World Hog news:

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Tuesday, May 06, 2008Print This Page
German Pigs Infected with MRSA
GERMANY - German health officials have made an announcement that the country's farm pigs are infested with "hospital bacteria", otherwise known as Methicilin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) bacteria.


 

Out of the 40 pig farms examined in North Rhine Westphalia state, the bacteria was found in 28 of them. MRSA was found in 70 per cent of the pigs, all of which were initially healthy. It is speculated that the pig farmers are the actual carriers, as it is believed to be transmitted from man to pig and so on. Dutch experiments have shown that cattle can also be affected by this bacteria.

MRSA is known to be highly contagious and has the ability to trigger blood poisoning and pneumonia. Wound infections are also unstoppable.

Orders for tests have been made ever since the discovery of the germ in Netherlands back in 2003. These tests are now being conducted in Belgium, North America and the UK. German health officials are advising consumers to thoroughly cook the meat to avoid any infection.


Background and plans to increase awareness
"Hospital bacteria" is a problem prevalent around the globe. It made it's first appearance in the early '70s.

This week, Germany intends to broadcast PlusMinus, a documentary on MRSA. The documentary talks about how 35,000 patients catch the bacteria every year in German hospitals and approximately 1,500 people die because of it.

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Tuesday, May 06, 2008Print This Page
Pork Crisis "On a Bigger Scale"
EU - The landscape of the European pig industry crisis changed dramatically last week when Denmark announced a big slide in pig numbers between April 2007 and April 2008, most of which has taken place in the last four months.


With Canada half way through its programme to cull ten percent of sows, and United States producers facing irresistible pressure to reduce production, a global pigmeat shortage is in prospect and early claims in Britain that the pig price here would reach £2 a kilo are looking realistic.

The Danish figures, which show a drop of over 10pc in the national herd, have taken everyone by surprise.

Reports by industry leaders in other European countries that their national herds will not be dropping significantly this year will now be viewed with skepticism.

Following publication of the Danish census results, BPEX and NPA chairman Stewart Houston has written to the Big Four retailers warning of an availability problem across Europe that will be "on a bigger scale than we have ever seen before".

All the retailers responded to his letter almost immediately which suggests they accept his point that the supply situation is going to become serious, and there will not be enough pigs in Europe, or further afield, to make up for a drop in production in Britain. A series of meetings with retailers will now take place.


Danish pig census
(000 head) April 2007 April 2008 % change
In-pig sows 672 586 -12.8
In-pig gilts 218 212 -2.8
Sows in pig 2,702 2,424 -10.3
Maiden gilts 254 242 -4.7
Pigs under 50kg 5,849 5,028 -14
Pigs over 50kg 3,584 3,415 -4.7
Total pigs 13,599 12,186 -10.4

[mikey]

Wednesday, May 07, 2008Print This Page
EU Pig Prices: Slaughter Market Sees Boost
EU - The EU is seeing a considerable boost in the slaughter market this week.



Germany has raised its price quotation for the fourth consecutive time, bringing it ahead of others, tightening the gap with Spain, the constant market leader. followed by the Dutch pigs-mature-for-slaughter market, reports Schweine.net.

France, once again, has not been able to keep up with the rest, having failed to maintain the previous week's level.

The market boost has resulted due to the summerlike weather and the increased demand for barbecue meat. Supply is found to be dwindling and as a result of this, pigs may be marketed at short notice.

Trend: Due to rise in demand, overall expectations are high this week. It is expected that even with a day off from slaughter, no harm will be done to the market.

[mikey]

Thursday, May 08, 2008Print This Page
Finnish Pork Market Faces Tough Times
FINLAND - Finland's pig meat industry has had a difficult start to the year, largely due to high feed prices and difficult market conditions.



Pig market analysts say the problems are heightened in Finland by cheaper products form Denmark and Germany hitting the market.

And they say it will be hard for the Finnish industry to pass on higher prices to consumers.

The two leading pig meat companies, HK Scan and Atria have both reported drops in profits, despite increasing sales.

HK Scan saw sales for the first three months of the year come in at €510.1 million compared to €498.6 million last year.

However, EBIT for Finland dropped to €4.1 million compared to €7.3 million last year in Finland. In the Baltic region is was down to €1.4 million from €2.5 million last year. The company said that the performance was eroded by losses in the red meat business.

EBIT in Poland was in line with a year earlier. Sokolów performed above target but Pozmeat and primary production business Agro-Sokolów were in the red.

