Pork Journal March/April 2018 by Rosemary Embery

porkjournal www.primarymedia.com.au

Volume 40 Issue 2

March/April 2018

Honours Scholarship helps to kick start pig industry careers

AGCO: a long established enterprise with a fresh approach to modern farmers

Have we hit peak meat? PrintPost Approved PP10003090 ISSN 1032 3759

Contact AGCO Australia team TODAY for your next project

porkjournal www.primarymedia.com.au

Volume 40 Issue 2

March/April 2018

EDITOR:

EDITORIAL & DESIGN

JOURNALIST/PHOTOGRAPHER PRODUCTION EDITOR

Peter Bedwell Alex Bedwell

Rosemary Embery

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Alex Bedwell

ADVERTISING ADVERTISING SALES Peter Bedwell Phone: (02) 9797 2406 Mob: 0419 235 288 Email: primarymedia@bigpond.com Rates are available at www.primarymedia.com.au

SUBSCRIPTIONS Zoe Pfeiffer, winner of the Ronald J Lienert Memorial Scholarship for Honours students with Nick Lienert.

AUSTRALIA One Year - $55.00*

FEATURES Page 12: Have we hit peak meat?

NEW ZEALAND One Year - NZ$80

Page 16: AGCO: a long established enterprise with a fresh approach for modern farmers

OTHER COUNTRIES One Year: Airmail - $A90 Please send payment in Australian dollars.

NEWS

Send payment and full details to: 250 Hawthorne Pde, Haberfield NSW 2045

by Peter Bedwell

Page 4: Queensland Pig Consultancy Group Survival Strategies to 2020 Page 8: SA Pig Industry Day 2018 Takeaways Page 14: Honours Scholarship helps to kick start pig industry careers Page 18: Alltech’s Dr Pearse Lyons dies at 73 Page 19: IFAJ/Alltech Young Leaders Award winners Page 20: Animal Production 2018 Conference PRODUCT NEWS Page 20: AGCO’S brands win Red Hot design awards

*Australian subscription rate includes GST

ENQUIRIES OFFICE ADDRESS: 250 Hawthorne Pde, Haberfield NSW 2045 Phone: (02) 9797 2406 Mob: 0419 235 288 Production: 0409 944 472 Email: primarymedia@bigpond.com Pork Journal consists of a bi-monthly management magazine. Published by C D Supplies Pty Ltd trading as Primary Media (ACN 091 560 557) All material copyright (editorial and advertisements) and may not be reproduced without the written consent of the publishers. Whilst every care is taken to ensure the accuracy of the contents of PORK JOURNAL, the publishers do not accept any responsibility or liability for the material herein.

NEWS

Queensland Pig Consultancy Group Survival Strategies to 2020 Queensland Pig Consultancy Group (QPCC) has been running its seminars since 1993 and the latest, held on March 16, 2018 at the Toowoomba Middle Ridge Golf Club, maintained the event’s track record of delivering a great one day burst of highly relevant knowledge for industry and in particular, producers. Sara Willis (DAF QLD) was in the Chair and the ever energetic organiser of the event opened the proceedings. “Over the next 12 to 24 months, Queensland pork producers will face the challenges of uncertain market returns and increasing costs,” Sara said. “The QPCC and the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF Qld) with support from APL which hosts this industry day, will deliver a program with speakers who will present short to medium term feeding, health and management strategies to assist producers in making confident decisions to meet the challenges facing the industry,” she said. John Riley, JCR Associates International, who has had a long career in both the UK and Australia and has probably seen more ‘boom and bust’ cycles than any industry participant anywhere. He, along with Peter Feron, was responsible for forming the QPCC and was the group’s first Chairman. Today he assists Sara Willis in the facilitation of the Toowoomba Focus Group. He pulls no punches in his summation of industry situations. ‘Analysing costs and returns of pork production’ was his topic for the day. After showing some pretty depressing statistics, John pointed out that a 4.8% growth in pork consumption (2010-15) triggered an expansion in sow numbers and cash became available to invest in new buildings and upgrade existing systems – then the laws of supply and demand hit. The following information on pig price to feed ratio and real bacon and feed prices in February 2018 were pretty depressing. For discussion, John suggested in a March 2018 forecast that, “the group could be loosing $19.63 a pig, and the question was “do you know your financial performance in detail

and are you losing money on every pig produced and how long will you be able to sustain loss?” he said. Mark McLean, Managing Director of Riverhaven Enterprises, runs a 900 sow operation in South Australia, as well as citrus and olive growing enterprises and is an Executive Director of Top Multiplier Pty Ltd and has worked in the family business for 23 years. He runs a highly successful multilayered operation and is deeply involved in the industry at all levels. He has travelled extensively overseas and has a good grasp of pork production globally. His paper, ‘Responding to challenges facing the family business’ was delivered by someone that has truly ‘been there and done that’. His insights were detailed and valuable to all in the industry. His last slide ‘How does a family business survive?’ offered some tips that highlight priorities for hard pressed producers. “Attention to detail, and whether the business owner checks on things after hours and and on weekends?” “Do your staff know that you will help them when they are under pressure, and are you close enough to your business to see the weaknesses you have. “Have a long term plan. What is your target maket and what size of operation do you need to be to supply that market? “Use careful and strategic investment in building and infrastructure to drive down your costs of production and don’t take short cuts,” Mark advised. “Treat your staff like part of the family and a valued asset. Do it better than average (the last man standing concept) – if you do it better you should survive longer than the average,” he said. “Benchmark and monitor your production data and hope you have a bit of luck along the way, but of critical importance look after your health. “You cannot change the pig price but you can care for your physical and mental health,” Mark concluded. Darren Wilson from Wilpak Wholesale Meats explained ‘Factors affecting supply and demand of pig w

1. Sara Willis, DAF QLD. 2. John Riley, JCR Associates International. 3. Mark McLean, Riverhaven Enterprises. 4. Darren Wilson, Wilpak

VIRKON S. ®

INDEPENDENTLY PROVEN TO BE EFFECTIVE AGAINST PORCINE EPIDEMIC DIARRHEA VIRUS (PEDV).

Virkon ® S has been independently tested for “Virucidal Effi cacy of a Disinfectant for Use on Inanimate Environmental Surfaces against Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus (PEDV)”. This is an approved EPA test protocol. Virkon ® S is proven to be effective against PEDV at a dilution rate of 1:600, in the presence of high organic content (5%) and at low temperatures (down to 5˚C). Virkon ® S can be used on housing, surfaces, equipment and footwear. It is especially effective in combating the spread of disease via transport vehicles.

Virkon®S: Effective biosecurity against PEDV in a single pack.

