The quality and stability of animal-derived food products, including pet foods, will depend on the management, diet and genetics of that animal. What an animal is fed can directly impact their antioxidant defense system. Incorporating dietary antioxidants and other functional feed ingredients can minimize oxidative damage, which will impact the end product (and pet food ingredient): meat.

When we are talking about food, whether for people or pets, oxidative deterioration will impact palatability. Oxidative damage to lipids and proteins produces rancid off-flavors and off-odors and decreases textural characteristics. But even more importantly, when proteins are oxidized, there is a loss of important amino acids, which are necessary for pets’ growth, development and overall health.

More to minerals

Minerals are necessary for proper biological function and good health. They are especially important in maintaining the antioxidant and oxidant balance within humans, livestock and pets. Some key players involved in maintaining this balance are antioxidant enzymes, such as glutathione peroxidase, catalase and superoxide dismutase. But, minerals are a double-edged sword. They can be beneficial or detrimental depending on the quantity fed and the form used.

Going full circle

Making sure pets get the right nutrition for optimal health means we need to look at what livestock animals are fed.

Organically complexed minerals are more bioavailable than their inorganic counterparts, which means we don’t need to add as many minerals to the diet of livestock. By replacing and reducing the amount of minerals in the diet, we can restore the oxidative balance in the animal and, in turn, the meat ingredient in pet food. Research has shown that feeding organically complexed forms of selenium, iron, zinc and copper can increase antioxidant enzyme activity in skeletal muscle. Also, by including fat-soluble antioxidants, such as vitamin E and/or carotenoids, we can inhibit lipid oxidation and subsequently protein oxidation in muscle. This will translate to more nutritious, delicious and better-quality ingredients being fed to pets.

I want to learn more about pet nutrition.

Excessive plant growth can reflect hormonal imbalance

Contrary to popular belief, plant growth is not directly linked to an increase in yield. For example, in beans, excessive vegetative development can lead to self-shading, a condition in which the lower leaves, where the productive areas of the plant are located, do not receive sunlight. This impedes photosynthesis, decreasing the productivity of the plant.

According to agronomist Fransérgio Batista, grain specialist and technical manager for Alltech Crop Science, this occurrence signifies a hormonal imbalance in the plant.

“There is a plant hormone, auxin, which is responsible for plant growth,” explained Batista. “When the plant develops excessively, it’s because there is too much of this hormone acting on the plant. This also inhibits the production of other hormones that are important to the plant.”

Intent on improving the balance of his bean crop, Joel Ragagnin, a grower from Jataí, in the state of Goiás, Brazil, added natural products that are based on plant extracts, nutrients and amino acids to his management practices. This combination aids the crop in balanced plant development.

“By having better control over plant growth, we can improve the productivity indexes on the farm,” said Ragagnin.

According to Batista, because photosynthesis is vital to the plant, keeping leaves green and healthy should be a prime objective of crop management.

“There are leaves from the lower to the upper parts of the plant,” said Batista. “A plant that produces is a plant that photosynthesizes in all its leaves. This is a key process for the plant.“

In addition to the use of crop inputs that contribute to the hormonal balance of the plant, the agronomist noted the importance of plant nutrition, the availability of water during the entire growth cycle and the control of pests and diseases for attaining adequate crop development.

“Through these methods, it’s possible for the producer to have an even more significant response,” concluded Batista.

Biostimulants enhance nutrient assimilation and plant development. They are becoming a popular crop input in many countries around the world for several reasons.

Benefits to using biostimulants on your farm

1. Biostimulants assist in combating the effects of environmental stresses.

Biostimulants promote enhanced germination and root development, leading to increased vigor and greater stress resistance. An enhanced root system promotes more efficient nutrient and water uptake and translocation throughout the growing season.

2. Biostimulants increase grain fill and quality.

Promoting growth and improvinga plant’s metabolism can benefit overall plant growth and health. In addition, providing a catalyst at specific developmental stages can lead to increased yield, improved uniformity and overall crop quality.

3. Biostimulants encourage plant growth.

Biostimulants generally operate through different mechanisms than standard fertilizers and provide essential nutrients for plant metabolism that stimulate plant growth. These metabolic pathways upregulate gene expression that can have an effect on cell division and sizing, root and shoot growth, and reproductive development and timing.

Your agronomist or crop advisor can give you more information on incorporating biostimulants into your current crop management program.

When scouting for disease in your crops, it is important to remember that sometimes the cause of the symptoms is not obvious. Diseases can be caused by a variety of factors, such as environmental stressors, reactions to various fertilizers or herbicides, nutritional deficiencies or soil problems. Therefore, it can be difficult to pinpoint the cause of the disease and determine an appropriate treatment.

