Partnership between Alltech and UK has enabled more than 200 students to pursue their musical ambitions; 20th annual event awards more than $700,000 in prizes and scholarships

[LEXINGTON, Kentucky] — For 20 years, a shared passion for music and education has united Alltech and the University of Kentucky in shaping the futures of hundreds of gifted vocalists by providing them an unparalleled opportunity to study at UK and perform with the esteemed UK Opera Theatre program.

The Alltech Vocal Scholarship Competition marked its 20th anniversary on Sunday at the UK Singletary Center for the Arts with 18 finalists taking the stage to compete for more than $700,000 in prizes and scholarships. The competition — one of the largest of its kind in the world — attracts top vocal performers from around the world, helping them overcome financial barriers to pursuing their musical dreams and paving their way to a successful career. It has also played a pivotal role in the rise of the UK Opera Theatre program, now widely regarded as one of the best in the nation.

The milestone event began with a special presentation by Lexington Mayor Linda Gorton, who declared March 2, 2025, as Alltech Vocal Scholarship Competition Day in Lexington.

“More than 200 students have been able to pursue their ambitions in opera, having opportunities to travel the world, perform, teach and inspire others,” said Mayor Gorton. “It is an honor to be here to celebrate the Alltech Vocal Scholarship Competition’s 20th anniversary.”  

The proclamation recognized the competition as one of the legacies of Alltech founder Dr. Pearse Lyons, whose love for music and commitment to helping people “do what makes their hearts sing” inspired him to create this unique program with his friend UK Opera Theatre Director Dr. Everett McCorvey. The mayor also acknowledged the ongoing support of Deirdre Lyons, Alltech cofounder and director of corporate image and design, and Dr. Mark Lyons, Alltech president and CEO, who continue to champion the program.

Dr. McCorvey described the scholarship program as a “game-changer for us here at the university.”

“When Dr. Lyons first began talking about starting this competition, he said, ‘I want this to be the best competition in the world,’” Dr. McCorvey recalled. “So, I took a proposal to him, and he said, ‘OK, this is not big enough. Go back to your team and bring something bigger.’ So we did. We created a competition that is the best competition in the world for young singers.”  

“UK Opera Theatre is a visionary program that helps singers reach their full potential while bringing art and joy to the community,” said Dr. Mark Lyons. “On this 20th anniversary, we celebrate not only the incredible talent on display but also the spirit of camaraderie and community that defines this competition.”

Making dreams come true for 20 years

Judges selected multiple winners in undergraduate and graduate categories. In addition to cash prizes, winners received scholarships to attend UK, including some full-tuition awards. This year’s competition featured six undergraduate competitors and 12 graduate student competitors.

The winners of the 2025 Alltech Vocal Scholarship Competition were:

Undergraduate student winners

• Pearse and Deirdre Lyons First-Place Undergraduate Award and Scholarship — CoryOn Brooks, Paducah, Kentucky. This prize includes a $10,000 cash prize and a four-year, full-tuition scholarship to pursue a bachelor’s degree in music at UK.
• Bryant’s Rent-All and KPMG Second-Place Undergraduate Award and Scholarship — Destiny Cardell, Louisville, Kentucky. This prize includes a $9,000 cash award and a four-year, full-tuition scholarship to pursue a bachelor’s degree in music at UK.
• Alltech Feed Division Third-Place Undergraduate Award and Scholarship ($8,000 cash prize) — Darian Wright, Louisville, Kentucky.
• Barbara Rouse Kentucky Prize ($5,000 cash prize) — Emory Hampton, Louisville, Kentucky.
• Maestro’s Legacy Encouragement Awards ($1,000 cash prizes) — Lucy Schapman, Edwardsville, Illinois, and Grayson Boehm, Louisville, Kentucky.

