Alltech now collects data from 144 countries and nearly 30,000 feed mills to compile its annual Alltech Global Feed Survey. This data collection is a major undertaking, made possible only through Alltech’s global reach.

However, the real work (and fun!) begins when all the data is received, and we have the opportunity to dig deep for insights and trends. We seek to answer the following questions:

Which countries are growing the fastest? Which species saw declines in production? Are any major players slowing down? What are the surprises?

The data presents seemingly endless opportunities for comparison, and we’ve decided to share 18 of the facts we’ve found most interesting from our 2018 data. Perhaps this will serve as “food” for your next dinner conversation!

1. The top eight countries produce 55% of the world’s feed production.
2. Vietnam saw an increase of nearly 1 million metric tons of aquaculture feed, contributing to the estimated 6% growth of the Asia-Pacific region’s aquaculture feed production in 2018.
3. Morocco saw the largest growth of any country in Africa thanks to the addition of two new feed mills as well as an extension to an existing feed mill late last year.
4. Although not typically known for its pig production, India took a big leap in pig feed production in 2018. Why? The industry is trending toward more organized farming in areas like Kerala and Punjab, with new feed millers contributing to this growth.
5. Where’s the beef? Feed production for beef was stagnant this year. Not only that, but the third-largest producing region, Asia-Pacific, dropped enough to let Latin America step up and take the bronze.
6. Southeast Asia’s feed production represents over 20% of the Asia-Pacific region’s feed production. Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines and Thailand carry most of the weight and contribute to 93% of Southeast Asia’s feed production.
7. Showing 7% growth last year and 13% this year, India is clearly growing its feed production at a rapid clip, not just in one, but in all species! From aquafeed to goat grains, India’s feed production increased across all 13 categories we assess.
8. The European Union (EU) countries contribute to more than 50% of all major species feed production in Europe (with the exception of aquafeed).
9. Norway is Europe’s largest producer of aquafeed, contributing 45% of the region’s total aquafeed production.
10. Layer feed grew by 4% globally, indicating a growing need and continued interest in this efficient protein source.
11. After years battling African swine fever, Estonia is back in the game, showing a more than three-fold increase in pig feed production over last year.
12. Eighty percent of European turkey feed production occurs in the EU.
13. Higher costs of corn and soy reduced Brazil’s broiler feed production by 2%, eating away at the entire region’s total and making Latin America the only region to see a decrease in broiler feed production in 2018.
14. Dairy showed growth in all regions, indicating the ongoing affinity for this protein source.
15. Africa’s feed production grew the most of any region at 5%. Expected to have one of the fastest-growing populations, how will this region farm in the future? Will it embrace conventional farming or leapfrog other methods and embrace Agriculture 4.0?
16. Turkey feed saw a big leap in Spain with an additional 300,000 tons of feed estimated in 2018.
17. Pet feed reassessed: It turns out Europe is not the primary producer as originally thought! North America leads by about 200,000 tons of feed, making it a close race. With a renewed focus on value rather than volume in the pet food sector, who will lead in 2019 and beyond?
18. Insect protein is working its way into aquaculture feed production. It’s possible Alltech will include this new alternative feed source in future surveys!
19. The North American regions continues its steady course of 2% growth; the biggest contributors to this increase were beef and broiler each at 3%.

These quick facts are just a few of the insights we can derive from the Alltech Global Feed Survey. To discover more from the 2019 Alltech Global Feed Survey, including the results booklet, an interactive global map with information from each country and a presentation of the results, visit alltechfeedsurvey.com. 

Download Survey [+]

Watch Recorded Webinar [+]

Molds and mycotoxins can be detrimental to both crops and livestock feed. Toxin-producing molds may invade plant material in the field before harvest, during post-harvest handling and storage, and during processing into food and feed products. Prevention through sound management practices is essential, since there are limited ways to completely overcome problems once mycotoxins are present. 

1. Understanding contamination:

Plants are infected with mold and mycotoxins when spores of certain diseases are released and blown onto plants and soil. Spores can overwinter in the soil, leading to infection in the following years. 

2. Prevention:

Three steps can aid in the prevention of mycotoxin infestations. The first step should be to act before any infection has occurred. If that is not possible, you should act during the period of fungal invasion of the plant material and mycotoxin production. If, unfortunately, you should miss either of those opportunities, action should instead be initiated when the agricultural products have been identified as heavily contaminated. Most of your efforts should be concentrated on the two first steps because once mycotoxins are present, they are difficult to eliminate. 

