[LEXINGTON, Ky.] – Aquaculture is the fastest-growing segment in the feed industry. According to the 2017 Alltech Global Feed Survey, the aquaculture industry experienced a 12 percent increase in feed production in 2016 to 39.9 million metric tons. Asia maintained its volume and accounts for approximately three-quarters of global production per Alltech’s 2016 Aquaculture Survey.

For many who are closely watching the aquaculture sector, this growth comes as no surprise. However, it presents a new set of challenges.

“‘The Fish to 2030: Prospects for Fisheries and Aquaculture’ report produced by the World Bank states that the projected growth in fed aquaculture over the 2000–2030 period, equivalent to an annual average growth rate of 3.9 percent per year, is much faster than the projected growth in fish oil use in aquaculture, which has an average annual growth rate of 1.7 percent,” said Dr. Keith Filer, project manager for aquaculture research at Alltech. “This is why Alltech is committed to providing a sustainable alternative to fish oil with our algae.”

Alltech has been improving aquaculture performance through nutrition for 13 years, but recent developments have significantly strengthened the company’s efforts:

• Acquired in 2010, Alltech’s algae plant in Kentucky, USA, is one of the largest commercial production sites in the world for algae. This traceable algae can provide a sustainable DHA omega-3 source as an alternative to fish oil. In December 2016, Alltech received registration from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) for two of its algae products, ForPlus and All-G Rich™, and the company expects more regulatory bodies internationally to follow the CFIA’s decision.
• Coppens International, an innovative Dutch aquatic feed and nutrition company, was acquired in 2016. This acquisition has enabled both companies to benefit from each other’s expertise, including the use of Alltech’s sustainable algal DHA source, ForPlus, to replace fish oil. Coppens has gained compliance with the Aquaculture Stewardship Council within the last year and has introduced a new range of feeds incorporating Alltech’s sustainable alternatives to fish oil and inorganic trace minerals in order to provide availability of these nutrients for optimum fish health and performance. On the horizon for Coppens in 2017 is a $1 million renovation of the Coppens Research Centre, which will double its capacity while increasing the number of aqua species that can be included in this extensive research program.
• Alltech has partnered with several universities and a research institute through formal research alliances to demonstrate the impact of Alltech’s algae solutions in a variety of species:
• Alltech-Kochi University Research Alliance (Japan) in Japanese yellowtail
• Alltech-Ocean University of China Research Alliance (China) in turbot and shrimp
• Alltech-Federal University of Santa Catarina Research Alliance (Brazil) in tilapia
• Alltech-Kentucky State University (U.S.) Research Alliance in largemouth bass and shrimp
• Alltech-Nofima (Norway) Research Alliance in Atlantic salmon

Filer noted that the research alliances’ findings to date “have observed that All-G Rich could replace fish oil in the diets of marine, freshwater and salmonid species while maintaining performance as well as DHA levels in the fillet.”

“What if we had a sustainable DHA source that was traceable and provided health benefits to fish?” said Dr. Jorge Arias, Alltech’s global director for aquaculture. “We believe we have a real solution in our algae that will reduce reliance on fish oil while increasing the amount of DHA available to farmed fish and, ultimately, to consumers.”

Visit Alltech’s team at Booth 721 at Aquaculture America, held Feb. 19–22, 2017, in San Antonio, Texas, to discuss how Alltech’s aquaculture nutrition technologies, including algae products, improve performance and profitability. Alltech will host Kentucky Ale® Happy Hours at Booth 721 on Monday, Feb. 20 from 4:30 p.m.–5:30 p.m., and on Tuesday, Feb. 21 from 5 p.m.–6 p.m.

Additionally, Dr. Aoife Lyons, director of educational initiatives and engagement for Alltech, will be a plenary speaker at Aquaculture America, where she will share how communication is essential to “Forging New Frontiers” in aquaculture.

For more information on Alltech’s sustainable solutions for aquaculture, visit Alltech.com/aquaculture. To stay up to date with Alltech at Aquaculture America, visit http://go.alltech.com/aquaculture-america.

[BORRIS, Ireland] – Hot on the heels of revealing its manufacturing collaboration with Storti, KEENAN is proud to announce the appointment of Michael Carbery as head of innovation. Carbery has worked for KEENAN for more than six years as group service development manager, and he brings to the role a wealth of experience as well as unique market and customer insights, having held the position of general manager in a number of engineering companies prior to joining KEENAN. Since joining the Alltech family of companies, KEENAN has introduced a number of engineering and product developments that underpin its superb design, focus on quality and innovative offerings.

KEENAN is also proud to welcome professor Gerald Byrne to the team. Byrne and Carbery will work alongside each other to ensure KEENAN continues to be an innovator in the farm machinery sector. Byrne will join KEENAN after spending five years as dean of engineering at University College Dublin (UCD). Byrne brings with him a considerable breadth of knowledge, creativity and experience to spearhead KEENAN’s latest innovation initiatives and will focus on streamlining production, fast-tracking efficiency and optimising plant configuration. Among Bryne’s many credentials are his honorary professorship at Tianjin University in China, being the first and only Irish member of the International Academy for Production Engineering and a membership in the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.

“Bringing innovation into the heart of everything we do will be my focus during my time as chairman of the KEENAN Innovation and R&D Board,” said Byrne. “There are a lot of exciting new technologies out there, and we want to ensure that KEENAN stays at the forefront of such developments.

“On a global scale, manufacturing is becoming increasingly digital and connected,” he continued. “More than merely keeping up with this rapid pace of change, KEENAN needs to lead the way. The KEENAN team has a wealth of experience and ideas, and our R&D and innovation platform will tap into these to keep KEENAN on top.”

The KEENAN name has long been associated with quality and reliability. Moving forward in an ever-changing marketplace, the innovation team, led by Byrne and Carbery, will ensure the KEENAN machine remains synonymous with technology, optimisation, efficiency and innovation.

