Pinoyagribusiness

Pork Commentary: Carnage Continues But Ethanol Ideal is Over
US - Last week Jim Long reported that Spectrum, a Manitoba feed/ 20,000-sow production operation and genetic supplier Danbred were in receivership. Another Western Canadian production system was also in trouble and this week comes the sad news that Stomp Farms, a 25,000-sow system in Saskatchewan is also facing bankruptcy.

 

There are reports of other losses and the situation is dire.

Genesus has also taken calls from several readers about the liquidation of a 30,000-sow pork powerhouse in the US. We do not want to mention names until we get facts, but last week, we a pork powerhouse lawyer did speak to us regarding our inference about pork powerhouses that were teetering. The lawyer, however, did assure us that their ownership says everything will be okay. Perhaps we should have asked the lawyer if he wanted us to report to everyone that they were going to be good.

We do not want anyone to be hurt as we respect every entrepreneur who has put it on the line. The facts are that the carnage is here and we all know our only salvation is a decrease in hog supply and we are not reveling in other’s misery.

Liquidation Summary
All indications are that Canada has and is in the process to remove 150,000 plus sows. The government sow kill will start soon. This will cut sow slaughter as program sows will be rendered. This should support sow price and maintain sow kill capacity for US liquidation. Our estimate:

Canada

Atlantic Canada -10,000
Quebec -30,000
Ontario -50,000
Manitoba -20,000
Saskatchewan -25,000
Alberta -30,000
Total -165,000
An idea to correct the marketplace would be for the government of Saskatchewan to pull the plug on Big Sky (50,000 sows) and take the sow buyout. The new Saskatchewan government has announced their intention to sell shares (they own 69 per cent). This new government was never part of this socialist approach to agriculture. They would do a great service to all producers in Saskatchewan and Canada to take the sow buyout and exit our industry. One million pigs out of production from a money losing disaster would be a good thing.

USA and others
For the United States our Guess on Liquidation is as follows:

Smithfield 50,000 sows announced
Hormel 9,000 sows announced
Powerhouse (A) 30,000 in liquidation
Others 70,000 sow inventories in herds and liquidation
Total estimate 159,000
Mexico is likely to see a decrease of small herds - a reduction of 10 per cent of production is 100,000 plus sows.

North American Summary
We come up with a total of over 400,000 sows being eliminated. This should equal 6 million market hogs plus in North America. Last week, Iowa-Minnesota’s price closed at 56.48. A year ago the price was about 58¢. We marketed 10 per cent more hogs last week compared to a year ago. We have tremendous pork demand. A small decrease in supply will increase prices rapidly.

Other News
Korea

We were with Korean producers this week. The price of market hogs in South Korea is $1.20 US liveweight lb. It was 90¢ lb and has increased rapidly in the last few weeks. Why? South Korea’s sow herd was just over 900,000. There are estimates that the herd has liquidated by 100,000 to 200,000 head. Breakevens are around $1.20 lb US liveweight. Corn is $10.50 US bushel. There is no government support for hog farmers. Producers tell us the South Korean government wants to lower hog production for environmental and economic reasons. We asked if they thought their price was going to go higher. They said no. Imports from USA and Canada will fill void. More markets for North American Pork and that supports our price.

Europe
Last week, the European hog price was about 90¢ US liveweight lb. North America’s 48¢ US liveweight lb. You’d like to think that we can compete in the world markets with that price difference. Europe’s price has gained $50 a head in the last ten weeks. Why? We have read official European reports that Europe had decreased their sow herd by 5% (750,000 sows) by January 2008 and was still decreasing. 90¢ US lb and $8.50 US bushel corn is about a breakeven in Europe. The price has increased rapidly in Europe because the hogs are not there. Supply and demand. There is no magic.

Conclusions
We believe the hog price has bottomed in North America. Demand is excellent relative to supply. In the coming weeks, lower global pork supply will push our prices higher. Recently, the total meat supply of pork, beef, chicken and turkey has been weekly, year over year, 100 million pounds plus more than a year ago. We expect this difference will decrease as poultry producers are now beginning to cut back. Beef supply will decline and believe it or not we expect pork supply to be less of a percentage difference increase year over year.

Expect in the coming weeks a rapid decline in weights, as slaughter decreases. We expect a minimum appreciation of $40 per head in market hog value over the next 8 weeks.

Ethanol Insanity
The corn ethanol insanity has ruthlessly hammered livestock producers around the world. Swine production is decreasing. Swine prices are increasing. On another positive note, Time Magazine’s cover story this past week was a picture of a corn cob wrapped in money with the title ‘The Clean Energy Myth’. Its over! Like the Dot Com boom, when Time Magazine gets on the story it’s the kiss of death. Food inflation and now environmentalists are saying corn ethanol does not make sense. This will give cover to the politicians to take away the corn ethanol subsidies, tariffs and delay or suspend mandated ethanol utilization. Dot Com’s, sub-prime mortgages, corn ethanol. List of temporary phenomenon finished by reality.

 

 
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 NST Online » Local News
2008/04/10

RM100m pig farm stays in Sepang
By : V. Shankar Ganesh

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SHAH ALAM: The previous Selangor government approved 135ha of land for the controversial RM100 million modern pig farm near Sepang, Menteri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim revealed yesterday.

Land acquisition for the project in Tumbuk Estate, Kuala Langat began earlier this year.

He said the state government would maintain the project's status quo.

Speaking after chairing the weekly state executive council meeting here, Khalid said the previous administration had approved the land acquisition on Jan 30 under Section 3(1)(a) of the Land Acquisition Act 1960.

The previous executive council had also directed the Kuala Langat district land administrator to give speedy approval for the project.

He said that all costs related to land acquisition would be borne by private investors.



Denying former menteri besar Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Khir Toyo's claim that he had only approved a much smaller facility, Khalid said the size remained.

The previous administration had carried out an extensive study on the pig farm before approving it.

"They even went to Europe to study this. It's good. Now I don't have to go to Europe to study it."







Khalid said there were three options over the farm. First, drop the project and leave the pig farms scattered as it was now. Second, ban pig-farming in the state. Third, find a suitable place and centralise all operations in a modern and environmental-friendly way.

He said the third option remained the best.

On the RM100 million price tag, he said it was only an estimate.

He added that the state also hoped to reduce the number of pigs reared in the modern farm.



Khalid also dismissed talk that there was pressure to maintain the project.

"We feel the site is the best place as the main pig-breeding area in the state."
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Thursday, April 10, 2008Print This Page
Food Safety for Olympic Sailors
CHINA - The Chinese authorities have launched a system to ensure food safety for the Olympics in Qingdao, the venue for Olympic sailing competition.



The city now has 173 approved agricultural bases, 989 livestock and poultry farms and 74 eco-friendly aquaculture sites, all reaching the approved standards to supply the competitors, officials and visitors for the games.

"The food project for the Olympics in Qingdao guarantees food safety for the event and treats sailors and tourists to diverse, delicious food," said Jiang Jing, deputy secretary-general of Qingdao Sailing Committee.

The city government began preparation and adopted a series of measures in 2004 to ensure food quality.

Over the past four years, local authorities have established a mechanism to ensure a safe supply of food through close inspection of hygiene and supervised agricultural and aquaculture sites.

An expert panel established regulations and rules to govern how and where food is produced.

The sailing competition itself will be served by an exclusive food distribution center and six officially designated hotels.

Local farmers have been encouraged to adopt new farming techniques, develop organic agriculture and use advanced testing for pesticide residue, heavy metals and microbes.

The city government has invested 59 million yuan in food inspection equipment and designated eight inspection institutions to control food quality.

All foodstuffs will carry a special tag to mark their Olympics purpose and sealed before they are allowed into the sailing center. Records will be kept to ensure careful monitoring of the supply chain.

Over the past two years, the authorities have taken 623,100 vegetable and 51,000 pork samples. Some 79,900 kg vegetables were destroyed because they had excess levels of pesticides.

The authorities have also been clamping down on illegal food producers and 2,700 have been put out of business since 2004.

Thursday, April 10, 2008Print This Page
Some 82,000 pigs in Vietnam Infected with Blue Ear
VIET NAM - Almost 82,000 pigs in Vietnam's central provinces of Nghe An and Ha Tinh and northern Thanh Hoa are infected with Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS), says local vet agencies.



The Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has asked all relevant agencies to cull all infected pigs in a bid to prevent the spread of the disease PRRS is now active in four Vietnamese localities, Nghe An, HaTinh, Thanh Hoa and central Quang Nam province. There are fears that the disease will spread throughout the nation's pig sector and cause similar devastation to that seen in China last year. The current economic situation, with pork shortages and food prices rising across the world, could not withstand high losses.
The PRRS was first recognized in the United States in the mid-1980s and is now present in most pig producing countries. The symptoms include reproductive failure, pneumonia and increased susceptibility to secondary bacterial infection.

Wednesday, April 09, 2008Print This Page
Pig Company Share Boost as Prices Rally
UK - Premium sausage producer Cranswick saw its share value increase after announcing it would pass on rising costs to its customers.


According to the Driffield Times, the Yorkshire-based company said it was now achieving price increases in the primary processing part of the business which will help offset its increasing raw material costs due to higher commodity prices and the strong €.

Pig prices have increased by 20 per cent over the past six months, as a result of the higher price of pig feed and Cranswick is now passing on higher input prices to customers in fresh pork," said Martin Davey, company chairman.

"We are in discussions with customers to pass on higher costs for our other activities which include ham, cooked meat, bacon, sausages and charcuterie," he added.

On Monday Cranswick's shares closed up nearly six per cent, a rise of 31p to 564.5p. However, they were still considerably lower than the 769p seen in January, before the group announced it was struggling to pass on higher raw material costs.

Wednesday, March 19, 2008Print This Page
Scottish Industry Facing Extinction
UK - Industry observers say that Scotland's pig industry could disappear within a few months,


A report in the Scotsman, quotes a stark message from Jim McLaren, president of NFU Scotland.

Official Statistics have tracked a marked decline in the breeding herd over the past decade and there is a real possibility that there will hardly be a pig left in Scotland.

Although the industry is relatively small, he affirms that it is vitally important to Scotland's farming industry.

He said that has been under immense pressure for many months, while last year's foot-and-mouth crisis did little to engender any sense of optimism for the longer-term. It is generally agreed that every pig leaving Scottish farms for slaughter is losing its producer at least £26.

Higher feed costs are clearly a major influence, as the daily ration accounts for almost 80 per cent of total cost of production.

In 1997, Scotland had a pig breeding herd totalling 69,600 sows and younger animals destined for the production chain. The trend since then has been consistently negative and, as of December 2007 according to the official census figures from the Scottish government, the breeding herd had fallen to only 38,600 head – a fall of just over 12 per cent on the year.

Thursday, March 20, 2008Print This Page
Levy Reduction Will Come in April
UK - A 10 pence cut in the pig levy has been announced as part of a strategy agreed by the board of the British Pig Executive (BPEX) to help the industry in its hour of need.

 
The BPEX Board took a strategic decision to use reserves to increase spending by £2.5m.

The one-year cut, which takes effect from 1 April, reduces the total levy paid by producers to 75 pence per pig slaughtered.

More for Promotion and Feed Campaign
The extra money is being spent on promoting the industry and building on the continuing feed cost crisis campaign to maintain the momentum built up so far aimed at getting a fair price for producers.

There is also a range of Knowledge Transfer and Research and Development work including a £1.5 million PCV2 vaccination scheme which offers producers vouchers for the vaccine.

BPEX Chief Executive Mick Sloyan that as the industry is in crisis due to the huge increase in feed costs, the board decided to use the reserves to as a direct benefit to producers in their time of need.

"We are aware of the magnitude of what we are trying to achieve and will use every resource we have at our disposal to assist the industry," he added. "The Board believes these initiatives will enhance the range of activities already being delivered and this is the best way BPEX can help the whole English pig industry meet the considerable challenges ahead.

The temporary reduction in the levy paid by English producers has been approved by ministers and will come into force from 1 April 1 for the financial year 2008/09.

Friday, March 21, 2008Print This Page
Retailer Loss Leaders Choking Irish Pig Sector
DUBLIN - IFA President Padraig Walshe says retailers are killing the Irish pig industry by using pigmeat as a loss leader.


Speaking at an industry protest outside Dunnes Stores Head Office, yesterday, he said discounted pigmeat and half-price offers were constantly being used by supermarkets as headline grabbers to pull in customers.

This was severely damaging the industry, which is faced by sky-rocketing feed costs, and was choking the livelihoods of producers.

The average Irish pig producer has accumulated losses of €100,000, which is devastating the otherwise €400m a year industry.

“Farmers cannot produce two for the price of one. The reality is that Irish pig producers are losing over €25 per pig and have been making losses on every pig sold for the last eight months," said Mr Walshe.

The protest was in support of the IFA's ‘Honesty in Food Pricing’ campaign - an initiative to gain greater transparency in food chain pricing structures.

Thursday, March 20, 2008Print This Page
UK Slaughter Statistics March 2008
UK - This publication by Defra shows various statistics obtained from surveys of slaughterhouses run in England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

 

The figures are based on data from all slaughterhouses but remain provisional until all the returns are in. The statistics are shown in statistical months - that is, statistics for January, April, July, and October are for periods of five weeks while statistics for other months are for periods of four weeks, with the exception of 2004 which is a 53 week statistical year where December 2004 statistics are for a 5 week month.

Unless otherwise stated, all information is for the United Kingdom.

UK monthly slaughter estimates.
UK monthly average dressed carcase weights.
UK monthly home-killed production of meat.
UK average weekly slaughter estimates.
UK slaughterings by country.
UK quarterly production and supplies of meat.
1. UK monthly slaughter estimates
Monthly estimates of the number of cattle, sheep and pigs slaughtered for meat in the United Kingdom are given in the table below. They are shown in statistical months.


Livestock slaughtered under the Older Cattle Disposal Scheme are excluded.
A dataset showing slaughter statistics for the same months in previous years can be found on the Defra website at http://statistics.defra.gov.uk/esg/datasets/slaughm.xls.
2. UK average dressed carcase weights
The surveys of slaughterhouses also collect information on the meat produced which enables average dressed carcase weights to be calculated. Monthly average dressed carcase weight for livestock slaughtered for meat in the United Kingdom are given in the table below.


Livestock slaughtered under the Older Cattle Disposal Scheme are excluded.
A dataset showing slaughter statistics for the same months in previous years can be found on the Defra website at http://statistics.defra.gov.uk/esg/datasets/alldcw.xls.
3. UK monthly home-killed production of meat
The surveys of slaughterhouses also collect information on the meat produced. This enables the total quantity of meat produced in the United Kingdom to be calculated. Home-killed production includes livestock imported into the United Kingdom for slaughter and differs from home-fed production (see Table 6) which excludes livestock imported into the United Kingdom for slaughter. The figures are shown in statistical months.


4. UK average weekly slaughterings
The monthly figures shown in Table 1 are affected by the number of weeks in the month. In order to provide a better, and more immediately accessible to readers, measure of trends over time, the following tables show average weekly slaughterings for each of the last twelve months. Longer time series are shown in the charts.


 

Thursday, March 20, 2008Print This Page
Shoppers Can Now "txt" for Recipes
NEW ZEALAND - The New Zealand pork industry has launched a new promotional campaign - by text message.



New Zealand Pork is rolling out a txt recipe service as part of a new labelling regime that sees locally-produced pork more clearly identified in the meat cabinet.

Labels are currently appearing on pork in New World supermarkets, and due to appear on pork from Foodtown, Woolworths and independent butchers in the coming weeks.

For 20 cents, shoppers can now send a txt from their mobile phones to receive one of six different recipes using common cuts of pork - from roasts through mince and stir fry to grill and barbecue cuts.

The txt messaging campaign - a first for New Zealand - is expected to provide extra impetus for New Zealand Pork's campaign to help Kiwis choose the local home grown product.

"Our research shows that people want to cook more New Zealand pork but don't have a familiar recipe to use, that's when we came up with the idea for txting," says NZ Pork chief executive Sam McIvor.

"Virtually everyone has a mobile phone and for many it's the preferred method of communicating.

"With the txting programme we are recognising that people sometimes need advice and there's no better place to provide it than when they are shopping and faced with the 'what's for dinner' dilemma. It's the instant answer."

Tuesday, March 25, 2008Print This Page
Caribbean Swine Producers Tough It Out
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC - Producers the world over are having to live with massive increases in feed costs and the Dominican Republic is no different, especially since its producers rely on imported corn and soya from the USA, writes Stuart Lumb.



The Dominican Republic has around 70,000 sows. The Dominican Republic Swine Producers Association has 28 members, which includes two co-ops, with members buying shares in the association.

The national herd size has fallen slightly from 76,000 sows in 2006 to 70,000 currently, and numbers, hardly surprisingly, are still falling due to the current feed price crisis.

The association accounts for 22 per cent of the DR's sows, plus many of the members also produce broilers .Herd size ranges from 50- 2000 sows and productivity varies from 14-19 pigs/ sold/sow/year.

According to association President Fernando Fernandez (pictured second from right), two years ago it was possible to make a good living from 50 sows ,when producers were making a profit of £40 per pig - today a producer needs 500 sows and currently farmers are losing £10 per pig ( much less than the £26 UK producers are losing though).

Not much pork is consumed in the DR and the industry needs a promotional campaign similar to one that has been organised in Colombia.

Buying Policies
Corn and soya are imported in 30,000 ton boat loads and key association members meet weekly to discuss raw material buying policy.

All members are home mixers producing pig meal and raw materials are bought on credit.

The association has its own vitamin and mineral pre-mix manufacturing plant and premixes are also sold to non-members.

Antibiotics and AGPs are sourced from China and India.

The association is very proud of its vet lab, which is the only one on the island.

A team of six staff carry out PCR testing, supervised by a vet, also an association employee. Members have invested heavily in new buildings and breeding stock of late and it's to be hoped that they can weather the current financial storm.
 

Friday, March 21, 2008Print This Page
Czech pork prices rise on falling pig numbers
PRAGUE - Czech farmers reduced pig numbers by nearly 80,000 to 2.661 million last year, and continue cutting the numbers this year owing to low buyout prices, according to statistics the Agricultural Chamber have reported.


The Chamber's president Jan Veleba said the decline in pig numbers would result in roughly a 20 percent increase in pork prices this year because pork supply would be lower than demand.

Czech breeders are closing down whole pig farms, he added. The reasons include the fall in farmers prices, which reached 7.6 percent in 2007, and the growth in prices of inputs, especially feed mixtures, caused by higher grains prices.

Veleba warned that if the unfavourable trend is not halted, domestic pork production would only cover 50 percent of consumption in about a year. Still in 2002, the Czech Republic was self-sufficient in pork production, and the share of domestic breeders has been decreasing since that time. Average per capita pork consumption in the country is 41 kilogrammes a year.

The only way to improve the situation of Czech pig breeders is to raise consumption of Czech-made pork meat, Veleba said.

"Last year, 130,000 tonnes of pork worth Kc6.7bn was imported to the Czech Republic. Before the EU entry in 2004, we imported pork worth Kc1.3bn," he added.

Agriculture Minister Petr Gandalovic told CTK earlier the ministry would try to help pork producers by means of preferential treatment in the rural development programme, that is, in drawing money from EU funds.

Tuesday, March 25, 2008Print This Page
Mexican Grain Imports Will Increase, says US
US - Mexico’s total imports for grain and feed are likely continue to increase in for 2008/09 period due mainly to the dynamic performance of its livestock sector, says the US Department of Agriculture.

 
Its latest FAS report says that high grain prices will likely encourage producers to expand production in sorghum and corn. Corn production is forecast at 22.750 million metric tons (MMT) for 2008/09, or one percent greater than the previous year, while sorghum production is estimated at 6.45 MMT, an increase of 150,000 MT.

Also, the first ethanol plant in Mexico is scheduled to open May 2008 and will use nearly 270,000 MT for production. That is also likely to have an impact on national crop markets, says FAS.

Dry bean production is forecast at 1.2 MMT while wheat production is forecast to increase slightly compared to the previous year. However, wheat exports are forecast to increase 16 percent due to record high international prices and low world stocks.

Rice production for MY 2008/09 is forecast to remain at the previous year’s estimated production of 185,000 MT.

Friday, April 11, 2008Print This Page
Final PC Inquiry Hammers Australia's Pig Farmers
AUSTRALIA - Australia's pig farmers claim their hope of import Safeguards and extra support for the industry's dire situation have been ignored by the final report to the Federal Government from the Productivity Commission (PC).



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*
"This distorted attitude of the PC on short term industry support comes at great cost to the livelihoods of farmers" 
Australian Pork Limited CEO Andrew Spencer
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 

Australian Pork Limited (APL) CEO Andrew Spencer said that the industry is imploding due to cheap imports of frozen pig meat.

Added to this situation is high grain prices that are making local production completely unviable, he said.

"This distorted attitude of the PC on short term industry support comes at great cost to the livelihoods of farmers, rural and regional communities and ultimately consumers," said Mr Spencer.

"To continue to ignore the fact that all of Australia's pork imports come from countries that actively subsidise their pig farmers and their pork industry with tax payers funds, laughs in the face of fair trading conditions and a free trade environment."

Mr Spencer said 70 per cent of the hams, bacon and smallgoods market is sourced from overseas countries.

In the current environment this percentage share is only going to climb and the result has been catastrophic for domestic farm gate pig prices, holding them down, while grain prices continue to climb, he added.

Despite the high levels of on-farm efficiencies gained by Australian pig farmers over the past five years, Mr Spencer said the industry cannot compete in "this distorted, totally unbalanced trading environment".

"The PC, by taking this stance, is in effect encouraging foreign subsidies on imports, whilst on the other hand telling Australian pork farmers they don’t deserve Government support. This is totally inconsistent and inequitable but I guess equity is not part of their criteria," he said.

"It is beyond comprehension that this situation continues to be ignored by the PC. For the PC to just blandly bundle the pig industry in with the rest of Australia's livestock industries shows how little they actually know or chose to know about the trading environment of Australia’s pork industry. Other livestock industries such as beef, sheep meat and chicken do not suffer direct competition from imports and therefore do not have their domestic trading environment left open to these pricing distortions."

Mr Spencer said the PC’s misguided, sterile ideology on free trade combined with a lack of understanding of some simple economic issues associated with the industry has turned the report into a farce.

"The one’s laughing loudest are our competitors," he said.

 

Friday, April 11, 2008Print This Page
Pig Farm Permit Angers Locals
MALTA - Malta's Environment and Planning Authority has approved outline permission for a pig production site, close by 10 other farms


In accordance with all planning policies and regulations, the MEPA board has granted an outline development permit in an ODZ area for the construction of a pig fattening farm. This permit carries with it a number of conditions including a restrain on future expansion. The permitted development will be adjacent to another 10 operational farms.

For this application the planning directorate carried out the necessary consultation, as stipulated by law, with the Department of Public Health, Department of Agriculture, Department of Veterinary Services and the Malta Resources Authority which found no objection to this development.

Opposed
During the public meeting, the board addressed objections from three residents that live adjacent to this development in an ODZ area.

The small group of residents in Maghtab, whose country homes will now neighbour the 80-pig fattening facility were reported to be outraged. This new farm would practically stand back-to-back with their properties - and they were concerned about noise and odour problems.

They also pointed out that their residences were there before any of the existing farms and that a number of such farms were not used or used for other purposes. They says there is strong case for an alternative site to be found for the pig unit.

MEPA board chairman Andrew Calleja said the development was in line with the authority's policy. This rural area is predominately devoted to farming and therefore the pig unit fitted into the locality.

Price Rises Spark Ideas for Return to Tradition
CHINA - Liu Yonghao, who started out selling pig feed and later became one of the mainland's richest, sees recent pork price hikes as a call to go back to his old business.


The price of pork is now 60 percent higher from the same time last year, according to official figures. The price rises since last May have been mainly attributed to a decrease in supply and rising feed costs.

However, key producers believe there is a fundamental cause behind escalating prices.

Liu Yonghao, who started his business in the 1980s selling pig feed. He has become one of the mainland's richest people working in the mainland industry and says that recent pork price hikes are a call to go back to his old business. He says that individual farming households are quitting pig rearing, but large, pork production enterprises are not picking up the short fall, they are not expanding enough to maintain numbers and so supply cannot meet demand.
 
Liu Yonghao

"As the largest consumer and producer of agricultural products, China needs a bunch of large agricultural companies," said Liu.

His company, New Hope Group has interest that range from high-tech to chemicals. It is well on the way to become one of the first and biggest of these agricultural conglomerate.

From 2005, through a series of mergers and acquisitions, Liu - a Sichuan native - now controls nearly 10 leading agricultural companies in various regions, including Kinghey, the pork supplier for the Beijing Olympic Games.

Liu is trying to build the whole supply chain of agricultural products from animal feed and pig and poultry raising to meat processing.

Liu and his three brothers were among the earliest and most famous private entrepreneurs back in the 1980s. After raising chicken and quail, they turned to making pig feed as pork production boomed.

The Liu brothers then became the largest animal feed makers in the country, with a market share of nearly 10 percent at the peak.

Ministerial Inquiry Into Free Range Pork
AUSTRALIA - A Ministerial inquiry has been launched inot the rearing procedures used that constitute genuine free-range pork.


The inquiry follows a recent Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) report condoning the practice, by some intensive pork farmers, of marketing pork as free range when the pig had lived outdoors for less than the first four weeks of its life.

The ACCC report cited consumer confusion over the difference between "free range" and "free range bred" as the reason for the inquiry.

The inquiry, instigated by Sydney Mayor, Clover Moore (an avowed animal rights activist), follows a campaign by the Free Range Pork Farmers Association, a small group of free range pork farmers who have established a charter and certification for best practice free range pork rearing.

FRPFA spokesperson and free range pork farmer, Lee McCosker, said the vast majority of consumers the association surveyed were astounded that there was no standard definition for free range pork. "They automatically assume it's regulated, like organic certification," McCosker said.

Wednesday, April 09, 2008Print This Page
African Farmers Missing Out on Global 'Livestock Revolution'
AFRICA - African farmers are missing out on a global boom in demand for meat products because of out-of-date international regulations.



New research suggests practical options to unlock the potential of the southern African livestock industry and help millions lift themselves out of poverty through trade.

These new “win-win” options for livestock standards and market access would allow farmers to export safe, high quality products to lucrative international markets without increasing the risk of spreading animal disease, such as foot-and mouth.




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*
"If the full benefits of the 'livestock revolution' are to be captured in southern Africa, new responses and capacities must be developed and inappropriate and out-dated policies must be abandoned." 
Professor Ian Scoones of the Institute of Development Studies.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 

The African Union is among the top level bodies preparing to make crucial decisions about the livestock sector. But practical options that respond to dynamic change in the global meat industry, market access requirements and disease control have been lacking, until now.

Ahmadu Babagana, Director for Rural Economy and Agriculture, African Union Commission said of the new research,

"If the global policy commitments to support Africa’s development are to become real, the international community must understand the potential of new product standards to increase market access for developing countries without increasing risks. This requires renewed commitments from governments and a review of international standard-setting policies, he said.

Potential
If this is carried out it could trigger huge potential for Africa, particularly southern Africa. It would help to attract new markets and trading partners, private investment for new production technologies and the provision of ethically produced and sourced foods to niche markets. The African Union, says it would  rethink of policies towards livestock production, disease management and control and trade as central to such efforts.

Over the past 18 months, studies in South Africa, Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe have investigated the economic, social and political trade-offs of different scenarios for gaining market access and controlling livestock disease. The research recommends a range of options that can be mixed and matched to support the beef industry, instead of a one-size-fits-all solution for every country.

Options for market access include: trade with the European Union; direct exports to large retailers; export to emerging markets, particularly Asia; regional trade in southern Africa and domestic urban and rural markets. They can be combined with practical disease control options and a more integrated and coordinated approach at regional level.

For example, current European-led 'zero-tolerance' standards insist on disease-free regions, but are too costly and impractical for poor farmers to put in place. Instead, the new research advocates options based on the safety, quality and processing of meat products. Milk, butter, cheese and deboned beef can be traded safely if processing methods are effectively regulated instead of the country’s disease status.

Over-reliance on old colonial trading networks means rapidly growing new markets are being ignored. Demand for meat products is soaring, particularly in China where annual consumption of meat has risen from an average of 20kg/person to 50kg/person since 1985. While global meat and milk production set to double by 2050, according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization.
Massive Growth
But massive growth in industrialised production from Brazil and China (for meat) and India (for milk), coupled with Latin America’s superior regional co-ordination and market intelligence, is far outweighing anything Africa can offer: African countries contribute just two per cent of global trade in livestock products. Each year Africa imports US$2.2billion more livestock products than it exports, and this deficit is increasing.

This new research advocates a more joined-up approach, linking regional and governmental support to private sector initiatives. Africa has been poor at negotiating trade standards with international bodies such as the World Animal Health Organisation (OIE), World Trade Organisation (WTO) and European Union. A proper place at the table is needed, and needed now.

Unless changes are urgently made, southern Africa risks missing out on the opportunity to benefit from the global 'livestock revolution' and farmers will lose the chance to trade their way out of poverty.

"A major policy rethink is needed. If the full benefits of the 'livestock revolution' are to be captured in southern Africa, new responses and capacities must be developed and inappropriate and out-dated policies must be abandoned," said research co-ordinator Professor Ian Scoones of the Institute of Development Studies, UK.

Local pork industry is dying says NSW Farmers
9/04/2008 6:29:00 PM
The NSW Farmers Association has endorsed claims made earlier this week that the Federal Government must act now to save the local pork industry.
It says the latest Productivity Commission's findings on the industry that high grain prices rather than increased imports were the key cause of lower profitability for local producers ignored the seriousness of the situation facing growers.

NSW Farmers' newly-elected pork committee chairman, Malcolm Gett, Narrabri, says pork producers in NSW are disappointed with what they believe are flawed findings in the final report from the Productivity Commission's (PC) Safeguards Inquiry into the Import of Pigmeat.

"We would suggest the Federal Government needs to ignore the PC findings, which indicate that despite record high levels of imports and the lowest pig prices in five years, increased imports have not caused and are not threatening to cause serious injury to the domestic industry," Mr Gett says.

"The PC suggests that any safeguard action against imports of pigmeat is not warranted.

"But Australian pork producers are baffled that the PC has chosen not to see the link between the record levels of pigmeat imports and the worst producer profitability crisis in living memory.

"The simple fact is the local pork industry is dying and that's a tragedy for Australia but one the Federal Government can take action on," Mr Gett says.

He says imports have increased by 40pc in the past year.

"This is costing the local pigmeat industry $2.59 million a week, with domestic processed pork production dropping 26pc last financial year.

"Almost 70pc of the bacon and ham sitting on the shelves of Australia's retailers, which comes from overseas, benefits from huge foreign subsidies on agriculture.

"How anybody can consider that imports are not causing injury to our industry is beyond me," Mr Gett says.

SOURCE: The Land, NSW

Pig pain caused by high feed grain prices, not imports
4/04/2008 3:20:00 PM
High feed costs, not rising imports, are the key reason for the present lack of profitability in the Australian pork industry.
That was the major conclusion of the Productivity Commission's second and final report from its Safeguards Inquiry into the Import of Pigmeat which was released today.

The inquiry was ordered after a slump in domestic pig prices in the second half of last year. Local growers have been seeking to penalise or restrict imports of uncooked frozen and cooked pigmeat (which, according to the commission, are used by smallgoods manufacturers mainly for ham and bacon) for more than a decade.

They believe the imports are subsidised and also have exposed the local industry to unwanted exotic diseases.

But the Productivity Commission says higher feed costs - which have added about 70 to 80 cents a kilogram to production costs since early 2006 - are the major cause of financial pain to local producers. It therefore rejected the need for import safeguard protection (eg, tariffs) for local producers.

The commission said import competition (which began in 1990) was now a fact of life for the local industry.

Pig pain caused by high feed grain prices, not imports
4/04/2008 3:20:00 PM
High feed costs, not rising imports, are the key reason for the present lack of profitability in the Australian pork industry.
That was the major conclusion of the Productivity Commission's second and final report from its Safeguards Inquiry into the Import of Pigmeat which was released today.

The inquiry was ordered after a slump in domestic pig prices in the second half of last year. Local growers have been seeking to penalise or restrict imports of uncooked frozen and cooked pigmeat (which, according to the commission, are used by smallgoods manufacturers mainly for ham and bacon) for more than a decade.

They believe the imports are subsidised and also have exposed the local industry to unwanted exotic diseases.

But the Productivity Commission says higher feed costs - which have added about 70 to 80 cents a kilogram to production costs since early 2006 - are the major cause of financial pain to local producers. It therefore rejected the need for import safeguard protection (eg, tariffs) for local producers.

The commission said import competition (which began in 1990) was now a fact of life for the local industry.

Imports to force exodus from pig industry
PAULA THOMPSON
30/01/2008 2:10:52 PM
About 27pc of the nation's pig producers have indicated they are planning to exit the industry if market conditions do not improve, according to a report released by Australia Pork Limited (APL).
In early January, APL voiced its disappointment on the results of a preliminary Federal Government Productivity Commission report, which found there was no clear evidence that increased imports seriously threatened the domestic industry.

This is in stark contrast to a subsequent report by APL that says:

• There is an alarming contraction, with 14,000 sows already culled and a second wave in progress - 24pc (73,000 sows) will be culled by June next year.

• At end of November, 14pc of producers had exited the industry and 27pc indicated they were planning to exit should market conditions not improve.

• The pork industry's facilities have limited or no alternative uses.

Pig production and slaughtering and boning rooms have considerable sunk costs, being highly capital intensive and volume dependent.

This differentiates the pork industry from many other agricultural industries.

• With the lack of positive cash\flows, strategies and investments to reduce costs of production and/or increase productivity are likely to be abandoned, catapulting the industry into a downward spiral.

• The costs of production are largely of a fixed nature.

Together with the low value of land tied up in pig production and slaughtering and boning rooms (with most facilities located away from urban areas due to environmental regulations), this means costs associated with exiting the industry are high.

South Australian Farmers' Federation pork committee chairman, Butch Moses says he is not surprised by the figures contained in APL's report on the industry.

"This downturn has long-term ramifications," he said.

"There's quite a lot of people on the way out now and that's creating a problem because there's a lot more pigs on the market than can be used domestically. "This is keeping prices low."

Mr Moses said in the long-term the number of pigs going out of the system could create problems with the export market.

"It could make it hard to maintain the fresh pork market," he said.

"With domestic use plus the export market, it could jeopardise the export market because we just won't have the numbers to sustain it."

Mr Moses said some producers would find it hard to leave the industry because of debt and investment in their piggery's infrastructure

"There will be some producers who stick it out and try to get through the next six months," he said. Hopefully they can look forward to brighter returns," he said.

SOURCE: Stock Journal, SA

Tuesday, April 15, 2008Print This Page
Wheat Plant Breathes New Life into Livestock
MANCHESTER, UK - The opening of Cargill's redeveloped Manchester wheat processing plant will provide benefits for the livestock and dairy sectors as well as arable farmers, the chairman of the NFU's combinable crops board said today.



The plant, which has had £75 million spent on it, will now take 750,000 tonnes of UK grown wheat rather than imported French maize and will produce a range of products for the food, feed and pharmaceutical sectors.

Ian Backhouse, NFU combinable crops board chairman, said: "As well as being good news for the wheat farmers who will supply it, Cargill's redevelopment of its Manchester plant will also have benefits for both livestock and dairy farmers, who will be able to take advantage of the Trafford Gold animal feed the site will produce. This kind of commitment is excellent news for the UK agriculture industry."

Tuesday, April 15, 2008Print This Page
New World Beating Boar Goes to War on Feed Costs
UK - A new boar bred by UK's pig genetics company JSR Genetics, is consistently achieving a record breaking reduction in feed conversion rates (FCR) - 13.4 per cent less than the UK average - and the lowest achieved by any pig, anywhere in the world.

 

Dubbed 'the world's most efficient pig' the new JSR Geneconverter 700 will be launched at next month's Industry shop-window the British Pig & Poultry Fair. It brings to fruition years of research and development by the company's geneticists.




Dr Grant Walling, Director of Research and Genetics, says that the potential benefit of the FCR performance of this boar line, compared with the national average, means that the Geneconverter 700 could offer savings of £5 per pig produced*.

This is what the 13.4 per cent reduction in FCR equates to a based on BPEX figures and it's supported by JSR's commercial trials currently taking place throughout the UK. They have also returned consistently outstanding figures, which in the current economic climate are proving very valuable.

With feed prices having risen so steeply, feed conversion is now key to maintaining profitability, and the JSR Geneconverter 700 is better than any other pig for delivering value, says Dr Walling.

Real Commercial Significance
"With feed accounting for approximately 65 per cent of production costs, this boar is going to make a significant difference to producers' profitability," he adds.

Table 1: JSR Geneconverter 700 trials incorporating recent inflated feed prices
  Average UK herd* GC700 Benefit to GC700
FCR Wean-Slaughter 2.54 2.20 -0.37
Days to Slaughter 172 147 -25 days
Margin over feed £23.40 £28.42 £5.20
COP p/kg dead 125.2p/kg 118.1p/kg -7.1p/kg
Financial benefit per 100 sows     £9922.66
*Based on 50% increase in feed costs from Pig Yearbook 2007 published by BPEX 

"The JSR Geneconverter 700 really does offer some good news for pig producers at a time when there's not too much of it about. We're extremely proud to add such a notable and purposeful new line to the JSR stable and think it's well worth celebrating."

And Carlos Peralta, JSR's Commercial Director agrees, He says results such as these are always gratifying.

"The Geneconverter 700 combines the very best of the JSR and Newsham genetic lines. Its remarkable FCR is just one excellent quality; apart from its outstanding growth performance, the JSR Geneconverter 700 is robustly healthy with strong legs and an extremely high libido," he explains.

CT scans underline the genotype's performance benefits in terms of carcase quality and conformation. JSR says that with continued feed price instability, the Geneconverter 700 will have an important part to play in the future profitability of pig production units in the UK and the rest of the world.

Table 2: CT Scan Results:
  GC700 Average (All Breeds)
Muscle % 41.30 40.4
Fat % 8.55 9.92
Loin % 9.75 9.46
Source: JSR Research and SAC, Edinburgh 

Further information and technical data on the Geneconverter 700 will be available from JSR throughout the British Pig and Poultry Fair - Stand 105, in Hall 2. The company is also hosting a free to enter prize draw to win 25 doses of Geneconverter semen per week, supplied for 6 months.

Friday, April 18, 2008Print This Page
Concern Mounts over Antimicrobial Resistant Bacteria
EU - The use of antimicrobial agents in animals, plants and food production contributes to a growing, diverse range of resistant bacteria and of bacteria-borne resistant genes that can be passed on to humans through food, according to the European Food Safety Authority’s BIOHAZ Panel.



EFSA asked its BIOHAZ Panel to identify, from a public health perspective, the extent of how food serves as a vehicle for antimicrobial resistance.

Now, the BIOHAZ Panel has launched a public consultation on this opinion and a call for additional scientific data both with a deadline of 27 May, 2008.

The draft opinion says that general principles applied to the prevention and control of the transmission of harmful bacteria to humans through food, including the sustained practice of improved hygiene at all stages of the food chain, will contribute to the prevention and control of the transmission of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria by this route.

"Overall, control of all the routes by which antimicrobial resistant bacteria and their related genes can arise in the human patient, of which food is but one such route, requires a response from all stakeholders who acknowledge their responsibilities for preventing both the development and spread of antimicrobial resistance, each in their own area of activity including medicine, veterinary medicine, primary food animal production, food processing and food preparation, as well as in the regulation of food safety," the Panel recommended in the draft opinion.

Antimicrobial resistance of bacteria is a growing concern as antimicrobials become less effective in fighting human infections. This coincides with a rise in bacterial resistance to antimicrobials in animal populations. Resistant Salmonella and Campylobacter involved in human disease are mostly spread through food. The principal foods carrying such antimicrobial resistant bacteria are poultry meat, eggs, pork or beef. Contamination during preparation, handling and processing of fresh food of plant origin, such as salads, is also of concern.

The Panel identified several instances in which food may become a vehicle for transmitting bacteria with antimicrobial resistance, to humans:

transfer of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria directly to humans from contaminated food originating from animals carrying resistant bacteria, which can colonise or infect a human being after ingestion;
ingestion of antimicrobial resistant bacteria on fresh produce from land recently irrigated with water contaminated by farm slurry or municipal sewage containing such bacteria;
transfer of antimicrobial resistance to the natural flora of the human gut from resistant bacteria on ingested food of both animal and non-animal origin, contaminated during the handling and preparation process.
The Panel recommended that these potential contamination routes and the control measures currently in place be reviewed in light of the most recent scientific data.

The Panel also said that bacteria deliberately introduced into the food and feed chain for manufacturing and preservation processes, such as fermentation cultures, and also probiotics, have on occasion exhibited antimicrobial resistance and should also be considered as a possible route for the transfer of antimicrobial resistance through food.

The Panel considered that animal-derived food products can be a potential route for the human infection Meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)[4] and may be an emerging food-related risk. The Panel said however, that the data currently available pointed to a more immediate occupational risk for pig farmers and abattoir workers, in addition to that posed for hospitalised patients.

The consultation process on the draft opinion will be concluded by 27 May.

Friday, April 18, 2008Print This Page
Exports Warrant Development, Says Producers
CHINA - Domestic pig producers are alling for for the government to help them develop more export opportunities for pigs and/or pork products to mainland China to secure viable operations.



Pan Lien-chou, chairman of the ROC Swine Association, said that aside from talks on cross-strait direct flights and entry of Chinese tourists, the new government can negotiate with Chinese authorities on exports of pork products to mainland China, as well as imports of corn and soybean powder from the other side of the Taiwan Strait. President-elect Ma Ying-jeou's new government will take office on May 20

Pan said the hog price in China averages at NT$8,200 per 100 kilograms, some NT$1,800-1,900 higher than the average price of NT$6,300-6,400 in Taiwan. In addition, the hog price in China will keep trending upward due mainly to strong market demand there.

By contrast, the auction prices offered in many local counties and cities range from NT$6,300-NT$6,300 per 100 kilograms, better than before. But the production cost has risen to NT$6,500 per 100 kilograms as a result of the rising import cost for corn feed.

Losses
As a result, farmers will suffer losses for every hog sold in Taiwan, Pan said. "If local hogs can be sold to mainland China, local farmers can secure stable profits to cover their losses seen over the past few years," Pan continued. Accordingly, Pan stressed, the new government should place Taiwan's hog exports to China on the agenda of cross-strait talks on economic and trade exchanges, to help local hog farmers secure viable operations.

Meanwhile, Yang Ho-bei, chairman of the Taiwan Livestock Industry Development Association, said that mainland China is an exporter of corn products, and therefore the government here should liberalize corn imports from China to help reduce the production cost of domestic hog farmers.

On another front, Yang said, Taiwan can export 50,000 hogs to mainland China per month. This, in turn, is expected to help stabilize domestic hog prices or pork products.
Ready for Quality
Also yesterday, Chen Li-ling, a division chief of the agricultural development department under the Taoyuan County Government, said the county is ready to export high-quality hog or pork products to mainland China. She suggested the Council of Agriculture take charge of the affairs.

But COA officials said since the exposure of the food-and-mouth disease (FMD)in Taiwan some 11 years ago, exports of hogs or pork products should be subject to strict inspections required by the governments of export destinations.

According to the National Animal Industry Foundation, Taiwan has resumed small-scale pork exports, shipping some 1,000 metric tons to Hong Kong, Japan, Vietnam, Singapore and mainland China in the first three months of the year. Of them, 400 metric tons were exported to China, which are then processed and exported to Japan.

Thursday, April 17, 2008Print This Page
Plight of Pig Industry Highlighted
UK - Threats to the British pig industry from rocketing feed costs and almost static prices are likely to continue says an independent report just published.

 
The report predicts production costs could be as high as 180p per kg by 2010, compared with around 140p at present an average of 108p in 2006

'Global feed commodities market, its impact on the British pig industry, and risk management strategies to mitigate this' has been commissioned by BPEX Ltd with independent contributions from ABN and Barclays.

Feed accounts for almost half the price of producing a pig, and the rising price of feed commodities has caused pig production costs to soar.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*
"The report illustrates how the British pig industry remains under threat - without a price of 140p per kilogram pig producers will continue to suffer unsustainable losses." 
Stuart Houston, BPEX Chairman
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
Independent analysis by ABN on current and future commodity price trends shows that the cost of producing a kilogram of pig meat is forecast to rise from 108.2p in 2006 (on an annualised basis) in to 148.1p March 2008. And, assuming an average producer price of 115p in 2008, this implies a loss of 30p/kg, which is equivalent to £22 on every pig produced - equivalent to an industry-wide annual loss of £200 million.

Barclays' independent analysis highlights how supply chain collaboration such as fixed price contracts, or sales contracts linked to commodity prices, may help ease the risk faced by pig producers.

BPEX Chairman Stewart Houston said: "The report illustrates how the British pig industry remains under threat - without a price of 140p per kilogram pig producers will continue to suffer unsustainable losses. This will see British pig producers leaving the industry for good.

"The British pig industry is unique, producing pork, bacon and ham to standards of animal welfare which are not regularly matched outside Britain. The loss of the British pig herd will mean consumers lose the choice to buy pork, bacon and ham from a high welfare, assured supply chain, that deploys sustainable production methods"

 

Wednesday, April 16, 2008Print This Page
Cherkizovo Doubles Income
RUSSIA - Russian integrated pig and poultry meat producer Cherkizovo has seen its net income more than double over the last year.



The company's income rose by 109 per cent to US $61.6 million compared to US $29.4 million in 2006.
Adjusted EBITDA increased by 56 per cent year-on-year to US $115.3 million compared to US $74.2 million the previous year.
Group gross profit rose by 51 per cent to US $223.8 million compared to US $147.8 million.
Gross margins increased to 27 per cent in 2007 from 23 per cent in 2006.
Sales increased by 33 per cent to US $840.8 million compared to US $631.6 million the previous year.
Cherkizovo acquired OJSC Kurinoe Tsarstvo at the end of August last year and with the acquisition the company is now the largest producer of poultry products in Russia.

Last year the company also opened a new pig slaughtering line at the Penzensky meat and poultry plant and acquired more than 28,000 hectares of land in the "Black Earth" farming region close to our Tambov pork facilities.

Cherkizovo was granted the certificate of compliance with GOST R ISO 9001-2001 quality management system last year.
Strong
Sergey Mikhailov, Chief Executive Officer of Cherkizovo Group, said the group was delighted to report such a strong set of results for 2007.

"With sales up by 33 per cent, net income more than doubling as well as margin improvement we have continued to deliver real value for all our shareholders.

"During 2007 we have continued to take major steps towards achieving our aim of becoming Russia's leading producer of meat and meat products. The business grew in scale substantially during the last year, and we have doubled the size of both the pork and the poultry divisions.

"This was achieved through our dual track strategy of organic growth from existing and expanded operations and carefully selected acquisitions such as that of OJSC Kurinoe Tsarstvo that compliment our existing business. We are also pleased with the attractive scale achieved by the company as demonstrated by our pro forma sales in 2007 of US $933.7 million.

"Overall we have meaningfully expanded our business, through new state-of-the-art facilities, increased operational efficiency, and, at the same time, delivered excellent financial performance and increasing margins despite an environment of increasing grain prices. We look forward to 2008 with confidence."
 

Feed costs hit Spanish pig producers
// 16 apr 2008

Spanish pig producers are struggling with rising feedcosts, according to Spanish pig industry association Anprogapor. The association estimates that 15% of the 70,000 pig producers in Spain have ceased production.

