If you have read any of Alltech’s other blog posts on mycotoxins, you know the many hazardous effects mycotoxins may have on livestock animals. In poultry production alone, mycotoxins have been linked to mouth lesions, yellow livers, gizzard erosions and poor gut integrity. Many of the world’s biggest poultry integrators pay very close attention to their grain and feed quality because of the effects these challenges may have on poultry health and on profit margins.

When it comes to organic poultry production, however, the more stringent regulations also present unique challenges.

First, there is the challenge of supply and demand. According to a survey conducted in 2014 by the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, sales of U.S. organic products have increased 72 percent since 2008. Demand for organic and non-GMO broiler chickens, turkeys and eggs is also strong and is expected to double in the next decade. In response to the increase in demand, local producers have been expanding their organic and non-GMO production. A 2016 article from WattAgNet.com summarizes the rapid growth that organic poultry has had. From 2000 to 2014, organic broiler production grew by 96 percent, organic layer flocks grew by 89 percent and turkey production grew by 35 percent.

Even though the poultry industry has been very quick to respond to consumer demands, the supply of certified organic and non-GMO grains has been slower to react.

The U.S. is the largest corn producer in the world, but in 2011 it was estimated that organic corn represented only 0.26 percent of production. Today, about 4 percent of food sales are organic while only 0.5 percent of U.S. farm acreage is dedicated organic. With a limited supply, buyers are often forced to accept higher levels of broken kernels and imperfections in their grain.

The case for grain quality

Grains with broken kernels and imperfections usually contain higher levels of molds and mycotoxins. Most of the mycotoxin-producing species of molds are soil-born fungi, which can survive and remain in fields for long periods of time. With modern agricultural practices such as no-till methods, incidences of fungal contamination appear to be increasing. The presence of corn stems and infected ears remaining on the soil surface from one year to another may serve as a source of inoculums, contributing to the increased incidence of contaminated grains (Mora and Moreno, 1984).

According to Duarte et al. (2008), fungicides can reduce the incidence of Fusarium molds in corn grain, but the use of fungicides is not allowed when growing organic corn. 

Managing a hidden mycotoxin threat

To protect our food chain, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration imposes limits for mycotoxin levels in food and feed. This was highlighted in a 2016 alert by the National Grain and Feed Association to remind everyone of the acceptable levels. To meet the standards of organic production as well as these limits, organic producers are limited in terms of mycotoxin risk management and gut health prevention tools.

Management strategies and the implementation of a thorough program are necessary to prevent exposure to mycotoxins. Checking grain quality by utilizing industry-approved standards to collect samples and submitting them to a high-standard testing laboratory is a good start, followed by routine maintenance of feed mills to eliminate possible contamination in the milling process. Certified organic mycotoxin control agents in the diets should also be utilized to help prevent or offset the impacts mycotoxins can have on overall performance.

To learn more about Alltech’s program for managing mycotoxins, visit www.knowmycotoxins.com.

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The way producers use and purchase antibiotics has begun to change, with further regulations from the Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD) going into effect Jan. 1, 2017. What restrictions are being put into place? How will they affect producers? What do you need to know to be prepared? Dr. Darrell Johnson, director of regulatory services at the University of Kentucky, shared all you need to know in the webinar “What does the VFD mean for me?” Here, we look at some of the highlights.

Antibiotic usage has traditionally had four purposes: treatment, control, prevention of illness and low-level feeding to promote feed efficiency. Moving forward, feeding antibiotics for feed efficiency will be eliminated completely, and only on-label use of antibiotics will be allowed. Antibiotics for the first three reasons listed above will be allowed, but only with a veterinary feed directive if in feed or a prescription if in water. Injectables are not affected at this time.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found in a 2013 report that half of prescriptions given to humans are unnecessary. This misuse contributes to growing antimicrobial resistance as bacteria become resistant to drugs to which they are exposed. Though it is uncertain what role antibiotic use in livestock production plays in the overall problem, the FDA is already taking preventive action regarding antibiotic use in livestock, targeting drugs that are medically important to humans.

Veterinarians will begin to play an even more critical role than before in the feeding of antibiotics through feed or water, since the status of many antibiotics will be changed from over-the-counter to prescription or veterinary feed directive only. The goal is to keep veterinarians involved in decision making about the feeding of these drugs, even though a veterinarian is not required for their administration.