Graduate student winners

• Pearse and Deirdre Lyons First-Place Graduate Award and Graduate Assistantship — Christian Abbo, Las Vegas, Nevada. This prize includes a full graduate assistantship to pursue a master’s degree in music or a doctoral degree in musical arts at UK, a one-time stipend of $13,000 from Alltech, and a yearly graduate stipend with UK Opera Theatre.
• Alltech and Stand Energy Second-Place Graduate Award and Graduate Assistantship — Matthew Pearce, Lexington, Kentucky. This prize includes a full graduate assistantship to pursue a master’s degree in music or a doctoral degree in musical arts at UK, a one-time stipend of $12,000 from Alltech and Stand Energy, and a yearly graduate stipend with UK Opera Theatre.
• Pearse Lyons ACE Foundation Third-Place Graduate Award — Emily Wicker, Chaseburg, Wisconsin. This prize includes a one-time stipend of $11,000.
• Encore Excellence Graduate Award — Bizhou Chang, Liaoning, China. This prize includes a one-time stipend of $10,000.
• Gail Robinson Performance Graduate Award ($8,000 cash prize) — Lily Allen, Cleveland, Tennessee.
• Alltech Crop Science Graduate Encouragement Award ($5,000 cash prize) — Lillian Broderick, Northfield, Vermont.
• Maestro’s Legacy Encouragement Graduate Award ($2,000 cash prize) — Collin Stillday, Plymouth, Minnesota.
• Reginald Smith Jr. Opportunity Award ($1,000 cash prize) — Darien Roby, Alexandria, Virginia.

• Opera LEX Victoria Meyers Graduate Award ($1,000 cash prize) — Reagan Hinze, Lincoln, Nebraska.
• Maestro’s Legacy Encouragement Awards ($1,000 cash prize) — Samuel Phillips, Birmingham, Alabama; Andrea Trusty, Ezel, Kentucky; and Austin Morgano, Georgetown, Kentucky.

• American Institute of Musical Studies (AIMS) tuition stipend — Matthew Pearce, Christian Abbo, Lily Allen, Collin Stillday and Bizhou Chang. AIMS, located in Graz, Austria, is the leading summer music program in Europe, a one-of-a-kind experience designed to prepare students for careers as professional musicians.

Finalists were scored based on their voice, technical skill, interpretation and accuracy by five judges:

• Reginald Smith Jr., a 2007 winner of the Alltech Vocal Scholarship Competition and a Grammy and Emmy Award-winning baritone who has been lauded as a passionate performer “whose voice is one of the best baritone sounds to come along in years” by Opera News. His career has included performances with some of the world’s leading opera companies and in concerts worldwide.
• Barbara Lynne Jamison, general director of the Kentucky Opera, who has led a groundbreaking, community-led approach to producing mainstage opera, increasing diversity both onstage and in the audience.
• Audrey Chalt, a director, writer and producer of opera and theatre who currently serves as the artistic programs and new works manager at Cincinnati Opera.
• Dr. Thomas King, a tenor who has sung more than 50 roles in opera, operetta and musicals over the course of his career. King has taught private voice at Austin Peay State University, DePauw University and Indiana University Jacobs School. He also taught at the American Institute of Musical Studies in Graz, Austria, for 25 years and served as its artistic director for seven years before retiring in 2010.
• Julia Noulin-Mérat, an American, French and Canadian producer and designer with more than 25 years of experience who has served as the general director and CEO of Opera Columbus for the past five years.

Since its inception, the Alltech Vocal Scholarship Competition has awarded more than $12 million in UK scholarships and prizes. 

In addition to UK Opera Theatre productions, Alltech Vocal Scholars enrich the local community throughout the year with performances at the annual Alltech Celebration of Song, a free holiday concert at Alltech Arena at the Kentucky Horse Park, and the popular summer concert series “It’s a Grand Night for Singing.”

“Alltech has been a wonderful partner for us,” said Dr. McCorvey. “There’s a whole culture at Alltech of creating excellence and helping people to pursue their dreams.”

Learn more about the Alltech Vocal Scholarship Competition and watch the livestream of this year’s competition at alltech.com/vocal.

CoryOn Brooks of Paducah, Kentucky, won the 2025 Pearse and Deirdre Lyons First-Place Undergraduate Award and Scholarship award, which includes a $10,000 cash prize and a four-year, full-tuition scholarship to pursue a bachelor’s degree in music at UK.

Christian Abbo of Las Vegas, Nevada, won the 2025 Pearse and Deirdre Lyons First-Place Graduate Award and Graduate Assistantship, which includes a full graduate assistantship to pursue a master’s degree in music or a doctoral degree in musical arts at UK, a one-time stipend of $13,000 from Alltech, and a yearly graduate stipend with UK Opera Theatre.

