An alternative to cow’s milk


By Joel Guinto
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 16:46:00 09/30/2008


MANILA, Philippines -- Amid the scare caused by melamine-laced milk from China, one of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's aides is proposing a switch to goat's milk, which she said was the healthier alternative to cow's milk.

Citing studies by the Central Luzon State University (CLSU), deputy presidential spokesperson Lorelei Fajardo said goat's milk was next only to breast milk in terms of nutrition.

"Goat's milk is better than cow's milk. It's more pure. I am advocating that like brown rice," Fajardo, concurrent presidential assistant for Central Luzon, told reporters at the Palace Tuesday.

"This is a good opportunity for us. The crisis can be turned into an opportunity for these goat farmers," she added.

Fajardo acknowledged that the government would need to invest more to commercialize goat's milk. She said goats from other countries like
Australia, which produces more milk, could be imported to breed them with local goats.

She said goat's milk was initially more expensive compared to cow's milk, but once its industry was developed, goat's milk could be cheaper than cow's milk since goats required less maintenance compared to cows.

The government has banned milk products from China after hundreds of babies there fell ill while several others died after they consumed milk containing melamine, a toxic chemical that could cause kidney failure.

Also on Tuesday, Health Secretary Francisco Duque met an inter-agency group tasked to enforce the milk ban. The group includes representatives from the Department of Trade and Industry, the Department of Justice (DoJ), the Bureau of Customs, and the Presidential Anti-Smuggling Group (PASG).

"The instruction is to file charges against the violators immediately," Fajardo said.

Poultry manure not good for animal feed
// 11 nov 2008

Farmers should not use poultry droppings as livestock feed according to Dr John Moseki of the Department of Animal Health in Botswana.


At a one-day workshop on the livestock feed system in Botswana at Sebele Dr Moseki said the use of chicken manure as part of the ingredients for animal feed is prohibited as it could spread costly infectious diseases. He said instead of using poultry manure as animal feed, it should be used as fertilizers in the horticultural industry.

Dr Moseki said the livestock industry in Botswana plays an important role in the agricultural and economic health of the country hence the need to safeguard it at all cost.

Animal Feed & Animal Nutrition News Barack Obama’s plans for US farmers
// 07 nov 2008

Now that Barack Obama has been named the 44th President of the United States, things are about the change. But what changes in agriculture can be expected?
 As stated on the website Cardy-Brown.com the biofuel policy was always a major point of difference between Obama and his republican rival John McCain. McCain supported lowering the US import tariff on ethanol which would potentially have led to an increase in Brazilian ethanol and a subsequent fall in demand for domestically produced corn-based ethanol. Brazilian ethanol is far more efficient, both economically in terms of production costs and environmentally in terms of the energy produced.

In contrast Barack Obama has repeatedly emphasised the importance of US energy independence as a driver of biofuels production in the US and is therefore likely to support domestically produced biofuels in favour of imports.

Subsidies
Dutch agricultural newspaper Agrarisch Dagblad reports that Obama is likely to increase the subsidies for agriculture (a typical Democratic approach). Obama also was pro the new farm bill, which was a major issue at the beginning of 2008. At the time, Obama said the new legislation was not perfect, but he supported the part where – mainly small – farmers get more subsidies from the government.

Environment
Regarding the environment, Obama recognises the problems of global warming and he mentioned in one of his speeches that he aims to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions with 80% in 2050 (compared to 1990). Obama was also the only candidate that addressed sustainable and ecological farming. His plans regarding this topic are not fully clear yet, but it is expected that more money will be reserved for conventional farmers who want to farm in an ecological way.

New Minister of Agriculture
Lastly, Obama wants more money for young people who want to pursue their career in agriculture. This is needed as the average farmer in the US is 55 years old. The next coming months, all this ideas has to become clearer. The first important step is to appoint a new Minister of Agriculture. Some people name Collin Peterson, a democrat from Minnesota for this position.

World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates
US meat production seems to be down all round this month, falling slightly behind expectations, says the World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) from the USDA.


Production Forecasts
Total U.S. meat production forecasts for 2008 and 2009 are reduced from last month, primarily reflecting lower pork and broiler production for 2008 and lower forecast pork production for 2009. Beef production is reduced fractionally based on the third quarter production estimate.