NEWS v

meat in 2018’. His business processes 4500-5000 pigs a week as well as 600 boning sows. He acknowledged amongst other things that the processing industry in the current market likes a smaller pig but that it costs more to produce. Dale Seymour, the Australian Federal Government’s Anti-Dumping Commissioner, gave a great insight into how anti-dumping protocols work as he described Australia’s trade remedies system. “The system is supposed to be designed to industry needs but to make a good claim apply law to the facts,” Dale advised. He described a situation where anti-dumping legislation could help industries threatened by dumping, using solar panels as an example. Dale’s long experience and advice would have reassured a challenged industry that there are remedies if pork producers face large economies prepared to undercut by dumping product in our markets. “How to get further advice? Go to clientsupport@adcommission.gov.au,” Dale advised. Peter Smith, APL’s Marketing Development Manager, spoke next about ‘How marketing and advertising initiatives could work to increase demand for pork’. Though reporting a still growing demand for pork he warned of the growing popularity of seafood and the power of the vegetarian movement. “We must communicate better with a younger generation and promote the health benefits of pork to different markets.” Peter also outlined plans for elevated marketing spend to take advantage of events that could encourage focus on pork dishes – the Chinese Year of the Pig being an example. ‘Strategies to minimise the effect of the grain market on your business’ was the topic for John Mulally, Grains Manager for Riverina Australia. John has spent 17 years building up to his current position as a Senior Trader at Riverina Australia. “Buying raw materials at the time that suits your business cycles is essential,” John said. “The potential of impending trade friction between the US and China is having an effect on global grain markets,” he revealed. Rob Martyn of SunPork Farms, Tong Park Piggery, spoke of the importance CONTINUED ON PAGE 24 w

2 3

1. Young farmers seminar participants. 2. Natalie Schwerin (left) from Lallemand with Meridith Schoenfisch from Zoetis. 3. Dr Peter McKenzie, McSwine Veterinary Consultancy with Christine Clarke. 4. Dale Seymour, the Australian Federal Government’s Anti-Dumping Commissioner.

RespiSure ® and Fostera® – the winning formula to manage PCV and MH. Great teams rely on market leading innovation and ongoing development to stay ahead. Get the edge in a changing environment, contact one of our high performance crew today on 1800 963 847.

NEWS

SA Pig Industry Day 2018 Takeaways By GRAEME POPE Pork SA Chairman Mark McLean, from Riverhaven, Taylorville welcomed an audience of 150 to the 2018 SA Pig Industry Day, held in Tanunda on February 23. Speaker sessions focused on providing ‘Solutions for Challenging Times’, with emphasis placed on the value of benchmarking and itemising piggery production costs, minimising feed wastage and managing personal mental health as the keys to surviving the current pig price recession. Complementing the speakers’ sessions was a strong representation of industry trades, with their product displays and staff made accessible to producers throughout the day. Key profit drivers Kenton Shaw, GM Agricultural Operations at Riverlea, kicked the day’s program off by providing a detailed breakdown of typical piggery production costs, and identified the top ‘profit drivers’ to his pork business. “Production costs can be broken down into the categories of herd costs, like health and AI, shed costs which include energy, repairs and maintenance, labour both in the sheds and external contractors, and overheads like business administration costs and depreciation,” Kenton said. “As farmers, we have control over our labour costs, feed utilisation, herd health, energy utilisation, infrastructure expenditure, genetics and our contract grower costs. “But external costs like grain and energy, our customer’s carcase specifications and weights and financing costs are harder to control, but still have big impacts on our profitability. “Feed will always run at more than 50% of total production costs, but direct and contracted labour will sit around 23%, while herd health like medications and vaccines, energy, repairs and maintenance will sit around 3% respectively. “The volume of pigmeat produced per sow and carcase weight sold drive how well you can beat these costs,” he said. “But aging infrastructure, availability of capital, changing animal welfare standards and labour efficiencies

are always influencing our decisions regarding when and how we spend big amounts of money in our business. “We estimate that for every 5kg increase in carcase weight, we will reduce our cost of production by 2-6c/ kg. But our customers don’t necessarily want us to do that, so we need to find more customers looking to us to grow heavier pigs. “And maybe reduce our feed costs by feeding more by-products,” Kenton added. “Capital also needs to be spent in the right areas of infrastructure. We have gained good productivity improvements through investing in farrowing upgrades, auto-sorting systems, new AI practices, moving to using more bedding compared to full slats, replacing gas heating with electrics, rodent-proofing our effluent pits and improving the accuracy of daily feed delivery in our adlib feeding systems. “Being able to micro-adjust sow feeding systems to account for any changes in the number of pigs in each pen every day is an immediate feed saver,” he said. In summarising his approach to maximising cost efficiencies, Kenton highlighted his main ‘profit drivers’. “Ensure you get the best advice available from your nutritionists, vets and sales people. Tackle the little issues quickly and the big issues today, so you are ready for the future. “Don’t wait until the cost of doing nothing becomes a significant impost on your business. Invest in efficiency outcomes, especially if you can’t change the key performance indicators of feed costs and pig sale weights. “And stay in touch with the latest industry research outcomes!” he stressed. Benchmarking piggery performance Pork CRC’s Dr Roger Campbell followed Kenton and focused on the role benchmarking piggery performance can play in identifying areas for improvement in herd production efficiencies. “Our current light carcase weights, relative to other countries pork industries, provides us with the greatest opportunity to improve our herd feed efficiencies and production costs,” he said. “If your customer wants light pigs,

Top: Graeme Pope. Above: Roger Campbell, Pork CRC.

try to negotiate a heavier carcase, or else find someone else who will, to cut your overhead costs and in the longer term, sell more pigs per sow. “Our best three herds in the CRC’s Benchmarking Group have a herd feed conversion of 3.48, and are selling 25.3 pigs per sow per year. Our longer term targets should be 12.0 pigs weaned per litter and a HFC of 3.4,” he added. “All the farms in our Benchmarking Group have increased their pigs weaned per litter by 1.0 – 1.5 between 2015-17, and they have learnt how to do that from talking with each other, so my advice would be for everyone to join a ‘friendly’ benchmarking group,” Roger said. Calculating COP on Multi-Enterprise Farms Riverland producer Karen Henwood, from Taree Pastoral, Loxton stressed the importance of accurate cost itemisation when calculating pig production costs on multi-enterprise farms. “The key in data entry is to be accurate and honest in breaking down w

BREEDER PART OF THE BLUEPRINT LIFESTAGE PROGRAM

NUTRIENT FORM & FUNCTION

MIC RO BIO M I

TIVE UC OD N PR TIO RE UNC F

IM DE MUN E FE NC E

EN M GUT LOP E DEV

FEED QUALITY

Building the

cores of BLUEPRINT® PROGRAMMED NUTRITION

Livestock need more than protein, fat and fibre — What’s missing?

BLUEPRINT® BREEDER TARGETED PRODUCTIVTY. PREMIUM RETURNS.

Blueprint Breeder is a well-balanced premix that supplements the requirements for reproduction and maintenance. The custom-made premix is formulated with organic trace minerals and high-quality vitamins. This assists high producing breeders in commercial environments to realise their full genetic potential. Sows benefit from the Blueprint Breeder range through optimum energy and amino acid levels that are appropriate for their needs. Through the sow’s diet, developing piglets are provided with a nutritional advantage that gives them the best possible start in life.

For more information on Blueprint® Piglet Milk, please contact Damien Kelly, Blueprint Program Manager on 0448 273 114 or your local Alltech Lienert sales representative.

