A confinement area is meant to be your horse's outdoor living quarters. It’s important to design this area so it provides opportunities for both physical and mental stimulation for your horse — but also so it’s mud-free and chore-efficient for you, which is especially important as we head into winter, with all its chore-efficiency challenges.

One of the key aspects of improving pasture production and overall equine management is the time when you take your horses off your pasture. In the winter, keeping horses off saturated, rain-soaked soils and dormant or frozen pasture plants is critical for pasture management and will help you maintain a healthy stand of grass next summer. Soggy soils or dormant grass plants simply cannot survive continuous grazing and trampling in the winter months, so they die out, giving weeds — and dust, in bare spots — the chance to take their place next summer. 

You can greatly improve the health and productivity of your pastures by keeping your horse in a confinement area during the pasture’s dormant winter months. Additionally, you can utilize this area during the summer to keep your pastures from becoming overgrazed.

Here are some points to consider when creating a chore-efficient, mud-free confinement area:

• The amount of land you have available, the number of horses you have, their ages and temperaments, and the amount of regular exercise they receive should all play a role in determining the size of your confinement area.
• The size of the area can vary from a place where they can move around a bit (e.g., 16’ x 16’) to a long, narrow enclosure where a horse can run or play in its paddock. For that setup, you might create an area 20 or 30 feet wide and 100 feet in length. 
• Locate this area on higher ground for better drainage and away from creeks, wetlands or other bodies of water to prevent any polluted runoff (from manure, urine or mud) from reaching these areas and contaminating them.

• For chore efficiency, your confinement area should be conveniently located near your barn, hay storage and manure compost sites to make it easy for you to care for your horse while also maintaining the confinement area.
• A good option is to offer one paddock per horse set up like a “run” from a stall or shelter. This gives the horse free access to a clean, dry place to eat. When choosing a location, try to pick a place that makes it convenient for you to feed in this area.
• Pick up manure every one to three days to help reduce your horse's parasite load and to avoid creating a habitat for flies and insects — along with annoying winter mud.
• To reduce erosion and improve drainage, use some type of footing — at least in the highest-traffic areas — around gates, by stock watering areas or in front of stalls. Popular footing choices include crushed rock (no larger than 5/8 inch) or coarse washed sand. Footing should be 2 to 4 inches deep.

• Install rain gutters and downspouts on any roofs surrounding your winter paddock. Divert clean rainwater to nearby vegetation via a rain barrel or cistern or into a rain garden or an undisturbed area of woods. Diverting clean rainwater away from your horse’s confinement area reduces the amount of mud they (and you) have to deal with. It also prevents manure and urine from being washed out of the paddock and into nearby bodies of water.
• Choose the very safest fencing you can for your winter paddock. Whatever type of fencing you choose, you may want to reinforce it with some type of electric tape or power fencing to make the fencing a “psychological barrier” (i.e., one horses choose to avoid). 
• Ensure that your building corners are safe and that there are no protruding objects that could hurt a horse, such as bolt ends, nails, boards or the tops of metal T-posts. Watch out for the corners of roofs and the bottom edges of metal buildings. There should be no wires or electrical cords hanging in the yard and absolutely no junk, garbage or machinery in this area.

• The gates in confinement areas need to be adequately sized for the types of truck deliveries you expect or equipment you will use (such as for gravel or sand for footing or to get tractors in and out to move that footing).
• Even though your horses can move around in their confinement areas, they still need regular exercise. Plan for and maintain a regular exercise program for your horse that includes at least two or three exercise sessions per week that last a minimum of 30 minutes each. This can include ride time, lunging, in-hand groundwork or maybe even turnout time with other horses.

Sand footing is easy to clean, improves drainage, and comfortable for horses.

For ideas on how to provide equine enrichment and mental stimulation for horses in their confinement areas, see my previous article on various equine enrichment opportunities. In addition, my article on composting horse manure will help you set up a system for managing the manure collected in your confinement area.

Creating and utilizing a mud-free confinement area will lead to greater chore efficiency for you this winter, along with fewer muck-related horse health issues. It will also lead to more productive pastures next grazing season. Improved pastures offer a cost-savings for you through greater pasture productivity and less money spent on supplemental feed. These efforts add up to a prettier picture for you and your community to enjoy, along with a more sustainable future for all.

Is it true that training horses too early can hurt their chances on race day? Brian Nielsen, professor of equine exercise physiology in the department of animal science at Michigan State University, joins the Ag Future podcast to dispel the myth that waiting to train horses improves their odds of winning.

The following is an edited transcript of the Ag Future podcast episode with Dr. Brian D. Nielsen hosted by Tom Martin. Click below to hear the full audio or listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Google Podcasts.

Tom:            Welcome to Ag Future, presented by Alltech. Join us from the 2022 Alltech ONE Conference as we explore our opportunities within agri-food, business and beyond.

                     It seems safe to say that the world did a double-take as three-year-old Rich Strike came from far behind to shoot across the finish line and won the 148th running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. According to his owner, all of that restlessness and even biting that happened immediately following the race was just the behavior of an antsy horse that wanted to keep on going. You might wonder how this very spirited stallion takes to being saddled.

                     I'm Tom Martin for the Alltech Ag Future podcast series, and that's one of the many questions in the debate about training young horses addressed by the research conducted by Dr. Brian Nielsen, professor of equine exercise physiology at Michigan State University. He is here with us to share his findings on the benefits of training young horses. Thanks for being with us, Dr. Nielsen.

Brian:            Tom, thank you for having me with you today. This is a topic I'm passionate about.

Tom:            I'm sure, and it's a fun time to be passionate about it, thanks to Rich Strike. While some of the pros start training racehorses at a very young age, many wait until a horse is four or five years old. The argument has been that two years old is too early in a horse's development to begin their training. You have evaluated epidemiological studies as well as physiological data on equine bone, articular cartilage and tendons to better determine the impact of training and racing two-year-old horses. What does your research tell you?

Brian:            There is a lot of information out there on this topic, and yes, in 2021, we published a review article where we went through dozens and dozens and dozens of published research findings. Pretty much unanimously, researchers across the whole entire world have come to the conclusion that training young is a good thing. That does fly in the face of what most people generally believe. It's often been thought that good trainers wait until the horse is skeletally mature. But from the standpoint of bone — and that's the area that I tend to work tremendously in — we have the greatest ability to make changes in bone, making it stronger when these horses are young and growing.

                     I'm going to just briefly describe two different bone phenomena. One is called bone remodeling, and that's what people who know a little bit about bone talk about, and then there's bone modeling. Actually, only the bone purists tend to discuss bone modeling. I'm from Michigan. We have potholes in our roads. And the comparison I would use is, with bone remodeling, it's like taking a pothole and fixing it. You're not making the road stronger; you're just fixing damage that's there. That can happen throughout the life of the road, kind of like with bone remodeling with horses, where you take out old or damaged bone and replace it with new. You're not making it stronger. You're not, you know, making it so it can withstand racing, that much stronger.

                     But let's talk about bone modeling, and that's what people tend to ignore. This primarily happens when that horse is young and growing. It's the process by which you make bone bigger or change the shape (of) it. Effectively, it's kind of like when you build a road. You can decide whether you want to have this just little country backroad, gravel road, two-lane road, four-lane road or a superhighway. It's so much easier to do that as you're developing it. That bone modeling only occurs while that animal is growing. Once it’s stopped, you lose the ability to make that bone stronger.

                     Just briefly, (you see some of the) same things with things like tendons. I was attending the International Conference on Equine Exercise Physiology in the late '90s in Japan. Researchers from the UK — not the University of Kentucky, where we're near — doing research over in Europe, they showed that the only way to make tendons stronger is to train horses when they're young. That was 20-some years ago, and the research is still backing it up. So, with all of our tissues, you have the better chance to make it strong by training while young.