When scouting your crops for disease, pay particular attention to these three plant parts:

1. Examine the roots

“Windshield scouting” while driving the fields doesn’t work because disease is not always easily visible to the human eye. To ensure you are catching any sign of disease before it progresses, it is important to get into the field and dig up a few plants to examine the roots. Look for unhealthy roots that may have lesions. To get a better look, try washing the roots with water and then cutting them up the middle to examine for any sign of internal infection.

2. Examine the leaves

Especially during flowering, make sure to look at the leaves and sheaths on each plant. Pay attention to lesions, which will help you determine the amount of leaf infection.

3. Examine the stem and heads

When examining the stems, heads and pods of plants, be sure to split them apart for a closer look at the inside, observing any discoloration that could be caused by fungi or bacteria. Also, check the outside of the stems, heads and pods of the plants for signs of fungal material or lesions.

Scouting for disease is critical to ensure early intervention. Samples should be taken of all suspect crops and submitted to a trusted lab, such as Quantum Genetix, that can test for disease.
 

How does Dan Donavan of Murphy and Sons increase yields and improve the quality of his tomatoes which are destined for restaurants like Subway, and What-A-Burger? He looks under the soil at root structure, of course, and that’s where Alltech Crop Science comes in.

Telmo Cristina, an industrial tomato producer in central Portugal, tells how Alltech Crop Science solutions improved the quality of his produce and helped him to better meet the demands of the tomato concentrate industry.

Meet Dan Olson. His grandfather came from Sweden and began to grow walnuts in the San Joaquin Valley. See how this superfood is grown and harvested, and find out how Alltech Crop Science helped him overcome a mysterious challenge.

The Greek physician Hippocrates, often considered the father of medicine, was the first person recorded to suggest a relationship between nutrition and maintaining good health. In the thousands of years since, the effect of nutrition on health has gained a whole new perspective through a scientific area of study called “nutrigenomics.”

What is nutrigenomics?

Your pet’s genome consists of all of its genetic material, or DNA. It provides the basic information for your pet’s life. You can think of it as a blueprint, providing carefully drawn out plans for your pet’s healthy life. However, outside influences, such as the environment and nutrition, can have a strong impact on the expression of this genetic information, or essentially how that blueprint is read.

The canine and feline genome sequences were first reported in 2005 and 2007, respectively. These breakthroughs opened the door for cutting-edge research approaches to understand the molecular mechanisms behind everyday life. While knowing the DNA sequence of a genome is an essential first step, the real breakthroughs come from understanding how each of the genes in that sequence responds to outside influences and how this relates to health and disease.

By up-regulating (“turning on”) or down-regulating (“turning off”) genes, the body changes the levels of the proteins that make up structures and functions in the cells. This, in turn, alters physiological processes like energy production or immune response. Nutrigenomics is the field of research we use to study if changes in genes occur with changes in the animal’s diet. By understanding nutritional influences on the genome, we can understand how these responses impact animal health. Using DNA microarrays, the basis for nutrigenomic studies, allows researchers to evaluate the activity of thousands of genes at a time. These studies provide us with new tools for understanding how nutrients precisely work, why different forms of nutrients have different effects and how such nutrients can be optimized for health.

Nutrigenomics is disrupting the classical view of animal nutrition, allowing us to look at “you are what you eat” in a whole new light.

How can we use nutrigenomics in pet nutrition?

A vast amount of data is generated from nutrigenomic studies. From a single experiment, we find out how thousands of genes respond to a diet change. This slew of information can help elucidate the complex interactions between nutrition, an individual animal’s genetic code, and the onset or prevention of diseases and disorders. By considering these aspects of nutrient-gene interactions, we can ultimately design diets for the treatment or prevention of specific diseases. For instance, if we can understand the molecular changes that occur prior to the onset of joint inflammation and arthritis, we can potentially use nutrition to diminish these changes and prevent this disorder.

Nutrigenomics can also help us focus on the area of “precision nutrition.” This is especially important when considering the unique nutritional challenges of different breeds and life stages of pets. For instance, if a breed of dog is predisposed to a disease like obesity, researchers can use genomics to determine what changes occur in gene activity with the onset of disease. They can then test different diets to see what nutritional strategies can prevent these changes in gene expression.

Even further, we can use nutrigenomics to identify the unique nutrient requirements of different breeds, life stages or activity levels of pets. We can then use the information gathered to design appropriate and precise diets to these specific aspects, which will help ensure our pets experience optimal health and well-being.

Is this the future of nutrition?

The more we understand about nutrition, the more we can use it in the way Hippocrates envisioned, as a tool to fight disease and maintain good health. While the idea of personalized nutrition for pets is still a long way off, research in the field of nutrigenomics makes steps toward this ultimate goal every day. Even more important is that every bit of data generated in this quest helps us feed our pets better and make steps toward optimal health through nutrition.