• A list of recommendations for attempting to limit mycotoxin presence in corn has been released by the North Carolina State University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. The suggested steps include:

  • Early planting

  • Reducing drought stress

  • Minimizing insect damage

  • Early harvest

  • Avoiding kernel damage during harvest

  • Drying and storing corn properly

  • Disposing of corn screenings instead of feeding them to animals

3. Seed hybrids:

If mycotoxins or diseases have been present in previous years, selecting seed hybrids that are resistant to them can reduce the risk and/or the severity of the infection. Some diseases can also be seed-borne, so it is important to be selective with the seed hybrids chosen for upcoming years.

4. Crop rotation and tillage:

Due to the cycle of fungi and spores wintering in the soil and on crop residues, increased tillage and crop rotation are recommended to help control crop residues and potential mycotoxin contamination. Removal, burning or burial of crop residues aids in the reduction of Fusarium inoculum, which could affect the subsequent crop. 

5. Planting date:

The date when seeds or seedlings are planted can also affect the contamination of your crop. Ideally, the flowering stage of the crop and spore release would not occur at the same time, in order to reduce the chances of infection. However, weather changes could challenge any advantages manifested by appropriately timing your planting.

6. Plant nutrition:

Well-nourished plants have more effective defenses. A proactive fertilizer program, accompanied by the best practices listed above, can help reduce the need for chemical pesticide intervention later in the season. 

7. Managing the problem:

Sound management practices in the field won’t eliminate the need for a mycotoxin management plan during storage or at the feed mill — they can help make an unmanageable problem manageable, but no approach is 100-percent effective, and new contamination can occur at multiple points, including during transport and storage. Consequently, mycotoxin risk should be evaluated and addressed throughout the feed chain. 

I want to learn more about recommended crop management practices.

The agricultural sector in Portugal was, until recently, still highly traditional, with few technological advances implemented. This has changed over the last few years, however, with the adoption of and investment in new technologies across a variety of areas, including irrigation, soil mobilization, pest and disease control and fertilization.

One of the most significant changes dealt with the types of crops being grown by these Portuguese farmers, who began to look beyond Portugal and focus on cultivating products that could be more competitive on a European scale, including fruits and vegetables. Their farming practices have also been progressively updated to make sure that they fit in with European regulations. A greater emphasis has been placed on sustainable practices with decreased residues to ensure that the crops are marketable in areas beyond Portugal.

These updated farming practices have led to an increase in productivity and competitiveness, as well as a more efficient use of resources. Over the past 20 years, 3.2 million acres — almost a third of the agricultural area under cultivation in Portugal — had been neglected, but now, there is a greater productivity of the cultivated area and a new entrepreneurial spirit driven by a new generation of farmers.   

A generation of farmers that was raised on a family farm is also becoming more prevalent, and with this influx of fresh eyes also comes the implementation of crop diversification. A farm where, previously, only corn was cultivated, for instance, may now also grow tomatoes, sunflowers, carrots and other crops.    

Rejuvenating the agricultural fabric of Portugal was imperative, since more than half of farmers in the country are older than 65. With the embrace of new technologies to meet market demands, Portuguese agriculture today is more innovative, professional, productive and customer-oriented. 

In 2015, Portugal ranked 41^st for exports in the global agri-food industry. The main products the country exported included olive oils, tomatoes and wines. Portugal’s agricultural exports go to 153 countries, with Spain, Brazil, France, Italy and Angola as its biggest external markets. Fresh fruit accounted for 40 percent of the value of those exports, with special emphasis on small fruits, oranges and Rocha pears, which were the best performers in 2016. 

However, the country is also heavily dependent on cereals and oilseeds, whose import volume accounted for 42.4 percent of the total agricultural imports during 2006–2010. While Portugal is not yet seen as competitive in dryland cereal farming, the national production of irrigated grain — particularly maize — has been on the rise.

The sector must continue to strengthen its exports and its presence in foreign markets, affirming the quality that sets its produce apart. Portuguese agricultural products are attractive to countries and customers looking for products from southern Europe, thanks to the mild and differentiated climate that the Atlantic Ocean provides. Portugal has a reputation for food safety and is recognized as a region whose products feature appealing colors, flavors and aromas.   

To learn more about international agronomic practices and how you can implement updated technology in your operation, visit www.alltech.com/cropscience and sign up for our Top Crop newsletter today. 

I want to learn more about agronomic practices.

The following is an edited transcript of Tom Martin's interview with John Power. Click below to hear the full interview:

Tom:            Digital innovations are being harnessed to address growing global demand for food and agriculture's diminishing labor force. Joining us for a look at how technology is transforming agriculture is John Power, president of LSC International, Inc., a Chicago-based firm advising corporate and financial participants in the global agri-food chain. Thanks for being with us, John.