“Byrne and Carbery’s appointments represent KEENAN’s continued commitment to bring the very latest in innovation and technology to the agriculture industry,” said Robert Walker, CEO of KEENAN. “We have looked both internally and externally to bolster our innovation culture here at KEENAN, and we are delighted to retain the very best Irish talent. I am confident this pairing will prove to be an unparalleled resource as KEENAN moves forward.”

The new appointments uphold the integrity of KEENAN engineering and the company’s commitment to efficiency and profitability for the farmer.

Feb. 16, 2017, marks the inaugural Canada’s Agriculture Day, with events and social media conversations taking place all day, across the country and around the globe, as we celebrate the food that we love and the people who work hard every day in all sectors of the Canadian agriculture industry.

Get involved online, on-farm and more

You can participate in many ways, from coast to coast in Canada as well as internationally, to connect with other agvocates and show that you are #AgProud. Check out Canada’s Agriculture Day website for suggestions on everything from social media posts to community events to ag challenges. The Agriculture More Than Ever website also includes great resources for every agvocate.

A daylong celebration will take place in Ottawa, but if you are not able to attend in person, you can view the live stream of the “Future of Agriculture is Bright” session. Also, join in the celebrations on social media by using and following #CdnAgDay posts.

Make your #AgProud voice heard

Personally, I will be celebrating Canada’s Agriculture Day in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, with my Advanced Agricultural Leadership Program (AALP) classmates as part of our International Study Tour, during which we will share knowledge and support Canadian agriculture with our American counterparts from LEAD New York and Rural Leadership North Dakota.

I encourage everyone to get involved and celebrate Canada’s Agriculture Day in your own way! Most importantly, use the day as an opportunity to speak up and share your stories about Canadian agriculture.

As a proud partner of Agriculture More Than Ever, Alltech wishes our Canadian customers, employees and friends the best on Canada’s Agriculture Day!

Did you know:

• 1 in 8 Canadian jobs are in agriculture and agri-food
• Agriculture employs over 2.1 million Canadians
• Canada is the world’s largest producer of canola and durum wheat
• 98% of Canadian farms are family owned and operated
• Canada is the world’s leading exporter of lentils and mustard

You can find more facts about Canadian agriculture by following Agriculture More Than Ever on Facebook and on Twitter (@AgMoreThanEver).

On the heels of Alltech’s acquisition of Solbiosur in December 2016, we caught up with the people who are hard at work making this joining of forces possible.

Alltech Crop Science (ACS) has been active in Europe for over 20 years. What began in the U.K., Ireland, Turkey and Denmark, where a considerable percentage of maize silage and potato crops were being treated with Alltech Crop Science solutions, soon expanded to other countries in Europe, such as Spain.

Solbiosur was founded in Spain in 2007, and since then, the company has become well respected in the national market and has increased its presence in the agricultural sector.

We spoke with Robert Walker, former general manager of Alltech Crop Science and current CEO of KEENAN, who was involved in the early partnering of ACS with Solbiosur; Dr. Steven Borst, current general manager of Alltech Crop Science; Jomi Bernad Blanch, Alltech regional director for Iberia; and Pedro Navarro, the commercial director for Solbiosur, to discuss the history of the collaboration and what exciting developments are expected in the near future.

How did the relationship between Alltech Crop Science and Solbiosur begin?

Robert Walker: In 2011, ACS collaborated with Ideagro, a private research company in Spain, and Solbiosur to run several trials on intensive crops. The success of these trials resulted in increasingly strong relationships between the two companies.

Pedro Navarro: The commercial relationship with ACS began in 2012 and has grown exponentially since then. By working together, we’ve been able to improve our growers’ production plans and increase their yields.

How do the companies complement one another?

Dr. Steven Borst: Solbiosur has a deep understanding of ACS technology and has used this to support its growers’ needs and ensure that the appropriate solutions are being applied. Pairing with Solbiosur, ACS can leverage its global understanding of markets and help Solbiosur expand its successful Spanish model to other parts of the world.

What benefits can growers expect from the partnership between Solbiosur and Alltech?

Jomi Bernad Blanch: Our coming together will mean an ability to deliver greater value to our customers.

Navarro: They can expect solutions to their problems, and they will know that the future of agriculture is bright.

Walker: Not only will the customers have better access to products, but they will also have access to greater support and research.

What are the opportunities in Spain and Europe for Alltech and Solbiosur?

Blanch: We believe this development unlocks an abundance of opportunities for agricultural and horticultural crop producers not just in Spain, but across the European region. The reach of both companies has significantly increased by joining forces.

Navarro: We can offer new natural-based technologies adapted to the localized markets throughout Europe and increase consumer peace of mind when they are buying their produce.

Are there going to be developments on a global level that result from the acquisition?

Borst: Absolutely. The ability for local countries to have this hub in Spain is a major opportunity to expand beyond the Iberian region.

Walker: This acquisition increases opportunities for further collaboration in other ACS markets, such as California, Brazil, Florida and Turkey, resulting in expansion of technologies, research and the sharing of ideas.

What are your thoughts about Alltech and Solbiosur’s new relationship?

Navarro: When we began, we didn’t know anything about the ACS products. Now, not only can we can attest to the efficacy of the products, but we have become a part of Alltech. We have a great opportunity ahead of us. Our customers are always looking to improve their operations, and I think that together we can achieve this.

Borst: We have the same focus of providing natural-based solutions that are safe and beneficial for agriculture, the consumer and the environment. Solbiosur has taken this core mission to heart, and it makes a lot of sense for us to work together as one team.

For more information, view our press release regarding Alltech’s acquisition of Solbiosur.

For the Chinese, the rooster symbolizes vitality, honesty, integrity and luck, but what meaning does the Chinese poultry industry have to the world?

“China is different and is not for the faint-hearted,” said Dr. Mark Lyons, executive vice president and head of Greater China for Alltech, during the Alltech Annual Breakfast Meeting at the 2017 International Production & Processing Expo.

There has been a great urban shift of 300 million people within the economic power player, resulting in 188 cities in China that are larger than Chicago. Additionally, China has a rising middle class that is young, urban and globally minded.

