Apple has created some of the most innovative products in the world. Steve Wozniak was the mastermind and engineer behind the Apple I and Apple II computers. Wozniak, recipient of the 2016 Alltech Humanitarian Award, addressed a packed house at ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference to talk about his vision and how he sees computers in the future.

“I wanted to make a machine that could do what no other machine was able to do,” said Wozniak.

His main goal was to make something possible that nobody expected could happen. He accomplished this with both the Apple I and Apple II computers.

Wozniak described his early days working on computer designs and trading ideas with other members of the Homebrew Computer Club in Palo Alto, California. This was before Steve Jobs was around.

 “I was trying to help all these other people in our club who wanted to start a revolution. We used the word revolution and everybody in life kind of wants to be part of a revolution because it always leads to better, supposedly. And I wanted to be part of it, so I gave away my design of this computer. I would show it off every two weeks at the club.”

Wozniak surrounded himself with people who wanted social change.

“I believed in it,” he said.

When he was young, he told his parents he wanted to be either an engineer or a fifth grade teacher. He cared a lot about education and even became a volunteer elementary school teacher for eight years.

Wozniak said his goal was to help kids get back in school and “stop kids from dropping out, because some kids are dropping out now around 8 years old or something crazy like that.”

He started working with a girl in the fourth grade during his first year of teaching.

“Her mother told me she wasn’t interested in school and learning anymore,” he said.

So Wozniak took an Apple computer to her house. The Apple computer wasn’t popular at the time, so it was something new to the girl. He continued to visit her house all throughout the year.

“We would spend about two hours a night just typing away, writing papers,” he said.

She ended up finishing college and made the dean’s list all four years.

Wozniak started Apple with Steve Jobs when they were young with no money, no savings and no business experience. He closed by recommending the three types of people that young entrepreneurs need to start a business:

1. A guider: Someone who knows business and how to make money.
2. A marketer: Someone who knows the quality of the product.
3. A very good engineer: Someone who has talent and knows what will and will not work. 

John Calipari and Alan Mulally are two key leaders in today’s world who focus on team-centered leadership.

At ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference, Calipari, head men’s basketball coach at the University of Kentucky (UK), and Mulally, former CEO of Ford and the recipient of the Alltech 2016 Medal of Excellence, both spoke on the idea of building a team and working together to achieve goals within a team. Although their experiences come from different sectors, they share many of the same ideas. Calipari gave five main points that he thought best suit his style of being a leader and building a team, while Mulally explained what he did to bring Ford out of a $12.7 billion loss.
 

Calipari: Connection, communication and creating community leaders
 

Calipari talked a lot about his “one and done” athletes, who come to UK for one year to play basketball and then leave straight for the NBA.  He explained that it all starts out with “staying in the moment.”
 

“You can’t get it done in one day,” said Calipari.
 

He challenges all his teams at UK to abide by this rule. He also encourages his teams to stay steady and keep everything in perspective.
 

“You have to try stuff and fail fast,” said Calipari.
 

He emphasized building relationships based on trust that will last forever. Social media is “vital in today’s world,” he said, and you have to “connect with a lot of people, reform, act quickly.”
 

But he noted that social media can’t take the place of face-to-face contact and creating an attitude through caring. It shows his players that he is serious about his job and he wants what is best for them.
 

These are all the steps Calipari said make someone a “servant leader,” and this is important because Calipari feels it is his job to build community philanthropists in his team members. All of his former players who are now in the NBA are involved in their community in some fashion, and Calipari feels that this in particular is a personal affirmation that he has done his job well.
 

Mulally: Making working together work
 

Mulally, like Calipari recruiting for his team, recruited the best people to work at Ford. He made sure that he surrounded himself with 16 leaders, nearly all of whom were already Ford employees. He hired the best 16 for the job and made sure that they all supported each other and their teams in the workplace.
 

Coming in at a time when Ford faced a $12.6 billion loss was a challenge, but Mulally felt company unity could bring them through it.
 