 
Production costs in Spain are around €1.20 per kilo of delivered weight, while market prices half-way through 2007 were around €0.90.

Anprogapor has stated that around 200,000 sows were taken out of production to reduce the number of piglets. This action resulted in an increase in market prices, but not high enough to generate more profit.

The problems have been caused through drought, which the Spanish have been struggling with for the last four years. Provincial governments have been calling for more water from elsewhere, for example, from their neighbours, France.

High feed costs hit Aussie pig producers
// 04 apr 2008

Australian pigmeat producers are suffering badly because of high domestic feed costs, the Productivity Commission has found. The commission's final report into the pigmeat industry found feed prices reached record highs in 2007 and the trend is continuing into this year.


Major reasons for feed price hikes have been drought, growing worldwide demand and government support for ethanol, and the strong economic growth in China and India.

While pointing out that the Cooperative Research Centre for Pork is looking into ways to reduce feed costs, the report recommended a review into ethanol and other biofuel policies and their effect on grain users.

It found federal government support for the ethanol industry, based on growing crops such as wheat and sugar, had the potential to increase feed grain costs. The commission also found there was potential, in the longer term, for domestic support for the ethanol industry to raise domestic feed prices and therefore directly affect the pigmeat and other livestock industries.

The report said reducing feed costs was crucial for Australia to be able to participate in an export market.

Among other recommendations, the commission urged governments to undertake periodic reviews of pig animal welfare regulation to ensure that it was imposing the minimum compliance requirements necessary to achieve its objectives. It urged consistency of regulation across the various jurisdictions on elements such as animal welfare, occupational health and safety, food and ethanol regulation.

UK looks at alternative feed for pigs
// 31 mar 2008

With feed prices at an all time high it is tempting to look for alternatives. Some left over products from the food industry might be an option for animal feed.

 
However, not all products are allowed to use in commercial animal feed. According to DEFRA in the UK a farmer is not allowed to use kitchen waste or catering waste.
It is important not to risk feeding any meat products back to your pigs but there are some waste products that you can feed.

But what about milk, milk based products, bakery products, pasta, chocolate, sweet and similar products be fed to livestock? Milk and milk based products and biscuits, bakery waste, pasta, chocolate, sweet and similar products contain ingredients, such as rennet or melted fat, milk or eggs, which have been incorporated in those products but which are not the main ingredient can be fed to livestock.

However, adequate measures must be in place to ensure against cross contamination by meat and other products of animal origin. One bakery in the UK has already been in touch with the British Pig Association.

Alternative raw materials
There are also lots of other raw materials that you can feed to pigs. Professor Sandra Edwards of Newcastle University has produced a handbook for feeding organic pigs which has recommendations on the use of Silage, Sugar Beet, Potatoes, Brewers Grains etc. here is also a BPEX leaflet Alternative Feeds for Pigs - Knowing the risks.

Thursday, April 10, 2008Print This Page
Some 82,000 pigs in Vietnam Infected with Blue Ear
VIET NAM - Almost 82,000 pigs in Vietnam's central provinces of Nghe An and Ha Tinh and northern Thanh Hoa are infected with Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS), says local vet agencies.



The Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has asked all relevant agencies to cull all infected pigs in a bid to prevent the spread of the disease PRRS is now active in four Vietnamese localities, Nghe An, HaTinh, Thanh Hoa and central Quang Nam province. There are fears that the disease will spread throughout the nation's pig sector and cause similar devastation to that seen in China last year. The current economic situation, with pork shortages and food prices rising across the world, could not withstand high losses.
The PRRS was first recognized in the United States in the mid-1980s and is now present in most pig producing countries. The symptoms include reproductive failure, pneumonia and increased susceptibility to secondary bacterial infection.

Wednesday, April 16, 2008Print This Page
Govt Under Fire for Pig Unit Approvals
MALAYSIA - The new Selangor state government, which includes the opposition Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS), has come under fire from Umno-backed groups after it gave the go-ahead for a RM100 million (S$43 million) modern pig farm.


The decision has provoked the biggest opposition yet to the month-old state government, including public protests peppered with racial-religious overtones, says the Straits Times.

The Umno-backed, Malay-language Utusan Malaysia has published a series of articles condemning the proposed pig farm since the decision was made public early this month.

Other Malay newspapers have also expressed concerns about the project, saying that Muslims living near the farm are uneasy as well as raising environmental concerns.

Last week, about 200 residents from Selangor, believed to be backed by Umno, demonstrated in front of the state government's office in Shah Alam.

No Threat to Residents
However, a report in the Malay Mail says that the living conditions and comfort of residents living near the proposed RM100 million cent pig farm in Ladang Tum buk is not under threat, said the Selangor government, as the nearest village is located 0.8 kilometres away.

This was the assurance to res idents given by Selangor Exco for Agriculture Modernisation, Natural Resources and Entrepreneurial De velopment Yaakob Sapari.

Speaking to reporters after briefing State assemblymen on the project at the State govern ment headquarters yesterday, he said the residents have nothing to fear as their way of life is not at risk.

In an effort to placate protest ing parties and Ladang Tumbuk residents, Yaakob said the farms would be fully covered and air-conditioned so there would be no foul smell.

It would also help to control insects and the spread of viral diseases such as JE and Nipah.

Growth in Brazilian Meat Exports, Animal Feed Industry Drives Demand for Feed Additives
BUENOS AIRES - Brazil's position as one of the most important meat exporters in the world and one of the leading animal feed producers is driving strong growth of its animal feed additives market. The country's average annual production of animal feed is 47 million tons, while its export of chicken and pork meat is steadily rising from year to year, as is the internal consumption of these products. These factors have done much to boost the Brazilian market for animal feed additives.


New analysis from Frost & Sullivan, Brazilian Animal Feed Additives Market, reveals that the market earned revenues of $277.8 million in 2005, and estimates this to reach $383.1 million in 2012.

If you are interested in a virtual brochure, which provides manufacturers, end users and other industry participants with an overview of the latest analysis of Brazilian Animal Feed Additives Market, then send an e-mail to Jorgelina Pecina, Corporate Communications, at jorgelina.pecina@frost.com with your full name, company name, title, telephone number, fax number, e-mail address, city and country. Upon receipt of the above information, an overview will be sent to you by e-mail.

"As demand for feed additives is related to animal feed production, the steady demand for poultry and swine is expected to drive the growth of the animal feed industry and consequently, the additives market in Brazil from 2006 to 2012," remarks Frost & Sullivan Research Analyst Victoria Verdier. "The animal feed industry expects to increase its production to 61 million tons, which implies a growth of 30 percent in four years, while the per capita meat consumption is likely to reach around 37 kg over the next 20 years."

The rise in Brazil's meat consumption can be attributed to increasing demand from a growing population that has higher disposable incomes, with even the poorest sections of society able to purchase and consume poultry and cattle meat. The year 2005 represented one of the best years for the poultry industry, both for exports and internal demand. Revenues from the export of chicken meat to 142 countries touched $3.5 billion, up 35 percent from the previous year. Internal consumption also increased by 4.69 percent reaching 35.4 kg per person.

Among the various segments of the feed additives market, amino acids are the largest in terms of both volume and revenues, but the spotlight is increasingly shifting to enzymes. Enzymes offer an excellent alternative to antibiotics, particularly in light of the strict regulations introduced by the European Union (EU), one of the Brazilian meat industry's biggest customers, which ban the use of antibiotics as growth promoters.

"Enzymes help to reduce the cost of feed and aid in the digestibility of feed, especially those with high fiber content, thus increasing the output of energy per metric ton of feed," says Verdier. "This reduces the feed conversion rate into meat and increased feed efficiency, allowing an animal to grow to full efficiency with less feed."

However, the threat of diseases such as avian flu and foot-and-mouth disease is a constant source of concern due to their potentially harmful effects on the livestock industry. Even though these diseases have not actually struck Brazil, the constant possibility that they might poses a major challenge. In Malaysia, for example, there was a 30 percent drop in the sales of poultry meat following the outbreak of bird flu in the country.

"The challenge for market participants, therefore, is to find ways to sustain the use of feed additives amid the threat of these diseases, because they create significant fluctuations in meat product sales volume and consequently, impact livestock numbers, feed volume and eventually feed additive volume," says Verdier. "Sustenance of disease-free status calls for the continuation of existing precautionary measures and the implementation of new systems, if required."

Brazilian Animal Feed Additives Market, part of the Food and Beverage Ingredients subscription, is an in-depth study of this market, offering revenue and volume forecasts as well as an analysis of the major drivers, restraints and trends governing the market. It also provides an overview of the competitive landscape in the region. Interviews with the press are available.

Frost & Sullivan, a global growth consulting company, has been partnering with clients to support the development of innovative strategies for more than 40 years. The company's industry expertise integrates growth consulting, growth partnership services, and corporate management training to identify and develop opportunities for your business. Frost & Sullivan serves an extensive clientele that includes Global 1000 companies, emerging companies, and the investment community by providing comprehensive industry coverage that reflects a unique global perspective, and combines ongoing analysis of markets, technologies, econometrics, and demographics.

Monday, April 21, 2008Print This Page
Cash Boost for Argentine Animal Health and Food Safety
ARGENTINA - The Argentine food safety authority, Senasa, is to receive US$300 million from the government and Inter-American Development Bank to strengthen its quality control processes.


 
Argentine President Cristina Fernandez

The money will be used to boost the country's Programme of Provincial Farming Services, Prosap.

The grant was announced by the Argentine president Cristina Fernandez in a speech in the White Room at the Argentine parliament .

She said that Senasa is an integral part of the quality control of Argentine animal and vegetable production and that the organisation's certificate of quality is essential for Argentine agricultural exports.

The initial payment form the IADB is the first part of a $1,030 million grant that will rise to $3,770 million in stages.

President Fernandez said it will enable producers to ensure the quality and add value to their products.

"Our cereals, instead of leaving Argentina without added value, can be fed to chickens, pigs and cattle in Argentina, which will add value to those animals," she said.

"We are adding work for the rest of the Argentineans, so that the Argentineans can also participate in the generation of that wealth."

The grants, which will be disbursed over 15 years, will help maintain national and international competitiveness, by helping to modernise the institutional management of Senasa, consolidate the animal health system, strengthen the phytosanitary system and integrate the structure of the regional and national food safety system.

Monday, April 21, 2008Print This Page
Chinese Pork Prices to Stay High
BEIJING - Chinese pork prices, which have helped drive inflation to 12-year peaks, are likely to stay high well into the summer, until farmers like Shao Zuohuan can bring new pigs to market, writes Langi Chiang.


In a report for Reuters, featured in the Guardian, Chiang comments that Chnese pig farmers have lost more than 4 million piglets - due to harsh weather conditions.

Beijing has offered subsidies since last summer to encourage farmers to raise pigs, after widespread disease coupled with poor profits the year before caused the pig population to drop by 10 percent and prices to shoot up. Experts had expected pig stocks to recover by the second quarter of 2008. But snow that blanketed southern China caused sties to cave in and blocked transport of feed, leaving piglets to freeze or starve and ensuring high prices would last longer than expected.

"The cold winter froze many piglets to death and distorted efforts to build up stocks," said Qi Jingmei, a senior economist at the State Information Centre, a top government think tank.

China's pig stocks rose 1.6 percent in the first three months of 2008 from a year earlier to 415.21 million head, the National Bureau of Statistics said last Wednesday.

China National Grain and Oils Information Centre, another state-backed think tank, estimates that pig stocks in the first quarter were up by 4.7 percent, adding in a weekly report that feed demand was likely to show signs of recovery soon. However, an official from the statistics bureau said it was hard to tell whether the stock of pigs would increase substantially by the second quarter because earlier forecasts had not reckoned with the winter storms.

For Shao, that's good news. He feels "very lucky" to have lost only three piglets and he has about 100 left with 12 sows, he said. He plans to breed and sell about 200 hogs this year, the same as in 2007.

"Pork prices are now very high, and market demand exceeds supply. We don't have to worry about selling them at all," the farmer said, with a big laugh.

He and his wife earned about 80,000 yuan ($11,440) last year, four times the income of relatives who migrated to cities to work. Almost all his neighbours are now raising pigs, and most of them plan to increase their stock. "With a dozen sows, couples don't have to leave the farm to find work," Shao said.

Tuesday, April 22, 2008Print This Page
Glycerin: A Different Kind of Feed
US - Crude glycerin, a byproduct of biodiesel production has recently been fed to poultry and pigs in a series of tests conducted by the Iowa State University. They say that the results indicate that as a feed, crude glycerin is viable and comparable to corn.



Brian Kerr, research leader in Ames, Iowa, who works for the USDA Agricultural Research Service, says that crude glycerin was fed to laying hens and swine while their metabolisms were analysed. “Our goal was to use glycerin as an energy source for swine and poultry,” he said, adding that “you’ve got to have energy for animals and chickens to grow, as well as amino acids and other items, and (glycerin is) used for growth and productive purposes.”

Pakistan's The News, reports that although crude glycerin was determined to be a viable energy-creating feed, Kerr said the ever-fluctuating markets ultimately determine its use. “Corn would be cheaper,” he said, referring to the present situation. “When we started testing, glycerin was three cents a pound. Corn at that time was may be 6 cents a pound.”

However, now glycerin is 20 cents per pound. “At 20 cents a pound, it’s too expensive as an energy source,” he said. The testing consisted of energy-balance experiments that determined the effect of carefully applied dietary treatments, which ultimately rendered a metabolized energy number.

“We feed them a known quantity of feed or test ingredient, and then determine how much energy they have consumed from that diet and how much energy has been excreted in the feces or urine to come up with a metabolized energy number,” Kerr explained.

Tuesday, April 22, 2008Print This Page
Pork Promoted to Prospective Cooks
SCOTLAND - Scotland’s chefs in the making could be great fans of Specially Selected Pork thanks to a new QMS educational resource.



Red meat promotion body Quality Meat Scotland has created a new poster for students called Food for thought: an appreciation for Specially Selected Pork, which gives them a complete overview of the pork carcase, as well as outlining the quality and welfare guarantees that come from sourcing pork bearing the Scottish industry’s brand.

Laurent Vernet, Head of Marketing for QMS said: "Working with the food service sector is another link in the chain of our efforts to help Scotland’s pig industry.

"The food service sector is a major consumer of pork, constituting about a third of all red meat used, and demonstrating the value and versatility of pork to these students right at the start of their careers, means they are aware of Specially Selected Pork and will know the many qualities that put it ahead of its rivals.

"Increasing public knowledge of Specially Selected Pork, working with retailers to encourage clear labelling and ensuring support in the food service sectors are all key to creating a sustainable market for Scotland’s pig producers."

Posters
Copies of the poster, which outline all the cuts of pork that are available from the pig carcase and what you can do with each of them, have been sent to all of Scotland's Catering Colleges for use by students. This has also been supported by recent workshops held in Inverness College and Glasgow Metropolitan College.

This project is part of QMS work on behalf of the Scottish pig sector. The organisation is also embarking on a £300,000 project to look at adding value to the fifth quarter, and has recently run a major consumer campaign, Get Some Specially Selected Pork on that Fork. This featured on the main metropolitan radio stations throughout Scotland, and was backed up by in-store events, a high profile taxi campaign in Edinburgh and marketing materials in selected independent butchers.
 

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Tuesday, April 22, 2008Print This Page
Lenoblast Opens New Pig Site
RUSSIA - The Pulkovsky agricultural complex will open a new pig farm this week in the Leningrad Oblast.



The unit will be the largest livestock-rearing complex in the Northwest region and is part of the state program for the development of agricultural industry.

The new farm, which is located in the village of Tarasovo in the Tosnensky district, has cost a total investment of around US$595.5 million. It will consist of a breeding and reproduction center, feeding and rearing systems, a feed production plant and an educational farm.

The first part of the complex will be opened on Thursday, but the entire project will not be completed until 2012.



View the St Petersburg Times

Tuesday, April 22, 2008Print This Page
EU Upholds Slovakia Pig Ban
EU - The European Commission has upheld an embargo on pigs and pig products from Slovakia after an outbreak of Swine Fever was confimred there last week.



The disease is highly contagiuos and the ban on the movement of pigs, pig semen, ova and embryos from Slovakia to other (EU) member states and third countries will be maintained, pending the completion of further epidemiological investigations.

The decision, taken after a meeting of EU veterinary experts, follows outbreaks at two commercial pig units in Slovakia. Both herd have been culled - a total of around 20,000 pigs.

The commission said the Slovak authorities had taken "very rigorous measures to control the disease," and has decided to allow pigs to "be moved from farm-to-farm and from farm-to-slaughter within Slovakia under certain conditions."

Tuesday, April 22, 2008Print This Page
£200,00 Available - For Ideas Quick Off the Mark
UK - Pig producers with a 'big idea' they'd like to put into practice shoudl talk to BPEX Ltd - and fast? Producers and processors have got until the end of April to submit ideas and qualify for the BPEX Innovation Fund.

 
A pot of £200,000 has been set aside to help producers and processors develop new ideas, which can be tested and developed. The idea is the whole industry would benefit from successful projects.

And it's easy, says BPEX  -  All you have to do is contact your regional Knowledge Transfer (KT) Manager about the idea and then send it in.

According to producer Steve Hart, who received one of the first round of grants, the whole process is very easy.

"I would recommend anybody who has a good idea but not enough money to develop it to get stuck in. The BPEX KT staff are very helpful and can guide you through the process."

Thursday, April 24, 2008Print This Page
Pfizer Acquires Animal Health Products
EU - Pfizer Animal Health today announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire multiple product franchises from Schering-Plough Corporation.

 

The agrement covers all major animal health species including cattle, swine, equine, and companion animal. Specifically, Pfizer Animal Health will acquire from Schering-Plough a number of animal health products for sale in the European Economic Area covering the following categories:

Swine E. coli Vaccines
Equine Influenza and Tetanus Vaccines
Ruminant Neonatal and Clostridia Vaccines
Rabies Vaccines
Companion Animal Veterinary Specialty Products
Parasiticides & Anti-inflammatories
The acquisition is subject to certain closing conditions, including antitrust approval. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

Pfizer Animal Health’s Europe President, Albert Bourla, said that the acquisition will enable Pfizer Animal Health Europe to build upon its comprehensive animal health solutions for veterinarians and their clients - farmers and pet owners - in Europe.

Bourla added, “We look forward to offering veterinarians additional preventative therapies and treatments along with our technical expertise and services to ensure that animals receive the best care possible.”

Thursday, April 24, 2008Print This Page
PRRS Vaccines Imported
VIET NAM - Vietnam has imported 100,000 doses of PRRS vaccine from China in a bid to try and combat the surging disease. 10 Vietnamese northern and central provinces.


Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS), also known as "blue ear" disease, is now raging on 10 provinces in the norther and central regions.

The vaccines are scheduled to be handed over to Vietnam on April 28, local newspaper Pioneer on Thursday quoted deputy director of the country's Central Veterinary Diagnosis Center To Long Thanh as saying.

The PRRS was first recognized in the United States in the mid-1980s and is now present in most pig producing countries. The symptoms include reproductive failure, pneumonia and increased susceptibility to secondary bacterial infection.

 

Friday, April 25, 2008Print This Page
Half National Herd Applies for PCV2 Vouchers
UK - Nearly half the English pig herd will soon be vaccinating against PCV2, which should create an increase in production of between a half and one pig per sow per year.

This would mean 180,000 to 360,000 more slaughter pigs a year, or about an extra two weeks' supply of fresh British pork.

So far there have been 274 applications for BPEX-subsidised PCV2 vouchers, representing 177,631 sows.

Friday, April 25, 2008Print This Page
Tuck-in with a chance to win a top notch boar!
UK - To prove that enhanced performance can go hand-in-hand with superior meat quality, pig breeding company ACMC Ltd is running a hog roast, with its own breed of pigs, on both days of the British Pig and Poultry Fair (Stoneleigh Park 13th and 14th May).

 

Producers visiting Stand 88 between 12.00 noon and 2.00 pm can tuck into a roll with a generous helping of mouth-wateringly delicious slow-roasted pork - complete with stuffing and crackling - on a first-come, first served, basis with the compliments of the company.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*
FREE DRAW
FOR A £1000
BOAR
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 

They will simply be asked to complete a ticket giving their email address and herd size. Having done this they will automatically be entered into a free draw with a chance to win a Vantage boar worth £1,000.

The 'hog' will be freshly roasted on the showground by Mike Evison, himself a pig farmer who runs a 250-sow herd at Fitling, near Hull, East Yorkshire as well as his 'Hot Trotters' hog-roasting business.

The 85 kg deadweight carcase will be the progeny from an ACMC AC1 female and a Vantage sireline boar. The aim is to demonstrate at first-hand that these particular genetics which combine prolificacy, fast growth and efficient feed conversion actually enhance meat quality.



ACMC Hot roasted hog will be available from ACMC's stand at the Pig Fair. Pig farmer Mike Evison (pictured) who runs his own hog-roasting business in Yorkshire, will be doing the honours

ACMC will be giving away a Vantage boar - similar to this, and worth £1,000 - in a free draw at the British Pig & Poultry Fair


Hand-out material showing the financial benefits on the farm - including how feed savings worth £6 per pig have been achieved over the past 10 years - will also be available.

"In these particularly difficult times we wanted to take a positive approach while offering something tasty to cheer producers up," commented James Hall, ACMC senior marketing manager. "The organisers of the Fair aim to forge links with the entire supply chain. ACMC believes it is entering into the spirit of this," he added.

Bacon butties, from locally-produced Yorkshire bacon, will also be available to those who miss the lunch-time hog roast!

Friday, April 25, 2008Print This Page
Half National Herd Applies for PCV2 Vouchers
UK - Nearly half the English pig herd will soon be vaccinating against PCV2, which should create an increase in production of between a half and one pig per sow per year.

This would mean 180,000 to 360,000 more slaughter pigs a year, or about an extra two weeks' supply of fresh British pork.

So far there have been 274 applications for BPEX-subsidised PCV2 vouchers, representing 177,631 sows.

Monday, April 28, 2008Print This Page
Turkey's Pork Butchers Disappearing
TURKEY - The role of Islam in Turkish society is a subject of continual debate. Secularists are protesting against what they see as the government's increasingly Islamic agenda, and as Sarah Rainsford found out, the latest battleground could be across the butcher's counter.


"We're going filming at a pork butcher's and a pig farm," I told my Turkish cameraman in a text message. Slightly anxious, I added: "Is that OK with you?"

A moment later a message from Gokhan flashed back.

"Yes," he wrote. "I like a good pork steak!"

He is not the only one.

Another Turkish friend told me that eating pork, which is forbidden by Islam, is increasingly popular in secular high society here.

She described this as an act of defiance by some Turks, who fear religious dictates have begun creeping into their lives since a government led by devout Muslims took power.

Monday, April 28, 2008Print This Page
NZ Industry Hammered by Price Slump and Rising Costs
NEW ZEALAND - Pork may be bucking the trend of rising food prices - but it's at a cost to farmers who are losing around $50 for every pig sold.



The Pork Industry Board estimates about one in 10 New Zealand producers are considering leaving the industry because of rising costs and stagnant prices, says Radio NewZealand News.

It says farmers are losing $50 for every pig sold, mainly due to higher grain prices caused by land being used for biofuel instead of crops.

The board's chairman, Canterbury pig farmer Chris Trengrove, says until supply and demand balance there will not be much respite for producers, although prices should rise in the coming months.

Monday, April 28, 2008Print This Page
Farmers Take Slaughter Option as Feed Cost Rises
UK - Britain's pig farmers are forecast to post losses of £200 million this year. An increasing number of them are sending more of their breeding animals to slaughter to avoid the soaring cost of feed.



According to the Times Online, the British breeding herd has halved over the past decade to 436,000 sows. Mick Sloyan, who runs the British Pig Executive (BPEX), an industry association, is predicting a decline of another 10 per cent this year.

Farmers are making a loss of £22 per animal, according to BPEX, because of the rising cost of wheat, corn and soya meal. Many are pulling out of pig-rearing altogether.

Mr Sloyan said: “It's a capital-intensive business. In order to stay in, you need to invest. In the first three months of the year, there has been a 35 per cent increase in the number of breeding sows sent to slaughter.”

Farmers are killing their breeding stock rather than face the cost of feeding sows and piglets. This reduces further a shrinking industry that supplies only half the pork and bacon consumed in Britain.

Monday, April 28, 2008Print This Page
Binders in Demand
WORLDWIDE - The rising cost of energy and raw materials is stimulating producers to consider different alternative ingredients for their animal feed formulations. The trend is also boosting interest in pellet binders, special bio-chemical ingredients that can enhance feed quality during processing.



In some situations, using alternative, less expensive raw materials can adversely affect pellet quality. This can reduce throughput at the feed mill press and add to production costs, says agricultural specialists Kiotechagil.

 
With rising energy costs feed manufacturers are seeking alternative metods of including alternative raw materials in animals feeds
"With electricity at 0.16 US$ per kilowatt-hour and rising, feed compounders are also paying increasing attention to energy usage. Double pelleting for example costs an extra 1.6US$ per tonne compared to single pelleting," explains Mark Meynell, Director of Lloyds Animal Feeds.

And its these two factors that are increasing the demand for low inclusion pellet binders, says Kiotechagil’s chief technical officer Murray Hyden.

“Part of the benefit comes through the chemical binding attributes which help lower the amount of energy consumed in pellet production. This is achieved by improved die lubrication and a reduction in fines losses,” he adds.

Feed producers are also recognising the advantages of binders like Mastercube, which improve pellet quality and allows greater inclusion of oils in high-energy diets.

"Farmers are looking to protect their investment in quality feeds by seeking out improved pellet durability and the more consistent pellet quality they achieve when using low inclusion pellet binders,” says Mr Hyden.

Monday, April 28, 2008Print This Page
The Whole Hog and a Chance to Win a Boar
UK - To prove that enhanced performance can go hand-in-hand with superior meat quality, pig breeding company ACMC Ltd will be hosting a hog roast, using its own breed of pigs, on both days of the British Pig and Poultry Fair (NAC, Stoneleigh 13th and 14th May).

 

And, on top of that producers visiting ACMC Stand 88 will also have the opportunity to win a Vantage Boar worth £1000.

 
Hot roasted hog from their own pigs will be available on ACMC's stand at the Pig Fair. Pig farmer Mike Evison (pictured) will be cooking and carving.
Visitors to the stand will be asked to complete a ticket giving email address and herd size details. The ticket will be entered into a free draw with a chance to win the terminal sire.

The hog roast will run between 12.00 noon and 2.00 pm, when visitors can tuck into a roll with a generous helping of mouth-wateringly delicious slow-roasted pork - complete with stuffing and crackling. The 'hog' will be freshly roasted at the event by Mike Evison, a pig farmer from Fitling, near Hull, East Yorkshire who also runs the 'Hot Trotters' hog-roasting business.

The 85kg carcase for roasting will be progeny from an ACMC AC1 female and a Vantage sireline boar. The aim is to demonstrate how these particular genetics can combine prolificacy, fast growth and efficient feed conversion to enhance meat quality.

"In these particularly difficult times we wanted to take a positive approach while offering something tasty to cheer producers up," said James Hall, ACMC senior marketing manager. "The organisers of the Fair aim to forge links with the entire supply chain. ACMC hopes it is also entering into the spirit of this."

Details of the financial performance of ACMC genotypes- including how feed savings worth £6 per pig have been achieved over the past 10 years - will be available throughout the event.

Monday, April 28, 2008Print This Page
Pig Farmer Fury at BRC
UK - British pig producers have reacted angrily to the British Retail Consortium's (BRC) dismissal of the severe economic problems facing their industry and claims that it is supermarkets who are absorbing costs to help beat food inflation.

 
BRC spokesperson Richard Dodd has been widely quoted in the media claiming: "Some prices are going up but it is important to remember that supermarkets are absorbing an awful lot of increases."

Meanwhile, writing on food inflation in The Grocer (18 April), Kevin Hawkins speaking on behalf of BRC said that farmers, except for a few exceptions, were doing quite nicely.

Yorkshire farmer Richard Longthorp said that the comments really are a slap in the face for pig farmers.

"BPEX figures show the price of pork in supermarkets has risen by an average of 57.89p/kg since last July. At farm level it rose by the princely sum of 7.49p/kg. At the same time production costs for farmers have risen by 35p/kg. So when it comes to pork and bacon it is the pig farmers who are absorbing costs and making a loss, not the supermarkets," he stated, vehemently.

Tuesday, April 29, 2008Print This Page
Low Pork Price Should Encourage Cash-Strapped Consumers
NEW ZEALAND - Pork is now the cheapest meat in New Zealand – and this is sure to please Kiwis hit with recent food price hikes.


In mid-April New Zealand Pork carried out a detailed survey of meat retail prices across 28 cuts of meat in 12 stores in the Auckland and the Waikato region including Woolworths (in-store and online), Foodtown, New World, The Mad Butcher, Countdown, Pak’n’Save, Warehouse Mega and Meat Cuisine online.

“We’ve achieved the unenviable position of being the cheapest meat in the cabinet,” says Sam McIvor, New Zealand Pork Chief Executive.

The survey compared everyday prices, across equivalent cuts, for the four main meats, Pork, Beef, Lamb, Chicken. The analysis shows that:

Trim PorkTM – Mince on average NZ$1/kg cheaper than the premium beef equivalent
Chops – pork were roughly NZ$3/kg cheaper than lamb
Roasts – generally sold on special and pork is about 70c/kg less than chicken and about NZ$2/kg less than lamb
Steaks – pork was on average NZ$2/kg less than boneless chicken breast and NZ$4/kg less than lamb and on par with beef
Stir Fry – pork about NZ$2/kg less than beef and NZ$3-4/kg less than chicken
Diced – pork tended to be cheaper than beef and lamb by roughly NZ$3/kg and about NZ$6/kg less than chicken
Retailers Agree
“We’ve discussed these results with other retailers around the country and they backed up our analysis. Pork is now the cheapest meat available, and a saviour for the currently stretched household food budget," added Mr McIvor.

And, that may change consumer choices. While pork is the world’s most consumed meat, for many New Zealanders, it will be a new meat on the weekly menu - something NZ Pork is keen to encourage and support.

“There’s plenty of help available and if people are unsure how to cook pork, help is just a text away as we supply retailers with '100 per cent New Zealand Pork’ on-pack labels with a text number for an instant recipe,” said Mr McIvor.

Tuesday, April 29, 2008Print This Page
Science Improves Quality Assesment for Iberian Meat
SPAIN - Swift identification of animal meat for human consumption a key element when guaranteeing the quality of products for consumers and producers. Now, scientists at the University of Granada's Pathological Anatomy and Chemical Engineering department have developed a new technique that can speed up the process and enhance results.


By combining technologies from different scientific and technical fields, which allow an immediate classification of Iberian pig meat, they can guarantee the quality of these products.

Iberian pig meat is a traditional Spanish product - seen as an exponent of good taste and maximum gastronomic quality. In recent years, a booming economic sector has developed and its popularity has grown outside Spain. The is an expanding market for Iberian ham, and dried meat, cold meats and quality cuts are exported all over the world.

Up to now, producers and processors have been using methods based on traditional processes like tasting and genetic assessment to determine the quality and purity of Iberian pig meat. However, after more than four years of research, by Fernando García del Moral Martín, under the la direction of Drs Francisco O’Valle Ravassa and Leopoldo Martínez Nieto, has produced a new computer application for the classification of Iberian pig meat. The system uses morphometry and spectral reflectance to assess meat quality. The application can automatically quantify the intramuscular connective tissue and the retraction of the muscular fibres from the images it takes.



Combined Techniques
The work has two essential areas.

"First, we have addressed the “histological quantification by artificial vision of six animal species: White pig of the Large White hybrid breed, Iberian pig, lamb, cow of the Galician Blonde breed, Kobe ox and pigeon," García del Moral said.


"Second, the study has developed non-invasive techniques with a high analysis potential, such as spectral reflectance in the visible range and close infrared of the spectrum. They have worked with 30 porcine animals, 15 of white breed and 15 more of pure Iberian breed. They have carried out, in all of them, the quantification of the spectral reflectance on the masseter muscle of the animal’s jawbone," he added.

The combination of spectral radiometry and artificial vision techniques conceived in this doctoral thesis, means that the scientists have been able to design computer samples of neuronal networks which correctly classify the meat samples, in all cases, with a success rate over 97 per cent.

Advancing
The research, both the thesis and the scientific papers, have been inserted in the project "Improvement of the Iberian pig meat’s gastronomic quality: a textural, physical-chemical, histological and culinary study".

The study is now at a more advanced stage which means the transference of research results to the productive sector. The current objective is to carry out a more advanced study with 66 Iberian pigs applying the above mentioned techniques in order to identify the genetic purity of the Iberian phenotype expressed in animals, as well as to improve the control, security and quality levels in the productive chain according to the 'from the farm to the table' philosophy.

The project has been possible thanks to the support of the Technological Corporation of Andalusia, the Stock Cooperative Society Valle de los Pedroches (COVAP) and Bodegas Campos.
The research has been backed by several articles published in the "Journal of Food Engineering" and a doctoral thesis.

 

Tuesday, April 29, 2008Print This Page
EU Pig Prices: Supplies Tighten
EU - The EU slaughter pig market is starting to tighten. Pigs are in shorter supply than previous weeks and prices are now reflecting this.


Spain and France were no been able to maintain last week’s achievements and the Danish quotation was observed to completely undo the previous week’s price decline, reports Schweine.net.

The most considerable price increase for slaughter progeny was reported from Germany, closely followed the Netherlands. The German quotation clearly outdistanced the French one and the price gap between Germany and Spain, as the leader, went gone down to a corrected six cents. The Austrians report sufficient supplies and exports toward Switzerland to be sustained - even increased.

Large quantities of meat are being put in storage in Switzerland in preparation for the UEFA 2008 European Football Championships, being held in June.

COPA (farmers’ union in the EU Commission) has requested that producer prices be increased for pork by EUR 0.50 at least. The situation proves to be disastrous for the pig keepers with dramatically increased feeding-stuff prices and energy costs in Denmark, which have already caused the Danish pig stock to go down by about 10 percent.

Trend: Most of the EU member countries will miss a day of slaughter due to the Labour Day public holiday this week. The Dutch even need to tackle two days. Nevertheless, the conditions are expected to remain steady at least as a result of supply going down.

Tuesday, April 29, 2008Print This Page
Pork Commentary: Koreans Clue Up
SOUTH KOREA - Last week, Jim Long visited South Korea. The trip included visits to Genesus customers and the honour of being guest speaker at the Annual Meeting of the Korea Animal Improvement Association.

 
Like the rest of the world, Korean producers are feeling the pressures of high feed costs and an unstable market.

Prices of Korean hogs have surged US$100 per head in the last several weeks as a consequence of an estimated 20 per cent of South Korean hog producers quitting the industry. Hogs prices are now US$1.50 lb US liveweight. Feed is US$490 US a ton. It takes approximately US$200 of feed to raise a hog. Cost of production is approximately US$250 to US$275 per head for 240 lb hog (approximately US$1.00 to US$1.10 US liveweight). Obviously, Korean producers have got it good right now, making US$75 to US$100 per head. Not very long ago they were losing US$50 to US$75 per head.

While we were in South Korea, there were large demonstrations against their government. Plans to allow US beef into South Korea for the first time since BSE struck the US was being opposed by farmers and opposition politicians. Beef in South Korea is maybe the most expensive in the world. Calves last week were selling for $3.50 US lb. Korea’s wholesale beef is currently US$5.50 per lb.

South Korea, for all intents and purposes produces no grain for livestock. It is all imported. Arable land is used for rice and vegetables. The average farm is half an acre. There are no lawns. In a country of 40 million people, 180 miles wide by 300 miles deep and 50% plus mountains, there is no land usage but farming and buildings. Intensive is this agriculture.

PRRS Problems
In such a climate of high costs, the need for productivity is becoming quite important. PRRS, circo-virus, etc. are hitting the Korean swine industry hard and 15 pigs per sow per year is probably the industry average. We spoke at the conference on the reality of 30 pigs per sow. The economic benefits of high productivity. The need for all of the world’s agriculture to maximize efficiencies of pork production. 7000 lbs plus of pork per sow per year and the necessity of whole herd feed conversions of under three to one. The technology is available. Inefficiencies are a waste of our world’s limited resources and poor results restrict profitability. We were pleased to meet Korean Genesus customers that are using our technology to break out of the norm. Pushing over 25 pigs and seeing adaptation to the environment that has dropped mortalities. In 2007, South Korean data indicates Genesus was the leading swine genetic supplier to the country. It is quite rewarding to see the hard work we that we do genetically being recognized in a country so far from home.

South Korean swine market’s primary cut of pork is the belly and it has the highest price. We had thick cut fresh belly on a barbecue more than once. If you have never tried it, you should. The market also gives a high premium for intramuscular fat. Lean is not king in this market. Flavour and colour is far more important.
Expect Surge
We have been of the opinion for months that the high grain prices were causing liquidation of the sow population globally. Case in point, South Korea. There, fewer sows have pushed prices to levels incomprehensible for us in North America. The benefit for our market is the recent price surge in market hogs and it’s because of real global pork demand. After all, we still have record seasonal hog marketings. Fortunately, US$1.50 per lb liveweight hogs in Korea are leading to more pork coming from North America. Expect our prices to continue to surge as global demand increases while our liquidation starts to cut our supply.
A Long-Lived and Long Man of Values
While in South Korea, I learned that my Grandfather Long had passed away - he was almost 102.
He has been a major influence on my life. Like many farm families, my parents had a home beside my Grandparents’ house on our 10 acre farm. We had mink, egg chickens, apple trees and small fruit stand. Our two houses were like one. My grandparents and parents had one car that we shared until I was twelve. Everybody worked before and after school. On weekends, we got to work all day. If there is a protestant work ethic, we lived it. You worked to live and lived to work. Didn’t know any different.

My grandfather was a person of honour and ethic. He was married to my grandmother for 71 years when she passed away at 96. They had been apart five days in their entire marriage. He never drank alcohol or smoked, but never judged anybody who did. He was civic-minded, a school board chairman and church leader, and as a businessman, the company he founded with his family reached US$50 million in sales.

Elmer Long was my Grandfather; at 102 he lived long past his contemporaries and that made him sad. Many times he said that everyone he knew were dead. It is my honour that he was my Grandfather. I only hope that the values he lived of honour, ethics, trust and perseverance are inheritable. They are values that I hold in his memory.

Author: Jim Long, President & CEO, Genesus Genetics 

Tuesday, April 29, 2008Print This Page
Policy Makers Learn About Pigs
UK - Representatives from Environment Agency, Defra, Health and Safety Executive, Lantra and the RSPCA, along with a number of individuals who work in the industry were invited to an 'Introduction to the Pig Industry' day at Writtle College recently.

 

The event proved invaluable in bringing together those working at grass roots level and those involved in all aspects of policy making.

It also revealed an acute lack of understanding about the real state of the pig industry by some parties and highlighted the impact of different policies on production and how, in extreme circumstances, they can contradict each other.

 
BPEX hosted an information day for people working in environment, safety, welfare and training sector. It provided some experience of the challenges faced by the UK industry. 
The day started with an overview of industry terms and how production works, followed by a presentation on the financial aspects of pig production including costs, returns, risks and their management.

This was followed by an outline on legislative issues affecting the industry such as environment, health and welfare, employment, health and safety and biosecurity.

The afternoon gave everyone the chance to tour the college pig unit and see the practical side of pig production.

Proactive Developments
The day was rounded off with a look at the proactive approach the industry was taking to help itself in terms of environmental strategies, staff development and knowledge transfer.

Defra Cost Sharing Policy Advisor Stephen Plant said: "It's easy for policy makers to sit in their ivory towers in London. The day gave a real hands-on experience and a better understanding of the totality of the industry. It also highlighted the benefits of partnership working. These kind of events are invaluable."

Environment Agency Technical Advisor Alison Frogley commented:
"The day gave a real feel for the industry and how it works. We have about 200 staff nationally going out on farm with a core team of 25 where we target our training. I would recommend they attend meetings like this as it gives a good insight into how the industry works and raises awareness of the current difficulties facing producers. Agencies must be prepared to take these on board when talking to farmers."

Lantra Project Manager Nanette Lane added: "I found the Continuous Professional Development area of the day really useful on how standards and qualifications are changing within the industry and how it affects our programme of activities. The whole day gave a useful insight into the industry and some hands-on experience."
Further events like this one will be taking place across the country.

Wednesday, April 30, 2008Print This Page
Sow Housing Scheme Closed
IRELAND - The Irish Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Mary Coughlan has closed the 2007 Sow Housing (Animal Welfare) Scheme for new applications.



A total of €6 million had been allocated to the Scheme by the 2007-2013 Rural Development Programme and now applications have reached the funding level.

The Minister stated that she closed the Scheme for new applications this week.

All applications received before the closing date of 25 April will be processed in the usual manner and approval to proceed with the investment works concerned will be issued to all eligible applicants who had submitted applications under the Scheme.

However, the closure of the scheme has come under fire from Irish pig farmers.

Irish Farmers' Association Pigs Committee Chairman Michael Maguire, said it was a further blow to the pig industry.

"This scheme has been closed early with the department stating that the monetary allocation has been fully subscribed, however some farmers through no fault of their own have been unable to apply for this grant aid," he said

"This grant which was for the conversion of breeding sow accommodation was introduced to assist pig producers to meet increased welfare standards laid down by the EU Commission."

Mr. Maguire added: "Minister Coughlan is fully aware of the plight that pig farmers find themselves in with the massive increases in feed prices. IFA have informed the Department of Agriculture on several occasions that pig farmers were finding it difficult to draw down capital investment loans to make necessary legislative improvements to their units for both the Nitrates Directive and the welfare legislation.

"I had expected maximum flexibility from the Department of Agriculture regarding applications for this scheme considering the current crisis in the industry. There was an initial two-year delay introducing the scheme by the DAFF. This delayed the conversion process to welfare housing when pig farmers were in a profit-making situation.

"The Department of Agriculture should have recognized that with pig farmers losing up to €25/pig it was of paramount importance that this scheme would be extended. However it is clear that due to negative returns from pigs, farmers will be forced to exit the industry rather than carry out these costly conversions," concluded Mr. Maguire.

Wednesday, April 30, 2008Print This Page
Russian Export Ban for Tyson and Smithfield
RUSSIA - Russia, the fifth-largest buyer of US pork, has banned imports of the meat from certain plants run by Tyson Foods and Smithfield Foods.



The ban affects pork from Tyson plants in Logansport, Indiana, and Storm Lake, Iowa, and Smithfield's Farmland plants in Crete, Nebraska, and Monmouth, Illinois, said the US Department of Agriculture. It is believed that concerns over antibiotic residues have prompted the Russian restrictions.



Sent Down
News that Russia banned pork from two Tyson Foods Inc. plants and two Farmland Foods plants, a division of Smithfield, sent US hog prices sharply lower at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, says Reuters.

Russia has claimed the antibiotic tetracycline was found in some of the pork, said USDA said. The US Meat Export Federation, and both meat companies involved are currently investigating Russia's action.

"We're still trying to learn more about the reason for the suspension," said Tyson spokes man Gary Mickelson, from the Springdale HQ in Arkansas. The company still has four plants exporting meat to Russia.

USDA seems not to be overly concerned. Spokesman Keith Williams said that these matters come up occasionally and are usually resolved quickly, "in a couple of weeks."

Wednesday, April 30, 2008Print This Page
Full Spectrum Conference for VIV Europe
RUSSIAN FEDERATION - The first Special Edition of VIV Europe takes place in Moscow from 27-29 May.



The exhibition organised by VNU Exhibitions in the Netherlands and Asti Group, are welcoming an exhibitor field of 300 international, regional and local companies from 32 countries.

Alongside the pig and poultry industry trade fair, the organisers are also presenting a three day seminar covering topics including economics and policy subjects, animal farm equipment, feed processing, feed ingredients, animal health and breeding, slaughtering egg and meat processing meat and dairy products and the entire meat supply chain.

At the official Opening Conference on 27 May, Nan-Dirk Mulder, an industry analyst at Rabobank's Food & Agribusiness Research and Advisory will give a presentation of the study of the rise of the Russian and Ukrainian animal protein industry in a global context.

The CIS animal protein industries, particularly in Russia and Ukraine, belong to the fastest growing industries in the world.

Many new greenfield projects are currently implemented in the poultry and pig industries offering huge opportunities for domestic and international investors and suppliers.

The Rabobank presentation will focus on the position of the CIS meat industries in the international animal protein market, the changing profile of the internal markets and industry structures and the opportunities and threats for investors and suppliers in these attractive markets.

"This presentation is a true added value for our visitors and exhibitors," said project manager Ruwan Berculo.

"There is a direct link to the exhibition, because the field of exhibitors also shows a strong combination of domestic and international suppliers."

Russian Animal Husbandry
The first day will also see speeches from representatives of the federal and regional legislative and executive authorities in Russia including the Ministry of Agriculture, Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Supervision, Federal Agency for Technical Regulation and Metrology, Meat Union, Rosptitsesoyuz (Russian Poultry Union) and Rossvinprom (Russian Swine Industry).

They will cover Russian animal husbandry in new conditions - the politics, economics and market situation.

Topics for discussion will be:

Cattle-breeding as the priority branch in the agriculture: state support and state policy in five year future
Influence of international tendencies on the animal husbandry: dairy, meat and poultry market
Dairy and meat production in conditions of new market price economy (raw materials, provision, technical resources including energetic and construction materials)
Problems that prevent development of the market (not enough agriculture specialists, undeveloped infrastructure, etc.)
Prospects of animal husbandry market: deficit of raw material or crisis of overproduction? + influence of import.
Tackling Disease Problems
Animal health products manufacturer Merial will be delivering two presentations on the first day of the conference.

Dr Stéphane Imbert will discuss a product range for swine at the forefront of infectious disease control and Dr Bruno Cluzel and Dr Andreas Hermann will look at control of Marek's disease and IBD infection and the safe and efficient control of Newcastle disease.

Dr Alex Eggen from Schering-Plough/Intervet Animal Health in The Netherlands will give a presentation on "What are now the best options for preventing respiratory diseases in swine?" and Dr Marc Martens, also from Schering-Plough/Intervet Animal Health will discuss "Enteric diseases in young piglets: differential diagnosis and prevention"

Other presentations on the first day will include:

Successful Turkey production by Mr. R.A. Hutchinson / Mr. M. Swalander from British United Turkeys.
The use of natural titrated plant extracts to manage gut flora balance in feed programmes by Dr. François Recoquilla from Phytosynthèse, France.
Animal biosecurity disinfect to protect by Phil Keene from Dow Biocides, USA
First Financial Seminar
Coface and VNU Exhibitions will present the first Financial Seminar for the Meat and Meat Processing industry on the second day of the seminars at VIV Europe 2008/Moscow Edition.

Coface is one of the world's leading providers of credit management services. This part of the seminar on 28 May will present credit management solutions and attendees will have the opportunity to receive answers to their questions for their specific company situations.

Coface offers four business lines in Russia, facilitating the trade in the meat, agro and food sector: information and ratings about companies, trade protection through credit insurance, trade finance through factoring and better receivables management with debt collection. With information about more than 57 million companies worldwide Coface has one of the strongest databases for the assessment of credibility and opinion on credit insurance limits for trade purposes.

The second day agenda for the seminars will see Vladimir Getman from Nedap Agri in the Netherlands give a presentation on "More Profit through innovative farm equipment".

Dr. Luciano Gobbi from Schering-Plough/Intervet Animal Health will talk on "Coccidiosis control: a sanitary approach or a management approach?" and Dr Pieter Kühne also from Schering-Plough/Intervet Animal Health will discuss "Prevention against the Respiratory Complex in poultry production is not so complex."

