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Manejo fisiológico aumenta produtividade do feijão em 7,9 sacas por hectare em SP

Submitted by ebetioli on Fri, 04/17/2020 - 09:18

Durante estudo, cultura também apresentou incremento de índice de área foliar, essencial para o enchimento dos grãos

Com estimativa de produção de mais de 3,14 milhões de toneladas para a safra 2020, segundo a Companhia Nacional de Abastecimento (Conab), o feijão é parte essencial da produção agrícola nacional. Por suas características de cultivo, com ciclo curto e cultivares cada vez mais precoces, a cultura traz desafios como a alta sensibilidade a estresses hídricos e térmicos, com impactos diretos na produtividade. Nesse contexto, o manejo fisiológico pode ser essencial para o aumento da resistência natural, incremento da taxa fotossintética com consequente melhor  formação das vagens e enchimento dos grãos.

É o que mostra estudo realizado no estado de São Paulo durante a terceira safra de 2019, em parceria entre a Alltech Crop Science e a Aprimora Pesquisa. Durante o experimento, o cultivo de feijão recebeu manejo nutricional com soluções à base de aminoácidos e polissacarídeos durante as fases vegetativas e reprodutivas. Entre os resultados, foram observados maior retenção foliar e enchimento dos grãos. Além disso, a produtividade teve incremento de 7,9 sacas/hectare em relação à área não tratada, totalizando 42,5 sacas/hectare.

“O uso destas soluções foi responsável por um maior índice de área foliar, que contribui para maior eficiência da interceptação e utilização da radiação solar, favorecendo a produção de fotoassimilados. A planta, por sua vez, transfere esses compostos para o enchimento dos grãos, garantindo melhor desenvolvimento fisiológico, maior número de vagens por metro quadrado, e consequentemente, produtividade superior”, explica o engenheiro agrônomo Guilherme Bavia, gerente técnico especializado em grãos da Alltech Crop Science.

Além do incremento da fotossíntese, a pesquisa ainda mostrou aumento na resistência a estresses oriundos do meio, como ressalta o especialista. “Aminoácidos são unidades básicas de formação da planta, ajudando tanto no transporte de nutrientes quanto na reparação de estresses sofridos. A cultura estará exposta a adversidades climáticas desde o momento em que é plantada, na germinação, até a maturação e a colheita. Por meio desse manejo nutricional, a planta sintetiza compostos de defesa e fortalece suas barreiras naturais, ao mesmo tempo em que fica melhor nutrida para seu pleno desenvolvimento”, afirma.

Ainda segundo Bavia, resultados mais efetivos do manejo nutricional na fisiologia das plantas podem ser alcançados por meio de aplicações periódicas durante todo o ciclo de produção do feijão. “As plantas, ao contrário dos animais, por exemplo, não têm um sistema imunológico capaz de criar resistências permanentes. Por isso, é necessário que se reforce esse estado de defesa, para que os estímulos sejam renovados. Assim, ela continuará sintetizando compostos de defesa e estará pré-condicionada para possíveis estresses durante o seu ciclo fenológico”, completa.

Dica do especialista

Para um cultivo do feijão mais resistente às adversidades climáticas e com melhores resultados de enchimento de grãos e produtividade, o especialista indica o uso do Agro-Mos, desenvolvido pela Alltech Crop Science. O composto, rico em aminoácidos, polissacarídeos, além de nutrientes como cobre e zinco, é ideal para uma boa formação vegetativa, além de auxiliar a reparação de estresses.


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InTouch

InTouch combines the latest in feed-management software, mixer wagon controller technology and skilled feeding specialists to work proactively with many types of farmers, ensuring the best in feeding accuracy and animal performance. Each day, InTouch manages the feeding of over 300,000 animals on 2,000 farms across the globe, representing one of the world’s largest feed efficiency databases.

Dave Preisler - Pork and the pandemic: Confronting another crisis

Submitted by rladenburger on Thu, 04/16/2020 - 13:03

The global pork industry was already grappling with African swine fever when the COVID-19 crisis struck. As the pandemic tests the dynamics of the food supply and closes some facilities, what does the future hold for one of the world’s most popular protein sources? From a state that produces 18 million head per year, Dave Preisler, CEO of the Minnesota Pork Producers Association, shares how the battle-tested pig sector is confronting unprecedented challenges and applying lessons learned from ASF.

This episode is part of a special AgFuture series on the impact of COVID-19 on the food supply chain. Join us to hear how those on the frontlines of the global pandemic are working to overcome adversity and feed the world.

Hosted by Michelle Michael

As lead video producer at Alltech, Michelle travels the globe for the company’s award-winning Planet of Plenty documentary series. Michelle spent a decade as a video producer/reporter in Germany, reporting from military hotspots at the height of the war on terrorism. The National Press Photographer's Association (NPPA) has twice recognized Michelle as their solo video journalist of the year.

Co-produced by Brandon Whitworth

As the senior media production specialist at Alltech, Brandon co-produces the company’s award-winning Planet of Plenty documentary series. Brandon is a two-time Emmy Award winning television news photojournalist and three-time nominee. He has received several regional awards from the National Press Photographers Association for excellence in visual storytelling.

The following is an edited transcript of Michelle Michael’s interview with Dave Preisler. Click below to hear the full audio.

Michelle:       Hello! I'm Michelle Michael. In this special series of AgFuture, we're talking with those working along the food supply chain about the impact of COVID-19. My guest today is Dave Preisler, the CEO of Minnesota Pork and the Minnesota Pork Producers Association. Dave, thanks so much for being with us.

 

Dave:              You bet. My pleasure.

 

Michelle:       Dave, you're heavily involved in the pork industry, and at a national level, you represent Minnesota pig farmers. Tell me a bit about your role, what you do day-to-day to represent swine producers in your state.

 

Dave:              Sure. My primary role is really more along the public policy, public affairs side of things, so not only interacting with the senators and representatives that we have in Washington, D.C., but also working with our state legislature and, also, a whole host of state agencies. There are times when you wonder how some of those meetings go and the value of having all of those contacts, and then you run into a situation like this and, boy, your call list becomes pretty important, because it takes an awful lot of people and a lot of moving parts to try and deal with situations like this.

 

Michelle:       I can only imagine right now how things have changed for you. Describe for us what it's like right now in your shoes with COVID-19, your day-to-day.

 

Dave:              Sure. I'd say that the biggest thing is just, really, constantly being on the phone — conference calls, webinars — and trying to get the absolute best information, first of all, that we can share with our members. We're really driven by our members and their interests, which are pork producers, and so, everything that we do is really through that lens of what's the best for the hog farmer at that farm level. It's really, then, trying to connect those dots and see how we can move things forward. I will tell you, there is nothing easy about this whole thing, and I don't think that's news to anyone, and it's extremely complicated, but our job is to try and see how we can navigate through it, and that's what we're committed to do.

 

Michelle:       Certainly, the entire globe, right now, is trying to navigate this thing — and we have a very global audience. Can you explain to us how many pigs are in Minnesota compared to, say, Iowa, which is home to some 23 million pigs?