Want to learn more?

According to Dr. Mark Lyons, global vice-president and head of Greater China for Alltech, it takes courage and commitment to succeed in the Chinese market, where transparency is the new focus.

Along with other sectors, China’s agriculture, too, has been modernizing and mechanizing at an astonishing rate, with farm land consolidation creating larger farms and enabling implementation of new food safety and quality rules and a growing focus on the environment.

Chegando a representar quase 80% dos custos de produção, ração de qualidade é determinante para resultado final do peixe

Com o aumento do consumo de pescados e, consequentemente da produção, o desafio para os produtores está em fornecer produtos de alta qualidade nutricional, com preços competitivos e, sobretudo, de forma sustentável com uso de tecnologia e a gestão correta dos recursos. Representando entre 60% e 80% do custo de produção, a ração é o principal aspecto a ser avaliado no cultivo intensivo de peixes e camarões. Para alcançar uma boa nutrição, é preciso investir em um manejo alimentar eficiente.

Na avaliação do consultor e especialista em nutrição de pescados, Fernando Kubitza, para contornar essas dificuldades relacionadas à dieta e tornar o cultivo eficiente é necessário que o setor repense algumas estratégias. “É importante reavaliar as exigências nutricionais e o manejo alimentar nas fases avançadas de engorda das principais espécies de peixes cultivadas, especialmente a tilápia e o tambaqui e seus híbridos, que juntos perfazem 75% da produção aquícola no país. Também é importante avaliar e desenvolver aditivos que possam melhorar o desempenho e a saúde dos animais, bem como melhorar as qualidades sensoriais, microbiológicas e nutricionais, que vão contribuir na melhoria dos produtos ofertados às pessoas”, explica.

Entre as opções está a adição de aditivos e suplementos às dietas dos animais, que podem ser formulados à base de leveduras e adicionados na ração, por exemplo, sendo uma fonte proteica rica para o desenvolvimento durante as etapas produtivas do pescado. Esse tipo de estratégia pode auxiliar no controle de parasitas, por exemplo, que prejudicam o desempenho dos animais. “Temos observado que o uso contínuo de soluções a base de leveduras adicionadas à dieta dos peixes tem auxiliado no equilíbrio da microbiota intestinal, com o favorecimento do desenvolvimento das bactérias benéficas, que contribuem para o desenvolvimento dos animais e do produto final”, destaca Zootecnista e gerente Aquicultura da Alltech do Brasil, Mariana Midori Nagata.  

Cenário

Kubitza aponta ainda que, no processo produtivo, além dos desafios técnicos no manejo, outros obstáculos dificultam o desenvolvimento dos aquicultores. “Existe a dificuldade de licenciamento ambiental dos cultivos, a falta de crédito, a ausência de políticas para desenvolvimento do setor, a grande carga tributária sobre salários, insumos e produtos a serem comercializados”, pontua.

Opinião compartilhada também pela responsável do Controle de Qualidade, Pescado Fresco e Frigorificado do Grupo Pão de Açúcar, Luciana Lacerda, que complementa ainda a necessidade de investimentos na produção. “Precisamos de incentivo do governo, desde licenças e legislações mais claras e da equalização dos estados quanto ao incentivo fiscal. Além disso, na produção precisamos avançar no investimento em genética associada a uma boa nutrição, diversificação da linha de cortes especiais alinhada ao lançamento de novos produtos. E para isso é necessário buscar uma cadeia mais desenhada”, destaca Luciana que avalia positivamente o mercado e acredita ser possível colocar em prática esses avanços para desenvolvimento do setor.

Debate

Diante das necessidades de melhorias do setor, o tema ganha espaço para debate durante a Feira Nacional do Camarão (FENACAM), realizada anualmente pela Associação Brasileira de Criadores de Camarão (ABCC), em Fortaleza (CE). Nesta edição, a Alltech, referência em nutrição e saúde animal organiza o 3º Fórum de Aquicultura em paralelo a realização do evento. O objetivo é esclarecer os principais desafios e buscar o diálogo para alternativas para a produção sustentável de pescados. Na ocasião, serão lançados novos produtos da linha Aquate que visam oferecer benefícios específicos para peixes e camarões em diversos desafios. O Fórum é exclusivo para convidados da Alltech.

“Em uma feira onde temos reunidos muitos produtores, consideramos importante propor esse debate apresentando temáticas inovadoras, como a questão da qualidade da carne pela nutrição. E também vamos tratar de um tema que é tendência de mercado: a saúde dos animais por meio da nutrição. Com isso esperamos atualizar os participantes sobre o que vem sendo muito comentado no mercado”, pontua a gerente de aquicultura da Alltech.