[LEXINGTON, Ky.] – Alltech, a global leader in biotechnology, has released the complete Alltech 2024 U.S. Harvest Analysis report. The comprehensive final report shows that a combination of heavy early-season rains and late-season droughts has created distinct challenges for crop producers in the United States and indicates that overall risk is moderate to high.

“The trend for corn grain and corn silage is somewhat higher across all regions of the U.S. than it was for 2023,” said Dr. Max Hawkins, global technical support for the Technology Group at Alltech. “This increase in risk is due to the occurrence and levels of type B trichothecenes primarily, but zearalenone and fumonisins are also included in the increase, particularly in the Eastern U.S. The result is an increased pressure on animal health and performance that producers will need to monitor moving forward to maintain a proactive mycotoxin management program.” 

The final mycotoxin risk will ultimately depend on the animal species and groups being fed and the mycotoxin concentrations and combinations in the finished diet.

Mycotoxins, which are natural substances produced by molds and fungi, are more prevalent — and more of a problem in agriculture — than ever before. More than 95% of crops today are contaminated with at least one mycotoxin, and usually with two or more. Because these toxins are difficult to detect, they can cause significant damage to animal health before producers even realize they are present. A proactive mycotoxin management program is essential, and the first step is learning which mycotoxins pose the highest risk in specific regions, crops and species.

The Alltech 2024 U.S. Harvest Analysis program tests samples of new-crop grains and forages collected from farms or animal feed production sites across the country, ensuring an accurate picture of mycotoxin contamination. All samples are tested at the leading-edge Alltech 37^+® lab, which can detect the presence of 54 mycotoxins.

Other key results from the Alltech 2024 U.S. Harvest Analysis include:

Corn silage

The Upper Midwest showed higher risk due to DON than in 2023, while other regions showed a similar risk to 2023. Emerging mycotoxins and Type B trichothecenes had the highest prevalence.

Corn

The risk from corn grain is primarily DON and fumonisins. The risk in the East is similar to 2023, while the risk in the Midwest is greater than 2023, particularly for monogastrics.

On Nov. 21, 2024, Alltech hosted “From Field to Feed: 2024 Crop and Mycotoxin Analysis”, a broadcast streamed live from Alltech’s headquarters in Lexington, Kentucky, U.S. During the broadcast, panelists shared valuable insights for managing risks across the supply chain. Here are the key takeaways:

• Test and monitor: Regularly test crops and feed to understand what’s present and to ensure high quality.
• Leverage weather data: Pay attention to weather patterns and farm-specific conditions to assess potential risks early.
• Use comprehensive information: Gather unbiased data from all aspects of your operation and tailor it to fit your specific needs.
• Combine methods: Utilize both traditional techniques and new technologies to refine processes and ensure feed quality.
• Act proactively: If mycotoxins are present, be proactive with management to ensure high-quality feed production, thus protecting animals and safeguarding your operation’s resilience and success. 

Visit alltech.com/harvest-analysis to access the recording of the broadcast as well as the full 2024 Alltech Harvest Analysis program, including the complete U.S. report, which is available now.

For more information about Alltech mycotoxin management solutions, visit knowmycotoxins.com.

Life-changing event annually awards more than $700,000 in prizes and scholarships to UK 

[LEXINGTON, Kentucky] – Talented vocalists from across the United States and beyond will compete before a live audience Sunday, March 2, in the 20th annual Alltech Vocal Scholarship Competition at the UK Singletary Center for the Arts. This life-changing event annually awards more than $700,000 in prizes and provides scholarships for the renowned UK Opera Theatre program. The community is invited to enjoy an afternoon of music with complimentary admission. Doors open at 1:30 p.m. and the competition begins at 2 p.m.

This year’s competition is also part of the City of Lexington’s celebration of its 250th anniversary. Lexington Mayor Linda Gorton will be in attendance on Sunday to issue a proclamation in honor of the Alltech Vocal Scholarship Program’s 20th anniversary.

This prestigious event has grown to become one of the largest vocal scholarship competitions in the world. Founded in 2006 by the late Dr. Pearse Lyons, an enthusiastic advocate for the arts, the competition has awarded over $12 million in prizes and enabled more than 200 students to pursue their musical ambitions and receive an education in the arts.