                     I'll do a comparison to human athletes. We don't look at our Olympic athletes and say, “You need to be skeletally mature before you start to train or compete. You need to wait until your early 20s to do that.” No. If you want to be successful in the Olympics, the odds are really good that you started when you were young. Now, as we'll talk about, of course, there's injury risk, but there's injury risk to all athletes, regardless of their age.

Tom:            I mentioned three-year-old Rich Strike in the introduction, but you cite Justify, the winner of the 2018 Triple Crown, as an example of the controversy around running a horse that had not raced as a two-year-old. Research published in 2003 determined that musculoskeletal injuries are the greatest cause of racehorse turnover. Is it more beneficial to the horse to allow more time for it to become skeletally mature?

Brian:            Well, a couple of things. You bring up Justify. Let's talk about him first. The thing is, when he won the Triple Crown without ever having raced as a two-year-old, on social media, people went wild saying, "See? If you don't race them as a two-year-old, they can win the Triple Crown." Now, these people were missing the fact that there's not been a horse that had won the Derby having not raced as a two-year-old since Apollo in the late 1800s. So, we went a-hundred-and-some years without having a horse that didn't race as a two-year-old win the Derby. You have to win the Derby to win the Triple Crown, so there's that huge flaw with that argument, but don't let flaws with arguments get in the way of comments on social media. But it is what inspired our research paper.

                     The thing is, we do have concerns with injuries, again, regardless of what age these animals are being trained at. The thing is, allowing time to let that horse get skeletally mature without training it makes that bone less strong. That seems contradictory compared to what most people tend to believe, but it is that training while young that does make it stronger. People can really mess up young horses, and they certainly can mess up old horses. One of the problems that we get with young horses is, oftentimes, people train by the calendar. I'll use the example of the Kentucky Derby. Every year, except for 2020, the Kentucky Derby is run on the first Saturday in May. So, three years earlier, (if you have) a horse being born, if you want them in the Kentucky Derby, you know what day that horse is going to be racing. That's fine, but how do you know how that horse is going to be doing on that day?

                     I often say that we need to be very cautious about training by the calendar. The idea is, oftentimes, you'll see people — if a horse isn't ready, they'll do things to force that horse to be ready. This could be a show horse, where you're doing things in your training process to make this horse perform better, (or) with our racehorses. The idea is you don't want to hide injuries. You need to give a horse time off if you have an injury develop. But the research epidemiological data has shown that horses that race and train when they're two-year-olds, they actually have less injuries than horses that you hold off until they're older, because they got adapted to the stresses that are being placed on them. Again, I look at a human. It's fun to go back to that comparison. Without having played sports when you were in middle school and in high school, you're probably not going to be as ready for the college level or the pro level (as you might have been) if you would be one of those people with enough talent to last that long.

Tom:            A racehorse carries nearly a half ton of weight on those spindly legs at breakneck speed. What are some concerns about the effects of starting training at a younger age in that context?

Brian:            You're right. They have very small legs, but it is amazing the forces that (they) can withstand. The thing where we mess horses up — and I'll admit, we often manage our horses incorrectly.

The very first study that I did when I arrived at Michigan State University in 1996 was to look at whether or not sticking horses in the stalls resulted in bone loss. We did a study. We had long-yearlings that became two-year-olds, but we took half of them and put them in stalls (and) kept the other half out on pasture. The ones in stalls, we even walked them an hour per day on mechanical walkers so they're getting some exercise. After three months, we started them under saddle and had two months of just your normal race training, walking, trotting, some galloping, but nothing super fast. What was interesting is those horses that we put in stalls, within the first month, they had a noticeable loss of bone mass, and it stayed low, regardless of even having these horses in training for two months towards the end of that study.

                     Let’s compare it to what we often see with our racehorses. We have horses that are worth six figures, seven figures, and they’re so valuable that people treat them with kid gloves. They’ll often go ahead and, as they're getting them ready for sales, they have two to three months of being hand-walked. They aren't allowed to be horses. They aren't allowed to be outside roughhousing with other horses. They're put in stalls, and they never have access to speed. Speed is what makes bones stronger. Now, people get scared of speed, and then you end up in this scenario where the thing that's going to make the bone stronger, you don't allow that horse to do because you're so scared of it getting injured. By doing so, you actually make that horse more prone to injury.

                     So, if you have two to three months of sale-prepping your horse, making it look good — and boy, when they go through the sale ring here at Keeneland or Fasig Tipton, they're gorgeous. But that horse that's been out on pasture, playing, getting sunburned, all the things that a normal horse would (do), is probably better equipped. Then you take that horse, you put them into race training. The first couple of months are slow. That whole time, that horse's bone mass has gone down, and you've made that horse susceptible to injury. We've been trying to get the word out, and a lot of people are catching on to that, that you do need speed in order to make that bone strong.

Tom:            We've been talking about thoroughbreds up until now. I'm wondering about other breeds. What about early training with other breeds, like Standardbreds and others?

Brian:            Early training works for all. At Michigan State, we have an Arabian herd. When I got started there in doing this first project, the farm manager was very much of the opinion that you can't do this with Arabians. I'm like, “Why?” The response is, “Because they're Arabians.” I was like, “They're a horse.” Actually, their bones adapt just like any other. Now, there are different growth rates, and especially (for) some of these horses that aren't pushed for growth. They aren't as big.

I'm a little guy. I've always been an exercise rider, since 1989, and eventually got my trainer's license, but I'm a guy who can ride pretty much all horses. This is why I like racing. It's the one sport I feel kind of big. You're laughing at me because you're seeing I'm of small stature.

Tom:            I'm understanding what you're saying.

Brian:            The point is, if you're small, you can ride a horse without doing any damage. If you are a normal-sized adult, if you're six foot tall and 250 pounds, riding this young, let's say, an Arabian that might be 700 pounds, that's probably not a good idea. With everything we do, we need common sense. You limit the amount of force you're putting on them, but that training is good. Actually, even more so than just training, it's the management that we do with these animals. The fact (is) that, if you treat them with kid gloves and you never expose them to stressors, they become wimps. They become weak as opposed to being something that can handle that type of training. The same thing is going to apply for all the different breeds, but I do recognize that there are differences in growth rates.

Tom:            What are the findings about risk or injury for thoroughbreds and Standardbreds that are older than four years of age compared to those younger horses?

Brian:            Surprisingly, the research is really clear, and it kind of surprised the individuals who first did the research, because they were hoping or expecting to find that horses that started training later on in life would have less injuries. Actually, the results were the opposite. It was an animal rights group that initially funded some of this, and they were probably very disappointed with their results because they were hoping to show, “Wow, it's bad to race or train young.” So, no, you do decrease the injury rates.

                     But the one thing that I, going back to this training by the calendar, if we have — and I mentioned the Kentucky Derby, (which is held on the) first Saturday of May. If you have something on the calendar that you're targeting that horse for, you have to be very willing to say, “Hey, we have a setback. We're just going to cross this off the list.” The horse that won the Preakness, Early Voting, they opted to skip the Derby because the horse wasn't ready, and the result was he won the Preakness Stakes. But it's often hard for trainers to say, “You know what? It's in the best interest of the horse. Let's just skip it. Let's take some time. We've hit a bump in the road.”

                     If we're willing to do that, then we can avoid a lot of those problems. But you do have more bumps in the road if you wait until they're skeletally mature. I'll give you, actually, an example. I bought a four-year-old racing quarter horse. I planned to race up in Michigan. Actually, the ironic part about it is my biggest concern with him is he hadn't been in training yet. Instead of being somebody who is thankful that here's a horse that had not been raced or anything like that until he was four, that was actually a concern, because I understand the research. Three weeks after I bought him, the track I was going to race in had closed, so it didn't make a difference anyway.

Tom:            Is it known how much exercise is too much for a young horse?