HK Scan CEO Kai Seikku said: "The difficult situation in the pork market in particular eroded the company's performance in all market areas. The loss-making meat business depressed earnings especially in the Baltics and Finland. Commercial operations furthermore performed with less distinction in March than anticipated, especially in Finland and Sweden."

He added: "It has been an arduous start to the year, and we can expect many of the challenges faced in the first quarter to carry over to the current quarter as well."

Atria saw Group's net sales rise by 9.9 per cent reaching € 303.4 million compared to € 276.0 million last year. However, EBIT was € 6.8 million compared to € 11.5 million.

Atria said: "The increasing cost of raw material across the food chain has hampered the Group's performance. The profitability of Atria Finland has been affected particularly by the imbalance in the price of pork between Finland and the rest of Europe."

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Thursday, May 08, 2008Print This Page
Cyclone Hits Pig Industry
MYANMAR - The recent cyclone in Myanmar (Burma) is expected to severely hit the country's agriculture and aquaculture industries.



The five affected states are famous for livestock production - having roughly 50 per cent of national poultry production and 40 per cent of pig production.

The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) expects problems for small scale livestock holders to treat injured/sick animals or feed surviving animals.

The five states that have been affected also own 80 per cent of the country's fish aquaculture ponds and 26 per cent of the shrimp aquaculture ponds. Fish and shrimps might have escaped from the ponds if flooded by water.

The five states also produce 65 per cent of the country's rice, and have about 50 per cent of all irrigated areas. There is risk that stored rice seeds kept by farmers - usually under poor storage facilities - might be affected by the cyclone.

Some rice crops under irrigation might be affected if not yet harvested.

Rubber plantations in five affected states cover 20 per cent of national total. However, most rubber trees are relatively young and might also be affected by the cyclone.

FAO/WFP is to carry out joint assessments of food needs, damage and needs assessment in the agricultural, livestock and fisheries sectors as well as looking at livelihoods and natural resource issues in the most affected areas.

UN clusters are leading the action, and the UN - including FAO - is examining the need for a flash appeal, Relief Web said.

Together with the government, UN partners and donors, FAO is ready to undertake on the spot detailed damage assessment – and formulate measures to protect farmers from further losses and provided immediate support to recover rural livelihoods.

[mikey]

Thursday, May 08, 2008Print This Page
Tanzania: ASF Hits Three Other Regions
TANZANIA - The African Swine Fever (ASF) has now spread to three Tanzania mainland regions, latest reports show.



According to AllAfrica, the disease is one of the three most dreaded epidemics for pigs.

According to experts, ASF is dangerous because of its highly infectious nature, variety of means of spreading, high morbidity rate, high mortality rate and lack of a specific treatment or vaccine.

According to reports from various pig keeping areas in Coast, Morogoro and Dar es Salaam regions, hundreds of pigs are perishing, as the government's efforts to curb the disease seem to fail.

The reports say pig keepers tend to ignore measures set out by the government, including a quarantine. They usually sell their animals through black markets in urban areas, especially Dar es Salaam. Hundreds of pigs are said to be transported everyday from Morogoro and Coast regions to Dar es Salaam.

This is done so stealthily that government authorities are not aware of the malpractice. It has been established that most traders ferrying live pigs from rural areas offload them between Mbezi and Kimara fearing arrest.

Pig traders who spoke to this paper in Dar es Salaam said the current rains have made it easy for the ASF virus to spread because most pigs are reared traditionally. "I have lost five pigs over the last two weeks," said Mr Rodrick Massawe, a pork shop owner at Ubungo.

The ASF spread has also affected the supply of pigs in Dar es Salaam region, and some pork traders have taken advantage of the scarcity to increase its prices.

A survey by this paper in various areas has established that one kilogramme of pork is sold for up to Sh4,200 from previous maximum of Sh3,600.

According to the directorate of veterinary services at the Ministry of Livestock Development, more than 300 pigs died by early last month.

However, a senior official at the ministry said the actual number of deaths has not yet been established due to its surveillance. "I think there might be many deaths.

People have been reluctant to listen to the advice they get from our anti-ASF strategy," said an official who did not, however, want to be named.

According to the official, the government is also working closely with the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) to obtain Elisa Kits for regular checks of the disease. "You know FAO are very slow to respond, but I am sure that it is going to work soon," the official said.

Pig rearers who spoke to this paper through the telephone said they have lost hope economically as the disease swept most of their stocks.