Ficou com alguma dúvida sobre manejo nutricional?

Então vamos continuar a nossa conversa. Preencha o formulário abaixo para compartilhar suas questões e receber mais dicas sobre aquicultura.

“Having me on staff, a registered dietitian, working at an animal nutrition and crop science company is really unheard of.”

In one sentence, nutrition specialist Nikki Putnam spoke volumes about what distinguishes Alltech in the world of agriculture.

Yes, it’s an animal nutrition and crop science company, but it’s actually much more. And the reason for that is the three-decade guidance of its ACE principle: Alltech’s belief that new technologies and their adoption throughout the food chain will contribute to a more sustainable world. The principle mandates that any such technologies “must improve the health and welfare of Animals, satisfy Consumer demands and protect the Environment.”

This installment of our ACE series highlights Alltech’s quest to address the rise of the socially conscious consumer and their demand for healthy, safe and sustainably produced food.

Following through to the end of the food chain

We begin at the end. The end of the food chain, that is, and Putnam’s dot-connecting role at Alltech.

“It’s very rare in this industry to have someone who is solely focused on human nutrition helping to bridge the gap between what we’re doing in crop science research and production, what we’re doing with animal nutrition and animal science, and bringing that around to ‘How is this applicable to human health, nutrition and increasing well-being?’” said Putnam.

Accommodating the expectations of an evolving consumer culture presents its challenges.

“That culture has been changing a lot in the last five years, and we’re well-adapted to address it because we can say, ‘This is an organic product that is traceable through an organic production system. This is a product that is non-GMO; this is an antibiotic-free product,’” said Dr. Karl Dawson, vice president and chief scientific officer at Alltech.

“These types of products are arriving on grocery shelves now and in the restaurant,” he said. “Even fast food chains are using these terms. We try to build our sales and research programs around that.”

In fact, Alltech has partnered with the leading third-party audit for Whole Foods, Where Food Comes From, to become the flagship company for their Feed Verified program. This verification is important to Alltech because it provides clear, traceable assurance for claims, such as antibiotic-free, so consumers can trust and understand how their food was raised.

Listening to the consumer

Dr. Steven Borst, general manager of Alltech’s crop science division, would have enough on his plate focusing on the myriad issues associated with growing plants, but he also keeps in mind the needs and desires of the ultimate consumers of crops: humans.

“Consumers want to know that what they’re picking up in the supermarket is completely safe, is being grown in a manner that would be sustainable,” he said. “Consumers are demanding more accountability and more and more traceability. We’ve helped strengthen the ability for the consumer to know that.”

Alltech Crop Science is focused on providing natural inputs as viable alternatives to the synthetic chemicals that inspire consumer concerns and resistance.

“We’re improving our soil, increasing the nutrient availability by allowing the plant to uptake more nutrients,” said Dr. Kyle McKinney, Alltech Crop Science development manager for Central America and the Caribbean.

Agriculture is undergoing a mindset change

Borst finds farmers and producers increasingly sensitive to how their products are received in the marketplace. They are gravitating to a new, more expansive way of thinking.

“The mindset that says, ‘I need to spray X to kill Y in order to achieve excess yields,’ that silver bullet mentality has completely shifted,” he said. “Farmers are looking not just at boosting yields, but for ways to mitigate, say, a weed problem, and how does that impact the entire holistic system? That’s a major shift that we’ve started to see. It’s driven by farmers wanting to take better care of their land and come up with alternative ways to maximize profits, as well as the potential of their croplands and systems.”

No one, Borst said, cares more about the land and the environment than the farmer.

“There’s no more of a scientist than a farmer,” he explained. “We’re seeing continual management program and thought-process changes. That’s a relatively new phenomenon that’s occurred over the past 10 years. I would argue that when we started Alltech Crop Science, we were 30 years ahead of the curve in regard to this mentality. Now it’s starting to catch up.”

Banana growers are listening

Banana production in Costa Rica offers a clear example of how Alltech technology is replacing unsustainable practices.

The banana plantations of Costa Rica have been plagued by black sigatoka, also known as “black leaf streak,” a disease spread by the fungus Mycosphaerella fijiensis. For plantation owners, battling this disease has been a choice between frequent application of chemical fungicides or losing their crops.

“Producers want to reduce this (dependency on chemicals),” said McKinney, who is currently stationed in Costa Rica, working on solutions. “Consumers are demanding it and buyers are demanding it, so they’re looking for alternatives.”

The focus of McKinney’s current work is on two products from the Alltech Crop Science portfolio: Soil-Set® and Agro-Mos®.

