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Modern aquaculture is changing and adapting rapidly. The sector is in its infancy compared to other areas of agriculture; however, this provides the opportunity to adjust quickly when necessary. Climate change is forcing the global food industry to find ways to be more sustainable, and the aquaculture industry has spent many years campaigning for change to ensure longevity and sustainability for future generations.
It is necessary to look outside of our comfort zone to ensure that we are protecting our oceans and the aquatic species that live in them. At the same time, we must also provide food security for over 3 billion people who rely on seafood for their diet and employment and support its role in ending hunger and addressing malnutrition.
In 2016, the National Academy of Science, USA, predicted 50% of stocks could be sustainable by 2050. The last decade has seen considerable developments in fishery management limits, species quotas and reduced bycatch through advances in fishing gear and technological equipment. NGOs such as the Marine Stewardship Council have worked tirelessly to improve this situation, and globally, there is amazing conservation work taking place to ensure that aquaculture and fisheries are becoming more sustainable.
Aquaculture is becoming more resource-efficient in terms of aquafeed, energy and water management. Indoor and land-based technologies are reducing water usage and gas emissions. By 2030, 62% of food fish will come from aquaculture (FAO). Sustainable aquaculture is part of the solution and will be the key to providing future generations access to healthy and sustainable protein options and employment opportunities.
This is the part where each of us, as individuals, plays a role in protecting our oceans. We have a responsibility, we all play a part in climate change and we need to work together if we are to influence current practices.
What can we do to support this?
Modern aquaculture has seen a significant shift in the last decade in terms of nutrition. Marine ingredients in aquafeed still exist, but some aquafeeds are made free of any marine resources while still maintaining the health benefits associated with omega 3 fatty acids and oils. The evolution of nutrition has allowed for the FIFO ratio to decrease significantly. The global FIFO factor for our industry is 0.27, which means we need 270 grams of wild-caught fish to produce 1 kilogram of farmed fish. This is calculated by dividing the fish caught for aquaculture feed production use by the farmed fish fed with these feeds. Looking at Alltech Coppens, the 2020 FIFO ratio was 0.10%, and 100% of the fishmeal sourced was from trimmings and/or certified.
The 2021 FAO cites the importance of seafood for ending hunger and addressing malnutrition, and fish remains critical for food and nutritional security in so many geographies across the world. To cut out eating fish entirely would wipe out some rural communities who rely on fishing for their livelihood and primary protein source.
Sustainable fishing must be implemented and promoted; fish stocks can recover and replenish when carefully managed for the long term. One of the greatest challenges we face in agriculture is to produce enough food for the increasing population while ensuring a plentiful and sustainable environment for future generations. Our population is growing exponentially, and we cannot continue to produce proteins in an unsustainable manner. This is not a new learning; both the agriculture and aquaculture industries have recognized this, and significant innovations and developments have been made over the past decade. Years of research have been invested in ensuring minimal impact on surrounding environments. Sustainable aquaculture is part of the solution, not the problem, with 62% of food fish coming from aquaculture by 2030 (FAO). This will be the key to providing future generations access to healthy and sustainable protein options and employment opportunities.
As an industry, we have been campaigning and will continue to campaign for change for many years on some of the industry’s most important challenges. It is now up to each of us to educate ourselves and our communities to make the most sustainable food choices. We must take part for the change to have an impact.
Heat stress is not something that we usually associate with our cows in Northern Ireland. However, it is an issue that is becoming increasingly prevalent due to weather extremes and the fact that many cows are now fully housed year-round. Cows are robust animals, and they can tolerate short-term temperature/humidity levels, provided there is a quick return to comfortable levels. Generally, a temperature humidity index (THI) of over 70 is the point where heat stress becomes an issue and impact performance. An optimal temperature for dairy cows is between 5–20°C. Cows are more prone to heat stress due to the significant heat increment caused by high feed consumption and milk production. Alltech has developed a simple, no-stress guide on managing heat stress, which I will explain below.
Step 1: Be AWARE of the signs of heat stress
Step 2: We need to be ready to ADAPT the animals’ housing and environment
Cows need to be as comfortable as possible. The basic principles include providing increased shade, cooling and good ventilation along with ample, clean and accessible water. There will be an increase in the demand for water, so make sure water inputs can cope with this extra demand. Reduced stocking rates is another method to consider. Reduce group sizes in the collecting yard, for example. Water troughs and feed passages should be cleaned more often than usual. We need to look at the forages also. Any heated spoiled silage should be disposed of. Keeping a good clamp face is key. A well-sharpened shear grab or block cutter should help keep a tight face. Expose the clamp in smaller sections. Try and get across the pit face as soon as possible. The TMR should be not heating. Twice-a-day feeding may be another method to use. Adjust feed times to when temperatures are lower to help stimulate an intake in the cows. Feed should be pushed up 8–10 times per day also.