Since the annual Alltech Global Feed Survey began in 2011, China has dominated the world’s feed production, responsible for approximately 35 percent of the world’s total animal feed. In terms of poultry specifically, China is home to 20 percent of the world’s 60 billion poultry birds, including 8.8 billion broilers, 1.2 billion layers/breeders and 4 billion waterfowl. Currently, China produces 26 percent of the world’s poultry meat, and studies show that both consumption and production of poultry will continue to increase in China, and worldwide, over the next 10 years. China is also the world leader in egg production, producing almost six times more than the United States, which is in second place.  

Poultry trends in China

• Both the poultry and egg industry are moving toward integration.
• Consumer awareness of environmental pollution is growing and creating pressure at the farm level.
• Antibiotic-free production is a growing trend as testing and legislation increase.
• Pressure from the cost of feed materials is rising.
• Desire for high-quality poultry products is increasing.

Challenges within China’s poultry sector

• High feed costs; up to two times the cost of international prices
• Flat consumption, as chicken meat is considered an inferior protein to pork, seafood and beef
• Falling exports, as China’s competitiveness is decreasing against Brazil and Thailand to its top export market, Japan 
• Disease, with avian influenza outbreaks harming the image of poultry meat with consumers

“We have been talking about the power of the new consumer, which we are calling the prosumer,” said Lyons. “I believe there are more prosumers in China than any other market in the world today.”

Rather than simply consuming products, these prosumers are proactively exhibiting their beliefs, ethics, standards and aspirations through their purchases. Prosumers are product and brand advocates who now significantly affect the success or failure of companies, products and brands through their involvement on social media outlets. Poultry farmers around the world need to build relationships with these new consumers, and, as a poultry powerhouse with the largest rising class of prosumers, China may lead the way.

Have a question or comment? 

[MANKATO, Minn.] – CRYSTALYX® Brand Supplements, produced by Ridley, an Alltech company, has recently updated its Beef Cow Body Condition Score app. The free app helps beef cow-calf producers manage the nutrition program of their herd by tracking and monitoring body condition scores both individually and as a group.

The app offers producers the ability to snap profile pictures of their cows and compare them to reference photos of cows that represent body condition scores ranging from 1 to 9. The body condition score (BCS) that best describes each cow is saved, along with an ear tag number, within the app for future reference. Producers can then organize and track cows individually or by pasture group, view stats on animals and pastures over time and export data in CSV format via email for further analysis.

Cows can also be arranged by pasture within the app. Producers photograph a cow, enter the ear tag number and optionally assign it to a pasture. They then compare the individual photos to reference photos that are provided for each condition score (or producers can supply their own) and assign a score to the cow. The date and location are automatically recorded (if the app user allows GPS service).

These stored images can then be used as references at any point in the future in order to determine how best to manage nutrition programs and ensure that cows breed and calve in a timely manner.

Updates to the app include:

• An updated user interface that provides:
  • Faster data entry
  • Easier navigation
  • More robust help
• The ability to export records and email for more thorough spreadsheet analysis
• The ability to view BCS distribution graph for cows in each pasture in order to see a quick overview of the entire herd
• The distribution graph also shows average BCS for each pasture group
• An updated GPS tracking feature

“No one goes anywhere without their cell phone these days,” said Dan Dhuyvetter, director of marketing, research and nutrition services for Ridley Block Operations. “This is such an easy app to use and a great way to visually monitor how your nutrition program is meeting your cow herd needs. We have now made it easier to see and store your information.”

The CRYSTALYX® Beef Cow Body Condition Score app is available on iOS (iPhone/iPad) and Android platforms.

La 34ª conferencia anual internacional de agroganadería reúne inspiración e innovación para ofrecer a los productores soluciones reales para el futuro

Inscríbase anticipadamente en one.alltech.com para ahorrarse hasta 400$

Una idea, de una sola persona, puede alterar el statu quo existente para crear oportunidades — o dificultades — para otros muchos. ¿Será la agricultura protagonista de la disrupción y creará oportunidades? ¿O se mostrará reticente a ella?

ONE: La conferencia de ideas de Alltech (ONE17) servirá de inspiración a ganaderos, agricultores, proveedores y personas influyentes de todos los segmentos y especies del sector para dar rienda suelta a la disrupción y prepararse para aprovechar todo su potencial — o arriesgarse a volverse irrelevante. 

ONE17, que se celebrará del 21 al 24 de mayo en Lexington (Kentucky, EE. UU.), promete ser una experiencia repleta de ideas, innovaciones y soluciones para la industria agrícola. La conferencia anual internacional, que llega a su 34ª edición, acogerá a más de 3000 participantes de más de 70 países.

“Nuestro objetivo es ayudar a los actores de la industria a poner en acción sus ideas”, destacó el Dr. Pearse Lyons, fundador y presidente de Alltech. “Si quieres poner en marcha tu visión, adquirir una perspectiva más global y conectar con las mentes más innovadoras de la agricultura, ONE17 es el lugar al que acudir”.

Con temáticas que abarcarán desde la creciente economía global, los cambios en las tendencias de los consumidores o el flujo constante de nuevas tecnologías, ONE17 será el escenario perfecto para debatir sobre el futuro de la producción alimentaria.

Las sesiones generales, de la mano de destacados ponentes, buscan ser una fuente de inspiración de soluciones e innovación, mientras que las sesiones de temática específica o centradas en una especie brindarán a los productores la oportunidad de aprender y debatir sobre aspectos concretos de su campo de actividad. Las sesiones de debate sobre cultivos, vacuno de carne, vacuno lechero, porcino, avicultura y acuicultura — así como las sesiones temáticas de economía, aspectos alimentarios y mercados emergentes — serán la ocasión perfecta para abrazar la disrupción desde todos los prismas de la agroganadería en la conferencia ONE17.

“La finalidad de ONE17 es animarnos, empoderarnos y, más importante aún, estimularnos”, señaló el Dr. Lyons. “Queremos que la gente se marche con el convencimiento de que han formado parte de una experiencia transformadora para la industria y que sientan que, de vuelta a casa, pueden aprovechar todo ese poder para implementar soluciones”. Tal y como afirmó “Kentucky Living magazine” con ocasión de la conferencia ONE16, “Te vas con la certeza de que todo es posible, de que con compromiso, trabajo en equipo, liderazgo y visión, tu idea (¡una idea!) puede cambiar el mundo”.