 

Dave:              Sure. Minnesota, annually, would produce about 18 million head, which would put Minnesota second — not quite a distant second — to Iowa. We would be just ahead of North Carolina. We have been a state that's experienced what I would call really sustainable growth over time, pretty steady growth each and every year. This is a really competitive place to raise pigs because we have plenty of feed and we have plenty of land from a standpoint of recycling the manure.

 

                        The other thing that we really have here are people — and people that are really good at what they do, whether it's employees and farmers at the barn level, vet clinics, feed companies, other pieces of infrastructure. They're just really good here, and it makes (this) a good place to raise pigs. That's why, over time, it's grown, and folks have been successful.

 

Michelle:       Many of those people you are referring to, we've met some of them firsthand, and they're very passionate people. When you look at their industry right now — the swine industry, specifically — what are you seeing? In some parts of the country, COVID-19 has halted production at processing facilities. What are you hearing or what are you seeing firsthand about the impact of this pandemic on those very passionate people that you're talking about?

 

Dave:              Well, first of all, it's really personal, because we're talking about families — and families living (here) that they've been making over the years, and what they've built up within their communities. It's also personal for communities, and I think that's something that folks need to understand: that it's not just about the farm. It's also the communities that those farms support, nurture, grow and bring along. That's — when we get times like this, it's not only difficult on the farm. I mean, it's really difficult on the farm, but in turn, it's going to be difficult on real communities. That's the discussion that we're having as we talk with our legislators and representatives at a state level and at a federal level, is that things like this have real consequences for rural communities.

 

                        So, as we're communicating with people, one of the things that we are urging folks to do is to call, especially, their senators and representatives that do represent them in Washington, D.C., and talk with them about what the impact of this has been — whether it's not being able to sell pigs, the current market condition in general — and then bring it right down to the personal level as to what that does for their family and for the communities that they live in. I think those are going to be the most effective stories as we try and work with people that represent us in Washington, D.C., because then, they know what the actual personal impact is. That's something, I think, that's incredibly important to do, and we would hope that all of your listeners follow through and do that same thing, not only for their own farm, but also for the customers that they're serving.

 

Michelle:       What are some of those specific stories that you're hearing right now, Dave, about the impact on the community and the producers?

 

Dave:              I think, first of all, we start at the producer level. We know we've got some pretty incredible disruptions at packing plants. Currently, we have a major packing plant in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, that is closed. We have another packing plant that is attempting to open back up in Iowa, which has been closed for a little over a week now. We've also got some real slowdowns that have occurred to varying degrees at different plants around the United States, and some of that may be just a very slight slowdown because of either (dealing with) issues or being able to have enough employees. Some of that may be real, from a standpoint of employees that are experiencing illness, and quite honestly, some of it is fear, so there's a combination of things there on the employee side.

 

                        The other thing is, as we look at moving pork and what's happened in the whole dynamic of a moving product right now, is that, by and large, the restaurant industry in the United States is shut down. There's still some takeout work that's going on, but that's really a small portion of what was going on in the restaurant or food service side. So, you have this giant pivot that's occurring, with packing companies trying to take material that would have gone to restaurants and move it into retail. That's just something you don't do overnight, so you have that combination of labor issues, health issues, and then, also, that pivot that it takes to try and reroute product. Those, I'd say, are two of our biggest things as we look at the whole packing sector and continue to try and work through that.

 

                        We're just currently at a spot, at least right now, where we're not having a matchup of pigs that are available for processing and the available packing space that's out there today, and so, we have farms that are doing a whole host of things trying to slow pigs down and nutrition companies actively working with farms to try and help them through that, but you can only do that for a short period of time.

 

Michelle:       Right. You talk about shutting down a plant. That certainly has a ripple effect. What happens at the farm level? To keep it simple, a farmer has to keep feeding his animals for growth, for meat quality. Now what? What do farmers do? What do producers do in this situation?

 

Dave:              I think those difficult decisions, quite honestly, are starting to be made right now. I have no doubt that we will see pigs, healthy pigs, that will be put down on the farm in order to adjust to what's going on right now. I think the only question mark is how many, and I don't think anyone has got an accurate forward view of what that number will end up being, because it really depends on how that packing dynamic changes and adjusts and how soon, for example, the plant in Sioux Falls can come back and how quickly the plant in Iowa can ramp up and, then, what happens with other plants that have got some slowdowns right now. That's a dynamic that, quite honestly, changes every day, and so, I think it's difficult to predict how many. All I can tell you is that it will happen and it's starting to happen. I think it's just a question of where it brings us. I think we're going to have many more difficult decisions in about a week, from everything that we're hearing from farms, if we don't see this packing dynamic change.

 

Michelle:       There are an awful lot of unknowns at this point. How, in your eyes, will this affect the availability of pork? There have been some stark warnings and reports of those factories closing, as you mentioned. As workers themselves test positive for COVID, should we, the consumers, worry about a shortage in the supermarket, for example?

 

Dave:              Yeah, I think that you've got, again, a few things going on. We have heard from CEOs of food companies and packing companies laying that warning out. I know that the CEO of Smithfield was very clear about that in press releases that they've had just in the last few days, laying warnings out there about food availability going down the road. Again, I think, without a doubt, there's going to be some sort of an effect. What we don't know, again, is to what degree. We will have heavier hogs that will go through plants as we have things backed up, so that's going to create a dynamic there, but then again, it ends up being that consumers still have to consume that product. I think, again, (I don’t have) a crystal ball; it's depending on how long this goes on in our current situation. Again, we will have decisions made on farms where they're going to have to decide whether to breed sows or not; also, what to do with putting down healthy animals on the farm. I don't really know that we're going to see that kind of food availability piece for, probably, a few months or several months, because it takes a while for that to fully work through the system.

 

Michelle:       When you talk about putting down healthy animals on the farm —  COVID-19 is unprecedented. Is something like that unprecedented as well in your industry?

 

Dave:              It is. There have been other times in history — specifically, 1994, 1998, 1999 and 2008 — where there have been some incredible times from a standpoint of being challenging economically, where there were heavy losses that occurred at the farm level. The thing, I think, that's unfortunately different about this one is that there are just so many other dynamics. For example, for the most part, what happened in those other downturns is we just had a fairly simple non-matchup of supply and demand and a fairly simple supply and demand curve. We had a lot of pigs, not enough packing capacity and/or demand for that product on the other side, but we've never had the dynamic of workers, really, in the whole thing and worker health and that sort of piece.

 

                        The other thing that we've never had is just a complete switchover in a really short period of time from food service over to retail, and those are two dynamics that I don't know that anyone has ever modeled, because they certainly haven't happened in real life. So, I think that makes this much different, and it makes it a whole lot less predictable than a simple supply-demand curve that we saw with other downturns previously in our histories, if we look at the marketplace.

