Something all poultry businesses have in common is that feed costs represent the biggest portion of production expenses. Integrators therefore spend a large part of their time looking at ways to cut dollars and cents out of their feed costs. In fact, the average million birds per week complex will save an estimated $313,500 per year by reducing feed costs by just $1 per ton. What many don’t know is that a lot of the wasted money is the result of undigested feed.

Many studies have found a direct relationship between feed efficiency (FE), and overall poultry health, performance, uniformity and quality. This is because FE impacts the microbial balance in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) of poultry. Proper FE has been shown to reduce the amount of undigested energy available to pathogenic bacteria in the lower gut. Further, enzymes that help break down indigestible feedstuffs have also been shown to have a prebiotic effect by producing oligosaccharides in the upper part of the GIT. Collectively these two health benefits can potentially save integrators money by improving the health and performance of their flocks.

The Agristats^® report for March 2015 reveals how even minor performance changes can have a major impact in poultry operations:

(Applicable to a 1 million birds per week complex)

1. Parent Breeding:
   • Change of 1% in rate of lay represents $173,000/year
   • Change of 1 chick produced/hen/year represents $265,000/year
2. Hatching:
   • Change of 1% in hatchability represents $33,000/year
   • Change of 1 cent/chick cost represents $543,000/year
3. Broiler Growing:
   • Change of 1% in mortality represents $241,000/year
   • Change of 0.25% in condemnation represents $267,000/year

Getting the most from your feed

Alltech^® True Check^™ is an example of an in vitro digestion system developed to evaluate diets and impacts of feed technology in monogastric animals. Utilizing samples of feed, Alltech True Check mimics the real-life conditions of the animal’s digestive system.

Alltech True Check has the ability to screen diets or individual feed components with and without feed technologies more rapidly and economically than costly animal trials.  After digestion is simulated, nutrient availability and digestibility values are obtained that can help integrators see potential cost savings. Ask your Alltech representative about True Check and unlock the hidden potential in your poultry feed.

“True Check is a game changer since it allows us to graphically show our clients how effective their feed is at releasing digestible nutrients,” said Paulo Rigolin, Alltech poultry director.

Robert Walker, Alltech Crop Science 

Today more than 800 million people face hunger and malnutrition. As the population grows, food production will have to increase by approximately 60 percent by 2050. How do we feed, fuel and support the growing world population? 

Currently 33 percent of world soils are under severe pressure from human activities that degrade and sometimes eliminate essential soil functions. At Crop Science: Growing the Revolution symposium, Robert Walker, general manager of Alltech Crop Science, addressed the importance of soil.

“It takes 2,000 years for 10 centimetres of topsoil to form, and there are only 100 harvests left in UK soils,” said Walker, noting that a recent trial carried out in the UK found that city soils had 33 percent more carbon and 25 percent more nitrogen than their agriculture counterparts. Yet, he said, the agricultural soils produce more food.

The United Nations General Assembly declared 2015 the International Year of Soils, and Alltech continues to highlight its importance in the food chain. Soil has a lot more to offer than just food production – soil microbes must be explored.

“We have only identified 2 percent of all microbes in the soil. We need to be looking at the other 98 percent,” added Walker, underscoring that it has been 30 years since the last antibiotic was brought to market. Recently scientists found 25 new antibiotics in the soil so the potential is out there.

“Microbes in soil make the plant more resistant to pathogens. By adding microbes to the soil, it can add a lot of money to your yield. It's a business that is going to double in value,” Walker said.

Crop science has huge growth potential. We need to ask ourselves why big companies like Syngenta, Monsanto and Bayer Crop Science are acquiring interests in or entering the bio market. There is so much more to soil than meets the eye.

When North American shoppers think of farmed seafood, if they think of it at all, they probably think of farm-raised salmon, catfish or tilapia. They might not be very familiar with the word “aquaculture”. They may even think of it as a novelty, something they are unsure of. As they look at the labels in the seafood case they may think of negative and positive messages they have heard about farm-raised fish. Should they buy it because it is preserving wild fish populations or should they avoid it because it is polluting our waters? Most of us still have a lot to learn about aquaculture.

Industry experts gathered for the Aquaculture session at Alltech’s REBELation today. Vaun Cummins, Alltech’s senior aquaculture technician covered some of the milestones that have been hit over the past 50 years by an industry that, in actuality, represents a major segment of the global agriculture and food industries.

Here are a few things that will probably surprise you about aquaculture and the traditional fishing industry:

• Fishing is the last significant form of hunting and gathering. However, the annual global wild catch hit its apparent limit in the early 1980s. Each year more of our seafood demand is met by aquaculture (which is just another form of agriculture).
   
• Nearly 90% of aquaculture production is in Asia, where carp are very popular. In fact 6 of the top 10 global aquaculture species are carp.
   
• In the early 1970s, the total quantity of farmed fish produced in the world was about 3 million tons, a tiny fraction of worldwide meat consumption. Now aquaculture is the fastest growing animal food production activity and in 2012 global aquaculture production reached 66 million tons, surpassing global beef production by 3 million tons.
   
• Over the last 50 years the supply of seafood has grown at about 3.2% per year, twice the rate of world population growth. For many people fish is more plentiful than ever before.
   
• Aquaculture, like any form of agriculture, can be practiced sustainably or unsustainably. Many producers are currently using methods like recirculating systems, aquaponics, multi-trophic or offshore systems to minimize environmental impact.

Today we are proud to announce a major acquisition that we believe will allow us to deliver even better service and greater value to our customers globally. This morning we announced an agreement to acquire Ridley Inc., one of the leading commercial animal nutrition companies in North America. This deal is a “win-win” for customers of both companies.