Alltech Lienert Australia 8 Roseworthy Rd | Roseworthy 5371 | SA | Australia Tel: 1 800 649 231 alltechaustralia@alltech.com alltechlienert.com.au

Alltech Lienert

NEWS v

each category of costs into a fair percentage against the piggery, and the rest against the farm’s other enterprises,” Karen said. “Pig selling costs for example fall under slaughter levy, freight and any commissions or selling fees. “Plant and equipment costs need to be divided between which enterprise owns the item and which enterprise pays the driver. “If the farm grows its grain and owns its on-site storage, then these costs should be included when the grain goes into the piggery’s feed mill,” she said. “Costs like vehicle registrations and repairs, fuel, insurances, wages, interest, finance costs and administration are all transactions that should be allocated in part to the piggery’s accounts, so you can get an accurate and realistic COP per pig sold,” Karen said. Danish innovations APL’s Ashley Norval described several practical production innovations she had come across on Danish farms visited during her recent placement within the Danish pork industry. These included pig transport vehicles fitted out with on-board feed and water facilities, mechanically ventilated and whole deck hydraulic lifters, eliminating the need for pigs to walk up ramps. Shoulder pads glued onto sows at farrowing were designed to prevent shoulder pressure sores during early lactation. A powdered top-dress containing cake mix and other ‘unidentified elements’ was used in some herds to promote milk production. LED strips positioned above weaned sows and operating up to 16 hours a day were designed to promote early and uniform returns to oestrus for rapid re-breeding. Gilts were routinely used as foster or nurse sows, with the larger not smaller pigs in a litter moved if possible. Nurse sows were routinely given one additional piglet than their functional teat number. Industry skills development Graeme Pope outlined a number of skills development and education programs running in SA, often with APL and Pork SA co-funding and involving regional high school or Adelaide University students. “Expecting agriculture teachers to teach pig production, and even further

to keep pigs at their schools, is a competitive exercise. We are competing against all other agricultural sectors in agriculture, as well as teacher’s and student’s personal interests, teacher’s backgrounds and pig knowledge, time and resource constraints, budgets and every school’s other funding priorities,” Graeme said. He listed a number of initiatives made available to SA teachers aimed at encouraging their uptake of teaching pig and pork production, and to attract them to the thought of establishing a pig small pig keeping facility at their school. These included a small scale pig management handbook and industry sponsorships with Jacksons Australia, Ridley AgriProducts and Stockyard Industries able to reduce the costs of constructing and operating a straw bedded, mini-shelter. Currently there are 30 SA schools with pig keeping facilities included within their agricultural teaching sections, with another two planning to start in 2018. “Pig producers can assist their local agriculture teacher by supplying pigs, or straw, or feed, or by hosting a piggery visit, or by offering students work experience, or assisting as a guest speaker in lessons,” Graeme said. APL’s Undergraduate Industry Placement Award program has provided piggery work experience on South Australian farms for approximately 80 Roseworthy enrolled students since its inception, with around 70% of them going on to further pig focused postgraduate studies, or entering industry after their graduation. “The consistent feedback I receive from these students is that they wished they had completed their placements before covering the theory of livestock production in lectures, and that these placements provide them with the hands-on animal handling experiences they lack through their studies,” said Graeme. “The success of this program in SA is dependent on students being able to be placed with good pigs, good people and good production”, he added. The Roseworthy Campus ‘Pig Club’ provides students with opportunities for greater exposure to pigs and the industry than their study program can provide. Attending lectures and tutorials given by industry representatives, farm visits, attending SA pig industry off-campus events, managing a small shelter on-campus housing five different

pig breeds and being rostered-on to care for pigs exhibited at the Adelaide Show are all opportunities available to Pig Club students. “Producers can get involved with the Roseworthy Pig Club students by providing access to their farm for group visits, by providing purebred pigs for their shelter, and by employing graduates”, Graeme said. Minimising feed wastage Nutritionist Tony Edwards, ACE Consulting, Williamstown, itemised factors contributing to feed wastage within both piggery environments and individual pigs. “Physical losses include wastage through poor feeder design and feed form management. Feed indigestibility is another waste factor, caused through inappropriate ingredient selections, grinding and processing, and enzyme inclusions,” he said. “A poor piggery environment caused by poor ventilation, shed temperatures, flooring or overstocking will increase the amount of feed needed to be diverted towards the pig’s maintenance requirements, leaving less available for growth. “The pig’s immune function can also be compromised by poor piggery hygiene and the herd’s pathogen load, which further diverts feed away from production. “Excessive fat deposition in the carcase is also a wasteful metabolic process, while issues of feed utilisation through poor dietary nutrient balance, restricted feeder access or diet palatability all impact negatively on feed utilisation,” Tony said. “The feed wastage easily seen in a piggery are the physical spillages, poor feeder design and maintenance, floor feeding, feed spoilage and dustiness, and farm staff interference with feeder settings. “Feed pan coverage below the hopper should probably sit at around 70% at weaning, but then be restricted back to 40-50% through the grower/ finisher stages,” he added. “To minimise feed wastage, my ‘must do’s’ for all producers are to fix faulty feeders, eliminate ‘out of feed’ events, maintain good feed hygiene, maintain and adjust grinding equipment, maximise herd health and piggery hygiene, and make judicious use of in-feed additives. “If there’s a single thing to avoid that will compromis feed use efficiency, it would have be out-of-feed events or interruptions to feed deliveries,” Tony stressed.

Take your pork production to the next level

ProGrow gives you get a complete overview of your production, so that you can make decisions based on the most up-to-date data. ProGrow collects data about the animals’ feed consumption as well as water intake and performs automatic camera weighings.

    

No more manual weighings Improve your feed efficiency Real-time and valid data Clear overview Precise and time-saving weighings

Ph.: 1800 500 223 • www.farmmark.com.au

Please visit us at the FarmMark stand. Explore ProGrow and consult an expert from SKOV at the Pan Pacific Pork show, booth # 56 & 57

FEATURE

Have we hit peak meat? By PETER BEDWELL On March 10 2018, ABC’s RN during its A Country Breakfast program, ran reports that firstly should be some cause for alarm but secondly reassures us that consumers still love their pork. Between 2012 and 2016, the number of Australian adults whose diet is all or almost all vegetarian has risen from 1.7 million people (or 9.7% of the population) to almost 2.1 million (11.2%), the latest findings from Roy Morgan Research reveal. While it is a nationwide trend, the shift towards vegetarianism has been most striking in NSW, where there has been a 30% growth in this kind of diet. The New Zealand Roy Morgan report revelaed the vegetarian diet to be 8.1%, growing to 10.3% in 2015 (with men providing the most growth, up 63% from 5.7% to 9.3%). In New Zealand there is a strong enough movement for vegetarianism that it has created a significant demand for a number of vegetarian and vegan retailers to set up. In recent months Pork Journal has been interested in the changing consumer attitudes to protein and in particular pork and chicken versus red meat and seafood. Whilst there is a clearly established increase in consumers in Australia eating less meat, the major drop in consumption has been in beef and lamb where as broiler meat, eggs and pork are not only holding their market share but increasing it. The reasons for changing protein consumption patterns are many, not necessarily logical and recently the subject of new research. On the ABC Country Breakfast report, Professorr Wendy Umberger Executive Director of the Center For Global Food and Resources (CGFAR), mentioned “the multiplicity of ‘credence claims’ where attributes such as organic and antibiotic free were perceived by cynical consumers as being over used or misused,” she stated in the interview with the ABC. At the Australian Pig Science Symposium held in Melbourne in November 2017, Dr Darryl D’Souza from SunPork spoke about ‘Consumers want pork with adjectives’. Retailer influence was, Dr D’Souza stated, “a critical influence in the ‘pork

with adjectives scenario. “Increasingly retailer private labels now provide a choice: price (value) or quality attribute (premium). “Retailer labels include branding/ information relating to individual or multiple product/system attributes (like free range, sow stall free etc). “These attributes, promoted as indicators of pork quality, may or may not attract premiums (for growers).” Dr D’Souza’s conclusions were that “pork consumption in Australia continues to increase and now ranks alongside beef”. “Consumer usage and attitudes indicate that, in the case of pork, a good eating experience is key to repeat purchase behavior, while factors such as animal welfare and the environment are well down the list,” he said. “In the case of animal welfare, community or citizen attitudes reflect expectations for higher welfare standards, and the majority of consumers are unwilling to pay a significant premium. “The retailers, who continue to promote their home brand labels over branded pork have seen the use of credence attributes (such as sow stall free) successfully differentiate their pork from that of their competitors. “Looking forward, within the fresh pork space, it is highly likely that consumers will continue to want more adjectives with their pork. “Given the success of campaigns such as ‘sow stall-free’ pork and ‘hormone free’ beef, retailers will continue to use credence claims to promote their pork private label products,” Dr D’Souza concluded. Speaking at the same seminar, Heather Bray from The School of Humanities, University of Adelaide, delivered some interesting conclusions in her paper ‘What are they thinking? Consumer attitudes to meat production in Australia’. Heather and her colleagues have been conducting research in the shopping malls of Adelaide and the results illustrate some of the confusion present in the minds of shoppers, and perhaps, more importantly, their attitudes to buying meat. One quote Heather reported was a particularly interesting insight. “There’s a butcher that I go to and he sells his own stress free pork which you know, are out in the paddocks and CONTINUED ON PAGE 26 w

Top: Dr Darryl D’Souza from SunPork. Centre: Heather Bray from the University of Adelaide. Above: Evan Bittner, researcher from the University of Melbourne.