 

Michelle:       Sure. Now, talking about the workers, with social distancing in full force around the globe almost everywhere right now, how do workers stay safe, and how is that impacting the availability of workers in the swine industry?

 

Dave:              Yes, there are a couple of things there. We do have packing plants today and, really, within the last, I'd say, ten days or so, that have been really active in supplying personal protective equipment over and on top of what they normally would. The other piece is doing some staggered entry and exit out of packing plants, some staggered breaks, staggered lunch breaks, that sort of thing, to keep people separated. Then, most plants, too, especially the ones I'm familiar with here in the upper Midwest, are also installing Plexiglas barriers between workers on the line, very similar to what we see — in fact, exactly similar to what we see — in grocery stores in the checkout lines today in order to help create that barrier, create that social distancing that everyone acknowledges needs to happen in order to prevent spread and improve (or limit) exposure.

 

The other thing, again, that I've seen with the packing plants that we've interacted (with) here is they're taking this very, very seriously. They've got a commitment to their workers, to keep them safe, and I know they're taking that seriously — plus, they know they need to have healthy workers that continue to operate their plant to provide food. That combination, hopefully, will be good for us as we try and continue to work through this, but so far, again, what I've heard from our plants — they've been working very closely with our state Department of Health on the human health side to make sure that things are being done in the best way possible to protect workers. I think as long as we do that, we're doing our best, and then, hopefully, that's good enough as we move forward.

 

Michelle:       Certainly, Dave. Talk to me about the seriousness of this situation. How many plants — (if you know) numbers, percentages — how many plants are closed or face closure at this time? How many producers fear that they'll close?

 

Dave:              If we look at percentage-wise, we've got probably somewhere close to 9% of our packing capacity that is shuttered right now. That is a moving target, so that can certainly change from day to day. I want to make sure I caution folks on that, that that can move. What that has done is that there are a whole host of farmers that have got pigs and are market-ready and, as of today, don't have a spot to go with those pigs. Unfortunately, one of the downsides of, especially, the plant in Sioux Falls going down is they were probably one of the largest buyers of pigs from independent pork producers, and so that, in itself, probably affects more individual farms directly than, maybe, some of the other plants, if they would have gone down, and so it spread some of that pain out into other families, other communities. The other thing is that, whether the plants that you are delivering to are (or are) not shut down, it's still just creating an overall tightness in the whole industry that, obviously, results in hog bids that are much less than they would have been without all this.

 

Michelle:       You talk about plants closing due to workers being sick. I've heard from vegetable growers in California that they think part of what's hurting them is that people are afraid that their food is becoming infected with COVID, that the vegetables actually would be infected with COVID. Are you seeing the same thing in meat?

 

Dave:              No, not necessarily. I think, early on, there were some questions about that, but the science so far has been really, really consistent, and that really just isn't the case. As long as folks are following the same sort of things that they would have always done from a standpoint of food safety, there is absolutely zero increased risk here. I think, as we look at, quite honestly, some of the fruit and vegetable pieces that we've heard from folks, (the reality) is that people are trying to limit the amount of trips to the grocery store, period, so they may only go to the grocery store — some were trying to figure out how they can go maybe only once every other week. So, if you're dealing with fresh fruits and vegetables and people are only going to go to the grocery store every other week, some of that is going to go out of condition before you can actually eat it, and so, there are some other dynamics, I think, that happen with some of that, too, depending on the product.

 

Michelle:       Dave, you talk about those individual producers suffering. Are they going to be able to bounce back or even stay afloat during this time? What are you hearing?

 

Dave:              I think that depends on a number of things. There have been some folks, now, that have been successful working through some small business administration programs. Paycheck Protection Program is one of them that we've heard some success with, with farms. There are some other small business administration programs that farms are working through, through their lender. I do think it's really going to depend on, again, that relationship that they have with their lender — (and also,) obviously, the existing amount of equity that they've got in their farm, what sort of marketing plans that they had in place. I think that effect is going to be different for each individual farm, but I don't see anyone being unscathed. I think it's just a question of degree for each farm.

 

                        I do know, too, that Congress and the administration is actively working on some aid packages, at least at this recording. We've not heard what those exactly will be. Our asks, though, have been for direct infusions of cash back to farms — and truly back to farms, so that they've got that to try and hang on with and reorganize with.

 

                        The other is a $1-billion purchase that the government would make of pork products. Again, those are requests right now. USDA is certainly working through those requests, because there are other industries out there, too — whether it's the dairy side, beef cattle, ethanol, fruits and vegetables and so on — that also have asks of the federal government and of the money that's available for right now. We're hoping that we'll know relatively soon because, then, that will help guide us as to next decisions and next asks, either out Congress or the administration. It also starts to give a little bit of a clear roadmap to lenders and how they will end up working with their respective farm borrowers.

 

Michelle:       Dave, on the government side of things, what are you hoping to see? We hear about bailouts or aid packages. What is best-case scenario for the swine industry?

 

Dave:              I'd say a best-case scenario is if we can have the ask that we're making this week, and that is cash payments out to farms to help with liquidity. The second piece is a government purchase to try and take product off of the marketplace to have some relief there — plus, that product would go into food shelves, which serves a need on that standpoint, as we look at our general economy and displaying the number of people that have been laid off. I think an absolute tragedy is to throw away good food. Unfortunately, I don't think we're going to be able to avoid that completely, but as we look at trying to provide for our fellow person out there, if there are ways that we can work through to provide food for people, I think that's incredibly important as we work through this because, again, it's a tragedy to throw away food if we don't have to.

 

Michelle:       It's an absolute tragedy, and of course, farmers, they're not strangers to hardship. The global industry was already grappling with African swine fever when COVID-19 struck. Are there lessons from African swine fever that are being applied to this new challenge today?

 

Dave:              Yeah, they really are — from a standpoint of, especially, if we do get into situations of putting healthy animals down. There are some plans that we put into place and some demonstrations and drills that we'd already started on. Going back to a little bit earlier this winter, looking at some issues around depop and disposal — though there's some of that that I do think will be useful, it's not exactly the same, because we're dealing, in this case, with healthy animals versus animals that have a foreign animal disease. It actually gives us a little more flexibility — in fact, quite a bit more flexibility — with healthy animals, but we still have to do it responsibly. That means we're doing it timely and we're making sure that we're protecting the environment as we deal with those sorts of things.

 

                        Also, most importantly, too, is that the people that work with pigs on a daily basis, they're really wired to save pigs and to do the best they can to raise pigs. They're not wired to put them down, especially when they're healthy. I think there are people and mental health things that we're going to have to be cognizant of if we're forced into these situations, because again, the folks we've got working in barns and the owners of pigs, they truly care about the animal and want to do the right thing. If we get forced into some of these pieces that really are not real great choices, we need to make sure we're taking care of our people in that whole piece, too.

 

Michelle:       It's important that you bring that up. You talk about the mental health side of things. You talk about potentially putting down healthy animals. What does that look like from the eyes of a producer or somebody who works in a barn?