Trials of the products transitioned early this year to commercial application.

“Starting in January of 2017, we went from zero hectares to over 3,000 hectares in one month,” said McKinney. “Producers saw and believed in the results and took the steps to reduce their chemical usage because here’s something that allows them to do it naturally, and they can feel good about it.”

Going to the source of a dietary imbalance

Consuming omega-3 fatty acids, mostly by eating fish, is associated with the prevention or reduction in severity of a multitude of ailments, from heart and kidney diseases and diabetes to Alzheimer’s disease and osteoarthritis, according to the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI).

But in the Western world in particular, consumption of foods that deliver adequate levels of omega-3 is woefully low.

Human beings evolved on a diet with a ratio of omega-6/omega-3 essential fatty acids of approximately 1:1. But, in Western diets, the ratio is 15:1, according to the NCBI.

Numerous diseases are linked to this imbalance and a resulting serious deficiency of DHA, a compound contained in omega-3 fatty acids that, while essential to human health, is not produced by vertebrates.

“We’re trying to increase the amount of omega-3s that consumers are eating because when that ratio is out of whack, we see a lot of inflammation in the body,” said Putnam. "Inflammation is the root cause of all chronic disease — heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, arthritis, etc.”

But, there’s a catch.

Omega-3 historically has been obtained from fish oil. Increasing demand, however, has pushed the world’s fisheries to or beyond capacity, with many of these ecosystems at risk of collapse.

The alternative to overfishing in the ocean is aquaculture. The fish farming industry’s own demand for fish oil and meal to feed its stocks, however, has only added to the pressure on ocean fisheries.

Alltech researchers have found a solution in Aurantiochytrium limacinum, one among the tens of thousands of named species of algae.

“We’re growing our own algae — the same algae that those fatty fish are consuming through their diets in the ocean,” said Putnam. “That’s what gives them their DHA and total omega-3 content in their tissues.

“So, instead of relying on those fatty fish in the ocean to provide us that fish oil or those omega-3 fatty acids, we’re growing that same strain ourselves,” she continued. “That way we can preserve the fish for protein sources and use our algae as the omega-3 or DHA source in aquaculture and livestock diets.”

These algal-based products are being produced at the Alltech Algae plant in Winchester, Kentucky, USA, one of the largest commercial algae production sites in the world.

Dr. Sasha Tozzi, the facility’s technical manager, said studies have found that balancing the omega-6/omega-3 ratio is associated with decreased mortality and prevention of cardiovascular diseases, certain types of cancer and inflammation among rheumatoid arthritis sufferers.

The benefits of the balance don’t stop there.

“It’s good for pregnant women and the early development of children to have a high-DHA diet because what mommy eats is what the baby eats,” said Tozzi. “You improve hand-eye coordination, visual acuity, motor skills, attention spans, verbal and social skills. And there are a lot of studies that show how different concentrations of intake of DHA at different ages really improves cognitive ability and behavior in children.”

Alltech’s growing portfolio of algae-derived products and applications are being marketed worldwide. The products are currently undergoing U.S. Food and Drug Administration registration and trials required for sales in the United States.

Reducing antibiotics in the food chain

The use of antibiotics in livestock has become a hot-button issue for consumers concerned about the effects to human health as well as the evolution of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

“Consumers are looking for alternatives,” noted Dr. Kristen Brennan, a research project manager at the Alltech Center for Animal Nutrigenomics and Applied Animal Nutrition in Nicholasville, Kentucky. “Some don’t want antibiotics to have been given to the animal proteins they buy. With our work, we can provide not just alternatives to antibiotics, but more viable alternatives.”

And, in a nod to the ACE principle, the goal has been to develop solutions that are beneficial to the animal, the producer and the consumer, said Brennan.

Simply eliminating antibiotics from production animals will not in and of itself solve the problem of antimicrobial resistance.

“We have created the problem over the past 70 years, and we can’t expect to resolve it overnight,” said Dawson. “We must turn the tables and address eliminating antibiotic resistance from the environment.”

In Dawson’s view, that means being forward-thinking by developing and implementing practices that keep production animals healthy, which reduces a need for antibiotics. This can be as basic as improved farm hygiene and more biosecure animal housing, bearing in mind that even the cleanest operations can still experience disease.

Strategic nutritional management programs are an important component as well. Among the alternatives to antibiotics are direct-fed microbials, prebiotics and plant extracts. Alltech is ahead of the curve, having pioneered antibiotic-free technologies since the company was founded in 1980. This has led to new innovations backed by 733 published trials, resulting in multiple developments in the area of antibiotic-free production.

