December feed update: What did you miss?

Neogen launches rapid test for ergot alkaloids

Neogen has developed a lateral flow test for ergot alkaloids, which are natural toxins produced by a fungus that commonly infects rye and wheat. Neogen’s new Reveal Q+ MAX for Ergot Alkaloids delivers precise quantitative results in the range of 50 to 5,000 parts per billion (ppb) in only 8 minutes after extraction. This new test is the first for ergot alkaloids in the simple rapid lateral flow format and is compatible for use with Neogen’s innovative Raptor testing platform.

DNA testing on piglet and sow feed

European Protein has started to test several new customers´ sows and piglets to compare the health impact of the farmer’s current feed with the company’s complementary protein EP199, a new functional protein consists of Lacto-fermented rapeseed and seaweed. Through a DNA test the farmer will be able to map the herd’s bacteria problems accurately while evaluating the influence of their feed on gut health.

“Newest research shows that the sow has an enormous influence on the piglet’s medical record and that’s why she must be included in the feeding strategy,” says European Protein CEO, Jens Legarth. Photo: European Protein

Lallemand and Dendris partner to advance precision feeding

Lallemand Animal Nutrition enters into a research and development partnership with French biotech firm Dendris aimed at developing a monitoring tool to characterise microbial fibrolytic activity in the ruminant digestive tract. The objective of this tool is to evaluate the effect of nutritional interventions, including probiotic supplementation, on the functional activity of the digestive microbiota. The tool aims to advance precision feeding for ruminants and help in the development of diet formulations or new feed additives aimed at maximising energy released from fibre degradation.

VICTAM and Animal Health and Nutrition Asia 2020 launched

VICTAM and Animal Health and Nutrition Asia 2020 combines under 1 roof the expertise of 2 show organisers, VICTAM and VIV. Providing solutions ranging from feed production, feed technology and processing to feed ingredients, feed additives, animal health and pharmaceuticals in animal protein production, VICTAM and Animal Health and Nutrition Asia 2020 will take place from 24 to 26 March 2020 in Bangkok, Thailand, with around 400 exhibitors in a 17,800sqm space at BITEC.

Royal De Heus opens new aqua feed mill in Myanmar and aquires Evialis in Spain

De Heus Myanmar has celebrated the opening of an aqua feed production facility in Myanmar, which will produce more than 200,000mt of aqua feed annually. This is the company’s 3rd factory in the country.

According to Koen de Heus, CEO of Royal De Heus, the use of floating feeds will lower water pollution which, in turn, supports the health of the fish and accelerates growth leading to better proceeds for local farmers.

Royal De Heus celebrates the opening of a new aqua feed mill in Myanmar. Photo: De Heus

The company has also signed an agreement for the acquisition of the Spanish compound feed plant Evialis Galicia, with a volume of more than 50,000 tonnes of compound feed annually. Evialis Galicia was founded in 1974 by a collaboration of pig farmers to produce feed for their own sows. The company currently offers an assortment of compound feeds for multiple animal categories.

Skretting contracted to supply Atlantic Sapphire in Denmark and USA

Skretting has been contracted to supply Atlantic Sapphire with major volumes of the company’s feed requirements in Denmark and the US. On the contract decision, Johan Andreassen, CEO of Atlantic Sapphire says “We are excited to work in partnership to develop a salmon feed optimised for our Bluehouse technology.” Through Skretting’s RecircReady concept, the company says that Atlantic Sapphire will receive access to service covering feed quality, monitoring, feeding, and technical expertise.

Nijhof-Wassink and D.V.M. Trans join logistics forces

Belgian company D.V.M. Trans and the feed logistics division of Nijhof-Wassink have entered into a partnership to transport animal feed. Martin Schoemaker, Feed Logistics GM at Nijhof-Wassink: “Our objective is to provide even better support to animal feed manufacturers in Belgium. With this strategic partnership, we’re further expanding the number of locations, vehicles available, and contact with the local market.”

Nutreco supports initiative for soy farmers in Brazilian Cerrado region against deforestation

With its 2 divisions – Trouw Nutrition for animal nutrition and Skretting for aquafeed – Nutreco has pledged to commit €1 million over the next 5 years to the ‘Funding for Soy Farmers in the Cerrado’ initiative, which aims to conserve native vegetation and biodiversity in the Cerrado region, halting deforestation by providing financial incentives to farmers to produce soy only on existing agricultural land.

The Cerrado region is a globally significant carbon stock but 250 million tonnes of carbon have been released annually from deforestation in this landscape. The Cerrado is also one of the most important Brazilian regions for water production, being responsible for 40% of Brazil’s freshwater that is essential for agriculture.

Zheng Chang undertakes a large-scale railway bulk grain conveying project in China

Alashankou, Xinjiang, is a significant land port city in western China with expanding and improving opening patterns. As the first integrated free trade zone in Xinjiang, Alashankou integrated free trade zone owns various types of imports from the countries along the Belt and Road.

Zheng Chang Grain Engineering, a large-scale grain drying, storage, transportation, safekeeping equipment provider, has responded to the Belt and Road initiative and has undertaken 3 large-scale projects in the Alashankou integrated free trade zone, which will use 2 railways to distribute bulk grain with an hourly conveying capacity of 1,600 tonnes to become the largest railway bulk grain distribution project for the Belt and Road, which has great strategic significance for the whole grain industry.

Pancosma combines different minerals within each particle

Based on glycine, and relying on a patented technology, Pancosma’s B-Traxim All-In-1 product contains a combination of various minerals in the exact same ratio in every particle, enabling even distribution and homogeneity in premixes and feed.

Each particle contains a combination of 4 different minerals at the same ratio. Photo: Pancosma

In collaboration with the Research and Technology Organization CSEM in Switzerland, 4 different minerals (Cu, Fe, Mn, Zn) were identified in the product using powder x-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy associated with energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy. The company reports that all 4 metals are present in every particle, homogeneously distributed throughout. The company states that the homogeneity provided to nutrients is effectively passed on to animals, which allows them to benefit from every mineral with each bite and perform to their fullest potential.