Prestigious judges from the world of opera will select multiple winners in several categories, including undergraduate, graduate, and transfer students. In addition to cash prizes, some winners will receive scholarships for the UK Opera Theatre program, including full-tuition awards.

This year, one of the competition’s most celebrated winners, acclaimed opera singer Reginald (Reggie) Smith Jr., will serve as one of the judges.

Smith took one of the top prizes in the competition in 2007, when he traveled nine hours from Atlanta to Lexington on a Greyhound bus and arrived just in time to take the stage.

Dr. Everett McCorvey, UK Opera Theatre director, said Smith was a stellar student who took advantage of every opportunity to learn and develop his skills.

“He was a leader among the students during his undergraduate years and he was well respected by his peers and in the community,” McCorvey said.

Since his time at UK, Smith has enjoyed a flourishing singing career, performing on prestigious stages worldwide. Among his many accomplishments, he participated in the young artist program at Houston Grand Opera, won the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions in 2015 and sang on the Grammy Award-winning recording of the Metropolitan Opera’s 2019-20 production of “Porgy and Bess.”

Smith credits the Alltech Vocal Scholarship Competition, which he says provided him with the financial freedom to pursue his education without debt, allowing him to focus on both vocal performance and music education.

“The most important door that the competition opened for me was the ability to go to school and get an education and not have to worry about tuition costs,” Smith said, adding that traveling with Dr. Lyons to perform around the world was also an important educational experience.

“Being able to see the world through the numerous trips with Dr. Lyons and through all the generosity of Alltech really helped to change my perspective on the world,” he said.  “It helped make me a better global citizen.”

In addition to serving as a judge, Smith also sponsors the Reginald Smith Jr. Prize, which supports students whose lives will be as dramatically changed by the program as his was.

See tomorrow’s opera stars in the making

By removing financial barriers to pursuing a musical education, the Alltech Vocal Scholarship Competition has helped talented vocalists realize their dreams and launch successful careers. The competition has also played a pivotal role in the rise of UK’s opera program, which is now widely regarded as one of the best in the nation.

“It is because of our partnership with Alltech that we are able to attract and invite the top students in the country and from across the world to join us in the heart of Central Kentucky,” Dr. McCorvey said. “The generosity of Dr. Mark Lyons, Deirdre Lyons and all those who support the Alltech Vocal Scholarship Competition enables us to create competitive scholarship offers for students, allowing us to compete with major conservatories and encouraging these talented students to continue their education in vocal music here with us.”

In addition to UK Opera Theatre productions, Alltech Vocal Scholars enrich the local community throughout the year with performances at the annual Alltech Celebration of Song, a free holiday concert at Alltech Arena at the Kentucky Horse Park, and the popular summer concert series “It’s a Grand Night for Singing.”

Join us this Sunday at the UK Singletary Center for an unforgettable celebration of music, opportunity and two decades of commitment to advancing the arts.

Learn more about the Alltech Vocal Scholarship Competition and watch last year’s competition at alltech.com/vocal. Learn more about the UK Opera Theatre program at finearts.uky.edu/opera.

[DUNBOYNE, Ireland] – Alltech is a global leader in animal nutrition, backed by 45 years of scientific research. The company produces premium feed additive products and works with global regulatory agencies to meet their requirements. For more than a decade, the company’s attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR–FTIR) chelation assay has been relied upon by the industry to ensure that only the highest-quality products enter the market, to ensure fair market competition, and to prevent feed additive fraud.

“With new trace mineral chelate products continuously being developed, in addition to products with increased mineral concentration, the use of validated assays such as that developed by Alltech will ensure that such chelates meet EU regulatory requirements,” said Dr. Colm Moran, chief regulatory officer at Alltech. “This further adds to their safety and efficacy characteristics. Apart from enabling producers to meet regulatory requirements, assessment of such chelates via this assay will enable the EU to combat feed additive fraud. In doing so, the EU can further protect its agricultural sector by upholding standards through robust monitoring and rigorous enforcement of regulations.”

The process of complexing or chelating elements such as zinc or manganese to generate a trace mineral chelate typically involves reacting inorganic mineral salts with a suitable bonding group such as a peptide or amino acid, after which the mineral becomes part of a biologically stable structure. The chemistry behind chelation has created a great deal of confusion in the animal feed industry.