Other presentations on day two will include:

Control of salmonella in feed by Dr Don Wilson Global Technical Director for Anitox.
Phyzyme XP: a new generation phytase with higher bioefficacy by Sandor Zsarnoczay, Technical Manager with Danisco Animal Nutrition.
Consumer perception on Egg Quality in Russia by DVM Mustafa Ünal from DSM Nutritional Products.
"Understanding Infections' Dynamics to control PDC problematic farms by Dr. David Llopart from HIPRA, Spain.
Improved performance through innovative animal nutrition; increasing feed costs - what to do? and risk management in mycotoxins by biotransformation, binding and prevention by Ms. Maryte Narmontiene and DI Ursula Hofstetter from Biomin GmbH.
Eubiotics - Modern approaches in improving piglets gut health by Dr. Matthias Wiemann from DSM Nutritional Products, Switzerland.
Practical experiences feeding poultry with HyD: a question of quality by Dr. Maria F. Soto-Salanova from DSM Nutrional Products, Spain.
Mycotoxins, how to manage a serious matter of concern in food safety by Dr. Olga Averkieva from Kemin Europa NV, Belgium.
Joint Seminar on PCVD
The final day of the conference will see a joint seminar organised by Merial, France and the EU Framework 6 Specific Support Action (SSA) on PCVD. The speakers, Dr Gordon Allan, Dr Steve Krakowka and Dr John Ellis will look at "Porcine circovirus disease: Pathogenesis, diagnostic and control.

Martijn Gruyters from Cobb Europe will give a presentation on Managing the Progeny in Young Breeder Flocks and Santiago Gomez from Diamond Systems USA will look at egg products processing technology.

Sandor Zsarnoczay from Danisco Animal Nutrition in Finland will close the conference with a presentation entitled "Feed Costs to High? Learn more about how we can help to reduce your swine feed costs".

Thursday, May 01, 2008Print This Page
Cholera Adds to PRRS Woes
VIET NAM - Animals at the porcine research center attached to the National Institute of Animal Husbandry in Hanoi have been infected by the hog cholera virus, an official said Tuesday.


Hog cholera virus has hit the Thuy Phuong Pig Research Center Animals at the research center attached to the National Institute of Animal Husbandry in Hanoi.

The herd has already culled around 200 animals and tests on 52 samples of the culled pigs have confirmed positive pathology for hog cholera. Three others tested positive for Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS) virus, which is currently ravaging through Viet Nam's pig populations in central and northern provinces.

Deputy head of the Animal Health Department, Hoang Van Nam, said the three pigs with PRRS had not developed symptoms.

The Animal Health Department released statistics this week that showed more than 21,800 pigs were detected with the PRRS virus in 10 provinces from April 21 to 28.

The department had previously reported that more than 222,000 pigs in these provinces had been infected since March.

Thursday, May 01, 2008Print This Page
Burke’s Silence Will Kill off Pig Industry
AUSTRALIA - Opposition agricultural spokesman Nigel Scullion says that productivity commission's report on the inquiry into safeguards into the import of pig meat has left Australian pork producers in a precarious position.


The report, released on 4 April, has been sitting on Minister Burke's desk for a month while the industry is in danger of "collapsing", says Mr Scullion in a report for Farmonline's Stock & Land.

"Australian pork producers are a resilient lot but they need urgent help," he added.

"The Productivity Commission found that it was higher feed and industry input costs and not cheap imports that were threatening the industry and accordingly recommended against safeguard action.

Scullion says that this ignores the fact that it is the price of imports that sets the price of pork products in the supermarket.

Thursday, May 01, 2008Print This Page
Scottish Assurance: a Shining Example
UK - A new report has specifically picked out Scotland's Quality Assurance scheme as a prime example of good animal welfare methods and traceability throughout the world.



Recently published by the Food Standards Agency, the Review of uptake of FSA Food Assurance Scheme Guidance by UK Scheme Operators is an overview of development of the UK’s various assurance schemes since the previous review in 2002.

The report notes that the red meat assurance scheme in Scotland, managed by industry body Quality Meat Scotland, has developed significantly since 2002. One major area where the scheme is leading the way is in animal welfare.


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"QMS may well be the first scheme to apply this output related work." 
Extraxt from a review of uptake of FSA Food Assurance Scheme Guidance by UK Scheme Operators
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The Scottish SPCA, which operates its livestock animal welfare policy mainly through the assurance scheme, contributed to the report and believes the hands on approach by QMS “has done more for animal welfare in Scotland than any other organisation.”

This is borne out by Scottish SPCA figures, which show that while animal welfare prosecutions have gone up, the on-farm prosecutions have dropped from 33.9% in 2002 to 8.5% in 2006.

Unique Methods
It also highlighted work between QMS, Scottish Agricultural College and Scottish SPCA in developing a pilot welfare outcomes scheme, which uses a unique method of measuring welfare through animal behaviour, condition and signs of pain, injury or disease.

The report reads: “QMS may well be the first scheme to apply this output related work. This is an important welfare development and once it is fully worked out, Red Tractor Livestock schemes and the Lion Egg scheme should consider whether this pilot scheme approach might be applied to them.”

Achieving assurance from birth was another area identified where Scotland is leading the way, and the report recommends that retailers should ‘Increase the pressure to have whole life assurance across the remaining livestock schemes’.

QMS Chairman, Donald Biggar, said: “This report underlines the continuing work of Scottish farmers to ensure that beef, lamb and pork produced here have the guarantee of the highest welfare and traceability standards.

“Our high assurance standards are a reflection of everyday modern livestock farming in Scotland, and emphasises the commitment to quality stockmanship that is at the heart of our industry.

“It’s testament to the work of the Scottish industry that while many assurance schemes have been launched, the Scottish scheme is still a world leader and is now backed by our Protected Geographical Indication status within the European Union.

“Work such as the pilot welfare outcomes scheme show that instead of resting on our laurels when it comes to animal welfare we are constantly looking at innovative ways at ensuring contented animals and a great product for those that choose Scotch.”
 

Thursday, May 01, 2008Print This Page
More Profit Through Innovative Farm Equipment
MOSCOW - In the pig breeding industry profitability gain is only possible provided productivity increases. Along with other critical indices are the following: fertility and sows insemination efficiency, neonatal and natal piglet mortality.



More profit, through innovative farm equipment will be the basis of a presentation by Vladimir Getman from Nedap Agri in The Netherlands at this year's VIV Europe trade fair in Moscow on 28 May.

Based on calculations made for two identical pig complexes (for example, both have 1000 sows) the influence of above indexes on farm profit is following: difference in conception rate 0.65 and 0.87 results in $81,000 extra profit per year, average fertility 10 and 12 piglets gives extra $212,000, losses of piglets within first 2 months 22 per cent and 15 per cent give additional $123,000.

Thus, a total difference makes more than $400,000 per year. All these figures first of all depend on housing technology and proper feeding of sows.

Traditional housing technologies do not provide individual approach to every animal.

Group and small group housing has some disadvantages, like aggression among sows, poor control of consumed feed quantity, personnel mistakes, while traumas of iliac and inguinal area made by extremities of nearby sows, physical inactivity of animal with leg problems, personnel mistakes in determining correct feed portions, frequent overcooling because of East Europe climate, high cost of equipment are typical features of housing sows in individual crates.

Successful Installation in Ukraine
Since 2001 Nedap technology of group housing and individual feeding of gestating sows has being successfully implemented in Ukraine.

Every sow has its own ear tag identified by the reader that enables individual approach.

The feeding station provides every sow with optimum amount of feed, the separation unit carefully separates those sows in need of vaccination, pregnancy check, extra insemination etc, the heat detector automatically determines empty sows.

All above equipment, Nedap Agri says, is combined in one system operated by the software with user friendly interface. Thereby modern technologies ensure efficient housing of gestating sows 24 hours a day.

The awarding ceremony on the most efficient and profitable business project was held by Privatbank in the national press-centre UNIAN (Kiev) on 4 October 2006. Nedap Agri's project of implementing NEDAP VELOS technology with 1 year pay-off period won first place among 350 loan projects granted during a year in different industries.

All new large pig complexes in Ukraine started its operation in 2007 use VELOS technology for housing gestating sows. Nedap Agri said that first results are impressive. For example, Agroindustrial company (Melitopol', Zaporozhskaya region) has about 7000 sows in 12 sections. Average feed consumption is 3.5-3.7 kg per sow per day. About 1000 sows are housed due to VELOS technology with average feed consumption 2.7-2.8 kg per sow per day. If 1 kg of feed costs $0.3, non-productive feed expenses in those sections without VELOS technology make: 0.9kg x $0.3 x 6000sows x 365days= $591,300 per year.

VELOS technology is consistent with internet-technologies and allows the authorized user to get current information on farm at any time from every spot on the globe. Service and start-up technical support can be carried out on-line as well that gives Nedap specialists in the Netherlands or dealer's specialists in Russia or Ukraine the opportunity to fix technical issues immediately.

Friday, May 02, 2008Print This Page
Ozzie Opinions Urged on Transport Welfare
AUSTRALIA - The Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries (DPI&F) is urging North Queenslanders to have their say on proposed Australian Standards and Guidelines for the Welfare of Animals for the Land Transport of Livestock.



Local transport operators, livestock industry organisations, veterinarians, animal welfare organisations, saleyard agents, stock managers, railway officials and members of the public are encouraged to have their say on the new standards, which are undergoing consultation until Tuesday, May 27, 2008.


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"The standards and guidelines will cover the transport of cattle, sheep, horses, goats, deer, alpacas, pigs, camels, buffalo, poultry and ratites" 
DPI&F regional project leader Ian Rodger
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DPI&F regional project leader Ian Rodger said the standards and guidelines will replace the multiple existing national model codes of practice for transport.

"The standards and guidelines will cover the transport of cattle, sheep, horses, goats, deer, alpacas, pigs, camels, buffalo, poultry and ratites (emus and ostriches)," Mr Rodger said.

"Animal Health Australia, the organisation conducting the consultation, is seeking comments on how well people believe the new standards provide the necessary specifications for the protection of livestock during land transport, and I encourage everyone in the north to have their say.

"They want to know if the associated regulatory impact statement demonstrates the need for the new standards and identifies the key costs and benefits to industry, government and the community.

"If you have questions, or want to discuss the new standards with a DPI&F animal welfare officer, I encourage you to please contact me, or your local officer by calling 13 25 23," he said.

Friday, May 02, 2008Print This Page
Testing System Builds-in Big Feed Savings
UK - With sustained high feed prices continuing to put producers under pressure, pig-breeding company ACMC will be demonstrating at the British Pig and Poultry Fair how the use of genetically-superior stock can reduce production costs.

 

The company claims to be unique in the way it tests its pigs, individually testing both sire and dam lines - rather than simply the male side - using the sophisticated FIRE (Feed Intake Recording Equipment) system.

"Although expensive, this system has a considerable impact on the speed of genetic improvement," commented Ed Sutcliffe, ACMC's technical director. "This selection method of incorporating feed recording can improve overall accuracy of selection by 10 per cent, but when you look at the response of individual traits, it can increase the rate of improvement of FCR by as much as 60 per cent."

Taking into account the improvement seen in both sire and dam lines, over 10 years this has led to a 0.293 improvement in feed conversion ratio resulting in the average slaughter pig consuming more than 25 kg less feed to 94 kg liveweight.

Using figures from the BPEX 2007 Yearbook and adding 50 per cent to the cost of feed to give a price of £197.33 per tonne, to reflect current levels, Mr Sutcliffe has calculated that the value of this improvement is £4.99 per pig.

Again using the BPEX Yearbook figures, for an average size sow herd of 437 selling 19.71 pigs annually, this adds up to a feed saving of no less that £42,955.51 - an average improvement of £4,295.55 per year over the 10-year period.

The savings in the individual lines are even greater, he points out. For instance, feed conversion of the Vantage boar, which accounts for 50 per cent of the genetic make-up of the slaughter pig - has improved by 50 per cent, or 0.393, equivalent to £6.72 per pig.

These figures take account of the reduced feed needed for maintenance, but not the simultaneous improvement in growth rate, which allows for increased piggery throughput, also cutting costs.

"The significance of genetic improvements is that they are 'locked in' to the breeding stock's make-up so producers can continue to benefit from them," said Mr Sutcliffe. "Recording feed on dam lines is as important as doing so on sire lines as they contribute just as much to the makeup of the slaughter pig. With high feed prices it is no longer sufficient for dam lines to simply rear high numbers, they must also be efficient pigs to finish," he added.

Friday, May 02, 2008Print This Page
Infectious Disease Control at VIV Europe
MOSCOW - A product range for swine at the forefront of infectious disease control will be the themes for a presentation by Dr Stéphane Imbert at this year's VIV Europe trade fair in Moscow.

 

Dr Imbert from the animal health group Merial will be discussing methods of battling Porcine Circovirus Associated Diseases and on-farm vaccination programmes.

 
Dr Stéphane Imbert
"Merial has always been at the forefront of the control and prevention of emerging and re-emerging swine infectious diseases," said Dr Imbert.

"Merial has a long tradition of innovation starting 30 years ago with research into swine parvovirosis and the development of the first-ever vaccine against swine parvovirus, to the recent launch of the first-ever vaccine against the devastating Porcine Circovirus - Associated Diseases.

"With Vacciplan, Merial offers an innovative range of vaccines and a complete vaccination program adapted to the different needs of swine farming."

Dr Imbert is a graduate of the Toulouse Vet School and also a graduate of Clinical Virology from the Pasteur Institute. He was a field practitioner for six years before joining the industry in 1992.

He has been with Merial for 16 years and heads up the swine and cattle activities for the company in Central and Eastern Europe.

Other presentations form speakers from Merial at the VIV Europe Exhibition will be from Dr. Bruno Cluzel and Dr Andreas Hermann on a new approach to the control of Marek's disease and IBD infection and the safe and efficient control of Newcastle disease and a joint seminar organised with the EU Framework 6 Specific Support Action (SSA) on PCVD. Dr. Gordon Allan, Dr. Steve Krakowka and Dr. John Ellis will discuss porcine circovirus disease: Pathogenesis, diagnostic and control.

VIV Europe takes place from 27-29 May.

 

Friday, May 02, 2008Print This Page
Grain Drain: A Chinese Affair with Meat
CHINA - A change in Chinese meat consumption habits since 1995 is diverting eight billion bushels of grain per year to livestock feed and could empty global grain stocks by September 2010, according to a new study from Biofuels Digest.



The study, "Meat vs Fuel: Grain use in the U.S. and China, 1995-2008," concluded that a complete shutdown of the U.S. ethanol industry would extend the deadline only until 2013.

"It's not food, it's not fuel, it's China," said Jim Lane, editor of Biofuels Digest and author of the report.

The study determined that China's meat consumption since 1995 has increased by 112 percent to 53 kilograms per person per year.


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"It's not food, it's not fuel, it's China" 
Jim Lane, editor of Biofuels Digest
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"If the Chinese people had consumed the same amount of meat, per person, in 2007 as in 1995, there would have been enough grain left over to support 927 million people with food for an entire year," said Lane.

The study found that the U.S. increased corn production by 157 million tonnes of corn since 1995. 31 million net tonnes of grain went to support U.S. ethanol production, and 27 million tonnes supported a 15 percent increase in U.S. population during the period. By contrast, the study projected that livestock grain demand to supply Chinese meat consumption increased by 199 million tonnes between 1995 and 2007.

"Given that the U.S. population grew 15 percent, the 82 percent increase in U.S. corn production left plenty for people, plenty for livestock, and plenty for ethanol," said Lane. "The bad news is that we have a global fuel and food crisis of the first magnitude. The only good news is that it's easier to find a steak in Beijing."

The study tracks the meteoric growth in Chinese meat consumption since 1983, a trend spotted early by commentator Lester Brown in his prescient article "Who Will Feed China?" In 1995, meat consumption was 25 kilograms per person, reaching 31 kilograms by 1999, 50 kilograms by 2000, and is 53 kilograms per person today.

"Chinese meat consumption is still 45 percent less than the average consumption in the U.S.," Lane warned. "An additional 277 million tonnes of grain would be needed to support China at parity with the U.S. That would take 68 million acres to grow. There isn't that kind of arable land available anywhere is the world, whether we use grains for renewable energy or not."

The study is available for free download at www.biofuelsdigest.com.

Biofuels Digest is the world's most widely read biofuels daily, providing a free daily summary of biofuels news via web, email and RSS to subscribers at more than 1500 organizations.

Friday, May 02, 2008Print This Page
Long-Term, Returns will Improve says NZ Pork Chief
NEW ZEALAND - Further to comments made earlier this week that low NZ pork prices would bolster consumption, Sam McIvor, chief executive of New Zealand Pork says that producers will have to bide their time until the benefits from cheap pork reach them.



Pork may be the cheapest meat in retail cabinets, but it will be consumers, not farmers, who capitalise, at least for the next six months, he said in a report for The Press.

A world glut of imported pork had helped to put pork in the unenviable position of being the cheapest meat in New Zealand and although this was a good deal for consumers at a time when people were watching their budgets, it's not so good for producers.

"New Zealand producers might be losing $30 to $50 a pig, but we are not unique and basically the world over is losing money as a result of the big liquidity of herds,"  said Mr McIvor.

He said cheaper prices would eventually drive greater demand to raise returns for producers.
A survey by the pork organisation last month found pork prices were, overall, cheaper than beef, lamb or chicken across 28 cuts of meat in 12 stores in the Auckland and the Waikato areas.

Friday, May 02, 2008Print This Page
Waikato Piggery Plans May go to Appeal
NEW ZEALAND - A Waikato pig farmer is considering an appeal against a decision to reject expansion plans that would take his business 1,100 to 22,000 pigs.



The proposed pig production site, at Kereone, near Morrinsville, would cover an area of 42,000 square metres. It also includes a 300 tonne per day organic waste digester to process the pig slurry and organic waste and produce biogas.

The owners, the McIntyre family, say the total development would have cost between $30 million and $60 million.

Owner Ken McIntyre says the biogas plant would also benefit the local community, because it would have given businesses a place to send their organic waste, as well as providing electricity that would have been fed back into the national grid.

Monday, May 05, 2008Print This Page
Chinese Pork Exports Halved in First Two Months
CHINA - China Customs figures show that pork exports have reduced by half in the first two months as compared to the same time last year.



China exported 12,000 tonnes of fresh and frozen pork in January and February, down 55.2 percent from the same period last year. Export value declined 16.8 percent to $37.62 million.

Pork export began to slow down in June last year and recovered in September, but it went down again from the beginning of this year, according to China Customs.

Pork price went up to $3,284 per tonne in February, a record since January 2007.

Analysts say narrowing gap between domestic and international prices made companies more reluctant to export. Robust domestic sales during the Spring Festival in February, when Chinese people buy more food to prepare feasts during the traditional holiday, also diverted part of the pork supply.

Severe winter weather in southern China this year had disrupted transportation and caused delivery delay of many overseas orders, analysts say, adding that the freezing havoc had also hurt pig husbandry and tightened supply.

Monday, May 05, 2008Print This Page
EU's Plan for Pig Remains Causes Rage
IRELAND - While the EU's plan to permit pig remains to be used as poultry feed could save farmers millions, animal rights activists and certain religious sects are enraged by this plan.



According to the Irish Examiner, seventy million chickens are produced in Ireland annually, but the price of cereal feed has soared.

The use of animal protein in animal feeds was banned in Europe after the BSE (mad cow disease) crisis more than a decade ago.

Suggestions from EU officials in Brussels of a return to the use of animal remains in farm feeds have angered animal rights campaigners and Muslim organisations.

Objectors claim the move would put families at risk, offend religious sensibilities and spark a consumer backlash. Muslims are among the fastest-growing ethnic groups in Ireland with a population of 32,539, according to the 2006 census.

An EU project looking at testing methods is due for completion in 2009.

At the height of the BSE crisis in 1994, the EU banned the use of animal remains for farm feed-stuffs, but, under technical recommendations published in 2005, outlined proposals that in future some bans might be relaxed.

Since then costs of cereals have risen dramatically and the EU proposal is linked to these price rises.

Only poultry feed would be exempt from the current ban on the use of animal remains. The practice of feeding the remains of ruminants, mostly cows and sheep, to other ruminants — a process linked to the spread of BSE — would still be outlawed.

Monday, May 05, 2008Print This Page
PRRS: Vietnam Sees Signs of Encouragement
VIET NAM - According to Thanhnien News, there have been no new sightings of blue ear disease in the last three days, which is a positive sign, particularly for Thanh Hoa, one of the more hard-hit areas in Viet Nam.


 
The spread of blue ear pig disease, which has ravaged herds in 10 provinces, has slowed but the risk of recurrence remains high, officials have said.

The report was made by Mai Van Ninh (Local People's Committee Chairman) on Sunday at a government meeting.

Ha Tinh, where the first recurrence of the disease was reported this year, recorded no new outbreaks in 46 out of 77 affected communes, provincial leader Tran Minh Ky said.

However, “the development of the disease is still very complicated,” Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Cao Duc Phat told the meeting, which was broadcast live on a state television channel.

“All localities must be extremely watchful to prevent the disease from spreading,” Phat said.

Blue ear disease, also known as Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS), is highly fatal in pigs and has killed or led to the culling of more than 254,000 pigs since the first outbreak of the year was reported in late March.

Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai promised the government would support pig farmers by extending current loan terms and providing more loans.

Hai asked administrations of provinces and cities nationwide to carry out necessary measures to contain and prevent the disease.

In the long term, he said, animal breeding should follow a concentrated “semi-industrial farming” model to ensure “sustainable development.”

Vietnam has battled blue ear pig disease on and off throughout the north, south and central regions over the past two years.

The agricultural ministry plans to conduct testing of imported PRRS vaccines in several provinces.

View the ThanhNien News

Monday, May 05, 2008Print This Page
Tesco Opts for Pork from Bowes of Norfolk
UK - Outdoor-reared Norfolk pork will be going into every Tesco store across East Anglia from today, writes Michael Pollitt (EDP Rural Affairs editor).



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"East Anglia has always been synonymous with pork and it is with great pride that we have introduced regional pork into stores for our customers." 
Sam Nundy, Tesco's regional buying manager
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According to him, Bowes of Norfolk, which breeds and rears outdoor pigs on 4,000 acres of Breckland, will be supplying “Finest Norfolk” pork to the country's biggest food retailer.

“We're delighted that Tesco has selected our pigs,” said Adrian Dowling, chief executive of the Watton-based company, which is the town's largest employer with about 700 staff.

“This is good news for local production because it will reduce food miles and has animal welfare benefits because our pigs are traditionally-reared outdoors,” he added.

He said the Finest Norfolk Pork range would also be sold in stores in other counties.

“We have, of course, been the sole supplier of the Finest fresh pork to Tesco for some time now. This is an extension of our activity and the initiative is to launch Norfolk in the first instance into the region. We will be closely moitoring the performance of this.”

Richard Meeds, business development manager of Bowes, said: “Finest is the UK's leading premium brand and we are pleased to have a wide choice of pork products available within the range.”

Bowes also breeds its own pigs, which are allowed to run freely across the fields. The pigs are reared according to the RSPCA's Freedom Food standards.

Bowes, which won the enterprise category of the EDP Business Awards last year, also announced plans last month to put the whole processing operation on one site at Brandon Road.

Monday, May 05, 2008Print This Page
French Abatoirs Deemed Scandalous
FRANCE - It has been reported that almost half of the slaughterhouses in France fail to conform to European standards of hygiene, as per a memorandum from the Directorate General of Food (DGAL).



According to the document French magazine Le Point was able to access, almost half of the slaughterhouses for poultry and rabbits and 42 per cent for pig, cattle and calves are outlawed due to their unhygienic ways.

The magazine goes on to say: "The situation in the slaughterhouses can sometimes be called apocalyptic."

DGAL, however, denies these claims, saying that they are untrue and that out of the 333 abattoirs, only 19 (responsible for processing 1 per cent of the total meat) are of inferior quality due to hygiene issues. "The veterinary services only research the animals upon arrival in the slaughterhouses and check the carcasses' veterinary quality upon departure," vice-director Monique Eloit said.

However, DGAL stressed on the fact that 59 French abattoirs have been closed down within the last half decade for economic and hygienic reasons. This is due to the checks made by the regional directors. The European Union demands a certain level of hygiene and these slaughterhouses have failed thus.

The European agency for animal health is seeing to it that the situation in France is remedied.

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.

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

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.

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."

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.

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.

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.

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.

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."

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."

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.

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.

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.”

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."

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.

Thursday, May 15, 2008Print This Page
Funding Initiatives for Eco Friendly Meat
UK - On the back of a government initiative to reduce greenhouse gases by a massive 80%, all agricultural sectors have come under scrutiny. Now, the a Scottish Rural Development Plan, are encouraging livestock and processing companies to apply for funding which will make their businesses more environmentally friendly.



Quality Meat Scotland, the red meat industry body, believes the SRDP can help the sector in Scotland respond to growing expectations for a significant cut in emissions.


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"Rather than wait to be told what to do producers may prefer to consider what changes would suit their individual business" 
QMS Senior Business Analyst Stuart Ashworth
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Speaking at the Beef and Lamb Forum in Perth today (Tuesday 13th May) QMS Senior Business Analyst Stuart Ashworth said: “Although we have made significant progress since 1990 in reducing greenhouse gases from ruminant livestock and fertilisers, we have to be realistic and accept that demands for our industry to become more eco friendly are not going to go away.

“Scientists around the globe are identifying new ways of helping agriculture do its bit to minimise climate change and close inspection of the SRDP suggests that there are real opportunities to secure financial support to make changes at farm and processor level.

“Rather than wait to be told what to do producers may prefer to consider what changes would suit their individual business, from tree planting to utilising the latest developments in grassland science, and look to secure money in the SRDP to help fund them.”

The Scotland Rural Development Programme is a £1.6 billion programme of economic, environmental and social measures designed to develop rural Scotland over the next seven years. Aplications can be made online now through the Scottish Government website at www.ruralgateway.org.uk

QMS is already involved in a number of small-scale research projects into helping the industry identify ways of reducing its greenhouse gas emissions.

Friday, May 16, 2008Print This Page
Retailers' Failure Causes Heavy Losses
UK - Many pig farmers are suffering heavy losses and are, as a result, leaving the industry due to retailers' failure to pass on recent price rises on pork and pork products to producers.



The message came from BPEX chief executive Mick Sloyan at the British Pig and Poultry Fair this week, as he called on retailers to pass on price increases to the producer, reports Farmers Guardian.

He said that while retail prices of pork and pork products were up £1/kg, producers had seen only a 10p rise in the price they receive.

“Consumers will not need to pay much more, retailers will continue to make a profit.”

Friday, May 16, 2008Print This Page
Decline in Pork Output Expected
BEIJING - China's pork production is expected to decline due to Monday's earthquake which hit Sichuan, the country's largest lean-hog producing area. As a result of the catastrophe, pork and pork product prices may also rise.



According to Businessday, the earthquake hit Sichuan, the province that accounts for about a 10th of China’s total pork production, Hanver Li, MD of Shanghai JC Intelligence, an advisory company on grain markets, said in Shanghai yesterday.

“We expect pork production to fall by around 10%-15% in the region before they can sort out all the transport, water, electricity and other logistics by August or September,” Li said.

Sichuan produces 65-million lean hogs every year, Li said. Chinese shipments of commodities in the province were disrupted after the earthquake killed 20000 people, closed the main railways and blocked roads. Less pork on the market could cause a rebound in prices, which have eased after almost doubling in the past year.

Friday, May 16, 2008Print This Page
Pig Industry Gets Royal Backing
UK - The British pig industry has been given royal backing, calling for support for pig farmers.


 
HRH Prince Charles

The Prince of Wales has sent the industry a letter of support, urging consumers to support the sector.

The statement was read out at the Pig and Poultry Fair in the UK this week.

The statement said: "I could not be more please to have this opportunity of sending my warmest good wishes to all the exhibitors at this year's Pig and Poultry event at the National Agricultural Centre.

"I particularly want to take this opportunity to express my deep concern for the pig sector which, I know, is going through an immensely difficult time.

"My heart goes out to all those farmers who are facing such desperate problems as a result of the huge rise in feed costs.

"Thanks to the enormous efforts of BPEX and the National Pig Association, there is a growing awareness of the problem and those retailers who are raising their prices as a result should be congratulated.

"However, little, if any, of the increase is being passed down the chain to the farmer and, unless urgent action is taken, this country's pig sector, which has never received subsidies, could be decimated.

"This would be a tragedy for this country, which produces some of the finest quality pigs and which operates according to the highest standards of husbandry and animal welfare - for instance, 40 per cent of British pigs are reared outdoors, something unique in Europe.

"I can only urge consumers to do everything they can to support British pig farmers by buying pork, bacon, ham and sausages, which bear the Quality Standard Mark, or which are clearly organic or free-range pigs raised by British breeders.

"I can only pray that in due course the fortunes of our pig farmers will be transformed and that next year's Pig and Poultry Fair will be a cause for celebrating a revitalised pig sector."

 
BPEX CEO Mick Sloyan
At the fair, the CEO of BPEX Mick Sloyan said that the whole market had been dominated by feed costs in recent times.

He said it was not just the price of corn that had hit the producers, but also soya which had doubled in price and he said that the effects of feed costs were not restricted to the UK but was a problem around the world.

Mr Sloyan added that the market in the UK for imports and exports has also been severely affected by the change in the rate of sterling against the Euro.

He said that part of the effect of feed price rises and exchange rate changes was the reduction in the European pig herd.

"We are going to see considerable signs of a reduction in the European breeding herd," he said.

"It is going to be a considerably tighter market, but feed is really a global issue."

He said that in North America Canada is cutting its herd and the US is reducing output.

"There is going to be a tightening of the market and at the same time a growth in consumption.

"I think we are going to see a strong market going into 2008 -2009."

Across Europe, Germany has seen a two per cent increase in sow slaughterings and in Hungary sow numbers have fallen by 10 per cent and in Poland by 11 per cent.

In the UK the industry has been receiving a positive response to its promotional campaigns and analysts TNS have shown a six per cent rise in pork sales.

He said the industry is running an integrated campaign to support producers, principally advising how to use expensive feed more efficiently. He said the PCV2 research project that will be running to the end of the year was proving a success and the mass vaccination trial was running across most if not all of the country.

He said there had been applications for vaccination for 206,000 sows - 55 per cent of the herd and he was hoping this would be raised to 75 per cent of the breeding herd.

"Producers are staring to see an impact," he said.

Tuesday, May 20, 2008Print This Page
DuPont Opens Facility in Asia for Animal Health Solutions
CHINA - DuPont has expanded its biosecurity offering in Asia with a new DuPont Animal Health Solutions facility in Shenzhen, China. The plant produces Virkon® S, the leading virucidal disinfectant. DuPont plans to manufacture other animal health product offerings at the site in the future.

 

DuPont Animal Health Solutions products are widely used in the livestock industry for customized biosecurity programs that help prevent pathogens from establishing themselves and also help prevent the spread of infection on the farm. Sales of DuPont Animal Health Solutions are growing at more than 50 percent annually in China alone.

 
Virkon® S is regarded as the most effective virucidal disinfectant agent available worldwide.
"This investment is part of our commitment to drive innovation and growth for DuPont's biosecurity offerings, improve food safety in China, and stay close to customers in Guangdong Province, which is a core market for animal health in China," said Gary Spitzer, vice president and general manager -- DuPont Chemical Solutions Enterprise. "Coupled with the startup of our facility in India last year, we believe the animal health industry in the Asia Pacific region is one of the fastest growing markets in the world. With local facilities in place, DuPont can respond more quickly and effectively to local customer needs, providing faster service to effectively combat regional disease outbreaks."

The state-of-the-art facility at Shenzhen offers powder and liquid product lines, as well as flexible packaging solutions, including a broad spectrum of product packaging for smaller farmers in China. The local facility also will result in a shorter lead time for local and regional customers, providing better emergency disease control in the region. DuPont plans to expand other clean and disinfect product lines that will promote the use of formulated cleaners such as DuPont Biosolve® Plus to offer better surface cleaning. The plant in China will produce additional powder and liquid disinfect product lines based on market requirements and local regulatory approvals.

Tuesday, May 20, 2008Print This Page
Cherkizovo Pig Sector Plumping Up
RUSSIA - Cherkizovo, one of Russia's leading integrated and diversified meat producers, today announced that volumes in the company's pork segment more than doubled (2.45 times) in the first quarter of 2008.



Pork Division
As the increased capacity from the first two modules at the Lipetsk pig breeding and raising facility came on stream, pork volumes rose to to approximately 10,000 tonnes, from approximately 4,000 tonnes in the equivalent period in 2007.

Throughout the first quarter of 2008 pork prices in Russia followed the global positive pricing trend and increased by 11% to $2.33 per kg of live weight (excluding VAT) in the first quarter of 2008 compared to $2.11 per kg (excluding VAT) in the first quarter of 2007. In rubles, prices increased by 2% to 56.60 rubles per kg of live weight (excluding VAT) compared to 55.4 rubles per kg (excluding VAT) in the first quarter of 2007.

Meat processing Division
In its meat-processing segment, the Company continued to increase the share in its product mix of premium and higher margin value-added products, such as semi-smoked, cooked smoked sausages, deli and meat retail format, and decrease volumes of lower-priced, lower margin products. Sales volumes in the first quarter of 2008 within the meat-processing segment increased by 4% to approximately 34,000 tonnes as compared to approximately 32,800 tonnes in the first quarter of 2007.

As a result of the continuing shift towards higher margin products average prices within the meat-processing segment increased by 19% in the first quarter of 2008 to $3.81 per kg (excluding VAT) as compared to $3.20 per kg (excluding VAT) in the first quarter of 2007. In rubles the prices increased by 10% to 92.54 rubles per kg (excluding VAT) as compared to 84.18 rubles per kg (excluding VAT) in 2007.

Tuesday, May 20, 2008Print This Page
Facing Up to the Challenge
UK - The British Pig Executive (BPEX) technical group has set itself four main targets in the face of serious challenges to the pig industry.

 

The main aims are to see significant advances in meat eating quality, production efficiency, health and welfare and reduced carbon and nitrogen footprint.

To show the progress made, the BPEX Annual Technical Report gives an in-depth look at what the group has been working on.

BPEX Director of Pig Industry Development Mark Wilson said: "During the year foot and mouth disease, high feed prices and increases to environmental legislation all challenged the industry's resolve to continue investing in the future.

"Despite the effects of things largely outside producer control, the technical performance of the national herd is showing valuable improvements and this trend needs to continue and accelerate.

"Further increases to environmental legislation required significant additional inputs addressing consultations on, for example; nitrate vulnerable zones, the water framework directive and IPPC.

"The results of many projects to improve meat eating quality through BPEX activity with the processors are now beginning to come through.

"Improvements in herd health and production efficiencies are within the producer's control and it is extremely encouraging to see a great deal of work being undertaken here. Despite the challenges of rocketing feed costs, producers have still been looking at improving their competitive position, through attending workshops and exchanging ideas.

"There's no doubt the current problems are serious but by applying new ideas that are already available, solutions are being found. I believe there are ideas in the report, which will get businesses thinking along with new projects that will make a real difference. Hopefully the next year will bring some much-needed stability."

Tuesday, May 20, 2008Print This Page
Farmers Fined for Feeding Swill
AUSTRALIA - Three Forbes district farmers have been fined a total of A$32,980 in Forbes Local Court for swill feeding 620 pigs at three separate properties in the Central West, the New South Wales Department of Primary Industries.



"This is one of the largest swill feeding busts seen in NSW," Minister for Primary Industries, Ian Macdonald, said.

NSW DPI manager of agricultural compliance, Andrew Sanger, said the pigs were being allowed to feed on sheep carcases as well as other dead animal carcasses including pigs and poultry from the Forbes properties.

"The three men involved in the swill feeding racket are brothers Stephen Mark McConnell, Grahame Mark McConnell and William Arthur McConnell," he said.

"They were charged with 14 offences related to feeding prohibited substances to stock and failing to prevent stock from having access to prohibited substances (carcasses)."

The NSW DPI and the local Rural Lands Protection Board investigated the case and brought it before the court as a breach of the Stock Diseases Act.

Dr Sanger said the seriousness of the offences can not be overstated.

"Swill feeding is illegal. Activities like this increase risk of spreading a number of endemic diseases like Anthrax, and have the potential to cause exotic disease outbreaks such as foot and mouth disease," he said.

"Throughout the horse flu outbreak we saw first-hand the devastation exotic disease can cause.

"Diseases associated with swill feeding animals have the potential to cause massive disaster for our livestock industries through loss of export markets, lost production and large-scale animal health and welfare issues."

The men were fined A$19,000 and ordered to pay court costs of A$13,980.

Thursday, May 22, 2008Print This Page
Majorcan Black Pig Selected Among the 15 Most Interesting
SPAIN - The European project quality Pork Chains selected the Majorcan Black Pig, among 15 production models, to be studied from the sustainability point of view, as well as from that of the genetic particularity of this animal, catalogued in Spain's list of breeds as an endangered autochthonous pig breed and in FAO's as a 100% purebred.



This selection is an acknowledgement to the work done, along the years, by the Conselleria d'Agricultura i Pesca (Ministry of Agriculture and Fishing) of the Balearic Government, through IBABSA (Balearic Institute for Animal Biology) and IRTA (Institute for Food and Agricultural Research and Technology).

The studies carried out on the Majorcan Black Pig focused on the meat and fat quality of this pig, as well as on the extensive production model of this animal in Mallorca.

Being selected in the Quality Pork Chains will allow the introduction of the production system characteristics of the Majorcan black pig and the quality of its products to the European Union. This choice has been highly appraised by the implied institutions, as it will allow the enlargement of studies, which will have a direct repercussion in the benefit of the Majorcan breed and of the final consumer.

The fact that the Majorcan black pig is bred in extensive conditions, in which these free-range animals are obviously free to graze at will, thus making good use of Mallorca's ecosystem resources in this production system, has been considered in the selection of this breed among the 15 most interesting ones. In addition, the unique genetic characteristics of this animal, a purebred, which has never been crossed, give its meat and fat characteristics not present in any other breed of pigs. This selection will also contribute to preserve the Majorcan black pig.

Starting this month, April, IBABSA and IRTA's technicians, together with the Majorcan Black Pig Stockbreeders Association, are developing a working plan to establish a joint strategy for the dissemination of this breed's characteristics. Considering the interesting results obtained in the studies already carried out, these two institutions and the Escola d'Hostaleria de Balears (Balear's School of Hostelry and Catering) have organized a scientific symposium about the Majorcan Black Pig, which will be held on May 8.

Wednesday, May 21, 2008Print This Page
Quake has Minor Impact on Pig Meat Company
CHINA - A leading vertically-integrated meat-processing and meat product supplier in China, China Yurun Food Group Limited, has reported that it only had minor interruption to production at its three hog slaughtering factories in Sichuan as a result of the recent earthquake in southwest China.



Some cracks were found in the Group's production plant in Dujiangyan and the Company has taken immediate action to repair the relevant facilities and equipment.

The Group aim to put its operation there back to normal once the electricity and water supply at Dujiangyan is reconnected.

With an annual slaughtering volume of only 59,000 head last year and the current daily slaughtering volume at 160 head, the company said its total contribution to the Group's slaughtering volume is insignificant.

The production plant and equipment at the Neijiang and Guangyuan factories were not damaged by the earthquake and the operations continue as usual.

However, it is estimated that the earthquake will tighten the hog supply and may temporarily affect the operation of these factories.

"We are extremely saddened by the enormous loss experienced in southwest China as a result of the earthquake while we are grateful that the damage to our factories in the area was limited and should not result in a significant impact on our total operations for the meanwhile", said Mr. Zhu Yicai, Chairman of Yurun Food.

Thursday, May 22, 2008Print This Page
Retail Pork Prices Rise Due to New High
TAIPEI - Hogs Taiwan were sold for NT$7,419 per 100 kilogram yesterday -- a new nine-year high -- due to a supply shortage, reports The China Post.



Council of Agriculture (COA) data suggest the average price of hogs was NT$6,500 at the end of last year. It went up to NT$6,491 in April, before surging to NT$7,000 in the beginning of May.

Over the weekend, price went up to NT$7,383 per 100 kilograms, and it soard to NT$7,419 yesterday.

The price hike has resulted in an increase of the retail price of pork, scaring off consumers looking for the meat in traditional markets island-wide. At the same time, some lunch box operators have raised the prices of pork chop meals to reflect an increase in cost.

Normally, Taiwan has a daily demand of 23,000 hogs," said COA. "Yet last week only 20,000 to 21,000 were supplied. Yesterday only 18,984 were supplied."

Hog farmers, meanwhile, said a price increase will only continue, now that the Dragon Boat Festival is around the corner. "Most hog farmers are betting on a continued price increase and have held off the slaughtering before their animals get bigger," one farmer was cited as saying. "A price decline is not foreseeable in the short-term."

Friday, May 23, 2008Print This Page
Environmental Impact Can be Lessened in Pig Production
DENMARK - A more efficient use of nitrogen on pig farms and pig feed with digestion-promoting qualities can help reduce the effect on the environment when farmers produce pigs, according to a PhD thesis from the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences.



Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a tool used to evaluate environmental effects.

In a PhD thesis from the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Aarhus, this tool is used to show that pig farms are the link in the pork production chain with the greatest environmental impact with regard to global warming, eutrophication (nutrient pollution) and acidification.

The thesis also proves that the production of fertilizer and feed contributes significantly to global warming, whereas the slaughterhouse and meat transport by ship do not affect the environment very much.

Laughing Gas the Villain
The largest contribution to global warming comes from laughing gas, which is primarily emitted from manure and denitrification of nitrate. The largest contribution to eutrophication and acidification comes from nitrate and ammonia, respectively.

"All these compounds contain nitrogen. An obvious way to improve pork’s environmental profile would therefore be to improve efficiency of nitrogen use on the pig farms and in the production of pig feed," says Randi Lundshøj Dalgaard, who is the author of the thesis.

Global Warming Can be Mitigated
She points out that it is possible to reduce potential global warming per kg pork by approximately five per cent.

This can be done by adding the digestive enzyme xylanase to the pig feed.

However, the enzyme has only a limited effect on the eutrophication potential.

The reduction of greenhouse gas emissions is primarily due to reduced feed uptake because with the addition of xylanase to the feed the pigs can digest their feed better and thus eat less at a given growth rate.

Biogas Reduces Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Separation of pig slurry into a liquid fraction and a fibre fraction or degassing slurry in a biogas plant after which the biogas is used for the production of heat and electricity was also studied in order to see if these processes reduced environmental impact.

"Even though slurry separation resulted in less slurry transport and less use of phosphorus fertilizer on the farm on the receiving end, the reduction in greenhouse gas emission was very limited compared to the amount of greenhouse gasses emitted from the other links in the pork production chain," Randi Lundshøj Dalgaard explains.

Producing biogas from slurry and using the energy to produce electricity and heat can, however, reduce greenhouse gas emission per kg pig significantly.

"On the other hand, production of biogas does not have the same potential for reducing the amount of phosphorus ending up in the fields on the pig farm as slurry separation has," she says.

Randi Lundshøj Dalgaard points out that there is a need for further development of methods to quantify emission of laughing gas and phosphorus as well as CO2 emission caused by changed land use in order to improve the quality of future life cycle assessments of agricultural products.

Friday, May 23, 2008Print This Page
Don't ZAP Salmonella Control
UK - With changes to the ZAP salmonella scheme having been recently instigated, there is now a requirement for all finishing pig farms to have a Salmonella Control Plan. This has to be drawn up in conjunction with the unit's vet and audited as part of the Farm Assurance scheme.

 

While it may no longer appear as urgent for producers to reduce their salmonella scores, they should remember that the principles of salmonella control apply not only to salmonella but also to all other infectious diseases, says Paul Thompson, veterinary consultant to pig-breeding company ACMC.

Salmonella score can still be a useful indicator as to the efficiency of cleaning on the farm, since the hygiene measures which help to reduce the salmonella ZAP score also lessen the impact of other economically-important diseases.

Monday, May 26, 2008Print This Page
Tiwi Land Council Passes New Laws
AUSTRALIA - Due to health problems that dogs and pigs are causing, the Tiwi Land Council is bringing in tough new by laws to deal with the growing number of dogs and pigs in the Nguiu Community on Bathurst Island, off Darwin's north coast.



Barry Purantatameri says elders met last week to discuss the health problems that dogs and pigs were causing in the community, writes ABC.

He says a pig cull will start today and continue throughout the week.

"The reason behind it is kids are getting scabies and they been suffering from too many dogs and pigs.

The council says there is also a rising number of dog attacks in the community, and say pigs are stomping through homes, knocking over rubbish bins and digging up water mains.

The plan has been applauded by Deputy Chief Minister Marion Scrymgourm who says more Indigenous communities should bring in similar controls.

Monday, May 26, 2008Print This Page
Azerbaijan Ministries Pay for Quarantine Swine Slaughter
AZERBAIJAN - The State Veterinary Service (Ministry of Agriculture of Azerbaijan) and the Finance Ministry have compensated the damage of AZN 1.265 million caused to 378 residents of the Nij village of Gabala region because of slaughtering of swines, reports ABC.az.



The latter were revealed the nidus of African plague infection.

SVS press secretary Yolcu Khanveli said that the Ministry and the Service started giving compensations earlier this May.

“The process of compensation payment for the villagers finished around a week ago,” Khanveli said.

The compensation was established in accordance with market prices. Totally it was slaughtered 4,683 swine heads (506 tons of pork).

Monday, May 26, 2008Print This Page
Pig Farming Training: May 27 - 28
INDIA - The Veterinary University Training and Research Centre at Kalapatti Pirivu, Saravanampatty, will conduct a free campus-training programme on pig farming, according to The Hindu.



The training, to be held on May 27th and 28th, will include lectures on selection of breeding stock, housing, breeding, feeding and disease management. An interaction session between the participants and entrepreneurs involved in processing and marketing pork will also be part of the programme.

Monday, May 26, 2008Print This Page
Pig Farming Training: May 27 - 28
INDIA - The Veterinary University Training and Research Centre at Kalapatti Pirivu, Saravanampatty, will conduct a free campus-training programme on pig farming, according to The Hindu.



The training, to be held on May 27th and 28th, will include lectures on selection of breeding stock, housing, breeding, feeding and disease management. An interaction session between the participants and entrepreneurs involved in processing and marketing pork will also be part of the programme.

Tuesday, May 27, 2008Print This Page
Earthquake's Impact on China's Swine Production
CHINA - This is a GAIN report on the 8.0 earthquake impacting China's swine production, prepared by the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS).

 

Report Highlights
On May 12, 2008, a magnitude 8.0 earthquake shook China’s Sichuan Province. Although the center of the earthquake is not a main swine and pork production area, some major production areas have been impacted. China’s pork imports are expected to remain strong and prices high throughout 2008 due to this disaster, strong domestic consumer demand, short domestic supplies, and the desire to guarantee adequate strategic reserve levels. Pork production is expected to decline two to four percent in the region as a result of the earthquake, putting slight upward pressure on nationwide pork prices, but rebound in six to eight months. The earthquake will likely be a contributing factor to agricultural price increases of 10-20 percent over the summer.


Summary
On May 12, 2008, China’s Sichuan Province experienced a massive earthquake measuring 8.0 on the Richter scale. Although the epicenter of the earthquake is not a main swine and pork production area, some large production areas near the earthquake center were impacted. The immediate impact includes destruction of 12.5 million head of livestock, mostly poultry. Local industry reports that four to five million pigs were impacted, with most being killed by the earthquake, but some also are expected to starve or be slaughtered due to lack of feed supplies. The long-term impact is more difficult to assess and depends on the speed of restoration of water, energy, and transportation services. Post estimates that pork production will decline two to four percent in the region as a result of the earthquake, but is expected to rebound in six to eight months. Initially, local pork prices may decline slightly as swine are liquidated because of the lack feed or water, but prices will rebound and put a slight upward pressure on pork prices nationwide. Post forecasts the earthquake will be a contributing factor to agricultural price increases of 10-20 percent over the summer, but that pork price increases will be limited by government price controls. China’s pork imports are expected to remain strong throughout 2008, especially from the United States, the largest supplier of pork to China.