“The team decided that they were going to work together and share the issue, and people were going to survive,” said Mulally.
 

That’s what was needed to overcome such a big deficit. With everyone buying in and trusting not only Mulally but their entire Ford team, it made everything run more smoothly and lifted them out of that loss.
 

“Everybody has to know what the plan is; everybody has to know what the status is,” said Mulally.
 

He shared four key points for leading a team:
 

1. Go after a compelling vision
2. Include everyone       
3. Work on strategy
4. Check it out – review the plan and make sure it’s working (i.e., goals are being achieved)
    

 “Working together always works,” he said.
 

John Calipari and Alan Mulally were presenters at ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference. Audio recordings of most talks from ONE will be made available on the Alltech Idea Lab by mid-June 2016. For access, click on the button below.

When Dr. Pearse Lyons, founder and president of Alltech, took to the stage at the company’s annual symposium, ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference, his one question to the 3,000 gathered delegates was: “What is your ONE big idea?”

“Turn on your lamp,” he said, to light the paths ahead on your journey of discovery. He reflected that his own personal journey began on Gold Rush Road, Lexington, Kentucky, USA, and that journey has taken him to meet some of the world’s most amazing people, such as Muhammad Ali and Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom.
 

His inspirational, entrepreneurial journey started with $10,000 and a question from his mother: “What took you so long?”
 

Dr. Lyons recognized that there were many other “lamps” that lit the path on his journey to creating a now $2 billion company. Bringing his team along on this journey was important, he noted, and at ONE, Dr. Lyons shared the following insights:
 

1. Find what you love, what makes your heart sing
2. Welcome opportunity
3. Make your one choice

Dr. Lyons stressed that choices change lives, not chances. Take the decision to go down that corridor. If you don’t go down that corridor, how can you expect doors to open to you?
 

“I’d like to help you to open those doors,” said Dr. Lyons at the ONE opening plenary session. “If we share our ideas with others, we can all conspire to help to make those ideas come to pass.”
 

Opportunities are everywhere, yet those opportunities are fleeting; in fact, Dr. Lyons believes you have to grab those opportunities within a 24-hour period.
 

He posed the question: “Where do ideas come from?” In looking for those new ideas, always look for the catch — what’s the catch? Then, find the solution.

Where to look for ideas:

1. Travel
2. Create
3. Build an innovation incubator
4. Be ready
5. Search for the catch and overcome it
6. Turn setbacks into bounce-backs

Entrepreneurs are sales people; they always find the solution. Steve Jobs and Henry Ford were sellers, Dr. Lyons said. They sold dreams, dreams of communications and of transportation. He advises entrepreneurs to march right when the rest of the world marches left. In going that different route, you go down the road less traveled.

Remember: If you do things the way you’ve always done them, nothing will ever change, and Einstein defined this as insanity! 

Dr. Pearse Lyons was a presenter at ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference. Audio recordings of most talks from ONE will be made available on the Alltech Idea Lab by mid-June 2016. For access, click on the button below.

Nowadays, fewer people are living in rural areas and even fewer are becoming farmers. While agriculture is being forced to compete with sprawling urban settlements for land and water, it will also be required to serve on other major fronts: adapting to and contributing to the mitigation of climate change, helping preserve natural habitats and maintaining a high level of biodiversity while continuing to feed the world.

New and traditional demands continue to grow for agricultural products, thus putting pressure on an already scarce resource. As our global population is expected to reach 9 billion by 2050, the question must be asked: How can we feed the world with a finite amount of land?

In order to visualize the world in 2050, Alltech created a virtual experience entitled ONE Vision. ONE Vision will allow attendees to experience a planet of plenty, where technology and science align in order to produce nutritious food. Attendees will be guided through a 10,000-square-foot virtual planet, where they can witness a world in harmony with its three essential elements: land, air and water. Attendees will also find themselves in sub-Saharan Africa, where advanced soil management solutions have tripled crop production, and in Asia’s paddy fields, where upland planting is producing sustainable harvests in flood-prone areas. Across the globe, the farms of the future are thriving as their animals achieve their genetic potential, producing more with less, all while reversing soil degradation and reducing water use, waste and emissions. Attendees can also interact with reaction tables, allowing them to understand the effects of today’s choices on the agriculture industry and future of our planet. 