IMPROVE SOW BEHAVIOUR. ADD A BLOCK TO THE MIX. Increase contentment

The taste, texture and firmness of SOWBLOCK is designed to ensure sows are attracted to it, allowing them to express and satisfy their natural desire to forage. This has been shown to reduce stress and result in more content sows.

“In test pens, sows spent 46% more time laying down and 72% less time chasing.” 1 1. Effect of higher feed levels or addition of SOWBLOCK to group housed gestational sows behaviour in the first four days post mixing (Pork CRC Project 1C-115).

Minimise harmful behaviour

Adding a SOWBLOCK to the pen gives sows an opportunity to forage and explore; time and energy which may otherwise be spent engaged in harmful behaviours. This results in less biting and scratching, particularly while sows are establishing their social hierarchy.

“With SOWBLOCK, injuries have been reduced by up to 44%.” 2 2. Mean number of fresh scratch injuries scored on Day 3 after mixing control sows and sows treated with SOWBLOCK (Pork CRC funded Commercialisation Project).

RID16336

For more information or to add a BLOCK to your mix please contact your local Ridley representative on 1300 666 657.

NEWS

Honours Scholarship helps to kick start pig industry careers By GRAEME POPE Adelaide University Animal Science graduate Zoe Pfeiffer was awarded the 2018 Ronald J Lienert Memorial Scholarship for Honours Students (RLMS) during the annual SA Pig Industry Day Dinner, held in Tanunda on February 23. Presented by Nick Lienert, this Scholarship was established in 2011 by the SA Pork Industry to perpetuate the memory of Ronald John Lienert OAM, and is made available annually to a fulltime student enrolled in an Honours program at the Adelaide University Roseworthy Campus, who’s research component focused on an aspect of pig production. Before the presentation, dinner host Graeme Pope provided a short ‘where are they now’ summary of past scholarship recipients achievements, highlighting the fact that all seven past recipients had successfully completed their Honours degrees, with three continuing studies to complete PhDs, two are now fully employed in commercial production roles within the SA pig industry, and another two are commencing pig focused PhD programs in 2018. The 2017 RLMS recipient Bryony Tucker, is currently employed at the Lienert family piggery, Sheaoak Log, while contemplating her return to postgraduate studies in mid-2018 with a proposed PhD program focused on influencing the survival of newborn piglets through the modification of their gut microflora either during parturition, or shortly after birth. Receiving the RLMS in 2017 allowed Bryony to combine her love of pigs and pig research with travel to the University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada, where she repeated her earlier experiment conducted at the Roseworthy Piggery with a different delivery approach using local sows and aimed at investigating the effects of exogenous gonadotrophin releasing hormone (GnRH) administered in early pregnancy on ovarian function and fertility during spring and summer. The 2018 RLMS recipient Zoe Pfeiffer completed her BSc (Animal Science) degree at Adelaide University

Christine Lienert with Zoe Pfeiffer, winner of the 2018 Ronald J Lienert Memorial Scholarship and Nick Lienert.

in 2017. She was attracted to apply for the scholarship to be challenged by a different species to cattle and sheep, and with a more rapid reproductive cycle, to allow greater replications within trials. Her 2018 Honours project will focus on measuring the effects of uterine priming prior to a fertile insemination on gilt fertility, and the value of including seminal plasma in the insemination doses for weaned sows. While the use of dead semen inseminated at pubertal gilt oestrus has already been investigated, her project will determine whether this protocal can be contained within a single, fertile breeding. Furthermore, if the value of seminal plasma can be confirmed, this may have an impact on future breeding protocals using frozen semen, where seminal plasma is currently routinely removed from boar ejaculates. Zoe’s Honours program will be jointly supervised by Roseworthy Campus vet school veterinarians Doctors Roy Kirkwood and Jose Len. For further information, contact Graeme Pope on 0438 423 900.

The 2017 RLMS winner Bryony Tucker is working at Sheaoak Log.

FEATURE

AGCO: a long established enterprise with a fresh approach for modern farmers AGCO is a global enterprise dedicated to farming and farmers, originally conceived through grain growing and then developing and supplying the equipment to the ever expanding needs of farmers. AGCO has been involved on the pig industry for decades and is now expanding from its existing products to full turn key. Apart from industry specific products, AGCO distributes truly internationally renowned products such as the Massey Ferguson range of tractors, as well as the premium Fendt high tech farm machinery and for the smaller operations, the Iseki range of lighter farm machinery. The description ‘One Stop Shop’ is often overused or, in some cases less than accurate, but in the case of AGCO and its Australian operations it truly applies. The company’s range of equipment for pig farmers is truly comprehensive with all stages of production needs covered including their C-Line prefabricated sheds through to silos, augers and all types of feeding systems including electronic sow feeders. Many of the products are manufactured under the well known AP and Cumberland brands. All stages of ventilation and sophisticated climate control are covered and when Pork Journal visited the AGCO Melbourne offices on April 4, Managing Director James Lang and his team showed us the latest in shed control technology, the EDGE control system. AGCO Sales Manager Peter Lutterschmidt explained its EDGE controller system which he firstly pointed out “is designed with integrated diagnostics and a triple layer of protection which makes it just about the most reliable system available to intensive livestock operations,” he said. “Through GSIEDGE.com you can monitor and manage all aspects of a farm’s production process including ventilation, feed inventory and consumption, cooling, heating, lighting and watering. The modular design of the EDGE controller system allows it to be expanded to suit your operation from

Above: The team from AGCO including AGCO Managing Director James Lang (centre standing) and AGCO Sales Manager Peter Lutterschmidt (second from right). Right: The EDGE controller.

single to multiple sites and it becomes more economical as a farm’s operations expand. One feature that will appeal to farmers and their staff is the ‘configuration wizard’ that guides the operator through the initial setup by prompting with relevant questions about each of the specific applications that have been installed. “Simply input the fans, inlets, temperature probes and any other relevant equipment, where it is located and the production type such as breeding, gestation, farrowing, nursery, finishers. Based on this information, EDGE will automatically run settings o operate at optimal conditions,” Peter explained. In general the Australian pig industry has not used automated climate control to the same degree that the broiler sector has, but this is changing as technology like the EDGE system and advanced controllable fans and other shed cooling equipment become available from companies like AGCO “AGCO finance can offer

customised and tailored finance solutions designed to suit individual farm needs and is looking to develop even more specialised solutions to match cash flows including a batch component,” said Peter. Pork Journal looks forward to reporting on AGCO equipped producer operations in future issues.