Para más información sobre ONE17 y para inscribirse a la conferencia, visite: one.alltech.com. 

Únase a la conversación en Twitter con la etiqueta #ONE17.

An Interview with Becky Timmons

The following is an edited transcript of our interview with Becky Timmons, director of applications research and quality assurance at Alltech.

To listen to our entire conversation with Becky, click on the player.

Here at ONE 2016, you are presenting on the fish oil dilemma. Why exactly is fish oil important?

Fish oil is a very important part of the food chain. If you look at our growing population needing more and more protein to feed the people, aquaculture, which is farmed fish, has finally surpassed the amount of wild capture. With overfishing, we cannot catch enough fish in the sea. We are having to farm, and fish oil is part of that diet to produce farmed fish.

Why is fish oil important to humans, how do we get fish oil and what does it contribute to human nutrition?

If you think about it, we are all told to eat one to two servings of fish a week and with one serving of that being a fatty fish. The reason for that is the DHA omega-3 portion of that fat, which is very important to our heart health, eye health and brain health. If you think a little further with prenatal vitamins and infant formula, those all have DHA incorporated into them now because it’s so important for brain and eye development of children.

Because we have a shortage of fish oil, what are producers doing to make up for that shortage?

About 1 million tons of fish oil is all that’s available every year, and that fluctuates a little bit depending on weather conditions and fishing conditions, etc., but the maximum is a million, and, as consumers, we are using every bit of that. Most of it is going for fish farming, but a growing segment is going for direct human nutrition (e.g., the fish oil capsules you take). As more and more of that is going to human nutrition, there is less available to produce farmed fishing.

Farmed fish is a growing segment; what are they going to do? They have started to replace fish oil and fish meal with things like vegetable proteins, soymeal, soybean meal and soy oil. What that causes is that omega-3 that’s so important to go down in the fish that you’re eating. Now they are starting to say: Instead of that one to two servings per week, that’s going to double to two to four servings per week. That’s a lot of fish.

Sitting down to that salmon dinner no longer has the same value it once did. You have to eat a few more of those a week.

That is correct. There have actually been studies done. In Scotland, they pulled about 3,000 salmon and did studies on that to look and see — what are the levels? — and it has gone down significantly.

What can be done? Are there any alternatives for producers?

Yes, that’s what Alltech is working on. We have an algae that we produce that is a high-fat, high-DHA algae. If you think about it, fish do not naturally produce DHA omega-3. They get it in their food chain; they get it from algae. We are just bypassing the fish and taking that same algae, producing it so that we then have a nice high-fat, high-DHA algae to feed to the fish.

Does it matter how the algae are produced?

It does. In our case, we are producing this (algae) in very large enclosed vessels. With that, we can control everything — the temperature, the time, the pH, the mixing speed, all of those things that give us very high efficiency, which is good, but also we control the nutrients that we feed it. What that means is, something you hear about with fish and fish oil is that mercury and dioxins can be a problem; we don’t have to worry about that since we are controlling everything going into the system.

Algae are not just for aquaculture diets; we see applications for other production species, right?

That’s correct. If you think about it — back in history, how we used to feed our animals — we would feed scraps to our pigs and chickens out back. They would naturally have things like that fish oil in the food chain, and therefore it was found naturally in the meat, milk and eggs we would eat. We don’t do that anymore, so now they are fed very heavily on things like soy, corn and distillers grains. What we have found is that if we put in algae, the high-DHA, in any livestock diets, the animal benefits. It is beneficial to their health status as well as it incorporates back naturally into the meat, milk and eggs for human nutrition.

I’m sure kids are sometimes more likely to eat some scrambled eggs than a plate of salmon.

That is very interesting because, like I said, DHA is something that’s added to prenatal vitamins as well as infant formula, but once a child reaches about 1 year old, where are they getting DHA? They are not munching on salmon or trout. A study showed that in the U.S., the recommended daily intake for a 3-year-old would be 150 milligrams a day. The average American child at 3 years old is getting 19 milligrams per day. That’s a huge discrepancy, and, as you have said, a child is more willing to eat eggs or naturally enriched chicken fingers or hamburger, something like that, that will have the DHA omega-3 in it.

There is an incredible opportunity for food companies to specialize and differentiate themselves on the market with these functional foods. What is the availability of algae?

Again, when we say algae, algae is a huge category with lots of different types of algae. We’re talking about one specific type that we are producing. We have been working really hard over the last five years, increasing our efficiencies, lowering our costs and increasing our scale so we can produce more and more to be able to fill that gap.

Would you consider it to be economical for a producer to incorporate algae in their animals’ diets?

Absolutely.

How does that work in the animal diet? Can you describe how algae would be added to feed?

Our product is a dry powder, so it can be added just like any other feed ingredient. It can be mixed into the meal, and then it can be pelleted, extruded if it were going into a pet food. It can be handled just like any other raw material.

The animals enjoy it?

Yes, the animals enjoy it.

Lastly, you referenced that algae are very diverse organisms. It also brings to mind what we hear about soil and how much of soil is yet to be discovered. Are there some similarities there, and what else is there for us to discover in algae?

In soil, you would find hundreds of microorganisms in each gram of soil, even thousands. A lot of those are undiscovered, so now they are starting to find the benefits of soil, the same thing is true with algae. In the ocean and depths of the ocean, there are believed to be several hundred thousand species of algae, and each one is different. You can imagine the untapped resources out there.

[ATLANTA] – Dr. Mark Lyons, global vice president and head of Greater China for Alltech, presented “Understanding China: How the second-largest poultry market is changing the world,” addressing the Alltech ACE principle of developing solutions that are safe for the Animal, Consumer and Environment, to an audience of 250 people during the Alltech Annual Breakfast Meeting at the International Production & Processing Expo.