Strong Earthquake in China
 
The May 12 earthquake’s epicenter was in Wenchuan County, Sichuan Province. China’s Seismological Bureau has upgraded the earthquake from 7.8 to 8.0 magnitude. The U.S. Geological Survey reports the epicenter was located at 31.0 degrees north latitude and 103.4 degrees east longitude. As of May 21, the official death toll is 40,075, with as many as 247,645 people injured, and 32,361 missing, according to Xinhua News. On May 17, the central government said the death toll could reach over 50,000. The earthquake is being called China’s worst disaster since a 1976 earthquake killed more than 250,000 people in Tangshan City, Hebei Province.


Sichuan: China’s Largest Pork Producer
Sichuan is China’s largest swine and pork producing province, and accounts for 12 percent of China’s total swine inventory, 11 percent of slaughter, and 10 percent of total pork production. Sichuan Provincial Agriculture and Forestry Department data shows that Sichuan slaughtered 71.1 million head of swine in 2005 and 74.7 million head in 2006. Pork production in Sichuan was 5.1 MMT in 2005 and 5.4 MMT in both 2006 and 2007, respectively. GDP in the disaster area is reported to account for two percent of China’s total GDP and the damage from the earthquake is expected to slow China’s total GDP growth slightly in 2008.


Earthquake’s Impact on Swine and Pork Production in China
Like the death toll, the immediate impact of the earthquake rises with each reassessment. On May 19, Vice-Minister of Agriculture Wei Chao’an said the impact on agriculture includes the destruction of 12.5 million head of livestock, mostly poultry. According to China’s swine industry, the earthquake has impacted four to five million pigs in the disaster area, with most being killed by the earthquake, but some also expected to starve or be slaughtered due to lack of feed supplies.

Post estimates that pork production will decline two to four percent in the region as a result of the earthquake as the overall earthquake recovery draws resources away from agriculture, but production is expected to rebound in six to eight months. Most of Sichuan’s industrial swine cultivation facilities are located in the southern part of the province. The eight main swine and pork production areas (Chengdu, Mianyang, Nanchong, Ziyang, Dazhou, Yibin, Liangshan, and Luzhou) account for 51 percent of the total swine and pork production in the province.

Local industry reports that swine and pork production in Chengdu and Mianyang have been impacted significantly. Feed and food processing plants in these and other affected areas have halted production due to the disruption of water and electricity supplies. Chengdu and Mianyang are both in the immediate earthquake zone. Mianyang is a swine production base, while Chengdu is important for both swine and feed production. Disruption in the transportation infrastructure has resulted in shortages of feed and other inputs. As transportation facilities, airport, trucks, trains, and warehouses are dedicated to the relief effort, the immediate impact of the earthquake may lead to more protracted problems.

China’s pork production in 2007 is estimated to have decreased nine percent from 2006. Production has suffered from high prices, inflation, natural disasters, and animal diseases. Inflation has pushed grain, labor, and energy costs to new highs, making it more expensive to produce pork. Insufficient disease control in the aftermath of blue ear disease (porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome - PRRS), foot and mouth disease (FMD), and swine fever in the last few years, combined with severe winter snow storms in early 2008, have all negatively impacted China’s swine and pork production. As large numbers of backyard or small-sized operations withdraw from production and commercial sized operations struggle to fill the supply gap, China’s 2008 pork supply is expected to remain very tight as production recovers slowly. Currently, 50 percent of swine are raised in backyard or small-sized farms versus over 70 percent in 2005.

The long-term impact is more difficult to assess in part because it depends on the recovery of key components of the agricultural production infrastructure which is too early to assess. Critical long-term infrastructure needs, include transportation, water, power, irrigation, fuel, disease control, and cold storage. ATO/Chengdu current assessment is that the transportation infrastructure is damaged but intact. Significant transportation resources, including trucks, trains, planes, and warehouses, are being dedicated to the relief and recovery effort. Water resources remain generally available but there are conflicting reports of damage to dams in the affected region that protect against flooding and provide irrigation and hydroelectric power. Electrical power in Sichuan is mostly provided through hydroelectric stations, but the region is also a net coal exporter. Mining coal in the effected region has been suspended. Initial reports are that destruction of industrial facilities threaten to contaminate water supplies with chemical pollutants.


Price Increases and the Earthquake
Initially, local pork prices are expected to decline slightly as swine are liquidated because of lack feed or water. During the relief period, the government is expected to cap pork prices. After the initial earthquake recovery through June, local prices are expected to rebound and put slight upward pressure on pork prices nationwide. While not the dominant factor, the earthquake is expected to be a contributing factor to price increases of 10-20 percent over the summer. ATO/Chengdu currently does not forecast long-term water, electrical, or other transportation or input problems.

China’s consumer price index (CPI) increased by eight percent in the first quarter in 2008. Wholesale prices for staple goods prior to the earthquake were up 32-68 percent over January 2008, and pork prices in April 2008 increased by 68 percent compared with the previous year. Representing nearly 65 percent of per capita meat consumption, the daily increases in pork prices have pressed China’s poor and middle-class families, who spend a larger portion of their income on food.


Impact on Pork Trade
Imports
China’s pork imports in 2008 exploded as a result of strong demand, increased public stock holding, and short domestic supplies. Imports of pork from January to March 2008 increased to U.S. $121.6 million, up from $7.5 million in 2007, while imports of variety pork meat have increased to U.S. $142.6 million, up from $74.2 million during the same period in 2007. U.S. exports to China account for 68 and 24 percent of China’s total pork and variety meat imports, respectively. This does not even include U.S. exports to Hong Kong re-exported to China. Post forecasts the United States will remain the largest supplier to China for the remainder of 2008.
Source: China Statistics





Exports
According to the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ), Sichuan exported a total of 8,200 MT of pork from January to April 2008, mostly to Hong Kong. Local trade sources confirm that some processing plants in Sichuan have halted exports to Hong Kong as a result the earthquake.

On May 14, AQSIQ coordinated with Hebei, Guangdong, Hunan, Henan, and Shandong provinces to supplement export supplies to Hong Kong by an additional 400-500 metric tons per month, to make up for lost exports from Sichuan. This will insure supplies are tight throughout China, putting upward pressure on pork prices nationwide. As a result, sustained levels of imports in 2008 are expected, especially from the United States, the largest supplier of pork to China. The United States is also the largest supplier of pork to China’s national strategic reserves.

, May 27, 2008Print This Page
APL Urges Consumers to Purchase Aussie Pork
AUSTRALIA - APL (Australian Pork Limited) recently issued a brochure to aid consumers in comprehending product labelling and purchasing Australian pork.



The brochure titled “A guide to purchasing Australian pork products: Know the talk and make sure it is Aussie pork” has been distributed to a wide variety of pig industry representatives as well as butchers across Australia – to assist in spreading the word, reports Farmonline.

APL chief executive officer, Andrew Spencer, says this is just one of a number of initiatives APL is planning to educate consumers about how inadequate labelling laws are affecting Australian pork and its producers.

“Imports of pork continue to enter Australia at an enormous rate," he says.

"Many consumers don’t know that 70pc of the ham and bacon they buy has come from the other side of the world.

“This is a way we can counteract the stress which is being placed on our Australian pork producers, by giving shoppers real choice if they wish to buy Australian.

Tuesday, May 27, 2008Print This Page
Vietnam Pigs Affected by PRRS
VIETNAM - Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS), known as "blue ear" disease, has hit 270,000 pigs in Vietnam, or one percent of the country's pig population, since late March, local newspaper Vietnam Economic Times reported Tuesday.



Northern Thanh Hoa province has suffered the biggest loss with nearly 200,000 affected pigs, accounting for nearly 15 percent of the province's pig population, the paper quoted Nguyen Thanh Son, vice director of the country's Department of Animal Health, as saying.

Now, PRRS is hitting 10 Vietnamese provinces, including Thanh Hoa, Thai Binh, Thai Nguyen, Nam Dinh and Ninh Binh in the northern region, and Ha Tinh, Nghe An, Lam Dong and Thua Thien Huein the central region, and Vinh Long in the southern one, according to the department.

PRRS was first recognized in the United States in the mid-1980sand is now present in most pig producing countries. The symptoms include reproductive failure, pneumonia and increased susceptibility to secondary bacterial infection.

Tuesday, May 27, 2008Print This Page
EU Pig Prices: Prices Continue to Surge
EU - The EU slaughter market this week has been affected in a positive way, what with the overall odds appearing to be favorable.



At present, seeing as to how Spain and France have raised their price quotations by 4 cents, the two countries are at the top of the market. While prices in the rest of Europe are constant, Austria, Sweden, Great Britain, Germany and the Netherlands have upped their prices at temperate levels, reports Schweine.net.

Due to this, the Spanish succeeded in closing in on the German price, thus paying the highest prices for pigs at present. Live-pigs sales are reported to be somewhat active throughout Europe and exports towards Eastern Europe are very vivid.

Reports reveal that Belgium slaughter pig sales are going down. Slaughter companies in Eastern Europe have decided on purchasing live pigs from Germany and the Netherlands, in consequence of the last weeks’ boost.

Trend: The current European market has been set by the rising prices, particularly that of Germany. Prices are expected to rise furthermore thanks to the combination of fine weather and less pigs on supply.

Tuesday, May 27, 2008Print This Page
Government to Consult Local Livestock Group Leaders
SEOUL - The government plans to meet local livestock group leaders to come up with a way to improve the the competitiveness of cattle and hog growers as the country moves to fully open its market to U.S. beef.



According to Yonhap News, the Ministry for Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries said talks are planned for Wednesday and Thursday with representatives from the Hanwoo Association, the Korea Dairy and Beef Farmers Association and the Korea Swine Association.

It said Vice Minister Jeong Hak-soo will hold talks directly with representatives and touch on various support measures.

Important issues that are to be discussed include modernizing the country's feed and livestock control system, improving the meat quality of domestically raised animals to better compete with cheaper imports, and clamping down on illegal country-of-origin mislabeling of meat by butcher shops, restaurants and catering services.

Because locally raised meat products are more expensive and preferred by consumers, mislabeling foreign imports as local beef and pork has become a common practice among many eateries and small-time butcher shops.

Livestock groups have generally been opposed to opening the market to U.S. beef, and said that they are skeptical about the government's ability to put support measures into practice.

"Livestock growers plan to demand that the government ensures minimum prices for calves and all types of meat cows, as well pay full compensation for animals that have to be culled in case of a brucella outbreak," said Nam Ho-kyung, chairman of the Hanwoo Association.

Under standing rules, once the agriculture minister posts the SPS on the gazette, it will replace the existing pact reached in January 2006.

The old deal only permits boneless beef from animals under 30 months old, while the new pact effectively allows most cuts to be imported without any age limit. Only specified risk materials (SRMs) like brains, tongue, vertebrae marrow, tonsils and part of the intestine are to be banned since they pose the greatest risk of transmitting mad cow disease to humans.

South Korea halted all imports in late 2003 after a mad cow case was reported in the U.S. In May 2007, U.S. beef reached the market again, but all quarantine inspections were halted in October after inspectors found banned SRMs in packages.

Tuesday, May 27, 2008Print This Page
Scottish Government Meets with Pig Sector Representatives
SCOTLAND - Environment Secretary, Richard Lochhead has met with stakeholders in the pig sector to discuss the future sustainability of the industry, asserting that it was crucial to involve the whole food chain in finding solutions to problems facing different parts of the sector.

 

The meeting forms part of a Government drive to further support the industry, with other measures including a £30,000 strategic review into the pig sector to help develop market resilience; setting up a task force to examine the feasibility of proposals to alleviate pressure on the pig sector; and highlighting the difficulties faced by the sector at the highest levels of the European Commission.

The meeting held at the Scottish Parliament was attended by representatives from; the British Hospitality Association, Scottish Retail Consortium, major supermarkets, Scottish Association of Meat Wholesalers, Scottish Federation of Meat Traders, Scottish Pig Producers, Scotlean Pigs, NFU Scotland, Quality Meat Scotland, Officer of Fair Trading and Campbell’s Prime Meats.

Friday, June 06, 2008Print This Page
New Pork Processing Regulations to Modernise Industry
CHINA - Zhongpin Inc., China's leading meat and food processing company, has announced that the Chinese government has issued new regulations designed to promote the modernisation of the pork processing industry.



Under the new regulations, effective August 1, 2008, hogs can only be slaughtered by certified processors. In order to become certified, processors must meet national standards regarding abattoir facilities and equipment, water quality, environmental protection and inspection and quarantine. Certified facilities must have an animal epidemic prevention certificate, and separate equipment and areas for pollution-free treatment of ill hogs. In addition, abattoir technicians must have legal health certificates and inspectors must pass a pork product quality inspection examination. Those processors that do not currently meet the new regulations must either become compliant or cease processing pork, with certain exceptions for farmers in remote and rural areas. The new regulations also prevent local governments from restricting the sale of hog products from quarantined and certified facilities outside of the local market.

Zhongpin currently meets or exceeds all requirements under the new regulations. In 2002, Zhongpin was awarded ISO 9001 certification for its abattoirs and pork production operations by the International Organization of Standardization. The company's production lines have passed Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) under Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) and Sanitation Standard Operating Procedure (SSOP) in China. In addition, the company maintains all required pork production licenses and certificates from the relevant central and local governments.

"These new standards underscore the Chinese government's efforts to modernize the pork processing industry and encourage competition in local markets," said Mr. Xianfu Zhu, CEO of Zhongpin. "As all of our facilities already meet the stringent requirements of international markets, we view this as an opportunity to increase market share, especially in second- and third-tier cities that have not previously been supplied with high-quality chilled pork."

Friday, June 06, 2008Print This Page
Food Summit Calls Out for More Ag Investment
ROME – The Summit on soaring food prices, convened by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), has concluded with the adoption by acclamation of a declaration calling on the international community to increase assistance for developing countries, in particular the least developed countries and those that are most negatively affected by high food prices.

 

“There is an urgent need to help developing countries and countries in transition expand agriculture and food production, and to increase investment in agriculture, agribusiness and rural development, from both public and private sources,” according to the declaration.

Donors and international financial institutions are urged to provide “balance of payments support and/or budget support to food-importing, low-income countries. Other measures should be considered as necessary to improve the financial situation of the countries in need, including reviewing debt servicing as necessary,” it said.

More funding needed for UN agencies to expand assistance
The final declaration also called on governments to “assure” United Nations agencies “the resources to expand and enhance their food assistance and support safety net programmes to address hunger and malnutrition, when appropriate, through the use of local or regional purchases.”

Speaking about the growing social threat from rising food prices at the opening of the Summit, FAO Director-General Jacques Diouf said: “What is important today is to realize that the time for talking is long past. Now is the time for action.”

World takes action
 
One hundred eighty-one countries participated in the FAO Summit; 42 were represented by a Head of State or Government and 100 by Ministers. 
FAO Assistant Director-General Alexander Mueller said, “Clearly this Summit has decided to act. It has called for both immediate humanitarian assistance to those hardest hit by the current food price crisis and it has taken actions that in the medium term should go a long way in considering the driving forces of food system fragility to shocks in order to reduce the number of hungry people in the world, helping us to meet the World Food Summit and Millennium Development Goals.”

The Declaration calls for “development partners” to participate in and contribute “to international and regional initiatives on soaring food prices” and “assist countries to put in place the revised policies and measures to help farmers, particularly small-scale producers, to increase production and integrate with local, regional and international markets.”

Also recommended by the Declaration are initiatives that “moderate unusual fluctuations” in food grain prices. “We call on relevant institutions to assist countries in developing their food stock capacities and consider other measures to strengthen food security risk management for affected countries.”

Call for increasing the resilience of world’s food systems to climate change
On climate change, the Declaration said: “It is essential to address question of how to increase the resilience of present food production systems to challenges posed by climate change... We urge governments to assign appropriate priority to the agriculture, forestry and fisheries sectors, in order to create opportunities to enable the world’s smallholder farmers and fishers, including indigenous people, in particular vulnerable areas, to participate in, and benefit from financial mechanisms and investment flows to support climate change adaptation, mitigation and technology development, transfer and dissemination. We support the establishment of agricultural systems and sustainable management practices that positively contribute to the mitigation of climate change and ecological balance.”

More dialogue on biofuels and their relation to food security
On the contentious issue of biofuels, the Declaration said: “It is essential to address the challenges and opportunities posed by biofuels, in view of the world’s food security, energy and sustainable development needs. We are convinced that in-depth studies are necessary to ensure that production and use of biofuels is sustainable in accordance with the three pillars of sustainable development and take into account the need to achieve and maintain global food security…We call upon relevant inter-governmental organizations, including FAO, within their mandates and areas of expertise, with the involvement of national governments, partnerships, the private sector, and civil society, to foster a coherent, effective and results-oriented international dialogue on biofuels in the context of food security and sustainable development needs.”

Successful Doha development round and improved trade opportunities
According to the Declaration, WTO members reaffirmed their commitment to the rapid and successful conclusion of the Doha development agenda and reiterated their willingness to reach a comprehensive and ambitious result that would be condusive to improving food security in developing countries.

“We encourage the international community to continue its efforts in liberalizing international trade in agriculture by reducing trade barriers and market distorting policies,” said the Declaration, adding that addressing these measures “will give farmers, particularly in developing countries, new opportunities to sell their products on world markets and support their efforts to increase productivity and production.”

One hundred eighty-one countries participated in the FAO Food Summit – 43 were represented by their Head of State or Government and 100 by high-level Ministers. Sixty Non-governmental and Civil Society Organizations were present as well. Overall, 5 159 people attended -- 1 298 of them were journalists covering the event.

Monday, June 09, 2008Print This Page
MARD to Launch Clean Pork Production Pilot Plan
VIET NAM - The Livestock Breeding Department of the MARD (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development) has announced plans to launch a pilot project on the production of clean pork by the end of 2008 in collaboration with some large-scale livestock breeding farms in three of the country's regions.



According to VNS, the programme is part of the agriculture sector’s strategy to develop a stable livestock raising industry as required recently by the Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai. The programme was created partly in response to the recent pig epidemic that occured in many of the country’s provinces.

Hoang Kim Giao, head of the Livestock Breeding Department, said that the pilot programme would be carried out before the ministry develops a raising model to be reproduced as a measure to increase the production of clean pork. If approved, the model will be implemented nationwide next year.

The pilot will cover aspects from the design and construction of breeding facilities to the breeding selection process to choosing suitable diets in accordance with each of the animal’s growing phases. Aspects like sanitation, environmental hygiene, disease prevention measures and safe production will also be part of the model.

The Livestock Breeding Department will issue certifications of safe production to farm owners and production units that meet the aforementioned criteria.

Because the project will face certain difficulties – since a large part of the country’s farmers have been raising livestock at small-scale levels – the first stage will only be implemented at large-scale farms. The deparment will later create a network between these farms and small farms whereby small-farm owners can visit and learn from these large-scale farm owners.

Tuesday, June 10, 2008Print This Page
Stomach Ulcer Bug Identified in Pigs
BELGIUM - Researchers from Belgium's Gent University have sequestered a new bacterium Helicobacter suis sp. nov. found in the stomachs of pigs through the use of an innovative technique, one that offers hope to people suffering from stomach ulcers.



A new cultivation method was successfully applied for the in vitro isolation of a hitherto uncultured spiral Helicobacter species associated with ulceration of the non-glandular stomach and gastritis in pigs and formerly described as ‘Candidatus Helicobacter suis’.

Three isolates, HS1T, HS2 and HS3, were subcultured from the stomach mucosa of three pigs after slaughter and were analysed using a polyphasic taxonomic approach. The novel isolates grew on biphasic culture plates or very moist agar bases in microaerobic conditions and exhibited urease, oxidase and catalase activities.

Sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene, the 23S rRNA gene, the partial hsp60 gene and partial ureAB genes confirmed that the strains present in the gastric mucosa of pigs constituted a separate taxon, corresponding to ‘Helicobacter heilmannii’ type 1 strains as detected in the gastric mucosa of humans and other primates.

For all genes sequenced, the highest sequence similarities were obtained with Helicobacter felis, Helicobacter bizzozeronii and Helicobacter salomonis, Helicobacter species isolated from the gastric mucosa of dogs and cats, which have also been detected in the human gastric mucosa and which are commonly referred to as ‘Helicobacter heilmannii’ type 2. SDS-PAGE of whole-cell proteins of strains HS1T, HS2 and HS3 differentiated them from other Helicobacter species of gastric origin. The results of the polyphasic taxonomic analysis confirmed that the novel isolates constitute a novel taxon corresponding to ‘Helicobacter heilmannii’ type 1 strains from humans and to ‘Candidatus H. suis’ from pigs. The name Helicobacter suis sp. nov. is proposed for the novel isolates with the type strain HS1T (=LMG 23995T=DSM 19735T).

Friday, June 13, 2008Print This Page
WA Pork Industry Faces Danger of Shutdown
AUSTRALIA - The Western Australian pork industry, worth $100 annually, is on the verge of being shut down because of the gas crisis. One of the State's major pig abattoirs has warned its plant could close within a fortnight.



According to the West Australian, consumers were told to brace for shortages of fresh pork after Craig Mostyn Group, which processes almost all of the State’s pigs at its Linley Valley plant, said yesterday it may suspend operations because of cuts to liquid CO2 supplies which are needed to kill pigs.

The plant had 12 days supply before it would be forced to shut, affecting up to 220 staff, unless it found alternative supplies.

Producers moved quickly to call a crisis meeting with the State Government yesterday, warning the closure would cripple the industry and force farmers to shoot livestock.

Craig Mostyn Group chief executive David Lock said the plant required two tonnes of liquid CO2 to process 10,500 pigs each week.

WA Pork Producers Association executive officer Russell Cox said the plant’s closure would force already struggling pig farmers into further turmoil and would threaten key export markets.

“This would probably signal the death of the WA pig industry and the loss of hundreds of jobs on-farm, in abattoirs and in associated industries,” he said in a letter to WA Agriculture Minister Kim Chance.

Mr Cox said pigs would have to be destroyed at the farms because they could not be processed beyond agreed, contracted market weights.

View the West Australian

Friday, June 13, 2008Print This Page
Essential Fat Gene Research in Pigs Conducted
UK - Research is being conducted for the identification of fat gene markers which allows geneticists to prognosticate how and when fat is laid down in pig carcases.



According to Farmers Guardian, PhD student Kate Fowler, based with the biosciences department at the University of Kent, is undertaking the project, sponsored by JSR Genetics.

Dr Grant Walling, director of research and genetics at JSR said: “There are cultural variations in meat preferences. For example, Asian markets prefer a fattier meat to those in the West.

“The fat markers identified will allow geneticists to predict how, where and when fat is likely to be deposited, helping producers to tailor products to specific retail markets and devise detailed feeding regimes.”

Tuesday, June 17, 2008Print This Page
Production Resumed in Sichuan Province
CHINA - Zhongpin Inc. has announced that it resumed production at the Deyang plant, located in Cangshan County, Sichuan Province, which was affected by an earthquake.



The facility has resumed 80% of prior-earthquake utilization level. During the recovery period, Zhongpin continued supply to customers under contract with the Deyang plant using its production facility in Zhumadian, Henan Province.

"We are glad to resume production at the Deyang plant. At the time of the disaster, we focused on providing aid and assisting in the relief efforts. We continued to pay salaries to our employees during the period of suspended production," commented Mr. Xianfu Zhu, Chief Executive Officer of Zhongpin. "The Deyang plant is now in process of a speedy recovery and we will return to our normal production level by the end of this month. We are also confident in achieving our fiscal year 2008 financial targets."

On May 12, 2008, Zhongpin's processing facility in Deyang, Sichuan Province was adversely impacted by an earthquake. Water and electricity supplies were cut off during the earthquake and resumed on the morning of May 14, 2008. There was no loss of life at the plant, but there was some damage to workshops and equipment at the facility. The Deyang plant has annual capacity of 45,000 metric tons, accounting for 12.5% of Zhongpin's total capacity of chilled and frozen pork.

Tuesday, June 17, 2008Print This Page
PorkExpo 2008: A Global Gathering of Experts and Companies
BRAZIL - PorkExpo 2008 and 4th International Swine Production Forum will be held from September 30th to October 2nd, in Curitiba, Brazil



Agribusiness grows daily, driving global economy forward and transforming the scenario of this sector. In this positive context, pork production has an outstanding position both due to the continuous innovation and control of the production process and to the investments in research, improving the quality of its final products and increasing their acceptance by the final consumers.

According to Flávia Roppa, the organizer of the event, the main characteristic of PorkExpo is versatility. “The event is an excellent opportunity to make business, to learn new production techniques, to get in touch with global experts, to enjoy the social activities, and to taste delicious pork,” says Flávia. “We want – and we have been successful – the public to know and to consume more pork products. This event is extremely important to discuss strategies and to disseminate the actual characteristics this product.”

4th International Swine Production Forum and Scientific Studies
Parallel to PorkExpo 2008, the 4th International Swine Production Forum will be held, with the participation of more than 50 renowned professionals and researchers in swine welfare, genetics, nutrition, management, slaughter, and pork processing. The main theme of the event is “Swine Production in the Second Decade of the 21st Century (2010 – 2020)”.

The lectures will de divided in Specialization Technical Seminars on specific subjects and Lectures of general interest. “It will be an excellent opportunity for producers, professionals, and people linked to swine production to get up to date,” says Flávia.

Another attraction of the event is the presentation of the best scientific studies, which will be selected by a committee. The aim is to value and to disseminate research produced at universities and institution, as well as to promote exchange of information among the different production sectors.

Registrations - 4th International Swine Production Forum
In order to participate in PorkExpo 2008 and the 4th International Swine Production Forum, you can register by fax or at the website up to September 10th. After this date, you can register only at the venue. The registration includes didactic material, proceedings, access to the lectures, to the fair, and to the opening ceremony.

Tuesday, June 17, 2008Print This Page
Namibian Army Base Converted to a Piggery
NAMIBIA - A Kavango woman, along with her husband, has purchased a 30-hectare plot which was formerly a military base for 202 Battalion that was one of the South African army units. She has now converted this plot of land into a piggery.



According to AllAfrica, the piggery specialises mainly in free-roaming indigenous pigs for pork.

In an area where a farmer cannot be classified as such unless they plant millet or they rear Samba cattle, this innovative woman has ventured into largely unknown territory.

Forty-one-year old Rundu-born Mukano Maria Baleka Domingo has a thriving pig farm at Cubu Farm at Kasote some 15 kilometres outside town in the Kapako Constituency.

Her stock comprises mainly of white indigenous pigs that are very hardy and scavenge for their food and are known to convert food with a low nutrient content efficiently.

She said she started pig farming in 2002 with a start-up stock of a mere two animals given to her through a Luxembourg-funded rural poverty alleviation scheme.

Through the scheme, prospective pig farmers received a sow and a boar for breeding, after which they were expected to give a similar breeding pair back to the scheme once their animal gave birth. And these pigs from the farmers were in turn given to the others.

Like they say, Baleka Domingo literally received a pig in a poke as she was lucky that one of her friends gave her one pig and she also bought another two from another villager who was not keen on this sort of farming which more than doubled her animals to five.

Since sows can reproduce twice in a year with each litter consisting of between five to 12 piglets, her pig stock has now swelled drastically to a 100 animals.

The number of her stock would have been higher as she often sells some pigs to government officials and to an information technology (IT) businessman based at Rundu.

Since market forces such as demand naturally dictate the price of any given commodity the present low demand for her pigs and pork resulted in some of the animals being sold for prices ranging between N$250 to N$300 each because not many seem keen on pork.

But the general consensus is she could fetch much more for her pigs with current soaring global food prices resulting in many commodities costing an arm and a leg.

Though a litter can consist of 12 piglets the number could increase to 15 if the sow is given supplementary feed and kept in a shade to reduce heat since these farm animals appear more tolerant of cold conditions as opposed to heat this seems the reason while they like to roll in mud as it generally protects their skins from the harsh rays of the sun.

Tuesday, June 17, 2008Print This Page
Manure Drying Tunnel Doing a Good Job
GERMANY - Generating power from renewable energies is becoming increasingly important in Germany as well as on the international level. Thus, it is not surprising that the number of biogas plants is steadily increasing as are wind power plants and solar plants.

 

Drying digestates from biogas plants
On the agricultural sector, biogas plants are an additional source of income on many farms besides crop production and livestock husbandry. When generating power and heat from biomass in biogas plants, digestates with a dry matter content of 5 to 15 per cent arise – this is similar to slurry. On the one hand, enough storage space for digestates has to be available and on the other hand sufficient surface for spreading digestates is required. Above all in regions of intensive precision farming this can be a problem, since the existing surface is already required for spreading animal manure.

Optimised use of nutrients from biogas plants
Up to now, rough solids are separated from the digestates by means of a press screw and dried. In this process, the dried quantity only corresponds to 10 to 15 per cent of the total quantity of digestates and the major share of liquid phase still has to be spread separately.

Ludger Möllenbeck from Füchtorf in Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany also knows this problem. His biogas plant was connected to the network in 2002. The farmer deals with the subject of biogas already for 20 years. „In 1984, I have written my first paper on biogas“, he says.

Those who know Ludger Möllenbeck know that he is an expert in the field who has a lot of ideas and also knows how to put them into practice together with suitable partners. Due to the fact that digestates can not be as easily separated as slurry and that the liquid phase polluted with ammonia (NH3) still poses problems, a demo project was launched under scientific attendance of the University of Applied Sciences, Münster, Germany, with the topic: „Optimised use of nutrients from biogas plants by ammonia stripping and digestate treatment“. This project receives subsidies from the German Federal Ministry of Consumer Protection, Food and Agriculture.

What happens with the volatilizing ammonia?
The aim is to dry digestates from biogas plants and thus to reach a more economical transport of the material. First of all, there was the question what should be done about the ammonia volatilizing in to the drying process.

In connection with the company Biogas Nord GmbH and the University of Applied Sciences Münster under the direction of Prof. Dr. Christof Wetter, a method has been developed to withdraw ammonia (NH3) from the digestates under vacuum. This so-called NH3 stripping is supposed to lead to a significantly higher separation rate of NH3 than with all other generally applied procedures. The resulting highly concentrated ammonia water can be excellently used as agricultural fertilizer.

Drying digestates by means of waste heat from combined heat and power plants
 
The digestates to be dried are spread uniformly on the upper tier by means of a dosing station. 
The considerations that followed revolved around how to dry the digestates free from ammonia. Ludger Möllenbeck had the idea to use a drying tunnel. Manure drying tunnels are not a novelty, up to now they are mainly used for drying poultry manure. Drying digestates from biogas plants however is a totally new field of application.

In cooperation with the company Big Dutchman, a drying tunnel of 25 m length and on 10 tiers was constructed. To be able to process the digestates with a dry matter content of approx. eight per cent, they will be mixed with the already dried substrate before being spread over the dosing station on the upper tier of the tunnel. Uniform distribution and drying is ensured by two distributing augers. The digestates pass the entire tunnel on conveyor belts, leave it as a dry substance and is continuously refilled. Waste heat from the associated combined heat and power plants is used for heating by drawing warm air across the tunnel by means of fans and giving it the possibility to stream through all tiers by means of negative pressure. Perforated manure belts ensure that the warm air does not only pass over the digestates but permeates them.

The storage period in the tunnel of the material to be dried is one to two days. Afterwards, the material has a dry matter content of 85 to 90 per cent and can be used as valuable potash and phosphate fertilizer.

Conclusion
Drying digestates from biogas plants opens up new options above all in areas of intensive precision farming. The dried substrates can be transported cost-effectively and thus spread also on fields at larger distances.

Drying digestates is not only acceptable for the environment by processing biogenous waste material, but can also result in an increased profitability of biogas plants, since all water evaporates in the drying tunnel and a previous separation of digestates is not necessary.

Thursday, June 19, 2008Print This Page
The Pig Crisis Begins!
UK - Feed wheat was £100 a year ago, then it rose to £200. Now it has dropped back to £150. This poses a problem for the industry, which is faced with the task of explaining to retailers, processors and consumers why producers’ costs will not fall back proportionately.


Soya averaged £170 a tonne in the year to September but is currently trading at £285 a tonne and is expected to go to at least £290 a tonne, probably even higher. Other ingredients have also shot up.

Fat blend has increased from £300 to £595, which adds an extra £9 to a tonne of pig feed.

Phosphate has increased from £198 to £600, adding another £4.

Methionine has increased from £1,500 to £3,486, which adds a further £4.70.

Vitamin E has increased from £2.50 a kilo to £16, adding £2 to a tonne of feed.
The overall effect on pig production in Britain is that most producers will be paying half as much again for their feed in the next few months, which is why retail prices, and the percentage paid back to producers by processors, needs to increase.
 
Throughout the industry’s survival campaign so far, producers have highlighted the £200 increase in the cost of wheat.

What has not been explained — because up to now it hasn’t been necessary — is that any producer who has had to pay the full £200 is no longer with us.

Nearly all producers have faced swingeing increases in feed costs since last August, but most have had fixed term contracts for some feed ingredients, for some of the time.

But most feed contracts will be ending between now and autumn, which means producers are faced with having to lock into the next six or twelve months at higher prices.

As has been reported on this page in recent weeks, around 80 percent of producers would normally have locked into 100 percent of their feed requirements for next year by now.

But because they cannot see any point in committing to a loss, so far only 20 percent (if that) have locked in. Wheat has come down to c.£150 but producers say they need to see it at c.£130 before they will make their move.

This means, in effect, that the real pig industry crisis is only just beginning, and if the pig price doesn’t move forward quickly and substantially, the ten percent sow herd reduction predicted by BPEX will be greater.

Industry campaigners say that retailers need to understand that although feed costs make up about 65pc of pig production costs, wheat makes up only 45pc of a typical pig diet.

Other ingredients include barley (c.20pc), soya (c.15pc) and vitamins and minerals (c.20pc).

“We need to explain that the wheat price may be lower in the coming year but the pig feed price will be unchanged, if not higher, compared to the last nine months,” said Andrew Knowles, of BPEX today.

“Retailers must not expect that the industry can now accept a reduction in the pig price.”

The aim of the Pigs Are Worth It campaign continues to be to seek a rise in prices not as a result of shortage of supply caused by producers quitting, but as a result of the supply chain recognising the costs of raw materials has increased. These costs are likely to remain at at least current level for some time to come.

Last autumn, at a meeting in East Angia, processor John Norris said he had never seen higher costs of production influence the retail price, so there would have to be a reduction in output before the market responded and prices increased sufficiently.

“The fact is that we are now at that point - not just in the United Kingdom but in most of mainland Europe as well,” observed producer Chris Fogden last week.

This is not to say the Pigs Are Worth It campaign has been in vain. Speaking at the same meeting last autumn, BPEX chief executive Mick Sloyan acknowledged that getting better prices ahead of supply shortages was never going to be easy. “But let’s not just admit defeat and leave it to the market. Let’s have a crack at changing their minds in the first place,” he said at the time.

The Pigs Are Worth It campaign has successfully created an environment where prices have risen without (so far) creating consumer resistance. But perhaps its greatest challenge lies ahead...

Friday, June 20, 2008Print This Page
Lower Cereal Prices = Lower Pork Production Costs
IRELAND - IFA National Pigs Committee Chairman Michael Maguire said that the Irish grain harvest is forecasted to show high yields due to record plantings and increased acreage. Worldwide; the wheat supply for the 2008 harvest is forecast to be 30 million tonnes over 2007.

This fact, the EU extension of the suspension of EU cereal duties and the carryover of barley in Irish stores should lead to a fall in Irish pig feed prices.
*
"Merchants should not target producers in a bid to improve margins at this time. Although the pig price has shown some recovery, over 50% of pig producers in the country are still not breaking even. Millers should be in a better position currently to pass back some of the benefit of the drop in native cereals seen in recent weeks" 
IFA National Pigs Committee Chairman Michael Maguire
 
The IFA Pigs Chairman advised that ‘pig producer home millers and grain farmers must consider taking the middleman out of the equation at this juncture. It is timely that both sets of farmers look at buying and selling forward’.

Maguire said “A recent exchange with pig producers in GB indicated that pig farmers across the water are currently in the process of taking cover on their feed supplies going forward at realistic market prices. 70% of the cost of pig production is in the cost of the feed and this forward buying approach has served our neighbouring farmers in the UK well over the past 12 months”.

“Merchants should not target producers in a bid to improve margins at this time. Although the pig price has shown some recovery, over 50% of pig producers in the country are still not breaking even. Millers should be in a better position currently to pass back some of the benefit of the drop in native cereals seen in recent weeks,” he continued.

Maguire made reference to the flooding in the US, ‘soya prices are rising rapidly and as the EU must import approximately 16million tonnes of soyabeans and 24million tonnes of soyameal each year the EU must throw out the zero tolerance policy in relation to GM material imports’.

“Every year the amount of non-GM maize and soya being produced by the US, Canada, and Brazil is reducing. EU countries are therefore being forced to pay more to ensure that consignments are GM free. This makes no sense when these GM products have been safety assessed by other countries” the IFA man continued.

“Recent comments from Dr. Patrick Wall in relation to the EU re-looking at meat and bone meat for pigs and poultry come as a welcome development. Pig producers are currently at or below breakeven pig prices, it is therefore vital that the all stakeholders play a responsible role in the survival of this industry. I wish to encourage pig producers to pick up the phone and make contact with local grain growers to engage in a process of negotiations”, concluded Mr. Maguire.

EFSA: Salmonella in 10% of EU pigs
// 11 jun 2008

One out of every ten fattening pigs in Europe carries Salmonella, according to a random sampling that the European Food Safety Authority, EFSA carried out.

 
The scores however differ a lot between EU member states. Salmonella was not detected in Finland, but a third of the Spanish pigs seem to be contaminated with the bacterium. The Netherlands scored relatively well with 8.5% of the pigs that had Salmonella.

Salmonella is one of the main causes of food poising in the EU. In 2006, more than 160,000 Europeans got sick from Salmonella. This is around 35 out of 100,000 people.

Friday, June 27, 2008Print This Page
Pig Prices Take an Early Leap
AUSTRALIA - Pig prices are already starting to climb with pork rising six cents a kilogram (carcase weight) in the past week to hit 296c/kg, while bacon jumped 7c/kg to 266c/kg during the same period.



During the past month pig prices have been gradually creeping towards top dollar and the drought in pig numbers is helping the prices soar, reports The Land.

William Inglis and Son stock agent, Stephen Nutt, Camden, said more pig producers were getting out of the game due to the high cost of feeding.

“The pig market is bopping along not setting any records, but the shortage of numbers is starting to affect the market,” he said.

Friday, June 27, 2008Print This Page
Vietnam Strives to Produce Clean Pork
VIET NAM - Vietnam is launching a pilot project to produce clean pork by the end of 2008, in collaboration with some of the country's major livestock farms.



The pilot is to be conducted by the Livestock Breeding Department (LBD) of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), as part of the agriculture sector's plan to develop and promote a more viable livestock production industry.

The programme has been created in part due to the many cases of PRRS reported recently in about seven of the country's provinces. When interviewed, Hoang Kim Giao, head of the LBD, said “The pilot programme would be carried out before the ministry develops a model to be used to increase production of clean pork. If approved, the model will be implemented nationwide next year.

“The pilot programme will cover all aspects of pork production, from the design and construction of breeding facilities, breeding selection process, choosing suitable diets for each growing stage of pigs’ sanitation, environmental hygiene, disease prevention measures and safe environmental measures. In addition the LBD will support the introduction of up-graded slaughtering and processing plants, and foster their use by pig producer co-operatives,” he goes on to say.

Hoang Kim Giao also said that the clean pork prices will not go up as proper breeding facilities will be utilised whereby the rate of weight-gain per animal will be increased, creating the possibility of more pork products.

According to MARD, if it turns out that the pilot is a success, it will be beneficial to both farmers and consumers. At present, only 20% of Viet Nam's market meets consumer demand.

Friday, June 27, 2008Print This Page
Pig Industry View of the World
UK - Confidence levels in the British pig industry have, unsurprisingly, fallen according to the results of the latest survey by BPEX Ltd.

 

It showed although 70 per cent of producers had maintained or improved their competitiveness, their optimism had been significantly eroded.

There is a similar picture from the processing sector, however, half anticipated increasing investment over the next 12 months which is at odds with producers who said they were investing 75 per cent less.

There is also a contrast shown where processors are looking to invest to increase efficiency when producers are mainly having to spend money to cope with changing environmental rules and repairing buildings and facilities.

The question about factors limiting output has seen a major shift with producers citing raw material costs and finance whereas last year it was simply the physical capacity of buildings.

BPEX Strategy Co-ordinator Andrew Knowles said: "While we have seen some price rises in recent weeks, confidence among producers remains extremely fragile.

"The survey is still a valid and valuable snapshot of the British industry and the ability to compare it with the previous year makes it even more important.

"It was interesting to note that vets and members of the allied industry were looking to increase capacity and improve competitiveness.

"This is something they choose to do which shows they are looking at the future with renewed confidence."

Increasing Daily Feeding Occasions in Restricted Feeding Strategies Does Not Improve Performance or Well Being of Fattening Pigs
By Eva Persson, Margret Wülbers-Mindermann, Charlotte Berg and Bo Algers. Published by BioMed Central in the Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica 2008, 50:24 Journal.


Abstract
Background
The natural feeding behaviour of the pig is searching for feed by rooting activities throughout the day; self-feeding pigs randomly space their eating and drinking periods throughout the day consuming ten to twelve meals per day. Pigs in conventional fattening pig production are normally fed 2-3 times daily with the feed consumed within 15 minutes. The aim of this study was to determine if more frequent feedings could improve the performance of conventionally kept fattening pigs.

Methods
The experiment was carried out on 360 fattening pigs (27-112 kg live weight), weighed and assigned to pens stratified by weight and sex. Each treatment group consisted of 180 pigs, allocated to 20 pens with nine pigs in each pen. To evaluate how more feeding occasions affects performance and well-being the pigs were divided into two groups and fed three (control group) or nine (treatment group) times daily. The same total amount of liquid feed was fed to each group and the feed ration was correlated to the live weight of the pigs. All weight and slaughter recordings were made individually and recordings of feed consumption were made pen-wise. At slaughter the stomach of each pig was examined for lesions in the pars oesophagea and scored on a scale from 1-6.

Results
Frequent feeding occasions influenced both performance and status of gastric lesions of the pigs adversely. Pigs in the treatment group grew slower compared to pigs in the control group; 697 g/day (± 6.76) versus 804 g/day (± 6.78) (P<0.001) with no difference in withinpen variation. There was also a lower prevalence of gastric lesions within pigs in the control group (2.4 (± 0.12) compared to 3.0 (± 0.12) (P<0.01)). There was a positive correlation between gastric lesions in the treatment group and daily weight gain (r=0.19; P<0.01).

Conclusion
Increased daily feeding occasions among group housed pigs resulted in a poorer daily weight gain and increased mean gastric lesion score as compared with pigs fed three times daily. This may be a consequence of more frequently occurring competition for feed in the treatment group. The present study does not support increased daily feeding occasions in fattening pigs.

Wednesday, July 02, 2008Print This Page
Bulgarian Pork Import Ban Lifted
SOFIA - According to reports made by the national veterinary service, the EU has lifted a ban on Bulgarian pork imports - a ban fixed in 2006 - due to outbreaks of swine fever in Bulgaria.



Experts from the European Commission's Directorate General for Health and Consumer Affairs visited Bulgaria in late June and concluded that it "has made considerable progress in containing and eradicating the swine fever virus," the service said in a statement.

This prompted the Commission to lift the ban and allow Bulgaria to export live pigs and pork products to the EU and third countries, reports IFocus

Thursday, July 03, 2008Print This Page
New Cyprian Boar Stud a Sell-Out Success
EU - Two open evenings at a new 90 place Cyprian boar stud have proved an outstanding success.

 

Response from producers to the initial invitation to view the new EU standard stud, developed by pig production company LA Top Genetics, was so enthusiastic that an extra date had to be arranged and, within days of the events, production of the new JSR Geneconverter 700 semen was totally sold out with orders placed by both existing and new customers.



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"LA Top Genetics has been making tremendous progress, carefully selecting quality genetics to suit the discerning Cyprian market, where the tenderness and taste of the pork is of utmost importance- and its demanding climate. Now, with further investments in equipment and genetics, they are set to raise the island's standards still higher." 
Paul Anderson, European Sales Director of JSR Genetics
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“We have worked closely with JSR Genetics for the past 3 years,” says Loucas Andreou, Managing Director of LA Top Genetics, “building our own nucleus and multiplication herd. Our new boar stud is the next logical step and allows us to double boar numbers. The response by the island’s producers has been fantastic: 45 came along in total, keen to see our new facilities and the JSR lines that we will now be able to offer.”

Paul Anderson, European Sales Director of JSR Genetics, who co-hosted the evening with Mr Andreou, commented, “LA Top Genetics has been making tremendous progress, carefully selecting quality genetics to suit the discerning Cyprian market, where the tenderness and taste of the pork is of utmost importance- and its demanding climate. Now, with further investments in equipment and genetics, they are set to raise the island’s standards still higher.”

Following a welcome drink and introduction, producers were taken on a tour of the facilities including the new AI laboratory where they were impressed by the sophisticated equipment in use. In particular the NucleoCounter SP-100 which delivers effective measurement of total cell concentration and cell viability in a sperm sample from sperm ejaculates or doses. The measurement range of the SP-100 is virtually unlimited and provides a reading in less than 30 seconds, giving customers instant confidence in the semen quality.

Even with so many visitors, bio-security was maintained by the strict measures in place throughout both the boar stud and its laboratory. Producers were able to observe boars from a purpose built bio-secure viewing room.

A selection of dam line boars were on display including 12x, 16x, Large White and Landrace stock. Of sire line boars the Titan, Duroc and new Geneconverter 700 lines were represented. The Cyprian producers were particularly impressed by the outstanding efficiency figures of the recently introduced GC700. With the continuing pressure of higher feed costs, its 13.4% reduction in FCR represents a significant saving per pig produced and a valuable opportunity for them to improve profitability.

“The event has been a real confidence booster, if one was needed”, confirms Loucas Andreou. “Production of GC 700 semen has been totally accounted for by new orders, a new customer has ordered a regular supply of Duroc semen and several other producers will be returning to discuss their requirements in detail. I’m now putting together the specification for my next shipment of breeding stock from the UK to include the GC700 – soon to be launched in Cyprus – and Genepacker 90 Parent gilts.”

Thursday, July 03, 2008Print This Page
Chinese Food Safety Under Eye of BAX® System
CHINA - The inspection and quarantine administration of China has announced that Dupont's BAX® system will be used as an official method for pathogen detection in food imports and exports.

 

This development should provide not only a boost to Chinese food safety, which has come under large scrutiny this year, but will also improve foreign confidence in its meat sector.


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"We understand that China is also facing the increasing demands and emerging challenges on food safety" 
Qin Zhenkui, president of the Chinese Academy of Inspection and Quarantine (CAIQ), AQSIQ.
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The Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) is a government agency responsible for monitoring the safety and quality of food in China. The agency published this new standard for entry/exit inspection and quarantine in the PRC. This describes the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique for rapid pathogen detection and names the automated BAX® system as an approved PCR method for detecting Salmonella, E. coli O157:H7, Listeria monocytogenes, Campylobacter jejuni and E. sakazakii in food.