Brian:            Well, what I will do is I will compare it to a paperclip. Bone works similarly. If you take a paper clip (and) bend it back and forth, you get stress hardening, and eventually, it will break. Bone can work that same way — except, unlike metal, bone has the capacity to heal itself. Where we get into trouble is, if you're beginning to get those micro fractures, that damage — there is a problem in racehorses that's called dorsal metacarpal disease, (which is also known as) bucked shins. A very similar ailment occurs in humans. It's called shin splints in people who have run. That's what it is. It's little micro fractures. With humans, that happens, and you tell your coach, you say, "Hey, coach, my shins are sore." The coach says, “Okay.” Hopefully, the coach says, “Okay, take some time off to allow it to heal.”

                     If we do that with the horses, that's great. A lot of people will ignore what the horse is telling them, though. There are the clues. There are the signs. The problem is, if we give anything to hide the pain — pain is there for a reason. It's a good thing. It says, “Don't do that.” So, the deal is, it's going to vary. If you have bone that has adapted to high rates of speed, you have this iron-legged horse that can withstand anything. If you have a horse where you've managed it incorrectly, you've kept it in a stall (and) allowed no access to speed, then what you end up with is a horse that has really weak legs, and you're going to get that damage much quicker.

                     There isn't an easy answer as to how much is too much. You need to pay attention to your horse, and you need to go ahead and prevent yourself from getting your horse in a setting where it's going to be losing bone mass because of inactivity.

Tom:            What about the role of nutrition at a young age? How does it figure or factor in?

Brian:            Nutrition is, of course, absolutely important. As everybody understands, we have calcium requirements and everything else that goes along with it. Here's what's really interesting. I think it was around 2005 when I was invited to speak over in Germany at an equine nutrition conference. Some of the researchers there had been using these markers of bone formation and resorption in various nutrition studies. They kept finding that there were no treatment differences. So, they asked me to come speak on that, and I analyzed a lot of our nutrition studies from my laboratory, and I was seeing the same thing. There were no treatment differences, hardly at all. Now, keep in mind, what this was was a case of where we were looking at horses that were fed a balanced diet and then tweaking it a little bit more.

                     Now, I also looked at all these various studies where we altered exercise, and in almost all the cases, we're finding treatment differences. The big take-home message is (that) these markers of bone formation and resorption, they actually work. They tell you when differences are happening, but the influence that — exercise or the lack thereof plays a huge role.

Now, I want to throw (out there that) this doesn't mean nutrition isn't important. It absolutely is. You need to have the absolute correct one, because if you don't have those building blocks in there, good luck. But if you're having problems, blaming it on nutrition may not be the right place to place the blame from the standpoint of (the fact that) you cannot make bones strong without the right exercise. You also need the right nutrition. You need them both. They have to work together. But just feeding them right isn't going to do it. As a result, sometimes you have to quit blaming the nutritionist when the actual person to blame is you and the way you're handling the horse.

Tom:            Well, Brian, I know that you were actually there — you were in the stands at Churchill Downs when Rich Strike blew minds and caused literally jaws to drop around the globe. If TV ratings are an indicator, the viewing audience for the NBC Sports telecast of the Triple Crown races fell 47% between 2019 and 2020. The racing industry has been concerned about a declining audience. As one who follows the sport, do you think this Rich Strike Derby victory might provide some sort of a shot in the arm (or) a fresh draw to the sport?

Brian:            It was so fun when he won. I'm sitting there, and we’re like six rows off the rail, and I didn't hear a single person upset with the horse that won. Normally, you'd have (some people reacting) like, “Ah, my horse lost.” Everybody was so amazed that this horse that wasn't in the race on Thursday ends up winning it on Saturday. It was fantastic. I was visiting with people in my hometown here just on Sunday, and so many of them were coming up to me — this was after church — and they were talking about the race. One of the ladies actually mentioned that when she found out he wasn't running in the Preakness, then she didn't have interest in watching the race. It generated so much excitement.

                     Now, of course, he didn't run in the Preakness, and that was disappointing, but in a way, it was good. It's wonderful when a trainer and the horse handler opt to do what's in the best interest of horses, and that's what I tend to preach. The beautiful part is, now, we have the Belmont to look forward to. When you have Early Voting versus Rich Strike, and now you have this thing — who knows what's going to turn out? But I guarantee you, we as a society, we love an underdog. We love a great story. I think it was the second-longest shot in the history of the Derby that actually won. That's great. That's what dreams are made out of. I guarantee you, the viewership for the Belmont, it's going to be up there. I'm going to be tuned in.

Tom:            Well, you're right. I was, as a layperson, listening to the radio when the word came that Rich Strike was not going to run in the Preakness. My initial response was, “That's pretty thoughtful. They could go for it, but they're thinking of the horse.” It's important stuff.

Brian:            Definitely.

Tom:            Dr. Brian Nielsen, professor of equine exercise physiology at Michigan State University. Thank you so much.

Brian:            Thanks for having me here.

Tom:            For the Alltech Ag Future podcast, I'm Tom Martin. Thank you for joining us. Be sure to subscribe to Ag Future wherever you listen to podcasts.

[Dong Nai, Vietnam] – Alltech, a global leader in the agriculture industry, opened its newest Bioplex^®plant today, the first organic mineral production facility in Vietnam. The state-of-the-art manufacturing plant is Alltech’s eighth mineral production facility worldwide. The plant’s production capacity is 7,000 metric tons per year, and it has the potential to create 100 new jobs, while being conveniently located to serve local customers and support import/export activity.

Alltech is one of the world’s largest producers of organic minerals for animal nutrition. The company has committed significant resources into organic trace mineral production, quality control and research, as trace mineral nutrition is essential to animal health.

Alltech’s Bioplex^® range of minerals are supported by more than 21 years of research and offer higher bioavailability to animals than inorganic minerals. The minerals are readily absorbed, stored and utilized by the animal, supporting overall health, immune status and reproductive function. Furthermore, because Alltech’s organic minerals are better utilized by animals, producers are able to achieve more with less. Mineral excretion from animals through manure is also reduced, resulting in less environmental impact.

“Our organic mineral program reflects our focus on sustainability in all aspects, from the health of the animal and the nutrition of the meat, milk and eggs produced to the economic well-being of the producer and the impact we have on our planet’s land and water,” said Dr. Mark Lyons, president and CEO of Alltech. “Our investment in enhancing our mineral production in Asia reflects our confidence in the market’s continued growth and our alignment with our customers’ commitment to better nutrition from farm to market.”

Feed production in Vietnam increased nearly 7% in 2021, according to the Alltech Agri-Food Outlook, the company’s annual global feed production survey. Vietnam’s total feed production in 2021 was 18.5 million metric tons, led by the swine sector with 7.84 million metric tons, an increase of nearly 20% over 2020. Aqua feed production increased 40% in 2021 to 6 million metric tons, broiler feed increased 9% to 2.12 million metric tons, layers feed production increased 11.7% to 2 million metric tons and dairy increased 22% to 520,000 metric tons.

Consistent with Alltech’s purpose of Working Together for a Planet of Plenty™, the production facility in Vietnam was engineered to reduce the environmental impact of production:

• The use of CNG versus fuel oil, a common fuel source in Vietnam, is expected to reduce the mineral plant’s nitrogen dioxide emissions by 80% and carbon monoxide emissions by 87.5%.
• The facility uses high-pressure clean-in-place (CIP) pumps for tank cleaning, reducing wastewater by 50%. Its dust collection system is 99% efficient.
• The use of invertor motors saves electricity consumption by 5% by utilizing variable frequency drive (VFD), which also allows for the control of speed and torque to reduce chances of mechanical failures.
• The production system uses fluid bed drying (FBD) technology, which requires 48% less thermal consumption than conventional spray dryers.
• The facility is certified by ISO 22000:2018, which sets out the requirements for a food safety management system.
• Organic trace minerals are more bioavailable to the animal, contributing to improved animal health. Because more of the minerals are taken up by the animal, mineral excretion through manure is reduced, minimizing environmental impact on land and water.

The new facility also utilizes the Alltech Q+ (Quality Plus) Program, a mineral quality control program unique to Bioplex trace minerals that guarantees quality, safety and performance in every batch. Alltech Q+ sets the industry standard, enabling Alltech to offer a global quality guarantee to customers using Bioplex trace minerals around the world. It forms an integral part of the Alltech Quality System (AQS), which was designed to meet or exceed all global market regulatory standards and ensures that proper approvals and analyses are performed for suppliers, raw materials and finished goods.

