops comprise of a full day on the farm. It is hands on and focuses on small scale free range and organic pig farming.

“You’ll learn about subjects such as ear notching, litter recording, hoof trimming, animal husbandry, feeding and nutrition, breeding management, animal identification, council and industry requirements, and more.

Fiona explained that it is a packed day that will give everyone a great insight into the world of small scale farming and participants also enjoy a beautiful lunch using produce from the farm.

“You will be able to taste the meat we’ve lovingly grown, and there will be free -flowing cups of tea and coffee as well as tasty morning and afternoon teas along the way,” said Fiona.

“Comprehensive instruction notes are included so participants can pay full attention and get stuck into all the day’s activities,” Fiona added.

“Registered stud animals are available for sale by arrangement but we generally have a three to six month waiting list so it

PORK JOURNAL, March/April 2012

pays to put your down well in advance,” she warned.

Having successfully established the Fernleigh Free Range rare breed enterprise, Fiona is moving to the ‘next level’ in propagating rare breeds in Australia.

Apart from all her other activities Fiona is the Development Manager of the National Trust Rare Breeds Program which made its public debut on October 9, 2011.

“Featured at the official opening of the Nehill Brothers Farm Living History Reserve, in south west Victoria, the site is set to become the first of a network of RBTA accredited conservation breeding centres,” she explained.

“Alec Chernov AO QC, Governor of Victoria and patron of the National Trust of Australia (Victoria) officially launched the site which is being developed in a partnership with the National Trust of Australia (Victoria).

“The Nehill Brothers were the first to introduce Large Black pigs to the district after the Second World War so it is therefore a fitting tribute to be returning Large Black pigs to the site,” said Fiona who has been organising the return of livestock to the farm.

“We are looking forward to having the first piglets born there so that Alexander’s ‘Purrumbete’ stud prefix will continue.

“In the near future the Fernleigh Free w

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v Range livestock are to be relocated to the Nehill Brothers Farm Living History Reserve located near Colac in south western Victoria and will be marketed bearing RBTA and National Trust logos,” Fiona said.

The initiative of combining a rare breed pig, in this instance the Wessex Saddleback with a free range rearing regime certainly ticks all the boxes for both food and animal welfare conscious consumers.

However Fiona warns that micro production piggeries involve all sorts of challenges not limited to just rearing pigs.

“Developing a brand, a marketing strategy and client base takes time, effort and resources,” she said.

“For those who just want to enjoy rearing pigs and rare breeds in particular, a viable strategy may be to sell piglets to established grow out enterprises who have already developed a brand and supply chain.

“This approach also ensures that having created a growing market for rare breeds raised in a free range environment, we can ensure continuity of supply as the market grows – which it will,” concluded Fiona.

As if all of the above wasn’t enough to keep her busy, Fiona Chambers is a passionate advocate of the right to consume ethically grown meat.

On March 20, 2012 she fronted a debate held at the Melbourne Town Hall.

This is the description of the event by its organizers: “The Intelligence Squared series of debates kicks off with a look at the ethics of eating meat.

“Six speakers will divide into two teams to speak for and against the proposition, ‘Animals should be off the menu’. Join us as we debate the ethics of the flesh.

“Speaking for the proposition are Peter Singer, Philip Wollen and Veronica Ridge; against it, Adrian Richardson, Fiona Chambers and Bruce McGregor”.

Peter Singer is of course well known as an author and ‘ethicist’ whose views are a key driver for current animal rights philosophies.

“One thousand, two hundred people attended the event at Melbourne Town Hall,” said Fiona.

“According to the organisers, this was the largest crowd to attend an IQ2 debate in Melbourne. The audience was polled when they arrived and 65% (800 people) came already believing that animals should be off the menu.

“It was without question the most difficult speaking event I have ever attended.

Although I left disappointed in my efforts to effectively communicate what I wanted

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to, I am pleased that I did step forward to present some agro-ecological, social and cultural reasons in favour of keeping animals on the menu.

“While some of the arguments put forward by the affirmative team were accurate and warrant our attention and action, many of their arguments were severely flawed, off topic or drew on emotion to justify a position rather than identify realistic and workable solutions,” she said.

“These inaccuracies reinforce the need

for agricultural leaders who are advocates for positive and constructive change. We need people prepared to stand up and articulate clearly how and why livestock are an integral part of the global food security solution.

“We need to develop these arguments in an effort to represent a more balanced and representative view. If we cannot step forward proudly knowing that our production systems are part of the global food security solution, then it is time to rethink what we are doing,” said Fiona. n

Top: The Rare Breeds Trust of Australia logo. Above: Fernleigh Free Range pigs on the property at Daylesford in Victoria.