The Alltech® Antibiotic-Free program starts by supporting the animal’s immune and digestive system and allows for periods of adjustment. As the producer advances to the next level, the program helps provide a gut health management approach. This includes seeding the gut with favorable gut microflora, feeding the beneficial bacteria and maintaining a proper intestinal environment, and weeding out unfavorable microorganisms to support immune defense.

The next step is the full Alltech Antibiotic-Free program, which provides a complete approach to animal well-being, including management, nutrition and technical support. The program supports animals with maximum health benefits through Alltech’s full range of technologies, allowing them to reach their genetic potential and helping producers to attain a sustainable and profitable future.

“Our goal is to make sure producers have the right tools and resources necessary to make this transition as safely and profitably as possible while still getting the consumer the quality product they want for themselves and their families,” said Aidan Connolly, Alltech vice president and chief innovation officer.

Environmentally friendly livestock

Today’s consumers also express worries about the environmental impacts of livestock.

“We look at the efficiency with which these animals produce food for humans,” said Alltech research project manager Dr. Amanda Gehman. “If we can have an efficient animal, that animal is by nature a more environmentally sustainable animal.”

Dawson agrees.

“The environmental impact follows,” he noted. “If you are putting less feed into an animal and having less waste material, then you’re talking about an immediate environmental impact, whether that’s the manure that is spread on the land or the methane that escapes from the cow or the pig.”

This attention to sustainability in livestock production matters not only to grocery store shoppers, but also to many restaurant executive chefs, including Jonathan Searle of the Louisville, Kentucky-based boutique hotel chain 21C Museum Hotels.

“Along with looking for the highest quality locally sourced beef, we’re actively looking for a provider that is environmentally aware and taking steps to lower their carbon footprint,” he said.

Alltech has harnessed the innovative power of biotechnology to offer a variety of solutions to many of the farm-level issues becoming of interest to consumers. Examples include:

• Alltech E-CO2 provides environmental assessment services to livestock producers, enabling them to closely monitor the carbon footprints of their operations.

• Optigen® is Alltech's non-protein nitrogen source for ruminants. It concentrates the nitrogen fraction of the diet, creating dry matter space for more fiber and energy. Optigen has become a solution to feed and environmental problems.

• Allzyme® SSF is based on an ancient process called solid state fermentation (SSF). A selected strain of (non-GMO) is used to work in synergy with the animal’s digestive system in breaking down layers of the feed that were previously inaccessible through digestion. With the increasing global population and need for food, it is essential that producers get optimal performance from their animals and their diets.

• Alltech® In Vitro Fermentation Model (IFM) is a diagnostic tool that simulates rumen fermentation and evaluates the nutritive value of total mixed rations in terms of digestibility and end-products formation. IFM can help nutritionists determine if protein supply may be limiting microbial protein production and help make recommendations to address that issue. In addition, IFM researchers can identify opportunities in the ration to take advantage of reformulation.

• Total Replacement Technology™ provides organic forms of trace minerals (zinc, copper, manganese and selenium) that are more bioavailable to the animal, reducing waste and heavy metal pollution.

• The BioBarrel®, an edible feed supplement container manufactured by Alltech’s Ridley Block Operations, is providing producers with an effective land management tool that can be used to regulate the movement of herds and prevent overgrazing.

• KEENAN, the Alltech-owned manufacturer of diet feeders, is increasing farm efficiency by producing an advanced optimal physical mix of feed that improves yield, quality and returns. The company’s InTouch service provides producers with live support from skilled nutritionists who offer key advice for better data-driven decision-making.

• Yea-Sacc® is a yeast culture based on a proprietary strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, a yeast strain specifically selected for its influence on animal performance. Yea-Sacc helps stabilize the rumen environment for improved feed efficiency and is ideal for beef, dairy, calf and equine feeds.

Helping producers ACE the consumer connection

Today’s farmers are looking for technologies and products that help them provide consumers with quality meats, eggs, milk, fruit and vegetables, as well as information about the origins of foods and how it was produced.

Alltech, with a corporate culture that considers the entire food chain, from seed to steak and salad, is enabling the integration of innovative technologies with on-farm practices.

In our fourth and final installment, we will take a look at how ACE has evolved since its inception some 30 years ago and how it might be expected to carry the company and its customers forward into the future.

Take a look back at our ACE-ing sustainability series

“A” is for animal

“E” is for the environment

Los participantes de la primera edición del acelerador para start-ups generaron más de 50 millones de dólares en nuevas y contrastadas oportunidades de venta en 28 mercados internacionales

Tras el éxito abrumador de la primera edición, Alltech se prepara para seleccionar a otro grupo de emprendedores de todo el mundo para participar en el Pearse Lyons Accelerator, un programa único a nivel mundial respaldado por el también emprendedor de origen irlandés, el Dr. Pearse Lyons. El programa de tres meses se desarrollará en Dogpatch Labs, el principal hub irlandés de start-ups, y concluirá con la oportunidad única de presentar las start-ups en el escenario principal de ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference ante más de 4000 asistentes y algunos de los más destacados líderes de pensamiento de todo el mundo.

