Feed update: What did you miss?

Feedinamics: An online tool to calculate the nutritional value of raw materials

After the INRA/AFZ “Tables of composition and nutritional values of feed materials” published in 2004, commonly known as the Green Book, the AFZ in collaboration with Ajinomoto Animal Nutrition Europe and the EAAP published the new tables of composition and nutritional values INRA/CIRAD/AFZ. These new tables are accessible in English and French at www.feedtables.com and allow nutritionists and formulators to know the average nutritional values of more than 300 raw materials described according to 260 nutritional criteria.

Thanks to the technology RMLINK developed by A-Systems, software publisher of the formulation software Allix, an online dynamic calculation of the nutritional values of raw materials has been developed. A-Systems enables users to calculate the values of raw materials through the parameterised equations. Once the raw materials are valued by the user, the results can be exported or, if the user possesses a license of Allix formulation software, transparency to the site will be available. The calculated values are directly integrated in the Allix formulation software. This application will be available on subscription.

Nutreco acquires Animal Nutrition and Health in South Africa

Nutreco has acquired the South African premix company Animal Nutrition and Health from Kaonne Investments for an undisclosed price. Animal Nutrition and Health will now be fully integrated into Trouw Nutrition South Africa.

Under the acquisition, Kaonne and Trouw Nutrition will continue to work together. Photo: Nutreco

Nutreco’s MD Africa Rob Kiers: “South Africa is the continent’s largest producer and feed market. Closing this deal with Kaonne Investments is part of Nutreco’s strategy to expand our base in Africa. I’m delighted that we are acquiring such a solid business.” He continued to say that this move will ensure that the company can bring its products to even more farms in the country.

New production facility in Brazil for Kemin Nutrisurance

Kemin Nutrisurance, the global pet food and rendering technologies business unit of Kemin Industries, recently opened its newly expanded 5,000m2 production facility in Vargeão, Brazil. The USD$ 6 million expansion increases the facility’s raw material capacity by 900% and finished goods storage by 1,500%, allowing ingredient manufacturer Kemin to serve more customers in South America and worldwide.

Kemin’s new production facility is currently certified to serve countries in South America and Europe and is in the process of approval in the US. Photo: Kemin Nutrisurance

The new facility includes a research and development centre, expanded storage and state-of-the-art production equipment. A new spray dryer was installed to support Kemin’s line of pet health and nutrition ingredients, including protein hydrolysates and functional ingredients. The facility will also support Kemin’s palatant product lines, which include meat and plant-based flavourants for pet products.

Novus’ Missouri research farm celebrates 10 years

Green Acres Farm opened in Missouri in 2009 and has since supplied the animal agriculture industry with research and feed additive solutions. In October, employees of Novus International, which owns and operates Green Acres, gathered at the farm to celebrate the significance of the hundreds of scientific discoveries made possible through the facility. The event included tours of the barns, pastures and feed mill.

Novus attributes its successes in the space of animal health and nutrition to its ability to test its products in-house. “We can perform a number of research trials simultaneously and within weeks or a few months of each other,” said Tom Hampton, Green Acres senior manager.

The 95-acre farm conducts 40-50 research studies a year. These trials explore topics like food safety, antibiotic-free production and optimising animal performance and the results are often presented in scientific journals, industry publications and at worldwide events.

IFIF and FAO collaborate to ensure safe and sustainable feed

The International Feed Industry Federation (IFIF) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) held their 18th annual meeting to further strengthen their collaboration on critical issues to ensure safe, nutritious and sustainable feed and food. Delegates represented over 80% of global compound feed production.

IFIF and FAO meet to strengthen collaboration to ensure safe, nutritious and sustainable feed and food. Photo: IFIF

Dr Daniel Bercovici, IFIF Chairman, reiterated their strong partnership as IFIF continues to support the FAO initiatives on capacity development for feed safety, the Livestock Environmental Assessment and Performance Partnership (LEAP), the Global Agenda for Sustainable Livestock as well joint efforts on feed and food safety at the Codex Alimentarius.

Daniela Battaglia, animal production officer at the Animal Production and Health Division of the FAO, said that the meeting addressed a number of issues including “the need for capacity development to ensure feed safety and the importance of collaborating to tackle the containment of antimicrobial resistance”.

Layn introduces TruGro AOX natural antioxidant range

Layn, producer of animal nutrition ingredients, plant-based sweeteners, functional botanical extracts and CBD, has introduced its TruGro® AOX natural antioxidant range for animal nutrition, which works to replace synthetic antioxidants with better performance at the same dosage, and has applications in animal feed, premixes and pet foods.

Layn introduces TruGro AOX, a natural antioxidant range for animal nutrition. Photo: Layn

TruGro AOX is developed with botanical extracts, and research has demonstrated that it provides improved anti-oxidation efficacy in a variety of fat and oil substrates commonly used in animal feed and pet foods. The TruGro AOX platform allows for an increase in the shelf life of animal feed and pet foods, delaying the oxidation process through synergic anti-oxidation mechanisms.