John:            Thank you.

Tom:            How important to the future of farming are advanced technologies such as automation and artificial intelligence?

John:            This is essentially a new era of agriculture. It's comparable to mechanization and chemical use in agriculture. It's basically the next new wave.

Tom:            Historically, agriculture has been an industry that was subject to a lot of innovation and technological maturation over the years, hasn't it?

John:            Yes. Agriculture has definitely been on the leading edge of innovation. Really, it goes back 10,000 years to the original farmers, who selected different varieties and made different seeds and saved superior seeds.

Tom:            To bring this up for the here-and-now, how are advances in autonomous technology, machine learning and data analytics changing the way farmers farm?

John:            These technologies have just been introduced, and so, we're at the early phases of the change. The most adopted technology is auto-steer, which is the GPS system that essentially guides the tractor. The farmer is in the cab but, in fact, it's more like his office, because the farmer is most likely going to be on the phone or on his iPad. Essentially, it enables the farmer to accomplish a lot more. That's the most adopted [technology].

                    On the data side, we are seeing a lot of new technologies, and these are being adopted. For example, an interesting technology is aerial image technology, and that's being introduced now and would be very effective.

Tom:            Is digital farming proving to be economical and scalable?

John:            We're still at the innovator stage. Our studies would indicate that the innovators are finding it economical. However, there are significant challenges, because this is not the easiest technology to adopt. A key issue is how it can be made as user-friendly as possible.

Tom:            There has been this explosion of new technologies and insights all across the cultivation cycle, and there are predictions of huge growth within the next five years in intelligent agricultural technologies. What existing digital innovations currently make your short list, if you will, as the most significant and impactful [for] farming?

John:            I’d just like to start by saying that it's well worth remembering the quote from Bill Gates in talking about technology and technology adoption. Basically, Gates says that we always overestimate what will be accomplished in two years and underestimate what will be accomplished in ten years. There's an additional factor in agriculture, which is the seasonality.

                    You really have only one cycle per year, and that is very different from most other areas of technology, where you have many cycles per year. In terms of the technologies that we see that are most interesting, it's around the analytics of the data and being able to deliver to the farmer data so that the farmer can take action. That's really where the cutting edge is.

Tom:            The analysis of that data is still quite a challenge, correct?

John:            Well, actually, there's a challenge before that, which is the quality of the data. One of the biggest challenges is having quality data. That's the first step. Then, if you have quality data, the analytics actually can be handled using artificial intelligence — machine learning and technologies like that. On the analytics side, that's been automated.

Tom:            An interesting term that has come up around here that's a little bit controversial among farmers is “armchair farming” — the idea that we might arrive there someday. Even those going into farming in the future may come out of other disciplines in terms of their higher education.

John:            Well, actually, yesterday, when I presented at [ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference], I did use the video from John Deere, which basically presents what you might call “armchair farming.” I prefer the term “mission control.” Basically, it's putting the farmer in a position where the farmer can see what is happening across the farm and [can] then make decisions and implement actions. This can actually be done at the farmer's house or in the cab. But I think, in the future, we will have, essentially, “mission control” for farming.

Tom:            Which farm equipment brands are your ones to watch for cutting-edge innovation?

John:            Well, I think all of the leading companies are making very significant efforts in this area. The thing that I would most look out for are the startup companies — they are in a position where they can move more quickly. There’s an aerial analytics company called IntelinAir. They are doing amazing analytics with the aerial imagery, for example.

                    Another company that is getting a lot of attention in the retail space is Farmer's Business Network (FBN). They're really innovating how business is done — it's more like a business model innovation than a technology innovation.

Tom:            What ag-tech challenges need to be addressed and overcome?

John:            The principal challenge that we've identified — and this is work that we did over the last several years — is how to show the value to the farmer. Basically, what we have is many technologies, and they're all being presented to the farmer at basically the same time. It's very difficult for the farmer to determine which really has value. The most important question is the value question. Everybody, of course, says they will increase yields and reduce cost, but we also feel that time is a huge factor.

                    If it makes the farmer's activity and life more complicated and basically demands more time, that's not a positive. You want to be able to deliver so the farmer has more effective use of their time, which is actually their most critical resource.    

                    The other element is quality of life. Basically, what we see is — for example, going back to autosteer, that means that the farmer can come home in the evening and the farmer is not completely exhausted. That, basically, it's like being at the office for the day, rather than driving the tractor and all the hard work associated with that before the automation.