Antibiotics affected by the U.S. Veterinary Feed Directive 

Starting Jan. 1, 2017, the following antibiotics will require a prescription:

7 key takeaways

• As of Jan. 1, 2017, claims for production and feed efficiency on veterinary feed directive medications will be eliminated.
• Sales of these drugs will require a veterinary feed directive if going into feed and a prescription if going into water.
• Feed companies and distributors will have to register with the FDA if distributing veterinary feed directive feeds.
• Veterinarians must prescribe the veterinary feed directive and retain the original copy, and both client and distributor must maintain a copy for two years.
• Veterinarians must have a valid veterinarian-client-patient relationship to write a veterinary feed directive prescription.
• Veterinary feed directive prescriptions may be sent to distributors by veterinarians or by hard copy delivered by clients.
• Manufacturers of the drugs will assist vets and feed companies with the paperwork.

Because of these changes, it’s more important than ever to learn about options and opportunities to help maintain health and growth in livestock.  Bio-Mos® and Actigen® are unique feed supplements of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which benefits dairy cattle by fundamentally maintaining gut health and stability. To learn more about non-antibiotic options, contact your local Alltech office.

Click here to view the webinar.

For more information, visit:

University of Kentucky Division of Regulatory Services: www.rs.uky.edu

Feedstuffs: http://feedstuffs.com/vfd.aspx          

FDA Website: http://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/DevelopmentApprovalProcess/ucm071807.htm   

Downloadable poster: http://www.rs.uky.edu/regulatory/feed/vfd/vfdnotice.pdf               

Combatting stressors in coffee production

In many homes throughout the world, the day starts with a cup of coffee. Very likely, that cup originated in Brazil and, particularly, in Minas Gerais.   

Minas Gerais, the fourth-largest state in Brazil and second only to São Paulo in population, offers great diversity not only in geography, but in agriculture. Varying climates, soil types and elevations make it possible for the state to produce crops ranging from bananas and corn to potatoes and sugar cane, with coffee being the state’s number one crop.  

This variability in terrain also leads to adverse conditions for the coffee plant caused by temperature, nutritional deficiencies and higher relative humidity, which affect the final formation of the coffee. Proper plant nutrition can aid the plants in combating these stressors and reaching their production potential.

Recently, Alltech Crop Science opened a new production facility in Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, which will not only increase opportunities for residents in the area, but will provide greater availability and quality of service for growers in the region.

“The city is a prime example of logistic infrastructure for Brazil, so moving to this area (the Triângulo Mineiro) will benefit many of our customers,” said Ney Ibrahim, director of Alltech Crop Science in Brazil.  

Marcelo Vieira, a producer who grows approximately 500 acres of coffee, has been using the Alltech Crop Science solutions on his operation for several years and has seen greater uniformity and improvement in plant health.

“Later, these positive aspects are reflected in the mature coffee and in the quality of the beverage and, of course, in our pockets,” affirmed Vieira.  

Vieira’s results illustrate Ibrahim’s vision for Brazil – a growing realization that better solutions and management practices lead to greater results. 
 

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According to the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, a record $6.5 billion in agricultural cash receipts was reached for Kentucky in 2014. Yet, while wheat is a staple for Kentucky farmers, profitability remains challenging.

Alltech Crop Science has conducted trials on 82 crops in 34 countries, but they also believe in working with local universities to provide cutting-edge technology for the state’s grain crops.  The challenges faced with wheat in particular represented an opportunity for research to deliver practical solutions. Therefore, Chelsea Jacobson, Alltech Crop Science research coordinator, recently conducted a nearly yearlong trial in partnership with the University of Kentucky to study the effect of amino acids on soft red winter wheat production.

The research focused on the foliar application of nitrogen (25–75 percent protein) in the form of amino acids at two key stages:

1. Late tillering (Feekes Growth Scale 3–4)
2. Early boot (Feekes 7–9)

The timing of the first application was important for several reasons, said Jacobson.

“Tillering begins in fall and will not be complete until early spring,” she said. “Head size is determined during this stage, as well as the number of spikelets per spike.”

Both of these play a key role in grain yield.

It’s important for producers to take measures to improve yield before Feekes 5, Jacobson noted, as the wheat plants emerge from the cold period of weather. The second application, at early boot stage, is just as critical.

“It’s important to protect the flag leaf from disease and other stressors during this time,” added Jacobson. “This supports grain fill and is crucial to high yield.”