PORK JOURNAL, March/April 2012

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NEWS 2012 Eye on Australia report – we don’t like the big supermarkets much

APIQ program Free Range standards

Eye On Australia, a report on consumer attitudes produced annually for more than two decades by Grey Group and Sweeney Research, reveals that consumers are less than impressed by big retail.

“Local retailers are uninspiring,” the report states and asks the question “Are supermarkets becoming the new banks?”

“Though the ‘Big Two’ supermarkets go on about lower prices, the shoppers aren’t buying it.

“Despite the advertising campaigns insisting that they do, the majority of Australians are pretty skeptical that the big supermarkets act in our best interests,” the report concludes.

“Seventy-five percent of people agree that Coles and Woolworths have too much dominance, and only 28% trust the supermarket to do the right thing by the consumer.

“Thirty-two percent agree that the ‘Big Two’ are doing a good job at keeping costs down.

“On other issues relating to retail, “Thirty-four percent agree that because of the internet, shopping as we know it will soon become a thing of the past,” the report reveals.

The generators of the Eye on Australia report suggest that one answer to consumer disenchantment is to increase brand value.

“The opportunity for brands to fill the leadership void has never been greater.

Forty-six percent of Australians don’t know

Consumers can at last be confident that the pork they are buying is truly free range following the release of the Australian Pork Industry Quality Assurance (APIQ) program Free Range standards, in conjunction with the Australian Pork Certified Free Range logo for pork products.

Australian pork producers can now attain Free Range Certifiication under a newly developed, on-farm, free range standard, with the APIQ program. This is the overarching, on-farm quality assurance program used across the Australian pork industry. Currently 86% of Australia’s pork production is APIQ certified.

The major plus for consumers is that free rnage pork certified under this new standard can be lablelled with the newly developed Australian Pork Certified Free Range logo. This is a guarantee that the pork in the pack has been grown under true free range conditions.

APL CEO Andrew Spencer said that APIQ enables producers to assure their customers that the pork produced on Australian farms is safe, wholesome and 100% Australian.

“Until recently, the industry did not have an industry agreed definition of free range or or one set of standards to verify compliance with free range. The lack of an industry agreed definition and standards made it difficult to be confident that the pork they were buying was truly free range,” he said.

Free range production systems certified under the new APIQ Free Range standards means that the pigs have had access to paddocks for their entire life; that they have been provided with shelter and protection from the elements and predators; that they have been able to follow their natural instincts to root in the ground, forage and to wallow; that they have been treated carefully following good practices for their health and wellbeing.

Customers will know that the farm has been audited by an independent qualified third party auditor.

Mr Spencer said that the Free Range Standards have been long overdue.

To find out more about the new Free Range standards or how to apply to use the Australian Pork Certified Free Range Logo go to www.apiq.com.au

what values we stand for, suggesting that our leaders either don’t have a clear vision that we can relate to, or if they do, they’re not selling it very well,” the report states.

“All we want is for someone to create a vision that excites us, is guided by logic and morality and can be implemented through honesty, tenacity, passion and consultation.

“We ask this of politicians, but why shouldn’t we ask it of brands too?

“The values of a brand have always been an important part of its total make up.

“Whether they are expressed in a brand onion, a mission statement, the brand’s corporate website or an ad, Australians will appreciate and love a brand just as much for its values and moral compass as they do for itsunique selling proposition.

“In fact, in this day and age, we believe consumers appreciate a brand more for its values than its product,” the report concludes.

Eye on Australia is produced by advertising and communications group, Grey, in association with Sweeney Research.

It is based on comprehensive data collected from personal interviews with a cross section of Australians from metropolitan and rural areas.

“With more than 14,000 interviews, ‘Eye on Australia’ is in a unique position to track and analyse the changing profile of Australia’s consumers,” said Grey Group CEO Luke Waldren.

Jefo expanding microencapsulated feed additive production capacity Jefagro Technologies Inc., a joint venture company established by Jefo of Canada and Vetagro of Italy in 2000, is expanding its manufacturing capacity for microencapsulated non-medicated feed additives to cater for increasing global demand.

Jefagro’s Canadian manufacturing facility will be expanded by 4,000 square metres to step up the production of microencapsulated organic acids, essential oils and vitamins, for poultry, swine and ruminants.

The expanded facility, once operational in early 2013, is expected to allow the company double its export capacity.

14

The expansion will enable the manufacturing facility, which is currently HACCP, ISO 22000 and FAMI-Qs certified, to also qualify for GMP certification.

Jean Fontaine, agr, President of Jefo & Jefagro Technologies, said: “We have offered innovative non-medicated feed additives for the last 30 years. We are proud of this growing demand and interest of the industry for microencapsulation and for our innovative products”.