“Establishing the degree of complexation is important for both regulatory and practical purposes. Just as regulatory agencies require complete characterisation of medicinal products, similar data is necessary for trace mineral chelates to ensure their safety and efficacy,” said Dr. Richard Murphy, research director at Alltech. “If the metal ion is not complexed, its use will confer no additional benefit over that of a metal salt. Additionally, control methods allowing for the detection of products which are merely blends of carrier and inorganic salts are important to prevent the sale of fraudulent materials.”

In 2017, researchers at the Alltech European Bioscience Centre in Dunboyne, Ireland, assessed several different methodologies to determine the degree of metal complexation in commercially available chelates of protein hydrolysate (proteinates), thereby enabling more complete characterisation and control of these products. Potential methodologies which were identified included both the ATR–FTIR and powder X–Ray diffraction (PXRD). Both techniques are well established and widely available, and data can be acquired rapidly. They are also non-destructive, so that the same sample can be analysed by both methods in different laboratories.

Subsequent to this, the method was published under peer review (Cantwell et al., 2017) and made available to the industry as a whole, enabling other manufacturers to independently assess their own products. Additional work by Byrne et al., (2023) extended on the earlier work and validated the assay for use with higher concentration trace mineral chelates of protein hydrolysate.

The validated ATR-FTIR spectroscopy method is product specific, and while its use is applicable to the general class of chelates referred to by EFSA as “chelates of protein hydrolysate” (proteinates), the published assay has only been verified for the proteinate Bioplex®, produced by Alltech. As the characteristics of any proteinate will depend on the protein source used to produce the hydrolysate, the hydrolysis process, and the percentage of metal present, the assay will need to be validated and verified in a product-specific fashion.

“Product-specific assay validation is critical in this instance as the hydrolysis procedure plays a critical role in the production of proteinate products and varies greatly between manufacturers,” said Murphy. “As such, to obtain accurate data on the extent of chelation for specific chelate products, generation of appropriate standards and calibration curves, along with method verification and validation procedures, must be done for each specific product type.”

For more information about Alltech’s mineral management solutions, visit alltech.com/en-ie/mineral-management.

New entity expands the reach of World Without Cows documentary and supports additional science-based agricultural storytelling 

[LEXINGTON, Ky.] — Alltech, a global leader in animal nutrition and crop science, has launched Planet of Plenty, LLC, a new business entity dedicated to science-led storytelling, advocacy and educational initiatives that amplify agriculture’s vital role in creating a sustainable future.

This initiative builds on Alltech’s vision of Working Together for a Planet of Plenty®, which unites the agri-food community in creating a world where agriculture thrives, nutritious food is abundant and accessible, and our planet’s natural resources are replenished for generations to come.

While most families had ties to agriculture just two generations ago, many people today lack firsthand exposure to how the world’s food is produced. This disconnect can lead to misconceptions and oversimplified narratives about agriculture’s environmental impact, the role of farmers in creating climate solutions, and the complexity of feeding a growing population while protecting natural resources.

Through powerful storytelling, advocacy and educational initiatives, Planet of Plenty LLC aims to bridge that gap.

“Through Planet of Plenty LLC, we can take viewers on a global journey — into fields, research labs and farming communities — where they will see firsthand the intricate relationship between agriculture, the environment and food and economic security,” said Dr. Mark Lyons, president and CEO of Alltech.

Planet of Plenty LLC will serve as a collaborative hub where those within the agri-food community and beyond can:

• Promote science-based storytelling
• Advocate for the world’s agri-food producers
• Support educational initiatives
• Broaden the conversation about agriculture’s role in shaping a more sustainable future

Planet of Plenty LLC’s flagship project is World Without Cows, a feature-length documentary that amplifies the diverse perspectives of researchers studying methane emissions, farmers implementing regenerative practices, experts tackling the challenge of nourishing a growing population, and people in rural communities who rely on cows for their livelihoods. Co-created by two award-winning journalists who now work at Alltech, World Without Cows takes viewers on a global journey to foster a deeper understanding of everything cows contribute — and what the world might look like without them.

Over the past six months, World Without Cows has been screened at film festivals and events worldwide, sparking a broader discussion about the essential role of agriculture in sustainability, food security and the global economy.