The study showed a numerical increase in grain yield and test weight for the treated wheat compared to the control, reported Jacobson. One amino acid treatment showed a yield advantage of 4 bushels per acre.

Another benefit was a numerical decrease in grain moisture at maturity.

“This can help farmers get into their fields quicker and get their crops harvested,” noted Jacobson.  

Organic nitrogen delivered to the plant in the form of amino acids provides a source of organic carbon to encourage soil microbial populations.

“Plants must synthesize their own amino acids,” reported Jacobson. “This technology can ultimately reduce the plant’s workload and allow for an optimized uptake of plant nutrients.”  

Alltech’s unique fermentation technology provided a nutrient-dense application. Products in the company’s nutrition portfolio have a consistent profile of 18–20 amino acids.

“Through proper nutrition, plants can reach their maximum genetic potential,” said Jacobson.  

While yield and return on investment are key to today’s commodity prices, natural nutrition can in many cases also help farmers reduce the need for synthetic inputs.

“It’s all about keeping plants healthy and taking a more natural, bioavailable approach,” concluded Jacobson. “Farmers are looking for alternatives to synthetic chemistry. This new research shows the benefits of amino acid technology.”

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 The following is an excerpt from a post by Chief Innovation Officer Aidan Connolly on LinkedIn.

For the first time, perhaps in history, the biggest challenges facing the food chain involve not just productivity, but the environmental impact of production and the social impact of both production processes and the food itself. A paper published by Alltech five years ago and is about to be republished, uses the acronym GLIMPSE™ to summarize the seven factors (Government, Losses, Infrastructure, Markets, People, Science and Innovation, and Environment) that limit farmers from producing the food we will need.

A new in-depth study (Sodre et al) has been conducted with three distinct parts: 59 interviews with experts; a survey with 527 industry leaders; and an analysis of 1.3 million websites using different social media applications to determine public perception and to validate the initial research, which will determine if the same factors originally identified in the GLIMPSE framework still represent the major concerns and barriers for the agribusiness sector.

To discover the seven barriers farmers face in feeding the world, read the rest of Aidan's post.

Annual profitability is almost always decided in the long, hot months of summer. As cattle try to beat the summer temperatures and still gain efficiently, the bottom line for producers is at stake. Take a look at these tips to ensure you are optimizing your feed efficiency for the second half of 2016.

1. Define “efficiency” appropriately

Choosing an exact and agreed upon definition for “efficiency” among producers is never easy. Should an efficient operation simply focus on increasing the output of carcass weight compared to days on feed? Or should metrics, such as overall cost of gain, feed conversion ratio or overall feed costs, play a more significant role in determining true profitability?  

Though there will be disagreement among producers, there are two appropriate features constant in defining an efficient operation. The first is determining what exactly is the total sum of inputs needed to drive a specific output, and if that could be done better (the most basic definition of efficiency). Unfortunately, many of these may be unseen or unknown by a producer, such as more efficient management techniques, new technologies to implement or unforeseen environmental concerns, among many others.

The second part of an efficient operation is to ensure that current practices promote a viable and profitable system for the foreseeable future. Producing “efficiently” with diminishing returns in the long run only hurts the industry as a whole.

2. Use technology to manage your diet

Using technology to promote efficiency is a constantly growing opportunity for producers. At Alltech, recent developments in regard to in vitro fermentation have yielded encouraging news. The Alltech® In Vitro Fermentation Model (IFM) is a diagnostic tool that simulates rumen fermentation and evaluates the nutritional value of a total mixed ration in terms of digestibility and end products of fermentation.

Recently, demonstrations have been done using IFM to test the nutritive quality of pasture grasses in Florida. Test samples of grass were sent to the Alltech IFM lab in Brookings, South Dakota, and were tested both with and without the Alltech® Feed Efficiency technology, Fibrozyme®. Fibrozyme is a unique hemicellulose-degrading enzyme that enhances the rate of digestion in the rumen of beef cattle. The enzyme technology in Fibrozyme holds the key to unlocking challenges associated with fiber digestibility.

Functionally, what the IFM shows is that, when used in a ration, Fibrozyme can immediately begin breaking down the cell wall fraction of plant fiber in the rumen environment. This quick action jump-starts fiber digestion by providing bacteria with both easily available nutrients and easier access to other plant structures. These types of technologies and feeding models can help producers drive efficiency for their operations.