For more information about Bioplex and the Alltech Mineral Management program, visit alltech.com/mineral-management.

-Ends-

Photo download: https://creative.alltech.com/share/36CF2D1A-3FDC-47B7-98D853CD784A0048/

Photo caption: Dr. Mark Lyons, president and CEO of Alltech, at the opening of the new Bioplex^® plant today, the first organic mineral production facility in Vietnam.

Photo download: https://creative.alltech.com/share/FAB039AC-F890-485D-AE3D6B4762348D17/

Photo caption: Alltech opens Vietnam’s first organic mineral production facility.

Left to right: Mr. Lai Xuan Sam, Deputy Director, Sonadezi; Dr. Mark Lyons, President and CEO, Alltech; Mr. Duong Tat Thang, General Director of the Livestock Production Department, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development; Mr. Jonathan Wilson, President, Alltech Asia Pacific; and Mr. Keith Gribbins, Director of Operations, Alltech Asia Pacific.

Alltech, a global leader in animal health and nutrition, has appointed Tara McCarthy as its global vice president of environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG). McCarthy will support the advancement of Alltech’s vision of Working Together for a Planet of Plenty™, which underscores the ability of the agri-food sector to provide enough nutritious food for all while revitalizing local communities and replenishing the Earth’s natural resources.

“Agriculture is the sector most integral to planetary health, from its role in the nourishment and well-being of humans and animals, to the capabilities it has to not only safeguard but benefit our Earth’s environment,” said Dr. Mark Lyons, president and CEO of Alltech. “We have well-founded optimism about the future of agri-food and our planet, yet it is a moment for bold action and collective courage. Tara’s strategic approach, relationship focus and vast experience within the agri-food sector will add firepower to the advancement of our Planet of Plenty vision. In addition to furthering the alignment of our vision throughout our business, Tara will be working closely with our customers and partners on the environmental and social issues that we believe businesses within agriculture and food can positively impact.”

Prior to joining Alltech in June, McCarthy had served as the chief executive officer of Bord Bia, the Irish Food Board, since 2017. Her 25 years’ experience in the food industry also includes serving as chief executive officer for Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM), Ireland's seafood development agency.

McCarthy is passionate about the opportunities that can be found within sustainably produced food and has worked across the supply chain to develop insights and industry partnerships. She has led numerous capability initiatives and developmental support programs for students, early career executives and entrepreneurs within the food industry for more than a decade, forming successful partnerships both nationally and internationally. In 2019, McCarthy co-founded Agdif, an industry initiative championing diversity in the Irish food industry. She has also represented Ireland’s food industry globally, speaking on Origin Green, Ireland’s unique national sustainability program. In 2021, McCarthy led the establishment of the Origin Green Global Council.

“Our world is changing, and the role that agriculture can play in the future is, in many ways and places, being reset,” said McCarthy. “I am delighted to have the opportunity to join Alltech in this new role at this pivotal time. It has never been more important to build networks across the supply chain, to start new conversations and to understand different perspectives. Supported by the ambition of Alltech’s Planet of Plenty vision and their global reach, I look forward to supporting and working alongside Alltech colleagues and customers.”

McCarthy received a bachelor’s degree in commerce from National University of Ireland, Galway (UCG) and a master’s degree in business studies with an emphasis on marketing from the University College Dublin (UCD) Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School. She is an affiliate of the IMD Business School in Switzerland. McCarthy has been recognized with several awards, including UCG Alumna of the Year for Business and Commerce in 2017; a Fellow of the Marketing Institute of Ireland, as well as Ireland’s Top 25 Most Powerful Women Public Sector Leaders Award in 2018; and UCD Smurfit School Alumna of the Year in 2019.

The newly established role of global vice president of environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) represents another exciting milestone in Alltech’s longstanding mission to develop sustainable solutions for agriculture. In the early 1980s, Dr. Pearse Lyons, the late founder of Alltech, established the ACE Principle, which guided the company’s efforts toward providing nutritional solutions that promote the health and well-being of animals, consumers and the environment. In 2019, Dr. Mark Lyons, Pearse’s son, carried that principle forward with the announcement of his vision for Working Together for a Planet of Plenty^TM.

The confinement area, often called a paddock, run, turnout, corral or dry lot, is the cornerstone of horse keeping. It is where we keep our horses to avoid overgrazing of pastures. In the winter, when pastures are dormant and soils are soggy or frozen, our horses live in their confinement areas. They are also where we keep our horses to prevent them from getting overweight on pasture or if they are recovering from an injury.

However, horses in confinement must still have their primary needs met, which includes the ability to move about freely, have social contact and access to food at multiple times throughout the day. However, even with these needs being met, many confined horses develop physical or behavioral issues, such as pacing, chewing, aggression, nervousness or ulcers. That is where horse enrichment comes in.

What is equine enrichment?

Equine enrichment means providing stimulation in a horse’s environment to benefit their psychological and physical well-being. Here are a few ideas of ways to incorporate enrichment opportunities into a horse’s confinement area:

1. Confinement area shape or design:

You may be able to design (or re-shape) your confinement area to stimulate your horse. A long, narrow paddock with feeding or water stations at either end encourages interest and movement. Create a track paddock — or provide access to one during turnout. This is simply a large, long confinement area shaped like a track, that encircles a pasture or other area. The goal of a track paddock is to encourage horses to move more freely and interact with others. Alternatively, your confinement area could double as a round pen for extra exercise.

2. Location:

Locate your confinement area so your horse can interact with stimuli from the world around them. Set it up so your horse is a part of your everyday life — seeing things like kids playing, people coming and going, summertime lawnmowers and bicycles, snow shoveling in the winter, etc. This all provide mental stimulation.

3. Companionship:

Be sure your horse has equine neighbors next door so they can at least see and possibly interact through nose touching or mutual grooming.

4. Rolling area:

Rolling is a natural activity that improves coat and skin condition, as well as comfort. It is also thought to increase a horse’s flexibility by stretching and engaging muscles in the back, neck and barrel. If you have room, perhaps you can create a sand pile in your horse’s paddock for this purpose. Alternatively, use a sand arena or round pen for regular turnout so they can roll there.

5. Food:

More frequent, smaller meals are healthier for horses and mimic their natural lifestyle. Also, try feeding in different locations or stations, so they do a bit of food seeking. You might offer different food types in different areas, such as hay cubes or low-quality hay for extra “chew time.” You should also consider a hay net or a slow feeder, which stretches eating time further and can help enrich equine feed experiences.

6. Browsing:

You may be able to occasionally incorporate small branches of an edible plant, such as willow, cottonwood, bamboo or blackberry vines. Weave a branch or vine into paddock fencing or incorporate a holder into their paddock for this purpose. (NOTE: Be sure to carefully research what is safe and non-toxic for your area. Several plants are poisonous to horses, such as black walnut, yew, red maple, black locust, rhododendron, laurel, oak and most fruit trees. The ASPCA has a list of plants that are toxic and non-toxic to horses. You may also consult your veterinarian if you are feeling unsure.)

7. Healthy treats:

More food-related ideas include feeding occasional treats, like watermelon, plums (without the pit), bananas (skin and all), grapes, celery or cut-up pieces of raw (orange) pumpkin. These, along with other low-sugar treats, can be fed in alternative locations to engage curiosity and food hunting behavior.

8. Horse enrichment toys:

Most horse owners have heard of a Jolly Ball®! Toys like these may help, especially for young horses. Studies show that adult horses are less motivated by toys unless they are associated with food, such as hay balls or different kinds of treat licks.

9. Scratching pads or brushes:

This could be a large nylon brush or a worn-out broom head that is safely bolted to a wall or corner. Alternatively, you may utilize a textured rubber doormat, which can be screwed to a wall.