There has been a great urban shift of 300 million people within the economic power player, resulting in 188 cities in China larger than Chicago. Additionally, China has a rising middle class that is young, urban and globally minded.

“China is different and is not for the faint-hearted,” said Lyons. “They rapidly change and want transparency, and if you’re going to do business in China, then you need to be there, and you need to commit to being Chinese.”

China is going through a period of transition in many areas, including agriculture. Its industry has been very fragmented, but it is evolving toward more integration and segmentation. Results from the 2017 Alltech Global Feed Survey showed that China continues to be the largest feed-producing country but is producing that feed with fewer and fewer mills. The consolidation has been vast, with a report this year of a nearly 30 percent decline in the country’s number of feed mills.

China is home to 20 percent of the world’s 60 billion poultry birds, including 8.8 billion broilers, 1.2 billion layers/breeders and 4 billion waterfowl. Currently, China produces 26 percent of the world’s poultry meat, and studies show that both consumption and production of poultry will continue to increase in China, and worldwide, over the next 10 years. China is also the world leader in egg production, producing almost six times more than the United States, which is in second place.

Trends in China

• Poultry and egg industry moving toward integration
• Consumer awareness of environmental pollution growing and creating pressure at the farm level
• Antibiotic-free is a growing trend as testing and legislation increase
• Pressure from the cost of feed materials
• Desire for high-quality poultry products

Challenges

• High feed costs; up to two times the cost of international prices
• Flat consumption, as chicken meat is considered an inferior protein to pork, seafood and beef
• Falling exports, as China’s competitiveness is decreasing against Brazil and Thailand to its top export market, Japan
• Disease challenges, with avian influenza outbreaks as a constant reminder to consumers, which harms the image of poultry meat

“We have been talking about the power of the new consumer, which we are calling the prosumer,” said Lyons. “I believe there are more prosumers in China than any other market in the world today.”

Rather than simply consuming products, these prosumers are proactively exhibiting their beliefs, ethics, standards and aspirations through their purchases. Prosumers are product and brand advocates who now significantly affect the success or failure of companies, products and brands through their involvement on social media outlets, and food producers and farmers need to pay attention to their demands.

As consumer awareness of environmental pollution has grown, it has created pressure at the farm level. The Chinese government has put a focus on livestock pollution control regulations, new environmental laws, animal husbandry laws, standardized scale farming, water regulations and animal disease control laws.

Alltech China is hosting an environmental meeting from March 7–9. The event will focus on overcoming environmental challenges and finding opportunities in the new green economy. For more information or to attend the meeting, contact Apple Zhang, marketing manager for Alltech China (azhang@alltech.com).

[LEXINGTON, Ky.] – One idea, from one person, can disrupt the status quo to create opportunity — or challenges — for many. Will agriculture be a positive disrupter, creating opportunity? Or will the industry be caught playing defense to disruption?

ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference (ONE17) will inspire farmers, ranchers, producers, suppliers and influencers in every species and segment across production agriculture to create disruption and be prepared to harness its potential — or risk being rendered irrelevant.

ONE17 will be held May 21–24 in Lexington, Kentucky, and promises to be an experience jam-packed with ideas, innovations and solutions for the agriculture industry. The annual international conference, now in its 34th year, draws more than 3,000 attendees from over 70 countries.

“Our goal is to help our partners in agriculture put their ideas into action,” said Dr. Pearse Lyons, Alltech’s founder and president. “If you want to activate your vision, gain a more global perspective and connect with the most innovative minds in agriculture, ONE17 is the only place to be.”

With topics covering the growing global economy, disruptive consumer trends and the constant stream of new technologies, ONE17 will set the stage for forward-thinking discussions about the future of food production.

General sessions with headline keynote speakers will inspire business solutions and innovation, while subject- and species-specific focus sessions will give producers a chance to learn and participate in discussions relevant to their respective fields. Breakouts on crop science, beef, dairy, swine, poultry and aquaculture — as well as topical sessions on finance, food issues and emerging markets — provide an opportunity for every corner of production agriculture to engage disruption at the ONE17 conference.

“ONE is meant to encourage, empower and, most importantly, challenge us,” said Dr. Lyons. “We want individuals to leave feeling like they were part of a life-changing development for the industry and feel empowered to implement solutions back home.”

As Kentucky Living magazine said of ONE16, “You leave believing anything is possible, that with commitment, teamwork, leadership and vision, your one idea can change the world.”

For more information on ONE17, and to register for the conference, visit: one.alltech.com. Join the conversation on Twitter by using #ONE17.

View the promotional video for ONE17: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRdoYgkcm5c

[LEXINGTON, Ky.] – Farmers have a rich history of adapting to changing landscapes and innovating to nourish the world. While dealing with whatever challenges the day (and the weather) might bring, they also look ahead to build a future for their farm by implementing new management practices, technologies and nutrition programs as well as training the next generation.

Alltech is calling all farmers, producers and ranchers to share their stories about how they are ensuring the future of their farm. By creating a one- to two-minute video describing what they are doing for their farm’s future and sharing their farm’s story, farmers have the opportunity to win a trip to ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference, held in Lexington, Kentucky, May 21–24, 2017.

Videos must be submitted online by April 3, 2017, at 9:00 a.m. EST. To enter a “My Farm. My Future.” video as well as read the full contest details, including rules and regulations specific to the participating countries, please visit http://one.alltech.com/my-farm-my-future.

Alltech will select the finalists and post their videos on Alltech’s Facebook page (Facebook.com/AlltechNaturally). Voting will open to the public starting April 3, 2017, at 3:00 p.m. EST and will close April 10, 2017, at 12:00 p.m. EST. The highest number of Facebook likes will determine the winners.

Registration is open now for ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference, held in Lexington, Kentucky, USA, from May 21–24. The annual international conference draws more than 3,000 attendees from more than 70 countries to network and discuss world-changing ideas. For more information or to register, visit one.alltech.com. Join the conversation online with #ONEBigIdea17.