Through collaboration with Alltech’s in-house media team and extensive global network, Planet of Plenty LLC will continue to create visually compelling, deeply informative content that accurately portrays modern agriculture’s complexities and opportunities — using science-based insights and storytelling to engage with audiences, just as World Without Cows has done around the world.

As interest in World Without Cows grows, this initiative offers supporters a mechanism to strengthen the documentary’s impact by opening doors to new audiences. Financial contributions to Planet of Plenty LLC will directly fund efforts to expand the documentary’s reach — and will also support additional science-based storytelling and advocacy initiatives that keep the conversation going.

“Agriculture’s most powerful stories are told by those on the frontlines,” Dr. Mark Lyons said. “Driving meaningful change begins with awareness, understanding and broader conversations, which Planet of Plenty LLC will endeavor to cultivate."

To learn more about World Without Cows and how to contribute to Planet of Plenty LLC, visit worldwithoutcows.com/contribute.

[LEXINGTON, Ky.] – Alltech has welcomed Jorge Noricumbo to the U.S. team as territory sales manager covering the south-central valley of California. He will also assist the Alltech Dairy On-Farm Support team with trainings.

Noricumbo is an advocate of training and delegating to succeed. Throughout his career, he has worked in collaboration with dairy farmers, consultants, veterinarians and nutritionists to help dairy farms improve the quality and efficiency of their processes. He focuses on training in many areas, such as maternity, calves, milking parlor, stockmanship and feed bunk management.

Born and raised in Mexico City, Noricumbo received a degree in Veterinary Medicine and Zootechnics from Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico (UNAM), as well as a Master of Science in Animal Science from Massey University in New Zealand. He has worked in the dairy industry in Mexico and the U.S., primarily in California, Oregon and Washington, focusing on feed additives and pharmaceutical products in different roles as sales and technical support.

“We are pleased to welcome Jorge to the Alltech U.S. Dairy team in California, as his experience and knowledge will be a great asset to our customers,” said Caley Heiman, Alltech regional sales manager.

For more information about Alltech, visit alltech.com, and learn more about the Alltech Dairy On-Farm Support team at alltech.com/dairy-on-farm-support.

[LEXINGTON, Ky.] – Alltech is pleased to announce the expansion of its mycotoxin testing program Alltech^® RAPIREAD™, which now includes a new collaboration with Waters™ | VICAM^® and the connection to its analytical tool, Vertu™ TOUCH.  Offering simple touch-screen operation, the Vertu TOUCH lateral flow strip test reader works in concert with VICAM’s Vertu strip tests to deliver full-range quantitative results for up to six major mycotoxins, including aflatoxin, fumonisin, vomitoxin (DON), zearalenone, ochratoxin A and the combination of T-2 and HT-2 toxins.

Mycotoxins, which are natural substances produced by molds and fungi, are more prevalent — and more of a problem in agriculture — than ever before. Results from the 2024 Alltech Harvest Analysis show that more than 95% of crops today are contaminated with at least one mycotoxin and usually two or more, thus demonstrating the need for robust quality control programs. Because these toxins are difficult to detect, they can cause significant damage to animal health before producers even realize they are present, hence a proactive mycotoxin management program is essential.

“Since mycotoxins are a continuous problem for the agricultural industry, it is important for producers to understand the risk to their feed and animals,” said Dr. Alexandra Weaver, global technical support for Alltech. “Rapid tests at the feed mill or on-farm can be used to detect the mycotoxin type or content, but including Alltech RAPIREAD can assist in understanding how the mycotoxins could actually impact the performance, health or profitability of production.”

AlltechRAPIREAD launched in 2020 to enable customers to identify and analyze mycotoxin risks within minutes. This began, and continues, with a collaboration with Neogen^® and integration to its Raptor^® testing device, designed for use on-farm or in feed mills to test individual grains and forages.

Complementing the continued connection with Neogen, this new collaboration with Waters | VICAM using the ONE line of quantitative strip tests will expand analysis capabilities to include complete feed, while keeping Alltech RAPIREAD at the forefront for data collection, risk assessment and consultation.

The Waters | VICAM Vertu TOUCH reader and mixer was launched three years ago with updated features, including a touch screen for ease of use and the technology to detect six mycotoxin levels in a single sample within 10 minutes. This has added a greater opportunity for on-site testing with ease of use, faster time to results and extremely high quality of results.