 

Dave:              I think it's a stress that people just probably didn't think about. I think it comes back to (being) as simple as (the fact that) people want to hire folks that work on their barns, again, that are empathetic, that are caring, that want to do the right thing, and it'll be tough on them. I think that the important thing is for employers and other family members to recognize that and to help people through it. Now, I'm not saying that there's a magic way to do it, other than the first acknowledgement, to just make sure that you recognize it and, then, take that into account if we end up getting forced into those decisions.

 

Michelle:       Dave, how do you think this pandemic is going to change the swine industry in the long term? Will there be changes, for example, to farm size, prices, production, biosecurity?

 

Dave:              Quite honestly, I think, (on) the biosecurity side, we're doing pretty well. I think there are continual improvements on that (that need) to happen, no matter what. Farm size — I think, unfortunately, what happens in things like this is that it does tend to be more of a drive towards consolidation, when you have things like this happen. I think that, no matter what industry you're in — the pork industry, other parts of agriculture, other businesses — that tends to be one of the consequences that does come out of it. I think, just depending on what sort of equity that farmers end up getting to and the work they do with their lender and, consequently, any sort of inflow of cash that may come from the federal government is really going to dictate, then, what the industry looks like coming out the back end. We will have a pork industry coming out the back end, and it will be competitive, and we'll provide safe, affordable food, just like we always have. It's just probably going to look different. We just don't know (to) what degree it will look different. Without a doubt, I think that lenders may look at some different requirements from a standpoint of equity, going forward, to account for some of these black swan sort of events that seem to pop up, but that's yet to be determined, too.

 

Michelle:       Do you see any kind of a silver lining to what is happening right now for swine producers — any kind of opportunity, so to speak, in the midst of this crisis?

 

Dave:              Well, that's a good question. Oftentimes, it's really difficult to see a silver lining in things like this. In hindsight, one silver lining is a lot of the planning and relationships that have been built based on African swine fever and foreign animal disease in general; they really do help in situations like this. When you're in a challenging time and you need to be working together with folks to try and address things, that is no time to be exchanging business cards for the first time. So, I think this does give us a lesson that relationships with folks that can help your business and to build those things over time are incredibly important, whether that's at the farm level or whether it's at the association level or business level. Just never take those connections for granted, because you never know when you're going to need them, and those things need to be developed over time.

 

Michelle:       Speaking of taking things for granted, with our food supply threatened at this time, in your eyes, does it change the way the consumer sees agriculture? In your opinion, are they looking at agriculture now in a more positive way?

 

Dave:              I think that, in some cases, they may be. I think the other thing that goes with that is that — I think the first natural thing for folks (to do) is to look inward, so they're going to look towards their own personal financial situation, whether they have a job or not, when they will get back to work. I think some of those more immediate things are going to probably be on more (of) the general public's mind first, but I do think it's instructive already, even with some of the panic buying and so on that's going on in grocery stores. Whoever thought that you would worry about where (your) toilet paper would come from? As we see meat shelves that are not as full as what we're used to, or going in to buy a can of soup and there's no soup left, there are some things that are kind of, I think, instructive.

 

                        We've got a fantastic food supply in this country, but the chain itself, every once in a while, can get a little threatened. We're seeing that right now, so we shouldn't take it for granted, and we should be grateful for the food production we have in this country. I think some people will be more appreciative of it, but it's also our job to produce food. That's why farmers are in this business, and they're going to continue to do so and do it in a way that's responsible. I think we'll see a shift, but we'll see what occurs there down the road.

 

Michelle:       So many things changing. There's just a great cost on many levels with what's happening right now, and of course, nobody can predict what's next. We all hope it's sooner rather than later that this whole thing is over. Dave Preisler is our guest today, the CEO of Minnesota Pork. Thank you so much for joining us today.

 

Dave:              My pleasure, and we all wish for better days, and we hope they come soon.

 

Michelle:       For additional resources on COVID-19, visit alltech.com.

 

Click here for additional COVID-19 resources.

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The planning and relationships that have been developed from battling African swine fever and other foreign animal diseases are proving helpful against new challenges.

Select BAC™

Submitted by vrobin on Thu, 04/16/2020 - 10:03

Safeguarding herd health by supporting a balanced microbial profile to target complete gut health

Sustaining a healthy gut involves much more than protecting your dairy herd from potentially deadly issues, such as hemorrhagic bowl syndrome; it means maintaining the right amount of beneficial bacteria in both the rumen and the lower digestive tract to improve performance and reduce the need for costly therapeutic treatments. Select BAC includes a blend of Alltech’s technologies, along with Bacillus licheniformis and other direct-fed microbials, to target complete gut health and stability.

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Free Select BAC Dairy Flyer

Manage your risks to improve herd health and profitability!

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Benefits of feeding Bacillus 

 


Addresses costly challenges caused by Clostridium in dairy cattle


Inhibits the growth of undesirable intestinal organisms in dairy herds


Fights the damaging effects of mycotoxins on dairy farms

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Select BAC encourages stability in dairy cows at all stages of production
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Select BAC™ supports a proper microbial profile and targets complete gut health and stability in dairy cows at all stages of production. This innovative blend of live, naturally occurring microorganisms includes Bacillus licheniformis, Lactobacillus and several other microbial additive ingredients to support a diverse microflora. 

Cows with a healthy, stable gut are better able to:

1) Address challenges caused by Clostridium

2) Inhibit the growth of undesirable intestinal organisms

3) Fight the damaging effects of mycotoxins

4) Produce more milk and increase profitability

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Alltech service reduces dairy farm waste while going 'contactless'

Submitted by ibakerbrowne on Thu, 04/16/2020 - 06:26

Alltech service reduces dairy farm waste while going “contactless”

[STAMFORD, UK] – Alltech Navigate™ – the pioneering advice service designed to help dairy farmers reduce feed waste and optimise input utilisation - has been adapted to allow continued access to free advice while maintaining social distancing and self-isolation guidelines.

With feed waste costing up to £216/per cow/per year, and the COVID-19 crisis adding another element of producer challenges, Alltech will continue offering the service to help farmers uncover opportunities for increased efficiency and cost improvements.

Bob Kendal, Alltech north region sales manager, explains how farmers can access the revised ‘contactless’ service.

“Farmers can register through the Alltech UK website as normal. Usually, once we’ve received an enquiry we would arrange a time to come out on-farm to carry out the Alltech Navigate assessment which looks at four main areas where feed waste can occur; in the field, during storage, at feed-out and inside the cow during digestion.

“However, with the current situation we are encouraging farmers to confidentially provide us with this information.”

Bob explains that farmers can share performance, fertility, health and diet data, to help build an understanding of the system and the farm’s challenges when it comes to feed waste.

“There is also a questionnaire which farmers will be required to complete so we can understand the silage making process used on-farm, which is information that farmers will be able to complete without the need to refer to any data.”

Bob estimates that this initial information gathering should take no more than 15 minutes as it is simple sharing of data and filling in questions. The second part requires more thought, as it involves walking around the cow sheds and measuring things that may not be considered on a day-to-day basis.