“When monitoring food imports and exports, efficiency is critical,” said Qin Zhenkui, president of the Chinese Academy of Inspection and Quarantine (CAIQ), AQSIQ. “PCR technology can provide the speed, sensitivity and accuracy in routine food testing that allows our agency to make faster release decisions with a high degree of confidence.”

Another food safety monitoring authority in China – the Beijing Municipal Center for Food Safety Monitoring (BFSM) – is already using the BAX® detection system to provide technical support for food safety management of the Beijing municipal government and the 2008 athletic competition.

“This is good news from AQSIQ,” said Kevin Huttman, president – DuPont Qualicon. “Protecting the food supply is a major global concern, and we understand that China is also facing the increasing demands and emerging challenges on food safety. We’re pleased that the BAX® system is helping government agencies in China and around the world with cost-effective and highly accurate food safety testing.”

Friday, July 04, 2008Print This Page
Intelligent Farrowing Pen on the Way
DENMARK - For a newborn piglet, slipping from a warm and secure environment inside its mother’s womb and landing on a cool floor in a modern farrowing pen is not much fun.



It is a rather tepid start in life for a piglet that in its first few days of life is very poor at regulating body temperature. Figures from sow farms attest to this fact; on average 23 percent of piglets die before weaning.

Scientists at the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences at the University of Aarhus intend to do something about the problem. In collaboration with the company Skov A/S and Danish Pig Production, they will investigate if mortality can be reduced by developing an "intelligent farrowing pen".




The farrowing pen of the future may offer local climate control based on the animals’ behaviour – to the benefit of the animals’ welfare. Photo: Janne HansenPart of the concept of the intelligent pen includes climate control right down on the level of the individual farrowing pen. Warmth is what the little pigs really appreciate in their first few days of life.

Quite a few piglets die due to lack of oxygen during birth. Others are born weak or are chilled immediately post partum. Such piglets are in great risk of dying. On average, one whole pig per litter can be saved just by providing warmth immediately after birth. That alone would be a huge economical boost, says senior scientist and project leader Lene Juul Pedersen from the Department of Animal Health, Welfare and Nutrition at the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences.

What is needed is a way to regulate heat right down on the level of the individual pen. Today climate is regulated for a whole farrowing house unit at a time. It is necessary to develop methods that build on knowledge of the animals’ behaviour. On the basis of their behaviour, when the farrowing will take place can be predicted and that can be coupled to advanced heat control so that the climate in each pen can be regulated according to the needs of the animals in it.
Activity-controlled climate
Together with Skov A/S, the scientists will develop a system whereby the condition and activity of the animals will be registered. For example, previous studies have shown that the sow is very active in the 24 hours prior to farrowing. She stands up and lies down often and spends time building a nest. This knowledge can be used to predict when she will farrow within a narrow margin.

When the system predicts when the sow is expected to farrow, a message is given to the farmer and to a climate control system that ensures that there is more heat in the pen. Not only does this save piglets. It could perhaps also save heating bills in the farrowing barn, which is usually kept at around 20° C.

The relatively high temperature in the room is for the sake of the piglets, but the sow would probably prefer it so be somewhat cooler, says Lene Juul Pedersen.

Apart from the level of activity, it would also be preferred if sensors could be developed - sensors that can measure conditions such as where in the pen the sow and her piglets are and how the sow and her piglets are doing. This would provide the farmer with important information about the well-being of the animals and if there are any problems coming on, the farmer can take action before small problems grow big.
The research project will also be investigating whether it is most practical to measure conditions using sensors, chips in the ear or video surveillance.

The four-year project is supported by Højteknologifonden with 8.3 million kroner. The total budget is 16.5 million kroner. The rest is financed by the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences with 1.7 million kroner, Skov A/S with 5.4 million kroner and Danish Pig Production with 0.1 million kroner.


 

Wednesday, July 09, 2008Print This Page
Indian Maize Ban Affects Kuala Lumpur
MALAYSIA - The livestock industry in Kuala Lumpur is bracing itself for a shortage of feed following the Indian Government’s decision to ban the export of maize.



According to The Star Online, with about half its supply coming from India, farmers here would face a shortage until feed from new sources arrived.

Federation Of Livestock Farmers Association Of Malaysia (FLFAM) president Lee Ah Fatt said that since the supply from the United States was based on new orders, stocks might take some time to arrive.

“I have appealed to the Government to assist the industry in facing the problem,” The Star heard him say.

Lee also said the Government could undertake government-to-government negotiations with India to allow the export of maize to Malaysia, and extend the diesel subsidy programme to poultry and pig farms.

Monday, July 14, 2008Print This Page
Rapid Rise in British Pork Exports
UK - British pork exports are showing a year-on-year rise of over 20 per cent.



The figures for the first four months of 2008 are 41,000 tonnes up on the same period last year, a rise of 22%, reports Farming UK.

The major export markets for British pork now include Germany, Holland, Poland, Hong Kong and also, more surprisingly, Vietnam.

BPEX Export Manager Jean-Pierre Garnier said: "The exchange rate has played a part in the increase but the strong performance is also down to the hard work of exporters.

Monday, July 14, 2008Print This Page
Higher Standards in UK Industry
UK - The majority of pigs in the UK, including those in Scotland, are kept to a higher welfare standard than elsewhere in the EU and other countries, these are the conclusions of a report by the Farm Animal Welfare Council.



In a letter to the Scottish agriculture minister Richard Lockhead FAWC said that the higher standard arises from differences in legislation and voluntary measures but both will have increased the costs of pig production in the U.K. relative to those in exporting countries.

The letter follows a meeting between the minister and FAWC.

"while it is true that importers of pig meat into the UK could demand in their purchasing specifications that suppliers meet UK standards, this can only be voluntary and whether importers insist on such a requirement will be determined, in part, by market forces," FAWC Chairman, Professor Christopher Wathes said in the letter.

"Other members of the food chain, particularly retailers, can play a major role by offering products of different welfare standards and origin, thereby catering for consumer choice.

"However, if pig meat is not labelled according to its welfare provenance, then concerned consumers will not be able to exercise their choice and may, unwittingly, purchase products that do not meet their requirements.

"The arguments for welfare labelling of animal products were made in the FAWC report (June 2006) and the possible introduction of a European labelling scheme is under active consideration by the Commission at present."

Monday, July 14, 2008Print This Page
Food Safety Paramount for China
CHINA - As the Summer Olympics approaches in Beijing, farms are carefully scrutinized.



According to the StarTribune, if security is high at farmer Lin Yuan's vegetable farm, a premium provider for the Olympic Village, it's even higher at the ranches and livestock pens that will provide meat for the athletes. Pork for Olympic athletes comes from 10 secret pig farms set up far away from cities, state media report. The pigs get two hours of exercise a day, eat organic feed and are monitored around the clock.

Given the extent of such efforts, Chinese officials naturally bristled when they heard athletes from some countries -- the United States and Australia in particular -- were brown-bagging some of their own groceries to the Olympics.

In some ways the matter shows the delicate balance as China tries to overcome long-held foreign suspicions about the safety of its food without stirring up citizens, who may wonder why even the pigs get such special treatment when it comes to what's served to foreigners.

Friday, July 11, 2008Print This Page
China Extends Financial Support to Pig Production
BEIJING - China plans on allocating 2.8 billion yuan from its central budget in support of live pig production.



The funds will be used to build breeding farms and standard large scale piggeries to promote pork production and further ensure market supply, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) said on Friday.

About 70 million yuan of the funding will go to poultry farm construction, according to the NDRC.

The NDRC has channeled an accumulative 5.6 billion yuan from its central budget to livestock farm construction this year.

Currently, 55 breeding farms, 375 propagation piggeries, 70 poultry farms and 20,000 standard large scale hog breeding farms have been established.

The NDRC also said the government planned to allocate more funds to the snow havoc and earthquake-hit regions where breeding facilities suffered severe damage in the disasters.

Hunan, Jiangxi, Guizhou, Hubei, Guangxi, Anhui, Sichuan, Shaanxi and Gansu were included.

A total of 69.56 million livestock and poultries were estimated to have been killed in the snow havoc in the first quarter, while more than 3million pigs were killed in the 8.0-magnitude Wenchuan earthquake.

Tuesday, July 22, 2008Print This Page
TOPIGS Genetics: 26.36 Weaned Piglets / Sow / Year
THE NETHERLANDS - Dutch pig farmers with TOPIGS sows achieved an average production of 26.36 weaned piglets per year in 2007. Compared with 2006, this is an increase of 0.65 piglets.


This picture emerged from the technical results of 942 farms with a total of more than 368,000 sows. The top 25% of farms realised an average of 28.52 piglets per sow in 2007. A result of 30 or more piglets per sow per year was achieved at 22 farms. In 2006 only 9 farms achieved a result of 30 piglets or more. See also the table and graph.

 


From the 2007 results we can conclude that the approach of TOPIGS in the areas of piglet survival and piglet vitality works. In 2007, 12.75 piglets were born per litter, whereas in 2006 that was 12.47. This is an increase of 0.28 piglets per litter.

The preweaning mortality fell slightly from 12.2% to 12.1%. This goes against the widespread opinion that mortality will rise with increasing litter size.

Tuesday, July 22, 2008Print This Page
Follow-up on Russia's ASF Situation
RUSSIA - A total of 435 pigs are reported to have died of the African swine fever virus in Russia's North Caucasus republic of North Ossetia.



"A total of 66 pigs have died in the past 24 hours," a statement read.

RIA Novosti reports that some 1,775 pigs have been culled in the republic following the outbreak, while over 7,000 potentially-infected animals have yet to be destroyed.

Outbreaks of the highly contagious virus are rare outside Africa, but last spring, Georgia, which borders on North Ossetia, saw outbreaks in 10 regions. A total of 20,000 pigs were culled.

The area has been cordoned off, and all the local pigs will be culled as a preventive measure. Around 174 people have been deployed to guard the province's border, to ensure that no pork products are taken out of North Ossetia.

Monday, August 04, 2008Print This Page
Vietnamese Feed Companies in Trouble
VIET NAM - Up to 40 feed companies have ceased trading so far this year as they struggle with imports and unfavorable exchange rates.



Bui Thi Oanh from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development's Animal Husbandry Department said that the failing businesses produced feed for cattle, pigs, poultry and even fish, according to an official source.

Processors spend more than $1 billion a year importing most of the ingredients, such as soybeans, corn and flour.

Prices for the various feed ingredients have risen 60 to 110 per cent in the past year while the cost of imported feedstuffs has also risen considerably.

Much tighter credit, high loan-interest and exchange rates, and high foreign-exchange transaction fees have added to the problems.

"We did not have enough foreign currency (US dollars) to pay our suppliers because the banks sold US dollars at such a high level," said Do Kim Chi, a representative of New Hop Co.

On top of all this, supplies of ingredients held in reserve by manufacturers became exhausted. Complicated import procedures, plus outbreaks of diseases did not improve the overall outlook.

Nguyen Xuan Duong, deputy director of the Animal Husbandry Department warned that prices for feed ingredients are likely to increase a further 20 to 30 per cent in the near future, threatening many more producers with bankruptcy.

Vietnam is now being forced to import finished feed because of the shortage of domestic supplies.

This year, the nation's demand for animal food is 18 million tonnes, of which domestic manufacturers meet only about 79 per cent. In the first six months of the year, nearly 3.5 million of tonnes of feed worth US$ 1.5 billion had to be imported.

Stability efforts
In an effort to stabilise the market and support manufacturers, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has asked the government to make feed products and ingredients essential commodities.

This would enable import taxes to be dropped to zero from the present 5 per cent.

However, the ministry is initially guiding farmers on how to economise on the use of feed supplements.

Hoang Kim Giao, director of the Animal Husbandry Department, said that the growth of animal husbandry was only 0.03 per cent in the first half of the year.

"To reach an annual growth rate of 4-5 per cent, in the second half of the year, the industry must grow by 8-10 per cent at least," he said.

The Livestock Breeding Department of the Ministry of Agriculture has already declared that it will focus on developing intensive farming areas for growing soy beans, corn and grass with high nutritional value.

Tuesday, August 05, 2008Print This Page
Goldman Sachs Invests in Chinese Pig Farming
CHINA - Goldman Sachs has invested US$200 to 300 million in purchasing a dozen pig farms in China's Hunan and Fujian provinces.



This indicates that foreign investors are showing growing interest in China's farm and sideline production, according to oficial sources.

Deutsche Bank Group's DWS Investments launched DWS Global Agribusiness Fund in September 2006 with investment in China's breeding business.

Cao Jianhai, a researcher with the Institute of Industrial Economics under Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said that the enormous market, low labour cost and brisk price increase expectations would bolster investors' investment in this sector.

Mr Cao added that substantial profit could be obtained given tight grip on the industry chain of live pig breeding.

At present, China's live pig breeding and processing industry maintains low concentration with top three meat processing enterprises sharing 3.7 percent of national market.

International capital players could make profit through controlling domestic live pig breeding enterprises and the prices of soybean, maize and other meals on the international market, according to analysts.

The report adds that China - the world largest breeder and consumer of pigs - plans to launch live pig futures in a bid to curtail price fluctuations and prompt integrations.

Tuesday, August 05, 2008Print This Page
Over 5,000 South Russian Pigs Killed by ASF
RUSSIA - It is now reported that African swine fever virus (ASF) in Russia's North Caucasus republic of North Ossetia has so far killed over 5,000 pigs.



RIA Novosti says that around 1,300 pigs died of the virus and more than 3,800 pigs have been culled in the republic since the outbreak was registered on June 30 in four of the province's eight districts.

A state of emergency has been declared in the province.

Outbreaks of the highly contagious virus are rare outside Africa, but in spring 2007 Georgia, which borders North Ossetia, saw outbreaks in 10 regions. A total of 20,000 pigs were culled.

Friday, August 08, 2008Print This Page
Pig Industry Goes for Gold in Beijing
BEIJING - As the Olympics get underway in China, there is good news for the UK pig industry. From, Thursday 7th August, the Peoples Republic of China has lifted all the restrictions on imports of livestock and meat from the UK, which have been in place since the Foot and Mouth outbreak last year.

 

Defra and Animal Health are taking immediate action to agree export health certificates for breeding pigs, pig meat, skins, hides, greasy wool and dairy products to allow trade to re-start as soon as practically possible. The changes come after a concerted effort by BPEX, Defra, the Foreign Office and UK Trade Investment.

Mick Sloyan, BPEX Chief Executive said: "This is the pig industry equivalent of an Olympic Gold Medal, before the games have even started! Exports of pig breeding stock to China are hugely important to UK companies with big orders in prospect. The decision will also give British pig meat producers access to the biggest and fastest growing food market in the world."

Friday, August 08, 2008Print This Page
Pig Auction Transparency Improves
HONG KONG - Information transparency in the live pig auction market has been improved, says the Consumer Council.



In the council's report released today, it said there is no direct evidence suggesting the competitive environment of the trade is hindered by restrictive practices or abuse of market power

However, a few live pig buyers with a small market share have been involved in aggressive bidding, which inevitably causes maximum auction prices to deviate from the average auction price in the wholesale market.

Welcoming the report the Food & Health Bureau said measures have been adopted since mid-January to further enhance market information flow and ensure a stable supply.

Stable supply
The bureau has kept close liaison with the Ministry of Commerce to ensure a stable supply. It has also enhanced market transparency by making public the quantity of live pigs to be supplied to Hong Kong in the following day. No unusual fluctuation in auction prices of live pigs has been detected so far.

On the council's suggestion of establishing a complaints handling scheme the bureau said a similar mechanism has been put in place.

The Food & Environmental Hygiene Department and slaughterhouse operators regularly meet the trade to gauge views and handle complaints. The department will consider whether there is a need to further enhance the mechanism.

Slaughterhouse operation
The existing operation contract of Sheung Shui Slaughterhouse will expire by July 31. The department is drafting the tender document of the new contract and plans to conduct a tender exercise later this year.

It will include clauses in the new contract to enhance regulation of the slaughterhouse operation. It will also enhance regulation in the areas of fees, information provision and disclosure, as well as the system of sanctions and incentives.

Wednesday, August 06, 2008Print This Page
World Pig Price Projections Point to Recovery
GLOBE - The chart below, from a European Commission forecast published last week, is only telling us what we already know — but it is good to see, nevertheless.



The projections of strong world price increases in 2009, 2010 and 2011 are made against an index of 100 (which represents the average 1999-2006 price).

The green line is the United States Department of Agriculture's projection.

The purple line is the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development's projection.

The blue line is the United States Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute's projection.
Although the projections vary, they all see a solid price recovery from 2009 to 2011. "Probably as an adjustment to rising feed costs," says Brussels.

Friday, August 08, 2008Print This Page
British Pig Industry Goes for Gold in Beijing
BEIJING - As the Olympics get underway in China, there is good news for the UK pig industry. From, Thursday 7th August, the Peoples Republic of China has lifted all the restrictions on imports of livestock and meat from the UK, which have been in place since the Foot and Mouth outbreak last year.

 

Defra and Animal Health are taking immediate action to agree export health certificates for breeding pigs, pig meat, skins, hides, greasy wool and dairy products to allow trade to re-start as soon as practically possible.

The changes come after a concerted effort by BPEX, Defra, the Foreign Office and UK Trade Investment.

Mick Sloyan, BPEX Chief Executive said: "This is the pig industry equivalent of an Olympic Gold Medal, before the games have even started! Exports of pig breeding stock to China are hugely important to UK companies with big orders in prospect.

The decision will also give British pig meat producers access to the biggest and fastest growing food market in the world."

Monday, August 11, 2008Print This Page
Meat Imports a Possibility
VIET NAM - It may be necessary to import pork, beef and poultry at the end of this year if the animal production and feed industries fail to solve their current problems.



The warning came from Le Ba Lich, chairman of the Viet Nam Animal Feed Association.

An official source reports Mr Lich saying that many pig farmers, especially in southern provinces, quit the business when feed prices shot up.

The current price of pig feed is 8,500 dong (VND; US$0.50) per kilo. To produce one kilo of pork, 2.6 kilo of feed are needed, costing VND22,100 ($1.30).

Meanwhile, a kilo of live pig goes for VND32,000-34,000 ($1.90-2.00) in the south of the country, and VND28,000-30,000 ($1.70-1.80) in the north.

With capital used to buy breeding animals and animal feed coming from loans with 20 per cent interest, farmers cannot afford to continue their line of work, Mr Lich said.

On top of these financial concerns, blue ear disease and avian flu have also contributed to the current meat shortage.

Pork accounts for 80% of the country’s meat consumption, chicken 11-12% and beef 3-4%.

Meat consumption is especially high during the Christmas, New Year and Tet (Lunar New Year) holidays, according to Mr Lich.

To avoid meat shortages and encourage pig farming, Mr Lich said, the association plans to invest in production and imports of raw materials for producing animal feed.

The association asked the Ministry of Finance to eliminate the value added tax (VAT) for raw produce, banks to decrease interest rates and the Ministry of Industry and Trade to reorganise distribution systems.

Monday, August 11, 2008Print This Page
China Moves From Backyard to Farms
CHINA - For more than 2,000 years, China's heartland south of the Great Wall has not seen traveling herdsmen on horseback.


In the northern grasslands, where the land in the Yangtze and Yellow valleys have been entirely used for intensive farming this was commonplace, and the predominant way to produce meat has been through household-based pig farming, reports China Daily.

But not just for family consumption. The most important reason for raising one or two hogs is for their owners to sell them to the urban slaughter houses in order to finance their small farming operations and to buy daily necessities.

During the reform era, for many rural households the first pieces of farm machinery were paid for by selling pigs. Indeed, the poorer a place was, the more its members had to depend on pig farming for any little change in their lives, even though getting a hog to market could be a great trouble.






A farmer carrying his hog to a township fair from his mountainous village in Hubei province in the 1980's, and in more recent times as a pet!
This sight was commonplace in the Chinese countryside in those days. Except for a few urban pockets, most of China was still rural, and most of the residents were struggling hard just to feed themselves. Having a hog to sell might be just the one thing that could lift them from the subsistence level.

Today, while the nation's demand for meat has been rising, an increasing number number of farmers have found other ways to make a cash income. Carrying hogs to the township fair is no longer the only way for rural households to generate cash, as funds from young men and women working in the cities has become a more convenient way help to their relatives in their home villages.

From mid-1990s to 2006, family farmer's spending on productive assets, mainly farm machinery, grew more than 170 percent, while the country's pork production, including that from large State-run farms, rose by 60 percent.




At the same time pig farming has become more dependent on feed supplies, has become mainly concentrated in just a few provinces, such as Shandong, Hunan, and Sichuan and now bears an increasing resemblance to an industry.

In another 30 years, one can reasonably imagine pigs will disappear from most Chinese households - except, however, those being kept as pets.

One of the nation's pioneering pet pigs was also caught by our photographer's lens, this time in Beijing's 798 Complex, a renovated industrial neighborhood for the city's modern artists and art dealers.

Monday, August 11, 2008Print This Page
Chinese Pork Prices Hold Steady
BEIJING - Retail pork prices across China remained flat week ending August 7 with beef and egg prices rising slightly. Chicken and mutton prices fell.


In their regular report the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) said the retail price of pork averaged 14.33¥ per 500 grams for the period.

Food costs, which make up a third of the consumer price index and have fuelled inflation, climbed 17.3 per cent from a year earlier in June, compared with 19.9 per cent in the year to May.

The National Bureau of Statistics is due to publish the July consumer price index tomorrow with economists expecting the year to June index to drop from 7.1 percent to 6.5 percent.

The NDRC, China's economic planning agency, surveys retail prices in 36 major cities across China.

Tuesday, August 12, 2008Print This Page
UK Livestock and Products Approved for Export to China
GLOBAL - The UK agriculture department has announced that Chinese restrictions on the import of UK livestock and livestock products to China have been lifted.

 

Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has announced today that Chinese restrictions on the import of UK livestock and livestock products to China have been lifted. The foot-and-mouth disease-related restrictions have been in place since the August 2007 outbreak in Surrey.

After a combined effort between Defra, UK industry and the British Embassy in Beijing, the Chinese authorities have announced completion of their risk assessment and lifted their restrictions allowing UK exports to recommence.

The Chinese announcement provides an exclusion window of 7 July 2007 to 7 August 2008. UK products manufactured outside of these dates can be exported to China where agreed export certification exists.

Health Certificates are being made available for export to China of breeding pigs, sheep skins, cattle hides, greasy wool and dairy products.

Tuesday, August 12, 2008Print This Page
EU Pig Prices: Markets Stable
EU - This week, the European pigs-mature-for-slaughter market is stabilising across the EU. Quotations are reported to remain largely unchanged with the meat business being steady.



Compared with the other European countries’ prices, the pigs-mature-for-slaughter prices are gaining importance in Great Britain as a result of the British pound presenting itself weaker, reports Schweine.net.

On the German market, the price level of a corrected €1.75 per kg slaughter weight could be pushed successfully despite the slaughter companies’ pressure exerted at the beginning of last week. Pigs mature for slaughter are being sold without problems. Exports towards Eastern Europe do not allow for price increases at this point in time.

In Belgium alone, the pigs-for-slaughter prices cannot be maintained. There, slight markdowns need to be accepted.

Corrected prices this week (week 33) ranged from €1.495 per kilo in Denmark to €1.797 in Italy, continuing the trend from last week. No prices were reported from Poland or the Czech Republic.

Many discussions have been held within the EU regarding the abolition of export allowances for fresh as well as frozen pork. But there is no need to worry because the allowances are still paid for contracts which have already been agreed.

Supply is expected to be reduced as a result of declining pig stocks, down to a level which the market can accept.

Trend
In some countries, the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary is celebrated this week. However, no one expects supply to accumulate - the more so as daily growth is decreasing in southern Europe as a consequence of high temperatures.

In general, the prices are expected to continue to be steady.

Thursday, August 14, 2008Print This Page
Industry Expands While Pork Consumption Slows
CHINA - Joel Haggard, Senior Vice President of Asia Pacific Region of the US Meat Export Federation (USMEF) reports that pig numbers have shown a double-digit increase compared to a year ago and there are 22 per cent more sows. So while production is up, consumption has slumped as the Chinese are watching the Olympics rather than eating out.



With hundreds of millions glued to home television sets and factory canteens running on low speed, the normal summer lows of pork consumption are being exacerbated by China’s hosting of the Olympic games. This lull comes as China’s hog herd has expanded close to double-digit levels year on year, with producers responding to strong industry profitability over the past nine months.

Reports from USMEF offices in China point to a negative 'Olympic impact' on pork consumption. The effect is more pronounced in Beijing, where tourists have not offset the sharply reduced local customer traffic in many restaurants. Some have even chosen to close for the three-week run of the Olympic games. USMEF-China also notes that urban clean-up campaigns linked to Olympic events have curtailed street-hawker activity. As a result, huge volumes of imported pork and poultry products have stacked up in Chinese cold stores, with some facilities reporting 100 percent capacity. National distribution of imports has also been affected by the Olympics, as increased security on roadways has slowed product movement. Finally, falling domestic prices have narrowed the spread between the wholesale prices for imported pork and local products.

Domestic boneless fresh pork prices in large urban areas have dropped between 15 percent and 20 percent from the high point reached in February 2008. In late July, China’s ministry of agriculture announced that its total mid-year live hog inventories have increased by more than 9 percent from year-ago levels. More importantly, sow numbers are up 22.5 percent.

With hog numbers surging and consumption weak, hog-raising profitability is dropping quickly. Analysts note that production costs of RMB 14/kg ($93/cwt) are fast approaching the recent live slaughter hog market price of approximately RMB 14.5/kg ($96/cwt). Moreover, large stocks of imported pork, plus continued anti-inflationary releases of U.S. pork from the government’s strategic reserves, are adding a bearish tone to the market. A drop in piglet prices over the past week is an indication of the loss of enthusiasm about the near-term outlook for the market. Reports of swine fever and other disease outbreaks are also adding to negative producer sentiment. However, if piglet prices keep falling - along with feed prices, which have also been drifting lower in recent weeks after large jumps earlier in the year - hog production breakevens will drop. This is likely to partially offset the decline in the live hog and pork market.

The Chinese government has announced significant subsidies for investors in development of large-scale hog farms. Over the past three months, USMEF is aware of at least six major company announcements of intentions to invest in these large-scale farms. Among these announcements are reports of major investments by Goldman Sachs - which already has a stake in China’s two largest meat processors - and Deutsche Bank.

China's interest in building new farms is also evidenced by a sharp increase in imports of breeding hogs. For the first six months of 2008, China imported almost 4,600 breeding hogs - four times its average pace over the last three years. China hopes large-scale farms can help smooth out the country’s roller-coaster hog market, which sees the quick entry and exit of tens of thousands of producers at different stages of the production cycle.

Although the bullishness of the hog market over the past year may be poised for a reversal, there is a silver lining. China announced yesterday that its consumer price index dropped to a 10- month low of 6.3 percent in July. Last month's increases in food prices, which account for one-third of China’s inflation index, moderated to 14.4 percent, with meat prices rising 16 percent. Slower inflation of food prices is welcome relief for China’s leaders, who face headwinds with rising raw material and labor costs, slowing exports, and a near collapse of stock prices. The appreciation of China's currency has stalled over the past month, and analysts are still betting that following the Olympics, China's leadership will eliminate some of the market intervention measures it imposed on non-food items.

U.S. pork and pork variety meat exports continued their surge in June, with 54,352 metric tons being shipped to China/Hong Kong – nearly four times the June 2007 total of 14,115 metric tons. As the largest volume destination for U.S. pork exports, China/Hong Kong led worldwide U.S. pork exports to a record-setting first half of 2008. Shipments to China/Hong Kong reached 254,445 metric tons - valued at $439.8 million – during this period. However, South China traders are now stating that because of full cold stores, falling domestic prices, and weak demand, there is margin pressure on new products arriving from the United States.

Thursday, August 14, 2008Print This Page
Annual Farm Input Costs Soar
UK - Farm input costs have soared by 30% in the past year, according to stark statistics due to be released next week.



The latest Agricultural Inflation Index will show dramatic price increases for major inputs including fuel, fertiliser and feed, as well as seed and machinery.

The figures are prepared every six months by the eastern counties farmer-owned buying group, Anglia Farmers, and reported by FWI.


Soaring costs
Director and Norfolk farmer, Jim Alston, said costs had soared since the group released its last six-monthly ag-inflation figure of 16.65% at the end of March.

"The full year's figures are just about complete and if you double the six-month figure, you come close to what the full year will look like," he added.

"Six months ago, it was felt that farm input prices were reaching a peak.

"Unfortunately, this has been far from the case and the rate of increase has been maintained in the second half of the year."


 

Friday, August 15, 2008Print This Page
Huge Chinese Deal for ACMC
GLOBAL - British pig-breeding company ACMC Ltd has clinched a major deal - worth over half a million pounds sterling - to deliver genetically advanced pigs to China, the world's largest pig-producing nation.

 

ACMC is supplying 525 breeding animals to a pig production, processing and retailing company, the ShiJiaZuang Shuang Ge Food Co Ltd from Shijiazhuang City in HeBei Province, which is using them to establish a brand new nucleus unit on a green-field site.



ACMC chairman, Stephen Curtis, shakes hands with Madam Gao Qiuju, head of the Shuang Ge Food Co Ltd, at a ceremony in China arranged to mark the pig-breeding deal.As well as providing pigs for its own use, the company will also be supplying improved breeding animals to other pig farmers within the Province, under a 15-year franchise arrangement. Once established, the stock will be able to produce over one million slaughter pigs annually - normally finished at around 110 kg liveweight - to help feed the Province's human population of 64 million.

Delivery of the animals - which includes Meidam and Volante damlines and Vantage FC sirelines - is scheduled to start this October. ACMC will be providing technical support for the nucleus herd's genetic and general management programme in addition to a regular supply of up-to-date genes in the form of semen.



Stephen Curtis, chairman of ACMCIronically, the ACMC Meidam is an improved version of the super-prolific, but fat, Meishan breed which was imported from China over 20 years ago to boost output from native European breeds. By selective breeding ACMC were able to combine this valuable trait with a high rate of lean tissue growth and efficient feed conversion and this was a big attraction to the Chinese buyers.

The ShiJiaZuang Shuang Ge Food Co Ltd, which was state owned until early 2006, is now privately owned by its 800 employees and ACMC will have an equity share. It is also opening a new slaughterhouse capable of processing 1,000 pigs a day.

"This very progressive company already farms 2,000 sows and it is looking to help meet China's demand for pork which is increasing rapidly as its GDP grows," commented ACMC's chairman Stephen Curtis, who personally negotiated the deal.

Monday, August 18, 2008Print This Page
Pig Prices Highest Since March 2007
AUSTRALIA - Over-the-hooks pork and bacon prices are currently the highest since March 2007 and sow prices have been better than ever since November 2007.



Prices have lifted on the back of reduced supplies, after the flat price period earlier, from February through to May.

More recently, the reduced value of the $A has improved demand from export customers as well, according to Farmonline.

The lower $A has also increased the buying price of imports entering the domestic market, improving the competitiveness of Australian growers.

Prices typically peak in the lead up to Christmas, with legs and middles currently easy to move at wholesale, while shoulders are harder to shift.

Carton product is also harder to move than is broken product. This has occurred as retail demand has been quieter over the past few weeks.

Currently, the national over-the-hooks bacon price stands at 269¢/kg cwt and pork at 298¢/kg cwt.

This is 25¢ and 35¢/kg cwt higher, respectively, than in mid-July last year, when prices reached their last major low point.

The national backfatter sow price has shown a more stable trend since last year, although a rise of 10¢/kg since the beginning of July has kicked the indicator up to 118¢/kg cwt.

Monday, August 18, 2008Print This Page
Chilean Pork Factories Quarantined
CHILE - The Chilean Health Ministry quarantined four additional pork factories last Thursday after Canadian health officials confirmed high levels of the carcinogenic chemical dioxin in their pork meat products.



A previous announcement ups the number of Chilean pork factory quarantines to ten, restricting local and exported meat sales.

Public Health Undersecretary Jeannette Vega confirmed that all infected meat will be destroyed, which includes sacrificing live pigs testing positive for higher than normal dioxin levels.

According to Mercopress, in early July, South Korea detected higher than permitted levels of dioxin in a package of imported Chilean pork and eliminated the rest of the packages received. Shortly there after, South Korean officials placed a ban on Chile's pork imports.

Dioxin is measured in the pig's fat by picograms, which is one trillionth of a gram. For pig meat to pass South Korean health standards, it must not contain more than 2 picograms.

In the Santa Anita Chilean pork factory, one of the factories that have already been quarantined – health officials found 36.7 picograms of dioxin in pig fat, a figure more than 1,800% above South Korean health standards.

In late July, Japan also declared a temporary suspension of Chilean pork imports due to the South Korean incident. This is a severe blow to Chile's pork export industry, as Japan represents one of Chile’s three most important export markets, consuming 33 percent of total Chilean pork in 2007.

Still, Chilean authorities have not completely controlled pork meat circulation within the country. The director of the Health Ministry's investigation, Doctor Helia Molina, said that there is no way the government can determine if infected meat has been sold to the public.

“We don't take samples of meat that is already on the market, only in the factories,” said Molina. “We are trying to take the precautions so that meat with dioxin does not reach the public. However, it is most likely that there has been some consumption the infected meat in small proportions.” The Santiago Times

Monday, August 18, 2008Print This Page
African Swine Fever Spreads in Georgia
GEORGIA - The spread of African swine fever [ASF] in Northern Ossetia, Georgia is a greater threat than avian flu says a report.

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Managing Pig Health and the Treatment of Disease
 An outbreak in the region has resulted in more than 1500 animals dying as a result of the disease according to a recent unconfirmed report on RSOE EIDS. In spite of the state of emergency declared in Northern Ossetia, the spread continues.

Experts predict that the disease will soon cover the whole country without effective means to control it.

The first cases of this exotic disease has also been recorded in the Orenburg region. The disease is carried by swine and can be spread [mechanically] by humans, animal feed and transport [vehicles].

Astrakhan veterinarians are already preparing for the possible advance of the deadly disease, and local officials there have increased security measures.

The authorities are applying a radical approach, appealing to the local population to slaughter their pigs and immediately consume their meat as a matter of urgency.

Tuesday, August 19, 2008Print This Page
Plentiful Feed Grains Help Boost Pork and Poultry Output
BRAZIL - Production of pork and poultry meat are expected to grow significantly for this year and continue upwards - but more slowly - in 2009.



An official source reports that this is due to easy availability of locally produced feed ingredients, maize and soybean meal, which are expensive and in short supply in other countries.

Despite not reaching record levels, consistently high harvests of these crops in recent years mean that the country has been able to accumulate increasing stocks of these vital raw materials.

As a result of this and strong demand for meat, producers have an incentive to raise their output.

They are not immune from rising prices in the medium term but a slowdown in price rises during 2009 is predicted. A fall in price is thought to be unlikely, even in Brazil, as long as the global supply and demand situation remains unbalanced.

Prices in 2008 are predicted to be 52 per cent higher for pork and 18 per cent higher for poultry meat than last year. Increases for next year are expected to be 8.8 per cent and 9.9 per cent for pork and poultry meat, respectively.

This year, it is predicted that output of pork will be 3.0 per cent higher than last year, and poultry meat 2.5 per cent higher. For 2009, further rises of 1 per cent and 2.54 per cent are expected for pork and poultry, respectively.

Wednesday, August 20, 2008Print This Page
Czech Republic Pig Breeding Loses Self-Sufficiency
CZECH REPUBLIC - The Czech Republic is losing self-sufficiency in pig breeding which will lead to growth in pork imports in the coming years. This, it is felt, will have a negative impact on pork prices.



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"Farmer prices of pigs have to be raised to stop the decline [in pig stocks] because if this continues, consumers will pay the price." 
Agricultural Chamber president Jan Veleba
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According to Agricultural Chamber president Jan Veleba, pork producers now cover only 60 percent of domestic pork consumption and in a year or two, the share may drop to just 50 percent.

Pig stocks in the country decreased by 14 percent on the year which will have a large impact on grain producers as they will lack buyers. Processors will be affected as well, and employment will fall.

"It will have an impact on consumers. When we lose competitiveness, the price will be completely different," Veleba said.

The trend has lasted for over two years. The fall in pig stocks registered in the country in the second quarter of the year is the biggest of all EU countries, Veleba said.

"Farmer prices of pigs have to be raised to stop the decline [in pig stocks] because if this continues, consumers will pay the price," Veleba said.

According to the Chamber's data, since the start of the crisis, losses of pig breeders have got near Kc4.5bn.

However, retailers raised their margins by one third in the period, the Chamber said.

The deficit in Czech foreign trade in pork reached Kc4.98bn last year. As much as 130,000 tonnes of meat was imported last year, eight times more than in 2001.

Farmers claim that talks with the Agriculture Ministry have brought no results thus far.

Wednesday, August 20, 2008Print This Page
Dacheng Wins Initial Judgment over Lysine to US
GLOBAL - China's largest lysine producer Dacheng Group has won an initial judgment by the United States International Trade Commission (USITC) in a recent patent infringement case.



The ruling means Dacheng group can continue exporting lysine to the US, according to an official source in China.

Lysine is an essential amino acid that cannot be synthesized in the body and must be absorbed by nutrition. Commercially it is an important feed additive for swine and poultry. Without enough lysine, pigs and chickens suffer stunted growth, stress, and low meat yield.

Ajinomoto Heartland LLC and Ajinomoto Co Inc, two of six companies affiliated with Ajinomoto Animal Nutrition group, a Japan-based global leader of feed-grade amino acid manufacturer, filed a complaint with the USITC in 2006.

It alleged that the lysine and L-Lysine products of Dacheng group exported to the US infringed two of Ajinmoto's registered patents in the US.


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'Dacheng's lysine products account for about 30 per cent of the world's lysine market and 70 per cent of the domestic market.' 
 
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The initial determination was made on July 31, in which Charles E. Bullock, Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) of USITC found that Ajinomoto could not enforce two patents covering the technology for efficiently producing the lysine feed grade because the patent specifications provided by Ajinomoto did not include sufficient details.

According to the US patents law, the patent specification must 'describe' the claimed invention in sufficient detail to 'teach others how to make and use the invention'. If a claim includes devices, compositions, processes that are not described or are not enabled by the specification, the claim is invalid.

Sources from the Ajinomoto web site says the group is 'disappointed' with the decision and has appealed the decision. A final ruling is expected by December 1.

Before 1998, lysine production was monopolized by large foreign enterprises, says Li Weigang, assistant general manager of Dacheng group.

Most lysine in China was imported from the US, Japan and South Korea. The price per ton sometimes averaged about 50,000 yuan (RMB).

"Through our persistent innovations through the years, we have developed our own technology to produce the lysine products, which are very popular in both home and abroad," Mr Li says.

At present, Dacheng's lysine products account for about 30 per cent of the world's lysine market and 70 per cent of the domestic market.

The price decreased to RMB12,000 per ton, which greatly lowers the cost of domestic livestock feed production and boosts the development of the feed industry, he says.

Unlike many Chinese companies in a similar situation, Dacheng group had an active response to Ajinmoto's accusation.

"We hired three lawyers from the US and one from China immediately after we decided to raise a defense. The team was vital to our winning the initial determination," Mr Li explained.

"The legal process took more than two years. This is rare in the history of the USITC, as most investigations are concluded within 12 to 15 months," he added.

Dacheng group has exported about $9 million worth of lysine products to the United States.

"Though the exports to the United States only accounts for small proportion of our annual profits, we see a profitable future in the American market," Wang Dehui, general engineer of the Dacheng Group, says.

Mr Wang also points out that Dacheng group is the first Chinese company to win a case regarding section 337 of the US Tariff Act of 1930.

The bulk of Section 337 cases involve infringements of US patents and trademarks as well as other intellectual property issues.

Statistics from the Ministry of Commerce show that since 1986, 53 investigations under section 337 have been conducted on Chinese products by the USITC, among which 88 percent are concerned with patents and brands.

USITC is the relevant agency that investigates Section 337 violations, and it can issue cease and desist or exclusion orders.

The accused party will lose the right to export the related products to the US if it does not respond to the suit or loses the judgment.

Section 337 investigations have relatively short time terms, but the high expense often keeps some small-scale Chinese companies away and forces them to give up the US market.

Experts say an increasing number of Chinese companies which export goods to the US, such as batteries, wood flooring, writing materials, ink cartridges and chemicals become the defendants of the section 337 inquiries.

"Investigation of section 337 is a long and difficult task," says Liu Limin, vice director of Changchun Intellectual Property Rights Bureau.

"Small Chinese companies should get a better understanding of the section 337 and wield the power of the business association to raise a defense as an active response to the accusation," Mr Liu says.

"Dacheng's victory is a great example for other Chinese companies. It finally shows that how international law can be successfully applied to protect their export business if you can handle it well.

"More people with expertise in IPR and international laws should be welcomed and cultivated in Chinese companies if they intend to export," he added.

And the ruling did teach people a lesson, says Wang Dehui, general engineer of the Dacheng Group, continues the article.

"Not until we were involved in the tough long case, did we realize the importance of patents," he said.

"During the past two years in response to the case, we applied for a large amount of patents to protect our own intellectual property rights.

"What's more, we established a set of strict IPR protection regulations inside our group, and also formed a panel of IPR specialists to strengthen management regarding commercial confidentiality and patents."

The Best Way to Predict Your Future is to Create It
Farmers at this year's Pig and Poultry Fair in the UK were tested over whether they believed the current market practices could deliver a sustainable future.

 

"We are now at a critical crossroads for the future of UK Pork Production, with unprecedented raw material prices and finally some retail price inflation, I believe the time has come for our industry to start making some positive decisions," says Rick Sanderson, PIC Pork Chain Business Development Manager.

Mr Sanderson questioned whether the focus should be solely on offering the customer a low-cost product that fits the supermarkets 'Every Day Lower Price' culture?

He also asked whether they should embrace the trend for Premiumisation and really focus on delivering a superior eating product?

 
Rick Sanderson, PIC Pork Chain Business Development Manager
"I believe the current path to market will not deliver us a sustainable future but what does the farmer think? At this year's Pig & Poultry Fair, we put this to the test," said Mr Sanderson.

"At PIC we have worked hard in the last two years focusing our products on specific markets having conducted our own consumer research.

"When asking consumers what the drivers of purchase were, we were pleased to find that the price of the product was only 4th in the list of priorities, with attributes such as colour, leanness and texture heading the list. This gives us great encouragement as a breeding company as we know that we can influence all of these traits through genetic improvement.

"The direction we take at these crossroads presents two key challenges; Will the consumer pay for a more premium product under the current economic climate and , more critically, can the British Farmer survive if he tries to compete on cost with the cheaper foreign imports?

At this year's Pig and Poultry Fair, PIC asked the farmers which direction they supported.

The genetics company devised a novel voting system, which was a popular central feature of the PIC stand.

 
PIC voting sphere at the Pig and Poultry Fair
"We asked farmers to place a red ball in the glass sphere for Meat Quality or a white ball for Cost of Production," said Mr Sanderson.

"Given today's economic pressures on our industry, it was surprising and extremely encouraging to see that just over 50 per cent of our farmers voted in favour of a Meat Quality focused UK Pork. They have faith in producing a quality product and if only the premium was available they would invest in this future.

"If we are going to produce this meat quality animal, how much of it will the UK consumer actually want to buy? There are some really exciting opportunities waiting to be explored to make pork more relevant to the UK consumer, as well as combating the biggest issue we have in terms of carcass utilisation."

PIC showcased a unique presentation using supermarket loyalty card data, which demonstrated these utilisation issues. For example, pork shoulder represents 33.5 per cent of the carcase in meat terms yet only 0.5 per cent of all supermarket consumers had purchased fresh pork shoulder in the past two years.

Likewise, just 2.5 per cent of these consumers had bought fresh pork belly, which along with the shoulder accounts for 50 per cent of all the meat on the carcase.

With the current weakness of the pound. Mr Sanderson said that this offer export opportunities for these cuts.

"However, as we have seen these past five years, this market is not always attractive or available. We must be innovative and in doing so, create products that fit the consumer need for ease of cook, short preparation times and provenance. We have highlighted products such as pork burgers, meat balls for pasta, pork ribs for BBQ and roasts and so the list goes on. These all come from 'unfashionable' cuts of the pig yet would add real value to the consumer," he said.

"So, the industry is full of ideas and ambition to take a new direction and help create a more sustainable future, based on real consumer demand and a product we can be proud of!"

Thursday, August 21, 2008Print This Page
Lawyer Fights Farms on Animal Welfare
AUSTRALIA - A lawyer hired by the federal government to examine Australia's animal welfare strategy says farmers are failing to make sound arguments in support of their practices.



Lawyer Geoff Bloom says animal industries around the world are preparing for tougher laws on welfare, cruelty, labelling and disclosure, reports ABC Rural.

He says that it is no longer good enough for farmers simply to attack animal rights groups who target how they treat animals.

Thursday, August 21, 2008Print This Page
Soya Alternative for Pigs Being Sought
UK - A research project has just started looking at creating a win-win situation for the British pig industry - a situation wherein costs are cut and environmental impact is lessened.



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"The benefits should be lower costs for producers and a better environment as this feed would not have to be transported anything like as far as soya." 
BPEX pig technical manager Dr Pinder Gill
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According to Farming UK, the £1.5 million Green Pig project is investigating the potential of using home grown legumes in the diets of growing and finishing pigs.

The Defra project brings together plant breeders and growers, pig feed manufacturers, producers and industry organisations such as BPEX

BPEX pig technical manager Dr Pinder Gill said: "The aim is to find an home-grown feed as an alternative to soya which will closely match the needs of a pig.

"The benefits should be lower costs for producers and a better environment as this feed would not have to be transported anything like as far as soya."

The three-and-a-half year project has three academic partners Scottish Agricultural College (SAC), University of Nottingham and National Institute of Agricultural Botany (NIAB)).

There is also support from ten partners: Union Nationale Interprofessionelle des plantes riches en Proteins (UNIP), BOCM Pauls, Evonik/Degussa, Genesis QA, Harbro, Premier Nutrition, Processors and Growers Research Organisation (PGRO), BPEX, Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) and the Soil Association. The overall project co-ordination rests with SAC and the project manager is Dr Jos Houdijk.

Monday, August 25, 2008Print This Page
AgFeed to Acquire Commercal Hog Farms
CHINA - AgFeed Industries, Inc., the largest commercial hog producer and the largest premix feed company in China, today announced that the Company has reached agreements to acquire 4 producing commercial hog farms in South China.



AgFeed expects these acquisitions to close in early September. All of the Company's acquired hog farms are immediately accretive to earnings. AgFeed is also in discussions with multiple other farms as potential acquisition targets.

AgFeed has sufficient cash on hand, a strong balance sheet as well as strong cash flows from operations to fund its current acquisition plans in 2008. In addition to these four farms, AgFeed intends to acquire no less than 5 to 10 additional producing hog farms before the end of 2008, to be funded from current cash flows. All of its hog farm acquisitions are immediately accretive to earnings.

Positive Business Outlook, Affirms 2008 Guidance
AgFeed currently experiences favorable market environment in its business -- declining raw materials input costs and greater operating efficiencies from operations. AgFeed affirms previously reported 2008 adjusted net earnings per share guidance of between $1.08 and $1.20 per share. AgFeed's recent appointment of a US hog industry executive Gerry Daignault as Chief Operating Officer adds depth to AgFeed's already strong management team.