By drawing back the curtain on the future and allowing attendees to glimpse what’s possible, Alltech hopes to encourage individuals to make the right choices today for their future tomorrow and thereafter. A future of plenty in agriculture is ours if we harness the power of technology, conserve resources and encourage innovation. 

I want to learn more about nutrition for my dairy.

Bananas are a billion-dollar industry in Costa Rica. The much-loved fruit is the country’s fourth-ranked export at $1.38 billion in value, with approximately 115 million boxes of bananas sold annually to the U.S. and Europe.

But among the banana trees, there is a dark battle underway. Black sigatoka and other diseases threaten to annihilate the banana industry and the very livelihood of an estimated 10 percent of Costa Rica’s workforce.

Small farm plantations have been forced to cease their operations as black sigatoka has wreaked its havoc, decreasing yields by 50 percent and driving production costs up by 25 percent.

Much like a real war, local residents have become used to the drone of planes flying overhead. In this case, the weapon of war is fungicide applications, which, according to Kyle McKinney, crop science development manager for Alltech in Costa Rica, took place 60–70 times in 2015 in a valiant attempt to keep black sigatoka at bay. To put this in perspective, there were approximately only five to seven fungicide applications in 2010.

Enlisting nature’s help in bananas' battle against black sigatoka

In 2015, Alltech constructed a lab in Costa Rica dedicated to the battle for bananas. Calling upon their expertise in microbiology, Alltech scientists “enlisted the help of friends called microbes,” said Dr. Pearse Lyons, president and founder of Alltech.

This natural deployment of microbial technology appears to be having an effect on inhibiting the growth of Mycosphaerella fijiensis, otherwise known as black sigatoka.

Field trials in Costa Rica have been underway, alternating weekly microbial treatments with conventional fungicides. After two years, the project has expanded to 12 growers representing over 5,000 acres and over 1.5 million boxes of bananas destined for both the foreign and domestic market.

McKinney expects the program to expand its reach to other growers.

“The Alltech Crop Science program has decreased chemical pesticide treatments by 20% while maintaining equivalent disease control, at similar costs, making it a viable and sustainable option for the grower,” said McKinney.

McKinney noted that Alltech plans to stay the course in Costa Rica. In addition to its recently constructed lab and installation of fermentation equipment, Alltech is supporting an employee’s Ph.D. studies in Costa Rica to begin a project focused on disease control through microbial technologies.

Every year when the calendar flips to May 5, the world joins in Mexico's "Cinco de Mayo" celebration of its historic victory over the mighty French forces. In a David and Goliath battle against an army nearly three times its size, soldiers outside the city of Puebla vanquished the invaders in 1862, turning the tide on a military machine that had been undefeated for nearly 50 years.

France may have looked better on paper, but Mexico had a secret weapon that was far more powerful: sheer determination. Outnumbered but not outmaneuvered, Mexico showed the world that with the proper mindset, ambition can trump ammunition.

While the military victory it commemorates took place over 150 years ago, the spirit of the battle of Puebla lives on. Nowhere is that more evident than in Serdan, located in the same state just an hour’s drive from the battleground site. There sits a beacon of hope that reflects the nation's unflagging resolve to advance economically, technologically and societally: Alltech Serdan.

Alltech's Serdan facility is located about 120 miles southeast of Mexico City. The plant produces two main products: Allzyme ® SSF (a natural enzyme complex that maximizes nutrient release) and De-Odorase® (made from yucca extract, which reduces ammonia from animal waste). The state-of-the-art production facility, which has about 200 employees, is one of the largest facilities of its kind in the world. Construction of a new De-Odorase production facility is underway and is expected to more than double production capacity.

Paul Kilgallen has seen Alltech's investment in Serdan grow exponentially in recent years. The resultant benefits to the community – indeed, to the world – show in the faces of those whose lives they have touched, he said.