“Farmers can evaluate elements like feed barrier space, water provision, lighting and dung consistency to build a picture of the feeding system, cow environment and rumen efficiency.

“This will add the depth of information that is needed to make sure the recommendations from the Alltech Navigate assessment are tailored to the particular farm.  

“Following the process can be a useful exercise in its own right, as farmers can consider parts of their system that they don’t think about on a day-to-day basis,” adds Kendal.

Once this information has been gathered, Alltech will analyse the data and generate a report to share with the farmer, and an advisor will contact the farmer to discuss findings and recommendations.

The report quantifies in financial terms the losses from feed-out, health and fertility and the adviser will then discuss the options for farms to cut these losses, many of which have zero or little cost.

In addition to the contactless service, Alltech is running four Alltech Navigate webinars, starting on 22 April, which will focus on how to reduce feed losses on-farm. The webinars are free with registration at https://go.alltech.com/uk/webinar/alltech-navigate     

-Ends-

 

Issued by: Natasha Smith, Pinstone Communications, e: natasha@pinstone.co.uk t: 01568 617624

Note to the Editor:

About Alltech:

Founded in 1980 by Irish entrepreneur and scientist Dr. Pearse Lyons, Alltech delivers smarter, more sustainable solutions for agriculture. Our products improve the health and performance of plants and animals, resulting in better nutrition for consumers and a decreased environmental impact.

We are a global leader in the animal health industry, producing additives, premix, self-fed supplements and feed. Celebrating 40 years in 2020, we carry forward a legacy of innovation and a unique culture that views challenges through an entrepreneurial lens. 

Our more than 5,000 talented team members worldwide share our vision for a Planet of Plenty™. We believe agriculture has the greatest potential to shape the future of our planet, but it will take all of us working together, led by science, technology and a shared will to make a difference.

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Solo: um sistema vivo e complexo

Submitted by sramadan on Wed, 04/15/2020 - 08:17

Em escala temporal, não conseguimos visualizar a formação do solo durante as nossas vidas, o que o torna um recurso natural não renovável. Ele é a base fundamental para a produção de alimentos e essencial para o sustento da vida animal e vegetal. Abriga a biodiversidade e os ciclos biogeoquímicos, garante a reciclagem de elementos químicos e naturais nutricionais no meio, serve como filtro e armazenagem de água, entre outros inúmeros benefícios.

Apesar de sustentar a vida na terra, entretanto, em diversos locais o solo se encontra em condições de uso inadequados quanto à sua conservação. Assim, práticas e mudanças que estimulem um aproveitamento mais sustentável, visando sua preservação, se tornam a cada dia mais numerosas e importantes. 

Essa mudança global na forma de trato do solo pode ser observada em relatório global de 2019 da Organização das Nações Unidas para Agricultura e Alimentação (FAO), sobre o estado da biodiversidade que sustenta nossos sistemas alimentares. Segundo o levantamento, 80% dos 91 países analisados vêm adotando ações favoráveis à biodiversidade, como o manejo integrado, agricultura de conservação e uso de soluções sustentáveis no cultivo. 

Como exemplo, podemos citar a adoção de manejos cada vez mais amigáveis às plantas, animais e ao solo, e que estimulem a expansão da microbiota nativa. Assim, vemos o crescimento no investimento em biotecnologias que contribuem naturalmente para o desenvolvimento das cultivares, nutrindo o solo de forma equilibrada, produzindo mais e melhor. A partir delas, será possível maximizar os recursos naturais, recuperar biodiversidade e entregar à população alimentos de qualidade e com alto teor nutricional.

Adotar essas soluções é o caminho para contribuirmos para o fortalecimento da base de nossa cadeia de produção alimentar. Precisamos de um solo cada vez mais rico, capaz de sustentar uma população global crescente. Não percamos de vista que, segundo a FAO, cerca de 33% dos solos mundiais estão degradados, por meio de impactos diretos ou não, e 20 bilhões de toneladas se perdem ano após ano devido às erosões, inviabilizando uma maior produtividade de alimentos.

Desta forma, sua degradação acarreta perdas de elementos nutricionais, de biodiversidade e de carbono estocado, que resulta em emissão de gases de efeito estufa para a atmosfera. Assim, a saúde do solo e a sua fertilidade possuem impacto direto sobre o conteúdo de nutrientes das nossas culturas alimentares, o que afeta tanto a quantidade quanto a qualidade dos alimentos.

É necessário trabalhar em parceria com a natureza, por meio de soluções biotecnológicas naturais, para chegarmos ao equilíbrio do meio. Logo, aumentar a qualidade do solo, favorecer a sua atividade natural, aumentar os estoques de carbono e promover o equilíbrio físico-químico da rizosfera são estratégias fundamentais para favorecer a dinâmica do sistema vivo e complexo chamado solo.


Dúvidas ou comentários? Entre em contato conosco: 

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Explore o potencial produtivo de seu híbrido de milho

Submitted by sramadan on Wed, 04/15/2020 - 07:21

Para cada fase fenológica do milho há uma necessidade específica de nutrientes, com suas respectivas concentrações. Suprir estas demandas de forma equilibrada fará toda a diferença para o bom desenvolvimento e produtividade da cultura.

Sabe-se que, plantas bem nutridas conseguem atravessar situações de estresse biótico e abiótico sofrendo menos danos, tendo menos perdas metabólicas. Um nutriente essencial no fortalecimento das plantas de milho é o cobre. Apesar de sua exigência ser em pequena quantidade, ele é fundamental para o bom desenvolvimento, pois participa de diversos processos fisiológicos, é cofator de muitas reações bioquímicas, além de atuar na fotossíntese e na respiração celular. Também participa da proteção das plantas na lignificação dos tecidos, para que fiquem mais endurecidos e resistentes fisicamente.

Para atender essa exigência nutricional da planta, a Alltech Crop Science desenvolveu um fertilizante resultante da inovadora e exclusiva tecnologia RESS (Rápido, Eficiente, Sistêmico e Seguro), que confere máxima qualidade no fornecimento de cobre, o Copper Crop.

Um estudo realizado pelo Instituto Phytus em parceria com a Alltech Crop Science, em 2018, em Planaltina-DF mostrou a eficácia do produto Copper Crop na cultura do milho. Os resultados mostram um aumento no índice de vegetação de 5,5%, além de aumento na produtividade em quase 8 sacas por hectare. Este impacto positivo é devido ao equilíbrio nutricional que o Copper Crop proporcionou às plantas de milho.

Visite nosso site e conheça mais sobre nossas linhas.


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Kidzone - Videos

Submitted by cewert on Tue, 04/14/2020 - 15:49

Watch each clip carefully and answer the question. 

Clips courtesy of @JCBKids


How many tyres can you count?

Dansk: Hvor mange dæk kan du tælle i dette klip?
Français : Combien de pneus peux-tu compter dans cette vidéo?
Deutsch: Wie viele Reifen befinden sich in diesem Videoclip?