2017-01-30

[LEXINGTON, Kentucky] –  L’Enquête Mondiale Alltech 2017 sur l’Alimentation Animale, parue cette semaine, estime le tonnage d’alimentation animale dans le monde à plus d’un milliard de tonnes métriques pour la première fois ! Cela représente une augmentation de 3,7% par rapport à l’an passé, soit une croissance de 19% depuis la première enquête, établie en 2012, bien que le nombre d’usines de fabrication d’aliments ait baissé de 7%.

Cette sixième enquête annuelle est la plus complète jamais réalisée  puisqu’elle couvre 141 pays et plus de 30 000 usines de fabrication d’aliments. Les résultats montrent que les États-Unis et la Chine sont en tête du classement, avec une production qui représente 1/3 de l’alimentation animale. La croissance prédominante vient des secteurs de l’alimentation du bovin viande, du porc et de l’aquaculture, ainsi que de certains pays d’Afrique, d’Asie et du Moyen-Orient.

« Cette année illustre clairement l’efficacité croissante et la consolidation de l’industrie de l’alimentation animale », a declaré Aidan Connolly, directeur de l’innovation et vice président des grands comptes au sein d’Alltech. « Non seulement le total de la production a dépassé le milliard de tonnes métriques pour la première fois, mais en plus ce résultat a été atteint avec moins d’usines. Cela démontre une meilleure efficacité et une diminution de l’empreinte environnementale. »

L’Enquête Mondiale Alltech  sur l’Alimentation Animale évalue la production d’aliments composés pour les animaux ainsi que leurs prix, grâce aux informations collectées par les équipes commerciales d’Alltech à travers le monde et en partenariat avec les associations d’alimentation animale locales. L’enquête est destinée à servir de source d’information aux décideurs politiques, dirigeants et parties prenantes du secteur.

L’enquête de cette année montre que les 30 premiers pays, classés par volume de production, représentent 82% des usines d’aliments dans le monde et produisent 86% de la production mondiale totale. Le top 10 des pays producteurs d’aliments en 2016, classés par importance de volume de production, étaient la Chine, les États-Unis, le Brésil, le Mexique, l’Espagne, l’Inde, la Russie, l’Allemagne, le Japon et la France. Ces pays comptent 56% des usines de fabrication d’aliments et représentent 60% de la production totale.

Résultats de l’Enquête Mondiale Alltech 2017 sur l’Alimentation Animale par région

• Europe : Pour la première fois depuis plusieurs années, l’Union Européenne connaît une croissance du tonnage d’alimentation animale. Cette région est menée par l’Espagne, avec 31,9 millions de tonnes produites en 2016, soit une augmentation de 8%. En Allemagne, en France, en Turquie et aux Pays-Bas, les volumes ont diminué.

• Asie : La Chine reste le plus grand producteur d’alimentation animale, avec 187,20 millions de tonnes métriques. L’augmentation du volume de production de la région vient également du Vietnam, du Pakistan, de l’Inde et du Japon. Le Vietnam, en particulier, a connu une augmentation de 21% au cours de l’année passée et fait désormais partie, pour la première fois, des 15 premiers pays producteurs. Cela provient essentiellement de l’augmentation de la production d’aliments porc et poulet de chair. L’Asie reste l’un des pays les plus chers pour l’élevage d’animaux, avec des prix d’aliments au Japon parmi les plus élevés de la planète, et ceux de la Chine parfois deux fois plus élevés que dans la plupart des pays du top 10.

• Amérique du Nord : La production d’alimentation animale d’Amérique du Nord reste relativement fixe. Cette région reste leader dans la production pour le bovin viande, la dinde, les animaux domestiques et les chevaux.

• Afrique : L’Afrique a connu la croissance la plus rapide pour la cinquième année consécutive, avec plus de la moitié de ses pays en croissance. Le Nigeria, l’Algérie, la Tunisie, le Kenya et la Zambie ont tous vécu une croissance importante, au-dessus des 30%. Cette région garde du retard en termes d’alimentation animale par tête, mais montre une opportunité constante pour la croissance. L’Afrique possède également des prix parmi les plus élevés, avec le Nigeria et le Cameroun qui sont parmi les 5 pays aux prix les plus importants.

• Amérique Latine : Le Brésil reste le leader de la production animale, alors que le Mexique a connu la plus grande augmentation de son tonnage, qui représente à présent 20% de la production totale de l’Amérique Latine, bien que cela ne corresponde qu’à près de la moitié de la production brésilienne totale. Globalement, l’Amérique Latine propose des prix modérés, mais ceux du Brésil ont augmenté cette année. En comparaison aux États-Unis, les prix du Brésil sont 20% plus élevés pour le porc et 40% plus élevés pour la volaille.

• « De manière générale, les prix d’aliments pour animaux sont bas, c’est pourquoi les coûts de production d’aliments sont bas », explique Aidan Connolly. « Sur le plan mondial, nous estimons la valeur du secteur de l’alimentation animale à 460 milliards de dollars. »

Résultats de l’Enquête Mondiale Alltech 2017 sur l’Alimentation Animale par espèce

• Le secteur de la volaille représente 44% de la production mondiale totale d’alimentation animale, soit une légère diminution par rapport à l’année précédente. Cela est certainement du à la grippe aviaire, à la consolidation du secteur et à une conversion alimentaire plus efficace

• Une croissance positive a été observée dans la production d’aliment pour porc, en particulier en Asie, comme au Vietnam et en Thaïlande, qui font à présent partie du top 10 des pays producteurs de porc. La Chine représente plus d’un quart de la production d’alimentation porcine mondiale, mais le nombre de truies a diminué de près de 40% ces trois dernières années

• La production mondiale dans le secteur des vaches laitières est restée la même, alors que les États-Unis et l’Inde ont renforcé leur position des deux plus grands producteurs au monde, avec une croissance de 12 et 14% respectivement. L’Europe, de son côté, a fait face à une certaine baisse. La Turquie a reculé de 1,5 million de tonnes et l’Allemagne de 3,4 millions de tonnes

• Les États-Unis maintiennent leur position de leader dans le secteur du bovin viande, avec une augmentation du volume de production, par rapport à l’année précédente, estimée à 10%. La Chine, l’Espagne, la Turquie et le Mexique ont tous augmenté leur production d’aliments pour le bovin viande.