Gerry Daignault, AgFeed's Chief Operating Officer, commented: "AgFeed is a well managed, leading commercial feed and hog producer in China. We are committed to product excellence and constant improvement in deriving greater margins. We are also very excited with the current progress that we have made in our strategic discussions with several global players. AgFeed is on track to further consolidate its market leader position in a highly profitable market environment in China. As I return to the US early this week, I look forward to continued communications with our shareholders and industry executives."

Commenting on Recent Unusual Market Activities
AgFeed has received numerous calls from concerned shareholders over the recent stock activity. AgFeed is not aware of any negative events that could impact its fundamental business or financial projections. AgFeed has noticed however significant discrepancies between the shares that appear to be listed the electronic DTC system and the shares that actually exist on the shareholder records held by AgFeed's transfer agent -- potentially as a result of heavy naked short selling in FEED. In contrast to an ordinary short sale where the seller borrows a stock and sells it, with the understanding that the loan must be repaid by buying the stock in the market (hopefully at a lower price), in a naked short sale, the seller doesn't actually borrow the stock, and fails to deliver it to the buyer.

Last month, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) said that it wants to ban the practice of naked short selling, and it announced a temporary ban on naked short sales of certain company shares. The SEC said that the practice is sometimes used to manipulate the price of a company's stock. SEC officials said that this procedure may have been used to drive down shares of various companies' price. The seller continuously hits the bid price and seeks to buy back shares from nervous shareholders who may sell simply because of a declining market price. In this regard, AgFeed believes that it may be a victim of this practice and has duly notified regulators, including the SEC. Meanwhile, shareholders may contact their stock brokers and request that their stocks not be used to assist short sellers.

Songyan Li, Ph.D., AgFeed's Chairman, commented: "Contrary to false market rumors, AgFeed's management and board members have not sold one single share of our stock. Our role as managers is to execute on our business plan and continue to deliver superb financial results. Our responsibility as corporate officers is to ensure that the best interest of our shareholders is protected and not continue to be hurt by stock manipulators. AgFeed is fully cooperating with regulatory agencies and shall provide full assistance in any possible investigation of these market manipulative actions."


 

Tuesday, August 26, 2008Print This Page
BNBBC Stands on Pig Farm Project
MALAYSIA - Maintenance of racial unity is to be considered key when the Barisan Nasional Backbenchers' Club (BNBBC) makes its stand on the proposed integrated pig farm in Sepang.



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"This project is right in the middle of 17 or 18 Malay villages. Even with the current operations, there are already 600,000 pigs being reared. There are more pigs than people in the area." 
Datuk Zulkifli Mohamad, Malaysian Muslim Solidarity Movement (PPPIM)
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BNBBC deputy chairman Datuk Bung Moktar Radin said no community would be violated.

Bung made this statement after receiving a memorandum protesting against the RM100 million project, which is planned for implementation on a 400ha site by the Selangor government.

The memorandum was presented to Bung by Datuk Zulkifli Mohamad on behalf of the Malaysian Muslim Solidarity Movement (PPPIM).

Bung said the BNBBC might consider raising a motion to debate the issue in Parliament.

Zulkifli said the memorandum was also presented to Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim on Aug 6 and to the Sultan of Selangor on Aug 20.

"We have yet to receive a reply from the MB's office. We are not against the project. What we want is for the project, along with current pig farm operations, to be relocated to a more suitable location.

"This project is right in the middle of 17 or 18 Malay villages. Even with the current operations, there are already 600,000 pigs being reared. There are more pigs than people in the area.

"We are proposing that the farm be relocated to an island, such as Pulau Ketam or even Pulau Babi," he said, referring to the former name of Pulau Besar, off the coast of Mersing, Johor.

Zulkifli said their lawyers were studying the possibility of taking the case to court.

Thursday, August 28, 2008Print This Page
Are Cloned Animals Next on the Menu?
EU - Dolly the sheep was the first and most famous animal clone, created back in 1996. Since then, cows, pigs, goats, horses, mice, cats and dogs have also been cloned. So should these animals be used for commercial purposes?





Will we soon be eating cloned animals?ot according to Parliament's Agriculture Committee. In June, they called for an EU ban on the cloning of animals for food. Next week MEPs will question the Commission about the issue during the first September plenary.

The general public first became aware of the cloning with the birth of Dolly - the first cloned animal. But the idea of eating meat or drinking milk from cloned animals is a different issue?

Cloned animals seen in global food chain by 2010
Cloning is not a commercial practice in Europe and as far as we know there are no cloned products in the European food chain, but according to the European Commission, products from clones are "on the verge of widespread commercial use" and are "expected to spread within the global food chain before 2010".

This is an issue of concern for MEPs on the Agriculture Committee. Chairman Neil Parish points to the problems cloned animals suffer. "These animals suffer from many more ailments and generally live far shorter lives. From an agricultural perspective, there are serious questions over the effect of this on the gene pool, making cloned animals far more susceptible to disease." For UK Green Caroline Lucas "the prospect of animals being cloned for food is a hugely worrying one and should be stopped in its tracks."

Commission to be grilled on the issue next week
The committee agreed a series of questions that it will put to the Commission on Monday. They are:

Does the Commission share the view that cloning adversely affects animal welfare?
Can the Commission provide long-term animal welfare and health indications for clones and their offspring?
What has the Commission done to date in order to inform consumers and promote public discussion on animal cloning?
Does the European Commission find the cloning of animals and their offspring for food ethically justified?
Does the Commission plan to come forward with concrete proposals to prohibit: animal cloning for food; imports of cloned animals, their offspring and semen; and products from cloned animals or their offspring?
Where do things stand?
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the US Food and Drug Administration have both said that there is no difference in food safety terms between food products from healthy clones and their progeny and healthy conventionally-bred animals. However the chair of the EFSA's scientific committee warned that there is a shortage of data on animal cloning and the European Group on Ethics is opposed on because of the problems suffered by the cloned animals.

Thursday, August 28, 2008Print This Page
Denmark Seeks Better Animal Welfare
DENMARK - The Danish government has just reached a political agreement with the Danish People’s Party and the Social-Liberals for improving the welfare of animals in herds and during transport.



The agreement’s objective is a considerable increase in welfare for Danish livestock in herds and during transport, as well as a strengthened veterinary preparedness, so cases of diseases and infections among livestock can be quickly and effectively dealt with.

The agreement covers:

Obligatory health advisory agreements for larger cattle and pig herds.
A new control concept based on risks and needs.
More intensive control of veterinarians.
Improved control of animal transports.
An intensified control of inspections of sows for shoulder wounds.
Strengthening of legal skills in the food regions’ administrations.
A strengthening and merger of the two ministerial teams that are deployed to control animal welfare and the use of medicine in herds.
The agreement is expected to ensure robust preventative measures for animal welfare and livestock diseases. The agreement also covers an effective and targeted effort towards livestock producers who lack the will or ability to maintain a high level of animal welfare and animal health.

The veterinary area also receives an additional 90 million kroner over the coming four years through the agreement. Compared with the present grant, this is an economic improvement of 15 to 20 per cent a year over the four years.

Thursday, August 28, 2008Print This Page
Poland Witnesses Huge Dive in Hog Numbers
POLAND - The last time the number of hogs in Poland was this low was back in 1984. As a result, bankruptcies are expected.



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"The decrease is dramatic. On the one hand it’s caused by falling hog prices, on the other – by growing feeder prices. Many farmers gave up raising animals. Many sows were killed so it may take up to two years to reach former levels of hog." 
Jerzy Majchrzak from Sokolow meat producer
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By the end of March, there were 15.7m of hogs in Poland. While the situation has been somewhat bad for many years, it is expected to get worse. Experts have no doubts about how soon, many meat companies will go bankrupt and prices will be heightened.

“The decrease is dramatic. On the one hand it’s caused by falling hog prices, on the other – by growing feeder prices. Many farmers gave up raising animals. Many sows were killed so it may take up to two years to reach former levels of hog,” Jerzy Majchrzak from Sokolow meat producer said.

In addition, cheap meat from the EU replaces Polish products, according to Puls Biznesu.

“The situation of Polish meat companies is very hard. The strongest ones will survive. We may expect many bankruptcies this year, especially of slaughter companies. There are over 1,000 of them in Poland while there is enough place for several hundreds only”, Wieslaw Rozanski, the CEO of the Union of Meat Industry Producers and Employers commented.

Hog prices will grow as well. The Agency of Agricultural Market expects that at the end of this year, pork prices will have grown 30 percent against 2007.

Friday, August 29, 2008Print This Page
All Eyes on the Chinese Pork Industry
CHINA - Malcolm Moore writes that major foreign investors are making a shrewd commodity play by buying into the pork industry.



An expected call from Goldman Sachs could change 59-year-old pig farmer, Zou Changkui's(who resides in the southern Chinese city of Longyan) life forever.

"I heard they have bought a lot of pig farms in Nanping, but they have not approached me yet," he said. But he has not lost hope. "If they want to buy my farm, I would say yes - providing we have a win-win agreement."

According to the Telegraph, the US investment bank has sent ripples through the Chinese pork industry after reportedly spending between £150m and £200m this month on a series of hoggeries in Fujian, Jiangxi and Hunan, the heart of China's green belt.

It may be an unorthodox investment, but Goldman Sachs is not the only major bank on the hunt for hogs. Last year, Deutsche Bank launched the DWS Global Shennong Fund specifically to invest in agriculture.

Jiang Hua, the chief executive of Hongbo, an enormous Shanghai-based pig farm, said the German bank wanted to buy a 30 per cent stake for £30m. Deutsche Bank is reportedly spending a similar amount for a slice of Baodi, a Tianjin hoggery.

Wang Chao, a 22-year-old from Jingyang, near Xi'an, said he had given up his college place to become a pig farmer. "I can sell one pig for 1,200 yuan or even 1,300 [more than £80]," he said. "The people I knew who graduated from my course were earning 1,500 a month."

Companies such as Agfeed, China's largest pig farmer, are declaring record profits. Two weeks ago, Agfeed, which is listed on the Nasdaq exchange, posted a 619 per cent rise in net profits for the second quarter of this year to £4.2m. "The Chinese population enjoys pork no matter what economic cycle the world is in," it noted dryly.

The company's strategy is to take advantage of an enormous restructuring of the pig farming industry, buying up small farms and merging them to form a huge, streamlined conglomerate. Traditionally, pigs were kept by every family and even now three-quarters of the country's swine are spread among micro-farms.

Li Songyan, the chairman of Agfeed, promised to buy at least four more farms in the second half of the year. "The hog shortages throughout China are presenting us with historical 'land-grabbing' growth opportunities," he said.

At least 600 medium-sized farms are potential acquisitions. Agfeed is determined to buy as many as possible, lifting its herd size from 400,000 to a hoped-for 1m. In April, the company snapped up 16 farms, paying from £500,000 to £3m each, depending on their size.

Agfeed said Goldman Sachs had noticed the opportunities being thrown up as the market restructures. "Our pig farming market is like the US in the 1960s or 1970s, with lots of small backyard mom-and-pop producers. There is a great opportunity to make money from scaling these operations up, but the entrance of these big foreign firms will mean more competition for us."

Goldman Sachs controls Shuanghui and Yurun, China's two largest meat-processing companies. Wilmar International, the Singaporean company which has more than 50 per cent of China's cooking oil market, has let prices triple in the past year, provoking widespread complaints.

Back in Longyan, Zou said he is "ready to retire" and wants to be bought out. But he had a warning for the foreign companies hoping to make a fortune. "Fujian has a good climate for pigs, they survive best here. But you have to manage your staff closely, because they are mostly poorly educated farm boys with no ambition. That's why medium-sized farms, not big ones, are most profitable," he said.

Saturday, August 30, 2008Print This Page
Better Things to Come in the Weeks Ahead ?
UK - In this week's Traffic Lights commentary, Peter Crichton says it was probably better for sellers to be out of the office in the morning and return in the afternoon because as the day passed by a generally firmer demand for pigs started to filter through in the market perhaps heralding signs of better things to come in the weeks ahead.




Although the DAPP took a very slight downwards step from 136.99p to 136.43p, most spot buyers operated at stand-on levels.

Lighter weight pigs also met more interest as some of the fresh meat wholesalers reported better high street uptake and hopes that now the holiday period is now drawing to a close with the schools back next week, better demand will kick in.

Spot bacon quotes at the heavy end of the trade to 95kg on a 14 probe were in the 132 – 134p region, but lighter weights and those on a tighter spec saw bids in the 136 – 138p area and cutters worth circa 140p.

Cull sow prices continue to edge ahead from the already dizzy 130p platform which has become an almost universal “base price” with premiums available for larger loads, but sellers need to check if they are selling on a flat rate of a weight/graded basis.

The rising value of the € has also done the United Kingdom pig industry a few favours and closed on Friday worth 80.7p compared with 79.7p a week ago.

Reports are also emerging that in many of the meat markets, European carcasses are now being priced at similar levels to their UK counterparts or in some cases are even dearer.

Bearing in mind that the average EU producer price is now equivalent to 136p for a much heavier and often fatter carcass with lower bottom line deductions, this effectively means that imported carcasses will in some cases be dearer than our own and could open the door to pigmeat exports from the UK unless domestic prices start to move ahead.

The weaner market is also demonstrating more confidence in the outlook for finished pigs for the last quarter of the year with the AHDB 30kg ex-farm quote now almost touching £43/head, but still well behind recent transactions which have seen 30kg weaners traded in the £45 - £48/head range.

Overall the British pig industry is now looking in much better health than it did a year ago when we were in the grip of foot and mouth and limited cull sow exports meant they were only worth 55 – 60p/kg, but are more than double that today.

The late August 2007 DAPP was quoted at 109.14p and ex-farm feed wheat last harvest was trading at £154/t.

But this should be no reason for premature celebration because as the autumn approaches retailers will no doubt be playing hardball with producer prices and the credit crunch may well result in meat being replaced by baked beans in some households

WA Pork Producers Poised to Face Tough Times
AUSTRALIA - Vigorous debate, mainly centred on feeding for profit, highlighted a dynamic and productive series of meetings and forums held by WA Pork Producers’ Association (WAPPA) last Friday as part of its annual industry day, which encompasses an annual general meeting, general meeting and forum.





WAPPA’s 2008 AGM/GM/Forum preceded a dinner for 140 people.


Enjoying WAPPA’s 2008 industry day are Rick Fice of Wesfeeds, Daph Kavanagh of APL and Ron Penn of PPC.Commenting at the annual industry dinner, attended by 140 people and which concluded 15 hours of discussion, debate and information exchange, retiring WAPPA President and Cuballing producer, Graeme Dent said WAPPA’s emphasis was now more on results and less on process and procedure.

“With input from members, Executive has adopted a no holds barred approach to tackling the issues that matter most to producers and we’ll solicit the services and views of the very best people to satisfy our needs and aspirations,” he said.

“Futher, we’ll challenge those in positions we believe can make a difference to our bottom lines.”

One such person challenged during Friday’s forum was Pork CRC CEO, Dr Roger Campbell, who was asked to outline what the Pork CRC, part funded by WA pork producers through fee for service contributions to the Agricultural Produce Commission, had achieved during its first three years.

Responding, a typically forthright Dr Campbell said producer margins could improve by as much as 25 cents/kg carcass weight, courtesy of outcomes from Pork CRC projects across its three programs.

“Last month, for example, we rigorously reviewed all programs to see where we’re at and, most importantly, to ensure producers continue to receive value for money and that our future investments will give producers the greatest returns,” he said.


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"As price takers, largely, pork producers can really only influence their bottom lines by reducing their costs and with grain costs rising, while still comprising maybe three quarters of our input costs, we continue to struggle." 
WAPPA President and Cuballing producer, Graeme Dent
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Dr Campbell added that from weaning to marketing, the greatest project returns had been in the finishing pig, in particular by lifting performance in its last four weeks.

“Several research projects showed that during this period, pigs can use as much as 40 per cent of the total feed used between weaning and marketing at 100-110 kg.

“Equally importantly, feed costs per kilogram of gain increase weekly in this period.

“This pig problem relates to declining feed efficiency with increasing weight and is worse for females.

“While the problem can be exacerbated by stresses such as temperature, the improvement window is large, simply because a 10 per cent improvement in feed efficiency during this period can improve total herd feed conversion by three to four per cent,” Dr Campbell explained.

Mr Dent said the focus of research and extension simply had to be at the production point where a difference could be made, as suggested by Dr Campbell. “As price takers, largely, pork producers can really only influence their bottom lines by reducing their costs and with grain costs rising, while still comprising maybe three quarters of our input costs, we continue to struggle.

“Tough decisions must be made now because grain prices are not going to come down,” Mr Dent warned.

“While we produce a top shelf fresh pork product, educating consumers to pay a premium, or at least to pay prices that match beef and lamb, is a real challenge.

“As farmers we must capture more of the consumer dollar or just pack up now and gift our industry to foreign suppliers, who’ve already made their intentions known.”

Speakers at WAPPA’s 2008 industry day included Dr Neil Gannon on feeding for profit, Bruce Edgerton of APL on bio-energy and climate change, Dr Trish Holyoake of the University of Sydney on peri-urban biosecurity and lessons from Denmark’s pork industry. www.wappa.com.au

EU Parliament Votes Against Animal Clones
EU - The European Parliament called for a ban in the EU on the cloning of animals for food supply. MEPs also urged an embargo on imports of cloned animals, their offspring and products derived from these sources.



The resolution was adopted by 622 MEPs in favour, 32 against and 25 abstentions, the House calls on the Commission "to submit proposals prohibiting for food supply purposes:

The House has now called on the prohibition of the cloning of animals, the farming of cloned animals or their offspring, the placing on the market of meat or dairy products derived from cloned animals or their offspring, and the importing of cloned animals, their offspring. Semen and embryos from cloned animals or their offspring, and meat or dairy products derived from cloned animals or their offspring have also been rejected."

Animal health problems and risks for the European quality model
The text refers to the health, welfare and higher mortality problems of cloned animals and their surrogate dams recently highlighted by several groups of European experts, including the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the European Group on Ethics. MEPs also stress that cloning would significantly reduce genetic diversity within livestock populations, increasing the possibility of whole herds being decimated by diseases to which they are susceptible.

In addition, the European Parliament fears that use of cloning techniques would harm the image of the European agricultural model, which is based on product quality, environment-friendly principles and respect for stringent animal welfare conditions. They also point out that Directive 98/58/EC on the protection of farm animals bans natural or artificial procedures which are likely to cause suffering or injury to any of the animals concerned.

Currently no products derived from cloned animals are sold in Europe or the rest of the world. However, experts believe that such products could reach the market by 2010. A moratorium on the sale of this type of product, introduced in the USA in 2001, was challenged by the US Food and Drug Administration, which concluded in January that meat and milk from clones of cattle, pigs and goats and their offspring are as reliable as those of traditionally bred animals.

European Commission quizzed
During their debate yesterday evening, MEPs quizzed the European Commission on its position and its plans as regards animal cloning. "Not only is it a case of food safety, we in Europe believe that we are producing food quality products", EP Agriculture Committee Chairman Neil Parish (EPP-ED, UK) said. "It is also a question of animal welfare and consumer confidence" and there is a "risk of producing less strong and healthy animals". He stressed "we have to look at this seriously".

Mr Parish said: "Cloning entails serious health and welfare problems for clones and their surrogate dams; animal health problems come from invasive techniques required to produce a clone; there is the suffering of surrogate dams which carry cloned foetuses, and high levels of ill health and mortality in early life for cloned animals. I call on the Commission to submit proposals prohibiting the cloning of animals in the food supply and the placing of cloned animals on the market in meat and dairy products."

Androula Vassiliou, the Commissioner for health and food safety, said that the Commission was closely following scientific developments in this area and "is aware that even though the efficiency of animal cloning has improved over the last years, adverse health effects on animal health and welfare still occur today". The Commission "is now evaluating the necessary steps to be taken" and "takes ethical considerations fully into account", including the opinion of the European Group of Ethics which "advocated that at the moment there are no convincing arguments to justify the production of food from clones and their offspring". "According to global trade rules, imports of food products from third countries might be suspended if they present a serious threat to animal or public health. On the basis of the studies conducted and the opinion of EFSA, the Commission will consider whether restrictions must be imposed", she added.

Friday, September 05, 2008Print This Page
The IGF2 Effect in Young Piglets
BELGIUM - Researchers of the Universities of Leuven and Gent in Belgium, showed that piglets that inherited the IGF2 mutation from the sire produce more IGF2 in muscles.



This extra IGF2 production is associated with a higher muscle development. The effect is already present in young piglets and in early developing muscles such as the masseter muscle.

A better developed masseter muscle can improve colostrum intake that positively influences neonatal piglet survival. This effect provides a possible explanation for the increased vitality of piglets sired by boars homozygous for the IGF2 mutation.

Monday, September 08, 2008Print This Page
Boar Taint: An Understanding of What It is
GLOBAL - Boar taint is an offensive odour which is released from pork when it is cooked.

 

The amount of taint varies from pig to pig but is particularly high in meat from intact adult males. Some people are more sensitive to the presence of taint than others and those who find it offensive say that the smell resembles urine, faeces, musk or onions.

 
The taint is caused by compounds that accumulate in the fat as male pigs become sexually active. There are two main taint compounds:

androstenone, a male pheromone produced in the testes
skatole, a by-product of bacterial activity in the gut
The level of androstenone is directly influenced by the activity of the testes and thus increases dramatically as the pig reaches puberty. Skatole is produced in the gut of both male and female pigs, but the breakdown of skatole absorbed into the body is inhibited by sexual steroids – so it also tends to accumulate in male pigs as the testes start to produce more testosterone at puberty.

Traditionally, pork producers have used physical castration of male piglets as the primary method of controlling boar taint. Although this method does not reduce the risk of taint 100%, it does reduce it sufficiently for meat from barrows to be routinely sold, although some speciality butchers, in Asian countries, will only sell meat from female pigs. Globally, about 95% of male pigs are castrated as piglets.

However, the control of boar taint using physical castration has a number of drawbacks:

Production losses due to infection, injury and herniation
Reduced feed conversion compared to intact boars
Carcass that has less lean and more fat compared to intact boars
Pain and stress for the animal
In some markets, such as the UK, male pigs are not castrated but slaughtered early, before there is a great risk of boar taint compounds accumulating in the meat. However, this means that producers cannot reap the benefits of the rapid growth rates of the late finishing stage and pork quality can suffer. Other methods of boar taint control which have been suggested include using sexed semen to raise female pigs only (again losing out on the boar-like growth and higher carcass weights), or breeding ‘low taint’ pigs. The use of special diets to reduce the risk of taint and chemical analysis of meat on the slaughter line to spot and remove tainted carcasses, have also been considered. So far, only one of these alternative methods for controlling boar taint has been proven and adopted in the commercial environment – vaccination

Monday, September 08, 2008Print This Page
German Producers Fear New Red-Tape Tranche
GERMANY - The German government has angered pig producers by proposing a whole new bureaucratic structure for pig housing equipment.


It plans to outlaw pig producers from installing any equipment that hasn’t first been evaluated and certified by an "animal welfare technical control board".

Producers say this will be a costly, bureaucratic process which will reduce their competitiveness in Europe.

They point out that European law adequately covers animal welfare and there is no need for the German government to introduce damaging unilateral legislation of this nature.

Monday, September 08, 2008Print This Page
AgFeed to Open 900th Premix Distribution Chain
CHINA - AgFeed Industries, Inc., China's largest commercial hog producer and the largest premix feed company, today announced the opening of the 900th independently owned premix feed product distribution chain store in China exclusively distributing AgFeed brand premix feed products.



AgFeed has two profitable business lines - premix animal feed and hog production.

AgFeed sells its premix feed products directly to large commercial hog farms and through a unique independently owned chain store distribution network targeting the vast individual backyard hog market. Approximately 75% of China’s total 600 million annual hog production is from individual backyard hog farmers.

AgFeed is on track to meet or exceed its previously announced goal of being associated with a total of 1,000 independently owned chain stores by year - end 2008. Approximately 65% of AgFeed’s total premix feed sales are generated through such retail channels. AgFeed believes such channels build strong brand loyalty and generate greater profit margins by directly targeting end user retail customers.

AgFeed Benefits from Declining Commodity Prices and China’s Harvest of New Crops
Corn and soy bean meal are two major feed input costs for hog production. China is currently experiencing a year of good harvest in both domestic corn and soy bean crops. Prices for both commodity products have continued to decline and AgFeed is currently seeing expanded profit margins on hog production.

Hog prices in target markets of South China have increased steadily since cooler weather conditions in the fall and winter seasons are typically the strongest pork consumption months in China. Demand for live hogs continues to be strong. Market hogs are currently sold at more than $240 each based on 110kg in average weight.

Songyan Li, Ph.D., AgFeed’s Chairman commented: "AgFeed continues to execute well our growth plan. Declining hog feed input costs compared to the 2nd quarter and rising hog prices are within our expectations. Increased operating efficiency and excellent progress made in hog disease control measures at our hog farms are positively impacting our business. We look forward to continued strong financial performance."

onday, September 08, 2008Print This Page
Pig Breeding for Human Organ Transplants
UK - The Labour peer says the genetically modified organs are the best solution to tackle the shortage of organs needed. Records show that almost 8,000 British patients are waiting for an organ.



The method of transplanting animal organs – xenotransplantation – is hugely controversial, as has been tried before with limited success. Many of the organs were rejected by the patients' immune system.

He said: "Pigs' organs are the right size for human transplantation, and they work similarly to human organs. Of course this raises a moral problem, but it is much more ethical to use a pig to save a human life than to use it for relatively unnecessary meat eating."

The government is considering imposing presumed consent, whereby organs would be taken from the dead unless they had specifically expressed a wish not to give them away, although, according to the Telegraph, experts say this will not solve the problem.

The pigs will be bred with about six human genes to prevent patients rejecting their organs. Winston's team will need to prove that the pig organs can be sufficiently modified to survive long-term in the human body.

He says his method could see hundreds of genetically modified pigs reared simultaneously for their organs. Organs could be taken from pigs as young as one year.

Lord Winston is moving the research project from Britain to America after British regulations and a shortage of funding prevented experiments here. The pigs will be bred in Missouri

Friday, September 12, 2008Print This Page
Nedap Technology to Boost Pork Production
CHINA - As Beijing Olympic Games started in August 2008, Taifeng Livestock, the Chinese dealer of Nedap Velos Electronic Sow Feeding (ESF), finished China’s first installation in Chenzhou, Hunan Province. This is a project of 1,200 sow unit which includes 15 sow feed stations and 12 heat detection units.



In this project, the farm is divided into 3 completely separated sections. Each section is a small unit of 400 sows, and is equipped with 1 Nedap Velos Electronic Sow Feeding system which includes 4 heat detection units and 5 sow feed stations.



 In 5 static groups the feeding stations provide individual feeding for 50 sows.

Nedap Velos ESF combines animal friendly group housing for gestating sows with feed savings trough individual feeding. By automating predictable routines, labor is being reduced.

In China’s evolutionary pork industry, Nedap Velos ESF system will definitely enhance pigs’ welfare, increase productivity of entire industry and improve livestock management level in China. At the end of August 2008 China’s first batch of gilts have been introduced to this innovatory livestock management system. Finishing China’s first installation is only a start of the wonderful adventure for Nedap Velos ESF system in China, which is just like Beijing Olympics.



The Nedap Velos heat detector which provides attention and marking of all sows on heat is used for two reasons. Firstly it detects the occurrence of returning sows. Secondly at this farm it is used as a tool for detecting the heat in weaned sows.

Friday, September 12, 2008Print This Page
Surge in Pig-breeding Stock Exports to Spain
UK - Yorkshire-based international pig-breeding company ACMC reports a surge in exports to Spain, since the foot-and-mouth disease restrictions were lifted.

 
Since January this year the company has been making regular monthly shipments of breeding stock - Meidam GPs, Vantage Ultra boars and AC1 gilts - amounting to 800 animals worth over £180,000.

These have been used to meet increased sales from a 7,300-sow operation in the Aranda de Duero region of northern Spain, owned by Marcial Chico, which also has its own nucleus unit.

A new 640-sow commercial unit near Segovia has recently been constructed and built to EU 2013 standards in terms of welfare. Sows are group-housed on straw, a novelty in Spain.

"Spanish commercial pig farmers have been impressed with their temperament, hardiness and prolificacy under this system and the fact that performance figures are being maintained," commented Matthew Curtis, managing director of ACMC.

Mothering ability has also been a feature. Overall, the Spanish company has been averaging more than 25 pigs sold per sow per year - an impressive figure from 7000+ sows. Since switching to ACMC stock using Vantage Ultra boars, feed conversion rate on commercial finishers has improved by 0.2, he reports.

Friday, September 12, 2008Print This Page
Govt. Urged Look into 'Unprecedented Crunch'
TAIWAN - A lawmaker has urged the central government to look into what he called an "unprecedented crunch" facing Taiwan's pig farmers whose livelihoods have been seriously affected by rising feed prices and steep falls in pork prices.



Speaking at a news conference, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmaker Pan Meng-an asked the government to reduce pork imports to help stabilize pork prices in Taiwan.

During the first five months of this year before President Ma Yin jeou came to power, pork imports were maintained at a level between 1,000-1,2000 tons per month, he said.

However, The China Post reports that after Ma assumed office May 20, pork imports surged to 2,700 tons in June, 4,000 tons in July and 4,900 tons in August -- causing pork prices in the domestic market to plummet rapidly despite the fact that almost all other product prices were still rising, he said.

Pork prices picked up to NT$7,729 per 100 kilograms in early June before plunging to the current level of between NT$6,200 and NT$6,400 (US$200), according to Pan.

Friday, September 12, 2008Print This Page
Intervet/Schering-Plough: New Vaccine, High Payback
UK - Porcilis® COLI 6C, a sow vaccine developed to protect piglets against E. coli and Clostridium perfringens via antibodies in the colostrum, has been added to Intervet / Schering Plough's range of pig vaccines.

 

The new vaccine provides broad protection against these pathogens which are frequently found in outdoor and straw based pig production systems.

The formulation of Porcilis® COLI 6C is identical to that of GLETVAX® 6, a vaccine that was recently acquired by Pfizer from Schering-Plough as part of a product divestiture programme. Like its forerunner, sows only require a single booster dose of the new Porcilis® vaccine, which makes it simple for farmers to incorporate this new product into their existing vaccination programmes. Incoming gilts and previously non-vaccinated sows will require two doses of the vaccine for the primary course.

John Richardson of Intervet / Schering Plough says that the new vaccine is a very useful addition to the comprehensive Porcilis® range.

"The loss of a single pig due to E.coli or Clostridial scours is equal to the cost of protecting 146 pigs by the vaccination of just 13 sows. So the strategy of using this vaccine does offer a very high payback on investment," he adds.

Porcilis® COLI 6C is available from pig veterinarians and animal health product retailers. It is supplied in 50 ml vials (10 doses) and can be easily and accurately administered using Intervet / Schering Plough's high-quality, automatic, vial-mounted 5ml fixed dose vaccination gun.

Thursday, September 11, 2008Print This Page
Pigs in Pain: Castration Hurts
DENMARK - A piglet experiences pain when it is castrated and anaesthesia only solves part of the problem.



Does a male piglet experience pain when the testicles are removed during the castration process? And would any pain be reduced by the provision of, for example, a local anaesthetic?

The Danish Animal Welfare Council asked scientists at the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences at the University of Aarhus to find answers to these questions based on available scientific knowledge. The results have recently been published in a Danish report.



Castration is painful for the pig even when it is only a few days old.
(Photo: Janne Hansen)It does hurt, confirms senior scientist Mette S. Herskin from the Department of Animal Health, Welfare and Nutrition at the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences. She studies behaviour in animals in pain and has recently started working on a project involving tail docking of pigs.

It is possible, but very difficult to say anything specific about how much, for how long and where the pain is felt.

You cannot simply ask an animal if it hurts, and there is no single pain indicator – a ”golden standard” – neither in their behaviour nor physiologically that can be used as a direct and unequivocal measure of how much pain an animal is experiencing, she explains.
No easy pain indicator
There are substances in the blood that can assist as indicators, but there is no real ”pain hormone”. Besides that, pain and stress are very closely connected. It is the same areas in the brain that is activated and many pain reactions are the same as stress reactions. The pain experienced also depends on where in the body the pain is situated and the duration of the pain.

One way to differentiate between pain and stress arising from castration is by carrying out controlled studies. You can remove the pain by, for example, the provision of an anaesthetic. You can also catch and fixate the pig, just like for a real castration, but not actually castrate it. In both cases it is possible to separate pain responses and stress reactions.

There are rather few studies of pain in pigs despite the fact that they are frequently used in experiments and for pork production. It is mostly pets, horses and laboratory animals (as models for humans) that have been studied and you cannot necessarily transfer results from one animal species to another, says Mette Herskin.
Different kinds of pain
A very obvious reaction to castration is the pig’s squeal. Analyses of the frequencies of the squeal show that the squeal differs depending on whether the pig’ skin is being cut during surgery, the spermatic cords are being pulled, or they are being severed.

It can hurt the pig when the spermatic cords travelling to the testes are pulled, even if the pig is locally anaesthetized in the testicles, because the cords are attached further up in the abdominal region. It also hurts to be injected in the testicles in order to be anaesthetized and the anaesthetic does not have a full effect in all pigs, explains Mette Herskin.
Post-operative pain is also an issue. Even though there are only a few studies of pain in the period after castration, there are indications that the behaviour of the pigs is affected up to five days following the operation.

Effect of age
It was previously thought that it was best to castrate pigs at a young age, one of the reasons being that healing is faster. There are, however, no indications that newborn animals experience less pain. On the contrary, some experts are of the opinion that babies have an increased risk of heightened pain sensitivity following an operation due to changes in and damages to the nerve system

Thursday, September 11, 2008Print This Page
Import of Yorkshire Breeding Pigs to be Funded
CAMBODIA - A private company is set to import pigs from a breeder in Yorkshire, England, in a move that aims to improve agricultural production in Cambodia and for the satisfaction of increasing demand among consumers.



Mong Reththy, a Cambodian People's Party senator and co-chair of the Agricultural and Agro-Industry Working Group, said he will spend US$5 million to purchase and import the Yorkshire breeders.

"The only solution for meeting local demand for pork in the future is to import genuine breeders and distribute them to local pig raisers," said Mong Reththy, who heads the agribusiness company Mong Reththy Group.

The company is funding the purchase, Mong Reththy told a meeting of the Swine Business Forum on Wednesday.

"We will import 600 male and female breeders starting from December this year to February 2009," he said.

He added the breeding program would only be successful with the cooperation of local pig farmers.

The Swine Business Forum is sponsored by the Cambodia Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) project, a joint effort between the Ministry of Industry, Mines and Energy and USAID that works with pig raisers to improve cooperation, production methods and health standards.


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"We want participants in the swine value chain to see that pigs are a worthwhile and profitable enterprise." 
Reed Aeschliman, director of general development for USAID
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Chris Hundley, chief of party for Cambodia MSME, said the project's educational efforts have produced dramatic results. "The pig mortality rate used to be about 50 percent prior to taking them to markets," he told the Post Wednesday.

"Farmers lacked the necessary technical skills. They did not know what medicines to use or how to take care of their stocks." The current mortality rate is below 10 percent, he said.

The Phnom Penh Post reports that Kao Phal, director of the Animal Health and Production Department of the Ministry of Agriculture, welcomed the announcement of the breeding program and said it was an important step towards greater sustainability.

"It will help us better develop the livestock sector and reduce our need for imports from other countries," Kao Phal told the Post.

"Cambodia currently needs about 7,000 pigs per day for domestic consumption, and Phnom Penh alone needs 1,600 per day," he said.

Kao Phal said Cambodia currently imports about 800 pigs each day from Thailand.

"We are cooperating with the private sector and USAID to find the best solution for a sustainable pork supply in Cambodia," he said.

"We want participants in the swine value chain to see that pigs are a worthwhile and profitable enterprise," said Reed Aeschliman, director of general development for USAID.

Thursday, September 11, 2008Print This Page
Fat Flies on Hong Kong's Pork Prices
HONG KONG - Hong Kong's pork sellers have ignored the decline in prices they pay wholesalers for the city's most popular meat as they continue to sting wet market shoppers.



Despite a fall in prices in the mainland - where Hong Kong gets all its fresh pork - housewives are being charged the same price as before.

And a snap poll of wet market pork sellers yesterday suggested they have little intention of dropping the price any time soon.

China's consumer price index fell for the fourth straight month - to 4.9 percent year on year in August from 6.3 percent in July - taking inflation in the mainland to its lowest point in 14 months.

The downward trend has led to speculation that the Hong Kong government may offer tax cuts and the loosening of credit controls. Consumer watchdogs said there is room for some price relief on pork.

But Hong Kong Polytechnic University associate professor Lau Pui-king said the market prices for food and oil will remain the same in the short term.

The average wholesale price for live pigs yesterday was HK$1,080 per 100 catties compared with HK$1,188 on August 10 and HK$1,252 on July 10, according to the Food and Health Bureau.

Pork Traders General Association of Hong Kong deputy chairman Hui Wai-kin said the average pork wholesale price is about HK$1,000 - and HK$1,200 for that of higher quality - about 0.8 percent lower than the wholesale price in July.

However, prices could go lower if the supply of live pigs stabilizes, he said.

A pork vendor surnamed Lau at the Bowrington Road Market in Causeway Bay said the highest wholesale price last year was about HK$2,400 per 100 catties with a retail price of HK$48 per catty compared with the current wholesale price of HK$1,300 and a retail price of between HK$38 and HK$40 a catty.

"I did not lower the price when the wholesale price dropped to about HK$1,200 a month earlier as I did not want my customers to be dubious about the frequent price fluctuation," Lau said.

A housewife surnamed Lo urged meat vendors to reduce prices by 10 percent.

A spokeswoman for the Consumer Council said there is space for a general price reduction. Vendors can consider selling more products at lower prices while citizens may switch to substitutes such as chilled pork, she said.

Beatrice Siu for The Standard reports that data released yesterday showed the year-on-year increase in the mainland's consumer price index dropped to 4.9 percent last month, far below February's near 12-year high of 8.7 percent.

Thursday, September 11, 2008Print This Page
Pigs with Swine Fever-Resistant Gene Cloned
CHINA - Three cloned piglets with a generesistant to swine fever virus, a fatal livestock disease, have been born in northeast China's Jilin Province, according to reports made by researchers.

The piglets, weighing 1,050 grams, 1,100 grams and 550 grams, were born Wednesday afternoon in a pig farm of the Agriculture Department, Jilin University.

Experts said the piglets were the first with the gene against swine fever in the world.

Monday, September 15, 2008Print This Page
Pork Prices Likely to Fluctuate
CHINA - China's pork market might undergo dramatic fluctuations next year because of a growing pig surplus, a senior agriculture official reported.



The comments by Wang Zhicai, the Ministry of Agriculture's livestock husbandry division director, came at a time when the tight pork supply is easing.

The country had weathered months of skyrocketing pork prices since the blue ear virus spread throughout the country's pig population last year.

"Factors that may affect stable pig production in the aftermath have become increasingly apparent," said Wang last week.

While the pig population's rapid increase might lead to surplus pork supplies, rising feedstuff costs might diminish the industry's profitability.

"Without the adoption of proper measures, this might lead to a new wave of market fluctuations," Wang said.

China's pork prices had almost doubled since last summer because of rising costs, shrinking supplies and blue ear's spread.

But the country's pig supply levels have rebounded through government subsidies, lowering pork prices.

Industry statistics show there were about 470 million pigs in the first half of the year, about a 10 percent increase over the same period of 2007.

Beijing-based market analyst Yi Mingqi believed the pork market would be saturated by the end of the year. Yi predicted prices would spike around Spring Festival before hitting a low point in the second season of 2009.

Pig farmers should decrease the numbers of female pigs ahead of time to prevent further price nosedives.

The Ministry of Agriculture recently said the pork price has been continuously dropping since January, and prices have declined 13 percent on average since then.

The current average price in major markets is about 20 yuan ($2.92) per kg, down about 3 yuan from January.

The ministry said pig farmers could currently make a profit of 160 yuan per 100 kg on average - less than half the 400 yuan they could earn at the peak season at the end of 2007.

China consumes an average of about 50 million tons of pork annually but only consumed 42 million tons last year due to the shortage.

The figure is expected to be 46 million this year.

Monday, September 15, 2008Print This Page
Berlin and China Strike Pork Products Deal
GERMANY - Germany’s pork industry has turned its attention to China which it hopes will accept pigs ears, feet and other pork parts - parts that are shunned in European markets.



Berlin has made a deal in China to open the demand for the products, which are expected to bring a good price, according to the Irish Sun.

Pig's tail soup or chopped ears and soy sauce are craved by Chinese connoisseurs and pork exporters from Germany have already delivered 70,000 tonnes of pig tails, offal and other morsels to Hong Kong.

German pork production is set to reach 4.6 million tonnes this year, 30 percent of which is intended for export.

Monday, September 15, 2008Print This Page
Zhongpin Receives Grant From Henan Government
CHINA - Zhongpin Inc., a leading meat and food processing company in the People's Republic of China ("PRC"), today announced that it has received a cash grant of RMB 1.65 million, or $241,086, from the government of Henan Province in recognition of the Company's contribution toward the advancement of meat processing technology.



Zhongpin is currently constructing a new production facility with annual capacity of 28,800 metric tons of prepared meat products at Zhongpin Industrial Park, located in Changge City, Henan Province.

The new plant will utilize automated state-of-the-art technology and advanced equipment that uses an industrialized production process capable of producing high quality meat products.

As a result of Zhongpin's contribution to technological advancement in the meat processing industry, the local government rewarded the Company with cash compensation of RMB 1.65 million, or $241,086.

"We are very pleased to receive this token of appreciation for our efforts in advancing the Chinese meat processing industry. Zhongpin strives to achieve production and quality standards on par with our international competitors.

Our new facility will produce high-end prepared meat products processed in a temperature-controlled environment that ensures high levels of hygiene and quality," commented Mr. Xianfu Zhu, CEO of Zhongpin Inc. "We will utilize our nationwide advanced cold chain logistics system to distribute these products throughout China.

Through the constant efforts of our R&D team and our marketing center in Shanghai, we plan to introduce new and innovative products targeted at middle and upper class consumers."

Monday, September 15, 2008Print This Page
How Can a Vaccine Control Boar Taint?
GLOBE - The boar taint vaccine Improvac® works by stimulating the pig’s immune system to produce antibodies which temporarily block the function of the testes.

 

This dramatically reduces the amount of testosterone and the boar taint compound androstenone, both of which are released by the testes. These testicular compounds also inhibit the breakdown of another key boar taint compound, skatole; so the vaccine also encourages the elimination of this component of taint. The overall result of vaccination is a reduction in taint levels equivalent to that achieved by physical castration.



Safety vaccinatorThe antigen (the active component) in the vaccine is a carrier protein linked to a small, synthetic molecule which is similar to a naturally occurring substance call GnRF (Gonadotrophin Releasing Factor), which controls the development and function of the testes in male pigs. When injected into male pigs the vaccine causes the immune system to produce antibodies to natural GnRF. Like many other vaccines, the first dose ‘primes’ the system and the second dose (a few weeks later) causes a significant surge in production of anti-GnRF antibodies. For as long as they are present, these antibodies effectively block the GnRF stimulation of the testes.

As well as controlling boar taint, the timing of vaccination, with the second dose only 4 to 6 weeks prior to slaughter, allows producers to obtain the benefit of efficient, boar-like growth for most of the fattening phase – something which is lost when piglets are physically castrated early in life.



Removing of the testes at the abattoirTiming also helps avoid the problems of aggressive and sexual activity that can occur with entire boars in the late finishing phase. As a consequence of the reduction in testosterone after the second vaccination, boars become easier to handle and less likely to injure each other.

The vaccine is not a hormone or drug and, like other vaccines used to prevent disease, has a zero day withdrawal time, reflecting the absence of residue or food safety concerns.

Consumer taste panels in a number of different countries have demonstrated that the quality of meat from pigs managed using the boar taint vaccine has the same high eating quality as meat from female pigs and males that have been physically castrated.

Monday, September 15, 2008Print This Page
Lessons that Record-High Hog Prices Teach
US - The week of Aug. 16 saw hog prices set a record high at just over $90.43. It eclipsed a 17-year mark set after the pork industry’s dramatic consolidation and restructuring of the 1980s and the launch of the “Other White Meat” campaign, writes Troy Marshall.



The pork industry’s last 17 years are similar to what we’ve seen in the packing and feeding industries – concentration and increased economies of scale, along with new technology and improved genetics, which led to higher levels of efficiency. That efficiency and its resulting cost reductions enabled producers to both accept lower margins and maintain margin levels despite overall inflationary pressures and increasing supplies.

This new record-price level for hogs in 2008 is unique in that it was set without a reduction in supply (pork production is up nearly 9% on the year). The driver in hog prices has been demand, not domestically but via exports, the same as in the beef industry.

Two weeks ago, a near-record drop in hog prices was seen, the result of slumping exports and not really reflective of either domestic demand or supplies, reports BEEF Magazine. Thus, the hog market is once again validating the theory that domestic supply and demand are now secondary items in predicting price levels for our products. The two primary factors needed to determine long-term pricing levels are now global and political in nature. Export demand, market access and global supplies, coupled with political initiatives (e.g., ethanol), have become the drivers.

Understanding the ramifications of Russia's recent aggression toward Georgia and its likely impact on market access, discerning the differences in farm policy, changing attitudes toward free trade and energy policy depending on whether Obama or McCain is coupled with a strengthened Democratic majority in Congress, are the factors that will have the most impact on livestock prices and profitability.

Even key metrics regarding consumers are shifting. A decade ago, the main concerns in the US were eating quality, consistency, uniformity and relative price relationships between competing meats or alternative sources of protein. It’s not that issues such as aggregate domestic supply and demand figures are irrelevant; it’s that success in addressing these issues has moved them well down the priority list.

The branded revolution, along with industry initiatives, has removed some of these concerns about US products. It has, thus, allowed consumers to begin to differentiate products on other issues, such as whether the product is locally grown, natural, organic, humanely treated, traceable or perceived to be environmentally and nutritionally positive. It's been found that consumers will afford what it is that they want, and the real driver is in the country's ability to identify and respond to those consumer desires.

Friday, September 26, 2008Print This Page
China Should Control Imports of Parts
CHINA - China should curb imports of pig parts as domestic supplies can almost satisfy demand, and continued importation could lead to a market surplus, says an industry expert.



"Chinese regulations now allow imports of live hogs and pig parts from the United States, Canada, Denmark, the Republic of Ireland and France, and may shortly reopen its doors to imports from Germany. However, these countries usually export pig heads, tails, trotters and intestines to China because they do not consume such meat in the same quantities," says Ms Hu, an expert from the Sichuan Pork Import & Export Chamber of Commerce, according to official sources.

"China should control the quantity of imported pig parts, although import levels are not very high at present," she added.

State-owned Xinhua news agency reported that China will remove the ban on German imports of live hogs and pig parts in the near future after German Agriculture Vice Minister Gerd Mueller signed an agreement with Wei Chuanzhong, Vice-Director of China's General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine.

"China's imports of meat will rise this year, although the country will remain a net exporter of pork. In addition, some higher quality meat or processed meat will be introduced to the domestic market, but cheap pig parts are not welcome in China," said Yao Minpu, vice-chairman of the China Animal Agriculture Association.

Friday, September 26, 2008Print This Page
Minimum 45,000 Sows Needed for Sustainable Future
SCOTLAND - A strategic review of the Scottish pig industry has reported that a herd size of 45,000 sows is the minimum level required if the sector is to have a profitable and sustainable future.



Sow numbers in Scotland are currently around the 38,500 mark and on a downward trend. The industry has been badly affected by rapid global increases in grain prices and the residual impact of trading restraints from the Foot and Mouth disease outbreak in England last year.