Al final del programa, las start-ups de la pasada edición sumaron en conjunto un total de 50 millones de dólares en nuevas y contrastadas oportunidades de venta en 28 mercados internacionales. En octubre de este año, siete de las diez 10 start-ups fueron incluidas en la lista de CB Insights* “Agtech: 100+ Technology Companies Changing The Farm” (Agrotecnología: las más de 100 empresas tecnológicas que están cambiando la granja), un fiel reflejo de la calidad inequívoca de las start-ups seleccionadas en la pasada edición. Gary Wickham, CEO de MagGrow, una de las start-ups que participó en el programa, describió el valor del acelerador como situado “a años luz de cualquier otro acelerador que pueda existir”. Por otro lado, desde su participación en la pasada edición del programa, Hargol FoodTech ha recibido el premio “Creator” de WeWork, ha resultado vencedor de seis certámenes internacionales a la innovación y ha logrado reunir 2,5 millones de dólares en financiación.

La actividad agrotecnológica sigue su crecimiento imparable y las start-ups del sector han conseguido recabar más de 4400 millones de dólares tan solo en el primer semestre de 2017, de acuerdo con el Informe de inversión agrotecnológica de AgFunder, debido en buena medida a una población mundial en continuo crecimiento. La última previsión de la División de Población del Departamento de Asuntos Económicos y Sociales de las Naciones Unidas apunta a que antes del final del siglo la población mundial aumentará de los 7600 millones actuales hasta más de 11.000 millones de habitantes. El origen de nuestros alimentos y la manera que tenemos de producirlos se está convirtiendo en un asunto que recibe cada vez más atención.

“Las raíces de Alltech están en la innovación empresarial y, como líder mundial del sector, estamos en la mejor de las posiciones para abrir las puertas a la nueva generación de disruptores de la industria”, destacó el Dr. Lyons. “Es vital empoderar a la nueva generación de emprendedores agrotecnológicos, verdaderos pioneros comprometidos con un futuro sostenible”.

En su primera edición, el Pearse Lyons Accelerator recibió 183 solicitudes venidas de 38 países de 6 continentes distintos. Las start-ups finalmente seleccionadas procedían de 8 países y contaban con una financiación media individual de 3,5 millones de dólares y total de 35 millones de dólares.

Los emprendedores de la pasada edición gozaron de acceso directo al fundador y la gerencia de Alltech, así como de una oportunidad única de impulsar el desarrollo empresarial gracias a la red global de Alltech. El programa culminó en ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference, donde los emprendedores pudieron presentar su start-up a líderes reputados del sector, inversores de alto nivel y la prensa. Los emprendedores compartieron el escenario con líderes de pensamiento como Peter Diamandis, fundador y director ejecutivo de la Fundación XPRIZE y cofundador de “Singularity University”, y George Blankenship, antiguo directivo de Tesla Motors, Apple Computer y GAP Inc.

Lograr una ruta clara para la comercialización sigue siendo todo un desafío en la industria, por lo que el objetivo de este programa es acelerar el acceso de las start-ups al mercado global brindando una variada gama de apoyo y asesoramiento que les permitan superar las dificultades que entraña ampliar sus operaciones para dar servicio a clientes corporativos de mayor envergadura.

“La pasada edición trajo consigo resultados asombrosos para las start-ups participantes”, recordó Patrick Walsh, director general de Dogpatch Labs. “Estamos ansiosos por dar la bienvenida a los participantes de este año venidos de todo el mundo. Este programa proporciona a los emprendedores un entorno único para impulsar sus ventas y asegurar la inversión, además de ofrecer asesoramiento y recursos gracias a nuestra conexión privilegiada con el ecosistema de las start-ups”.

El plazo de presentación de las solicitudes para participar en el Pearse Lyons Accelerator finaliza el 22 de diciembre de 2017.