Tom:            They say that technology often leads regulation. Do you see the emergence of new regulatory policy relating to precision agriculture?

John:            Well, the area that might be applicable to regulation is in relation to the data — essentially, issues around privacy ownership of data. At this stage, it's essentially a voluntary system. Many companies have adopted positions in agreement with the farmer organizations on how to approach the issues of data ownership and privacy. I don't think there's so much discussion. A few years ago, there was a lot of discussion about this; now, it seems to be less of a point of discussion.

Tom:            There has been a steady decline in available farm labor in the U.S. and other countries, and some farmers are looking to robotics and even artificial intelligence to adapt and to fill the void. How far along are technologies in replacing human labor?

John:            We’re really seeing equipment being developed and changes in how the crop is grown that will facilitate automation. Certainly, there will be a lot more automation. This has significant impacts because it really means you will have a different type of labor on the farm. Many of the physical tasks will be automated, but then there are going to have to be people on the farm who can manage the equipment and support the equipment.

Tom:            I've read that what's needed first and foremost is an integrated digital platform — a digital ecosystem that automates and pulls in and makes sense of massive amounts of data and does a lot of what you're talking about. Are you aware of anything coming close to this?

John:            Well, actually, it’s interesting because this is a key issue, as I see it. Basically, there will be a platform in agriculture — my work is mostly on the crop side; I haven't done that much work on the animal side — but right now, essentially, Climate Corporation — the Monsanto Company — and John Deere are the two emerging platforms. Essentially, farmers need a platform, and ultimately, one or two of these platforms will dominate.

Tom:            This is a holistic software, or whatever, that brings it all together.

John:            This would be a platform that is basically like a Bloomberg Terminal, in a sense. For the trader, they basically work off the Bloomberg Terminal. Conceptually, farmers would have the equivalent of a Bloomberg Terminal, so they don't need to go from one place to another; everything will be presented to them on the single platform.

Tom:            Do you think that the startups that you've mentioned and others that are developing these technologies need to be thinking in those terms, about how their product was going to integrate with that platform?

John:            Yeah. The platforms actually are integrating through APIs, the startups. There are different approaches on that, but basically, they want to get the startups on their platforms.

Tom:            True. True. Which key market trends do you follow most, do you keep your eye on? What are they indicating for the future of farming?

John:            Well, I think that the major trends in farming are around the commodity prices. Given the current level of prices, it's difficult. That's one. Then another major trend is consolidation at all levels. I think that these technologies are likely to support this in two directions. One is what we might call the “large-scale farming operations.” These will grow bigger. But we'll also see smaller, highly-focused operations serving local markets, and that will be facilitated by the digital technologies also. That'd be two different things, but both areas will benefit.

Tom:            John Power, president of LSC International of Chicago. Thank you for being with us.

John:            Thank you.

John Power presented at ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference (ONE18). The conference returns May, 2019, to continue the exploration of meaningful ideas that change our lives and the world around us. Learn more here. 

The following is an edited transcript of Tom Martin's interview with John Perry. Click below to hear the full audio:

Tom:            Pesticide-free crop production: is it science or is it science fiction? Joining us to discuss this question is John Perry, agronomic services team manager with Simplot Grower Solutions. John has 40 years of experience in the pest management profession. Before joining Simplot, he had a 26-year career with Mobay/Miles/Bayer/Bayer Crop Science. Thank you for being with us, John.  

John:            Well, thank you for having me.

Tom:            John, consumers have demanded — and received — antibiotic-free meat. Calls have also been building for pesticide-free crop production. Is that realistic?

John:            I don't know that it would be realistic. We have many organic growers that utilize organically certified products. They are pesticides — even though they are organically approved — they are pesticides with various insects, diseases that we have, especially in our fruit and vegetable crops. I doubt that it's going to be totally anti-pesticide.

Tom:            Just for speculation's sake, if we were to come up with a pesticide-free crop production method, what tradeoffs would that involve? What would we lose? What might we gain?

John:            That's a big question. Some tradeoffs could be lower production. That would be possible. I'm not saying that that would happen, because I think we do a lot of things today that are environmentally friendly, that we're actually increasing yields with the tools that we're developing. But it's that outlier — that insect that you don't count on that plops in, or that disease shows up because of a climate difference or an introduction from outside, all of a sudden. Those are the things you can't count on.

Tom:            There are a lot of variables out there.

John:            Exactly, a lot of variables.

Tom:            We've heard predictions that the global biopesticide market is going to double within the next five years. What are biopesticides? And, if you agree with those predictions, what's driving that growth?

