//28 Nov 2011
Chinese pork imports for 2012 are forecasted to be similar to those of 2011. It is estimated to be between 1 and 1.1 million tonnes.
Ma Chuang, vice chairman of the Chinese Animal Agriculture Association (CAAA), told Dutch agricultural magazine Boerderij that the Chinese pork sector is decreasing. He said the decrease of traditional backyard farming is stronger than the growth of professional pig farms at the moment.
He added that this does not mean that the total production output is decreasing strongly. Imports in the most recent quarter have been a lot bigger than a year before. The chairman said that in the last quarter, imports have been of a substantial bigger volume than one year earlier. At the moment, however, he said they are back at an old, familiar level, as nowadays pig producers can deliver more quickly due to price decreases.
Outbreaks
As for outbreaks of Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS) and Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD), Ma Chuang is not worried, saying that these would not be as widespread as suggested by Rabobank in its latest report.
He added that vaccination programmes have been initiated, to control both diseases.
Related website:
• Boerderij
29 November 2011
Just over 1,000 breeding pigs sent to China
//28 Nov 2011
Dutch genetics company Topigs has imported 1,003 breeding pigs to China. These animals originate from the company’s nucleus farms in Canada.
The great grandparent animals are the top of the breeding pyramid and have the highest SPF health status.
The imported pigs will be used to build up extra breeding capacity in China for the production of breeding pigs and they and their off spring will be distributed to clients around the country. In this way it is possible to comply to the growing demand of genetics in China were the robust and highly productive genetics are demanded more and more.
Breeding stock
The imported breeding stock will be housed at the facilities of Topigs Huanshan. This is a joint venture company of with the breeding organisation and the Huanshan Group. The farm is a modern one with well equipped facilities. “This is an important step for pig breeding in China,” says Jeffen Chen, manager for the company in China.
“With the imported breeding stock it is possible to provide fast growing professional pig industry with top shelf genetics, making it possible to produce at high level.”
Huanshan is a corporation with permanent assets close to 10 million RMB (€1.18 million), having 1,800 staff, a modern agricultural enterprise which has integrated businesses including feed production, husbandry and pigs slaughtering.
Dutch genetics company Topigs has imported 1,003 breeding pigs to China. These animals originate from the company’s nucleus farms in Canada.
The great grandparent animals are the top of the breeding pyramid and have the highest SPF health status.
The imported pigs will be used to build up extra breeding capacity in China for the production of breeding pigs and they and their off spring will be distributed to clients around the country. In this way it is possible to comply to the growing demand of genetics in China were the robust and highly productive genetics are demanded more and more.
Breeding stock
The imported breeding stock will be housed at the facilities of Topigs Huanshan. This is a joint venture company of with the breeding organisation and the Huanshan Group. The farm is a modern one with well equipped facilities. “This is an important step for pig breeding in China,” says Jeffen Chen, manager for the company in China.
“With the imported breeding stock it is possible to provide fast growing professional pig industry with top shelf genetics, making it possible to produce at high level.”
Huanshan is a corporation with permanent assets close to 10 million RMB (€1.18 million), having 1,800 staff, a modern agricultural enterprise which has integrated businesses including feed production, husbandry and pigs slaughtering.
28 November 2011
Aarhus Uni: 100% organic diet for organic poultry
//28 Nov 2011
Scientists at Aarhus University are collaborating with a large number of scientists from other European countries to find optimal solutions to feeding organic pigs and poultry a diet that is 100% organic.
The difficulty in raising animals on organic diets has been getting hold of sufficient organic feeds to satisfy the demand – particularly for a source rich in protein. This will hopefully now become a thing of the past with the help of research at Aarhus University.
In a new research project, scientists from Aarhus University and from universities in Switzerland, Finland, Germany and the Netherlands, among others, will develop organic feeding strategies for the European pig and poultry market based solely on organic products. The 100 percent organic feeding systems that the project will be developing aim to satisfy not only animal nutritional requirements at the different stages of growth and production, but also health, welfare and environmental aspects. The scientists will also be concentrating on locally produced feeds.