Step 3: Help cows ACCLIMATISE via feed and nutrition
In times of heat stress, our focus needs to be on sustaining rumen health and function. Cows in heat stress are more likely to have subacute ruminal acidosis due to the changes in their feeding behaviour. These changes are caused by fewer and larger meals resulting in slug feeding. Feeding high-quality, palatable forages during times of heat stress is another strategy for minimising digestive heat. As feed intake is depressed, we need to increase the energy density of the diet. We can do this by adding more cereals or fats. Choose starch with slower degradation rates (for example, maize meal versus barley). Mineral concentration needs to be also considered. Sodium, potassium and magnesium are also lost through salvia and sweat, so we need to take those into account too.
Feed YEA-SACC® to help stabilise rumen environment and optimise function. YEA-SACC® helps promote dry matter intake, enhances the digestibility of the diet by removing oxygen toxic to microbes and promotes digestion and utilisation of nutrients. YEA-SACC® helps to stabilise the rumen environment by stabilising rumen pH and reducing the time during which the rumen is below the critical pH of 6.
Heat stress is an issue we need to take seriously. As I mentioned earlier, it can have serious implications on performance, which will then result in reduced profitability. By using our three-step, no-stress strategy, we should be able to minimise these implications. For any further advice on keeping your dairy herd free from the effects of heat stress, please contact InTouch on 01213742969 or log on to Heat stress | Alltech.
John Cooper is the poultry technical manager for Alltech in Ireland and the U.K. Since joining Alltech in 2013, his main focus has been helping producers improve their poultry health and performance and their business profitability while also minimizing their antibiotic usage.
Over a career spanning more than 26 years, Cooper has worked in many areas of the poultry sector, starting in practical roles on rearing and breeding units and progressing to farm management and, eventually, to senior roles in hatcheries, poultry chick sales and broilers.
Utilizing his experience, knowledge and understanding of the industry, in his current role, Cooper works with the supply chain to deliver supportive solutions for producers. His core mission within this role has been the development and delivery of the Alltech Antibiotic Reduction Programme, which tackles antimicrobial resistance through advanced nutritional technologies that have been proven to support gut health and immune status.
Along with his other responsibilities, Cooper plays a key role in research and development at Alltech, utilizing his extensive knowledge of and experience in all tiers of the supply chain to help develop and research new solutions and provide valuable information to others throughout the industry.
Sustainability — unarguably one the most used words in the agricultural sector both now and probably for the next decade. Every facet of the agri-food industry is working hard toward sustainability, and it is especially high on the agendas of all players across the egg supply chain.
Noble Foods is the U.K.’s leading vertically integrated company striving to serve the egg industry sustainably, from care and welfare to carbon and waste.
Noble Foods entered the world of eggs over 100 years ago, under the name ‘Deans Foods.’ Way back in 1920, William Dean took the rather rustic and entrepreneurial approach of door-to-door egg sales by a horse and cart.
Today, Noble Foods is still under the ownership of the third and fourth generation of the Dean family, producing 400 metric tons of egg products every week, 58% of which are free-range.
Noble Foods is a leader in vertical integration of the poultry industry in the U.K.
Noble Foods has proven and is proud of its forerunning proactiveness, from being the first to trial Salmonella vaccines back in the 1990s to sitting at tier 1 within the BB4 model (a regulated welfare program).
Noble Foods has set some ambitious sustainability goals in recent months, making it the main company driver. Graham Atkinson, Agriculture Director for Producers at Noble Foods, was tasked with making it happen.
In Graham’s opinion, sustainability means different things to different people and different businesses. There is no clear right or wrong way of “doing it.” He was not sure how or where to start. However, he had a fair idea of what Noble Foods was trying to achieve and where Alltech could help. So, he asked the question: Could we partner together to make the sustainability challenge an opportunity via the Planet of Plenty partnership program?
While Graham and the leadership team accept that the journey will change direction and they will be thrown some curveballs along the way, they have now clearly and proactively defined their vision and focus into four areas:
Now, the hard part: doing it! Putting some meat on those bones. To do this, Graham is busy building a collaborative council of key players to come together and share expertise.
For a while now, Graham has been hunting for partners who share the same vision and who can act as consultants and facilitators. Partners who can deliver the required infrastructure, skill base, science and knowledge to travel fast. Partners who can safeguard their leadership status.
Noble Foods has committed to 100% cage-free production by 2025.
Alltech, like Noble Foods, is a family-owned and operated business, sharing similar sustainability ambitions and values. These shared common values and ways of working are really what sparked and solidified the partnership — the idea of making a bigger and quicker difference by working together.