John:            There are several things. I agree with that statement; I think it's going to grow faster, and there are several reasons. One is the regulatory realm. Government agencies have some of the harsher chemicals — the harsher pesticides — with the bullseye on it. They go about it in various manners. Reducing the crops that are registered on it is one method that they use.

                    Even more importantly, the big companies — the major companies, like the Bayers of the world — they are looking at these products for a couple of reasons. One is sustainability. It will be a sustainable product for their company, but also, the cost of bringing those biological products to the marketplace is much lower than the traditional pesticide. Today, it's about $300 million to bring a new insecticide, fungicide or herbicide to the marketplace. With the biopesticide, it could be only $25 million. There's a huge cost difference. And then, of course, you have the acceptance by the regulatory organizations too.

Tom:            We're operating under twin imperatives these days: one, growing food to meet demand and feed the world, and also, grow it in ways that make it as safe as possible for human consumption. These were often in conflict. Are we getting any closer to figuring out a way to make them work in harmony?

John:            That's a tough one, because we deal with specialty crops in California and in a lot of our acres, and we also have issues that we deal with at the same time. Acres are being reduced because of housing, especially in our coastal areas. For 80 to 100 years, we have been growing our key vegetables crops, our fresh market crop — those that you buy in the store. Then, the acres that we have available to us, because of that 80- to 100-year realm, we have diseases that have established themselves that are identified with those crops. They like to feed on those crops. We have those kinds of issues.

                    The biggest issue is the competition for water in California. It's estimated that, in 2020, we're going to have 40 million as a population base. Ninety percent of that population is in four key population areas; agriculture is not one of them. Agriculture is going to take not even a second-tier position, maybe a third-tier position, because you have water for people, water for environmental reasons and, then, water for agriculture. Water is going to be the driver for us more than anything else. We have to become more efficient in how we use it. The crops that we have need to be of high value so that we can afford that water, because it's going to have a higher cost to agriculture. Yeah, water is the driver, and that's what I see in the future.

Tom:            Do those drought conditions — and there have been a lot of drought conditions — do they impact the crop from a pest perspective? In other words, do they weaken the crop's ability to fight off pests?

John:            It's more of the opposite. If we have a wet year, then we will have larger population of insects, diseases or weeds than a drought year, per se. During drought years, it's more about having enough water to grow the crops to stay sustainable in the marketplace, because you have an infrastructure that you have to deal with also.

                    If you have a cannery or several canneries that are running at a certain capacity, and you don't have the crop for that cannery — take tomatoes, for example — then all that infrastructure is impacted. Then you have labor; that's the other side. If you are not growing the crops and you have a certain labor pool, if you're not there, they're going to move on to where they can earn a living. It is pretty complicated. I guess I'm going in a roundabout way of answering your question, but drought probably has less effect on pests than a wetter year. During wetter years, yes, we can have that impact.

Tom:            You have to stay on top of trends in the science, in the marketing, in the conditions on the ground, in the pesticide realm. Are there certain trends that you are following right now that are particularly important?

John:            Yes. Soil-borne diseases are going to be more of a problem because of our irrigation practices — with low-pressure irrigation drip or micro-sprinklers, it seems to exacerbate the problem. At the same time, our growers, because of the cost of doing business — and they are trying to extract the most money they can out of that crop as soon as possible. With almonds, it takes four to five years for full production; pistachios, eight to nine years; walnuts, seven to eight years. The growers are pushing them really hard, so they are really pushing those trees to grow quicker. They want to crop earlier, that type of thing.

                    That puts pressure on the root system. Our goal as a company, in the last three or four years now, is to really focus on the root system — to get the healthiest root system we can. That means overcoming diseases, overcoming salt conditions in the soil that we bring with our irrigation water that we're pulling up from down deep. It's not always the best water. We have all those parameters that we have to deal with, but that to be as productive as possible on less acres. That's what happens. That's what you have to do. You have to have a good, strong root system to overcome those problems.   

Tom:            John Perry is agronomic services team manager with Simplot Grower Solutions. We thank you for being with us, John.

John:            Thank you for having me.

I would like to learn more about sustainable crop solutions!

Each growing season can present its own unique challenges, from hot temperatures and drought to excess rainfall and flooding. Extreme weather conditions can not only reduce yield but also delay harvest, increase plant stress and lead to future issues for the crop, including molds and mycotoxins.  

Mycotoxins are a concern for livestock producers, as they influence feed quality and animal safety. They are produced by certain species of molds and can have toxic properties that impact animal health and performance. Harvest samples from across the U.S. are currently being submitted to the Alltech 37+® mycotoxin analytical services laboratory, and the analysis is showing high levels of mycotoxins, as in past years, of DON, fusaric acid and fumonisin, as well as HT-2 this year.  