Headquartered in St-Hyacinthe, Quebec, Jefo supplies its species-specific microencapsulated products in Canada, the US and in more than 50 other countries.

PORK JOURNAL, March/April 2012

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NUTRITION FEATURE

Breeding sows benefit from NSP-degrading enzymes Raising breeding sows represents a large part of cost in swine industry. From gestation to farrowing and weaning, sows undergo drastic physiological and metabolic changes. During days before and after farrowing, sows show low appetite with reduced feed intake. Lactating sows mobilise body reserves to produce milk for piglets that leads to significant weight losses up to 1520 kg which further impairs the reproductive cycle.

KEVIN LIU* (right) reports that recent studies reveal feeding non-starch-polysaccharides (NSP) degrading enzyme may help the sow increase its voluntary feed intake thus reduce weight loss up to 20% and backfat loss by 24% during lactation.

S

ows reduce feed intake after farrowing, resulting in substantial weight losses during lactation and they regain weight back after weaning.

Losing weight is not only energy inefficient but also critical for the reproductive performance of the sows.

Recent data suggest that sows losing more than 12% of their body protein reserves will experience impaired reproduction performance with longer fill-in time after lactation.

The impact is even more severe on primiparous sows, as it is recommended to avoid a weight loss more than 5% initial bodyweight (Australian Pork Ltd, 2005).

A 250kg sow losing more than 25kg

would be at high risk of losing its reproductive performance.

Research has also shown that increasing nutrient intake during lactation can reduce the days to the next oestrus. How to increase energy intake and reduce losses of body weight and backfat remains a real challenge.

Nutritionists often try various approaches to boost feed intake, such as adding fats to diet or using highly digestible ingredients.

Previous research with growing pigs revealed feed enzymes can shift part of dry matter digestion from the hind-gut to the small intestines (Baidoo and Liu, 1998), which may reduce transit time and thus

indirectly enhance feed intake (Yin et al., 2001).

Adisseo research team investigated whether feeding non-starch polysaccharides degrading enzyme may alleviate the negative impact of sow feed intake on weight losses during lactation.

Experiments The enzyme product tested are Rovabio Excel, from fermentation of a single non-GMO organism Penicillium funiculosum, containing naturally compatible 19 activities (xylanases, β-glucanases and cellulases).

This enzyme product has been widely proven to be efficacious boosting digestion w

Table 1: Effect of Rovabio on weight losses of lactating sows fed on different diets.

Study code and diet type

Treatment

1. Corn

Control +Rovabio Control +Rovabio Control +Rovabio Control +Rovabio Control +Rovabio Control +Rovabio

2. Barley 3. Wheat 4. Corn/SBM 5. Corn/wheat 6. Wheat

Weight post farrowing, kg 229.3 219.2 263.9 262.6 280 288 272.8 264.3 210 209.6 253.5 254.9

Weight at weaning, kg 217.6 210 260.3 263.2 256.2 265.9 249.3 244.7 186.7 191.7 227.5 232.5

Weight loss, kg -11.7 -9.2 -3.7 +0.6 -23.8 -22.1 -23.5 -19.6 -23.3 -17.9 -26.0 -22.4

Enzyme response, kg 2.5 4.3 1.7 3.9 5.4 3.6

Note: Studies 1-3 were carried out in Canada (Maple Leaf and Prairie Swine Centre); No. 4 was from the University of Santa Maria in Brazil; No. 5 was from the University of Animal Husbandry, Serbia; and No.6 was from Premix of France.

16

PORK JOURNAL, March/April 2012

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NUTRITION FEATURE v of a broad range of poorly digestible compounds in feedstuff and efficacious for all monogastric species, including piglets and fattening pigs.

The effect of Rovabio Excel was tested in different conditions and different type of diets. In all experiments, sows were blocked by parity and backfat thickness in order to ensure similar body conditions at trial start.

No creep feed was applied to any litter at the early stage and cross fostering was done within 24 hours after birth.

The litters remained intact until the time of weaning. Sows were fed as close to ad libitum as possible. In total, six trials were run in different locations with different diet types, each comparing a group of sows fed on a standard diet to another group fed on the same diet + Rovabio Excel.

As the objective was to increase feed intake, the enzyme was supplemented on top of the existing sow diets during lactation phase.

Results are summarised in Table 1. In all cases, no differences in litter size or piglet bodyweight were observed between the controls and the treatments.

Parity number was also not significant.

Due to a high variability between animals, the differences observed between control and enzyme treated groups were not always significant in individual study.

However, when pooling together all the results for meta-analysis, the effect of Rovabio was significant – an average weight loss reduction of nearly 20% plus a reduction 24% in backfat loss (Table 2).