The plan is to systematically map and assess individual feeds and feeding systems for pigs and poultry. Scientists will look at the nutritional value of the ingredients of the selected feeds and how accessible they are on the market. They will evaluate different types of roughage and compound feeds and will also assess the value of foraging.
Traditional feeds such as cereal and grass are not the only feeds sources studied. Who says that the protein source must be soybean imported from the other side of the planet? Europe has its own potential for growing protein-rich products, and combinations of, for example, varieties of lupine, naked oat, mussel meal, insect grubs, wild pea and sainfoin may be sufficient to meet the protein requirements of organic pigs and poultry in Europe.
Pigs and poultry are not normally the largest consumers of roughage, but roughage has a certain beneficial effect on animal digestion. A large intake of roughage, for example, helps to maintain a healthy gut flora and good digestive function. The supplementation with roughage for pigs can encourage them to increase their foraging, which makes them more active and reduces possible aggressive behaviour.
A diet including plants is known to provide animals with extra minerals and vitamins, but there are many gaps in our knowledge of the value of foraging for pigs and poultry. Both pigs and hens root around in the soil and in that way not only consume plant material, but also insects, larvae and other protein-rich sources. The scientists will investigate how much protein the foraging can contribute in different biotopes, such as deciduous forests, coniferous forests, windbreaks and in different breeds of pigs and poultry.
The project is a collaboration with Research Institute of Organic Agriculture in Switzerland, Agrofood Research in Finland, Johann Heinrich von Thünen Institute and University of Applied Sciences Weihenstephan-Triesdorf in Germany, Wageningen UR and the Louis Bolk Institute in the Netherlands, Organic Research Centre and Food Animal Initiative in England, BOKU-University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences in Austria, Institut Technique de l’Agriculture Biologique in France, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences in Sweden and the Lithuanian Institute of Agrarian Economics in Lithuania. The project has been funded by the Green Development and Demonstration Programme of the Ministry of Food, Agriculture Fisheries.
Source: Aarhus University
Scientists at Aarhus University are collaborating with a large number of scientists from other European countries to find optimal solutions to feeding organic pigs and poultry a diet that is 100% organic.
The difficulty in raising animals on organic diets has been getting hold of sufficient organic feeds to satisfy the demand – particularly for a source rich in protein. This will hopefully now become a thing of the past with the help of research at Aarhus University.
In a new research project, scientists from Aarhus University and from universities in Switzerland, Finland, Germany and the Netherlands, among others, will develop organic feeding strategies for the European pig and poultry market based solely on organic products. The 100 percent organic feeding systems that the project will be developing aim to satisfy not only animal nutritional requirements at the different stages of growth and production, but also health, welfare and environmental aspects. The scientists will also be concentrating on locally produced feeds.
The plan is to systematically map and assess individual feeds and feeding systems for pigs and poultry. Scientists will look at the nutritional value of the ingredients of the selected feeds and how accessible they are on the market. They will evaluate different types of roughage and compound feeds and will also assess the value of foraging.
Traditional feeds such as cereal and grass are not the only feeds sources studied. Who says that the protein source must be soybean imported from the other side of the planet? Europe has its own potential for growing protein-rich products, and combinations of, for example, varieties of lupine, naked oat, mussel meal, insect grubs, wild pea and sainfoin may be sufficient to meet the protein requirements of organic pigs and poultry in Europe.
Pigs and poultry are not normally the largest consumers of roughage, but roughage has a certain beneficial effect on animal digestion. A large intake of roughage, for example, helps to maintain a healthy gut flora and good digestive function. The supplementation with roughage for pigs can encourage them to increase their foraging, which makes them more active and reduces possible aggressive behaviour.
A diet including plants is known to provide animals with extra minerals and vitamins, but there are many gaps in our knowledge of the value of foraging for pigs and poultry. Both pigs and hens root around in the soil and in that way not only consume plant material, but also insects, larvae and other protein-rich sources. The scientists will investigate how much protein the foraging can contribute in different biotopes, such as deciduous forests, coniferous forests, windbreaks and in different breeds of pigs and poultry.