"You can't imagine what it feels like to see a young person who never even dreamed of having such an opportunity actually succeed," said Kilgallen, who manages Alltech's plant in Serdan. He has seen that happen many times over through Alltech's internship program, which has resulted in permanent employment for numerous candidates. "You see people here wearing 10-year pins, even 20- and some are close to 25-year. People are seeing that you can build a future at Alltech Serdan," he said.

Because Serdan is largely rural, in the past residents seeking education and employment usually had to move to urban areas, such as Mexico City, to seek career opportunities. Now, more and more residents of Serdan and the surrounding Puebla region are able to stay there after graduation, said Josefina Garcia, who manages Alltech’s community projects in Serdan.

"I'm a local girl, and it means a lot to me to see graduates be able to stay and have a successful career in their own community," she said. "Before, the only stable employment you could find was in the big cities."

Alltech's efforts in Serdan have had a ripple effect worldwide. Kilgallen offered the example of a Haitian student who, while attending the University of Kentucky, met Dr. Pearse Lyons, president and founder of Alltech (which is headquartered in Lexington, Kentucky). Lyons recruited him for a summer internship at Alltech Serdan, where the student was introduced to the company's innovative work with yucca. Afterward the student brought his knowledge and excitement about yucca back to his home country, where it generated interest. Haiti, still recovering from the massive earthquake of 2010, began exploring yucca as a means to improve its agriculture base and economy.

One of the team's most important projects is planting yucca trees throughout the region, which testifies to Alltech's commitment to sustainability. Alltech's operations in Serdan have received numerous awards for sustainability work from the governing authorities in Ciudad Serdan and in the city of Perote in the Veracruz region.

Yucca trees at Alltech Serdan, Mexico. Background: Pico De Orizaba, highest mountain (Volcano) in Mexico

Kilgallen said there are about 60,000-70,000 yucca seedlings at the Serdan facility, which are replanted in the surrounding regions until they reach full growth. About 15 years after planting, the plants are harvested and transported to Serdan, where the yucca logs are used to produce De-Odorase – always with an eye on sustainability. As Kilgallen noted, "For every tree we harvest, we replant three yucca trees."

Alltech's interns, supervised by experienced employees, are currently working on yucca products for an organic certification project. In addition, Alltech's alignment with new yucca suppliers has generated job opportunities, with about 40 new hires by a supplier in Perote.

"You can drive around and see Serdan prospering," said Kilgallen, who over the past several years has witnessed the area bloom into a commercially viable community with a higher standard of living than before.

"We even have Walmart-type stores now,” he added. "You don't see that in towns comparable to Serdan. The improvements on employees' quality of life are clear, even as exemplified by the types of cars now in the facility’s parking lot."

And, their success is paid forward. Some of Alltech's new and ongoing community projects in Serdan include aid to schools for disadvantaged and disabled children, including donations of computers and classroom furniture, as well as upgrades to buildings and play yards. Garcia and her team also help sell products made by students to raise additional funds for the schools. In addition, they make food and clothing donations to the regional prison.

El Cerrito Elementary School, supported by Alltech Serdan

For someone only at the dawn of her career, Bailey Mack has already traveled the path of many a professional’s dreams. Currently a 2016 Alltech Career Development Program member, selected as one of 11 from more than 2,000 global applicants, Mack is fluent in Mandarin Chinese and has traveled the world, spending at least a month each in Taiwan, China, Indonesia and Peru.

Growing up, the Louisville, Kentucky-native and her family were active in scouting, which led to a love for all things outdoors and a particular passion for environmental and sustainability issues. She received her Girl Scout Gold Award for rehabilitating a pond at a state park in Kentucky.

“When I started to learn Chinese, I tied my background in environmental issues into it,” she said.

This led to Mack’s first application for a Fulbright research grant. She was named a semifinalist at the time.