Pork production for 2008 is lowered because of the slower-than expected pace of hog slaughter this quarter. The broiler production forecast for 2008 is reduced as a higher third quarter estimate is more than offset by expectations of lower production in the fourth quarter. Hatchery data point to declining eggs set and bird weights have recently begun to decline.

Turkey production is raised on higher projected fourth-quarter production. Pork production forecasts for 2009 are reduced from last month as hog slaughter is expected to be lower due to smaller imports of hogs from Canada. There are no changes to other meats for 2009.

Export Forecasts
Export forecasts for beef and pork in both 2008 and 2009 are reduced as softer international demand and a stronger U.S. dollar are expected to dampen sales. Beef import forecasts are reduced from last month but pork imports are raised.

Broiler exports are increased for 2008 as stronger-than-expected shipments in the third quarter more than offset weaker sales in the fourth quarter. Broiler export forecasts are unchanged for 2009. Turkey exports for 2009 are reduced due to weakening demand and a stronger U.S. dollar.

Cattle and hog price forecasts for both 2008 and 2009 are lowered as a result of weaker exports. Broiler price forecasts are unchanged. Turkey price forecasts for 2008 and 2009 are lowered slightly due to higher domestic supplies.

Milk production forecasts for 2008 and 2009 are increased slightly from last month. Cow number forecasts are unchanged from last month. Forecast 2008 milk per cow is raised from last month due to higher-than-expected August and September estimates. Lower expected feed prices in 2009 should support slightly higher growth in milk per cow although gains are expected to remain below historical rates of increase. Weaker international markets will boost domestic supplies.

Skim solids stocks for 2009 are reduced as domestic use of skims is forecast higher albeit at lower prices. Sales of nonfat dry milk (NDM) to the CCC are forecast for 2008 and 2009.

Class III and Class IV prices for 2008 and 2009 are reduced from last month as most product price forecasts are lowered. Weak international demand and relatively large supples of NDM are expected to result in sharply lower forecast NDM prices. Although relatively weak expected demand could pressure butter prices, relatively higher values of Class III products versus Class IV products may encourage milk to flow to cheese production, tightening butter supplies and supporting prices.

Cheese prices are lowered reflecting larger expected supplies of cheese. Whey prices are forecast lower than last month on weaker demand. The all milk price is forecast lower this month, averaging $18.30 to $18.40 in 2008 and $15.30 to $16.20 in 2009.

Wheat
U.S. wheat supply and use projections are mostly unchanged this month with only a minor adjustment to seed use and shifts among classes on imports and exports. Seed use is lowered 2 million bushels reflecting early indications that 2009 winter wheat seedings will be lower than previously expected. The lateness of this year’s fall row crop harvest has limited planting opportunities for both soft red and hard red winter wheat. By-class changes to wheat imports and exports are made to reflect the pace of shipments to date.

The all wheat season-average farm price is projected at $6.55 to $7.15 per bushel, down on both ends of the range from last month’s $6.60 to $7.40 per bushel. Price prospects for the remainder of the marketing year are dampened by rising world supplies and continued declines in futures and cash prices. Global 2008/09 wheat production is projected at a record 682.4 million tons, up 2.2 million from last month. Increases for EU-27 and Russia more than offset reductions for Argentina, Australia, and China. EU-27 production is raised 3.4 million tons. Production is raised 2.0 million tons for Russia as harvest results confirm higher.

Argentina production is lowered 1.0 million tons as persistent early season dryness limited crop development and reduced yield potential more than previously expected. Australia production is reduced 1.5 million tons as dryness continued through October in the southern growing areas reducing expected yields and harvested area. Partly offsetting were timely October rains in Western Australia that supported crop heading and grain fill. Production is lowered 1.0 million tons for China as 2008/09 area and yield adjustments are made in line with revisions to 2006/07 and 2007/08. Recently released estimates by China’s National Bureau of Statistics raised 2006/07 and 2007/08 area and lowered 2007/08 production, reducing yields in both years.