Table 2: Impact of Rovabio on sow backfat thickness (P2, mm).

Control

Rovabio Excel

Post farrowing

18.52

18.66

Weaning

17.25

17.70

Difference

-1.27

-0.96

It is also important to note that Rovabio reduced weight loss in every single trial.

The research team assumes the enzyme supplementation contributed to higher feed intake and/or better nutrient utilisation during lactation.

Backfat thickness is an important parameter of sow condition. As shown in this study, the addition of Rovabio enzyme led to 24.4% lower losses in backfat, corresponding well with reduction in weight losses.

According to a five-year field project completed on Aldo farms (a 1700-sow farm in Quebec), designed to survey the effect of sows’ body conditions on their reproductive performance, 30,000 measurements were taken for both backfat depth and body weight from 15,000 farrowings.

One of the farm’s owners, Alain Lefebvre, concluded that a reduction of 0.2 total born piglets occurs for each mm backfat loss if the loss is higher than a critical point of 2mm during lactation.

In other words, if a sow loses 5mm

backfat during a given lactation, her next litter would be deprive of one piglet! Also, he found a direct relationship between feed intake during lactation and the size of the subsequent litter: 0.65 extra piglet for each extra kg feed ingested during lactation.

In order to maximise sow productivity, Lefebvre believes it is extremely important to increase feed intake during lactation to avoid backfat losses.

In conclusion, these study results suggest supplementing Rovabio during lactation lift feed intake and reduce loss of bodyweight by 20% and backfat by 24% on average, which may help keep those parameters below the thresholds thus improve sow productivity. * Kevin Liu, PhD (kevin.liu@adisseo.com), is the Vice President of Adisseo Asia Pacific Pte Ltd, Singapore. A list of references is available from the author.

This article was reproduced with the permission of Asian Pork Magazine where it was published in February 2012.

NEWS The future is up for debate at Alltech’s 2012 Symposium The smart debate at Alltech’s 2012 Symposium will be a dynamic conversation about what’s in store for the future of the world. Alltech’s 28th Annual International Symposium will be held May 20-23 in Lexington, Kentucky.

“This is our fourth annual debate and promises to be the most compelling, with a hard hitting and no-holds barred discussion of the real challenges facing the food and feed industries,” said Aidan Connolly, Vice President of Corporate Accounts at Alltech.

Panelists on the SMART debate will be CEO of Concern, based in Ireland, Tom Arnold; Dr Marcus Vinicius Pratini de

18

Moraes, former minister of Brazil’s agriculture and food supply; Tom Dorr, CEO of Grains Council in Washington, DC; and senior lecturer in business economics at Cranfield University in the United Kingdom, Sean Rickard.

Topics of the debate will include: • How will we feed 9 billion people?

• Is Africa the new Brazil? What are the implications of the land grab in Africa?

• Water - The fight for natural resources • Protecting the rainforests • Educating urbanites about agriculture • Dealing with groups hostile to agriculture • Solutions for obesity

PORK JOURNAL, March/April 2012

• What ‘local’ really means Looking to 2050’s burgeoning population, Alltech’s 2012 Symposium will focus on ideas for better use of resources, improved business practices and natural nutritional solutions.

Breakout sessions will include legal, marketing, information technology and designer food in addition to the popular aquaculture, beef, dairy, equine, poultry, pig, pet and regulatory-focused offerings.

To secure your place at the 2012 Alltech Annual International Symposium, visit www.alltech.com/symposium or contact symposium@alltech.com.

PJMarchApril2012:PJJanFeb09 2/05/12 12:10 PM Page 19

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NEWS US looks to ban growth enhancing antibiotic use in livestock The practice of feeding antibiotics to enhance growth of livestock has led to a judge’s order that moves toward ending that use of the drugs.

The New York Times reported that the Obama Administration has warned the government that they may soon ban agricultural uses of some popular antibiotics that many scientists say encourage dangerous infections and potentially

jeopardise public health.

Dr Andrew Monk, BFA Standards Convenor, comments that the ban would be a positive move by the US. “Incorporating antibiotics into animal feed is not only damaging the use of antibiotics in human use, but is not managing human health correctly”.

“The use of antibiotics in animal feed is plastering over a structural issue for a

broader issue.

“Consumers who want truly free range in addition to artificial additive, antibiotic and synthetic agrichemical-free, should look for the recognised and respected Organic Bud logo with the words ‘Australian Certified Organic’ to be assured they are buying what the label claims.

Nutritionist Shane Heaton said “In Australia more antibiotics are prescribed to animals for preserving their life and to sustain feed conversion ratios as opposed to the amount prescribed to people”.

“When humans consume antibiotics through the food chain you increase the risk of becoming resistant to superbugs.”