Which model KEENAN does the farmer have?

Dansk: Hvilken KEENAN vogn har landmanden?
Français : De quel modèle KEENAN l'agriculteur dispose-t-il?
Deutsch: Welches KEENAN Modell hat dieser Landwirt?

How many cows does the farmer own?

Dansk: Hvor mange køer ejer landmanden?
Français : Combien de vaches l'agriculteur a-t-il?
Deutsch: Wie viele Kühe hat der Landwirt?

How many bales are on the trailer?

Dansk: Hvor mange baller er der på traileren?
Français : Combien de balles sont sur la remorque?
Deutsch: Wie viele Ballen befinden sich auf dem Anhänger?
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Mise à jour importante de KEENAN sur notre activité pendant le COVID-19

Submitted by cewert on Tue, 04/14/2020 - 15:11

Production

En tant qu’acteur de la production agricole, notre unité de production est toujours opérationnelle. Grâce à l'aménagement de notre atelier de fabrication, l’équipe de production (soudeurs et ouvriers) est en mesure de poursuivre son travail tout en respectant les protocoles de distance règlementaire.

Nous fabriquons nos mélangeuses KEENAN en interne du début à la fin et nous nous engageons à livrer les machines commandées, mais aussi d’assurer la disponibilité des composants et des pièces de rechange nécessaires.

KEENAN MechFiber in a field


Service / Pièces détachées

Même en ces temps difficiles, nos machines sont reconnues pour leur qualité de fabrication et fiabilité. Néanmoins en cas de panne nous sommes là pour vous aider. La plupart des problèmes de service peuvent être résolus par téléphone. Si ce n’est pas le cas, nous pourrons envoyer un technicien KEENAN travailler sur votre machine et vous remettre en service le plus rapidement possible.

  • N'hésitez pas à appeler le: 02 31 59 19 00.

KEENAN machine spare part


Le service InTouch

Veuillez contacter notre centre d'assistance InTouch pour être aidé sur vos rations ou votre boîtier de contrôle KEENAN. Nous sommes habitués à traiter les requêtes à distance et notre équipe peut vous guider étape par étape à travers toutes les instructions.

  • N’hésitez pas à nous contacter directement au: 02 61 22 00 02.

KEENAN InTouch Controller


Vous aider pendant cette période est notre priorité et nous nous engageons à assurer la continuité de nos services. Pour toute question d'ordre général, veuillez nous contacter pendant les heures d'ouverture normales au 02 61 22 00 01 ou appelez votre représentant commercial local.

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Vigtig information om KEENAN vedrørende COVID-19

Submitted by cewert on Tue, 04/14/2020 - 14:47

Produktion

Som et vigtigt led i forsyningen af fødevarer er vores produktionsanlæg stadig i drift. Takket være indretningen af fabrikken er vores dygtige ansatte i stand til at fortsætte deres arbejde og samtidig holde en sikker afstand til hinanden. Vi fremstiller vores fodervogne fra start til slut, og vi fokuserer på at færdiggøre de maskiner, der forventes af kunderne og holde vores lager af reservedele opdateret.

Kontakt salg på: 20 55 55 60

KEENAN MechFiber in a field


Service og reservedele

Selv i disse krævende tider lover KEENAN ”Never Miss a Feed”, dvs. vi vil sikre, at din gård ikke kommer til at stå stille pga. os. Vores maskiner er anerkendte for at være robuste, hvilket har ført til flere år med problemfri brug. Skulle uheldet alligevel være ude, så er vi klar til at hjælpe. De fleste problemer kan klares over telefonen; hvis ikke så sender vi en montør, der kan få din vogn op og køre igen så hurtigt som muligt.

  • Har du brug for service så kontakt: 75 85 75 93
  • Eller kontakt dit nærmeste servicecenter: Find servicecenter

KEENAN machine spare part


InTouch – Support

Har du spørgsmål til ernæring eller til din PACE/KEENAN Controller, så kontakt vores InTouch rådgivere. Vi er vant til at hjælpe over telefonen eller gennem computeren, hvor vi nemt og hurtigt kan guide dig gennem systemet.

InTouch support og rådgivning: 24 4612 54

KEENAN InTouch Controller


At hjælpe dig i denne periode er vores prioritet, og vi bestræber os på at kunne levere en god service. Hvis du har generelle spørgsmål så kontakt venligst vores team inden for normale arbejdstider på 75 85 75 93

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Dr. Sayed Aman - Life, loss and silver linings amid the world's biggest lockdown

Submitted by rladenburger on Tue, 04/14/2020 - 13:59

On March 24, India’s 1.3 billion people went into lockdown in the most extensive COVID-19 containment effort in the world. The impact of the pandemic extends to livestock producers, crop farmers and the food supply chain in unprecedented ways. Dr. Sayed Aman, managing director of business at Alltech India, shares how life and agriculture look from inside the nationwide lockdown, and how heroes are emerging to help others amid the crisis.

This episode is part of a special AgFuture series on the impact of COVID-19 on the food supply chain. Join us to hear how those on the frontlines of the global pandemic are working to overcome adversity and feed the world.

Hosted by Michelle Michael

As lead video producer at Alltech, Michelle travels the globe for the company’s award-winning Planet of Plenty documentary series. Michelle spent a decade as a video producer/reporter in Germany, reporting from military hotspots at the height of the war on terrorism. The National Press Photographer's Association (NPPA) has twice recognized Michelle as their solo video journalist of the year.

Co-produced by Brandon Whitworth

As the senior media production specialist at Alltech, Brandon co-produces the company’s award-winning Planet of Plenty documentary series. Brandon is a two-time Emmy Award winning television news photojournalist and three-time nominee. He has received several regional awards from the National Press Photographers Association for excellence in visual storytelling.

The following is an edited transcript of Michelle Michael’s interview with Dr. Sayed Aman. Click below to hear the full audio.

Michelle:       Hello! I'm Michelle Michael. In this special series of AgFuture, we're talking with those working along the food supply chain about the impact of COVID-19. My guest today is a colleague of mine here at Alltech, Dr. Sayed Aman. He is the managing director of business in India. Dr. Aman, it's a pleasure to have you with us today.

 

Dr. Sayed:     Thank you, Michelle. Thanks for having me.

 

Michelle:       Dr. Aman, India is home to a very large number of people — 1.3 billion, I believe, is the number — and, currently, you're experiencing some of the harshest and most extensive lockdown measures over COVID-19. Those restrictions are aimed at slowing down the transmission of the coronavirus, of course, but what is life like for you, for people in India right now, just day-to-day living?

 

Dr. Sayed:     Thanks, Michelle, for that question. Let me start by saying a big condolence to all those people who have lost their lives in this pandemic. Our feelings and thoughts and prayers go with all those who are affected and their families, and a big gratitude to all the healthcare workers, the police, all the heroes working in the food chain across the globe.