The wide ranging report has been coordinated by red meat promotion and development body Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) as part of a series of initiatives commissioned and funded by the Scottish Government to support Scottish red meat businesses.

Twelve recommendations have been made aimed at creating a sustainable and market orientated industry in Scotland, including:



Public funding for Task Force initiatives that can help the pig sector withstand short term challenges and achieve longer term profitability
Include the pig sector in existing knowledge transfer initiatives such as the Monitor Farm network
Increased public funding to support new product and market development by the processing sector
Increased grant aid to help the industry meet rising costs for stringent regulatory controls such as NVZs prescriptions
QMS Chairman Donald Biggar said, "The report sends out a stark message that a bare minimum of 45,000 sows is what's required if Scotland is to have any chance of retaining a meaningful pig industry. To spell out the size of the challenge, sow numbers are currently under 40,000 and continuing to drop.

"Five key areas have been addressed in the review – economics, processing facilities, health status, environment and farm performance. Twelve steps have been identified to help stem the decline and get the industry back on a better financial footing.

"We look forward to joining forces with the pig industry in Scotland and the Scottish Government so that we can work together to secure short term stability while investing in measures that can offer long term profitability."

Richard Lochhead, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment said, "The Scottish Government is very aware of the difficult situation faced by the pig sector. We are actively working with the industry, including major new player Vion, to decide how to use most effectively the unallocated £700,000 from the package of support I announced for the pig sector last month.

"This Government-funded report will be an important contribution to those ongoing discussions and, along with other actions taken by us, will help deliver sustainable, economic growth in the industry for years to come."

Friday, September 26, 2008Print This Page
German Pig Sector Stays Buoyant
GERMANY - Germany expects its pig-keepers to have produced half a pig per sow more during 2008.


If this is the case, it will partially offset the five per cent fall in the national breeding herd in the first half of the year.

An average price of about 133p is being talked about for next year, with some pundits predicting the price reaching around 158p.

However, as in Britain, earlier forecasts of a bonanza year are being tempered by recent developments in the financial world and there are fears retailer and consumer resistance will prevent the pig price reaching its full potential.

Despite the five percent fall in the sow herd, slaughterings are currently running at a higher level than last year, mostly as a result of increasing numbers of Danish producers sending their pigs to Germany. Home production now accounts for only 80 per cent of Germany's total kill.

Again as in Britain, consumption in Germany is down due to higher retail prices, coupled with a weaker economy. However Germany's pig sector remains healthy, with exports up 30 per cent in the first half of the year and expected to be up by 15-20 per cent for the whole year.

With continued high levels of piglets from Denmark and Holland in 2009, it is likely slaughterings will stay higher than might otherwise be expected. At an average 133p next year, and with lower feed costs, Germany's producers can expect a profitable year.

Friday, September 26, 2008Print This Page
New Book on Exhaust Air Treatment
GLOBAL - Exhaust Air Treatment Systems for Animal Housing Facilities is likely to interest intensive pig and poultry producers.



For the treatment of exhaust air from animal housing facilities, different techniques are available. This publication provides an overview of the current development status of the techniques in particular regarding the areas of application, treatment principles, specifications for the design of the installations, and removal efficiency for odours, ammonia, and dust.

The expenses for the investment and the operation of the installations are derived based on the minimum requirements for certified systems. Information about the consideration of the installations in permit procedures for individual farms and examples of practical applications complete the presentation.

The publishers say the publication is an indispensable source of information for the operators of animal housing facilities and agricultural advisers before investment decisions are made where the installation of an exhaust air treatment system is being considered. In addition, it also serves as a basis for planners and experts for the objective evaluation of the different techniques with regard to the possibilities and conditions of their application in animal housing.

Monday, November 10, 2008Print This Page
Greek Pig Producers Benefit from AI
GREECE - Pig farmers in Greece have been offered advice on how to improve productivity from UK pig genetics company, JSR Genetics Ltd.

 

A technical event, specifically for Greek pig producers, was held in the City of Thessalonki in September 2008. The event was organised and hosted by JSR's Greek pig genetics franchise F-One Hellas.



Dr Grant Walling, Director of Research and Genetics at JSR Genetics Ltd, speaking during the conferenceThe Greek pig market, like many across Europe, has faced economic challenges over the last 12 months, mainly due to increases in the price for feed resulting in higher production costs that have not been met by the price of pork at the abattoir.

Low growth rates, lower sow productivity and low pork consumption (the Greek diet is traditionally based around lamb) have also made the Greek pig market particularly difficult. To help the farmer, the Greek government set up a system of interest free loans for pig producers - however this period is coming to an end and with banks facing their own market pressures these subsidies could soon end.

Dr Grant Walling, Director of Research and Genetics at JSR Genetics Limited, was a guest speaker at the event: "I covered the benefits of switching to using Artificial Insemination rather than natural service from boars.

"AI is not widely used in Greece but due to the fact that Greek pig producers have small herds of 300 or less sows it makes sense to have a pool of elite boar semen that is shared across several farms rather than every farm housing a population of male animals.

"Farmers in hot climates also have to tackle the problem of decreased boar fertility - keeping a number of boars in air conditioned stud units will help to produce better production figures.

"I was also keen to stress the importance of using different lines of boars, for example, the Duroc boar is used for enhanced meat quality or using the Titan Sire line for enhanced carcase yields.

"The Greek pig producers seemed very interested in what they heard and JSR continues to work with farmers globally, to ensure that pork production is a constructive and cost effective process."

The Greek technical conference also covered gilt and sow management and gave Greek farmers tips on maximising productivity by highlighting the importance of age at first service, managing the animal based on condition score and farrowing house feeding in warmer climates.

Following the technical conference, a JSR Technical Production Specialist will visit Greece to help farmers with specific issues that were identified during the conference.


 

Monday, November 10, 2008Print This Page
Shortage of Pigs Leads to Soaring of Prices
AUSTRALIA - It is likely that there could be fewer hams on Australian tables this Christmas because of a national shortage of farmed pigs.



It is estimated that 40 per cent of pig farmers have quit the business in the past year, with industry figures blaming high grain prices and competition from subsidised pork producers in North America and Denmark.

Australian Pork Limited (APL) CEO Andrew Spencer says high grain prices is one of the causes the shortage.

"The other reason was that there was a huge surge of imports coming from North America and Europe, mainly from subsidised countries and that meant there was no market for the Australian product if prices went way down about this time last year," he said.

"A lot of producers got out of the industry. Ultimately, that has to result in a shortage of pigs and that is what we are now seeing."

But he says there isn't a move to push up prices to help out producers.

"Producers would love to be able to manipulate prices like that, but it is not that easy," he said.

"There really is a shortage out there. You can check it all round the sale yards and you can see it in the pig prices being paid."

ABC reports that Mr Spencer is urging consumers to continue supporting the industry.

"What we are trying to do is ask consumers to hang in there. Pig producers in Australia have been through an extremely tough time and those that are still in it have got to now start making some profit so that they can remain in it," he said.

"We are really encouraging people to go out and have their roast pork which is guaranteed to be Australia. It will be fresh meat and to have their ham on the bone, because when you buy ham on the bone that is also Australian for quarantine reasons."

Pig farming has been a shrinking profession for decades. In the 1960s Australia had about 40,000 or 50,000 pig farmers.

Today the industry estimates there are no more than 1,500.

One former pig farmer, who wishes to remain anonymous, was in the business for 28 years.

He quit because he says there is no money in it.

"It was not viable. You could not make a good living out of it," he said.

"Costs were higher than your income. When things got good, you'd get on your feet and then something would happen.

"Either you would have a drought or then grain prices go through the roof, or you'd have a glut of pigs and pig prices would go through the floor."

While people familiar with the pig industry say pork prices are rising, it is not clear how much consumers will pay in the end.

Allan Waldon manages Eastern Roads Quality Meats in Turramura, in Sydney's north.

He thinks it is unlikely that pork prices will double during the week of Christmas.

"I don't think we'll see it like prawns... but I think you might see prices slightly higher than they are at the moment."

Wednesday, November 12, 2008Print This Page
Bacon Prices Highest in Years
AUSTRALIA - Pig producers are finally experiencing an upturn in fortune with higher prices, a lower Australian dollar and dropping feed costs.



Butch Moses, from the South Australian Farmers Federation pork committee, says prices for bacon are the highest they've been in years, because a lot of small producers have left the industry.

According to ABC, he says the current conditions are positive but he's cautiously optimistic.

"Prices are bubbling, but sometimes things come off the boil pretty quick too sometimes," he says.

"I guess I just like to wait and see how it goes, but at the moment, we gladly will reap what we can and we won't knock it back by any means."

Wednesday, November 12, 2008Print This Page
Swine and Chicken Predicament
VIET NAM - High input costs, rampant diseases and fallen meat prices jeopardize the livelihoods of local pig and chicken farmers in the Mekong Delta.



Having worked as a pig farmer for 30 years, Tran Hai Nghia of Soc Trang Province said he has never been through harder times, reports THANH NIEN NEWS.com.

“Most farmers have suffered losses,” he said. “We keep raising pigs, hoping for better sales prices, but they have shown little improvement lately.”

Nghia said he normally raised around 300 pigs for meat and 150 breeding pigs, but current pork prices were so low he can’t sell his piglets to other farmers.

“The recent price for a 100-kilogram pig is VND3.2 million (US$190), while basic investment costs are at least VND3.4 million ($202) without counting electricity, water and medicine expenses. But losses were even worse when there were epidemics,” Nghia said, referring to the foot-and-mouth and blue ear diseases that hit the country earlier this year.

Chairman of the Farmers’ Association of Soc Trang Province, Lam Quoc Cuong, said most households raising a few pigs had scrapped their business, while many small farms had halted operations altogether.

Cuong said he had sold his stock of 20 pigs for meat three months ago and was waiting for pork prices to climb before resuming pig-raising. Farmer Doan Thi Tuoi from Vinh Long Province said she and other farmers having been dealing with losses after pork prices dropped to VND28,000 ($1.66) per kilogram around a month ago.

“Farmers can only earn profits if pork is at least VND40,000 ($2.37) per kilogram,” she said.

And as for chicken.....
Meanwhile, the outbreak of bird flu earlier this year coupled with the recent Chinese eggs’ melamine scandal have drastically reduced consumption of chicken.

Poultry farmers are seeing their business undercut by high investment costs and low prices due to growing competition from imported meat.

Farmer Nguyen Phuc Den from Vinh Long Province said he has shifted to raising fish and 500 chickens for meat while waiting for improved market conditions.

“Chicken’s droppings are being used as fish food and this has helped keep the farm above water,” he said. “Several epidemics have ravaged chicken farms over the past five years and the hike in animal feed prices this year has hit farmers’ pockets hard.”

The number of chickens raised at Thuan Phat Chicken Farmers’ Cooperative in Vinh Long Province’s Vung Liem District has dropped to around 7,500 from 25,000.

“We don’t dare to raise more birds because it would cause severe losses,” said the cooperative chairman, who calculated the present loss to be more than VND100,000 ($6) per 100 chickens.

In late October, the toxic industrial chemical melamine, used to make plastic, was detected in eggs imported from China to Hong Kong. However, local inspectors have announced they have yet to find any eggs contaminated with melamine in Vietnam.

Farmer Nguyen Thi Ngoc Suong from Tien Giang Province who has a stock of 2,000 hens said she only managed to sell half of her eggs after the melamine scandal broke.

“Egg prices went down by VND300-400 to around VND1,100-1,200 per egg,” she said. The lowering of meat import tariffs last August, as part of measures to combat inflation, has also threatened to bankrupt domestic farmers.

Vietnam is required by the World Trade Organization to cut its import tax on poultry and pork to 15 and 25 percent by 2012.

But the tax was drastically reduced to 12 and 20 percent respectively last August, with imported meat now flooding the market as a consequence

Friday, November 14, 2008Print This Page
Punjab Popularising Pig and Turkey Farming
INDIA - More and more farmers in different parts of Punjab are now taking to turkey and pig farming. The shift from the conventional methods to new avenues is driven from the urge to earn better income.



NewsTrackIndia.com reports that in an effort to empower small and marginal farmers, Punjab government is encouraging farmer to take up turkey and pig farming in the rural parts of the State.

A look into the prospects of turkey breeding and pig farming, one learns how both of them are potentially more viable than conventional farming. One Harjit Singh of Lopan Village in Samrala area started his venture four years ago with 11 pigs with an investment of 700 dollars. Today, he takes pride in the fact that his decision has led to raising over 100 pigs of Canadian, Australian and American breeds. Harjit Singh says: "From 11 pigs for years ago, today my farm houses 107 pigs. Initially, I nourished an English breed, then an Australian pig and then I ventured into importing red pig. Everyday, I get so many calls from traders asking for pigs and pork."Harjit has received several farming awards for his initiative into promoting pig farming in the State. He has inspired over 20 farmers to take up pig farming for a better income.

Red pig meat today has a big demand and is supplied to different areas of Punjab and outside the State as well. Harjit Singh said: "I sell my pigs for Rs. 2,000 (approx. US$ 40) higher than the market price. I am provide ready to eat organic pork pickle to customers." The Punjab government has launched a diversification drive in the animal husbandry sector. Turkey farming, an initiative to empower small and marginal farmers, has been well-received by poultry farmers.

Turkey breeding is potentially more viable than conventional poultry farming. But he marketing of turkey took a lot of convincing of clients.

Jagdeep Sing, a Turkey farmer, said: "There was a time when market for turkey was not so good. I had to struggle to convince visiting hoteliers and restaurant owners and telling them the benefits of turkey. There is lot of scope in turkey trade since people are getting more and more aware about this bird. The cholesterol level in turkey is less and it is high in protein in comparison to chicken."For a farmer a turkey can give an income of six dollars within 20 to 24 weeks. Also, there is lesser risk of these birds catching disease in comparison to poultry farming. Expenditure on medicines and vaccination per bird is also negligible. Since it has lower cholesterol, fat-level and higher protein content than any other white meat, turkey meat is in great demand in the market.

Friday, November 14, 2008Print This Page
Pig Producer Prices Hit the Floor Again
IRELAND - IFA Pigs Committee Chairman Michael Maguire expressed serious concern for the pig sector, following announcements by pigmeat processors both north and south of price cuts for this week’s pigs.



Pig farmers are now below break even again, and Michael Maguire said the situation is completely unsustainable.

He said, “The market has been very difficult on the continent over the last number of weeks with weekly price falls recorded, however Irish prices have simply followed EU prices down despite the fact that Irish prices never reached the late summer continental highs.”

Mr. Maguire said “the consensus from all our recent IFA regional pig member meetings is that the Irish pigmeat producers and processors must once again pick up the campaign to reclaim the home market. This will be achieved through a revamped marketing strategy by Bord Bia, increased surveying of the retailers and processors and a name and shame campaign revealing those who are not supporting the Irish pigmeat sector.”

Michael Maguire reiterated his view about the Government failure to safeguard the industry through the introduction of compulsory ‘Country of Origin Labelling’. “Until the Irish government take measures to effectively and clearly demonstrate to the consumer the origin of their food, the consumer will continue to be misled in both the retail and food service sectors,” he said.

"It is vital that this campaign raises awareness of which companies are supporting Irish products and which are not. It is obvious that some retailers are not supporting Irish pigmeat products and unless this situation is rectified, the future of the industry is in jeopardy," he concluded.

Monday, November 17, 2008Print This Page
Ministry Affirms Move to Intensify Production
VIET NAM - The Ministry of Agriculture is encouraging a move from backyard to intensive livestock and poultry production to increase output.



Viet Nam will aim to modernise its animal husbandry and poultry sectors, shifting from a household-based economy to one based on industrial farms by 2020, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has affirmed, reports an official source.

The aim is to gradually remove conventional forms of livestock breeding by rural households across the country.

Do Kim Tuyen, head of the Cattle Breeding Department under the ministry, said at a recent seminar that apart from meeting domestic demand, Viet Nam's livestock industry is also targeting some export markets, especially China and Hong Kong.

According to the ministry's strategic plan, industrial density in the agriculture production as a whole will stand at 32, 38 and 42 per cent respectively by 2010, 2015 and 2020.

By 2010, the sector targets an output of 3.2 million tonnes of meat. The number would be 5.5 million tonnes for 2020.

Also by 2020, per-capita output is expected to reach 56 kilos of meat, 140 eggs and more than 10 kilos of milk.

However, Mr Tuyen said Viet Nam's target for the next 12 years is equal only to China's current figures, adding that the domestic livestock industry still had a long way to go.

All farms, slaughterhouses and meat processing enterprises would be required to have their own waste treatment systems, he stressed.

Animal feed is a matter of concern now, as farmers and breeders have not paid much attention to the role of agricultural byproducts like sugar cane or soybean waste, said Mr Tuyen, adding that disposing them into the environment was both wasteful and harmful.

"It is such a waste because 50 per cent of the animal feed for the livestock industry has to be imported," Mr Tuyen said, adding that if it was utilised, the existing amount of agricultural byproducts could feed 10 million cattle.

The report concludes that not utilising feed processed from agricultural byproducts partially increased market prices for meat since Vietnamese breeders often used imported feed, which increased production costs and reduced their competitiveness.

Monday, November 17, 2008Print This Page
Aussies Likely to Feel Pork Pinch This Christmas
AUSTRALIA - Christmas ham may be off the menu for struggling families this year as a pork shortage sends prices surging.



The Territory is not alone as the whole country feels the pinch on pork.

Darwin's Quality Meats owner Scott Massie said pork had gone up in price every week for the past 10 weeks and the price spike would be felt at Christmas.

"Nobody is going to have cheap hams," he said.

"Pork will be available - it just depends how much people want to spend."

With the economic downturn starting to bite, families across Australia may have to go for half a ham instead of the full Christmas leg, reports Northern Territory News. Farmers are reaping the effects of high grain prices and a strong Australian dollar last year.

Meanwhile, a flood of subsidised imported pork from Europe and the US drove prices down to breaking point.

"They were just too cheap - they were destroying the industry," Mr Massie said.

Australian Pork Limited (APL) communications manager Emily Mackintosh said the national pork herd has been cut by tens of thousands as small producers get out of the industry.

The result is about 40,000 less sows nationwide - and the shortage will drive prices up.

Mr Massie said he had secured many hams at good prices but if they ran out he would have to buy more at a higher price - and late orders would pay.

"If everyone's hams are more expensive then we might run out - the wholesalers are saying hams are going to be very short," he said.

But Parap Fine Foods owner Neville Pantazis said the 250 hams he had ordered for Christmas would not be more expensive than last year as he placed his order early.

"I put my orders in eight months ago," he said.

"As soon as Christmas is over I lock myself in for the next year."

Monday, November 17, 2008Print This Page
Mainland China Exports Less Pork at Higher Rates
CHINA - Mainland China has seen a decline in pork exports during the first eight months, the major causes being high pig-raising costs, numerous raisers quitting and lingering impact from the May 12 earthquake in Sichuan province, a major pork producing region.



Between January and August, China sold abroad 50,000 tons of pork for $170 million, a decrease of 52.4 percent and 15.6 percent, respectively, from the same period of last year, sources with the General Administration of Customs said on Saturday.

But the average price of pork soared 77.4 percent to $3,400 per ton.

Of the total exports, 78 percent, or 39,000 tons, went to Hong Kong, down 33 percent, 4,868 tons to Kirghizia, down 20 percent, and 2,220 tons to Macao, down 31.3 percent.

Approximately 72 percent of the total, or 36,000 tons were sold by private businesses, down 53.7 percent, 7,172 tons by foreign-funded companies, down 15.7 percent, and 4,141 tons by state-owned enterprises, down 76.7 percent.

Tuesday, November 18, 2008Print This Page
Pig Population up by 43% in Leningrad
RUSSIA - Numbers are up by 43% at Agricultural Complex in the Leningrad region for the first nine months of 2008 compared to last year.



Meat Russia reports that pig stocks in Agricultural Complex grew by 43% for nine months of the current year in Leningrad Region, including agricultural organizations where the stock increased 1.6-fold. About 20% of the stock is kept on private and commercial farms.

For 2007, pig numbers in the region increased by 3% to 68,700 heads. According to statistics data, for first 8 months of 2008, total pig numbers on all farms in the region was 100,500.

Constructed this year, the largest farm in the region is pig breeding complex for 60,000 head in Tosno district of Leningrad Region in the current year. The project is part of the State Program on Agricultural Complex Development.

Tuesday, November 18, 2008Print This Page
Sales of Animal Medicines Rose in 2007
US - The Animal Health Institute has published a report covering the volume of medications used in farm animals and pets in 2007. Total sales were up by 5 per cent compared to the previous year, which could be explained by increased meat production.



Working with veterinarians to provide them the tools to keep farm animals and pets healthy, animal health companies increased sales of antibiotics in 2007. Antibiotics are critical disease-fighting medicines used to treat diseases in dogs, cats and other companion animals, and in farm animals to improve their well-being and ensure the production of safe and wholesome food.

Total sales for use in animals rose 5 percent over 2006, according to data provided by the research-based companies that produce animal medicines. One factor that may have contributed to the increase was an increase in U.S. meat production of more than 2 billion pounds.


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"The entire increase in the percentage of the total amount used for growth and efficiency was in ionophores, compounds not used in human medicine." 

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The antibiotic data were collected from a survey of members of the Animal Health Institute (AHI), consisting of companies that make medicines for pets and farm animals.

"Animals are prone to illness and they require medicines to treat and prevent disease," said AHI President and CEO, Alexander S. Mathews. "Animals need medicine, too, and the availability of these medicines to protect animal health is an essential tool in the fight to protect human health."

The amount of the total used for growth and efficiency in 2007 was estimated to be 13 per cent, up from less than 5 per cent the previous year.

Two factors accounted for this increase. First, revisions to prior years' reports were recognized. Second, some increase was expected as animal producers struggle with high grain prices and seek to capture both the economic efficiencies and the health benefits derived from the use of these products. Notably, the entire increase in the percentage of the total amount used for growth and efficiency was in ionophores, compounds not used in human medicine. The amount of non-ionophore compounds used for growth declined slightly in 2007.

"These figures are an indication that producers are employing judicious use principles," said Mr Mathews. "As they try to gain efficiency to combat high feed costs, they are being careful to use compounds that have no chance of impacting human health."

All antibiotics undergo a rigorous approval process at the Food and Drug Administration that includes an assessment of safety of the product for the treated animal and safety of the milk and meat produced. In addition, all proposed antibiotic products as well as those previously approved undergo a risk assessment procedure, called Guidance 152, to scientifically measure the safety of the product with respect to health hazards resulting from the spread of antibiotic resistance. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves antibiotics used in animals for four purposes: Disease treatment, disease control and disease prevention, which are considered by FDA and the American Veterinary Medical Association to be therapeutic, and for growth promotion.

Friday, November 21, 2008Print This Page
Trichina Worms Make a Comeback
GERMANY - Animal health officials today reported that trichina worms, known to infect pigs and cause illnesses in humans, have made a comeback in Germany.



The worms were found at a slaughterhouse in a pig from a private home, veterinarian Holger Vogel said in Anklam.

Many area householders still keep pig-sties and raise pigs at home.

He said the worms appeared to have been spread by rodents from nearby western Poland, where the nematodes are rife. It has spread to wild animals in the Western Pomerania area.

Decades ago, Germany wiped out the disease in domestic animals, but it is still common in developing nations.


 

Friday, November 21, 2008Print This Page
Benefits of Giving Weaners a Flying Start
UK - The escalation in feed prices last autumn forced Northern Ireland pig producer Gary Anderson to take a hard look at all aspects of herd health.

 

With a 400-sow herd at Stewartstown, near Cookstown, rearing all the progeny to baconers, his focus was on improving early piglet health to give weaners a better start.

He was concerned that weaners were not growing away as they should, impairing later performance, and decided to work with his local veterinary practitioner John Grant to put into place a new herd health regime.

“Gary recognised that he needed to start right to finish right,” says Mr Grant, of Parklands Veterinary Clinic, Cookstown, County Tyrone.

A new vaccination programme was introduced, protecting sows and piglets against viral and mycoplasmal infection that improved the overall health status, but there remained on-going respiratory problems with the weaners.

Mr Grant suggested a trial which was undertaken over a period of eight weeks with all piglets given the antibiotic Draxxin, licensed for the treatment and prevention of swine respiratory disease, when they were weaned (at 26 to 27 days of age). Gary Anderson recorded scrupulously the weight gain of the weaners.

The first difference he noticed was an immediate improvement in feed intake. “It was up by 50 percent in the first couple of days, and probably 10 to 20 per cent after that,” he comments.

Daily growth rate increased from an average of 315 grams/day during the previous six weeks to 356 grams/day. This led him to adopt the same approach for all weaners and the improvement was maintained, with growth in the post weaning stage averaging out at 367 grams/day.

The pigs are finished at around 24 weeks at just over 80kg liveweight, processed by Grampian Country Foods for bacon.

The increase in growth rate post-weaning has been carried through to the second stage where it is running at around 620 grams/day. “The pigs are coming through much more evenly,” says Mr Anderson. “This shows just how important it is to give the pigs a good start — if not, we’ll lose at least one weeks’ growth at the end.”

His vet comments: “The use of Draxxin has certainly helped against non-specific mycoplasmal / bacterial infection, enabling the pigs to manage better the challenge from viral infections such as PMWS.”

Monday, November 24, 2008Print This Page
Pig Crisis in Denmark and the Netherlands
EU - Both the Dutch and Danish herd sizes are shrinking and pig producers throughout Europe are in crisis.

 

The Danish herd is nearly eight per cent smaller than it was a year ago and when viewed against the ten percent fall recorded in summer, this suggests a tentative stabilisation rather than a recovery.

Contraction in the Dutch herd started later than in other parts of Europe but is now significant, with this year's August census showing a year on year drop of four percent in the breeding herd.

Pig World Publisher Digby Scott has some thoughts on the subject: "European pig producers have invested heavily in efficient pig production and now they see mounting losses, their outlets shrinking and extra environmental and animal welfare costs they cannot afford.

"European pig producers are in crisis and for the first time units are lying empty because new or existing producers are no longer coming forward to step into the shoes of those who have given up the struggle.

"Even those who are hanging on by their fingertips are wondering if there is any point, because if red-tape and poor prices don't get them now, low-cost imports from Brazil and the United States will get them in the future.

"It is a gloomy prospect. So gloomy that in the next few years Europe's large processors and retailers might find their gravy train running into the buffers as the European pig cycle breaks beyond apparent repair, just as Britain's did a decade ago."

Thursday, November 27, 2008Print This Page
Feed Prices Threatening Pork Industry Globally
GLOBAL - Pork producers across the world, including the British Pig Executive (BPEX), have joined forces to tackle the threat to the industry posed by rocketing feed prices. Representatives of major national pork bodies met at the 4th International Meat Secretariat (IMS) World Pork Conference in Nanjing, China, which finished last week.



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"Immediate lifts in wholesale and retail prices, and producer returns, are required for industry survival. The most significant issue is that of feed costs, which for most producers represent more than 70% of pork production costs." 
Mick Sloyan, BPEX Chief Executive
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Wheat prices, one of the main constituents of pig feed, have doubled over the last 12 months and pig producers need a rise in what they are paid or the industry will go into meltdown. At present they are losing anything up to GB£26 (US$52) for every pig they send to slaughter.

BPEX Chief Executive Mick Sloyan, who is also vice-chairman of the IMS Pork Committee, was in the group which drew up a joint statement on the crisis. The statement reads: "Immediate lifts in wholesale and retail prices, and producer returns, are required for industry survival. The most significant issue is that of feed costs, which for most producers represent more than 70% of pork production costs.

"The worldwide grain price explosion is a result of poor harvests associated with difficult climatic conditions, but the most significant impact has been caused by the massive growth in demand for grain to produce biofuels, aggravated by many countries subsidising this production.

"Producer delegates spanning four continents said they are currently carrying substantial losses on every pig produced, a large number of producers are leaving the industry and more will follow. Producers are looking at all options to increase efficiency but in the short term those efficiency gains will fall far short of what is required to stop the significant losses occurring. "Producers see two possible scenarios unfolding. Firstly, a significant drop in production worldwide due to cutbacks, followed by a dramatic increase in wholesale and retail prices, well above current levels as has been observed in China over the last year.

"The second scenario is to work with consumers, the food service sector, and retailers to increase prices paid to producers now. Increasing producer prices now, would allow production to be maintained and would mean that wholesale and retail prices would not need to increase so greatly in the medium term. "This scenario appears to be the best for all parties. Consumers will still have pork available at reasonable prices, the food service sector and retailers will be able to satisfy their customers with adequate supplies and farmers will be able to continue in business."

Producers are calling on consumers, these sectors to provide that support immediately and will be talking to retailers in their respective countries to explore how this can be done."

The organisations involved are: Canadian Pork Council, British Pig Executive, South African Pork Producers Organisation, New Zealand Pork Industry Board, Australian Pork Ltd, Nederlandse Vakbond Varkenshouders (Dutch Union of Pig farmers), the LTO, the Dutch Federation of Agriculture and Horticulture and the French Porcine National Federation, FNP.

Mick Sloyan said: "It is a problem of worldwide concern which must be tackled on a global basis. "We have already seen a start to pig meat price rises in some shops and supermarkets in Britain but it is vital those rises get back down the supply chain to the producer as fast as possible."

Friday, November 28, 2008Print This Page
WCRF Makes a Pig's Ear of Claims
UK - Claims that people are cutting down on eating processed meat such as bacon because of cancer fears have been rubbished by pig industry body BPEX.

 

The World Cancer Research Fund made headline news a year ago saying eating three rashers of bacon a day could significantly increase the risk of bowel cancer.

However, the average person eats only two rashers a week - way below the WCRF danger level.

Now they have followed the report up by claiming a third of the over 55s are cutting back on processed meat and overall one in ten are cutting down as a result.

BPEX head of Marketing Chris Lamb said: "I trust the rest of their research has more substance to it than just a 2,000 people standard Omnibus survey.

"It is extremely disappointing that an organisation of such stature feels it has to resort to these tactics to try to make a point. If they were to ask we'd be happy to share our detailed knowledge."

Latest figures from the TNS Worldpanel show year on year consumption of bacon has risen by 0.8 per cent overall and by 0.7 per cent in the 45 to 64 age group.

Looking at the younger consumers, those under 34 years showed an 11.4% increase, year on year.

Chris said: "The TNS Worldpanel involves 25,000 households whose shopping patterns are constantly measured to give an accurate picture of overall purchasing.

"The figures also show more than an amazing 90% of households continue to buy bacon despite the price rises of the last year.

"Bacon is still one of the nation's favourite foods and bacon sarnies have been known to be so tempting that even vegetarians can't resist them."

Danish and Canadian Pig Herds Fall (November 2008)
By Chris Harris, Senior Editor, ThePigSite. Our snapshot of the ongoing global pig industry trends as reported in November 2008 Whole Hog Brief. To read the full detailed analysis including all the commentary and graphical data, subscribe to the publication.

 Published monthly, Whole Hog Brief provides 10 pages of detailed analysis of global pig industry trends, summarising key data from all the major markets. If you need to keep up with global pig industry trends Whole Hog Brief is an invaluable tool.

Check out this month's contents
at the foot of the page
The latest figures from the Danish Statistics Service show that the Danish pig herd is considerably down in numbers on 2007 figures.

The Whole Hog shows that the Danish pig numbers were 12.944 million at the end of October - a rise of 4.79 per cent on the previous quarter, but still more than 1 million pigs down on the October 2007 figures.

The total breeding herd was 839,000 head 6.36 per cent down on 2007.

The Whole Hog says that Danish live exports were 96,180 tonnes between January and May, which is more than 26 per cent up on the same period in the previous year.

The Whole Hog says that there are indications that exporters are preparing for a significant down turn in values because of the global credit crunch and it adds that while producers have been able to get credit against the rising value of their land in the past, now banks are starting to refuse extended credit to farm businesses.

The Canadian pig numbers have also taken a dramatic drop according to the Whole Hog.

It reports that figures from Statistics Canada were 12.8 million head at the end of the third quarter of 2008. This is down by 1.5 per cent on the previous quarter and 10.9 per cent year on year.

The national breeding herd was 1.41 million head in October, down by 8.3 per cent compared to last year.


Global Prices Move Up
The Whole Hog's index of global prices shows pig prices still moving up with week to week changes in October of between 0.5 per cent and 0.4 per cent.

It reports that prices have been rising now for 25 weeks continually and it forecasts that the prices will continue to rise week to week as they have been boosted by tight supplies in other red meat markets.

However, it warns that weakening demand from consumers because of the present global financial crisis could knock prices for producers.

The Whole Hog also shows that EU producer prices continued to rise during October, with the average pig meat price for the last week of October reaching €157.84 per 100 kg.

The biggest rises were in the Czech Republic at 25.4 per cent but both the UK and Netherlands saw rises over 24 per cent and Germany had rises of more than 22 per cent.

Falls in Feed Prices
The record harvests, with wheat expected to reach 664 million tonnes, more than nine per cent higher than last year, is having the effect of cutting feed prices.

The Whole Hog reports that the EU cereal crop is expected to be 308 million tonnes - 20 per cent more than last year.

However, it warns that EU cereal exports could be under pressure from cheap grain from Russia and Ukraine.

North American Exports Up
Statistics Canada has reported an increase in exports of pig meat of nine per cent - 59,883 tonnes - between January and August.

The Whole Hog reports that Taiwan, Philippines and Hong Kong remain the fastest developing markets for Canadian exports. In the first eight months of the year they imported 27, 145 tonnes, 18,617 tonnes and 66,664 tonnes respectively.

However, the US, Japan and Russia are still the largest markets for Canadian pork.

While Canada has seen exports continue to rise, the US has also seen strong growth.

During August exports of pork cuts and variety meats reached 165,874 tonnes and although this was a fall of 3.9 per cent on the previous month it was 72.5 per cent up on the same time in 2007. Frozen pork cuts were up by 93.7 per cent on the previous year.

Imports on the Rise
While the US and Canada are exporting more, Australia is seeing its pork imports rise.

The Whole Hog says that the latest statistics from the Australian Bureau of Statistics show that in 2008 imports by volume fell slightly for the first eight months, but in August, imports were up by 12.9 per cent compared to a year before.

The value of the Australian dollar, high grain prices with lower pig meat exports in Australia is also forcing producers to leave the industry. This year ABARE reports that 20 per cent of producers had quit the industry.

In Japan imports rose by 4.3 per cent during July, reaching 72,167 tonnes. This was 14.2 per cent higher that imports a year ago.

Japan imported 10.9 per cent more pork from the US, while Canada saw Japan take 7.5 per cent more pork in July compared to June and 3.3 per cent year on year.

While South Korea took less pork from the US in August compared to July - down by 12.9 per cent - over the year its US pig meat imports have risen by 13 per cent.

Overall South Korea's pork imports rose by 2.4 per cent in the year with Chile showing itself making gains in that market, the Whole Hog says.

November 2008


Chris Harris, Senior Editor

US, Mexican Facilities Approved for Meat Export
GLOBAL - US and Mexican facilities have now been approved for meat export, according to the American Meat Institute.


The United States and Mexico have reached an agreement on approving a significant number of meat processing and storage facilities for export. The US Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) and Mexico's food safety agency, SAGARPA, have been involved in ongoing discussions over the past 18 months to resolve this issue.

In the US, discussions have involved 109 US meat industry facilities, of which 52 have now been approved for export and another 57 facilities that are expected to be approved in the coming week. For SAGARPA's list of approved facilities, click here.

This action comes on the heels of approval by SAGARPA of administrative changes at 32 US facilities. These administrative changes, which might involve plant name changes or other paperwork issues, had the potential to create export delays at the border.

In Mexico, 13 facilities have been approved, although four of those approvals are pending corrective action. This will bring the total of Mexican meat facilities approved for exporting to the United States to more than 30.

USDA is hoping to schedule additional technical meetings in the next week or so to address cross border issues, re-listing of plants and other technical issues.

Standards Set for Animal Feeds
VIET NAM - Animal feed can contain a maximum of 2.5mg of melamine per kg under a decision issued last Friday by the Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD).



The decision was made following discussions by a team of feed consultants, including representatives from the husbandry and aquaculture departments under MARD and the Ministry of Health. The permitted level was set with reference to melamine standards in other countries such as the US, Canada and the European Union.

In principle, Viet Nam did not allow the use of any food products contaminated with melamine, including cattle feed, said head of the husbandry department Hoang Kim Giao.

"But the allowed level of 2.5mg of melamine in 1kg of animal feed is equal to zero and MARD made the decision after consulting regulations on melamine standards from many countries around the world," he said.

Under the decision, all feed with higher levels of melamine will be banned from import, production, trade and use in husbandry and aquaculture.

Earlier, MARD banned the import and trade of all materials contaminated with melamine to produce animal feed.

Businesses would have to test melamine themselves on samples of high-risk materials such as fish powder, milk and milk products. Any products testing positive for melamine must be reported to the department as soon as possible.

Melamine is added to foods to artificially boost protein levels but is harmful to humans and can cause kidney damage.

Monday, December 08, 2008Print This Page
Ireland Moves Quickly to Tackle Dioxin Alert
EIRE - The Irish food safety and marketing authorities have been working flat out to limit the damage to the pig meat industry caused by the discovery that some products might have been infected with dioxins through contaminated feed, writes ThePigSite senior editor, Chris Harris.



The police have launched an inquiry into the source of the contamination.

And the food authorities acted swiftly to withdraw products from the shelves and to allay consumer fears.

The swift action shows the lessons learned from other food safety crises that have been experienced across Europe - not least the last major dioxin scare to hit Europe in Belgium in 1999.

During that incident, the lack of action led to consumer panic and also cost the jobs of the agriculture and health ministers in the country.

The Belgian crisis saw hundreds of farms in Belgium, the Netherlands and France prevented from selling their products, imports of Belgian food banned across the US, Africa, Asia and the Middle East.

The uncertainty that surrounded the discovery that dioxin contaminated fat had been used to make feed for poultry, pigs and cattle, left consumers "in a fog" about which products were safe, according to a report in Le Soir at the time.

And it saw the government admitting it had no systems in place to check the ingredients of animal feed.



What are Dioxins?
Dioxins and polychlorinated biphenols (PCBs) are chemicals that get into food from the environment. They have no immediate effect on human health but can cause problems if they are absorbed into the human body at high levels for long periods.

Foods high in animal fat, such as milk, meat, fish and eggs (and foods produced with them) are the main source of dioxins and PCBs although all foods contains at least low levels of these chemicals. The levels of dioxins and PCBs in any one individual's diet will vary depending on the amounts and types of foods they eat.

The risk to health comes from eating food with high levels of dioxins and PCBs over a long period. They have been shown to cause a wide range of effects in certain animals, including cancer and damage to the immune and reproductive systems, although it appears that people may be less sensitive.

In July 2002, limits were set by the European Commission for dioxins in foods that contribute significantly to the total dietary intake of these chemicals. These foods include meat, liver, fish, eggs, milk and milk products. These limits were reviewed in 2004.

A tolerable daily intake (TDI) is the amount of a contaminant that experts recommend can on average be eaten every day over a whole lifetime without causing harm.
 
However, the Irish food authorities' swift removal of products from supermarket shelves and messages from food safety experts that the risk to humans if the products had been eaten were minimal has helped to bolster the Irish industry at a time of need.

The analytical results confirmed the presence of very high levels of dioxins in pork meat, about 100 times the EU maximum level of 1 picogramme/gram fat for dioxins and 1.5 picogramme/gramme fat for the sum of dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs.

"Rebuilding market confidence in Irish pork and bacon is now an absolute priority for Bord Bia working with the Irish pig meat industry in the wake of the weekend's comprehensive product recall," said to Aidan Cotter, Chief Executive, Bord Bia.

"Annual exports of Irish pig meat amount to €368 million, over €1 million per day, and a comprehensive action plan is now being prepared to secure our international trade, while also restoring consumer confidence on the crucially important domestic market."

Bord Bia is currently developing a tailored consumer information campaign to accompany the imminent return of Irish pork and bacon back onto retail shelves.

The campaign will highlight products produced after 7 December and that have been unaffected by the events leading up to the current pork and bacon product recall.

Through its network of international offices Bord Bia is also working closely with exporters to communicate and reassure customers about the prompt and comprehensive set of measures that have been taken by the Irish authorities in relation to the recall.

"The industry has developed an excellent track record with its customers in overseas markets and Bord Bia's focus now is to ensure these relationships are leveraged effectively as the industry seeks to re-build its market positions into the future," said Mr Cotter.

Meanwhile an international media monitoring programme has been put in place in all key markets and Bord Bia is ensuring any additional information is supplied and clarifications are made as appropriate.

Beatrice Blake, Bord Bia's general manager in London said that they were following the guidelines outlined by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland and by the chief executive.

She said that responsible reporting of the events highlighting the minimal risk that is posed to consumers has helped to ease consumer concerns.

"We acted as soon as we had full information," she said.

"We acted to protect consumer health and the reputation of the industry. We want to be back in business as soon as possible."

In the UK, one of Ireland's leading destinations for meat exports, the industry organisations the British Pig Executive and the National Pig Association said they were working closely together to monitor the situation.

The organisations were in contact with the authorities at the start of the crisis and said they were continuing to monitor the situation closely.

The contamination may have originated in the plastic packaging used for the feed.

The reports from Ireland showed that the contaminated feed had been delivered to 47 farms of which nine were pig farms.

The contaminated feed was also delivered to beef cattle farms, but as the use of this feed in cattle diets is much more limited than for pigs, and none of the farms were dairy farms, the level of alert has been less marked.

These affected farms have been blocked until an investigation which is taking place can determine if the beef had been affected to any dangerous degree.

However, the concern over pig meat products was greater because the 10 farms that has been supplied with the contaminated feed, supply 10 per cent of the Irish market and the meat was subsequently processed in plants that supply 80 per cent of the Irish processed pork market.

The Irish industry decided on the mass withdrawal of products because it was virtually impossible to trace back the contaminated products to the farms in question leaving non-contaminated products on the shelves.

Not only is the contamination the subject of a police investigation in Ireland, but the European Commission is also forming its own inquiry.

A spokesman for the European Commission said: "The Commission will organise within very short notice a meeting with the competent authorities from the affected Member States to share information and to ensure a harmonised enforcement approach across the affected Member States to ensure a high level of human health protection."

Monday, December 08, 2008Print This Page
Update on Irish Pork and Bacon Products
IRELAND - The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) yesterday updated consumers on the national recall of Irish pork and bacon products.



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"The situation needs to be dealt with vigorously and transparently so that consumers and the industry can return to normality in this busy pre-Christmas market." 
Graham Furey, Ulster Farmers' Union President
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Irish pork and bacon products are being recalled as a precautionary measure from the market due to the illegal presence of a dioxin contaminant in a portion of the Irish pork and bacon available on the market.

The FSAI reiterates its advice to consumers not to consume any Irish pork or bacon products. However, it stresses that people should not be alarmed or concerned in relation to the potential risks from dioxin’s found in pork products. A short term peak exposure to dioxins and PCBs does not result in adverse health effects.

The FSAI confirms that:

The use of a contaminated ingredient added to pork feed is identified as the source of the contamination. This feed was provided to ten Irish farms which produce approximately 10% of the total supply of pigs in Ireland.
It is now considered that the profile of dioxins found is similar to those found in electronic transformer oils.
Retailers have been asked to co-operate and to assist in the collection, return and disposal of product through the supply chain. The FSAI and the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (DAFF) will work with the retail sector and producers in relation to resumption of product supply when appropriate.
The retail and hospitality industries have been briefed and advised on appropriate actions to take.
Environmental health officers (EHOs) throughout the country are assisting in this withdrawal process.
Updates will be provided as and when further information becomes available.

UFU Comment:
Following the contamination scare, Ulster Farmers' Union (UFU) President Graham Furey said, "The modern food chain has very good traceability for both animals and feed stuffs so we will be able to establish quickly the extent of the problem. Hopefully this is a very containable situation."

Mr. Furey further said the Union hopes Northern Ireland's Food Standards Agency (FSA) will be able to give clear, fact based, guidance to local consumers as quickly as possible. "The situation needs to be dealt with vigorously and transparently so that consumers and the industry can return to normality in this busy pre-Christmas market," he said.

IFA Position
Irish Farmers Association President Padraig Walshe said the withdrawal of all Irish pork products had to be seen as an emergency precautionary measure to reassure the public.

The action was taken to ensure consumer confidence in the safety of Irish-produced products, he said.

Mr Walshe said over 90 per cent of Irish production was completely free of any connection to the single source of the contaminated feed. Over the week-end Mr Walshe said the IFA has co-operated fully with the Department of Agriculture, FSAI and public health agencies to isolate the problem.

He said he was greatly heartened and highly appreciative of the many calls of support he had received from the public and consumers.

They understood this was an isolated incident said Mr Walshe.

He said with all the resources of the regulatory agencies and the industry, he intended to restore the high quality reputation associated with Irish pork and bacon.

The IFA President said: "There are over 400 farms ready to supply prime produce as soon as the logistics of the recall was completed."

He said he hoped the industry would be fully operational by Tuesday under the supervision of the Department of Agriculture, with all the necessary testing and controls in place.

Mr Walshe said there is no reason why the Irish industry cannot supply the traditional Christmas ham requirements of consumers.

He said: "Once Irish consumers are sure of the safety and high quality of the product, they will support a traditional sector that has always played an important role in Irish farming."

Statement by FSA
The FSA yesterday advised consumers not to eat pork or pork products, such as sausages, bacon, salami and ham, which are labelled as being from the Irish Republic or Northern Ireland, while it continues to investigate whether any products contaminated with dioxins have been distributed in the UK.

From the information available at this time, it is believed there is significant risk to UK consumers as adverse health effects from eating the affected products are only likely if people are exposed to relatively high levels of this contaminant for long periods.

Dioxins are chemicals that get into food from the environment and they are associated with a range of health effects when there is long term exposure to them at relatively high levels.

The Agency is continuing to monitor the situation and is in close contact with the Food Safety Authority of Ireland. If it is confirmed that any affected products have been distributed to the UK the Agency will take appropriate action to protect consumers. An urgent meeting of the UK food industry is being organised by the Agency as part of its investigation into possible distribution channels in this country.

Monday, December 08, 2008Print This Page
Heated Competition Fuels Pig Market
AUSTRALIA - A continuation in strong pork and bacon demand fuelled animated and, at times, heated competition at the fortnightly Ballarat pig market last Wednesday - the third last pig sale for 2008.



Stock & Land reports that with a slightly larger offering of 1144 head penned, more 31, prices for best quality gilts improved 3-5 cents a kilogram liveweight while values for entires rose on average 5-8c/kg lw.

Selling agent Crawford Dowling said best trade gilts made 330-340c/kg lw while trade “entires” were priced between 320 and 330c/kg lw.

Many pens of trade heavy to medium weights were offered in the baconer penning, the agency said.

And, although more secondary pigs were included a couple of large consignments assisted to build the numbers required for a spirited sale.

Prime heavy bacon made $325-$355 a head, topping at $374 while prime medium weights fetched $30- $325.

Prime light bacon made $280-$300.

In the pork section full competition again maintain values at very firm rates to a fortnight ago. Pork sales were mostly made between 310 and 340 with most drafts realising sale averages of 335c/kg lw.

Super trade pork made $260-$285 while medium weights made $230-$260 and light pork, $210-$230.

Values in the backfatter yarding found some adjustments made on previous improved rates although quality also declined. Heavy sows made $360-$430 while medium sows fetched $25-$350.

Crawford Dowling said the market highlight – definitely - belonged to the 380 young pigs offered in the store market. These again received intense competition from the spit trade as best spit trade made $150-$176 while while grown store $120-$178.