The project is a collaboration with Research Institute of Organic Agriculture in Switzerland, Agrofood Research in Finland, Johann Heinrich von Thünen Institute and University of Applied Sciences Weihenstephan-Triesdorf in Germany, Wageningen UR and the Louis Bolk Institute in the Netherlands, Organic Research Centre and Food Animal Initiative in England, BOKU-University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences in Austria, Institut Technique de l’Agriculture Biologique in France, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences in Sweden and the Lithuanian Institute of Agrarian Economics in Lithuania. The project has been funded by the Green Development and Demonstration Programme of the Ministry of Food, Agriculture Fisheries.
Source: Aarhus University
US Salmonella Heidelberg outbreak spreads
//25 Nov 2011
The number of people affected by chicken livers contaminated with Salmonella Heidelberg in the US has risen to 179 people in six states, according to an updated CDC report. That is 22 more cases in four more states than the CDC reported in its initial report on 8 Nov 2011.
The kosher broiled chicken livers, sold by Schreiber Processing Corp. of Maspeth, New York, under the MealMart brand, were recalled 8 Nov 2011. The chicken livers had been distributed to New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Minnesota, Ohio, Rhode Island, and Florida.
Customers may have incorrectly thought the word "broiled" in the label meant the chicken livers were ready-to-eat, however they were not fully cooked, the CDC has speculated.
In its latest report on the outbreak, the CDC said New York has now identified 99 cases of salmonellosis linked to the chicken livers, New Jersey has confirmed 61 related cases, Pennsylvania 10, Maryland 6, Ohio 2, and Minnesota 1. Those ill range in age from younger than 1 to 97 years old.
In August 2011, the CDC noticed a "sustained increase," about 30 to 40 cases per month since June 2011, in the number of S. Heidelberg isolates with the outbreak strain reported by New York and New Jersey to PulseNet, the national foodborne illness surveillance system. Those states typically report only about five cases of S. Heidelberg a month.
New York City conducted an enhanced epidemiologic investigation, which traced the source of the outbreak to the chicken livers. Lab tests in New York then identified the outbreak strain in samples of the MealMart chicken livers and in chopped liver made from the MealMart chicken livers.
Consumers should discard any of these chicken liver products still in their homes, the CDC said. It also advised that chicken livers should be cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees and when partially cooked chicken livers are repackaged for sale, retailers should clearly label them as requiring further cooking.
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Photo source: Science Photo Library
The number of people affected by chicken livers contaminated with Salmonella Heidelberg in the US has risen to 179 people in six states, according to an updated CDC report. That is 22 more cases in four more states than the CDC reported in its initial report on 8 Nov 2011.
The kosher broiled chicken livers, sold by Schreiber Processing Corp. of Maspeth, New York, under the MealMart brand, were recalled 8 Nov 2011. The chicken livers had been distributed to New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Minnesota, Ohio, Rhode Island, and Florida.
Customers may have incorrectly thought the word "broiled" in the label meant the chicken livers were ready-to-eat, however they were not fully cooked, the CDC has speculated.
In its latest report on the outbreak, the CDC said New York has now identified 99 cases of salmonellosis linked to the chicken livers, New Jersey has confirmed 61 related cases, Pennsylvania 10, Maryland 6, Ohio 2, and Minnesota 1. Those ill range in age from younger than 1 to 97 years old.
In August 2011, the CDC noticed a "sustained increase," about 30 to 40 cases per month since June 2011, in the number of S. Heidelberg isolates with the outbreak strain reported by New York and New Jersey to PulseNet, the national foodborne illness surveillance system. Those states typically report only about five cases of S. Heidelberg a month.
New York City conducted an enhanced epidemiologic investigation, which traced the source of the outbreak to the chicken livers. Lab tests in New York then identified the outbreak strain in samples of the MealMart chicken livers and in chopped liver made from the MealMart chicken livers.
Consumers should discard any of these chicken liver products still in their homes, the CDC said. It also advised that chicken livers should be cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees and when partially cooked chicken livers are repackaged for sale, retailers should clearly label them as requiring further cooking.
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Photo source: Science Photo Library
24 November 2011
China-Brazil agreement boosts poultry trade
//24 Nov 2011
More Brazilian processing plants are being certified to export poultry meat to China, expanding the bilateral trade relationship between the two countries.
