Feedstuffs in Focus

Is it possible to build a better laying hen? Perhaps so, according to University of Guelph researchers.

During the Poultry Science Assn. annual meeting in Philadelphia earlier this week,  Drs. Tina Widowski and Ana Rentsch shared their findings on how bird welfare can influence bird productivity throughout the bird's lifetime. Their work has shown how a modification of early life experience along with attention to bird welfare and health can make a difference particularly when paired with specific housing systems. The results they were reporting on at PSA were largely focused on birds being house in aviaries. 

For more information, on this and other topics, we invite you to visit our websites - www.Feedstuffs.com and www.NationalHogFarmer.com. While you are there be sure to check out our digital editions and our new Feedstuffs 365 platform.

Alltech has introduced Triad, an innovative solution that promotes successful farrowing and pig livability through a palatable, proprietary blend of Alltech ingredients. 

During World Pork Expo, our Ann Hess caught up with Andy Rash, general manager of Alltech’s U.S. swine business to find out more about Triad and what opportunities it has to offer hog producers. 

As Rash explains, sow throughput can be compromised by a higher incidence of stillborn pigs and pre-wean death losses, decreasing overall performance for swine producers. Effective during short feeding intervals, Triad supports sows during parturition and lessened pre-wean mortality, driving more pigs and more pounds long-term.

“Helping producers keep more pigs they work so hard to produce in the production chain is a great challenge to address,” Rash said. “The industry makes such a large investment in total pigs born but focusing on pigs weaned is the real opportunity.”

This episode of Feedstuffs in Focus is brought to you by Alltech, a global leader in animal nutrition. For more information on Alltech and Triad, visit Alltech.com.

For more information, on this and other topics, we invite you to visit our websites - www.Feedstuffs.com and www.NationalHogFarmer.com. While you are there be sure to check out our digital editions and our new Feedstuffs 365 platform.

The swine industry is currently facing some real economic challenges. Joining us from World Pork Expo to provide perspective on the industry and what is driving this economic uncertainty, as well as thoughts on how long it might last is Dr. Matt Ritter, Sr. Vice President Research & Development with United Animal Health. 

This episode of Feedstuffs in Focus is sponsored by United Animal Health, a leader in animal health and nutrition. You can learn more about United Animal Health and how they are working to advance animal science worldwide by visiting the website at UnitedANH.com

For more information, on this and other topics, we invite you to visit our websites - www.Feedstuffs.com and www.NationalHogFarmer.com. While you are there be sure to check out our digital editions and our new Feedstuffs 365 platform.

Researchers in swine nutrition have focused much of their recent efforts on exploring how feed can benefit sows and pigs beyond growth and production. Historically, interventions have concentrated on attacking a particular pathogen, but modern technologies have shown promise in proactively supporting and developing pigs’ immune systems. 

This episode of Feedstuffs in Focus is sponsored by Purina Animal Nutrition. Driven to unlock the greatest potential in every animal, Purina is an industry-leading innovator offering a valued portfolio of complete feeds, supplements, premixes, ingredients and specialty technologies for the livestock and lifestyle animal markets. For more information, visit purinamills.com. 

For additional background on this topic: https://www.feedstuffs.com/news/purina-announces-new-swine-feed-additives 

With us today to talk about the science behind the immune system as well as new feed additives that proactively support immune function is Dr. Erin Bryan, a swine nutritional immunologist with Purina Animal Nutrition. Dr. Bryan is on the Swine Innovation Team and conducts much of her research at the Purina Animal Nutrition Center, the company’s state-of-the-art research farm in Gray Summit, Missouri. Dr. Bryan and Feedstuffs’ Ann Hess caught up at the World Pork Expo in Des Moines, Iowa.

For more information, on this and other topics, we invite you to visit our websites - www.Feedstuffs.com and www.NationalHogFarmer.com. While you are there be sure to check out our digital editions and our new Feedstuffs 365 platform.

It’s all the buzz in the business world. The use of artificial intelligence (AI) as a public relations, and even marketing, tool is on the rise and making headlines.

But what is true risk? What is the real cost of getting your messaging wrong or using AI to craft your messaging? Is AI a business opportunity, risk or a bit of both?

 Hinda Mitchell, President of the Inspire PR Group, shares with us her insight on AI and automation as a replacement for trained marketing and PR staff.

For more information, on this and other topics, we invite you to visit our websites - www.Feedstuffs.com and www.NationalHogFarmer.com. While you are there be sure to check out our digital editions and our new Feedstuffs 365 platform.

During World Pork Expo in Des Moines, Iowa, NOVUS International, a global feed additive company, revealed its comprehensive rebranding initiative. The changes reflect the more than 30-year-old company’s promise to deliver more to its customers and its commitment to providing solutions created through advanced technology, based on global scientific research that goes further to offer unexpected benefits to customers. 

“Intelligent nutrition is how we support animal health and performance,” says NOVUS SVP and Chief Commercial Officer Ed Galo in this week’s Feedstuffs in Focus podcast and press release. “Our novel combination of experienced people, insightful perspective, and smarter solutions allows us to put more into everything we create. Because we want to deliver more benefits that deliver more for producers. That’s intelligent nutrition.” 

As Galo explains, Made of More™, the company’s new slogan, represents the focus of all its future endeavors.  