Under the Australian Certified Organic Standards incorporating antibiotics in feed is prohibited.

The US order comes two months after the Obama administration announced restrictions on agricultural uses of Cephalosporins- a critical class of antibiotics such as Cefzil and Keflex which are commonly used to treat pneumonia, strep throat and skin and urinary tract infections.

Judge Theodore H Hatz of the Southern District of New York issued an order which effectively restarts a process that the Food and Drug Administration began 35 years ago, but never completed.

EU sow stall ban facing challenges EU plans for a partial ban on sow stalls that would go into effect on January 1, 2013, are already meeting challenges, with only 10 countries likely to be ready for the new rules and some not even able to provide statistics, according to the UK’s farm animal welfare body Compassion in World Farming.

The new law will ban the use of sow stalls for the majority of a sow’s pregnancy.

Compassion in World Farming (CWF) said it understood that the UK is expected to be joined in being fully compliant by Sweden, Luxembourg, Lithuania, Ireland, Germany, Estonia, Denmark, The Czech Republic and Bulgaria.

The other 17 member states are still in varying stages of readiness, with Poland among the worst in terms of the number of farms (2,029) expected to be non-compliant when the law goes into effect.“This should set alarm bells ringing at the [European] Commission,” said CWF.

20

PORK JOURNAL, March/April 2012

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NEWS Jefo is celebrating 30 years of innovation “Jefo is an industry leader in non-medicated high-performance additives, committed to the livestock feed industry since 1982. Its reputation in the industry and strong international growth are the results of corporate positioning and putting the emphasis on animal performance,” said Wayne Bradshaw, Managing Director, Jefo Australia.

“To this end, Jefo creates and develops additives according to the specific requirements of each species.

This philosophy of product development has not only yielded consistent positive results, but also allowed Jefo to achieve significant scientific advances,” he said.

Founded in 1982 by Mr Jean Fontaine, agr., Jefo is present in 58 countries world wide and has been active in Australia since 2005.

“Jefo has and will continue to develop and provide innovative species-specific products and technical support to the agricultural industry,” Mr Bradshaw said.

“The list of quality products within the Jefo portfolio is extensive and includes the flag ship acidifiers Tetracid 500 and Porcinat+ for swine.

“Along with products from our core partners including Nutrase XYLA, the only bacterially fermented Xylanase available, used in both poultry and pig diets and an enzymatically treated soy based product, HP 300, used to supplement and benefit poultry and pig diets.

“All were available well in advance of industry needs and are still exceeding both industry and customer expectations for consistency and performance,” he said.

To celebrate the 30th Anniversary milestone, Jefo is again a key sponsor of the Pan Pacific Pork Expo (PPPE).

“This is a great occasion for Jefo with 30 years in business providing our friends and clients with some of the best products available is an amazing effort.

“I am also proud to announce that our Founder and President, Jean Fontaine along with David Mair, VP Sales and Marketing and Emilie Fontaine, International Corporate Marketing Manager, will be making the trip to Australia for the PPPE,” said Mr Bradshaw.

“Our team want to meet our Australian and NZ clients and thank them for their continued support.

“So please make the time and visit the Jefo Booth.”

The PPPE Conference is being held at the Gold Coast Convention and Entertainment Centre, May 16 - 17.

LtoR: David Mair, Jean Fontaine and Wayne Bradshaw.

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NEWS Farmers demand protection from activists Victorian farmers have demanded the State and Federal Governments step in to safeguard them from the economic damage inflicted by animal activists.

Delegates at the Victorian Farmers Federation Annual Conference passed a resolution calling on the government “to take on a role prosecuting activists whose actions damage agricultural industries and markets by any means, not limited to, but including economic damage”.

“It’s about making activists accountable for their actions,” VFF Livestock President Ian Feldtmann said.

Legislation already exists in the United States which allows activists to be prosecuted for economic damage both on the farm and beyond the farm gate.

“We need similar legislation in this country,” Mr Feldtmann said.

The call followed a debate on animal welfare at the conference between Animals Australia’s Glenys Oogjes, RSPCA’s Maria Mercurio, Melbourne University’s Paul

Hemsworth and the VFF’s outgoing Livestock President Chris Nixon.

“There are groups talking about undermining livestock industries in this country,” Mr Nixon said.

“What they should be doing is working with us, not against us.”

The panel was asked whether supermarket campaigns such as Coles’ “Down, down” campaign eroded or helped improve animal welfare.

The RSPCA’s Maria Mercurio said supermarkets had a positive impact. She said supermarkets were giving people choice of chicken meat, eggs and pork from a range of sources.

But Mr Nixon said the campaign was driving farmers to the wall undermining their ability to remain profitable and maintain animal welfare standards.