“The extreme weather events that we’ve seen across the U.S. this year present different challenges, different types of molds and different types of mycotoxins,” said Dr. Max Hawkins, nutritionist with the Alltech® Mycotoxin Management team. “And we monitor those risks with our harvest analysis through the Alltech 37+® mycotoxin tests to evaluate risk to livestock health and performance.”  

Mycotoxins are seldom found in isolation, and when multiple mycotoxins are consumed, they may have additive, or even synergistic, interactions that increase the overall risk to performance and health. As a result, an animal may have a stronger response than what would be expected if it was only experiencing a single mycotoxin challenge. In 2017, 95 percent of samples submitted tested positive for at least five mycotoxins. 

Testing feedstuffs and finished feeds is important to understand the risk of mycotoxins, so Alltech is currently offering a free 37+® mycotoxin test to producers. Visit knowmycotoxins.com/freetest for more information.  

Alltech will host a United States Corn Silage Report webinar with Dr. Max Hawkins on Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2018, at 3:00 p.m. CST. Register for the webinar via this link.  

Hawkins and John Winchell, territory sales representative for Alltech, recently appeared on Rural America Live to speak about mycotoxin risks. Watch the video here. 

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

Oftentimes, we first hear about amino acids in high school biology class and, then, rarely give them another thought. We forget the important roles that amino acids have in our lives and in the lifecycle of the foods we eat.

Amino acids are often referred to as the building blocks of proteins. These organic molecules link with one another to form long polypeptide chains, which, in turn, form the various proteins that are present in all living organisms. They are also the precursors of several substances that regulate plant metabolism, such as plant hormones, coenzymes and cell wall polymers, as well as others. In order to grow and develop, plants need to synthesize a continuous supply of protein-forming amino acids. 

Separated into L-amino acids and D-amino acids based on whether their spatial configuration bears to the left or right, only L-amino acids are found in biological activity. These types of amino acids participate in plant metabolism in different ways, from aiding in the metabolism of nitrogen to transporting minerals to various parts of the plants. Even after delivering their minerals, the amino acids themselves are useful to plants and are known to offset external stresses, including those associated with common herbicides and environmental factors.

Amino acids can also serve as organic complexing agents, delivering micronutrients in a highly bioavailable, environmentally friendly form. Minerals complexed with amino acids can bypass the leaf’s surface and be rapidly absorbed. These molecules remain intact as they travel through the leaf barrier with minimal interference. From there, they may either be absorbed and used by the leaf cells or travel on to the phloem, typically to new leaves, flowers, fruit and other fast-growing parts of the plant. 

I want to learn more about amino acids and how they affect my crops.

Harvest time is here. During this busy time, remember to not only monitor what’s coming in from the field, but also to think about what could be happening in other regions from which you may be purchasing feed ingredients.

Molds and yeasts can grow very rapidly as the weather warms in the spring and in the heat of the early summer months. But what about the end of summer and early fall? The weather across North America was extremely variable this summer — from extremely hot temperatures to drought to floods, week after week. How do these weather patterns affect the crops, and what should you be looking for in your feed this fall?

It is commonly understood that drought-stressed fields do not yield well. Digestibility and overall quality will be poor from feed grown in drought-stressed areas. Can living organisms like molds grow during a drought? The answer is yes: many species of molds will still grow during a drought, or they become dormant and wait for the right growing environment to return. One example of a drought-tolerant mold is Aspergillus. Many times, Aspergillus molds will appear olive green to yellowish in color on infected plants. Aflatoxins come from the mold species Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus. Aflatoxins are carcinogenic and thrive in hot conditions. Aflatoxin B1 can convert into M1 and can be found in milk. If this toxin is found over a set limit, the milk must be discarded. When fed to livestock, aflatoxins cause liver damage, suppress the immune system and reduce protein synthesis.

What about areas under heavy rain?

Several molds are typically found during summers of heavy rain, including Fusarium, Penicillium, Mucor, Rhizopus, etc. Fusarium is commonly found in both normal growing conditions and during wetter months. Many times, this mold first appears white and will change to a reddish-pink color. Under stress, both in the field and during storage, this mold can form many mycotoxins, including the trichothecenes family (DON or Vomitoxin, T-2, etc.), fusaric acid, fumonisins, and zearalenones. Clinical signs that these are present include immune suppression, bowel hemorrhaging, reduced intakes, poor milk production, reduced weight gains, abortions, conception challenges, vasodilation and even mortality.