After a second attempt for a Fulbright grant to India for an English Teaching Assistantship, Mack discovered that her third attempt, this time for Malaysia, would prove to be a charm. Recently, she was named one of 90 Fulbright grant recipients for Malaysia, where she will live and work as an English teaching assistant next year.

“My application centered around and was interested in looking at the environmental issues faced by countries and markets that want to evolve and become more economically developed,” said Mack. “They are facing a lot of pressure from other countries that want them to evolve in a sustainable manner. In Malaysia specifically, rainforest preservation and palm oil are really hot topics.”

Where exactly Mack will be located in Malaysia is yet to be determined and will depend on the needs in the school system. In addition to teaching English, Mack will serve as an ambassador of the U.S.

“They want you to do things like run afterschool clubs, whether badminton or helping set up English clubs,” said Mack.

She is also looking forward to integrating her environmental and sustainability interests into conversations and learning more from her Malaysian neighbors.

“My perspective is someone coming from the U.S. and is totally different from someone who is actually living there and understands how it is going to affect them and change certain things.”

Following her time in Malaysia, Mack plans to return to Alltech with a desire for more adventure and opportunity.

“I just see this as a natural continuation of what I’ve been doing for so long,” said Mack.

Considering the list of Fulbright alumni, it is quite a promising path for her. Mack joins an elite group; Fulbright recipients have gone on to win  Pulitzer Prizes (82 recipients) and Nobel Prizes (54 recipients), take on roles as heads of state (33), and become members of the U.S. Congress (10) and the U.N. (one secretary general).

We caught up with our president Dr. Pearse Lyons to find out why he is so excited about the acquisition of Keenan, a leading farming solutions manufacturer, in his home country of Ireland:

First of all, we are really delighted to welcome Keenan to the Alltech family. Keenan is joining a family business — a business that is not for sale and will not go public.  This coming together of our two companies is a win for both our teams.

I see this as a coming together of like-minded people. And, what makes it positive for both companies are the synergies that can occur. What makes it positive for both companies is what we can bring to farmers all around the world, with our unique technologies.

The Keenan team is going to get the benefits of our experience from having a presence in more than 120 countries around the world.  We can immediately go to our friends — and Alltech is a company of friends — in 120 countries and share the news about the Keenan “Green Machine.”  Ironically, quite a number of our colleagues not only have experience with Keenan machines, but they have actually worked for and with Keenan in places as far away as China, Australia, Canada and the Middle East.   One of our researchers did his Ph.D. on the Keenan mixer.

Keenan is on-farm and their team provides nutritional solutions direct to the farmer. Keenan and Alltech together can deliver greater value to our global farming customers with a wider variety of technological solutions. Keenan’s manufacturing strength and technological know-how provides us with a winning combination for delivering greater farm efficiency and profitability direct to our farming customers. This is a coming together of like-minded people! I firmly believe that together we are stronger.

When a local company is purchased by a global company, sometimes customers might have concerns that their experience will change.  Yes, there will be change.  We will integrate and realign synergies and get back to full performance once again in Borris, Co. Carlow. Production lines will ramp back up to full speed. Customers will receive a renewed level of support and service. We will bring positive change.

Change in life for most people creates uncertainty.  Buddha once said, “Change is never painful, only the resistance to change is painful.”  In this case, however, there is no resistance, so change will come easily.  Our acquisition of Keenan brings a change that I believe people in Borris will find very positive. Keenan is becoming part of the Alltech family and, in fact, Alltech is becoming part of the Keenan family. This is fantastic and I can’t wait for this positive outcome to play itself out in the marketplace. All I can say is this is positive.  This is just two like-minded groups coming together. We are so excited, and we see this as an opportunity of a lifetime. Welcome to our family, Keenan!

Weaning calves has always been a challenging time for producers. During this period, a calf’s immune system is not yet fully developed, which can lead to a variety of challenges, including increased costs of gain, greater chances for morbidity and higher risks for scours. Any of these individually or in combination can result in decreased profitability.

Traditionally, producers have had limited options for ensuring maximum growth and health for their calves. Some strategies include supplementing calf diets with concentrates or pushing for more intensive diet rations, while others include introducing antibiotics for growth promotion.