“Waters | VICAM has been delivering quality mycotoxin testing products to the food and feed industries since 1987,” said Lanny Smith, global sales manager, Waters | VICAM. “The addition of the CT-Connect enables the Vertu TOUCH to work with Alltech’s RAPIREAD system to transfer data securely across all networks.”

To learn more about this collaboration between Alltech and Waters | VICAM, visit the Alltech booth in Hall A #1211 at the International Production & Processing Expo (IPPE). For more information about Alltech’s mycotoxin management solutions, visit knowmycotoxins.com. 

[LEXINGTON, Ky.] – Alltech is pleased to announce that Leticia Souza has joined the U.S. team as an on-farm support dairy specialist. As part of the Alltech Dairy On-Farm Support team, Souza will spend time in the field and will focus on bilingual training, coaching, and retention strategies with dairy employees, serving dairy producers, nutritionists and veterinarians in the Northeast and Southeast U.S.  

“We are pleased to welcome Leticia to the Alltech Dairy On-Farm Support team as her knowledge and experience will be a great asset, providing added value to our customers and dairy workers, and strengthening our commitment to excellence,” said Jorge Delgado, Alltech on-farm dairy training, talent development and retention program specialist. “The Alltech On-Farm Support team is expanding as we see the need to help our customers with one of the main challenges this industry faces day-to-day, which is employee training, motivation and retention.”

Originally from Brazil, Souza earned her bachelor’s degree in veterinary medicine before moving to the United States. In 2019, she joined the University of Minnesota’s MAST trainee program, spending one year at Lazy J Dairy Farm in South Dakota. The following year, she worked as a research assistant at the University of Minnesota, assisting with projects that involved collecting and analyzing data on bacterial infections in dairy farms.

In 2023, Souza earned a master’s degree in veterinary medicine at Michigan State University. After completing her degree, she worked as a research technologist, conducting both laboratory and field research. Her work primarily focused on studying mastitis and antimicrobial stewardship in dairy cattle, as well as managing and analyzing data for research projects and training undergraduate students.

Souza holds numerous certifications and has several publications to her credit — in the Journal of Dairy Science and JDS Communications, among others — and she has presented at symposiums. She also participated in chapters of Herd Health in Beef Livestock, published in 2018.

Born in Itabira, Minas Gerais, Brazil, Souza now lives in Jackson, Michigan. She enjoys exploring the outdoors, spending time with family and friends, and experiencing new cultures.

For more information about Alltech, visit alltech.com, and learn more about the Alltech Dairy On-Farm Support team at alltech.com/dairy-on-farm-support.

Hector Lobato of Schilling Farms in Darlington, Wisconsin, is this year’s award recipient

[JUNEAU, Wis.] – Alltech Wisconsin is pleased to present the 2024 Most Valuable Employee (MVE) Award to Hector Lobato of Schilling Farms in Darlington, Wisconsin. This award recognizes one outstanding dairy farm employee in Wisconsin, Minnesota or northern Illinois each year. Nominations are made by a farm manager, dairy owner, farm consultant or nutritionist based on qualities such as work ethic, perseverance, honesty and integrity.

The finalists were honored during the annual Alltech Dairy Summit on Thursday, Dec. 12, in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

“Alltech is proud to honor Hector as this year’s Most Valuable Employee Award winner for his hard work and dedication to Schilling Farms for the past 18 years,” said Jorge Delgado, manager of the Alltech Training, Talent Development and Retention Program for Dairy Workers (Alltech T²R Program). “This award is designed to recognize the people behind the cows and their exceptional work ethic and integrity, and Hector is most deserving of this honor.”

Hector was nominated by his employers, the Schilling family, who said, “Hector can be best described as dedicated. He comes to work every day with a smile and ready to do his absolute best. We have been fortunate enough to have Hector working alongside us for the last 18 years.

“Hector's attitude and drive is what makes him such an asset. He is ready to help in the parlor, train new employees, and is known to be one of cleanest guys at the farm. We have been fortunate to watch Hector's family grow up, as we have watched his children graduate high school and now see Hector as abuelo to his granddaughter.

“Hector has taken a new role in employee management, and we value the knowledge he has and his commitment to doing it right. Hector takes pride in caring for the cows, employees and the farm. Success would not be possible without Hector and his dedication, and we are thankful he is part of Schilling Farms.” 