The Penicillium molds will typically show blue to greenish in color, or potentially white, depending on the host crop. Penicillium molds will typically infect feed during storage, but abnormal weather patterns — such as heavy rains or, sometimes, cooler temperatures — can cause more mold to form. Certain tillage practices can also influence mold growth. When stressed, Penicillium molds can form patulin, Penicillic acid and ochratoxin. Clinical signs that these are present include edema, rumen upsets, loose manure, bowel hemorrhaging and increased rates of mortality.

This is a minute sampling of the mycotoxin challenges that can exist during harvest in your fields. Remember: the commodities or other purchased feedstuffs that are shipped in by boat, train or truck may present their own mold and mycotoxin challenges. Check the origin of purchased feed to determine what stress or abnormal weather was experienced in that region. Your local dealers, nutritionists or Alltech representatives can put together information on mycotoxin results from other regions. If you want to be especially diligent in lessening mycotoxin challenges, an on-farm RAPIREAD® mycotoxin test or Alltech 37+® mycotoxin test will check your feeds for any concerns. Remember, more information on mycotoxins is always available online at knowmycotoxins.com.

I want to learn more about protecting my feed from mycotoxins.

The following is an edited transcript of Nicole Erwin's interview with Dr. Atila Mogor, faculty at Federal University of Parana, Brazil. Click below to hear the full interview: 

Nicole:         I'm talking with Dr. Atila Mogor, faculty at Federal University of Parana, Brazil. Dr. Mogor has dedicated his work to sustainability in agriculture with a focus on plant physiology and plant nutrition. Dr. Mogor joins me today to discuss what could be the next green revolution: biostimulants. Thank you for joining us.

Atila:             Thank you very much for inviting me.

Nicole:         To get started, what are biostimulants?

Atila:             Biostimulants are natural sources that can act on plant physiology as signaling molecules to possibly improve the plant growth, the fruit sets, the fruit enlargement, the shelf life of some horticultural crops and also the ability to face the big challenge in agriculture, which is abiotic stresses like drought and salinity.

Nicole:         It was Dr. Norman Borlaug who kicked off the first green revolution with his contribution of disease-resistant, high-yielding varieties of wheat that saved many people from starvation. Some farmers are turning their backs on modern agriculture methods — the use of modified seeds, fertilizer and pesticides — so today, biostimulants seem to be a way forward in that respect. Can you tell us a little bit about developments with microalgae and their multifunctionality and their roles as biostimulants?

Atila:             The most frequently reported biostimulant sources were the humic substances, kelp extracts, algae harvested from seas and amino acids. The new frontier is the use of microalgaes, because of their production systems and their reactors or photobioreactors. Microalgae are completely sustainable, help to reduce the CO₂ concentration in the atmosphere because they are photosynthetic microorganisms, and could also release some bioactive molecules that act in plants as biostimulants.

Nicole:         Biostimulants, to me, are one of the most interesting areas of agriculture. There's so much potential with microalgae as fuel, food, animal feed and fertilizers, like you mentioned. Where would you say research has come the furthest in being able to use biostimulants on these platforms?

Atila:             Yes. We use biostimulants frequently in organic horticulture at the university, and we are also testing the new sources of biostimulants and the traditional sources. The university's farm is on an environmental protection area because it's very close to a main freshwater source of Curitiba. Curitiba is a main city of Parana state — 2 million people live there — and we are safeguarding these water sources. The microalgae produced at the university are frequently used as a stimulant to improve the plants' root growth and the sequence of plant development.

Nicole:         Who's using it right now in agriculture, would you say?

Atila:             It is being used in drip irrigation, on hydroponics or by foliar sprayers.

Nicole:         I recently joined a Master Gardeners group. During one of the classes, we were given this thick packet of chemical pesticide and herbicide information on applications — just being able to understand how to read the labels. But there wasn't anything about biostimulants mentioned.

Atila:             No. It's because the regulation is not clear enough. The Brazilian regulations on biostimulants are as biofertilizers. The Brazilian regulation called these kind of natural sources biofertilizers; the rest of the world calls them biostimulants.

Nicole:         Gotcha.

Atila:             This is like a carnival. The regulation is not clear and it's under construction, I think, in the U.S. and in Europe. There is the importance to separate the biostimulant effect from the fertilizer effect. It’s not a nitrogen source, for example, but a bioactive amino acid source. This concept is very important because we’re using molecules that can act on plant physiology, and not in the same way as the nutrient can act on plant growth and development. This differentiation, in my point of view, is very important, and the regulation is not clear about it.