10. Friends:

You may want to consider getting a buddy for your horse. If not another horse, you might consider another animal companion for them, such as a burro or goat. A cat or dog will often befriend a horse, improving the emotional well-being of each of them.

11. Turnout:

Turning your horse out, either by themselves or with other horses, gives them a chance to play, groom and interact.

12. Exercise and grooming:

Even when you cannot ride, you can still groom and practice good hoof care. As an alternative to riding, you can hand walk, lunge or do liberty work with your horse. Plan to exercise your horse a minimum of 30 minutes, three times per week.

Utilizing a confinement area is an important part of horse keeping. It not only provides an opportunity for movement — it also offers a way to decrease pasture impact while monitoring horse health. However, confinement areas can be stifling for some horses because of the lack of physical and emotional stimuli.

Providing enrichment for horses does not have to be expensive and can be as simple as adding turnout time with others, providing quality hay or pasture in a more natural way, feeding a new type of feed or an occasional treat, or giving your horse a food ball or lick. It might even be as simple as scheduling a little extra one-on-one time with your horse. Think outside the box, mix things up and have fun together — and keep in mind that you are supporting both you and your horse’s emotional well-being at the same time. 

I want to learn more about nutrition for my horses.

Rhea Freeman is a U.K.-based equine marketing expert and business coach. Her unique approach to working with her clients to develop a comprehensive marketing strategy for their small and medium-sized businesses has earned her multiple awards and international recognition.

The Alltech ONE Conference was lucky to have Rhea speak virtually all the way from Europe about 10 strategic marketing tips for social media. While Rhea focuses on equine businesses, her philosophies apply to any brand that is looking to expand their online presence.

#1: Find your people.

As Rhea reminds us, “Social media is not about you. It’s about ‘them’ and how you can serve them better.” As such, the first step to meeting your social media business goals is to do some market research and figure out where your audience hangs out online.

It seems obvious, but simply asking people where they spend their time and observing your audience out in the real world will help you identify which social platforms will make the most sense for who you want to interact with online.

#2: Define your objective for each platform.

In the words of Zig Ziglar, “You need a plan to build a house. To build a life, it is even more important to have a plan or goal.”

We would add to this that to build a social media following, you need to have concrete goals.

Each social media platform is different. Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, LinkedIn, Twitter —  the list goes on, but what most of us know is that each platform serves different purposes and audiences.

Before jumping into content creation, decide how you want to use each platform where you have a presence, and create content according to the audience you are serving on that particular site.

#3: Post with intention.

Science has found that the average person currently processes as much as 74 GB of information per day through all different types of media. This is equivalent to watching 16 movies per day!

For reference, 500 years ago, 74 GB of information would have been what a highly educated person consumed in a lifetime.

And every year, the amount of information we process daily is estimated to increase by 5%.

So, what does this mean for social media? It is easy for brands to get lost in the noise.

When you post, don’t do it just to fill space. Have intention behind what you post, and use your platform to make a difference.

Understanding the purpose behind each post is critical. Rhea suggests asking yourself what you are trying to achieve with each post. Here are some examples:

• Engagement
• Education
• Inspiration
• Excitement
• Entertainment
• And more!

#4: Create quality content.

It is important to differentiate yourself and your brand by creating content that is as good as it can be. In Rhea’s words, “Be on a constant quest for improvement.”

If your image is what makes people stop, your caption is what drives engagement. Don’t skimp on any part of your content; it is all important for long-term growth on social media channels.

#5: Be consistent.

Rhea suggests thinking of your social media like a TV show. Remember the days when recording a show and rewatching it later were simply not an option? You knew that every week, on Thursday nights at 8 p.m., your show would come on — and you would show up for it, running to get snacks during the commercials!

If you are not consistently showing up on social media, your audience will wonder what happened to you, and they may even draw conclusions that you are no longer in business.

So, keep showing up. And keep creating content with the intention to make a difference. Your audience will notice.

#6: Be aware of your branding and style elements.

The goal of social media is to drive brand awareness through connection. What you are striving for is to create content that people recognize and associate with your brand, even before they see who posted it or your logo in the corner of the profile image.

Design isn’t everything, but it is certainly a component of a comprehensive marketing strategy, and it will help distinguish your brand from the rest.

Play around and have fun with your brand design, and remember that it is a reflection of your business.

#7: Encourage and nurture engagement.

Remember, social media is the cocktail party, not the university lecture.

Social media marketing allows us to reach our customers in some amazingly powerful ways that we do not want to take for granted.

Ask your followers questions on stories, feed posts or videos, and be sure to respond to what they post in their replies. Some of the greatest needs of humans are to be seen, heard and appreciated.

Listen to your followers, learn what matters to them and take the time to nurture your online relationships.

#8: Use the tools inherent in each social media platform.

No matter which social media channel you’re looking at, these apps were designed for people to use! This means that there are fun tools within each platform that were created to help you engage with others. Some examples include poll questions on Instagram stories, video editing features on TikTok and more.

Experimenting with different functionalities can help increase your reach. It can also help with market research by showing you what types of content are most relevant and engaging to your audience. Channel your inner construction worker and use that toolbox!

#9: Use the platform as a user.

Creating a social media marketing strategy is very important, but don’t forget to have some fun!

Rhea suggests:

• Engaging with other people’s accounts
• Following the hashtags that interest you
• Reaching out to new people
• Building relationships and connections
• Getting inspired by what others are doing

Think of social media as attending a conference day in and day out: It is a major networking opportunity that is waiting for you to engage. In fact, we’ve heard that social media is on par with the networking opportunities you will find at the in-person Alltech ONE Conference — and that’s saying something!

#10: Don’t become overly focused on the number of followers you have.

It is important to not become too obsessed with the number of followers you accrue. Of course, growing your following is important, but quality definitely rules over quantity when it comes to social media.

Make your social media goals all about growing a genuine following and connecting with them authentically. That will trump any number of bought or misaligned followers any time of day.

Thinking back to the networking example we mentioned previously, if you go to a conference with no interest in any of the topics being spoken about, why are you there? The people there are likely not “your people,” and you will find the experience very unfulfilling.

The same rule applies to social media: Go where you can find a community, and cultivate that connection and warmth on your own channels.

Wrapping it all up

Rhea ended her thorough presentation with this bit of wisdom: “Social media isn’t just about the sale. It is about community expansion, growing a brand, creating loyalty and celebrating and connecting with your people.”

Whatever your social media goals are for your equine business, put these principles into action and have some fun! We guarantee you will see results.

I want to learn more about nutrition for my horses.

I have had horses most of my life, but it was not until I first cared for a horse on my small acreage that it dawned on me, what should I do with all the manure? I am sure you, too, if you care for horses, have asked the same question at some point.

Horses produce 50 pounds of manure per day, over eight tons per year! Add to that the eight to ten gallons of urine a horse generates and the wheelbarrow or more of bedding used each day, and in no time at all, you will have a manure mountain.

All that takes up a whole lot of valuable space that you would probably enjoy using for more interesting things than stockpiling manure. For me, that first small acreage experience was over 30 years ago, but the process of working out a useful horse manure management option led me on the exciting journey I am on today as an environmental educator working with horse owners around the country.

In this article, I will share some of the problems associated with not having a solid system to deal with manure as part of your overall horse management program and cover the benefits of composting. We will go through the steps to manage compost and wind up with guidelines for using finished compost.

The trouble with horse manure

There are many concerns about the mismanaged manure pile (besides the obvious of wasted space and being an eyesore), such as:

• Horses grazing near their manure are quickly reinfested by larvae that hatch from worm eggs shed in manure.
• Odor and fly problems becoming a concern to you or your neighbors.
• Runoff from soggy manure piles causing water quality issues for creeks and wetlands, as well as for drinking water, which is a serious concern if you have your own well. Many areas have ordinances in place that strictly control these issues.

What is composting?

All organic matter, including manure and bedding, eventually decomposes. By providing an ideal environment, we put the beneficial bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms that speed up the decomposition process to work.