So, what will happen when the Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD) hits?

What is VFD and what changes will come with it?

VFD is the mechanism the FDA will use to apply veterinary oversight to a broad range of products used in animal feed, such as antibiotics. In December of 2016, VFD will be implemented to promote the judicious use of antibiotics and to protect public health by limiting the development of antibiotic resistance. In short, the upcoming directive will restrict the use of antibiotics for growth promotion and feed efficiency. Once the changes are in full effect, it will be illegal to use medically important antibiotics without a veterinary prescription and antibiotics will only be available for use to prevent, control or treat a specifically identified disease.

With these regulations in place, producers will be searching for new, viable alternatives to keep their operations profitable.

New research supports antibiotic-free program

New research from the University of Florida has been released supporting the Alltech Antibiotic-Free program. During a 52-day weaning period, Alltech’s Actigen^® was fed to calves. The focus of the demonstration was to evaluate the effects of these technologies on animal health and performance.

The results of the study demonstrated Actigen, a unique technology from Alltech, to be a cost-effective means of maintaining gut health and integrity to support performance. For producers focused on growth and feed efficiency, Actigen in weaning calves showed profitable returns on investment and overall decreases in cost of gain.

Looking to the future, Actigen and the Alltech Antibiotic-Free program will continue to address key issues for profitability in weaning calves, including developing a healthy gut and stable rumen environment. Particularly during weaning, healthy calves will eat and produce more efficiently, ensuring they can perform at their maximum potential.

The Alltech Antibiotic-Free program, including technologies like Actigen, supports producers looking for solutions to address feed efficiency and to help promote a healthy and profitable future for their operation. Alltech technologies bring together more than 35 years of research and practical application with state-of-the-art support tools and technical expertise. This gives producers a holistic approach to navigate the challenges of antibiotic-free production, and in particular, the upcoming VFD initiative.

For more information, contact your Alltech representative or visit www.alltech.com/beef.

I want to learn more about nutrition for my beef cattle.

As dairy producers begin to steadily feed out their 2015 corn silage, nutritionists might want to take a proactive approach by testing their clients’ feed bunks to see what risks may be present. Since Alltech’s 2015 North America Harvest Analysis, additional testing through the Alltech 37+® mycotoxin analysis is now indicating type A trichothecene mycotoxins are on the rise.

According to Dr. Max Hawkins, Alltech Mycotoxin Management team nutritionist, type A trichothecenes, composed of T-2, HT-2, diacetoxyscirpenol and neosolaniol, have shown an increase in levels present from 33.18 parts per billion (ppb) in September to 86.38 ppb in February (as illustrated by the trend line in Figure 1). Type A trichothecenes are now present in 46 percent of all samples of corn silage.

“The levels are higher than in years past, and exactly why that may be is difficult to identify. There may be many causes,” said Hawkins.

Type A trichothecenes are produced by Fusarium molds. Fusarium molds require moisture levels at or above 70 percent humidity as well as oxygen and a temperature range that can include cool days and nights to cool nights and hot days. Corn plants stressed from insect damage or birds, plant disease, wind and hail are always a concern for mold proliferation. Corn silages that are drier, poorly packed and allow greater oxygen penetration are also at a greater risk.

The Alltech 37+ mycotoxin analysis tested 239 corn silage samples from Sept. 1, 2015, to March 8, 2016. The average sample contained 5.28 mycotoxins. The Risk Equivalent Quantity, or the risk represented by all of the mycotoxins present, is at higher risk in 59.1 percent of all corn silage samples with another 17.7 percent at a moderate risk.

“Over 75 percent of corn silage presents an increased risk to dairy cows,” said Hawkins. “This contributes to the complexity of the mycotoxin mixture that is included into total mixed rations (TMRs) and can lead to increased mycotoxin impact on cow health and performance.”