The other finalists honored during the Alltech Dairy Summit included Monte Guenther of Hil-Ray Farms in Minnesota City, Minn., and Fernando Maceda of Wayside Dairy in Greenleaf, Wis. 

“The best employees add value to the dairy by thriving in their roles, maintaining their responsibilities, creating a safe and positive work environment for their coworkers, and speaking highly of their employers, both on and off the farm,” Delgado said. “When dairy farms and their employees develop long-term relationships and celebrate each other’s hard work, everyone involved reaps valuable benefits.”

For more information about the Alltech Wisconsin MVE Award, visit this link or contact AlltechWisconsin@alltech.com.

-Ends-

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[DUNBOYNE, Ireland] – Alltech, a global leader in biotechnology, has released the complete Alltech 2024 European Harvest Analysis report. The comprehensive final report shows that a combination of heavy early-season rains and late-season droughts has created distinct challenges for crop producers in Central and Southeastern Europe and indicates that overall risk is moderate to high.

“Overall, European grains may have similar or higher risk this year compared to last year. Type B trichothecenes are predominant mycotoxins in corn silage and straw, while the other Penicillium mycotoxins dominate grass silages,” said Dr. Radka Borutova, global technical support for the Technology Group at Alltech. “Together, these mycotoxins could impact animal performance and health, so producers should be aware of these challenges in order to be proactive in their mycotoxin management strategies.”

The final mycotoxin risk will ultimately depend on the animal species and groups being fed and the mycotoxin concentrations and combinations in the finished diet.

Mycotoxins, which are natural substances produced by moulds and fungi, are more prevalent — and more of a problem in agriculture — than ever before. More than 95% of crops today are contaminated with at least one mycotoxin, and usually with two or more. Because these toxins are difficult to detect, they can cause significant damage to animal health before producers even realize they are present. A proactive mycotoxin management programme is essential, and the first step is learning which mycotoxins pose the highest risk in specific regions, crops and species.

The Alltech 2024 European Harvest Analysis programme tests samples of new-crop grains and forages collected from farms or animal feed production sites in 20 countries, ensuring an accurate picture of mycotoxin contamination across the continent. All samples are tested at the leading-edge Alltech 37+™ lab, which can detect the presence of 54 mycotoxins. Corn samples from central and southern Europe are also tested in collaboration with SGS, a global leader in mycotoxin testing and certification.

Other key results from the Alltech 2024 European Harvest Analysis include:

Barley

Samples tested show an average of 6.8 mycotoxins per sample, with 98% containing multiple mycotoxins. The highest-risk mycotoxins are type B trichothecenes, type A trichothecenes and ergot alkaloids.

Wheat

Samples show an average of 7.6 mycotoxins per sample, with 99% containing multiple mycotoxins. The most prevalent mycotoxins are type B and type A trichothecenes.

Forages

Forage samples (grass silage, corn silage and straw) show 3.7 mycotoxins per sample on average, with 78% of samples containing multiple mycotoxins. The most prevalent are type B trichothecenes and Penicillium mycotoxins such as penicillic acid, mycophenolic acid and patulin.

On Nov. 21, Alltech hosted “From Field to Feed: 2024 Crop and Mycotoxin Analysis”, a broadcast streamed live from Alltech’s headquarters in Lexington, Kentucky, U.S. During the broadcast, panellists shared valuable insights for managing risks across the supply chain. Here are the key takeaways:

• Test and monitor: Regularly test crops and feed to understand what’s present and to ensure high quality.
• Leverage weather data: Pay attention to weather patterns and farm-specific conditions to assess potential risks early.
• Use comprehensive information: Gather unbiased data from all aspects of your operation and tailor it to fit your specific needs.
• Combine methods: Utilise both traditional techniques and new technologies to refine processes and ensure feed quality.
• Act proactively: If mycotoxins are present, be proactive with management to ensure high-quality feed production, thus protecting animals and safeguarding your operation’s resilience and success.

Register online at alltech.com/harvest-analysis to gain access to the recording of the broadcast as well as the full 2024 Alltech Harvest Analysis programme, including the complete European report, which is available now.

For more information about Alltech mycotoxin management solutions, visit knowmycotoxins.com.