As manure and stall waste are broken down, the microorganisms generate tremendous amounts of heat. This heat destroys weed seeds, fly larvae, worm eggs and other disease-causing pathogens.

Finished compost is crumbly, earthy-smelling, dark material and a marvelous soil amendment that holds in moisture and adds nutrients.

The compost bin vs. the compost pile

In order to compost and generate heat, it is important to stack your manure and stall waste a minimum of three to four feet high. (Aim to make it at least the size of a washing machine.)

You can build a bin out of cement or pressure-treated wood, or you can just create a large manure pile. Larger horse facilities or those with tractors might need a sturdy bin design with strong walls. If you live in a wet climate, you will need either a roof or a tarp over your bin to avoid piles getting too wet and soggy. A cement pad for the bottom is helpful when using a tractor to keep the area from turning muddy in the winter or rainy season.

How to manage composting systems 

This includes tarping (covering), turning or aerating, and watering. Like most living things, the microorganisms that break down manure and bedding are aerobic, requiring air and water. Too much or too little of either can cause problems. Some simple steps to follow to manage the process are:

1. Choose the right location. Begin by locating an appropriate place for your composting site. For chore efficiency, choose an area convenient for chores with easy access to your horses, barn and paddocks. This area should be high, well-drained and away from waterways. Locating your pile at the bottom of a hill or in a wet area may mean it turns into a pile of mush. A dry, level area is especially important when it comes to accessing the pile with any kind of heavy equipment, such as a tractor or truck (which you may want for spreading the finished compost).

2. Piling. Place daily manure and stall waste in one bin or pile. When that bin or pile is as large as you want it (at least three feet), leave it and begin building a second pile or bin, and so on for the last bin. In two to four months, the first bin or pile should be finished, and you can start using the compost from that bin. It is a good idea to have two or three separate piles — or more if you would like.

3. Keep it covered! Covering your compost prevents the valuable nutrients you are saving in the compost from getting washed out and causing problems with the neighbors or in nearby waterways. A cover keeps your piles from becoming a soggy mess in the winter or too dried out in the summer. This can be accomplished with a tarp, plastic sheet or by building a roof.

Since you will need to pull the tarp back every time you clean your horse’s stall and paddock, make the tarp as chore-efficient and easy to use as possible. You may want to attach your tarp to the back of your compost bin. TIP: If you live in a windy area, weigh down your tarp with milk jugs full of gravel.

4. Get air into the pile. Turning the compost-to-be allows oxygen to get to the bacteria and organisms that break down the material into dirt-like organic matter. This keeps the process aerobic and earthy smelling. If the compost becomes anaerobic, without air, it will have a foul, undesirable odor.

How often you turn it determines how quickly your compost will be ready. On its own, air will permeate into the pile to a depth of one to two feet, so it’s the center of the pile that really needs air. Unless you have access to a tractor or enjoy a good workout, turning the pile by hand is difficult.

An easy way to get air to the center and avoid frequent hand-turning is to insert a couple of five- or six-foot PVC pipes into the center of the pile like chimneys. Buy PVC pipes with holes in them or use a drill to put in holes along pipes. Alternately, you could use a tamping rod to insert a few holes into the center.

The pile will still need to be turned from time to time to get the manure on the outside into the center so heat from the composting process can kill pathogens and evenly break down the material.

5. Keep it damp. Your compost material should be about as damp as a wrung-out sponge. Particularly in the summer, you will need to find a way to water your compost. Either use a garden hose when you turn it or just hose down the manure in your wheelbarrow before you dump it into the pile.

The compost should be damp but not dripping with water. If you squeeze a handful of it in your hand (wear a glove if you want), you should only be able to squeeze out a drop or two.

6. Optional: Monitor the heat. A wonderful component of composting is the heat generated by the beneficial microbes. A compost pile can get fairly warm, about 130–150°F. If you want the compost to kill fly larvae, worm eggs, weed seeds and pathogens, you need it to reach these temperatures for about three or four days. You can monitor the temperatures easily with the aid of a long-stemmed compost thermometer purchased at a local garden store.

7. Finished compost. How actively you monitor the air and water and how often you turn it determines how quickly it will compost. It should take around three to four months to finish, perhaps longer in the winter. The volume of material piled up will decrease in size by about 50%. You will know when your compost is ready when the material looks evenly textured, dark and crumbly like dirt and no longer like the original material. It should be 90°F or less.

8. Put that black gold to good work! Compost is a rich soil amendment that improves the health of both plants and soil and helps to retain moisture. You can use your compost in your garden, give it away to your neighbors, or spread it on your pastures. Spreading manure in pastures during the growing season — from late spring to early fall — is best.

You can use a manure spreader or simply spread it with a shovel from the back of a pickup truck or by the bucketful with a tractor. Do not spread it too thick to avoid smothering grass; just a sprinkling of about 0.25–0.5 inches at a time and no more than three to four inches per season in the same area.

In conclusion

Finished compost is a precious soil amendment infused with micro and macronutrients that work to add nutrients in a time-release fashion. Compost adds “life” to soils in terms of beneficial bacteria and fungi. Academic research shows that compost makes plants healthier, more disease-resistant and that just one application of compost can have benefits lasting five or more years.

Compost will also help hold in moisture — very important for helping your pasture survive a summer drought or climate change! And composting provides you with a free, easy source of compost that saves you money. Your horseless gardening neighbors may find it a valuable commodity as well!

For questions or design help, contact Horses for Clean Water, your local conservation district or the Natural Resources Conservation Service.  

I want to learn more about nutrition for my horses.

During the 38^th annual Alltech ONE Conference (ONE) in Lexington, Kentucky, Alltech was pleased to host 65 journalists from approximately 20 countries. Another 213 were in attendance virtually, representing nearly 35 countries. In a presentation on Monday, several awards were presented to honor a few of those international agricultural journalists for their excellence and leadership in sharing the stories of agriculture.

“Compelling, fact-based communication has never been more important for society, and that holds especially true for agriculture,” said Dr. Mark Lyons, president and CEO of Alltech. “No other business sector is as integral to planetary health. The stories of agriculture production, industry innovations and sustainability efforts must not only be told, but told well, which underscores the importance of the work of agricultural media.”

In partnership with the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists (IFAJ), Alltech is pleased to announce Lindi Botha of South Africa as the recipient of the 2022 IFAJ–Alltech International Award for Leadership in Agricultural Journalism. This recognition honors Alltech’s late founder, Dr. Pearse Lyons, who was a passionate storyteller with a great respect for agricultural journalists.

Botha is an agricultural journalist and communications specialist and serves as the deputy chairperson of Agricultural Writers South Africa. She has an unrelenting passion for agriculture and for writing stories that serve to enhance the sector and arm farmers with the knowledge they need to succeed in these times of political, climatic and economic uncertainty. The fast pace at which the agricultural landscape is changing necessitates an increased awareness to ensure that journalists are up to date with the latest trends and technology, and Botha prides herself on effectively and timeously communicating these advancements to farmers. A core focus of her work is communicating success stories within agriculture and ensuring that the sector is seen as a positive contributor to social change and economic upliftment.

Alltech is also proud to partner with the Latin American and Caribbean Network of Agricultural Communicators (Red CALC). The ninth annual Innovation and Quality Awards in Agricultural Journalism were presented to Sofia Neumann of Chile and Nicolás Gómez Bernal of Ecuador.

Neumann’s winning article, entitled “5 Chilean innovations that will impact the agricultural industry,” was published in Chile’s Financial Journal and addressed the impact of the adoption of research and development in the fruit sector of Chile.  Neumann highlights how the country has positioned itself as the main fruit exporter in the Southern Hemisphere with advances in areas such as breeding technologies, the automation of labor and fruit processing. Today’s biggest challenge is the transfer of knowledge to medium and smallholder farmers.

Gómez Bernal’s award-winning report, “RAZA 4 joins Latin American countries in defense of their plantations,” published in the newspaper El Productor de Ecuador, focuses on the banana industry as the first export area of many Latin American countries. However, the new Fusarium fungus, known as Tropical Race 4, could directly affect this sector. As such, different regional agencies and governments have begun taking proactive steps to help prevent the spread of this plague.