Type B trichothecenes and fusaric acid were present in more than 90 percent of the samples, while fumonisins have been found in over 70 percent of the samples. The levels of these mycotoxin groups have remained relatively constant at a moderate-to-high risk since harvest. Type A trichothecene toxins, however, have shown a steady increase since January.

In the dairy cow, type A trichothecenes first affect the rumen where they are partially metabolized. Rumen adsorption may be increased by rumen acidosis. When cellulolytic bacteria activity decreases, protein synthesis is reduced.

The ingestion of type A trichothecenes can cause reduced feed intake, slower weight gain, decreased milk production, digestive disorders (vomiting and diarrhea), acute hemorrhagic enteritis, reproductive failure, increased mortality, hemorrhages (stomach, heart, intestine, lung, bladder, kidney), edema, dermatitis, immune suppression, abomasal and ruminal ulcers and death. Serum immunoglobulins and complement proteins are lowered in calves receiving T-2 toxin. Also, a reduction in white blood cell and neutrophil counts in calves can be observed after exposure to these types of toxins.

“The increasing level of type A trichothecenes, along with the steadily higher level of type B trichothecenes and fusaric acid, creates a combination of mycotoxins that can easily increase the risk of corn silage that is being included into the TMR,” Hawkins said.

JPW Nutrition recently utilized Alltech’s 37+ mycotoxin analysis program to test corn silage and TMR samples for some of their customers in the Midwest. The results indicated type B trichothecene toxins were most prevalent; however, type A trichothecene mycotoxins were also showing up. Jason Prins, a nutritionist with JPW Nutrition, wasn’t surprised the analysis found type A trichothecenes, as he had observed issues with stomach linings being excreted and gut health challenges on the dairies.

“From a reproduction, immune response and gut health standpoint, we need to know what type of mycotoxins are having an impact. Finding out which types of mycotoxins are present in the feed allows us to make adjustments in the diet accordingly,” said Prins. “For our clients, we have found that it is better to be proactive than reactive with these issues.”

Figure 1 - Type A Trichothecenes Risk in Corn Silage

To excel in their sport, most athletes consume a diet as carefully planned as their training regimen. Vitamins, minerals, proteins and other sports supplements enhance both their mental and physical strength. Plants respond similarly to biostimulants, which can be used to activate their metabolism and influence biological processes within the plant. 

What are biostimulants?

Biotstimulants foster plant development in a number of demonstrated ways throughout the crop lifecycle, from seed germination to plant maturity. They can be applied to plant, seed, soil or other growing media that may enhance the plant’s ability to assimilate nutrients and properly develop.

By fostering complementary soil microbes and improving metabolic efficiency, root development and nutrient delivery, biostimulants can:

• Increase yield in terms of weight, seed and fruit set.
• Enhance quality, affecting sugar content, color and shelf life.
• Improve the efficiency of water usage.
• Strengthen stress tolerance and recovery.

Currently, humic and fulvic acids constitute more than half of the biostimulant market, with seaweed extracts being secondary. Microbial extracts, plant extracts, vitamin B, chitin and chitosan round out the market offerings, according to the 2nd World Congress on the use of Biostimulants in Agriculture in November 2015.

Other names for biostimulants include plant strengtheners and conditioners, phytostimulants, bioactivators and soil, yield, crop and plant growth enhancers. Despite their increasing use, at this point, no country in the world has a regulatory framework that defines specifically what is a biostimulant.

Why are they being used?

The global market for biostimulants is projected to increase 12 percent per year and tip past the $2 billion sales mark by 2018, according to a November 2015 Markets and Markets report. There are multiple contributors to this rise:

• Proven performance and acceptance from NGOs, governmental bodies and academia.
• Increased commercial customization of solutions.
• The need to restore degraded soil.
• Demand from farmers and consumers for environmentally safe and organic products that provide alternatives to synthetic inputs.
• Increasing agronomic production demands.

Presently, Europe represents the lion’s share of the biostimulant market at 42 percent. North America and Asia are estimated to have approximately 20 percent market share each, with Latin America at 13 percent, according to the 2nd World Congress on the use of Biostimulants in Agriculture in November 2015.