 

                        To answer your question, Michelle, the prime minister of India was very proactive in announcing the first lockdown on the 22nd of March. That was a Sunday. One-point-three-four billion people going under lockdown — that was probably the largest lockdown ever that happened in the history of this planet. Following on from that first lockdown, the second lockdown then started on the 25th of March for three weeks. It was not an easy scenario for people, really, because to get to this kind of new way of life, to get used to new terminologies, new vocabularies, it wasn't easy at all — whether it is the PPEs, the ventilators, all these are new terminologies, in a way. Initially, people faced a lot of difficulties to differentiate between the essential and the non-essential elements, but now, things are a bit more clear. Almost every day, we have new notifications come through from different government departments, and things are getting better as time flies.

 

                        Now, as we are on the fifteenth day of lockdown, we are beginning to see life again. It appears that, now, the government of India and the different states are looking at further extending this lockdown. We are getting to know about this scenario by this weekend, how long this lockdown will continue — but then, overall, Michelle, there is significant medical, economic and psychological stress and pain on everyone. Amidst all of this, we still see a silver lining. The air quality in many of our states is improving. For example, in the capital of India, Delhi, the air quality has improved by more than 70%, which is really a promising scenario. We now know, Michelle, in India (that) the sky's color is really blue, and the moon is pink.

 

Michelle:       Certainly, that’s something that's different at this time. I want to go back and echo your comments about those who have lost their lives in this pandemic. Of course, our hearts go out to them. Farmers and producers, they're experiencing a loss of a different kind. Let's transition now to the world of agriculture, where nothing is like it was just a few weeks ago. Talk about the world through the eyes of poultry producers at this time. Rumors and speculation associated with the consumption of chicken linked to COVID-19 has really put a dent in sales. Tell us about that speculation. How did that all start, and how much are producers losing at this time?

 

Dr. Sayed:     I just want to take you a little bit to a pre-pandemic scenario. The end of December was a Q3 financial — it was considered a financial year. Our economy, over the period of the last two years, is a little bit on a downtrend, from a GDP growth of 7.1% to 4.7% in the Q3 that ended December 31, so already, there was very tight pressure to the poultry industry. The producing power had reduced. Then we heard the initial news of the pandemic emerging from China and Wuhan that was linked to the seafood market and the animal market.

 

Towards the end of January and February, unfortunately, there were rumors and videos being circulated in social media here in India stating that chicken consumption leads to coronavirus. That was really devastating. The entire chicken industry, whether it was broilers or eggs — the prices really nosedived, the consumption nosedived, and the producers were in deeper financial distress.

 

Michelle:       I'm sure you know some of those producers personally. What is life like for them right now, and what is the impact despite the financial distress?

 

Dr. Sayed:     When you talk about the financial distress, the whole poultry industry in India was losing and almost is losing about $300 million per day, which is really very significant. The broiler prices crashed from $1.20 to as low as $0.20. There were situations where we came across and I witnessed that the broilers have literally no price at all and they were freely distributed to the consumers. At this financial distress and at this crisis moment, the poultry producers came together, and this togetherness is very, very critical. All of them came together. They made a collective appeal and a plea to the government of India, to the Animal Husbandry Ministry and the finance ministry, and we are hopeful that there will be some stimulus or relief package coming to us in the poultry industry.

 

                        Now, going back to the rumors, there are — FIR has been registered in different police stations and different states. Some states have done incredibly well in trying to investigate where, why and how these rumors — who was behind them, and I'm sure they will book the culprit eventually, but frankly, I think that there is a lot for the industry to look beyond into the future and say, “Are we really prepared for another scenario like this?” and “What will happen if another scenario happens in a similar way?” So, I think it is time for them to really come together and look into the future.

 

Michelle:       It sounds like poultry producers — like you said, it's just great distress at this time. What has changed for, say, milk producers?

 

Dr. Sayed:     Even (for) the milk producers, the milk consumption has really dropped, because all the hotels, the restaurants in India drink a lot of milk, a lot of tea that has milk in it, so many reports suggest that 25% of the milk consumption has reduced. On the other side, if the cooperatives want to convert the liquid milk into SMP or powdered milk, the prices are not encouraging. The exports are not encouraging, so it's quite a challenging scenario for the dairy farmers, the dairy cooperatives, the milk processors, everybody in the supply chain here. It's all of these things. We have cooperatives like Amul that see a silver lining, and they are projecting a growth of 18%, even in this particular scenario. We have situations wherein some of the feed millers, the dairy feed millers, are facing a big issue in terms of getting the raw materials into their feed mill, and that is a situation where Alltech is trying to help them because we deal with feed ingredients as well, and we are trying to support and give our best in whatever way we could.

 

But we should also remember, Michelle, the corn farmers, the soya farmers. The corn farmers are already suffering because there is a challenge on the harvest. We generally have two crops in India, and while the soya harvest is going to happen late this year, I'm sure there will be a big stress on them as well. The entire supply chain has a big challenge at the moment.

 

Michelle:       Crop farmers are hurting. I've just heard that wheat farmers in India are being asked to delay their harvest that would normally start in the first part of April. It's been pushed back. What's the impact on crop producers at this time?

 

Dr. Sayed:     You're right. There is significant migration of laborers that has happened, particularly if you look at the wheat production, where India stands (at) number two in the world. The northern states — Punjab, Haryana, U.P. — they depend on the laborers that particularly come from the eastern part of India. Due to the lockdown, most of these laborers, they went back home, so the mid-size farmers and the large-size farmers are deeply affected because, to get the mechanical harvester into the field and get their harvest, it's just not possible. Late harvest means there is going to be a significant loss to them.

 

                        It is not just the wheat farmers. As I just said, it's the maize farmers as well. They are able to only harvest 10% of the maize, and 90% of the corn is still out in the field and is very vulnerable to the unseasonal rain that may come, so that, again, is going to affect the animal industry, which really is very much dependent on the agriculture industry. We do have situations wherein the vegetables, the fruits, even flowers — in India, since all the weddings have been called off, there are no events happening. The export is really uncertain. The floral industry is hit very, very badly, to the extent that beautiful flowers like marigold and roses go for ruminant feeding today, so the challenges are quite significant, and I hope we find relief very soon here, Michelle.

 

Michelle:       Yeah — that sentiment is echoed around the world. Dr. Aman, the world of agriculture has a proven track record of overcoming strife. Those who work to support farmers and producers are no exception. I've heard stories of our colleagues, Alltech colleagues, delivering supplies to producers in their own cars, on their own motorbikes. Tell us exactly what's happening there, and what does that say about courage and bravery and overcoming during this crisis?

 

Dr. Sayed:     Yeah. You make a really good point, Michelle. I think, after the lockdown, the transport in India was totally shut down. We certainly addressed all the people that are included with the healthcare, the police, everybody as heroes, but I must tell you, all those who are linked with the food chain are also heroes today. Our colleagues really stepped up in these tough moments wherein the layer farmers, in particular, were running short of stock because they did not have too much stock (and on) March 31, March being our financial year-end, they were running low on stock. They called us for Alltech products and supplies because they were not able to produce feed for the layer birds. We have dealers like SLP, Sri Lakshmi Prasanna, and our own people went out there on bikes and cars with one bag and two bags and tried to deliver the products to the farmers so that the farmer can still produce quality feed in these challenging times.