Through the power of science and nutrition, Alltech is now working very closely with Noble Foods’ supply chain, from start to finish, to help produce more quality eggs from happier birds and with less environmental impact.
The Planet of Plenty partnership between Noble Foods and Alltech is still in its infancy. The first pilot project has just begun, and the excitement of the partnership’s impact on future egg production is radiating from within the supply chain.
The recent Alltech ONE Ideas Conference looked at the dairy sector and dove into topics on climate change, emissions, feed use and consumer expectations. Many aspects in this industry were covered, including opportunities, solutions and challenges in the dairy sector. We summarise some of the highlights that were brought to the forefront during this event.
Efeito pré-condicionador da matéria orgânica do solo auxilia na disponibilização e absorção de nutrientes, além do desenvolvimento da lavoura.
O resultado final de uma lavoura se inicia e se sustenta pela base, ou seja, pelo solo. Por isso, além da atenção básica à adubação, os cuidados com o meio são essenciais na disponibilização de nutrientes para as plantas e para sustentabilidade do ciclo. Um dos grandes desafios é o aumento da salinidade do solo, causado em grande parte pelo uso excessivo de fertilizantes no manejo.
Entre as consequências da salinidade do solo estão a diminuição do desenvolvimento das plantas devido à má absorção de água e nutrientes. Uma das soluções que podem ajudar no reestabelecimento do equilíbrio natural é o fornecimento de matéria orgânica nas áreas de plantio. No entanto, a eficiência da sua mineralização e de seus resultados está ligada ao “efeito priming” da matéria orgânica do solo. De acordo com o engenheiro agrônomo Leonardo Porpino, gerente técnico nacional da Alltech Crop Science, este fenômeno consiste em pré-condicionar o meio a estar sempre apto a trabalhar na decomposição de matéria orgânica e, consequentemente, gerar um melhor ambiente para absorção e disponibilização de nutrientes para a planta.
Segundo o agrônomo, em muitos casos já existe material orgânico no solo, entretanto, não são mineralizados devido a fatores naturais e de manejo. “Com foco apenas na nutrição mineral das plantas, corre-se o risco de colocar adubo em excesso. E isso pode gerar um problema, pois há um volume alto de nutrientes que não pode ser aproveitado, podendo gerar estresses e fitotoxidez nas plantas e desperdício de fertilizantes. Por isso, a indicação é fornecer esses elementos de maneira racional e ajudar na disponibilização do que já está no solo por meio da decomposição”, explica. Para que isso ocorra e haja melhora no efeito priming, o agrônomo explica que é necessário também um estímulo constante da atividade biológica do solo.
O estímulo pode ser feito com o uso de soluções naturais desenvolvidas a partir de nutrientes e compostos orgânicos específicos.
“Estas ferramentas permitem maior interação do que há no meio com microrganismos decompositores e solubilizadores de fósforo e outros elementos, que vão permitir a disponibilização de recursos para a planta. Dessa forma, há melhor absorção de minerais e desenvolvimento da cultura”, afirma Porpino.
Para suprir as altas necessidades de cuidados com o solo, Porpino destaca uma tecnologia lançada recentemente pela Alltech Crop Science, o fertilizante Soil-Plex Ready®, integrante da Linha Solo da empresa. A ferramenta, considerada uma fonte orgânica energética, possui composição nutricional balanceada, com elementos como nitrogênio, fósforo e potássio. Entre os benefícios da solução está a melhoria no desenvolvimento das plantas, aumento da mineralização e disponibilização de nutrientes, além da potencialização do efeito priming.
A Alltech Crop Science, divisão agrícola da Alltech Inc., desenvolve soluções naturais para os desafios da agricultura nos principais mercados do mundo. Por meio de produtos com alto valor agregado e tecnologia exclusiva nas linhas de nutrição, solo, proteção e performance, garante sustentabilidade e lucratividade ao produtor rural. A Alltech Crop Science do Brasil é formada pela maior fábrica de leveduras do mundo, localizada em São Pedro do Ivaí (PR), pela sede em Maringá (PR) e pela unidade em Uberlândia (MG).
Фуражо-раздаващите смесителни ремаркета KEENAN MechFiber се изработват с вместимост от 8 до 28 куб.м. в модификации подходящи за всяка ферма. Всички KEENAN машини се произвеждат във високотехнологичния завод на компанията в Borris, Co. Carlow, Ирландия, където екип от опитни инженери и техници гарантира спазването на най-високите стандарти за качество при производството. За да отговори на изискванията на индивидуалните нужди на отделните фермери, всяка машина KEENAN се изработва по поръчка и може да бъде персонализирана да покрива разнородни изисквания във фермата. Като продължение на дългогодишната история на иновации в KEENAN, и за да отговори на променящите се нужди на модерното селскостопанство, компанията създаде 16-кубиков самозадвижващ се MechFiber модел
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Всяко фуражо-раздаващо смесително ремарке KEENAN MechFiber е изградено от уникална по рода си двукамерна система – камера за миксиране и камера за раздаване. Двукамерната система, заедно с механизма за размесване с 6 гребла и патентованите фиксирани корпусни ножове е технологията осигуряваща иновативния MechFiber микс – уникалната пръхка, обемна дажба със запазени фибри дори при по-продължителна работа на хоризонталния смесител KEENAN.