Brazil is the world's largest exporter of poultry and the increasing demand in China has resulted in a rise in imports. However, not all Brazilian slaughterhouses are allowed to export to China, because some of them have yet to implement the technical and hygienic procedures required to obtain a green light from Chinese regulators.
Therefore, Brazil's current output, most of which has already been sequestered by other countries, is unable to satisfy orders from Chinese dealers, said Adriano Zerbini, market relations manager of the Brazilian Poultry Association (UBABEF), the country's largest poultry industry organization.
In 2004, Brazil and China signed a hygiene agreement for poultry, allowing trade to flourish. Since 2009, 24 out of Brazil's 48 poultry exporting facilities have obtained certification from the Chinese authorities.
Analysts said the poultry business is a microcosm of trade between China and Brazil. They are two major emerging-market economies and could prove crucial for the ongoing global economic recovery, especially at a time when Europe is suffering a sovereign debt crisis and the US economy remains fragile with uncertain prospects.
Brazilian poultry, which the UBABEF said boasts integrated production methods and high standards of hygiene and technological support, can easily meet the increased demand from China. However, Chinese buyers need to have a deeper understanding of Brazilian products prior to making their orders, said Ricardo Joao Santin, markets director of the UBABEF.
He said a Chinese delegation may visit Brazil in March 2012 to assess production conditions in the poultry industry and decide whether to allow more imports from the country.
At present, Brazilian poultry exports to the Chinese mainland account for less than 5% of the country's total poultry exports. "We estimate our poultry exports to China could expand to between 180,000 and 200,000 tonnes this year, from 120,000 tonnes in 2010, doubling its proportion within our total exports," said Santin.
Source: China Daily
More Brazilian processing plants are being certified to export poultry meat to China, expanding the bilateral trade relationship between the two countries.
Brazil is the world's largest exporter of poultry and the increasing demand in China has resulted in a rise in imports. However, not all Brazilian slaughterhouses are allowed to export to China, because some of them have yet to implement the technical and hygienic procedures required to obtain a green light from Chinese regulators.
Therefore, Brazil's current output, most of which has already been sequestered by other countries, is unable to satisfy orders from Chinese dealers, said Adriano Zerbini, market relations manager of the Brazilian Poultry Association (UBABEF), the country's largest poultry industry organization.
In 2004, Brazil and China signed a hygiene agreement for poultry, allowing trade to flourish. Since 2009, 24 out of Brazil's 48 poultry exporting facilities have obtained certification from the Chinese authorities.
Analysts said the poultry business is a microcosm of trade between China and Brazil. They are two major emerging-market economies and could prove crucial for the ongoing global economic recovery, especially at a time when Europe is suffering a sovereign debt crisis and the US economy remains fragile with uncertain prospects.
Brazilian poultry, which the UBABEF said boasts integrated production methods and high standards of hygiene and technological support, can easily meet the increased demand from China. However, Chinese buyers need to have a deeper understanding of Brazilian products prior to making their orders, said Ricardo Joao Santin, markets director of the UBABEF.
He said a Chinese delegation may visit Brazil in March 2012 to assess production conditions in the poultry industry and decide whether to allow more imports from the country.
At present, Brazilian poultry exports to the Chinese mainland account for less than 5% of the country's total poultry exports. "We estimate our poultry exports to China could expand to between 180,000 and 200,000 tonnes this year, from 120,000 tonnes in 2010, doubling its proportion within our total exports," said Santin.
Source: China Daily
Newcastle Disease detected in Mexico
//24 Nov 2011
Two instances of sub-clinical Newcastle Disease have been detected in separate commercial flocks in Central Mexico, according to reports submitted to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE).
The first report describes a positive reaction to routine surveillance at a farm at Col. Montoro in the region of Aguascalientes on 26 October. All 850,816 birds were destroyed.
In Jalisco, 30,000 susceptible birds were destroyed at a commercial broiler farm at Road Lagos de Moreno-San Luis Potosí.
In both instances the farms have been depopulated and cleaning and disinfection activities have been carried out. In addition the properties have been quarantined with movement of birds restricted.