All members of the panel condemned animal activists who engaged in illegal activities such as criminal trespassing and damages.

Biomin 2011 mycotoxin report Biomin’s report on global mycotoxin research has focused on global prevalence with a region-by-region breakdown of the various mycotoxins most important to animal and agriculture production.

Seventy-four percent of the analyzed samples show the presence of at least one mycotoxin. The presence of more than one mycotoxin in 41% of the samples raises the problem of synergistic effects caused by multiple mycotoxins in animal feeds.

The global occurrence of aflatoxins, zearalenone, deoxynivalenol, fumonisins and ochratoxin A were studied, with 4,327 samples taken from North and South America, Asia, Oceania and Europe and the Middle East and Africa.

Samples tested were diverse, ranging from cereals such as corn, wheat, barley and rice to processing by-products such as soybean meal, corn gluten meal, dried distillers grains with solubles and other fodder such as straw, silage and finished feed.

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NEWS Piggery nutrient management plan case studies now available A series of case studies on the development and implementation of Nutrient Management Plans for ten Australian piggeries has been released by Australian Pork Limited (APL).

This document represents the culmination of a project partially funded through APL and the Australian Government’s Caring for our Country initiative.

The case studies highlight how pork producers can use piggery effluent as a nutrient source and provide examples of how to maximise nutrient value and efficiency.

The publication titled ‘Sustainable Piggery Effluent Utilisation in Australian Farming Systems: Case studies on the development and implementation of Nutrient Management Plans at ten Australian piggeries’ summarises the farms’ physical conditions, their management objectives in relation to effluent management, and issues for consideration in devel-

oping the plan.

The case studies then outline specific recommendations and action plans determined for each farm and a summary of how implementation has progressed to date.

The Nutrient Management Plans contained in the case studies aim to assist producers in quantifying the mass balance of nutrients produced and utilised on-farm, and identifying potential risks of nutrient losses to waterways or groundwater.

By outlining current management practices and potential environmental risks, plans which adjust practices or improve infrastructure can be developed and implemented.

According to producers who participated in the project, “This project benefitted our operation by helping turn a potential environmental risk into a benefit to the farm. In the long term, this will help our business to be sustainable and allow ongo-

When dining out, Britains pick pork In Britain, the popularity of pork is growing when people are eating out of the home, with bacon leading the way.

New figures from NPD Group/Crest show that pig meat, including pork, bacon, sausages and ham, was the most consumed

red meat in the out-of-home market, with 68.7% of all red meat servings.

It also experienced the greatest increase in servings in 201,1 compared with a year ago. The figures show total pig meat servings increased by 8.1%.

ing pork production. This benefits the whole industry.”

“The most important part is that the project has identified areas where we can enhance production. As a result we have purchased more advanced machinery to achieve this result more efficiently. We have been urging other producers to look at sustaining their future by implementing these techniques.”

The case studies will ultimately assist in providing the wider industry with tools to address nutrient management planning while maximising productivity and sustainability of the Australian pork industry.

The publication can be downloaded from APL’s website at www.australianpork. com.au/pages/page76.asp or in hard copy from APL. For further information and any enquiries, please contact Janine Price on 1800 789 099 (Toll Free) or janine.price@australianpork.com.au.

In the main, this growth was driven by bacon, which saw servings up by 29.5% and sausages, by 21.3%. Ham has also moved up the charts, by 11.7% and pork saw an increase of 4.6%.

BPEX foodservice trade manager, Tony Goodger, said: “Quality assured bacon is a fantastic ingredient for all types of menus.

It’s hugely versatile and delivers a punch of flavour to dishes.”

PORK JOURNAL, March/April 2012

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NEWS Fermented liquid feed – Microbial and nutritional aspects and impact on enteric disease in pigs

By NURIA CANIBE, BENT BORG JENSEN, Department of Animal Science, Immunology & microbiology The use of liquid feed in pig nutrition has recently gained interest due to several reasons: (1) the political wish of decreasing the use of antibiotics in pig production; (2) the current fluctuations in feed prices that makes liquid feed, with the possibility of using cheap liquid ingredients, an interesting feeding strategy; (3) the policies aiming at increasing production of renewable biofuel with a corresponding increase in liquid co-products from the bioethanol industry, suitable for liquid feeding; (4) environmental policies aiming at decreasing disposal of

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waste, for example, liquid co-products from the food/pharmaceutical/ biofuel industry, that can be included in liquid feeding.

In order to obtain fermented liquid feed (FLF) of good microbial quality, that is biosafe, fresh feed and water are mixed with material from a previous successful fermentation, which acts as inoculum for the new mixture.