Alltech and Alimetrics estimate ruminal protein degradability

An innovative laboratory fermentation method for assessing the ruminal breakdown of dietary protein ingredients has been created by Alltech and Alimetrics Research. The technique was developed to evaluate feed protein sources and involves measuring the proportion of certain amino acids that are converted to specific end products over 24 hours.

In the study, scientists compared the rumen degradability and effects on rumen fermentation of 3 protein sources, namely whey protein, soybean meal and yeast-derived microbial protein, and ranked these protein sources according to their degradability by rumen bacteria.

Scientists from Alltech and Alimetrics have collaborated on a study which compares the rumen degradability and effects on rumen fermentation of whey protein, soybean meal and yeast-derived microbial protein. Photo: Alltech

The yeast-derived microbial protein was the most resistant, with less than 15% of the amino acids of interest being converted to end products measured. Additionally, the level of the protein breakdown product, ammonia, from yeast-derived microbial protein was able to be taken up by the rumen bacteria, reducing excess rumen ammonia accumulation. Evaluation of other parameters demonstrated that the yeast-derived microbial protein was able to extensively stimulate rumen fermentation to the same extent as soybean meal.

This data not only suggests that this novel method is suitable for assessing ruminal breakdown of protein feeds, but also that yeast-derived microbial protein could potentially provide a more sustainable, and equally suitable, alternative to products such as soybean meal.

Cargill launches Feeding Intelligence platform

Cargill has introduced Feeding Intelligence, a new platform aimed at helping livestock farmers navigate the changing food production landscape while raising awareness of their role as everyday heroes.

New solutions and tools help animal farmers run more efficient and sustainable operations with a shared goal of responsible, nutritious food. Photo: Cargill

Feeding Intelligence provides resources for farmers on the latest intelligent animal production practices aimed at helping them improve their operations across all species. Resources, support and stories of commitment and care are featured on www.feedingintelligence.com. Farmers can find information on a variety of topics including technological advancement, animal health and well-being, performance, sustainability and much more.

Phileo by Lesaffre’s ‘Meat profit’ offers healthy returns

Meat profit, a new Phileo by Lesaffre programme, focuses on the key periods of beef cattle production when feed efficiency, growth performance and meat quality require priority attention. The 3 key products on which the Meat profit programme is based are Actisaf®, Safmannan® and Selsaf®.

Diet supplementation with Actisaf and Safmannan during the receiving/conditioning period when animals first arrive on the finishing unit, has been shown in trials to mitigate the detrimental effect of stress. Rectal temperature and cortisol levels were lower in calves in the Actisaf and Safmannan group than in a comparative control group. Feed intake was also found to be higher throughout the receiving period.

According to Phileo by Lesaffre, the new programme, Meat profit, offers €18.66 per head ROI benefit. Photo: Phileo by Lesaffre

Trials with Selsaf showed a reduction in sensitivity to oxidative stress while the immune response of supplemented animals to vaccination was improved. Selsaf was also found to complement the enhanced immunity effects of Actisaf and Safmannan.

According to number of BRD cases, health, productivity and return on investment, the programme Meat profit, in which animals were only supplemented with the 3 products for 30 days, showed substantial gains over a control group of non-supplemented animals.

Phytobiotic-based gut health promotor Sanacore evaluated

Adisseo’s approach to reinforce the preventive and corrective strategy against White Feces Syndrome (WFS), which is the cause of significant crop failures of white shrimp, is the use of functional feeds containing phytobiotic-based gut health promotors. The efficacy of Sanacore® against WFS was therefore evaluated. The preventive dose ranged from 4-5kg/tonne of feed in 3 out of 4 meals per day and was continuously applied in feed, while the corrective dose was of 4kg/tonne of feed in 2 out of 4 meals per day and only applied when an outbreak was detected.

Results showed that the combined preventive/corrective supplementation strategy delayed outbreak by 10 days and prevented the growth depression observed in the control. Overall, survival and final biomass were improved by 31% and 49%, respectively.

The Wenger Group purchases Risser Grain

The Wenger Group has signed a definitive purchase agreement to acquire the grain and fertiliser operations of Risser Grain. The transaction includes the acquisition of 7 grain operating locations, which provide for the storage and processing of millions of bushels of grain. In addition, Risser’s fertiliser facility and production capacity is one of the largest in Pennsylvania, USA. As part of this transaction, Wenger will also be purchasing the Martinsburg mill.

Phil Rohrbaugh, president and CEO of The Wenger Group: “Expanding into grain operations further strengthens our reliability and sustainability as a manufacturer of feed for protein producers. The acquisition will also enable us to better support our agronomy partners, who play a critical role in the food supply chain and how we meet our customer needs.”