The official said the emergence of the disease would affect pig rearing in many districts in eastern Tanzania.

The fast spread of ASF is due to its highly contagious nature and ability to persist in a protein environment, including meat products, for long periods.

Since no vaccine exists, the ministry says, the only means of control is by slaughtering the pigs. Avoiding this would lead to clandestine movement of potentially infected pigs.

The ASF was first reported in Tanzania (then Tanganyika) in 1914. Another outbreak followed in 1962; yet the years 1963-1972 registered no incidents, Veterinary Department reports show.

According to them, in May 2001 ASF was reported in Dar es Salaam because of an increased pig population for commercial purposes.

[mikey]

Thursday, May 08, 2008Print This Page
EU Poultry Feed Plan Rejected
UK - According to a North East scientist, the EU's plans to allow the use of pig remains as poultry feed could stir up another BSE-style crisis.



The EU is reported to be preparing the move to save farmers millions of pounds as feed costs continue to soar, reports Journal Live.

Feeding animal remains to chickens has been banned in Europe for the past 10 years following the BSE crisis.

Dr Narang, a microbiologist who lives in Hexham, Northumberland, said he feared a repeat of the BSE crisis, which was caused when remains of animals were fed to cattle.

He said: “There are three reasons why this is a bad idea.

“Number one, it will make chickens much unhealthier as they will be eating meat rather than corn or other crops. This could add to the obesity crisis.

“Secondly fat, which would be part of the feed, stores carcinogens which can contribute to cancer.

“And finally it is difficult to predict what bugs could be passed on through the food chain to humans.

“We could have a similar situation as with BSE, when a disease is passed on to humans through eating contaminated meat.”

Dr Narang has launched a petition to stop the measure.

A Defra spokesman said: “We understand the European Commission will be submitting a proposal later this year. We would only support it if we were fully satisfied that appropriate and effective testing had taken place to control the use of such proteins in poultry feed.”

He added that an EU project looking at testing methods was due for completion in 2009. Keith Henderson, North East chairman of the NFU Poultry Board, said: “This is something I would only consider using if it was something that consumers would accept.

“Until the mid 80s there was a bit of meat in chicken feed and there were no problems then.

“Feed costs are astronomical at the moment and I think some will eventually start using pig feed.

“The NFU will always follow the best scientific advice and understanding, and so are waiting to hear the final EFSA (European Food Standards Authority) and food standards agency (FSA) opinions on the matter.”

The EFSA said it could not comment on the issue.

[mikey]

Friday, May 09, 2008Print This Page
EU/Russia Meat Row Erupts
EU - The European Union's executive arm yesterday said that a Russian ban on European meat was disproportionate and should therefor be alleviated.



"The (European) Commission maintains that EU meat does not pose a risk to the consumer and that the measures taken by Russia are disproportionate," a spokeswoman for EU Health Commissioner Androulla Vassiliou said in a statement.

"Therefore, the Commission has requested Russia to review its measures," the statement said.

Russia, a major consumer of western European meat, has introduced a series of company-specific bans on pork, beef and poultry imports in the last few weeks after determining that antibiotic levels in meat shipments exceeded safe limits.

This week Lithuania and Poland agreed to coordinate their strategies on whether to agree further European talks on an EU-Russia partnership pact, Lithuania's government information bureau said Thursday.

Poland, which has previously held up negotiations in a meat export row with Russia, now has agreed to coordinate with the Lithuanian position.

"Lithuanian Prime Minister Gediminas Kirkilas and Polish Premier Donald Tusk in a telephone conversation discussed the situation on the mandate for the EU talks with Russia and agreed to coordinate their positions," the statement said.

"Kirkilas stressed that Lithuania, like other EU members, aims to begin the talks, but wants the mandate to include the issues discussed previously and not responded by Russia," it added.

Lithuania has demanded that a number of sensitive issues be included in the EU's negotiation mandate for talks with Russia on a new partnership agreement before giving its green light.

[mikey]

Friday, May 09, 2008Print This Page
Government Helps China Feed Itself
CHINA - The government of China have declared a new initiative giving support to farmers around the country in the latest bid to meet the population's ever increasing food demand.



One of the programmes main points of interest will be in to the production of grain, which they hope will offset the rising price of livestock feed; essential when considering predicted meat consumption.

"Unprecedented" emphasis is being placed on farming, Minister of Agriculture Sun Zhengcai said in a question-and-answer statement on a government Website. Financial and policy support, coupled with technological progress, will help the country feed itself, Sun added.