Why Do Pigs Die During Commercial Transportation?
EU - An international team of scientists, led by Spain’s Luis Fernando Gosálvez, has carried out a study in five European countries to identify and evaluate the factors involved in causing injuries or even death in pigs as they are transported to abattoirs.



The results show that the stress and suffering the animals undergo would be reduced if more time was spent on loading them properly onto trucks and the temperature was kept down.

The researchers from the University of Lérida (UL) and the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom are in agreement that the death of pigs during transportation must be considered from the perspective of animal welfare as well as the economic losses caused to the livestock sector.

“Of the 112,842 pigs that were transported in Spain between June 2003 and May 2004, 121 were dead upon arrival,” Luis Fernando Gosálvez, lead author of the study and chair in the Animal Production Department at the UL, told SINC.

The study, which has been published recently in Veterinary Record includes statistical analysis applied to a model of logistic regression in the transport of pigs at 37 abattoirs throughout five countries in the European Union: Spain (403 journeys), Portugal (169), France (65), Italy (57) and Germany (45). According to the study, the pigs’ country of origin has no affect on their risk of mortality.

The researchers ascertained the deaths and injuries suffered by the pigs, in the form of bruises and wounds, by conducting interviews with lorry drivers. Animals were bruised in 8.5 per cent of the journeys.

Gonsálvez says the risk of death would decline if more time was spent on loading each of the animals properly, including restraining them inside the lorry. The study confirms that animals were not tied up during transit in more than one quarter of the journeys.

The Spanish and British scientists also looked at other factors affecting the pigs. The air temperature experienced during travel is crucial, since pigs respond negatively and their stress levels rise in line with increasing heat. The study stresses that “pigs should not be transported during the hottest hours of the day”.

Other factors, including the use of electric prods to make the animals move, gender differences, the lack of bedding or ventilation, lack of water to keep them hydrated, and the number of stops during the journey “could also cause stress”.

Friday, December 12, 2008Print This Page
Improvement in Conditions for Group-Housed Sows
DENMARK - Different aspects of farrowing systems for group-housed sows and their offspring were featured at an international workshop.





Piglet mortality for group-housed sows was no larger than for confined sows. The main risk factors affecting piglet mortality were low body temperature and birth weight. (Photo: Lene Juul Pedersen, DJF)For many years it has been common practice to confine sows in crates when farrowing to save space and time. It has also been assumed that this would prevent the sows from crushing their piglets. In later years there has, however, been increasing pressure from consumers and organisations for sows to remain untethered. The alternative housing of sows in larger farrowing pens leads to new challenges and requirements for knowledge.

To this end, a number of scientists and other professionals from universities and research institutes in Denmark, England, Scotland, Norway, Switzerland, Sweden and Austria were gathered at an international workshop to share and exchange their knowledge and experience.

Among the Danish participants were senior scientist Lene Juul Pedersen from the Department of Animal Health, Welfare and Nutrition at the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences (DJF), Aarhus University. She presented her research results on piglet mortality and design of farrowing systems for penned sows and their offspring.

Piglet mortality is highest immediately following birth, but there were no significant differences between systems using crates and systems with group-housed sows. She found that the microclimate in the farrowing pen had a larger influence on piglet survival than whether the sows were crated or not.

With the objective of creating a farrowing pen that optimises piglet survival and welfare and also the welfare of the sows and farm workers, Lene Juul Pedersen has been working with Vivi Aarestrup Moustsen from Danish Pig Production on devising different designs of farrowing pens for group-housed sows. This work has resulted in some principles for the design of farrowing pens and new prototypes for pens that will be tested in practice.

At the workshop the concept of group-housed sows and their piglets was illuminated from different angles, including breeding, management, behaviour, economy and its practical application in pig production.

Monday, December 15, 2008Print This Page
China Revs Up to Import More Danish Pork
CHINA - The possibility for the huge Chinese population to eat Danish bacon, salami and other processed products on the basis of pork is coming in the near future.



The reason is that the Chinese import authorities have now signed a protocol with the Danish Ministry of Food and Agriculture about Danish export of heat-treated pork products to China.

Until now Danish export businesses have only been allowed to export fresh and not processed pork to China, most often so-called by-products such as tails and pig’s feet, reports Borsen.

The Minister of Foods, Eva Kjer Hansen, discussed the idea of such a protocol with the Chinese Minister for Imports and Exports Li Chingjiang in a meeting in Beijing in April. The discussions have now resulted in the signing of the protocol, and the Ministry can now take the next step which is to get the exports started.

In recent years Danish Crown has performed a massive increase of the exports to China, as the Chinese can now also afford the pork products which are a little more expensive.

Monday, December 15, 2008Print This Page
NZ Consumers Reject Imported Pork
NEW ZEALAND - Consumers are beginning to reject imported pork and favour local product, according to the latest import figures.

 

A New Zealand Pork released report shows a nine per cent drop in pork imports coming into the country, the first major drop in imports in seven years.

“We believe New Zealanders are waking up to how much imported product is coming into the country” says Sam McIvor New Zealand Pork CEO. “The 9 per cent drop is equivalent to 70,000kg per week. But the fact is there is still about 700,000 kgs a week coming in to be made into bacon and ham”.

“There is no doubt that New Zealanders want to know where their food comes from”. In February this year New Zealand Pork launched Country of Origin labelling to denote ‘100 per cent New Zealand grown’ bacon and ham.

“We’ve made it available free to manufacturers and retailers who can prove they use New Zealand product, and we’ve struggled to keep up with demand. The very clear feedback we have from bacon manufacturers is that their New Zealand grown product is increasing in sales. As consumers are now buying their Christmas ham we’re sure we’ll see the same trend there too.”

McIvor says that in the tough financial times consumers are reverting to brands they can trust, and the 100 per cent New Zealand message is a key component of that trust.

“This is a poignant reminder to legislators who have rejected calls for Country of Origin Labelling. We’ve taken the lead to inform consumers. My advice this Christmas is to look for the 100 per cent New Zealand pork, bacon or ham label to ensure they buy local.”

Monday, December 15, 2008Print This Page
Need to Promote British Pork
UK - With the pig industry increasingly dominated by imports, there is an urgent need to promote and brand British pork, which is both produced and processed in Britain, auctioneer and valuer, Peter Crichton, told an ACMC-sponsored meeting of the Suffolk Pig Discussion Group.


Mr Crichton predicted the United Kingdom total breeding herd, currently standing at 423,000 head, would dip below 400,000 sows next year. This would provide opportunities. Weaner prices were already firming and because of the shortfall in meat supplies, prices for finishers could reach 150p per kilo by July. Feed prices had dropped but wheat futures showed prices rising from £95 per tonne in January to £111 in November. He warned that in a market so influenced by imports, pig prices were still ruled by the euro and its value relative to the pound sterling.

Pigmeat sales at retail level had dropped due to the credit crisis with bacon down 5 per cent and fresh/frozen pork down 6 per cent. Chops were down a massive 16 per cent.

He pointed out that the Danish pig industry was in crisis — with producers losing up to £20 a pig — following the loss of Russian trade and their pigs would have to find a market in Europe, which could have knock-on effects in Britain. There were now fewer abattoirs — and therefore fewer pig buyers — and around 50 per cent of this sector of the industry was now in the hands of just two major importers.

Tuesday, December 30, 2008Print This Page
India Plans on Looking to Germany for Pig Meat
INDIA - Russia is currently putting a brake on the amount of pigmeat it imports but as one door closes another opens — India is expected to become a significant importer of pigmeat in the near future.


The most likely contender for the business will be German which saw its pigmeat exports increase 20 per cent this year as a result of buoyant demand from Russia, Hong Kong and China.

Under normal circumstances Holland and Denmark would have been in the running for the Indian market, but following cutbacks in their national herds this year they may not have sufficient supplies.

Monday, January 05, 2009Print This Page
Capital Clamps Down on Slaughterhouses
VIET NAM - Hanoi has tightened controls on slaughtering of poultry, pigs and cattle in the run-up to Tet.



The Hanoi City Veterinary Department has taken comprehensive measures to inspect the slaughtering and transport of poultry and cattle in order to ensure food hygiene and safety during the upcoming lunar New Year Festival (Tet).

Inspection work will be intensified in all parts of the capital city, particularly in wholesale markets and slaughter houses.

The Department has promoted the dissemination of information about food hygiene and safety regulations and implemented disinfection work at markets and transport centres, such as Ha Vi in Thuong Tin, Guot in Phu Xuyen, Minh Khai in Tu Liem and Ba La in Ha Dong.

Hanoi now has more than 260,000 head of buffalo and oxen, 1.6 million pigs and over 14 million poultry, capable of providing 70-80 percent of the city's demand for food during Tet. The city has 41 slaughterhouses and more than 41 shops and supermarkets selling high quality meat.
 

Monday, January 05, 2009Print This Page
Ugandans Advised to Keep More Pigs
UGANDA - Ugandans have been urged to take advantage of the overwhelming demand for pork and poultry products in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.



The Minister of Defence, Dr Crispus Kiyonga, while delivering his New Year message on Kasese Guide Radio - Omusondolya said Ugandans must exploit all possible opportunities to fight poverty, according to AllAfrica.com.

"I wish to encourage all Ugandans and also thank the people of Kibaale and Masaka districts in particular, who are exporting large amounts of pork, eggs and chicken to the eastern DRC," Kiyonga said.

Kiyonga who is also the Member of Parliament for Bukonzo West, a constituency that borders with the eastern DRC, said information coming to him indicate that the current pork and poultry product exports to the DRC are just a drop in the ocean.

He advised Ugandans to move away from growing crops which consume a lot of inputs and yet do not pay well.

Kiyonga said crops like cotton grown at peasantry level are not profitable.

He advised people to grow horticulture crops like pineapples and mangoes and also to go into piggery and poultry farming for better earnings.


 

Monday, January 05, 2009Print This Page
Livestock Prices Set to Go Down in 2009
BEIJING - The prices of China's major livestock products will continue to drop in 2009, according to an official from the Ministry of Agriculture.



Wang Zhicai, director in charge of the ministry's department of stockbreeding, said at a recent national stockbreeding and veterinary meeting that live pig, milk and other major livestock products had experienced constant price dropping in 2008, and the weak pricing trend is expected to continue in the new year.

Statistics from the ministry showed that by November 2008, the average pork price had been falling for nine months in a row, down 25.4 per cent compared with its peak in February.

Wang said that affected by the international financial crisis, consumers will spend less on livestock products. On the other hand, in 2008 the number of progenitive sows increased considerably throughout the country, leading to obvious overstock. It is expected that in the first half of 2009 the supply of live pig will sharply rise.

He said if not handled properly, the livestock industry may be seriously be hurt by profit losses and lead to a recession in the industry.

Sources from the ministry said in 2009 the country will encourage standardized large-scale breeding and the construction of choice-breeding systems, and closely monitor market supply and demand, so as to ensure a steady development of livestock products.

Wednesday, January 07, 2009Print This Page
Celebrity Chef and RSPCA Join Forces on Welfare
UK - The RSPCA is to launch a campaign on Monday 12 January, called 'Rooting for Pigs' - supported by national advertising, press and online activity.



The move is a bid by the UK's animal welfare group, which is joining forces with celebrity chef Jamie Oliver to improve the welfare of pigs.

The first part of the year long campaign will see the Society call on UK retailers to sign up to a voluntary agreement to label all pork products according to production method definitions developed by the RSPCA in association with the British pig industry.

This will allow for greater clarity for shoppers, said the Society.

In addition celebrity chef Jamie Oliver has been working with the RSPCA on the plight of pigs, and is sure to cook up some debate when his new programme 'Jamie Saves our Bacon' is aired as part of Channel 4's 'Great British Food Fight' season later this month.

"It is hoped that Jamie's programme and the RSPCA campaign will help improve the lives of many millions of pigs who are reared for meat both here and in the EU. "The success of chicken campaigns run by RSPCA and chefs Oliver and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall in January 2008 have seen a jump in sales of higher welfare chicken and eggs - despite the difficult economic circumstances - and it is hoped the pig campaign will have a similarly positive impact," said a spokesman for the RSPCA.

Friday, January 09, 2009Print This Page
Dead, Diseased Pigs Sold for Food
CHINA - Six people have been detained in southern China's Guangdong Province for allegedly running a network that processed and sold meat from dead and diseased pigs.



Some of the stinking meat seized by law enforcement officials at the scene had been soaked in an unidentified chemical with a strong smell similar to the pesticide DDT, New Express Daily reported.

Assisted by local police, officials from the Guangzhou Industry and Commerce Administration raided the illegal butcher shop in a small village on 30 December. The village is about 100 kilometers away from Guangzhou, Guangdong's capital.

A total of 4,000 kilograms of meat, 6,000 pieces of pigskin and eight suspects were seized in the operation, reports ShanghaiDaily.com. It was the biggest illegal butcher shop found in Guangzhou in recent five years, the authority said.

The shop is believed to have been open for more than six months.

The shop reportedly paid between 50 yuan (US$7.3) and 200 yuan for each dead pig. The parts and organs were then sold to small restaurants, street vendors, canteens or even meat plants and could make a profit of up to 2,500 yuan a pig.

Most of the pigs had apparently died of foot and mouth, blue ear or ractopamine poisoning.

The shop bought the dead pigs from pig farms in the morning and processed them in the afternoon. The meat was then transported to a cool store in Guangzhou's Houjiao Village about 9 pm and distributed to markets early the next day.

The shop could sell a ton of this meat every day, sometimes even 2.5 to 3 tons, an unidentified source said.

The shop was run by two brothers, identified as Wang. Both were among the six detained.

Their father once reported their dubious business to local authorities but the brothers escaped punishment because of a lack of evidence.

Later they pushed their father down to the ground from second floor. The old man was reportedly seriously injured.

Some restaurants in Guangzhou were reported to be buying the meat at 6 yuan a kilogram and cooking it with braising sauce, while meat plants used the meat for sausages.

Friday, January 09, 2009Print This Page
First British Breeding Pigs Exported to Cambodia
CAMBODIA - The first of 600 genetically-advanced breeding pigs have been shipped out to Cambodia as part of a 20-year franchise agreement in a deal clinched by Yorkshire-based international pig-breeding company, ACMC Ltd.

 

It is believed to be the first time ever that Cambodia has imported genetics from Britain. The initial order is worth almost £1 million.



(L-R) Dr Oknha Mong Reththy, CEO of the MRT Group, Stephen Curtis, chairman of ACMC and Sry Thamarong, minister from the Cambodia Prime Minister's office, wear garlands - a symbol of a warm welcome - to greet the arrival of ACMC stock at Phnom Penh airport.ACMC’s special Meidam and Volante damlines and Vantage sirelines, plus boars representing all three breeds, have been sent to a new unit specially set up on a five-hectare site to house a nucleus herd, in the Prey Nop district of Sihanoukville city, in the west of the country. This has been established by a new company — M’s Pig ACMC (Cambodia) Ltd — set up by the Mong Reththy Group (MRT), a large organisation with interests in civil engineering, construction and shipping as well as agriculture. ACMC has a shareholding in the new company.

The self-contained breeding unit — involving an investment of $5 million (£3.3 million) — will eventually supply enough commercial AC1 sows to produce 1.1 million slaughter pigs annually and will provide employment for thousands of people in rural areas. The project will also involve a feed-milling operation with a projected output of 330,000 tonnes a year and a slaughter/processing plant to produce ‘Premium Quality Pork’ for the Cambodian population, projected to grow from 13 million to 16 million by 2015.

The agreement was negotiated by ACMC chairman, Stephen Curtis, following a visit in April 2008. Due to the complexity of the order, the stock had to be specially bred to provide the necessary blood-lines.

Cambodia, which currently imports between 2,000 pigs a day from neighbouring countries, principally Thailand, to meet domestic demand is urgently seeking to increase indigenous output through an education project which aims to improve production methods and health standards together with the use of improved stock.

Interestingly, Cambodia will be importing genes, albeit much modified, originally sourced from the Far East. More than two decades ago the prolific Chinese Meishan was brought into Europe. Over a 20-year period ACMC used these genetics to create a new breed, the Meidam, to boost productivity. The Meidam is selected with 16 functioning teats and produces 15 per cent more milk than conventional European lines, enabling it to rear many more pigs. In Europe the AC1 has been shown to produce up to 30 pigs per sow a year.

ACMC believes it is the only company that has managed to incorporate this ability while maintaining high-quality lean carcases in the finishing generation. This is what appealed to the Cambodians.

By special licence the breeding stock was transhipped through Bangkok airport. Their arrival, seen by the media as a historical event, was attended by Dr Oknha Mong Reththy, CEO of the MRT Group, Stephen Curtis, chairman of ACMC, Steve Buckley director of investment from the UK Embassy and Sry Thamarong, Minister Attached to the Prime Minister of Cambodia.

Friday, January 09, 2009Print This Page
Japan to Sell Cloned Beef and Pork
JAPAN - The Japanese government will announce cloned beef and pork made from cloned eggs or body cells are safe, allowing their commercial sale this year, according to Japanese media.



The Yomiuri Shimbun and other media quoted experts at the Japanese Food Safety Commission as saying they concluded the quality of meat and ingredients of milk from cloned cows and pigs are as safe as those of normal meat.

According to TruthaboutTrade&Technology, the commission will confirm its decision this year and report it to the Health, Welfare and Labor Ministry. The Cabinet will have final approval.

Cloned beef and pork will hit the market this year, but fears over safety have risen. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Food Safety Authority announced a year ago that meat and milk products made from cloned animals are safe.

In the United States, however, meat from cloned animals has not been sold on the market for ethical and religious reasons.

Ag Minister on Largest Ever Trade Mission to Japan
IRELAND - The Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Brendan Smith TD is in Japan as part of the largest ever Irish trade mission to Japan.



The trade mission is being led by An Taoiseach, Brian Cowen TD and also includes the Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, John McGuinness TD, in addition to 70 Irish companies and organisations, including a number of Irish food companies.

Japan is the second largest economy in the world and Ireland is the fifth biggest exporter and the biggest exporter per capita to Japan in the EU. Japan is a particularly important market for Irish pork and Minister Smith said that it was important that every effort is made to ensure that our international customers have total confidence in the safety and quality of Irish food products.

Minister Smith had a series of important engagements aimed at promoting Irish food and attended, along with Irish companies, a number of events organised by Enterprise Ireland, including a Functional Foods Seminar also attended by both Irish and Japanese companies. The Minister also participated in a number of Bord Bia events, including the official opening of a major Irish Meat Seminar attended by a number of Japanese importers and meat traders. Japan remains the world's largest net importer of food and with a population of 127.7 million people, it is a key focus market for Irish exports. Irish food and drink exports to Japan were valued at €24 million in 2007.

In addition, the Minister and senior Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food officials are meeting with Senior Vice Minister Noritoshi Ishida and officials from the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. Minister Smith said he had impressed upon the Japanese Minister the huge importance placed by the Irish Government on the quality and safety of Irish food.

While addressing the recent pork crisis, he also outlined the progress made in very significantly reducing the incidence of BSE in Ireland and across the EU and expressed the hope that the Japanese market might be reopened to Irish beef.

Minister Smith warmly welcomed the confirmation by the Japanese Health Ministry, following the recall of Irish pigmeat, that normal arrangements continue for the importation of Irish pigmeat. The Minister said that the Japanese market for Irish pork was worth €13 million annually and said he was confident that it had the potential to be worth considerably more than that.

Thursday, January 15, 2009Print This Page
Pigs Culled After ASF Outbreak
RUSSIA - A Stavropol region collective farm and nearby villages are culling around 7,000 pigs after an outbreak of African swine fever (ASF) began to spread, and the nearby city of Sochi said it had allotted 4 million rubles ($126,000) to contain an outbreak there.



The disease, which is still prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa, has been largely eradicated in the rest of the world, although there was a major outbreak in the Caucasus in 2007. The disease is not dangerous to humans, reports The Moscow Times.com.

A Stavropol region veterinary official told Interfax that 1,000 animals were culled Wednesday at the Rostovanovsky collective farm, bringing the total to around 2,600. The farm had 6,500 pigs, and there are another 640 within the quarantine zone, said Viktor Sankin, the region's head veterinarian.

Krasnodar Deputy Governor Vladimir Kharlamov said Tuesday that 10 pigs had died in his region, apparently of African swine fever, and a quarantine was opened to contain the outbreak.

The disease was first detected Jan. 8, and about 200 pigs have died of the infection. An earlier outbreak in the Stavropol region in October was contained, the report said. Four collective farm workers have been charged with violations of veterinary regulations for the earlier outbreak in the Gorkaya Balka village.

A major outbreak in the Caucasus region prompted a scare in 2007, and Georgian authorities killed some 30,000 pigs after the UN warned that it could cause an economic disaster for the region.

The disease was first reported in Russia after several wild boars were shot in late 2007 in Chechnya, Interfax reported. The nearby republics of Ingushetia, North Ossetia and the Orenburg region also registered cases.

Friday, January 16, 2009Print This Page
Clones for Food: EC Breaking its Own Rules?
EU - An animal welfare group has claimed that The European Commission is breaking its own rules with a wait and see approach to animal cloning. The group claims that cloning harms animal welfare.



Eurogroup for Animals, which represents animal welfare organisations from all over Europe, will be filing a complaint of maladministration against the European Commission with the European Ombudsman.

By delaying action on the cloning of animals for food, the Commission has failed to respect the EU directive for the protection of farm animals, which states that reproduction techniques which cause animals to suffer cannot be used.

Commissioners decided yesterday in Strasbourg to once again put off submitting a proposal, claiming more scientific answers were needed as well as a debate with international trading partners. Eurogroup for Animals is appalled by this wait-and-see approach as all the scientific evidence clearly demonstrates that cloning is harmful for the animals.

Eurogroup director Sonja Van Tichelen said: "We are shocked that the Commission is disrespecting its own rules because it values trade relations over the welfare of animals and the wishes of consumers. The Commission has let down animals and people by failing to propose a ban on the cloning of animals for food. The wasteful practice has been shown to cause animals to suffer at every stage, yet the Commission has chosen to ignore all the scientific evidence, the majority of Europeans who are against it, as well as the advice of the EU's own institutions.

"Eurogroup will be calling on member states to apply the directive for the protection of farm animals and introduce national bans if the Commission continues to do nothing."

Friday, January 16, 2009Print This Page
Russia Reports Three New Cases of ASF
RUSSIA - The veterinary authorities have sent two new reports to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) regarding three new cases of African Swine Fever (ASF).



Follow-on Reports 11 and 12 were sent to OIE on 13 and 14 January, respectively.

Report No. 11 covers an outbreak in a herd of 2500 pigs one a commercial farm at Rostovanovskoye, Kursky, Stavropol'skiy Kray, where 125 pigs died.

Report No. 12 covers two new cases of ASF. The first was at Plastunka, Khostinsky, Krasnodarskiy Kray. Ten pigs from a village herd of 265 pigs showed symptoms of the disease. Two died and the other eight sick pigs were destroyed. The other case involved one wild pig at El'brussky, Kabardino-Balkarskaya Resp. The veterinary authority commented that the region shares a border with the Abkhazia Autonomous Republic (Georgia), which has not been ASF-free since 2007. The migration of wild boars is known to take place during the autumn and winter.

Friday, January 16, 2009Print This Page
Welfare Increasingly Important
UK - British shoppers are becoming increasingly engaged with standards of animal welfare when purchasing food, according to research into consumer behaviour by IGD.


One-fifth of shoppers now say that knowing about standards of animal welfare has become one of their key drivers of product choice.

“As one would expect in the current economic climate, price remains a key driver for shoppers,” said Joanne Denney-Finch, IGD chief executive. "However, the stronger focus on standards of animal welfare demonstrates that consumers continue to grow more engaged with their food. People are making well-informed decisions on their food choices and looking for value for money without compromising on their values.” IGD says the growing public interest provides an excellent opportunity to differentiate and gain more shopper loyalty.

Percentage of people highlighting animal welfare as a driver of choice: 2005- 8%, 2006- 10%, 2007- 11%, 2008- 13%, 2009- 20%.

Saturday, January 17, 2009Print This Page
More Buyers Than Sellers
UK - Although reports are continuing to filter through of slightly indifferent retail demand, spot prices have continued to improve mainly due to shrinking United Kingdom pig availability, writes Peter Crichton in his Traffic Lights commentary.




This follows higher infertility levels last summer and reflects the large numbers of sows that were slaughtered during the first six months of 2008 whose progeny pigs are no longer in the system.

The DAPP caught many traders by surprise this week by slipping a shade to 130.5p, but unless someone in the economics department presses the wrong knob, the signs are the DAPP will rise next week reflecting better spot quotes and a reduction in heavier pigs held up in the system over the Christmas period.

But the market remains overshadowed by reports of further falls in European Union pigmeat values which have been under pressure since Christmas.

Despite these negative factors most spot bacon was traded within the 137–140p range, but at this level foreign imports are starting to challenge the domestic market.

Other signs of easing European Union pigmeat values have been seen in the cull sow market where export abattoir quotes moved down fairly sharply this week by anywhere between 3–6p according to specification with quotes generally in the 114–117p range, which after slaughtering and transports costs are still ahead of equivalent European Union values.

Hopefully the € will continue to hold its current value which remains in the 89p region, as any further falls will work against the interests of the United Kingdom pig industry.

Probably the most active sector has been the weaner market where further falls in output have put finishers under pressure to fill empty units and saw the AHDB 30kg ex-farm weaner average move up again from £45.10/head last week to £45.46/head.

Another positive note is that after several weeks of fairly significant increases feed wheat prices appear to have stabilised at just above £100/tonne on an ex-farm basis, although forward quotes for the second half of the year are tending to be reported in the £117-£125/tonne region.

Despite concerns over the European situation the overall picture is much more positive for United Kingdom producers than normal at this time of the year and we are all eagerly awaiting the Jamie Oliver pig programme at the end of the month to see if this helps or hinders the industry as a whole

Monday, January 19, 2009Print This Page
Nepal Pig Farmers and Their Fat Piggy Banks
NEPAL - Pig rearing has made farmers of Karra Tole of Hetauda-10 in Makwanpur district affluent.



According to The Himalayan Times, the farmers, who started rearing pigs with assistance from the District Livestock Office in 2053 BS, are fully involved in this occupation. These farmers formed a group and started this occupation. The group has 26 members. The pigs reared here are exported to different parts of the country such as Dharan, Birgunj, Butwal and Kathmandu, said group member Usha Ranjit.

According to Krishna Bahadur Moktan, another member of the group, a mature pig is sold for Rs 20,000 whereas the price of a pair of piglets is Rs 3,000. A pig has a litter of 15-16 piglets at one time and they are sold at Rs 1,700 each.

Monday, January 19, 2009Print This Page
New Pig Farm for North Korea
SOUTH KOREA - Jeju Island is supporting a new farm for black pigs in North Korea.



South Korea's Jeju Island will send equipment to build a pig farm in Pyongyang to raise the island's local specialty, black pigs, officials told Yonhap.

Black pigs, or 'heuk-doe-ji' in Korean, are native to the semi-tropical island. They are covered in black hair, and the meat is popular for being chewy and rich in nutrients.

Monday, January 19, 2009Print This Page
Two New Cases of ASF in Russia
RUSSIA - The veterinary authorities have reported two new cases of African Swine Fever (ASF) to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE).



The new cases are described in Follow-up Report No. 13 dated 16 January, and both involved wild species.

The first case was at an isolated farmstead on the Beshtaugorsky nature reserve at Mineralovodsky in Stavropol'skiy Kray. One animal in a group of 140 wild boar was affected.

Also in Stavropol'skiy Kray, at Debri reserve at Georgiyevsky, 10 wild boar of a group of 140 were affected. African swine fever was confirmed in seven of the 10 affected animals, all of which died. A further 11 animals were destroyed

Monday, January 19, 2009Print This Page
Positive Report on English Pig Industry
UK - The Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee conducted a major inquiry into the English pig industry last September, and its report has now been published.

 

The committee took written and oral evidence from industry bodies, retailers, processors and producers and has now published its report which is extremely positive and highlights the excellence of the English pig industry. However, it does point out the industry faces a number of challenges.

The committee said:

English pig producers have higher welfare standards than much of the rest of the EU. However, even in 2013 when the rest of Europe starts to catch up with us there still will not be a level playing field.
The industry has suffered over the last year from rocketing feed prices and feed is about 50 per cent of the cost of raising a pig – prices have now started to fall back and some producers are moving into profit.
Defra should put its own house in order first by making sure it and other government departments buy pork and pork products at least to UK standards. The industry has been working hard on this and is making progress towards getting more British pork and pork products into government departments.
About two-thirds of the pork imported into the UK would be illegal to produce here due to lower welfare standards of imported product.
Pig farmers have had to implement huge amounts of environmental legislation, which has been costly. In the UK, the Government has given no help to the industry to achieve these goals whereas in other European countries, governments have been very supportive either through with tax breaks or grants).

Tuesday, January 20, 2009Print This Page
Pigs Illegally Injected with Water in Tianjin
CHINA - Food inspectors in north China have discovered that a city-backed pork products plant was injecting pigs with water to illegally increase their weight.



Investigators who were tipped off to the practice raided the Xixinyuan slaughterhouse in Tianjin's Xiqing District last Friday, according to Chinese media reports.

Three officials had to struggle to enter a pig farm that was part of the production facility, pushing to open an iron door as workers on the other side tried to hold them back.

Once they forced their way inside, inspectors found iron hooks, plastic water pipes, barrels, bloody knives and several bottles of unidentified liquid. The items were clearly used for water injection, the officials said.

Inspectors told reporters that pigs awaiting slaughter should not be allowed to eat or drink. Factory chief Yi Shunpu reportedly said he was unaware that the pigs were being improperly bulked up.

The facility slaughters more than 400 pigs a day to provide pork to Tianjin's Nankai District and neighbouring provinces. It is one of Tianjin's 36 government-designated slaughterhouses charged with producing quality pork.

But it was the third so far to be caught forcing water into pigs. The other two have had their licenses revoked.

ShanghaiDaily.com reports that it was not clear in yesterday's reports what action would be taken against the latest offender.

Each slaughterhouse has a government inspector, but he or she is in charge only of looking out for pork from diseased pigs and doesn't have authority over water-injected meat, officials told reporters.

Wednesday, January 21, 2009Print This Page
Shoulder Ulcers Persistent in Danish Sows
DENMARK - In the spring and summer of 2008 researchers from the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences examined no less than 3,831 lactating sows on 98 different farms.



The results showed that 17.2 per cent of the lactating sows had shoulder ulcers to a greater or smaller degree on one or both shoulders.



An investigation of the frequency of shoulder ulcers in sows on Danish farms shows that the problem persists. Photo: DJFThis is the first time a study has been made of the frequency of the problem on farms. Earlier studies have been carried out on slaughtered sows at the slaughterhouses and this has not given a proper picture of the situation on the farms.

In the new study the lesions are classified in three categories. Grade1 is a superficial lesion, grade 2 includes all skin layers, while grades 3-4 are deep lesions. 13.0 per cent of the sows had grade 1 lesions, i.e. superficial lesions, while 4.2 per cent of the sows had lesions classified as grade 2 or worse.

There was a big difference in the frequency of shoulder ulcers on the individual farms, says senior scientist Marianne Bonde, Department of Animal Health, Welfare and Nutrition, who headed the study.

"We found sows with shoulder ulcers on all the farms we visited, but on many farm there were only a few sows with ulcers. On other farms there were problems with shoulder ulcers in more than 30 per cent of the sows," she says.

The farms in the study were randomly selected via the central livestock register. The pig farmers were generally very interested in doing something about the problems, says Marianne Bonde.

However, there is a great need for clarifying the causes of shoulder ulcers so they can be prevented. The data collected will form the basis for identifying important causes.

"We will now investigate the importance of the sow’s general health, e.g. body condition, problems stemming from pregnancy, and problems with the legs and feet on the frequency of shoulder ulcers. We will also evaluate the influence of the housing conditions such as how much room the sow has to move around in the farrowing pen, which type of floor material they are lying on, and straw usage. We will also throw light on other elements, such as the conditions in the dry sow housing, feed, and the feeding system," Marianne Bonde explains

Monday, January 26, 2009Print This Page
GM Pigs to be Bred for Organ Transplant Harvesting
UK - Lord Winston, a fertility researcher, has announced plans to breed genetically engineered pigs, for the purpose of harvesting their organs for transplant into humans.



"Pigs' organs are the right size for human transplantation, and they work similarly to human organs," said Lord Winston, head of the Institute of Reproductive and Developmental Biology at Hammersmith Hospital in London.

According to Natural News.com, health professionals have attempted to transplant organs from animals into humans before, but research in the field dropped off in the late 1990s when early transplant attempts were rejected and attacked by recipients' bodies as foreign tissue. Concerns over the possibility that transplants could facilitate the spread of diseases from animals to humans also contributed to a drop in the field's popularity.

Now Winston and colleagues from Imperial College want to revive the idea by breeding pigs that contain six human genes, in order to decrease the chances that the pigs' organs will be rejected by human bodies. They have formed a company called Atazoa that has successfully created transgenic pig sperm, but their research stalled due to strict British regulations over transgenic animals.

"One of the biggest problems in Britain is the regulatory framework. It's been very difficult to get this sort of animal work going," Lord Winston said.

The researchers initially had to wait 13 months before they were licensed to genetically modify the pigs, then were told that regulations prohibited breeding genetically modified animals on agricultural land.

In response, Atazoa has moved its research to the United States, which has drastically fewer regulations concerning genetic research on animals. The researchers will breed the pigs with genetically modified sperm in Missouri, and hope to produce a fully modified animal within the next two years. After that, they hope to begin clinical trials to demonstrate that the genetically engineered organs are safe for human transplant

Monday, January 26, 2009Print This Page
Pork Consumption Grows Despite Difficulties
NEW ZEALAND - “The most difficult of the last 30 years” is how Chris Trengrove describes 2008 in New Zealand Pork’s recently released Annual Report. “Biofuels, a commodity boom, drought, losses, exits, grain prices, and recession all combined to make what many commentators have described as the perfect storm,” says Trengrove.

 

During the year grain prices reached crippling levels, meaning for a period that producers were losing up to $50 per pig and resultantly exits began. However by the end of the year, the schedule was pushing $4.00/kg, the exchange rate had become favourable, pork imports had dropped significantly and spot grain prices had stabilised allowing producers to now make modest margins.

Trengrove notes that the downturn has had an impact with 10 per cent plus production capacity leaving the industry and therefore expects production to be down for the 2008/09 year.

Despite the difficult year Trengrove points to a number of successes for the industry. The launch of the Lesnies 100 per cent New Zealand Bacon of the Year Competition drew 110 bacon makers and 233 individual bacon entries. “Strong consumer interest reinforced country of origin as an important issue and it is satisfying that all of our major processors have dedicated NZ hams and bacons and they carry our 100 per cent New Zealand bacon and ham labelling”.

Consumption of fresh pork has also continued to grow notes Trengrove. “Growth in fresh consumption has been half a kilo per capita per year for the last five years, 75 per cent of our domestic production now goes to the fresh market. There is no doubt that we can continue to grow consumption but the challenge is to ensure that we lift returns to producers.”

In that regard NZPork has continued a strong industry sustainability focus on biosecurity, environment and animal welfare with mixed results. “It is disappointing that another 12 months have passed without resolution of the Import Health Standards for pigmeat from countries with PRRS. We have continued to make sound science representations to MAF Biosecurity New Zealand (MAFBNZ) but have been unable to make progress.”

During the year NZPork developed new initiatives in animal welfare assessment and investigated biogas application but the environmental area overall continues to be difficult particularly for farming related resource consents. “The attitude of councils nationwide is variable. Increasingly we see over officious approaches which threaten the sustainability of current businesses and make it difficult for new ones to establish. This requires action at the very highest levels of government to ensure that the right to farm and wealth creation for our nation is protected. In this respect we applaud the Government’s review of the Resource Management Act (RMA).

Monday, January 26, 2009Print This Page
Tainted Irish Pork Seized in Eastern China
CHINA - Chinese quarantine authorities in the eastern city of Nanjing have seized more than 23 tonnes of frozen Irish pork that was found to be contaminated with dioxin and ordered it be returned, state media reported yesterday.



The pork was imported by a company in the nearby city of Suzhou in October, the Xinhua news agency said.

"Inspectors sealed the pork and ordered the company to send it back," the report added.

China banned the import of Irish pork last month following Dublin's order to recall domestically produced pork products because of contamination with dioxin, which in some forms and concentrations, and with long exposure, can cause cancer.

Irish pork was pulled from shelves in up to 25 countries, although production and sale of pork approved as safe by Irish authorities restarted soon after the scare.

Tuesday, January 27, 2009Print This Page
Pork Imports Up in January-October 2008
CHINA - China increased pork imports 470 per cent year-on-year by volume in the first 10 months of 2008 to meet demand and stabilize prices, the General Administration of Customs reported today.



From January to October, China imported 348,000 tons of pork. These imports were valued at $490 million, up 570 per cent.

The United States and European Union accounted for 88.8 per cent of the total. Imports from the United States rose 820 per cent and those from the European Union rose 520 per cent.

Tuesday, January 27, 2009Print This Page
New Policy Issued to Prevent Hog Price Decline
CHINA - AgFeed Industries, Inc., the largest commercial hog producer and the largest premix feed company in China, today commented on a recently released Chinese central government administrative regulation that could prevent large declines in hog prices with a view toward stabilizing hog production and hog prices in order to protect the interests of hog farms.



"The action taken by the Chinese government," stated Dr. Songyan Li, AgFeed's Chairman, "underscores the importance of pork to the Chinese economy and the dietary preferences of the people of China. We are pleased that the government has taken this action and we are hopeful that these measures will result in a stabilization of our pork prices and have a positive impact on our operations going forward."

Gerry Daignault, AgFeed's COO adds, "The recent government action gives confidence to AgFeed's future investment plans, which include modernization of our pork production facilities, investment in our employees, environmental programs and bio security. These actions are part of our effort to, among other things, assure consistent high quality and safe pork."

The Chinese regulation sets out measures to be taken in the event that certain levels of hog price declines occur. Decline levels are based on pre-established "Grain-to-Hog" price ratios, the number of slaughtered sows and monthly sow inventories. Depending on the severity of any decreases in hog prices, the Chinese government shall implement one or more of the following strategic initiatives: publish hog price decline warnings, purchase market hogs for its strategic reserve, grant subsidies to farms, or adjust pork imports and exports.

The government may also take other remedial action. In the event of a sever drop in hog prices, hog farms in the largest hog producing areas will receive a subsidy of $15 for each gestation sow and nationally designated hog breeding farms will receive a subsidy of $15 for each breeding boar.

As part of the regulation, the Government vowed to promote the collaboration between large pork consuming areas and large hog producing areas. For example, large pork consuming areas are encouraged to sign long-term supply agreements with large hog producing areas and to set up hog production plants in large hog producing areas.

In addition, hog farms are encouraged to negotiate long-term sales contracts with slaughter houses and wholesale markets to maintain hog price stability. In addition, the Government plans to strengthen pork quality inspection to ensure feed safety and to address unreasonable government taxes and fees to hog raising, transportation, slaughtering and hog sales.

Friday, January 30, 2009Print This Page
Little Concern for GM Animal Farms in Australia
AUSTRALIA - The report, GM stockfeed in Australia: economic issues for producers and consumers, was released yesterday by Phillip Glyde, Executive Director, ABARE.



The report explores the key economic issues for supply chain participants associated with the use of stockfeed containing GM (genetically modified) ingredients and provides an indication of market acceptance of edible products from animals fed GM stockfeed (such as chicken meat, eggs, beef, sheep meat, pig meat, dairy products and live exports).

“The increasing adoption of GM crops has led to a greater presence in stockfeed mixes both here and overseas,” Mr Glyde said.

“The report found that there is little evidence of consumers in Australia and Australia’s major export markets rejecting meat, egg and dairy products from animals fed stockfeed containing GM ingredients,” Mr Glyde said.

However, consumer awareness of the current use of GM ingredients in stockfeed appears to be low both in cases. While the few studies conducted on consumer acceptance in Australia and the United States indicate some consumer aversion to consuming products from animals fed GM feed, there is no evidence to suggest this is lowering their demand.

“There are no mandatory labelling requirements or market access restrictions for meat, egg and dairy products from animals fed stockfeed containing GM ingredients either here or in our major export markets,” Mr Glyde added.

This is also the case in the European Union, which is regarded as having some of the strictest regulations on genetically modified organisms.

It is estimated that the chicken meat and egg industries are the most likely to include GM ingredients in their feed because of their high reliance on protein meals, such as imported soybean and canola meals.

Given current GM regulations, and degrees of consumer acceptance and awareness in Australia and its major livestock product export markets, it seems unlikely Australian livestock producers who choose to use GM feed will be disadvantaged.

“Other livestock industries may increase their intake of GM stockfeed in the future, as more varieties of GM crops are developed and commercialised,” Mr Glyde said.

In releasing the report, Mr Glyde acknowledged funding provided by the Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry under the recently concluded National Biotechnology Strategy.

Monday, February 02, 2009Print This Page
New Vet Certificate for US Imports Wanted
RUSSIA - Russia's food safety watchdog wants to revise the veterinary certificate for pork imports from the United States as quickly as possible, and introduce a new one on 1 June, according to Russia's Interfax News Agency.



Until then, pork and raw pork products from the US will be imported under tighter laboratory control, a source at the Veterinary and Phyto-Sanitary Oversight Service told Interfax.

The proposal was made after US officials, during a recent video conference between the Russian regulator and USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service, said the US had not assumed the obligation to fulfill Russian veterinary health requirements in pork shipments to Russia, the source said. The current veterinary certificate, introduced in November 2006, does not stipulate that those requirements must be fulfilled, reports Meatingplace.

"We think it necessary to review the current veterinary certificate as soon as possible. A draft of the new form for this document will be sent to FSIS very soon so that it can be introduced on 1 June 2009," Interfax quoted the representative of the Russian regulator as saying.

USDA announced last week that Russia halted pork imports from some major US pork processing plants and cold storage facilities due to export certificate errors.

Tuesday, February 03, 2009Print This Page
Oz Pork Producers Reminded of Swill Feeding Ban
AUSTRALIA - Pig producers have been reminded that swill feeding is banned in Australia.



Swill is any food waste containing meat or other animal products of by-products, apart from Australian milk by-products that is fed to pigs.

According to Weekly Times Now, Victorian Department of Primary Industries principal animal health officer Gerry Watt said the department had surveyed over 600 food waste outlets across the state and found most were aware it is an offence to supply food waste containing meat or contaminated by meat to anyone to feed to pigs.

“Any livestock owners suspected of feeding banned material to pigs will be followed up to ensure the practice ceases, immediately,” he said.

“In many countries swill feeding is used as a cheap source of food for pigs, however, this is a very dangerous practice, and is banned in Australia.

“Swill feeding has been shown to cause outbreaks of serious diseases overseas. The 2001 Foot and Mouth Disease outbreak in the United Kingdom was started by swill feeding infected material to pigs costing the country billions of pounds and the farming community great heartache.

Mr Watt said Australia was fortunate to be free of many serious diseases of livestock such as Foot and Mouth Disease and Classical Swine.

“An exotic disease outbreak would severely affect the livestock industries and the Australian economy,” he said.

“Feeding of infected and illegally imported meat or dairy product scraps to pigs is seen as the most likely way in which an exotic disease could be introduced into Australia.”

Tuesday, February 03, 2009Print This Page
Irish Pork Trade to South Africa Resumes
IRELAND - The Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Brendan Smith TD welcomed confirmation from the South African Department of Agriculture that they have decided to lift trade restrictions on the import of pork and pork products from Ireland.



Minister Smith said that this decision was further vindication of the prompt and decisive action of the Irish authorities following the confirmed presence of dioxins in Irish pork in early December, a fact acknowledged by the South African authorities.

The Minister said that while the South African market was relatively small, at approximately €1 million in 2007, it was an important step in restoring confidence in important international markets and follows confirmation by the Japanese authorities that normal arrangements for the importation of Irish pigmeat were continuing.

Minister Smith said that the resumption of the South African trade and the continuation of the Japanese trade was “a reflection of the work of my Department, Bord Bia and our embassies in providing reassurance about the quality and safety of Irish pigmeat” and said that he would continue to work closely with the agencies and “would be happy to travel to any markets with which we were having continuing difficulties if that would be helpful in restoring confidence and resuming trade.”

Wednesday, February 04, 2009Print This Page
China Largest Pork Importer in History in 2008
CHINA - China's overseas purchases and imports of pork and pork products in calendar year 2008 were unprecedented for any single country in history, according to US Meat Export Federation (USMEF) calculations from just-released Chinese trade data.

 

Based on import totals from China and Hong Kong, the country imported 1.925 million metric tons (4.2 billion pounds) of pork and pork products last year, including 1.161 million tons (nearly 2.6 billion pounds) of pork variety meats and 764,000 tons (1.7 billion pounds) of pork cuts.

Available trade data suggests that China's imports eclipsed the previous single-year record of 1.022 million tons (2.2 billion pounds) of pork imported by Japan in 2005.

"The volume demonstrates the huge influence China can have on global markets when supply and demand become imbalanced,” said Joel Haggard, senior vice president of USMEF's Asia Pacific region. “The import volume, though huge, represents less than 5 per cent of China’s consumption."

Although final data for 2008 is not yet in, USMEF estimates that total US pork and pork product exports to China and Hong Kong reached 386,000 tons (851 million pounds) valued at nearly $700 million in 2008. The EU and Brazil were the other major pork suppliers to the region.

Haggard believes it is unlikely that China's pork imports this year will match last year's record. Increased industry profitability last spring, coupled with a range of hog raising subsidies, has resulted in a substantial expansion of China's herd, and lower hog and pork prices. As of yesterday, live market hog prices in China averaged RMB 12.75/kg., or $84/cwt., 25 per cent below the record RMB 17.04/kg. price set in April last year.

According to the National Bureau of Statistics, by the end of the third quarter of 2008, China's live hog inventory had increased 6.6 percent from the year-earlier figure, and the sow population increased 12.4 per cent. Total marketed hogs increased 5.8 per cent and meat production was up approximately 6 percent.

Although the post lunar new year early spring period usually marks the annual low point in demand, USMEF has heard reports of serious respiratory disease outbreaks that could be adding a bearish tone to the market. That said, USMEF expects imported variety meat demand to hold through 2009, although US muscle cuts face stiffer competition from domestic supplies.

On 12 January, China’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), the state's leading macroeconomic planning and policy agency under the State Council, in concert with key ministries including the Ministry of Commerce, the Ministry of Agriculture, AQSIQ and the Ministry of Finance, announced a new temporary pork price stabilization program ostensibly designed to smooth out the country's volatile hog cycle. Specifically, the program establishes an early warning system for low live hog and pork prices based upon the ratio of live hog to grain prices. As the live hog to corn price index drops, the program sets triggers for different policy actions by central and local authorities, ranging from mandating government purchases of pork for reserves to restricting imports and stimulating exports if prices drop into a "red" zone range.

China's first new central policy document of the new lunar year of the ox pledged "tough" measures to support rural areas and agriculture this year. China noted that rural areas face the most difficult challenges during the global economic downturn. With 40 per cent of rural income dependent on non-farm work, such as manufacturing jobs in coastal factories, the loss of overseas demand will translate directly into pain for the rural sector.

Results of a new Chinese survey announced yesterday estimate that 15 percent of migrant rural workers – approximately 20 million people – have lost their jobs due to the economic crisis. A number of subsidy increases have been announced for the rural sector in addition to those for the hog-raising sector, including farm machinery and appliance purchasing subsidies, and a 16 per cent rise in the minimum purchase price for grain.