The IFAJ–Alltech International Award for Leadership in Agricultural Journalism and the Red CALC Innovation and Quality Award in Agricultural Journalism align with Alltech's vision of Working Together for a Planet of Plenty^TM, in which a world of abundance is made possible through the adoption of new technologies, better farm management practices and human ingenuity within agriculture. Alltech is proud to partner with these organizations and to support the mentorship and education of these communicators, who connect agriculture to a global audience and share the stories of agriculture through balanced, independent, evidence-based information.

“IFAJ and Red CALC share our commitment to supporting journalists who give a voice to the farmers and producers, the innovators and change-makers, and the scientists and scholars all working toward a Planet of Plenty,” said Lyons. “On behalf of Alltech, I congratulate Lindi Botha, Sofia Neumann and Nicolás Gómez Bernal as the well-deserving recipients of these awards.”

For more information about the IFAJ–Alltech International Award for Leadership in Agricultural Journalism or the Red CALC awards, contact press@alltech.com.

-Ends-

Contact: press@alltech.com

Jenn Norrie

Communications Manager, North America and Europe

jnorrie@alltech.com; (403) 863-8547

Video download: https://bcove.video/3kM8Sct

Image download: https://photos.alltech.com/pf.tlx/w2dw2cXwdGbR5

Image caption: Lindi Botha of South Africa is the recipient of the 2022 IFAJ–Alltech International Award for Leadership in Agricultural Journalism.

Image download: https://photos.alltech.com/pf.tlx/5wM5I2v5oabsc

Image caption: Steve Werblow (left), vice-president of the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists, accepted the 2022 IFAJ–Alltech International Award for Leadership in Agricultural Journalism on behalf of Lindi Botha of South Africa from Dr. Mark Lyons (right), president and CEO of Alltech at the 2022 Alltech ONE Conference.

Image download: https://photos.alltech.com/pf.tlx/2W2yDd2yI4jf6

Image caption: Sofia Neumann of Chile was recognized by Alltech and the Latin American and Caribbean Network of Agricultural Communicators (Red CALC) with an Innovation and Quality Award in Agricultural Journalism.

Image download: https://photos.alltech.com/pf.tlx/H3EH84MH8PQs2Z

Image caption: Nicolás Gómez Bernal of Ecuador was recognized by Alltech and the Latin American and Caribbean Network of Agricultural Communicators (Red CALC) with an Innovation and Quality Award in Agricultural Journalism.

Image download: https://photos.alltech.com/pf.tlx/yDEycYdyi9zoN

Image caption: Dr. Mark Lyons (left), president and CEO of Alltech, presented the Latin American and Caribbean Network of Agricultural Communicators (Red CALC) Innovation and Quality Awards in Agricultural Journalism to Sofia Neumann (right) of Chile and Marlene Bernal Munoz (middle), accepting on behalf of Nicolás Gómez Bernal of Ecuador, at the 2022 Alltech ONE Conference.

Image download: https://photos.alltech.com/pf.tlx/vwvZcvXIhnod

Image Caption: Alltech is proud to partner with the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists (IFAJ) to recognize excellence and leadership by young journalists with the IFAJ–Alltech International Award for Leadership in Agricultural Journalism.

Image download: https://photos.alltech.com/pf.tlx/VzGVtfVfnjMD

Image Caption: Alltech is pleased to partner with the Network of Agricultural Communicators of Latin America and the Caribbean (Red CALC) to recognize the winners of the Innovation and Quality Award in Agricultural Journalism.

About Alltech:

Founded in 1980 by Irish entrepreneur and scientist Dr. Pearse Lyons, Alltech delivers smarter, more sustainable solutions for agriculture. Our products improve the health and performance of plants and animals, resulting in better nutrition for consumers and a decreased environmental impact.

We are a global leader in the animal health industry, producing specialty ingredients, premix supplements, feed and complete feed. Strengthened by more than 40 years of scientific research, we carry forward a legacy of innovation and a unique culture that views challenges through an entrepreneurial lens.

Our more than 5,000 talented team members worldwide share our vision for a Planet of Plenty™. We believe agriculture has the greatest potential to shape the future of our planet, but it will take all of us working together, led by science, technology and a shared will to make a difference.

Alltech is a private, family-owned company, which allows us to adapt quickly to our customers’ needs and maintain focus on advanced innovation. Headquartered just outside of Lexington, Kentucky, USA, Alltech has a strong presence in all regions of the world. For more information, visit alltech.com, or join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

[Ciudad de Serdán, Mexico] – On April 5, Alltech took steps to advance its leadership in sustainability through the company’s first global renewable energy project, a photovoltaic solar energy system, located in its production plant in Serdán, Mexico. The plant also presented its new source of compressed natural gas, which will help to considerably mitigate its environmental impact.

During the event, which was attended by local authorities, industry representatives and Alltech’s president and CEO, Dr. Mark Lyons, it was highlighted that this new energy system — designed by the company Iberdrola — will cover 46% of the Alltech Serdán plant’s energy needs. This will result in an energy savings of 22% in the first year, and an annual reduction of 20% of its CO₂-eq emissions (665 fewer tons of CO₂-eq emissions).

 “Alltech strives to have a positive impact in the 350 global communities in which we live and work, and our team in Serdán has long been exemplary in this regard,” said Dr. Mark Lyons. “Today, they have taken a tremendous step forward in advancing our efforts to reduce the environmental impact of our operations.

“The milestone completion of these energy projects was also a celebration of this team’s long-standing spirit of ‘making a difference.’ The products produced at this facility are at the core of our Planet of Plenty™ vision, which aims to improve animal welfare and feed efficiency, while ensuring nutrition for all and reducing environmental impact. For example, the Serdán team is committed to replanting yucca plants — three for each one harvested in the production of our De-Odorase® product — and they consistently put the community at the forefront of their endeavors. This facility and our local team members are truly a testament to our vision of Working Together for a Planet of Plenty™.”

Alltech Serdán also inaugurated a new system for the use of compressed natural gas, a more environmentally friendly fuel, which will further contribute to a reduction in its environmental impact. Designed with the company Enepres, this new energy source, unlike liquified petroleum gas, emits 30% less carbon dioxide (CO₂) and 65% less carbon monoxide (CO). The result is an annual reduction of 17% of its CO₂-eq emissions (570 fewer tons of CO₂-eq).

"These projects readily demonstrate Alltech's interest in investing significantly in energy efficiency and renewable energy," said Paul Kilgallen, Alltech Serdán plant manager. "The initiatives support our efforts to offer sustainable solutions that optimize the productivity of livestock producers, and at the same time, uphold the social responsibility we have as a business and as an industry."

Alltech Serdán’s new energy system and transition to natural compressed gas are also representative of Alltech’s efforts to achieve its emission reduction goals by 2030, deliver on its commitment to several UN Sustainable Development Goals, and achieve its vision of a Planet of Plenty™.

The Alltech ONE Conference (ONE) will feature tracks that will uncover the challenges and opportunities in agriculture, business, health and wellness, and professional development. Now in its 38^th year, Alltech’s global agri-food conference continues to be an invaluable resource, uniting thought leaders and changemakers in an exploration of the power of science, sustainability and storytelling. This annual flagship event will be held May 22–24, both in person in Lexington, Kentucky, and virtually on a first-class platform, with live-streaming keynote and select on-demand track presentations available to ensure accessibility to everyone, everywhere.