• L’enquête sur 2016 a rassemblé plus de données dans le secteur des animaux domestiques par rapport aux années précédentes, ce qui a permis d’obtenir plus d’informations sur la taille et l’échelle du marché. Les États-Unis restent leaders et l’Europe et l’Asie ont connu une certaine croissance. En France, les estimations montrent une augmentation d’un million de tonnes, mais cela s’explique plutôt par la collecte de données plus précises que par l’augmentation de la production en 2016. Le volume de production du Royaume-Uni, de l’Espagne, de l’Allemagne, de la Hongrie, de l’Indonésie et de la Chine ont également augmenté.

« L’Enquête Mondiale Alltech sur l’Alimentation Animale fournit des informations importantes et un contrôle annuel du secteur de l’alimentation animale, essentiels dans notre mission de nourrir la population mondiale croissante de façon pérenne », declare Aidan Connolly.
« L’enquête continue de fournir des données de plus en plus complètes et fiables. »

Pour voir notre carte interactive, avec les volumes de production d’alimentation animale par pays, cliquez ici.

Vous pouvez télécharger le livret de l’Enquête Alltech sur l’Alimentation Animale Mondiale 2017 et voir le webinaire d’accompagnement en cliquant ici. 

[LEXINGTON, Ky.] – The 2017 Alltech Global Feed Survey, released today, estimates that international feed tonnage has exceeded 1 billion metric tons for the first time. That’s a 3.7 percent increase over last year and represents 19 percent growth since the inaugural survey in 2012, despite a 7 percent decrease in the number of feed mills.

The sixth annual survey is the most comprehensive ever, now covering 141 countries and more than 30,000 feed mills. The results show that the U.S. and China are the top two countries, producing one-third of all animal feed, and that predominant growth came from the beef, pig and aquaculture feed sectors as well as several African, Asian and Middle Eastern countries.

“This year clearly demonstrates the growing efficiency and consolidation of the feed industry,” said Aidan Connolly, chief innovation officer and vice president of corporate accounts for Alltech. “Not only has total feed production exceeded 1 billion tons for the first time, but it has done so with fewer facilities, which means greater efficiencies and a decreased environmental footprint.”

The Alltech Global Feed Survey assesses compound feed production and prices through information collected by Alltech’s global sales team and in partnership with local feed associations. It is intended to serve as an information resource for policymakers, decision makers and industry stakeholders.

This year’s survey showed that the top 30 countries, ranked by production output, are home to 82 percent of the world’s feed mills and produce 86 percent of the world’s total feed. The top 10 feed-producing countries in 2016, in order of production output importance, were China, the United States, Brazil, Mexico, Spain, India, Russia, Germany, Japan and France. These countries contain 56 percent of the world’s feed mills and account for 60 percent of total production.

Regional results from the 2017 Alltech Global Feed Survey

· North America: North America feed production remains relatively flat. However, the region continues to lead other regions in feed production for beef, turkey, pet and equine.

· Latin America: Brazil remained the leader in feed production, while Mexico saw the highest growth in tonnage, now accounting for more than 20 percent of Latin America’s total feed production but still only almost half of Brazil’s total production. Overall, Latin America has moderate feed prices, but Brazil’s have increased this year. When compared to the U.S., Brazil’s feed prices are 20 percent higher for pigs and 40 percent higher for layers and breeders.

· Europe: For the first time in several years, the European Union saw feed tonnage growth. The region was led by Spain with 31.9 million tons produced in 2016, up 8 percent. Decreases came from Germany, France, Turkey and the Netherlands.

· Asia: China remained the top feed-producing country with 187.20 million metric tons, while increased production for the Asian region also came from Vietnam, Pakistan, India and Japan. Vietnam in particular grew 21 percent over the past year and moved into the top 15 countries list for the first time, specifically led by increased production of pig and broiler feed. Asia continues to be one of the most expensive locations in the world to raise animals, as Japan’s feed prices are some of the highest in the world and China’s prices are double that of most of the top 10 producing countries.

· Africa: Africa had the fastest regional growth for the fifth year in a row, with more than half of the countries achieving growth. Nigeria, Algeria, Tunisia, Kenya and Zambia each showed significant growth that was greater than 30 percent. The region still lags in terms of feed per capita but shows continued opportunity for growth. Africa also has some of the highest finishing prices of any region, as Nigeria and Cameroon both rank in the top five countries.

“Overall feed prices are down, and therefore food production costs are down,” said Connolly. “From a global perspective, we estimate the value of the feed industry at $460 billion.”

Notable species results from the 2017 Alltech Global Feed Survey

· The poultry industry represented 44 percent of the total global feed production, a slight decrease from last year. This could be a result of avian influenza, industry consolidation and more efficient feed conversion.

· Positive growth was observed in pig feed production, particularly in Asia as Vietnam and Thailand are now top 10 pig-producing countries. China represents over a quarter of the world’s pig feed production, but sow numbers have decreased by almost 40 percent over the past three years.

· Global dairy feed production remained flat, while the U.S. and India reinforced their position as the top two producers with increases of 12 and 14 percent, respectively, whereas Europe saw a downturn. Turkey decreased by 1.5 million tons and Germany declined by 3.4 million tons.

· The U.S. maintained the top position in the beef industry, and estimated feed production was 10 percent higher than last year. China, Spain, Turkey and Mexico all showed increased beef feed production.

· Aquaculture continued its year-over-year growth with a gain of 12 percent in feed production in 2016. Increased production from Turkey, Germany, the U.K. and France contributed to a strong performance from the European region. Africa increased production by almost 1 million metric tons, while Asia maintained its volume. The increase in aquaculture feed correlates to the consumption of farmed fish.

· The 2016 survey was able to gather more pet sector data than previous years, allowing for more information to be captured on the size and scale of the market. The U.S. remained number one, while Europe and Asia also showed growth. France’s estimates were increased by 1 million metric tons, although this reflects more accurate data collection rather than a production increase over 2016. The U.K., Spain, Germany, Hungary, Indonesia and China also experienced growth.