China's demand for food contributed to record gains in agricultural commodities this year, Bloomberg News said. Increased domestic production may boost stockpiles of grain and reduce import needs, while helping to ease inflation that reached an 11-year high in February.

"Agricultural infrastructure is still fragile," Sun said. It's becoming increasingly difficult to achieve self-sufficiency in grains and other products, he added.

China has 226 million registered rural residents working in urban centers, buying food instead of growing it, the minister said. In the past 10 years, city dwellers' food spending rose 80 percent, stoking demand for meat and feed grains, he said.

Damage from natural disasters, higher costs, declining profits and lack of transport for grain are some of the immediate concerns, Sun said.

In the long run, consumption of grain will rise because of increased demand for food, animal feed and industrial usage, as well as population growth, Sun said.

Spending to support agriculture this year gained 85 percent from a year ago to 95 billion yuan (US$13.6 billion), Sun said.

While the world faces a possible food crisis, China has seen only "reasonable" gains in agricultural product prices, Sun said. Food stockpiles are twice the world average, and include about 40 million to 50 million tons of rice, he said.

"We have food in our hands, so no stress in our hearts."

[mikey]

Friday, May 09, 2008Print This Page
Contributing to Global Warming?
While ruminants can be blamed for significant emissions of methane and nitrous oxide into the earth's atmosphere, vegetable and cereal production also contribute to global warming.



This was one of the main conclusions from a BBC radio programme broadcast this week.

The programme in the Costing the Earth series looked at the theory often put forward by the vegetarian lobby that if there were no farm animals reared for meat methane emissions would be reduced and it would be better for the climate.

However, the programme showed that growing crops also had an effect on global warming through the loss of carbon by tilling the soil.

It also showed there was a loss of biodiversity without grazing animals.

The programme said that Oxford University's Farm Animal Initiative shows a 50 per cent reduction in birds, bees and butterflies on ungrazed land on its research site.

"So eating meat is perhaps not as bad for the planet as it may at first seem. And surprisingly, some forms of intensive farming score better than extensive," the BBC said.

"Chickens raised indoors are far less environmentally damaging than those allowed to roam free range. That's because they need less feed to keep them warm, and they grow quickly, making them the most efficient converters of food into meat.

"Dairy products from intensively reared cows are also much more climate friendly, as those gaseous emissions from bovine mouths and behinds can be far better controlled by keeping cattle indoors."

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Monday, May 12, 2008Print This Page
Fujian Boosts Quality Inspection
CHINA - The quality of farm produce in Fujian province has been sharply improved in recent years to now rank among the best in the world.



The agriculture department of Fujian province says that the inspection quality approval rate of Fujian farm exports even surpassed that from Japan, the United States and some European nations.

Despite its relatively small size, Fujian was the mainland's number three exporter of farm produce in the first four months, when its total value grew 28 per cent.

The department attributed the success to province-wide attention to export quality and consumer safety.

The department sets standards for farm produce, conducts routine and random sampling, and regularly publishes the results. It has detailed rules for quality supervision and is even prepared for emergencies.

The department now has 609 agricultural standards and 102 model zones for agricultural production to help it build a sound farming system.

Fujian had granted certificates for safe, "green" and organic products to 726 enterprises by the end of last year that produced 1,298 separate agricultural items.

It has also built 12 State-level and 152 provincial-level standardized agricultural production areas.

The city has also strengthened supervision and widened sampling for pesticide residue apart from implementing other standards.

To date this year supervisors inspected 2,700 pig samples, 48 milk products and 85 poultry products. It had also inspected 1,480 vegetable samples, 96 tea products and 100 mushroom products.

At the same time the province has moved to popularize "green" food. This year it expects to add 65 "green" and 15 organic food products, as well as 90 with a tag certifying "no-potential-harm".

Training offered to farmers by the province includes expertise in safe additives, poultry raising, fish farming and in tea, fruit, and vegetable growing.

The province has built 39 quality inspection stations at the county level and undertaken more inspections of businesses, farms, and wholesale markets.

The department itself uses law enforcement to improve agriculture by holding growers responsible for the quality of the produce they grow, including investigation and punishment for violators.

Nine medium-sized cities and 72 counties or smaller cities have 480 professionals for farm product law enforcement that strictly observe laws on farm produce quality and safety.

[mikey]

Wednesday, May 14, 2008Print This Page
Quake Hits Pig Supply
CHINA - The earthquake in Sichuan province on Monday raised some concern in the mainland stock market, but is not expected to have too much of an impact on individual companies' performances and investor sentiments, according to official sources in China.