NOVUS liquid and dry methionine solutions utilize the HMTBa molecule, which is a precursor to L-methionine. Because of this unique molecule, ALIMET® feed supplement, MHA® feed supplement and MFP® feed supplement are nitrogen-free and have properties of an organic acid benefiting overall gut health. Liquid ALIMET® feed supplement requires virtually no handling thanks to the company’s automated inventory system for customers (AIMS). HMTBa is also the backbone for MINTREX® bis-chelated trace minerals, highly bioavailable and absorbable organic zinc, copper, and manganese that allow producers to use lower inclusion of minerals in the ration while seeing the same or improved performance and growth. MINTREX® is also a source of methionine through HMTBa. ACTIVATE® nutritional feed acid is made from a blend of organic acids and HMTBa shown to reduce the survivability of certain pathogens in feed. 

Just as NOVUS works to do more for its customers, it’s also working to offer more to the industry. Galo says new products – created in-house, through partnerships, or via mergers and acquisitions – are on the horizon. 

“Innovation remains our core priority. As experts in the global food system, we can see where the animal protein industry is heading and this vision directs how we can help meet regional goals from performance and environmental sustainability to return on investment,” he says. “We are driven to create new ideas and technologies that improve the health of animals and animal protein production.”

For more information on intelligent nutrition and how NOVUS is made of more, visit http://novusint.com/MADE-OF-MORE. 

Globally pork production continues to grow.  Improvements in management and genetics have enabled a significant improvement in the production efficiency of sows through increases in the number of piglets born alive and weaned and consistent litter performance across parities. Unfortunately, a concomitant steady rise in sow mortality. One of the major reasons for sow mortality is pelvic organ prolapse (otherwise known as POP).

Joining us today to talk about some recent research findings related to POP are Dr. Jack Dekkers of Iowa State University and Vishesh Bhatia, a Ph.D. student of Dekkers. They along with Dr. Jason Ross, also of Iowa State University, investigated the genetic basis of uterine prolapse with the assistance of Topigs Norsvin. The main finding of their work has been that uterine prolapse appears to be even more genetically influence than what was previously realized. 

This episode of Feedstuffs in Focus is sponsored by Topigs Norsvin.  Swine genetics company Topigs Norsvin is renowned for its innovative approach to implementing new technologies and its continuous focus on cost-efficient and sustainable pig production.  Research, innovation, and dissemination of genetic improvements are the cornerstones of the company.  For more information, visit www.TopigsNorsvin.US.

For additional background on the topic: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fgene.2023.1154713/full

For more information, on this and other topics, we invite you to visit our websites - www.Feedstuffs.com and www.NationalHogFarmer.com. While you are there be sure to check out our digital editions and our new Feedstuffs 365 platform.

The US turkey industry continues to battle costly protozoal diseases such as coccidiosis, blackhead disease and more. While there are vaccines, medications and alternative products available for managing coccidiosis, there are few dependable options for managing the others. Little also is known about how these protozoal diseases interact. 

To help the turkey industry get a firmer grip on protozoal diseases, a roundtable was recently held featuring three experts from research, production and industry. Each panelist shared experiences and provided ideas on how to address protozoal diseases and maintain the health, well-being and productivity of turkeys today. 

Joining us today to discussion the roundtable and protozoal disease in turkeys are Dr. David Rives, senior technical services veterinarian with Zoetis, and Dr. Olivia Wedegaertner, US turkey account manager, also with Zoetis.

Interested in reading the entire roundtable discussion? It is available here: https://poultryhealthtoday.com/pht-perspectives/managing-protozoal-diseases-in-turkeys/. 

For more information, on this and other topics, we invite you to visit our websites - www.Feedstuffs.com and www.NationalHogFarmer.com. While you are there be sure to check out our digital editions and our new Feedstuffs 365 platform.

The U.S Supreme Court  this week rejected an appeal filed by the National Pork Producers Council and American Farm Bureau Federation challenging California’s controversial Proposition 12. That law, which passed in 2018, requires pork meat sold in the state to come from pigs born to a sow housed in at least a 24-square-foot-pen.

In response to the law, the NPPC and AFBF filed a lawsuit seeking to overturn Proposition 12. They claimed it violated the U.S. Constitution’s Commerce Clause, which gives Congress the authority to regulate interstate commerce. After the case was thrown out by a lower court, they appealed to the Supreme Court.

While the Supreme Court ruled that the case was properly dismissed by lower courts, the decision leaves many unanswered questions about industry-wide changes, pork prices, exports and future legal challenges.

In this episode, our Ann Hess talks with NPPC President Scott Hays and Michael Formica, NPPC’s chief legal strategist, about the Supreme Court ruling and what’s next for the US pork industry. 

This episode is sponsored by United Animal Health, a leader in animal health and nutrition. You can learn more about United Animal Health and how they are working to advance animal science worldwide by visiting the website at UnitedANH.com

For more information, on this and other topics, we invite you to visit our websites - www.Feedstuffs.com and www.NationalHogFarmer.com. While you are there be sure to check out our digital editions and our new Feedstuffs 365 platform.

A new effort to better connect food and agriculture leaders with real-world field experience has kicked off in the Chicago area. Farm Foundation, an accelerator of practical solutions for agriculture, recently started the 2023 planting season by sowing three acres of oats on its new farm in Libertyville, Illinois. The farm is the future site of the Innovation and Education Campus, which will host a range of Farm Foundation programs, including the newly introduced AG 101 Bootcamps.

Joining us in this episode to tell us more about the farm and the plans for the farm/innovation campus is Shari Rogge-Fidler, president and CEO of the Farm Foundation.  Shari has a long career in business and agriculture. She is a fifth-generation farm owner from Nebraska and hods a MBA from Harvard Business School. Her bachelor of science degree is in business administration from the University of Kansas with an emphasis on international finance. 

For more information, on this and other topics, we invite you to visit our websites - www.Feedstuffs.com and www.NationalHogFarmer.com. While you are there be sure to check out our digital editions and our new Feedstuffs 365 platform.