3. Know what lies ahead

2017 will be marked as a year of major changes in the beef industry. On Jan. 1, 2017, the Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD) will be implemented in the United States by the Food and Drug Administration to apply veterinary oversight to a broad range of products used in animal feed, such as antibiotics. The VFD will be implemented to promote the judicious use of antibiotics in an effort to safeguard public health by limiting the development of antibiotic resistance. This will restrict any antibiotic use for growth promotion or feed efficiency. Once the changes are in full effect, it will be illegal to use medically important antibiotics without a veterinary prescription and they will only be available for use to prevent, control or treat a specifically identified disease.

This is important to efficiency because, as cattle are placed either in feedlots or on pasture-based programs, certain technologies during their feeding cycle may be removed and their diet will change. These changes could affect efficiency in a negative way. Producers need to plan ahead and begin to look at alternative production methods that promote profitable efficiency in line with the VFD regulations.

4. Get more for your efforts

Efficiency doesn’t just mean getting the most from your cattle; it also means finding markets and opportunities that help you get the highest return on your investment. Be selective in choosing the best suppliers and accreditations. Know the expected return on investment and aggressively pursue these premiums for your cattle.  Remember, feed represents up to 70 percent of your operations costs — make the most out of every dollar you spend.

Alltech recently partnered with Where Food Comes From, the parent company of IMI Global, and became their first Feed Verified partner. Fifteen Alltech technologies were verified through this program for clear, direct use in all verified natural, antibiotic-free, Non-Hormone Treated Cattle (NHTC), GAP certified and Non-GMO Project Verified programs. Producers using these technologies can now efficiently benefit from the premiums found from supplying cattle to the European Union or other specialty markets.

5. Continue to ask around!

Lastly, but certainly not least, continue to look around and ask questions on how production can be done better, especially in the hot summer heat when cattle stress is at its highest. At Alltech, we are taking these challenges head-on through a series of informative, free webinars for producers. Listen to a recording of our most recent webinar here, which focused on:

• Understanding how to spot the signs of heat stress in beef cattle.
• Learning how nutrition can impact heat stress.
• Implementing strategies to manage heat stress.
• Improving overall cattle performance.

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

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

As China’s middle class continues to grow and to migrate to urban areas, it is demanding healthier, safer and more nutritious food. To help meet this demand at a local level, Dr. Mark Lyons moved to China four years ago to lead Alltech’s efforts and serves as global vice president and head of Greater China.

The company established Alltech Crop Science China, and Dr. Xue Kai serves as its technical and product manager. Dr. Steven Borst, general manager for Alltech Crop Science, is responsible for global product registration. These three experts shared their insights on how the company is helping local producers increase production efficiency in a sustainable way.
 

Why is there an emphasis on China?

Dr. Lyons: Globally, China is the second largest producer of potatoes, wheat, corn and other commodities. For years, there has been much discussion about who will feed China. The answer is: China will feed China.

As Chinese consumers travel globally, they are becoming aware of cutting-edge technology and expect that same level of knowledge in China. Alltech is committed to providing technology at a local level to meet growing global needs and will provide the best staff to support local producers.

Which crop science products will help serve this market?

Dr. Kai: Alltech Crop Science China has worked to gain product approval for two of the company’s natural plant and soil activators. The company is now finalizing registration of its unique products, designed to streamline processes for optimal performance and help revitalize soils.

The excellent results from the registration and demonstration trials conducted thus far make us extremely excited about the future of this technology in China and the role Alltech can play to support the development of new agricultural practices in this country.
 

How is Alltech supporting other efforts in China?
 

Dr. Lyons: Alltech’s China Now program is a strategic five-year plan and includes numerous educational and research initiatives in China. The company has been operating in China for 22 years and has recently partnered with Nestlé in the creation of a world-class training center, the Dairy Farming Institute in Shuangcheng, Heilongjiang province. In addition, 10 of the company’s 30 research alliances are focused on providing local support for this growing region.
 

What are future challenges and opportunities in China?
 

Dr. Borst: As Chinese producers work on continued production efficiency, they are also awakening to the same issues we are successfully addressing in the U.S. and Brazil. Common issues include addressing nutrient management needs not only for soil health, but as part of integrated crop and livestock systems.

Across the globe, farmers are working to become more precise with nutrient management. With our global expertise, we can share best practices with producers and others involved in Chinese agribusiness.