MechFiber техлогията е с основен принос за добавената стойност и доказаните ползи за храненето на животните, които получавате при използването на фуражо-раздаващото смесително ремарке KEENAN. Щадящото смесване на фуражните компоненти, което предлага MechFiber технологията на KEENAN гарантира, че Вашето стадо ще получи напълно хомогенна, лека, пухкава дажба, която никога не е недостатъчно или прекомерно размесена.
От въвеждането й през 2008 година, независими опити и изследвания в партньорство с университети и научноизследователски институти по целия свят, единодушно разкриват ползите на дажбата подготвена чрез MechFiber технологията, включително повече продукция от по-малко фуражи, по-добра моторика на търбуха, по-малко колебания в състоянието на тялото и повишена устойчивост на лактацията.
Въведена от KEENAN през 2009 година, InTouch е уникална cloud-базирана платформа, обработваща данните от храненето на над 300,000 крави. InTouch обединява технологиите на KEENAN и тези на Alltech на ниво ферма, като гарантира на стопаните реални подобрения в здравето и продуктивността на животните им.
Със специализиран екип от нутриционисти и помощта на иновативните InTouch сателитни хъбове, KEENAN и Alltech предоставят уникална експертиза по хранене на терен във фермата, даваща възможност на стопаните да се справят с предизвикателствата на производството по най-подходящия и печеливш начин.
Постоянно покачващите се разходи за фураж все повече налагат необходимостта от максимална ефективност на дажбите.
Програмата Alltech True CheckTM e гъвкав метод за анализ, предоставящ възможност да се предвидят освободените от фуража нутриенти, посредством симулация на протичащите процеси в храносмилателните системи на птиците и свинете. Методът ни дава възможност да измерим ползите от добавянето на ензими като предварително определим кои от тях са най-подходящи за индивидуалните фуражи. По този начин можем да Ви бъдем полезни за формулиране на дажби с максимално ползотворен ефект за животните при по-ниски количества на прием, щадящи околната среда.
Как работи програмата Alltech True CheckTM?
Посредством симулационнен модел на реална храносмилателна система, Alltech True CheckТМ пресъздава всички етапи от процеса на храносмилане. Пробата фураж се смила и разрежда, след което преминава през различни етапи, при които ензимите съответстващи на ендогенното производство, pH, температурата и времето, се коригират внимателно, за да се имитира средата и процесите в жлезистия, мускулестия стомах и тънките черва на пилето, или стомаха и тънките черва на прасето. След като тази част от анализа приключи, пробите се изследват за наличието на фосфат, редуциращи захари и алфа амино азот.
Как методът може да помогне за оптимизиране на дажбите?
Анализът на свободните фосфати разкрива преобразуването на фитиновата киселина в смилаема форма. По-високо ниво на свободни фосфати е показател за повече наличен фосфор за животното. Използването на ензими за повишаване хидролизата на фитинова киселина редуцира необходимостта от добавяне на минерални източници на фосфор в диетата и минимизира екскрецията на неусвоения такъв в околната среда.
Обичайно дажбите включват влакнини, които до голяма степен са изградени от нескорбялни полизахариди съдържащи се в клетъчните стени на растенията, като целулоза, хемицелулоза и пектин. Нескорбялните полизахариди са състоят от захари, които обаче са трудно смилаеми за моногастричните животни. Решение е добавянето на ензими, които подпомагат преобразуването на по-дългите полизахариди в смилаеми захари, измервани като редуциращи захари и осигуряващи на животното повече налична енергия.
Свободният амино азот e показател за количеството протеин, който се преобразува в смилаеми свободни аминокиселини. Повече извлечен от фуражите протеин, дава възможност за по-ниски нива на влагане на суров протеин в дажбите. Намаляването на последния в диетата е съществено важен фактор за понижаване екскрецията на азот в околната среда, а също така подпомага по-добро здраве за животните.
Симулирайки храносмилателната система в лаборатория, Прогамата Alltech True Check предоставя бърз, ефективен и иновативен скрининг метод за формулиране на дажби и добавяне на ензими. Прилагането на програмата редуцира загубата на нутриенти, увеличава ефективността на производството като същевременно минимизира негативното му въздействие върху околната среда.