Source: World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE)
Two instances of sub-clinical Newcastle Disease have been detected in separate commercial flocks in Central Mexico, according to reports submitted to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE).
The first report describes a positive reaction to routine surveillance at a farm at Col. Montoro in the region of Aguascalientes on 26 October. All 850,816 birds were destroyed.
In Jalisco, 30,000 susceptible birds were destroyed at a commercial broiler farm at Road Lagos de Moreno-San Luis Potosí.
In both instances the farms have been depopulated and cleaning and disinfection activities have been carried out. In addition the properties have been quarantined with movement of birds restricted.
Source: World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE)
Poultry disease study sheds light on human cancers
//23 Nov 2011
Fresh discoveries about Marek’s disease could have major implications for the poultry industry, making it possible to breed birds with greater resistance to the disease and also improve our understanding of some types of cancers in people.
Scientists analysed thousands of genes to pinpoint those that play a role in Marek’s disease – a viral infection that costs the global poultry industry more than £1.4 billion a year.
The research from The Roslin Institute at the University of Edinburgh and the Institute for Animal Health, both of which receive strategic funding from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), identified a gene – called IRG1 – that makes chickens more susceptible to the disease.
The gene is thought to cause the death of cells, which can in turn lead to diseases including cancer. Researchers also found how the Marek’s disease virus may also encourage tumour growth.
Chickens and mammals, including humans, have anti-tumour mechanisms, one of which is controlled by a gene called HIC1. HIC1 switches on lots of other genes which have anti-tumour effects.
Marek’s disease virus switches off the genes controlled by HIC1 – in other words, it turns off key genes that would normally work to block tumours.
These genes are also linked to fighting tumours in humans and the study could help research into preventing of some types of cancers in people, which like Marek’s disease, are caused by viruses.
Such viruses include the human papilloma virus, which can lead to cervical cancer, and Kaposi’s sarcoma, which affects patients with HIV.
Professor Pete Kaiser, of The Roslin Institute who led the research, said: “Marek’s disease is highly contagious and chickens are becoming increasingly resistant to vaccination. Identifying a gene that increases the risk of Marek’s disease could help us breed chickens that are less susceptible to infection.
“Also, learning about how chickens affected by Marek’s disease fail to combat the onset of tumours will help us learn more about how certain viruses can trigger cancer in humans.”
The research, funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, is published in the Journal of Virology.
Source: The Roslin Institute
Fresh discoveries about Marek’s disease could have major implications for the poultry industry, making it possible to breed birds with greater resistance to the disease and also improve our understanding of some types of cancers in people.
Scientists analysed thousands of genes to pinpoint those that play a role in Marek’s disease – a viral infection that costs the global poultry industry more than £1.4 billion a year.
The research from The Roslin Institute at the University of Edinburgh and the Institute for Animal Health, both of which receive strategic funding from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), identified a gene – called IRG1 – that makes chickens more susceptible to the disease.
The gene is thought to cause the death of cells, which can in turn lead to diseases including cancer. Researchers also found how the Marek’s disease virus may also encourage tumour growth.
Chickens and mammals, including humans, have anti-tumour mechanisms, one of which is controlled by a gene called HIC1. HIC1 switches on lots of other genes which have anti-tumour effects.
Marek’s disease virus switches off the genes controlled by HIC1 – in other words, it turns off key genes that would normally work to block tumours.
These genes are also linked to fighting tumours in humans and the study could help research into preventing of some types of cancers in people, which like Marek’s disease, are caused by viruses.
Such viruses include the human papilloma virus, which can lead to cervical cancer, and Kaposi’s sarcoma, which affects patients with HIV.
Professor Pete Kaiser, of The Roslin Institute who led the research, said: “Marek’s disease is highly contagious and chickens are becoming increasingly resistant to vaccination. Identifying a gene that increases the risk of Marek’s disease could help us breed chickens that are less susceptible to infection.
“Also, learning about how chickens affected by Marek’s disease fail to combat the onset of tumours will help us learn more about how certain viruses can trigger cancer in humans.”
The research, funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, is published in the Journal of Virology.
Source: The Roslin Institute
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