 

Michelle:       Would you say that, at this time, producers and farmers might rely on your colleagues more now than they did before?

 

Dr. Sayed:     Absolutely, and they came back saying that no company could (provide) service in this way, how Alltech and the dealers have done. There was a lockdown across the whole day, (and it was) only (in the) morning from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. that it was allowed within a three-kilometer radius to move, for example, in Andhra state.

 

                        Our people really woke up at three in the morning to go ahead with the deliveries, even up to 50 kilometers on bikes, to make sure that the farmers have at least 10 to 15 days’ stock and they can continue to run the show in this lockdown period, so certainly, they will remember Alltech and the Alltech dealer service for a long time.

 

Michelle:       It certainly shows courage from our colleagues, as well, through this entire situation. It's hard to talk about opportunity or to focus on opportunity, but is there an opportunity in this pandemic, in these times, where we have been forced to adapt again and again?

 

Dr. Sayed:     We have seen the challenge of labor, with great respect to all the laborers that continue to serve the industry. However, in this scenario, where we have deep scarcity of laborers, I think there will be more drive towards automation in every industry, whether it's dairy, whether it's poultry or ag-tech as a whole. I think automation is going to take an upper hand and the reliance on people will probably reduce. Also, I feel, with regard to personal hygiene, how we greet people, that's probably going to change. We talk about social distancing. My comment would be, probably, we are socially connected more online than ever before, so it is probably (more) physical distancing than social distancing.

 

Michelle:       Yeah. This crisis is going to have an impact on us in so many different ways, but in the short term, crisis also sometimes drives innovation. In some cases, farmers are doing things that are outside the normal way that they operate. Can you think of specific examples of farmers driving innovation?

 

Dr. Sayed:     Yeah. We have an example in North India, Michelle, where one poultry producer and poultry farmer, his son is basically a medical doctor. He attended ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference last year, and he and his team and his father, Mr. Jagdish too, they've come up and developed a ventilator in just three days. One would (guess) it is very expensive, with the increasing need of ventilators — not just in India, but across the globe — which cost a few thousand dollars, but they claimed to have developed this in just $140 or so. (It) is known as volume control ventilator, with a respiration rate of 12 to 30 per minute, which is incredible, really. They've put up their proposal to the government of India, and we are waiting for the approval. Really, they don't want to make money out of this, but what they are looking for is to work with the people, to save lives — as many as they can — and contribute to the society.

 

                        I also have another example to share with you wherein a couple of my school colleagues in my state, when the healthcare workers were running out of the face shields, the two (of them) came together with a club locally and developed a shield in just two days’ time and delivered those hundred face shields at no cost. Now, they are on the verge of making another hundred face shields, so, really, at this time, everybody is coming together to help others and to help the society and the community.

 

Michelle:       Yeah. These farmers, these producers doing these things, they're suffering right now. So, in the midst of all the suffering, they're helping others. What does that say about the spirit of the farmer —  the drive, the sacrifice they make to feed us all?

 

Dr. Sayed:     I think it's a really unbelievable effort from the farmer, whether their aim is to really touch the human life or their aim is to do betterment for the society. Money is not everything, they believe, and there's life beyond money. The farmer is an unsung hero. They have been working very hard in the middle of this crisis — going out and feeding the birds, going out to the farm and collecting eggs, going out there milking the cows. Why? Just to get the food onto the table of the consumers when there is a total lockdown in the country.

 

                        I think, just like the healthcare workers, farmers need a very, very deep appreciation from everybody across the globe.

 

Michelle:       Do you think, then, on the consumer level, does this change the way the world perceives agriculture? Oftentimes, producers are blamed for things like pollution, but is agriculture more appreciated now?

 

Dr. Sayed:     Well, I hope that is the case, Michelle, and I wish that is the case as we move down the line during this pandemic and post-pandemic. Certainly, we consider doctors, nurses, healthcare workers, those involved in PPE manufacturing, those involved in sanitizers and disinfectant manufacturing, we consider them as heroes, but my only question would be: why not consider all the farmers involved in the food chain, getting the food onto the table of the consumers — why don't we consider them as heroes as well? I hope the government recognizes their efforts, and I hope better sense prevails.

 

Michelle:       I certainly recognize them as heroes during this time and all throughout the year. The second wave of a pandemic, God forbid that'll happen, but will the ag sector be better prepared to react if it does, or is it even possible to prepare for something like this?

 

Dr. Sayed:     I guess so. We are now better prepared if, at all — as you said, God forbid — the second pandemic comes through, but just to let you know the development in India, for example. This week, the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare have announced and exempted the group of farmers — the FPOs, the Farmers Producers Organizations — they have allowed the farmers to go directly to the bulk buyers, processors and big retailers and avoiding those mandis, the APMCs. This is a big change, I believe, happening in India. This links the producers to the right people where, probably, they will get a better remunerative price, in a way. In the wake of this, reducing the number of people coming together, where mandis — it's so difficult, where the farmers would normally go to sell their produce, but now, the farmers can directly go and sell their produce to the big processors and the retailers as well.

 

                        The other change that we see that has happened (is that) the government of India has started a special eNAM. That is the National Agriculture Market portal, which has helped, and these modules have been released on the 2nd of April for e-trading of the stored agriculture produce of the farmers into the government-designated warehouses, and (this is) enabling the FPOs to upload their produce for their collection centers, for bidding through eNAM, without the necessity to bring these produce to the mandis. I think this really helps the agriculture farmer and the producer to get directly linked, in a way, to the consumers.

 

I hope a similar sense prevails in the animal industry, where, for example, in the case of chicken, 93% of the chicken in India is sold alive. I hope, post-pandemic and now, that all the stakeholders come together and build that infrastructure so that only processed chicken goes out to the consumers, and they own the brand of that chicken until it is delivered to the consumer so that if the consumer has any query on the quality of the chicken or any rumor they hear on the quality of the chicken, they can always call the producer and get that clarified. It is a big dream, where it might take eight to ten months to build that infrastructure for the poultry industry to convert the whole broilers that are produced in India into the processed chicken and totally stop selling the live chicken. If that happens, I think it is going to be a rebirth for the poultry industry.

 

Michelle:       Yeah, change not just for poultry, but the entire world of ag.

 

                        Nobody knows when this is going to end, and certainly, we're all just trying to find our way. Dr. Sayed Aman, from Alltech India, stay safe, stay well, and thank you so much for joining us today.

 

Dr. Sayed:     Thank you for having me, Michelle, and thanks to you and the president of Alltech, Dr. Mark Lyons.

 

Michelle:       For additional resources on COVID-19, visit Alltech.com.

 

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Dr. Sayed Aman says farmers have been heroes during the shutdown in India, making sure to get food on the table of consumers.

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