Many topics* are slated for discussion at ONE, including:    

Aqua

• Holistic Gut Health: The Latest Improvements in Fish Nutrition
• Inside Out: Developing Healthy Skin, Guts and Gills
• Wave of the Future: Exciting New Developments in Aqua-Tech
• Aqua Investors: The Big Bad Wolves — or Our Rescuers?
• Aqua On Top: Building on Aquaculture's Unfair (Sustainable) Advantage

Beef

• Beef and Global Food Security: Resource-Use Efficiency for Protein Production
• Looking Ahead: Consumer Trends and Beef Production Systems
• Beef x Dairy: A Growing Link in the Supply Chain
• Beef and Global Food Security: Resource-Use Efficiency for Protein Production
• Better Connection: Why This Telecommunications Company Invests in Beef
• Better Beef: Exploring the Need for Innovation in the Beef Industry
• A New Day for Beef: Turning Sustainability Challenges Into Opportunities
• A Blueprint for Success: Getting Team Buy-In for New Products
• Organic Trace Minerals and Their Impact on Fetal Programming

Crop Science

• Little Bugs, Big Impact: Soil Microbes and Fertility
• Planting the Seed: Growing Through Strategic Partnerships
• The Growing Field of Crop Science: Performance, Sustainability and Innovation
• Bridging the Gap: Merging Conventional and Biological Innovations to Drive Crop Productivity
• Soil Biological Analysis: A Simple Tool for On-Farm Soil Health Assessments

Dairy

• Dairy Market Trends: Making Predictions During a Pandemic
• Dairy Gone Digital: Sustainability and On-Farm Technologies
• Planning for Success: Animal and Human Welfare on Dairy Operations
• Crème de la Crème: Large Herd Management in the Desert
• Predictions and Positioning for the Next 10 Years
• Chewing the Cud: Transparency and Communication in the Dairy Industry
• Sharing the Plate: Exploring Byproduct Utilization
• Bringing Data to Sustainability: Alltech E-CO₂
• Lessons Learned: Sustainability Goals for the Dairy Industry
• Transition to a Successful Lactation Cycle

Equine

• Exceptional Equines: All About Regenerative Medicine for Horses
• Taking Flight: Finding a Niche in the Horse Business
• Forage Quality: How Is It Measured, and Why Is It Important for Your Horse?
• Recipe for Success: How Mrs. Pastures Became the Top Horse Treat in America
• Achieving Greatness: Olympic Dreams — and A Lot of Hard Work
• Start 'Em Young: Building the Equine Bone Matrix
• Not Just a One-Trick Pony: 10 Great Social Media Strategies
• The Significance of Selenium: Exploring A Decade of Research

Pet

• The Golden Years: Strategies for Senior Pet Health
• Your Pet and You: Pet and Human Crossover Trends and Insights
• Brain Power: Supporting Our Pets' Cognitive Health at All Life Stages
• The Truth About Pet Food Mergers and Acquisitions: Revelations from an Industry Insider
• Planet-Friendly Pets: Sustainability Hot Topics in the Pet Industry

Pig

• The Zinc Oxide Ban: Nutritional Ramifications and Global Implications
• Caring for Disease-Challenged Pigs: Can Changing Nutrient Sources Affect Their Performance?
• The Buzz About Xylanase: Is It Here to Stay?
• Transformational Trends: How Can the Swine Industry Meet Consumers' Demands?
• Pork Producer Panel: The Challenges and Long-Term Effects of COVID-19
• Long Live the Sow: Protecting Your Herd
• Sustainability in Pork Production: The New Normal
• Developing a Productive Gilt: How Nutrition Affects Lactation
• Sow Mortality: Addressing an Industry-Wide Issue
• Smart Farms: Integrating AI and IoT Into Commercial Pig Operations

Poultry

• Protection Through Immunity: A Holistic Approach to Poultry Production
• Leveling Up: Improving Sustainability at Each Stage of Poultry Production
• Knowing Poultry Consumers and Delivering What They Want
• Antibiotic Resistance: A Hidden Problem for Poultry Production
• We're All in This Together: How COVID-19 Impacted the Poultry Industry
• Poultry Innovations: Where Are We Now, and Where Are We Going?
• Driving Demands: Shifting the Focus to Poultry Welfare
• Efficient, Sustainable Performance: The Impact of Organic Trace Minerals
• Balancing Animal Welfare and Sustainability: A Global Panel Discussion
• Understanding Coccidiosis: A Proactive Approach to a Major Poultry Challenge

Business

• The Power of Why: Aligning Business With Purpose
• Price Pressure: Doing Business During a Pandemic
• Business as (Un)usual: Embracing New Models
• From the Great Resignation to the Great Re-Engagement
• From Soil to Slainté: Making Irish Whiskey
• Echoes of War: The Global Impact of Conflict
• Making Moves: Turning a Vision Into Reality
• Partnering for Success: Why Business is Better Together

Health and Wellness

• The Science of Happiness: How to Make it Work for You
• Eating for Health and the Planet: A Guide to a Sustainable Diet
• Managing Stress and Overcoming Burnout: How to Live With Intention and Purpose
• It's Not Just Your Genes: Understanding the Equation That Drives Your Health
• Migraines and the Diet: The Myths vs. the Facts
• The Promise of Health Through Agriculture

Neurogastronomy

• Neurogastronomy: A Road to Global Health and a Planet of Plenty
• The Neuroscience of Flavor and Flavor Manipulation
• Extraordinary Eating: Enhancing Food Health and Flavor Through Neurogastronomy
• Food, Farming and You: What Neurogastronomy Can Teach Us About the World
• How We Eat is Who We Are: Gastronomy as a Shared Destiny

Stay Curious

• Redefining Resilience: Know Your Achilles Heel
• Crossed Wires: Culture and Communication
• Pitch With a Purpose: Innovation Driven by Compassion
• If I Can: Limitless Potential In Practice
• Pulling Up a Chair: Inclusion as a Key to Success
• Safety First: The Non-Negotiable of Psychological Security
• Do Things, Tell People: The Power of Personal Branding and Social Media Storytelling
• The Power of Purpose
• Meaningful Career Connections
• XYZ: Leading the Alphabet Soup of Generations
• Winning Body Language for a Successful Career

*Topics are subject to change. Some track topics are virtual or in-person only. Check the agenda for details.  

In addition to the many track topics, ONE attendees will be inspired by keynote speakers who have unleashed the power of innovation and courageous leadership to make a positive impact, including:

• Mick Ebeling, founder and CEO of Not Impossible Labs and author of “Not Impossible: The Art and Joy of Doing What Couldn’t Be Done,” will take the ONE mainstage in person, and his presentation will also be live-streamed for those joining virtually.
• Paul Polman, presenting virtually at ONE, has been described by the Financial Times as “a standout CEO of the past decade”. While serving as the CEO of Unilever, he stopped reporting quarterly earnings to focus on a long-term strategy that would successfully double revenues while reducing the company’s environmental impact by half.   
• Heather White, author, founder and CEO of “OneGreenThing,” will present on the mainstage at ONE, and her presentation will also be live-streamed for those joining virtually. She brings two decades of environmental advocacy work and national nonprofit leadership to life with her joyful and practical book, "One Green Thing: Discover Your Hidden Power to Help Save the Planet".
• Dr. Mark Lyons, president and CEO of Alltech, will welcome all ONE attendees, both in-person and virtually. Based on Alltech’s belief that agriculture has the greatest potential to shape our world’s future, he launched the company’s vision of Working Together for a Planet of Plenty™ in 2019. He has called for collaboration to improve nutrition, human and animal well-being, and the replenishment of natural resources.
• Nikki Putnam Badding, will present in-person and virtually during ONE about the crucial importance of making nutrition accessible to all. As a registered dietitian nutritionist, she brings human health expertise to her role as managing director and chief dietitian of Acutia, Inc., an Alltech company.

• Dr. Karl Dawson, scientific advisor with Alltech, will join the keynote lineup in person and virtually to discuss how animal agriculture can be part of the solution to improving sustainability.

As the Alltech ONE Conference returns live to Lexington, Kentucky, after being a virtual-only event for the past two years, it will also feature a weekend of fun-filled activities for all. For more details about the ONE Weekend activities and tours, visit one.alltech.com/one-weekend.

Registration for the Alltech ONE Conference is open at one.alltech.com. Join the conversation across social media with #AlltechONE.