Although the full extent of the damage is still unclear, analysts said they expect earnings of companies in infrastructure, transportation, electricity and tourism industries in Sichuan and Chongqing to be hit.

Zhang Fan at Changjiang Securities said: "The hog supply from southern Sichuan, a major pig rearing base, is expected to be hampered, mounting more inflationary pressure.

"That will probably prompt further tightening monetary measures, narrowing corporate earnings."

The Shanghai and Shenzhen stock exchanges yesterday temporarily suspended trading of 66 listed companies based in Sichuan and Chongqing as a precautionary measure.

[mikey]

Wednesday, May 14, 2008Print This Page
Are Retail Price Hikes Really Beneficial?
UK - Despite steady retail price increases, pig producers are continuing to struggle, and are leaving the industry in droves, says BPEX chief executive Mick Sloyan.



According to Farmers Guardian, his message came at the British Pig and Poultry Fair Tuesday morning, as he called on retailers to pass on the price increases to the consumer.

He said that whilst retail prices of pork and pork products was up £1 a kilo, producers have seen only a 10p rise in the price they receive.

“The basket price for pork, bacon and ham from the big four retailers which we monitor each week shows an increase of nearly £1 a kilo at a time when the price paid to producers has risen by just 10p. It makes you wonder where has the money gone?

“I believe that if retailers take a strategic view of their business and ensure sufficient money gets down the chain to pig producers to cover their costs, then everyone will benefit.

“Consumers will not need to pay much more, retailers will continue to make a profit and most important of all, we will be able to meet continuing demand of British consumers for top quality, high welfare pork, bacon, ham sausages and pies.”

[mikey]

Wednesday, May 14, 2008Print This Page
Food Producers Unite Against Retail Domination
FRANCE - A seven-strong alliance of French food production industry bodies is opposing proposed legislation that would remove such protection as the current law affords from unreasonable retailer demands.



A law passed earlier this year, the loi Chatel, required all commercial co-operation to be invoiced and accounted for transparently: this is about to be dismantled before becoming fully operational.

Many French farmers and co-operatives supply supermarkets directly.

The farmers' union FNSEA and the agricultural co-operatives' body Coop de France is joining forces with food manufacturers' association ANIA (representing 10,400 food companies), brand owners' institute ILEC, and three other business associations.

In March, this group agreed to drop its requirement for unified price lists, on condition that commercial co-operation would become a properly accountable aspect of doing business.

French finance minister Christine Lagarde is preparing to allow supermarkets to drop the system of year-end discounts which they instituted many profitable years ago, but which they stopped wanting if it had to be fully accountable.

Instead, they will be able to fix a fully-discounted price at the beginning of the year, while suppliers cannot see how the new law will allow them to claw back inevitable spontaneous demands for promotional stock or requests for marketing support.

By 'simplifying' the current set of checks and balances, FNSEA and Coop de France are concerned by the probability that retailers will no longer be required to invoice or account properly for their demands, well-founded or not. The National Assembly's rapporteur for this law, Jean-Paul Charié, said in a briefing that: "...farmgate prices have gone down by 50% while supermarket prices have risen by 30% for these same products."

[mikey]

Thursday, May 15, 2008Print This Page
Salmonella Eradication Scheme Refocused
UK - The British pig industry is to refocus its scheme to control salmonella in the national pig herd.



While the scheme had previously been focused on the producer, seeking to control the disease on-farm, now the Food Standards Agency and British Pig Executive are turning their attention to the abattoir and to carcase contamination.

"We are trying to get a whole chain solution," BPEX chief executive Mick Sloyan said at the Pig and Poultry Fair this week.

He said that by focusing on food safety and the whole food chain it was hoped to reduce the incidence of salmonella in pig meat reaching the consumer.

By passing back the information about the incidence of salmonella from the processor to the farm, BPEX also hoped to see an improvement in practices on-farm and a reduction in salmonella at source.

Mr Sloyan said at present, incidence of salmonella in the British pig herd were below 10 per cent.

He added that rather than trying to beat the producers into reducing salmonella with threats of exclusion form the quality scheme, he hoped that the whole chain approach would bring a co-operation to reduce the numbers of cases along the line. However, exclusion from the quality scheme can still be an ultimate sanction.

The good performers in the processing sector that show low incidence of salmonella will be rewarded with a platinum certificate to mark their good practice.