Consumers and producers alike are demanding more natural alternatives and products that fit into sustainable management systems. We are focused on providing new solutions that meet environmental sustainability and food safety standards.
 

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In the United States and Canada, the poultry industry’s standard performance measurement is the feed conversion ratio (FCR). Calculating FCR is as simple as taking the total amount of feed consumed by the flock and dividing it by the amount of weight gained or the number of eggs produced. In other words, FCR equals input divided by output. For broiler producers, an FCR of 1.6 means that their chickens gain 1 kilogram of weight for every 1.6 kilograms of feed consumed. The lower the FCR, the more efficient animals are at converting feed into food.

Since the 1980s, poultry producers have been able to reduce their feed conversion ratios from producing a bird weighing 2 kilograms in 70 days with an FCR of 2.5 to a bird weighing the same in 29 days with an FCR of 1.5 today. This means that fewer grains are being used to produce more meat and eggs. The industry made this leap using two key strategies: genetic improvements and the inclusion of exogenous enzymes.

Exogenous enzymes allow producers to get more energy, phosphorus and amino acids from their diets, and the international unit for measuring enzyme activity is the katal. The katal represents 1 mol of substrate per second; however, the most valued unit for comparative purposes in the animal industry is the amount of the enzyme in milligrams needed to catalyze the reaction of a particular substrate, releasing 1 micromol of a final product in one minute.

It is far more difficult for producers to determine the effect a particular enzyme will have on their flock’s efficiency. Most producers will need to run field trials in order to see how the inclusion of a particular enzyme will impact their FCR. These trials can be complicated, due to the number of variables involved, and they can be very expensive, too. Being able to measure how effective a particular diet is at providing nutrients for digestion before it is fed to the animals can give a great advantage to poultry producers.

Tools like Alltech True Check™ in vitro screening can allow producers to do just that. True Check simulates poultry digestion in the lab utilizing samples of feed. This tool mimics the real life conditions of the animal’s digestive system and shows producers the amount of nutrients that are being released for digestion. With True Check, producers can do side-by-side comparisons of multiple feeding strategies and choose the one that will minimize their FCR and improve their flock’s performance the most.   

Measuring and projecting performance allows poultry producers to choose the feeding strategy that reduces their feed costs and, as a result, gives them the best chances for increasing profitability. After all, the industry can only improve what it can measure.

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With temperatures exceeding 80⁰ Fahrenheit (F), cows can produce 4,500 to 6,000 British thermal units (BTU) per hour, an amount similar to the output of a 1,500-watt hair dryer. Heat can have serious manifestations in the dairy cow, resulting in effects such as (but not limited to):

• Lower production

• Rumen acidosis

• Milk fat depression  

• Poor reproduction

• Laminitis/lameness

• Weakened immune system

• Mastitis

• Transition disease (retained placenta, displaced abomasum, etc.)

• Lower body condition  score

It is only natural when cows are moved to a small space, such as the holding pen, that body temperatures rise. Research shows that a cow’s body temperature will increase by 3⁰ F in 20 minutes in a holding pen where there’s no cooling. By contrast, a cow’s body temperature will drop by 3.5⁰ F in that same 20 minutes when fans and a soaker system are used. Research by the University of Arizona showed that simply cooling cows in the holding pen increased milk production by 1.7 pounds per day in the summer.

There are can be adverse effects when developing a cooling system for holding pens if incorrectly applied. Water without fans will lead to increased humidity and heat stress in the holding pen, creating a “sauna” effect. Heat stress is a result of both temperature and humidity. The temperature-humidity index (THI) threshold for reproduction is 65,which is lower than the THI of 68 for milk production

Holding pen cooling tips:             

• Mount fans in rows, with airflow toward the back of the holding pen.
• Place 36-inch fans every 20 to 24 feet, or place 48-inch fans every 24 to 36 feet.
• Put 3 feet between fans (for example, between 36-inch fans mounted on 6-inch centers).
• Fan height should be a minimum of 8 feet, as low as possible but out of reach of cows and machinery.
• Mount fans higher if drop hose soakers like i-Wobs are used.
• For narrow holding pens (less than 24 feet) or pens with low ceilings, fans can be alongside the pen.
• Move air across and toward the back of the holding pen.
• Take advantage of prevailing winds.*

*Prevailing winds may be blocked by cattle, freestall dividers or headlocks. Wind speed is typically variable and is not dependable for adequate cooling of cattle.

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