Friday Feed Update: What did you miss?

Delacon awarded with the SME Star Award 2018

For 30 years, Delacon has investigated the plant universe, determined the modes of action of herbs spices, other plants, and their extracts. The application of these phytogenic feed additives are effective, safe and environmentally friendly. For its efforts as SME and contributing to make the world a better place, Delacon was awarded twice during the SME Award Ceremony in Brussels: CEO Markus Dedl and Theresia Grossschartner, worker’s council lead, were proud to receive the SME Agriculture Award as well as the overall award, the SME Star Award 2018. The award was established with the initiative of the Board of the SME Europe of the EPP represented by acting members of the European Parliament. SME stands for small and medium sized enterprises.

Neovia signs an R&D partnership with TargEDys

Neovia announced its new partnership with TargEDys, a French start-up specialising in probiotics for pets. This partnership aims to explore an innovative technology that regulates the appetite and develop products better adapted to a canine population with a tendency towards weight problems or obesity. Under this partnership, Neovia will have exclusive access to pet food research and demonstrating the technology’s benefits in pet food. TargEDys will be able to build on Neovia’s strong positioning on the global pet food market, to develop applications in dog or cat food and supplements and consider rapid global commercialisation.

Neovia also announced that it acquired Biomix, the third largest player in the Colombian premix market. This acquisition allows Neovia to strengthen its positions on the global premix market and gain a significant market position in Latin America’s fourth-largest economy. Neovia believes in the growth potential of the Colombian premix market and will progressively deploy its international brand of premix and services, Wisium, complimenting Biomix’s current offering.

Devenish launches product to maximise colostrum impact for piglets

Following 5 years in research and development, agri technology specialists Devenish have launched ColfaPig, a mix of encapsulated short and medium chain fatty acids, that has shown numerous benefits on colostrum quality in sows and subsequent piglet performance. Maximising piglet potential is paramount, with producers across the globe now seeing larger, lighter litters. Research has shown that ColfaPig delivers a 500g increase in piglet weaning weight, stretching to 800g by 10 weeks of age. This extra weight has led to an increase in piglet viability of 5%, or half a pig per sow. There is significant research that shows the higher the colostrum intake, the lower the mortality level and the higher the weight gain, therefore maximising colostrum quality is fundamental to maximising lifetime performance.

Registration now open for AFIA-KSU feed manufacturing course

The American Feed Industry Association has opened registration for the winter session of “AFIA/KSU 500: Fundamentals of Feed Manufacturing,” an online course conducted in partnership with Kansas State University. The 5-week education course will take place Feb. 11 – April 1, 2019. The feed technology group in KSU’s Department of Grain Science and Industry developed the AFIA 500 course in 2010. It covers a variety of topics, including: the process flow from particle size reduction, to batching and mixing, conditioning and pelleting, boilers, post-pellet systems, packaging and load-out, and maintenance.

Phodé appoints LinkAsia Partners as strategic partner

Phodé, producer of functional and sensory feed supplements, has appointed LinkAsia Partners as its strategic partner for its range of neuro-sensory and physio animal care products in Asia Pacific. Under the agreement, LinkAsia Partners will provide marketing and commercial support to drive the business development of the Phodé animal care products. “This partnership reinforces our commitment to the important markets in Asia Pacific,” said Pierre Defalque, Chief Operating Officer of Phodé. “With Phodé’s increasing commercial presence and technical involvement in the Asia Pacific region, this timely partnership will provide additional resources to support and accelerate our business growth plan.”

Alltech’s Pearse Lyons Accelerator program

Alltech, the global animal feed and crop nutrition company, is looking for startups to apply to the third iteration of ‘The Pearse Lyons Accelerator’ program. The deadline to apply is December 31, 2018. The program will be hosted at one of Europe’s leading startup hubs, Dogpatch Labs in Dublin, Ireland. It culminates in the final shortlisted 10 startups pitching to more than 4,000 attendees and some of the premier global thought leaders in agriculture on the main stage of ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference in May 2019 in Kentucky, USA. More information can be found on the website.

CBS launches new ‘Yeast Bioactives’ feed technology

A brand new category of feed technology with broad advantages for the new landscape of livestock production has been launched by Canadian Bio-Systems Inc. (CBS Inc.) The ‘Yeast Bioactives’ technology is a yeast-based innovation designed for use as a feed supplement in diets for poultry, swine and ruminants. It fits as an enhanced yeast and grain management option with advantages for all types of production systems, including those targeting reduction or replacement of antimicrobial use. It became available on December 1^st, the same date new antimicrobial use rules take effect in Canada. It is available in several product lines as part of the CBS Inc. Feed Science Platforms portfolio.