Several factors affect the microbial and nutritional characteristics of the final product and therefore knowledge on the impact of these factors on the characteristics of the mixture is crucial.

The initial hours of incubation are characterized by high pH, low numbers of lactic acid bacteria and yeasts, high numbers of Enterobacteriaceae, and low concentration of lactic acid, whereas at later hours of incubation, the pH decreases, the number of lactic acid bacteria and yeasts, and the concentration of organic acids and ethanol increase, whereas the Enterobacteriaceae counts decrease.

A reported undesirable consequence of fermentation is the observed degradation of free lysine and concomitant cadaverine production during fermentation of liquid feed.

However, the extent of this degradation is affected by various factors, including feed processing and temperature of incubation.

Coliform bacteria are related to free lysine degradation.

The possible contribution of other microorganisms present in the FLF to this degradation is uncertain, though. Liquid fermentation has the potential of improving the nutritional value of feed ingredients.

Data show that fermentation can improve digestibility of various nutrients, e.g., organic matter, nitrogen, amino acids, fibre, and calcium.

The conditions of fermentation and the ingredients used are crucial factors in order to benefit from this, though. Further, there are some strategies that can help improving the microbial and nutritional characteristics of FLF, such as addition of starter cultures, organic acids, or enzymes.

Other strategies can help avoiding degradation of the amino acids, like adding the free amino acids immediately prior to feeding. The effect of FLF on gastrointestinal health of pigs is one of the subjects being investigated in the last years.

Feeding FLF of good quality results in reduction of the number of enteric pathogens like coliforms and Salmonella, and the few published studies on its effect on important pig diseases like porcine proliferative enteropathy and swine dysentery also indicate reduction of the incidence of these diseases in pigs fed FLF.

PORK JOURNAL Magazine has moved.

New number: (02) 4368 2220 or fax: (02) 4368 2260.

Mobile: 0419 235 288.

New address: 7 Kerns Rd, Kincumber NSW 2251 Email: rembery@iinet.net.au

PJMarchApril2012:PJJanFeb09 2/05/12 12:11 PM Page 25

NEWS Solving a 700 million pig problem In this project the CRC is providing scientific expertise, including supervision of six PhD students at Huazhong University of Science and Technology in Wuhan Province with links to research skills at the University of South Australia.

The project is being managed by HLM Ltd on the ground, taking advantage of the relatively low cost of technology trials and scale-up work in China.

“It’s a perfect partnership between Australian science and Chinese technical expertise,” Professor Naidu said.

He explained that the main scientific and technical challenges solved by this project are the high N and P loads in pig waste compared with domestic sewage, the current small size of biogas reactors, their slow rate of digestion, the limiting influence of temperature, and the presence of heavy metal contaminants which restrict the use of residues as fertiliser.

“So far, the technology has been able to overcome each of these, and is now moving to full-scale trials.

“The market for a successfully packaged solution to this suite of problems is clearly very large – both in Asia and around the world.

Besides handling livestock wastes, similar bioreactor technology can be used to manage and cleanse the runoff from

Correction

An error occurred in the previous issue of Pork Journal in an article titled “Blantyre Farms turns to biogas to reduce energy costs”.

It was stated that the biogas scheme installed at Blantryre Farm received some funding from APL. This is incorrect. APL made a contribution to the development of the feasibility study.

It did not contribute to the actual biogas scheme.

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Australian science is helping to solve one of China’s biggest and smelliest problems – what to do with the waste produced by its 700 million pigs.

Working with Chinese scientists and technology firm HLM Asia Ltd, Australia’s CRC for Contamination Assessment and Remediation of the Environment (CRC CARE) has helped develop novel digester technology to help deal with the estimated 1.4 million tonnes of manure and 7mt of urine produced by the burgeoning Chinese pork industry annually.

CRC CARE Managing Director Professor Ravi Naidu said the new technology can produce clean energy (biogas), fertiliser and other valuable products from nutrient-rich waste, in a system with great potential for application in other industries worldwide.

China has 700 million pigs in 1.8 million farms, which supply two thirds of the country’s rapidly-growing meat consumption.

“However these piggeries also produce enormous volumes of waste, only a tenth of which is currently being treated,” he explained.

“Despite tighter regulations, large amounts of nitrogen, phosphorous and contaminants are being discharged into the environment where they damage ecosystems and pose a threat to human health.

The nutrients lost in the waste of one pig alone are worth about $50 a year, but there is no technology in place yet to recover and use this vital resource.”

Prof Naidu said the joint project has developed a two-step underground anaerobic bioreactor for treating piggery waste, and established the settings for load and digestion time.

It has identified a particular combination of anaerobic treatments that can recover the nutrients and produce clean biogas energy as well.