AN ENERGY PARTNER YOU CAN RELY ON We support Australian agri-businesses in their pursuit of excellence by supplying a reliable source of energy that seeks to replace less efficient ones. In the Pig farming sector we find our solutions can be applied on an even larger scale, resulting in a quicker and greater return on investment.

It just makes good business sense • Available – no matter where you are in Australia • Versatile – one energy source, various applications • Efficient – continuous hot water avoids heat loss and constant power use to maintain temperature • Effective – cost effective indoor climate control • Instant – no need to store hot water in preparation for use • Productive – maintaining the correct air temperature at all times results in fewer losses and an optimised growing cycle.

1300 362 389

CALL FOR A FREE ENERGY REVIEW OR REQUEST AN INFORMATION PACK TODAY.

www.elgas.com.au/piggeryLPG LEADERS IN LPG

SUPPLY•SERVICE•SAFETY

MORE PROFIT FROM IMPROVED NUTRITION Lower your feed costs, improve uniformity and increase raw material exibility, while reducing environmental impact with these innovative feed solutions. Used alone, or in combination, these reliable, heat stable enzyme and natural betaine products are customized to increase nutrient availability tability for pig producers. and improve Contact our distributor Feedworks, Australia Tel 03 5429 2411 www.feedworks.com.au Email : mal.mottram@feedworks.com.au

david.cadogan@feedworks.com.au stuart.wilkinson@feedworks.com.au

Danisco Animal Nutrition

NEWS

Alltech’s Dr Pearse Lyons dies at 73 With the passing of Dr Pearse Lyons we at Primary Media have lost a friend in both business and life. With little experience in intensive livestock industries we took over our magazines, Pork Journal and Poultry Digest in mid 2000. Rex Holyoake, Managing Director and owner of Agri-Biz, who started our publications, as part of the hand-over procedures gave us an invite to the 2000 Alltech Asia Pacific Lecture Tour. Sitting in a conference at a Sydney Airport hotel, a youthfull Adam Naylor introduced Dr Lyons. Whatever we expected was challenged by an incredibly enthusiastic Irishman extolling the virtues of yeast cell wall microbiology. Dr Lyons rapid fire delivery of trial material, benefits, and possibly most importantly, commercial rewards was truly amazing. Within minutes the brain was assaulted with the complexities of mannan olligoscharrides. Only grasping a fraction of the science behind this technology, it was still obvious that the enthusiasm of its creator was worth consideration. He and his company, Alltech, had found a new path to generate better productivity for farmers with a world facing population explosion – one of Dr Lyons consistent themes. Some years later Primary Media travelled to the Alltech conference in Kentucky. As quite literally thousands gathered in the Lexington Conference facility, Dr Lyons leapt onto the stage brandishing what looked like a computer chip. He then launched into Genomics which he, with complete confidence stated, would change the way of animal nutrition. “Feeding not just the animal but it’s genes”, was his conviction. ‘Nutrigenomcs’ was a description he used. There was some skepticism expressed in scientific circles at the time but at a recent seminar conducted by Specialised Breeders Australia (see this issue) some of the best geneticists on the planet from Hy-Line spoke about how genomics were being utilised to improve the Hyline Brown layers. When Dr Lyons became interested in a new scientific path he didn’t cautiously creep down it but ran, cheque book in hand, towards any start up enterprise that could advance his goals of better animal nutrition.

The facilities that backed up Alltech’s research and production would often seem like a set from a James Bond movie. Embarking on one of Alltech’s famous tours that took place after the Lexington conferences was like being IN a James Bond movie. The next time Primary Media visited Kentucky Dr Lyons had moved on to the next technology to advance animal nutrition, algae. Once again visitors toured the latest acquisition, a state of the art facility at nearby Springfield in Kentucky ,that was already exploiting the technology for commercial benefit, including in the field of animal nutrition. One of Dr Lyons’ constant themes was ‘getting more out of the genetics’ of commercial livestock. Matching nutrition to potential performance was a constant obsession. He was also an expert in getting the very best out of those who worked with him in his helter skelter goal to produce more food with finite resources. The teams of young scientists and animal nutritionalists recruited by Alltech, many fresh out of some of the world’s best centres for animal science, were the very best – bright and dedicated. They became, and still are, a formidable bunch, the SAS of global animal nutrition. Pacing yourself at Alltech might mean getting up at 5.30 a.m. rather than five, and making sure bedtime was 5 minutes before 1.00 am. Journalists were not spared if they wilted in dealing with the frantic pace of progress at an Alltech seminar. Long before the world’s intensive livestock industries realized that they would have to deal with antimicrobial resistance, Dr Lyons was deeply immersed in finding solutions to the problem. He regarded Australia as an important part of the growing Alltech global market and ever quick to spot an opportunity, acquired the Lienert business in September 2014. That coincided with his one of his last great intiatives in animal nutrition, and that was taking his technology and its benefits directly to the farmer. In recent times Pork Journal has, with Attech Lienert staff, visited pig farms as part of the Alltech Blueprint program to improve productivity.

Dr Pearse Lyons, founder and CEO of Alltech has died at the age of 73. Apart from his work in animal nutrition Dr Lyons, whose PhD in yeast technolgy was brewing related, arguably helped to save some truly awful British beers early in his career. After establishing Alltech and his animal nutrition business in Kentucky USA, he moved into local brewing and produced some truly spectacular products – Kentucky Ales. He launched into all his initiatives with massive enthusiasm and some of that enthusiasm certainly rubbed off on Pork Journal. He made animal nutrition exciting as well as a meaningful mission to feed the world’s growing population. That enthusiasm, first experienced in the early days of Primary Media, is still with us today 18 years after learning about mannon oligosacharrides, and for that we are truly grateful. Pork Journal wishes Dr Mark Lyons, the Lyons family and Alltech management team and associates all the best and we share with them our sadness at the loss of Dr Pearse Lyons – a truly great scientist, entrepreneur and showman.

NEWS

IFAJ/Alltech Young Leaders award winners years to come.” The IFAJ/Alltech Young Leaders Award was established in 2006 by the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists and Alltech to recognise emerging leaders in agricultural journalism and communications from around the world. In addition to global recognition,

Young Leaders participate in professional development and networking programs held in conjunction with IFAJ’s annual Congress. The IFAJ/Alltech Young Leaders program is a key force in developing the next generation of volunteers for IFAJ and its member guilds. For more information, visit ifaj.org.

ANIMAL HOUSING, FEED SYSTEMS & SILOS PROVEN STRENGTH & QUALITY – CELEBRATING 25 YEARS IN 2017!

SHELTERS

8,10,12,13 & 15 m clearspan STANDARD FEATURE - Landmark TS 2C 400gsm canvas - coated twice to give a thicker, longer lasting cover with a 5yr warranty.