Nicole:         On the basis of crop type, it's my understanding that the cereals and grains segment is expected to acquire the largest market share of biostimulants due to higher demands for biofertilizers. The North American region is predicted to occupy the highest market share due to bans on harmful chemicals used as inputs in agriculture. Is that what you're seeing?

Atila:             Yes. It's possible. It's a new frontier. It's not very clear, actually, but there is knowledge in the field of trophobiosis. When the healthy plant can maintain its health, the microalgae or the biostimulant could contribute in the ability to stimulate the plant's own capacity for biochemical responses against diseases.

Nicole:         There are also efforts underway in Appalachia to reclaim mined land and restore the soil for production. How would biostimulants aid in something like this? Could they help regenerate topsoil?

Atila:             Yes. In arid areas with high salt level in soils, the biostimulants could improve on some varieties — the genetic background of a soil variety is fundamental for this, as it’s not possible to stimulate something that does not exist. The first step is to understand genetical background of varieties and stimulate growth in this salty soil, improving, for example, the proline amino acid synthesis on plants. This amino acid acts as an osmoregulator on plant metabolism and can help the plant to survive in these kinds of conditions.

Nicole:         What are some of the major challenges in increasing awareness about the usefulness of biostimulants? Why aren't we hearing more about them?

Atila:             In my point of view, good communication with the growers is very important so the growers understand how these kinds of products work. Plant physiology is not a miracle, but a technology. Also, the regulation could be clearer to separate natural sources from fertilizers — plant growth regulators — or synthetic sources. From my point of view, the biggest challenge is related to clear information for the growers and clear regulation of this issue.

Nicole:         What is the outlook for use in emerging countries like China, India, Argentina, Brazil? Are they more or less than the U.S., and are the regulations what is holding it back?

Atila:             Yes. Countries are on the same level because it's a new concept, a new technology, and the regulation is slow. It’s the same situation around the world.

Nicole:         From an environmental perspective, how would greater global use of biostimulants help heal chemically treated lands and water sources?

Atila:             The use of biostimulants will reduce the use of pesticides and will improve the efficient use of chemical nutrients — nitrogen, for example. We have research in Brazil using the microalgae together with the Bradyrhizobium bacteria — that is a nitrogen-fixing bacteria — on soybeans, with very interesting results. We’re using more than one microorganism in a systemic approach.

Nicole:         So how do producers interested in biostimulant use get to them? Are they accessible?

Atila:             Yes, and the result is very positive. Growers will always choose the natural way because sustainability is the new agenda.

Nicole:         Dr. Atila Mogor is an agronomy professor at Federal University of Parana, Brazil. Thank you for joining us.

Atila:             Thank you very much.

Dr. Atila Mogor spoke at ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference(ONE18). All presentations from ONE18 are now LIVE on the Alltech Idea Lab! Click the button below to view presentations for FREE after sign-up. 

I want to improve the health of my soil.

Calcium is considered a macronutrient for the citrus crop because it is demanded in higher quantities for both structural and physiological functions of the plants. A calcium deficiency can result in leaf and fruit loss and cause cracking of the fruit peel, directly impacting the fruit’s market value for the producer. To ensure proper development, it is fundamental to be vigilant of the citrus plant’s calcium needs.

Marcos Revoredo, an Alltech Crop Science technical manager who specializes in fruits and vegetables, notes that, in addition to using calcium when performing soil management, it is important for the citrus grower to make foliar applications of the nutrient. 

“We know that calcium has a very low rate of translocation,” said Revoredo. “That is why when it is foliarly applied, whether during the vegetative, reproductive or fructification phases, we can maintain the necessary quantities for improved plant development.”

This practice has already been adopted by Miltom Boveloni, an orange grower in Mogi Mirim in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. According to the grower, when you’re looking for productivity, calcium is one nutrient that cannot be forgotten. 

“In citriculture, we use a lot of calcium, and we always need to make those corrections,” said Boveloni. “I have noticed greater plant development and fruit set, as well as an increase in production.”

Revoredo also notes that the macronutrient is a part of various plant structures, which makes it extremely important for foliar growth, pollination and fructification.

“Calcium is present in the cell wall of various plant tissues such as leaves, pollen tubes and even in the fruit. It is used in the formation of these structures,” said Revoredo. “It is important to maintain the necessary quantities for the leaves, stem, flowers and fruit to develop.”

Physiologically, calcium is linked to metabolism and aids in stress reduction for the plant. Because calcium favors constant photosynthetic activity, the leaf can generate more energy to sustain the flower and, consequently, the future fruit.     

I want to learn more about how my crop can benefit from foliar calcium application.