“The technology has been demonstrated in the field and is now being scaled up to treat large volumes of wastes from a number of piggery farms,” he said.

The technology is expected to have widespread application not only in China but throughout Asia, wherever animals are farmed intensively, and to create fresh export opportunities for Australian technology solutions to similar contamination problems.

urban landfills and organic waste streams from other industries,” Prof Naidu said.

“We anticipate that the scientific and technical knowledge gained in the course of CRC CARE’s research will have real value for Australia’s intensive livestock and food industries – and will help protect our environment from these types of wastes.

“At the same time we are producing a new source of clean energy for industry or domestic use, and a vital supply of nutrients to help secure the future of food production.”

More information: Prof Ravi Naidu, Managing Director, CRC CARE, (08) 8302 5041 or 0407 720 257. Peter Martin, Communications Manager, CRC CARE, +61 (0)417 776 494 www.crccare.com

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PJMarchApril2012:PJJanFeb09 2/05/12 12:11 PM Page 26

NEWS New Director for Pork CRC New Zealand pork producer Chris Trengrove has been appointed to the Board of Directors of the CRC for High Integrity Australian Pork, replacing Sam McIvor as the Board representative of Essential Participant, New Zealand Pork.

Formerly CEO of NZ Pork, Mr McIvor resigned from the Board on February 28, after leaving NZ Pork to take up a position with a private meat business in NZ. Announcing the appointment, Pork CRC Chairman, Dr John Keniry, said he expected a smooth transition, as Mr Trengrove has been a Director of NZ Pork for the past 15 years and was Chairman for nine years.

“Aside from owning and running a 450 sow piggery for the past 30 years in partnership with wife Judith, Chris has other impeccable credentials for a new Pork CRC Director, including a decade working in banking, five years chairing the R&D Committee of NZ Pork and five years on the Massey University/NZ Pork Consultative Committee.

“Significantly, Chris was also very supportive of NZ Pork’s initial decision to join the Pork CRC at its inception in 2005,” Dr Keniry said.

Paying tribute to Mr McIvor’s contribution since his appointment to the Board

NZ pork producer Chris Trengrove.

of the former CRC for an Internationally Competitive Pork Industry in June 2006, which transitioned last year into the CRC for High Integrity Australian Pork, Dr Keniry said he brought much more to the table than just the interests of trans-Tasman pork producers.

“Sam frequently brought a fresh outlook to Board discussions, offering a perspective based on an excellent understanding of industry dynamics, in particular how quality R&D, if consistently industry focussed, could enhance the lot of producers.

“Although there are obvious synergies between Australia’s and New Zealand’s pork industries, including a shared and uncom-

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www.ecoshelters.com.au Email: admin@redpath.com.au Free Phone: 1-800-024-680 26

PORK JOURNAL, April/May 2012

promising commitment to high animal welfare standards, a robust exchange of intelligent ideas is always welcome and I expect this will continue to be the case with Chris Trengrove,” Dr Keniry said.

The Pork CRC Board comprises Dr John Keniry (Chairman), Professor Robert van Barneveld, Mr Rod Hamann, Mr Brian Halstead, Professor Simon Maddocks, Professor John Pluske, Dr Hugh Wirth, Mr Kenton Shaw, Mr Andrew Spencer, Ms Kathryn Adams and Mr Chris Trengrove.

The four research programs of the CRC for High Integrity Australian Pork are: 1. Confinement free sow and piglet management 2. Herd health management 3. Healthy pork consumption 4. Carbon-conscious nutrient inputs and outputs.

Think Livestock concentrates on water dosing equipment at PPPE Think Livestock is a specialist supplier of equipment for the delivery of vaccines, medications and water treatments for all livestock.

At this year’s PPEE, Think Livestock will be concentrating on demonstrations of its range of water dosing equipment, including both the highly flexible, accurate and reliable Select Doser, and the sturdy, cost effective Gator water medicator.

“Whatever additive you need to dose into water, Think Livestock can customise a solution to suit your needs,” said Dave Roberts from Think Livestock.

Think Livestock will also be demonstrating a brand new system called GeneralAlert. “If a critical event has occurred on your farm, it is better to know about it sooner rather than later - whether it is a temperature that is too high, a door opening, a broken water pipe, a power failure or a pH that is too low,” said Dave.

“The General Alert system can provide a cost-effective solution to monitor log and/or report critical events before they cost you money!

Finally, Think Livestock distributes a range of vaccinators, bottle mount vaccinators, and pour on guns, and a complete range of veterinary needles, including Process Detectable needles.

PJMarchApril2012:PJJanFeb09 2/05/12 12:11 PM Page 27

PJMarchApril2012:PJJanFeb09 2/05/12 12:11 PM Page 28

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