Acerca de Dogpatch Labs:
Dogpatch Labs es uno de los principales hubs de Irlanda está situado en el histórico edificio CHQ del corazón de los Docklands de Dublín. Respalda a las start-ups y a la comunidad tecnológica brindándoles un espacio para crecer, compartir conocimiento y fomentar las conexiones. Da cobijo a 45 start-ups y tiene más de 350 miembros. Ha albergado a muchas de las compañías tecnológicas irlandesas de mayor crecimiento, como Intercom, y apoya de forma activa las iniciativas de tecnología social como CoderDojo, que enseña a los niños a programar.

dogpatchlabs.com/press/ | Twitter: @dogpatchlabs | Facebook: www.facebook.com/dogpatchlabs

High levels of risk from DON, fusaric acid, T-2 and fumonisin present

[LEXINGTON, Ky.] – In 2016, corn growers faced challenges from mycotoxins, and those challenges seem likely to show up for them again as they harvest this fall. The 2017 growing season was challenging across the U.S. Growers in different regions experienced varied weather conditions that could not only reduce yield, but could also increase plant stress and lead to challenges with mycotoxins.

Corn silage samples from across the entirety of the U.S. have shown extremely high levels of mycotoxins, particularly deoxynivalenol (DON), type A trichothecenes (T-2), fusaric acid and fumonisin. It is important to note that once there are mycotoxins in the crop, they will not go away. There will be higher levels of mycotoxins on farms practicing monocropping of corn, as opposed to those farms that are rotating crops or using deeper tillage methods.

Samples submitted to the Alltech 37+^® mycotoxin analytical services laboratory between Sept. 1 and Nov. 1, 2017, show that grains contained mixtures of mycotoxins, including DON, fusaric acid and fumonisin. Forages such as corn silage, barlage and haylage samples also contained multiple mycotoxins in 2017, including DON, fusaric acid, T-2 and fumonisin.

Fumonisin is trending higher across all states as of this time and can have a negative impact on feed intake, gut health, liver function and immune response. Swine and horses are particularly sensitive.

Mycotoxins are a regular concern for producers, as they influence feed quality and animal safety. They are produced by certain species of molds and can have toxic properties that impact animal health and performance.

“Understanding the risk of mycotoxins and combinations of mycotoxins, even at lower levels, allows livestock owners and managers to institute a management program for more optimum performance and health,” said Dr. Max Hawkins, nutritionist with the Alltech^® Mycotoxin Management team. “Testing feedstuffs and finished feeds is paramount to putting this management program in action.”

Mycotoxins are seldom found in isolation, and when multiple mycotoxins are consumed, they may have additive, or even synergistic, interactions that increase the overall risk to performance and health. As a result, an animal may have a stronger response than what would be expected if it was only experiencing a single mycotoxin challenge.

For feedstuffs harvested in 2017 and that are currently being fed, it is important to conduct a mycotoxin analysis that identifies the storage mycotoxins, including Penicillium and Aspergillus mycotoxin groups, as there is potential for additional mycotoxins to develop during storage. Proper mycotoxin management techniques can reduce the risk of mycotoxins coming from feed materials as well as help to prevent the negative effects mycotoxins can on have animal health and performance.

Alltech will be hosting a webinar to review the 2017 Alltech Harvest Analysis results for the U.S. with Dr. Max Hawkins on Dec. 14, 2017 at 10:00 a.m. ET. Register for the webinar via this link.

For more information on mycotoxin management, visit knowmycotoxins.com.  

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What does it mean to “support the good guys” in relation to eggshell quality?

Dr. Kayla Price, poultry technical manager for Alltech Canada, discussed how eggshell quality is directly impacted by gut health and balancing our good microbes and potentially bad bacteria.

In the webinar “Egg-cellent shell quality: Learn the basics,” Price explained the essentials for a premium egg and the many different factors affecting eggshell quality. According to Price, producers must start thinking about egg development and quality as soon as the birds are in the pullet barn, where the skeleton, immune and digestive systems are developed. Proper development of these key systems creates a consistent growth pattern, maximizing the production from the layer.

Calcium: 94% of the eggshell

Price discussed the importance of calcium for a hen that is expected to lay almost an egg a day. Different feeding programs will have different calcium particle sizes, which directly affect how well calcium is absorbed. To get good performance out of the bird, we have to make sure we are maintaining the health of the gut to allow for proper calcium absorption. To do this, producers must supplement enough calcium in the feed for the bird to maintain her own health and produce an egg a day.

What about the minerals?

Price discussed how minerals contribute to the different stages of egg synthesis. Selenium protects the cells and integrity of the reproductive tract. Copper is important for eggshell development, pigments and collagen formation. Manganese aids the formation of the bone and organic matrix of eggshells and is a co-factor in glycoprotein enzyme for shell formation. And, finally, zinc helps bone and eggshell calcification, keratin shell membrane formation and eggshell carbonate production.

What else affects eggshell quality?

Click here to view the entire webinar and learn how nutrition, management, health, age, environment and genetics play a role.

Key takeaways from the webinar:

• How an egg is made and the role gut health plays in the creation of an egg
• The factors that influence a quality egg
• Programs to enhance eggshell quality

I would like a FREE Egg Shell Quality poster.