AUSTRALIAN MADE GALVANISED RHS FRAME WITH ALL DESIGN AND STEELWORK MANUFACTURED IN-HOUSE. • No fuss steel tensioning system • Easy roll side blinds • Extended eaves for rain and sun protection • 2.4m columns with 5m centre clearance • Options for ends include 1/2 end infill, louvers, fixed or end blinds • All designs are flexible to allow changes to suit customers needs supplied in kit form for easy transportation and erection

SILOS 44--90 •• SILOS 90tonne tonne

LOAD OUT •• LOAD OUTFACILITIES FACILITIES

FEEDERS 22-88 tonne •• FEEDERS tonne storage capacity storage capacity

Ph: 08 8531 2700 Murray Bridge SA Email: sales@jacksonsaustralia.com Web: www.jacksonsaustralia.com

VR4135459

The International Federation of Agricultural Journalists (IFAJ) has announced the recipients of the 2018 IFAJ/Alltech Young Leaders in Agricultural Journalism Award. This year’s program, sponsored by Alltech, honors 10 young agricultural journalists and communicators who have demonstrated outstanding achievement in reporting as well as excellent potential as leaders of the industry in the years to come. The honorees were chosen by an international jury among applicants from many of IFAJ’s 43 member countries. This year’s IFAJ/Alltech Young Leaders come from all over the world and includes Lydia Burton, from the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. “My father, Dr Pearse Lyons, loved talking to journalists and admired their ability to tell stories, particularly the stories within agriculture,” said Mark Lyons, President of Alltech. “He also understood the great importance of mentorship and education in his own life, which is why he was always a strong supporter of the IFAJ/ Alltech Young Leaders. “This program is a perfect example of how bringing education and journalism together can cultivate passionate communicators within agriculture. “As we remember Dr Lyons’ life and legacy, we look forward to supporting the work of these young journalists for years to come and wish them the best of luck at Boot Camp in The Netherlands this year,” Mark said. The 10 honorees will attend the 2018 IFAJ Congress in Wageningen, The Netherlands, in July. The Young Leaders will also participate in a Boot Camp in the days prior to Congress, which includes professional development and networking workshops and farm visits in the Wageningen area. “Over the past 12 years, we have seen IFAJ/Alltech Young Leaders excel in their careers and help strengthen our industry,” says Steve Werblow, IFAJ secretary general. “They go home and bring their energy and skills to help their guilds, and many alumni of this program have taken leadership roles within IFAJ. “We are grateful to Alltech for its long commitment to the future of agricultural journalism, and grateful to these enthusiastic young colleagues for their contributions — now and in the

NEWS

Animal Production 2018 Conference The Australian Society of Animal Production’s (ASAP) President, Professor Phil Hynd says that one of the great challenges of modern agriculture is finding ways to capture developments in science and technology into practical and effective on-farm systems. “Part of the problem in applying new scientific advances to production enterprises is based in the very nature of science and agricultural business,” he said. “Science works on a reductionist philosophy of dividing large and complex things into smaller, more manageable (able to be studied) components. “Indeed as science has unravelled the very basis of life, this reductionism has accelerated to a point where we are now dissecting components we didn’t even know existed 20 years ago! “The integration of new technologies and scientific advances into realworld animal production systems was at the forefront of the minds of those folks who started the Australian Society of Animal Production in the 1950s. “Later, a conference was established as they recognised that bringing together scientists, producers, educators, students, extension specialists and those involved in product development, was the best way to deliver realistic, cost-effective, new technologies to help producers stay profitable. This is still the case! “Indeed I would argue the Society is even more relevant now than ever before and I encourage all those involved in the animal production industry to attend Animal Production 2018 which will be held from July 2 to 4.” Professor Hynd listed the reasons why people should attend the Animal Production 2018 conference. 1. ASAP has always been an opportunity to network with people across all sectors of animal production. If you are involved in animal agriculture you should be here! This is especially true for young people wishing to form networks which are vital to their future (think employment!). 2. For producers, this is your chance to catch up on technologies coming down the track that might assist you in increasing profitability in the future. 3. For scientists and industry stakeholders, this is a chance to rub shoulders with colleagues across disciplines, develop new ideas, mentor

students, and talk to producers, consultants and other stakeholders This year we are combining the conference with the Graham Centre for Agricultural Innovation’s producer workshops and the Australian Association of Ruminant Nutritionists July Seminar as well as networking with the Intercollegiate Meat Judging Association – what a fabulous week of animal production activities! Saving the planet, one pig at a time Edwina Beveridge, a pig farmer from NSW will be one of the keynote speakers at the conference and will open the Animal Production 2018, sharing her perspectives on the need for innovation in Australia’s livestock industries. Edwina and her husband own and operate Blantyre Farms, a 2,200 sow pig farm and a mixed farm of sheep, cattle and crops. In the last ten years, the pig farming operation has doubled in size, and plans are underway to continue expansion. An innovator herself, Edwina will share the innovation applied in their system as well as her understanding of the needs of the consumer. For example, at Blantyre Farms, a methane digestion system that captures methane gas from pig manure and converts it into electricity has been in operation for five years.

Top: Edwina Beveridge. Above: Professor Phil Hynd. Blantyre also utilises other people’s food waste products for pig feed and saves thousands of tonnes of landfill. Edwina has a Commerce degree from the University of Sydney and is a former chartered accountant turned pig farmer. Edwina is on the board of APL, the Deputy Chair of the NSW Farmers Pork Committee and is a member of the NSW Primary Industries Ministerial Advisory Committee. She has three children and is involved in her local community and is proud to be a farmer.

PRODUCT NEWS

AGCO’s brands win Red Dot Design Awards AGCO, a global leader in the design, manufacture and distribution of agricultural machinery and solutions, has been awarded two Red Dot Design Awards for its IDEAL Combine and the Valtra A4 Series Tractors. The Red Dot Design competition is one of the largest and most respected design competitions in the world. More than 6,300 submissions from 59 countries entered this year’s contest and were evaluated by a jury consisting of 40 independent design experts from around the globe. We are very honored to receive the Red Dot Design Award,” said Martin Richenhagen, Chairman, President & CEO, AGCO Corporation. “This recognition underlines our commitment to design, innovation and quality.” The IDEAL combine and the Valtra A4 Series were both recognized in the category ‘Commercial Vehicles’. IDEAL is a newly developed combine that unites brand-new designs and cutting-edge technologies to

empower farmers across the world to be more productive and to feed a growing world population. The jury recognised this new generation of combine harvesters with a ‘Red Dot: Best of the Best’ Award for top design quality and ground-breaking design acknowledging IDEAL’s innovative features and its unique, elegant graphite livery. IDEAL’s benefits include ease of use and optimisation of complex harvesting operations. It provides the efficiency, visibility and the comfort farmers need on the field. It is also the first high capacity combine with a narrow body. What is more, IDEAL offers full connectivity, a complete and automated adjustment, and real-time crop flow visualization. Valtra’s fourth generation A Series is a completely newly designed tractor featuring a new technical design, a brand-new cab design and multiple chassis options.

The new A Series also offers farmers further customization options to tailor to their specific needs and wishes. The Red Dot Design Award recognizes the high-design quality of the A4 Series tractor. Valtra has been inspired by the basic principles of Scandinavian design which is reflected in the clear lines of the exterior of its tractors. In addition, Valtra’s design work puts a strong emphasis on usability, ergonomics, safety, durability, serviceability and productivity of the tractor. This is not the first time for Valtra to be recognized at the Red Dot Design Awards: the successful AGCO brand was already recognized for its designs in 2016 and in 2017. Martin Richenhagen continued, “AGCO’s strong research and development backbone enables our global brands to create new designs, functions and concepts that appeal to our global customer base”.

LEADING THE WAY IN FEED PRESERVATION, SAFETY AND PERFORMANCE

Discovering new ways to improve quality of life...We strive to improve the quality of life by touching half the people of the world everyday with our products and services... .

Learn more at www.kemin.com Certain statements may not be applicable in all geographic regions. Product labelling and associated claims may differ based upon regulatory requirements.