AgriProtein acquires Belgium insect company Milibeter

AgriProtein, global producer of insects, has agreed to an all-share acquisition of Belgian insect feed company Millibeter N.V. (subject to shareholder approval). AgriProtein will fund the construction of the first full-scale Millibeter factory in Belgium. Millibeter use the black soldier fly to convert EU-approved organic substrates, such as vegetable waste, into valuable products for the feed and pharmaceutical industries. Millibeter CEO Johan Jacobs leads a team of entomologists, organic chemists and engineers who will become the nucleus of a new AgriProtein European R&D hub. AgriProtein will now build multiple plants in the region and base its European R&D centre in Belgium.

Evonik and Vland enter strategic cooperation

On 16 November 2018, Evonik and Vland signed a memorandum of understanding for a strategic cooperation. Both companies want to cooperate in the field of probiotics for animal nutrition and in the field of enzymes for industrial applications. In the cooperation the partners will exchange know-how, develop new products and improve process technology. Both organisations share the same belief that the only way to meet the current demands for sustainable livestock farming is through adopting holistic solutions. For Evonik, this means linking data- and knowledge-based services with technical services, and at the same time ensuring the availability of a wide portfolio of feed additives for livestock farming.

Successful Breizh Algae Tour in Berlin

The Breizh Algae Tour in Berlin, Germany, organised by the Olmix Group attracted 400 customers and partners from 51 different countries. The symposium, held from November 11-14 focused on the company’s algae-based biosolutions to produce more and better in a changing world. The symposium had a line-up of several speakers, but was also the place where Olmix launched its latest product Algimun®. This product is based on a synergistic association of biologically active sulphated polysaccharides extracted from marine algae (Olmix’s MSP®). Algimun® has a long-term protection, supports the shift between innate and adaptive immunity and its efficacy has been demonstrated in several scientific trials made in broilers. Its aim is to boost animal defences during the whole cycle and it is to be used for home-mixers, feed millers, integrators and pre-mixers.

Successful Novus European swine roundtable

Novus International, Inc. has hosted a European Swine Nutrition Roundtable in Barcelona, November, 27-28, bringing together European pig industry’s leading experts to share knowledge and learn opportunities in swine production. The roundtable gathered 28 participants from across Europe to discuss the challenges and new tendencies on nutrition and management of sows and piglets. Recognised key opinion leaders of the swine industry in Spain presented their innovative approaches. One of them was Antonio Palomo Yagüe, University of Minnesota-UCM-SETNA/ADM, who made an exhaustive review of the new requirements and challenges of hyperprolific sows. “Sows need more micronutrients than macronutrients. This is the same that is happening in economy. And the most important is the quality of these micronutrients”, he explained. Simon Tibble, Director of Innovation and Development, Alternative Swine Nutrition (ASN), addressed an exhaustive description on the challenges and management of piglets during the nursery and post-weaning phases. “Optimising sow nutrition and management pre and postpartum is key to ensure correct optimal colostrum intake per piglet. Adequate nutrition and management of creep feeding to ensure intestinal maturation, quality raw materials and support of the immune system are factors that need to be considered from a holistic perspective,” said Tibble.

FAMI-QS and GMP+ International renewed mutual Memorandum of Understanding

FAMI-QS and GMP+ International have renewed their Memorandum of Understanding in order to include the latest developments in feed safety for both schemes. Next to the acceptance of each other’s certificates, FAMI-QS and GMP+ International have agreed to work together on topics such as accreditation, harmonisation of schemes and promotion of feed safety system all around the world, in addition to the important issue of bulk transport.

FAMI-QS doesn’t certify transport; however, it defines the requirements that FAMI-QS certified feed business operators shall impose on transport companies. On the other hand, GMP+ International has a dedicated standard for transportation, as well as significant experience in safety issues related to the transport of feed. As a result of the close cooperation with GMP+ International, FAMI-QS feed business operators will be exempt from the implementation of the requirements of FAMI-QS Code Version 6.0 to 7.11. Transport when they use a GMP+ FSA certified transporter. Joining forces on transport issues will further ensure that the safety of the raw materials and the final products will not be jeopardised by transportation risks. Furthermore, we will ensure a harmonised global approach on transport issues and further support the regions in this aspect. Furthermore, FAMI-QS and GMP+ International will create a common Task Force (TF) on the Transportation of Feed. The TF will consist of transportation experts from both organisations. The TF’s objective is to enable FAMI-QS to provide the Specialty Feed Ingredients sector’s input on the International transport database, through GMP+ International’s participation as a member of the International Database Transport for Feed (IDTF). Last, but not least, FAMI-QS and GMP+ International will continue to work closely on topics of common interest, in order to create the necessary synergies, which will result in avoiding duplications, supporting the feed industry to overcome global challenges and enhancing the exchange of experiences between the two schemes.