Ridley produces some of the industry’s best-selling and most widely-recognized blocks and nutrition supplements. Together, Alltech and Ridley will become a global leader in animal health and nutrition with annual revenues in excess of $1.6 billion and an unrivaled platform for growth across local, North American and international markets.

Improved animal nutrition is a pressing need for the productivity of the world’s livestock and food chain. Feed costs comprise the majority of livestock production costs. By improving nutrition, livestock and poultry producers are able to realize a significant increase in efficiencies and return on investment. Alltech’s continued commitment to tailoring nutrition and health programs with a focus on natural, antibiotic free ingredients, allows livestock and poultry producers to raise healthier animals through a process that is more beneficial for animals, consumers and the environment.

This growth opportunity will create better access for livestock and poultry producers to superior nutrition solutions by combining Ridley’s extensive on-farm presence and dealer distribution network in North America with Alltech’s cutting-edge animal nutrition technologies. Livestock and poultry producers in North America will have unparalled access to Alltech’s leading nutrition technology and the company’s additional suite of services, including financial, crop enhancement and sustainability programs.

Given Alltech’s global reach, this deal will also allow Ridley the opportunity to globalize its solutions. Customers outside of North America will now gain access to Ridley’s well known blocks and nutrition supplements.

I’m proud to say that our combined commitment to R&D and innovation will remain unwavering. Alltech spends approximately 10 percent of its gross revenue on R&D, more than any other company in the industry and Ridley has a strong technical team with over 40 advanced degrees who will now be working side-by-side with Alltech’s team of approximately 150 PhDs. This deal will further deepen Alltech’s commitment to science and allow us to bring more advanced animal nutrition solutions to livestock and poultry producers around the world.

We’re thrilled to welcome the Ridley team to Alltech, and we’ll have more to share about our integration soon. 

Stress can affect your body, your thoughts and feelings, and your behavior. Stress causes our cortisol levels to rise. Cortisol can cause food cravings, usually for high carbohydrate or sweet foods. Not only do many people turn to food as a comfort during stressful times, they also tend to consume more highly refined carbohydrates like white pasta, bread, rice, bagels, chips, crackers, baked goods and other sweets. Although these foods may provide quick and immediate comfort, the more of them we eat, the worse our mood gets. High intake of these foods leads to crashes that may increase susceptibility to new stress. After a spike in blood sugar caused by eating a large amount of highly refined carbohydrates, it’s common to experience mental fog, tiredness, anxiety and irritability, all of which may exacerbate existing stress.

Cortisol also activates an enzyme in our fat cells. Visceral fat cells – the fat found around vital organs in our abdomen – have significantly more of these enzymes than subcutaneous fat – the fat just below the skin on other areas of the body like legs and buttocks – which is why stress causes belly fat accumulation. The more stress a person has, the more abdominal obesity can occur, which is linked to a greater risk for heart disease and diabetes.

Luckily, there are other components of food that can help regulate stress by providing specific nutrients or sustained energy.

Better mood foods

DHA omega-3

This essential fatty acid has been studied for its positive effects on mood and protection of our brain against chronic stress. Increasing dietary intake of DHA omega-3 may help prevent the harmful effects of chronic stress and the development of stress-related disorders such as depression and anxiety.

Better Mood Foods: DHA-enriched eggs, meat and milk, salmon, mackerel and sardines

Zinc

Diets low in zinc have been linked to anxiety and depression. A daily intake is required, as our body doesn’t have a zinc storage system.

Better Mood Foods: oysters, beef, crab, lobster, chicken, turkey, beans and nuts

Magnesium

This mineral has been called “the original chill pill” for its role in regulating cortisol levels and its ability to prevent the entrance of stress hormones to the brain.

Better Mood Foods: spinach, whole grains, legumes, potatoes, avocados, nuts and seeds

Vitamin B6

An important function of vitamin B6 is helping to produce serotonin and norephinephrine, both of which positively influence mood.

Better Mood Foods: chickpeas, tuna, salmon, chicken and turkey

Whole grains

Both simple (white bread and pasta, bagels, baked goods, etc.) and complex (whole grain bread and pasta, oatmeal, etc.) carbohydrates are turned into glucose, a type of sugar used as fuel by the body. However, complex carbohydrates contain vitamins, minerals and fiber that slow the release of glucose into the blood stream, providing the body a steady supply of energy, as well as serotonin, a “feel good” chemical.

Better Mood Foods: oatmeal, brown rice, whole grain bread and pasta, quinoa and popcorn

The information is not intended as medical advice. Please consult a medical professional for individual advice.

My Favourite Farmer has to be my 85 year-old father-in-law Martin Noone, who has dedicated his whole life to his family and his farm. The interest and dedication he shows his livestock is truly admirable and he looks after them just like family.

In telling us all about the past he has embraced the future too and is not afraid to fork out for new technology if it helps the farm be more safe and efficient. His education of his grandchildren in the proper ways of the farm is inspiring. He grows his own vegetables and potatoes and always uses fresh horse dung on his spent rhubarb.

He is a farmer who I have never seen agitated on his farm. He always seems to be in control and is willing to give any situation the right amount of time in order to get the right outcome. I have been with him many late nites during Lambing season and helping him pull a calf and the empathy and understanding he shows his stock is unique.

Martin is a small west of Ireland farmer from Cong whose farm is a credit to him and a safe place for his grand children to learn the proper ways of farming. Martin is very conscious of what he puts into his farm and the impact it might have on the farm or the local environment. He is a great neighbour and is always there if you need him. Martin and his wife Mary never took holidays until recently because they were too afraid to leave the farm.

Robert is competing in Alltech’s Favorite Farmer Contest. The photo with the most likes on our Facebook page will win a trip to the Alltech REBELation in Lexington, KY. It’s an opportunity to meet farmers and other agriculture people from all over the world.

Vote for Robert by liking the photo here.