NEWS

Australasian pork research proposals Proposals covering resilience in antimicrobial reduction and resistance and the role of the microbiome in pig performance and health were highlights of the 33 considered in the first investment round for Australasian Pork Research Institute Limited (APRIL). Â APRILâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first call for research proposals to enhance the competiveness and sustainability of the Australasian pork industry attracted more than 40 submissions. Â APRIL R&D Committee met on March 26 to consider the 33 proposals which had passed through the review process. Â Pork CRC CEO Roger Campbell said the proposals covered all APRIL priorities (resilience, cost and return on assets), were generally novel and some very innovative. Â Subjects covered in the reviewed proposals included: reducing feed cost; improving number of pigs weaned; manipulating feed efficiency and the body fat content of growing

For all your livestock needs Vegetable Protein Meals, Animal Protein Meals, Vitamins and Mineral Premixes, Feed additives and Supplements, Custom and Standard Millpacks, Animal Health and Husbandry.

Ph: (02) 9609 7922 Fax: (02) 9609 7923 Kym: 0439066054 Luke: 0439066006 kym@nationalfeedsolutions.com.au luke@nationalfeedsolutions.com.au

Suppliers of Elite nutrition and solutions 22

pigs; rapid assessment of eating quality; enhancing animal welfare and remote monitoring of animal performance and heath. Â The committee will recommend proposals to be supported to the APRIL board, which met on April 23 to make final decisions. Â Dr Campbell said the recommended proposals would provide APRIL with a great launching pad, as its R&D Program replaces that of Pork CRC in 2018-19. Â â&#x20AC;&#x153;Pork CRC still has about 30 active projects across its four programs, which are expected to deliver some exciting outcomes for industry, with most completed by September 30, 2018,â&#x20AC;? he noted. Â APRIL, which replaces the Cooperative Research Centre for High Integrity Australian Pork (Pork CRC), is fully member based with an initial investment in 2018-2019 between $2 and $3 million and is actively seeking new science and creative new ideas. Â APRILâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s strategic plan for research is about making Australasiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pork industry more resilient and sustainable by markedly reducing cost of production through enhanced productivity and differentiation in specific areas. Australiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pork industry contributes $5 billion a year to Australiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s economy and employs 36,000 people.

Goulburn abattoir using bioenergy A Goulburn abattoir has teamed up with a Queensland energy provider to turn its waste into energy, thanks to funding from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA). On behalf of the Australian Government, ARENA last year provided $2.1 million in funding to ReNu Energy to design, construct, own and operate a biogas facility at Southern Meatsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; existing abattoir facility.Â The Goulburn abattoir processes sheep and lambs, using around 20,000 KWh of electricity every day.Â The $5.75 million project consists of an anaerobic digestion process where the abattoir waste is treated in a covered lagoon to biologically break down the effluent to produce biogas. The lagoon acts like a giant bladder that can expand to hold biogas when energy demand is low, saving it to generate power when demand hits a peak. Simultaneously, this system disposes of waste from the abattoir and reduces methane emissions. Biogas is treated and transferred to two 800 kW dual fuel generators to produce approximately 3800 MWh of electricity per year for use during the manufacturing process to reduce peak electricity consumption. The generators are able to supplement biogas with natural gas, allowing the plant to minimise use of electricity from the grid during peak usage and peak charge periods. ARENA CEO Ivor Frischknecht said bioenergy represents a significant opportunity for the livestock processing sector to switch to renewable generation and reducing exposure to w

NEWS

Aussie butchers among world’s best It was a red carpet moment for Australia’s best butchers when they won Bronze at the World Butcher’s Challenge in Ireland recently. The Australian Steelers representative team took out overall third place, competing against 11 teams from around the globe. They also received awards for the World’s Best Pork Sausage, Best Gourmet Sausage and the Best Hygiene/Health & Safety in the world. Captain, Adam Stratton, from Sydney’s Tender Gourmet Butchery, said the team had worked hard on their preparation and had gone into the competition feeling quietly confident. “This team has worked incredibly well on every element of the competition and we’re just so delighted it’s paid off,” Mr Stratton said. “This competition celebrates the hard work that butchers do in-store on a daily basis and that’s just so incredibly important. Our presentation today was all about the glitz and glamour of the red carpet and celebrating our skill, the produce and our craft. “We’re so glad the judges recognised our efforts and I’m so grateful our team got this recognition.” Twelve teams competed in the three hour test of preparation, skill and pres-

entation, with Head Judge, Todd Heller from New Zealand, commenting: “The results from the top five ranked teams were extremely close and the standard overall was exceptional.” “This is a real honour for the whole team and I’d like to thank Colin (NSW), Paul (NSW), Nick (QLD), Tom (VIC) and Luke (SA) for their dedication in the lead up to the competition, plus our families and sponsors for their support,” Mr Stratton said. “I thank Ireland for hosting this competition and the judges for all of their professionalism. I’d also like to commend the organisers on growing

this competition from its humble TransTasman beginnings, to now attracting 12 highly-skilled teams.” “Also, congratulations to the winning team Ireland on their fantastic demonstration of the trade and also the Kiwis who pipped us to the post for second place. All the Australian team members should go home proud and I know they’ll be leaving with new ideas.” The World Butchers Challenge was held in Belfast, Ireland, with 12 countries competing. The other competing nations were: Brazil, Bulgaria, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Italy South Africa and the USA.

energy prices. “Bioenergy also has environmental benefits for being able to re-use the effluent rather than disposing of the waste,” he said. ReNu Energy CEO Craig Ricato said: “This project is a fantastic example of waste to energy generation, and we are very pleased to have the opportunity to work with an excellent counterparty such as Southern Meats. “We also thank ARENA for its contribution to the project. ARENA plays an extremely important role in assisting companies to demonstrate and commercialise renewable technologies such as anaerobic digestion. “ReNu Energy sees great potential in the Australian bioenergy market, in both the agribusiness, food processing and municipal waste sectors. “We look forward to continuing to apply the knowledge and IP that we have in the construction and operation of anaerobic digestion projects, as we grow our portfolio over the coming years,” he said.

NEWS

Better digestion for better feed efficiency

paper. ‘Energy efficiency on farm’ was Andrew’s topic. The Energy Savers programs are being funded by the Queensland Government and delivered by Ergon Energy in partnership with the Queensland Farmers’ Federation and its member bodies. The objective of the Energy Savers program is to assist farmers in reducing energy costs by supporting the accelerated adoption of improvements in on-farm energy use. Pork case studies from further Queensland piggeries has shown a 27-66% in proposed energy savings. The case studies highlight the energy savings opportunities from audits at a number of pork farms. In the studies it is highlighted that the potential to reduce lighting energy by 66% and reduce overall energy by up to 27% with the addition of Solar PV. The case studies can be found at www. qff.org.au/energysavers. Recommendations focused on during Andrew’s presentation were upgrades to electric heat mate, lighting upgrades and Solar PV installation (with payback in less than six years). Currently many of the sheds at each site audited, are lit by fluorescent tube or metal halide high bay lighting with lighting accounting for between 1% and 8% of total energy consumption at each site.

v CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6 of training and the motivation for job satisfaction and career development. “Training is an essential element for staff retention. Businesses should factor in the cost of training during work hours and is part of generating a good succession plan in any business operation. “Training is an investment and the retention of good staff is the payback,” he stated. Peter McKenzie, McSwine Veterinary Consultancy, has a long history with various livestock species before setting up his current enterprise, a consultancy for pork producers dedicated to productivity by concentrating on management practices with an associated reduction in antibiotic use and improved pig welfare. He has achieved a reduction in AB use of around 85% in one of the larger herds he has been managing. ‘Health by stealth’ was his topic and one of the key points he made was the detrimental effect of bio film and its potential to cause disease in pig populations. The final speaker of the seminar was Andrew Chamberlain, Project Manager (Energy) for the Queensland farmers Federation. Pork Journal had to bolt back to Brisbane for a flight so Christine Clarke picked up on the key elements of his

AGE

Add the power of Phytogenics to your diet: • A unique blend of herbs, essential oils and functional ﬂavours • Proven in science and practice • Tailored to the animal’s needs Tel.: +61 2 9872 6324 ofﬁce.australia@biomin.net

digestarom.biomin.net

Naturally ahead

1. John Mulally, Grains Manager for Riverina Australia. 2. Peter Smith, APL’s Marketing Development Manager. 3. Rob Martyn, SunPork. The solutions would involve replacing existing lighting with LE and installing solar photovoltaic systems. The QPCG forums are a valuable event created for farmers by farmers supported by industry experts and the Queensland government. The topics dealt with, though often gloomy as prices drop and oversupply becomes a problem, were true to the theme of ‘Survival Strategies to 2020’. Yes times could be better but what do we do about it? A lot of answers came from the excellent line up of speakers.