“The Alltech Global Feed Survey provides valuable information and an annual pulse check on the feed industry as we look toward sustainably feeding a growing population,” said Connolly. “The survey continues to improve and provide more robust and reliable data.”

Noo-tri-jee-noh-miks: the official pronunciation of nutrigenomics. It’s difficult to say, and it can be even more difficult to understand.

In its simplest definition, nutrigenomics is the study of how diet affects gene expression. Even more simply put, nutrigenomics looks at what a person or animal eats and studies how their body responds to it.

Nutrigenomics is a relatively new and quickly evolving scientific field. Fortunately, Alltech has been at the forefront of this research for almost a decade. In 2008, Alltech opened the world’s first fully dedicated nutrigenomics and epigenetics lab at the Alltech Center for Animal Nutrigenomics and Applied Animal Nutrition in Nicholasville, Kentucky. Nutrigenomics’ true implications are only now being understood.

What value can nutrigenomics bring to animal nutrition research, specifically beef research?

1) Traditional research is slow; nutrigenomics is fast.

Compared to poultry or swine research, beef research is horrendously slow. The weeks or months necessary to study other species pales in comparison to the often three to four years needed to capture appropriate lifecycle data for beef cattle. As a result, innovation becomes more challenging and time-consuming for researchers. Many industry products have remained the same for more than 30 years.

Nutrigenomics produces data almost immediately, and information can be gathered while cattle are still alive.

2) Traditional research gives us just one (or, sometimes, a few) key data points; nutrigenomics gives us 22,000.

With the use of micro-array technology, Alltech uses a specialized gene chip that utilizes tissue samples to show almost instantaneously how a change in diet (or any environmental change) has affected gene expression. The more than 22,000 data points on a gene chip produce a digital reading that shows whether each specific gene is turned on (shown in the reading as “hot”) or turned off (shown in the reading as “cool”). This high volume of data is read using specialized software to inform researchers which pathways have been most affected by a change in diet. This breakthrough dramatically decreases the time needed to conduct and evaluate research.

Conversely, traditional research can only look at one issue (or a few issues) at a time and is therefore limited in the depth of its findings.

3) Traditional research explains often only what happened; nutrigenomics tells researcher not only what but also why changes happen within cattle.

For instance, Alltech has pinpointed the specific feed ingredients necessary to optimize lean tissue deposition — a key performance parameter in feedlot cattle. Through nutrigenomics, the metabolic pathways crucial to muscle growth have been identified, and as a result, both what has changed (i.e. increased weight gain) and why it has changed (i.e. improvements in energy metabolism) can be observed by researchers. To produce the scale and scientific scope necessary to make these conclusions through traditional research techniques would require investments of time, money and cattle that are simply not feasible in most circumstances.

Making nutrigenomics profitable: EPNIX®

Now, Alltech is beginning to see the first fruits of its nutrigenomics research in beef. Through more than eight years of nutrigenomic refinement and repeated testing in large-pen commercial feed yards, Alltech is proud to launch its new feedlot technology, EPNIX®.

Named to reflect its epigenetic and nutrigenomic roots, EPNIX is a two-part feedlot technology designed to support the carcass weight and dressing percentage of finishing cattle. It is fortified with 100 percent organic trace minerals and is delivered with strategic supplementation through both a receiving and a finishing technology. EPNIX optimizes rumen function and systemic metabolism, bringing new innovation and value to feedlot production.

Yet the challenge faced by any new innovation is twofold: Is it relevant, and does it provide a return on investment

Designed without antibiotics or antimicrobials, EPNIX is formulated to comply with relevant changes in feeding regulations, such as the Veterinary Feed Directive. To further validate its formulation, EPNIX is certified by IMI Global as a Feed Verified ingredient for use in Verified Natural Beef, Non-Hormone Treated Cattle and Global Animal Partnership programs.

Additionally, EPNIX focuses on delivering profitable returns to producers. In repeated, large-pen studies, EPNIX has demonstrated improvements in overall performance and has supported carcass weight gains, which are key to profitability.

To explain the research on and key concepts of EPNIX, Alltech recently hosted a webinar led by Dave Pfenninger, Alltech territory sales manager, and Dr. Vaughn Holder, head of beef research for Alltech. Click below to watch the Alltech Beef Innovations17 webinar, in which they discuss EPNIX and the future of feeding cattle with Alltech solutions:

For more information on EPNIX, nutrigenomics or Alltech’s beef technologies, contact your local Alltech representative or e-mail beef@alltech.com.

Agriculture is not immune to the changes of the digital age. Technological innovations have the ability to transform every link in the food chain, from seed to fork.

The need to embrace the opportunities these innovations offer is real. In order to feed the nearly 10 billion people with whom we will be sharing this planet by 2050, crop and livestock productivity improvements are essential.

Agricultural efficiency is still relatively poor: 7 tons of feed are needed to produce just 1 ton of meat. It takes 880 gallons of water to produce one gallon of milk.

Further, climate change is already requiring changes to crop management, and access to fresh water and good soil are becoming serious limitations for agriculture.

Finally, there are competing food requirements. In wealthier areas, food is a relatively small part of the household budget, and consumers are becoming prosumers, with high expectations for the standard and types of food they want. At the same time, global hunger and food scarcity are serious challenges - nearly 800 million people are undernourished. Connecting both is the global food chain: ensuring that there is transparency, traceability and trust between producers, processors and prosumers.

Digital disruption drives the next agricultural revolution

Fortunately, the makings of a fifth agricultural revolution are here, with the potential to reduce or eliminate all of these issues.

Eight emerging digital technologies each have the potential to transform agriculture. They range from specific technical tools to new ways of seeing the existing system. Some, especially the first ones, sound familiar but their use in agriculture is novel.

These eight digital technologies can be categorized into four each of hardware and software and, when combined with the IoT (Internet of Things), can profoundly change the way food production works.

To discover Aidan Connolly’s list of the eight digital technologies disrupting agriculture, view his original post on LinkedIn.