NEWS

Driving efficiency together at PPPE The Pan Pacific Pork Expo (PPPE) will be held at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre at Broadbeach in Queensland from May 30 to 31. PPPE combines a pork industry trade show and exhibition with informal sessions supported by Australina Pork Limited (APL) and Pork CRC Limited and gives Australian producers the opportunity to discuss, debate and adopt new technologies and innovations. Since it began in 1998, PPPE has continued to grow, attracting both domestic and international participants. The theme for the 2018 event will be ‘Driving Efficiency Together’. All the key decision makers involved in the Australian pork industry supply chain will be there including pork producers, processors, retail and food service industries, researchers, scientists, educators, subsidiary service providers such as insurers and financial institutions and government officials. This year’s program includes plenary sessions on Day One which include topics like ‘Learning from the ‘top end’ where Sally Isberg will discuss the challenges of crocidile farming and how we can apply it to the pork industry and ‘Global trends in efficient animal production’. Topic one wil be ‘European advances in genetics and what we can implement’. The speaker will be Dr Mark Henryon. The second topic will be ‘US trends in pig production’ and the speaker will be Dr Steve Pollman. The speaker for the third topic will be Dr David Speller and his topic is ‘Applying precision livestock farming to poultry production’. On Day Two Session One is called ‘It’s all about people’. Topic One will be ‘Sourcing and retraining staff’ and the speaker will be Robert Tanti. Topic Two is ‘Is your workplace attractive for good staff?’ The speaker, Kathryn Thomas will talk about foundations for good employees and their management and the importance of value based leadership. Topic Three will concern an update on 457 visas in Australia and the speaker is Andrew Robertson. Session Two, Future Farming Now/ Technology Driving Efficiency, consists of Topic One which is ‘Integrated management of the sow as if she was an athlete’. The speaker is Dr Vivi Aarestrup Moustsen.

The trade stands at PPPE always attract great interest. Above: Rod Martin on the Polytex trade stand at 2016 PPPE and (left) Mal Mottram and Gerald Fong from Rabar on the Feedworks trade stand. Topic Two is ‘Applying precision farming to herd management’ and the speaker is Ms Ellen Moller Hansen. Topic Three is ‘Changes we’ve made on our farm – thinking outside the square’ and the speaker is Edwina

Beveridge. Following afternoon tea, Session 3 will be ‘How does a processor make a connection from a carcase to a product they want to sell?’ and the speakers are BE Campbell and Bian Ling.

Supplying the Piggery Industry with tarpaulin • Shelter covers • Blinds • Liners • Thermal Covers Phone: 1300 059 003 Fax: 1300 858 626 Email: info@polytex.net.au www.polytex.net.au

FEATURE v CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12 that is actually good business because you know they grow better. It’s better meat and all that sort of thing. “So that is the only place I will ever buy pork,” the shopper said. Another speaker at APSA was Evan Bittner, a researcher from University of Melbourne who held an optimistic but guarded view of future opportunities for growing pork sales both in Asian markets and at home. Apart from pointing out the obvious advantages of concentrating on the Asian market, Evan’s simple suggestion was to make pork products more easily identifyable to the vast number of Asian tourists who visit Australia, so they could take home the idea of the properties of our pork products and help to build a market for their expanding middle class. The segment following the consumer attitude report on the ABC, was a report on the growing number of small scale pig farms springing up. An interview with Andrew Spencer, CEO of APL, revealed that through APL’s Pig Pass system, more than 2500

small scale farming operations including pork production were identifyable. Mr Spencer expressed the opinion that this phenomenal growth in lifestyle farming could be due to the combination of pork dish promotions by celebrity chefs, a phenomenon well recognised by APL’s Porkstars program and the popularity of TV food shows like River Cottage Australia, portraying the idyllic country farm lifestyle. Whatever, there is a lot of pork being produced on these enterprises which rely on localised marketing and farmers’ markets. Australia has a largely urban population that has in the last two generations been separated from real life farm production. The ability to source pork directly from a small scale farm has intrinsic appeal before we get into ‘pork with adjectives’. Yes, the market for protein is constantly changing and while the appeal of veganism is growing particularly in younger consumers, pork still retains consumer appeal. It is not only seen as delivering a

Andrew Spencer, CEO of APL. great cooking and eating experience but increasingly a healthy source of protein. Australians are wealthy – ‘the prices are down’ campaign might play well in Scunthorpe UK but the appeal in Surry Hills may be highly diluted. Cost is always a factor in consumer consideration, but so is the eating experience, and pork priced between chicken and red meat is still building in consumer appeal.

porkjournal

Serving the pork industry in Australia and New Zealand Please send this completed coupon to: 22 Pork 250 Send completed form Pork Journal, George St, St, George 22Journal, Digest, Poultry formtoto: completed this Sendthis East Gosford, NSW 2250. Ph: (02) 4323 0005 Hawthorne Parade, Haberfield NSW 2045. Ph: 029797 2406 East Gosford NSW 2251. Ph: (02) 4323 0005 Please JOURNAL DIGEST POULTRY ofPORK issuesof sixissues nextsix the next me the send me Please send Enclosed is my cheque for: A$55.00 (inc GST) or A$80.00 for overseas. Send your email address for a digital version. Cheques are to be made payable to Primary Media in Australian $

to my: (please tick appropriate box) Please charge A$ Bankcard MasterCard VisaCard

Expiry date

Signature................................

(Please print all your details in BLOCK LETTERS)

NAME . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ADDRESS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ................................................. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P/CODE . . . . . . . . . . .

Don’t miss out on a single issue of porkjournal

Fill out the coupon and send it in. To view copies of the magazine on-line go to our website www.primarymedia.com.au and click on latest issues

Unrivaled Support Our Experienced technical and genetic service teams put the customerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s needs first. No matter what the environment, no matter the system, we work to ensure pigs thrive.

PIC INVESTS MORE INTO YOUR SUCCESS We know we need to provide more for you than delivering superior genetics. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s why we offer unrivaled technical support, supply and health solutions. Only PIC can provide all the support you need to get the most out of every pig.

www.picaustralia.com.au

Ph: 1800 622 660

MORE 105 kilos WEIGHT. 145 LESS days WAIT.

less than

TRIAL OUR TERMINAL GENETICS AND SEE FOR YOURSELF Call us today!

PRIMEGRO TERMINAL GENETICS

lead to rapid growth and increased profitability. Superior growth rate gives you the choice – more weight per pig, or less time to market. Either way, increased efficiency and profitability are the result. To find out more, contact Matthew Tull – Primegro Business Manager on 0439 612 747 or (02) 6033 8340

www.primegro.com.au Results are based on typical progeny growth performance achieved using Primegro Genetics grown under a high health environment and fed using the Rivalea Nutritional Program.

Primegro, a divison of Rivalea.