Afghanistan production estimates for 2006/07 and 2007/08 are also revised lower this month. World wheat imports and exports for 2008/09 are both raised this month. Imports are raised 0.5 million tons for Pakistan and increased 0.7 million tons for neighboring Afghanistan. Pakistan exports are raised 1.4 million tons reflecting higher expected border trade in wheat flour especially with Afghanistan as that country struggles to meet its food needs with this year’s drought-reduced crop.

Exports are increased 1.0 million tons for EU-27 with higher production and larger supplies. Partly offsetting are export reductions of 1.2 million tons for Argentina and 0.5 million tons for Australia on lower production and reduced supplies in both countries. World wheat consumption is raised 0.9 million tons for 2008/09 reflecting higher expected consumption for Afghanistan and Russia. Record production in Russia is expected to strainem storage and handling capacity, boosting product and quality losses and adding to domestic disappearance. Global ending stocks for 2008/09 are raised 0.8 million tons this month with increases for EU-27 and Russia mostly offset by reductions for Australia, China, and Pakistan.

Coarse Grains
U.S. feed grain supplies for 2008/09 are projected lower as compared with last month’s revised forecasts. The November Crop Production report lowers forecast U.S. corn production 13 million bushels. Corn exports are lowered 50 million bushels reflecting slower export sales and shipments and increased foreign competition. Ending stocks are raised 36 million bushels.

The season-average farm price is projected at $4.00 to $4.80 per bushel, down on each end of the range from the previous $4.25 to $5.25 per bushel. Declines in futures and cash prices continue to undermine prospects for the 2008/09 season-average price received by producers. Rising world coarse grain supplies and reduced prospects for global feeding are also expected to pressure U.S. feed grain prices.

Corn supply and use estimates for 2007/08 are revised this month. Imports are raised 2 million bushels and exports are raised 1 million bushels based on August trade data from the U.S. Bureau of Census. Ethanol corn use is raised 26 million bushels on higher-than-expected August ethanol production reported by the Energy Information Administration. Feed and residual use is lowered 25 million bushels.

U.S. sorghum production for 2008/09 is forecast 7 million bushels lower this month. Feed and residual use is lowered 5 million bushels with the reduction in supplies. Ending stocks are projected 2 million bushels lower than in the previous forecast. The season-average farm price is projected at $3.40 to $4.20 per bushel, down from $3.70 to $4.70 per bushel. Price projections are also lowered for barley and oats, but by lesser amounts.

Global coarse grain supplies are projected 5.6 million tons higher this month with beginning stocks raised 4.1 million tons and production raised 1.5 million tons. Much of the increase in beginning stocks reflects reduced 2007/08 corn feed use and exports for Brazil.

Most of the increase in production is from higher 2008/09 coarse grain production in EU-27 and FSU-12. Global corn production is raised 0.3 million tons with increases for EU-27, Russia, and Ukraine more than offsetting reductions for Argentina and the United States. EU-27 coarse grain production is raised 2.5 million tons with increases for barley, mixed grains, rye, corn, and oats.

Russia corn and barley production are raised 0.7 million tons and 0.5 million tons, respectively, based on harvest results. Argentina corn production is lowered 1.0 million tons on lower expected harvested area as lack of timely rainfall reduced plantings. Argentina barley production is lowered 0.4 million tons as drought, frost, and hail damage reduce expected harvested area and yields. Barley production is also lowered 1.0 million tons for Australia as dryness across southeastern growing areas reduce area and yield prospects.

World coarse grain imports and exports for 2008/09 are nearly unchanged this month. Global coarse grain feeding is projected lower with corn feeding reduced 2.6 million tons. Global barley feeding is also reduced 1.3 million tons this month. Global coarse grain stocks for 2008/09 are projected higher this month with corn ending stocks raised 4.6 million tons and barley ending stocks raised 1.1 million tons.

Oilseeds
Total U.S. oilseed production is projected at 88.2 million tons, down 0.5 million tons due to lower soybean and cottonseed production. Soybean production is forecast at 2.921 billion bushels, down 17 million bushels based on a lower soybean yield of 39.3 bushels per acre. Soybean crush is reduced 15 million to 1.745 billion bushels due to lower values for soybean oil and soybean meal. Soybean ending stocks are unchanged at 205 million bushels.

Soybean and product price forecasts are all reduced this month. The U.S. season-average soybean price for 2008/09 is projected at $9.10 to $10.60 per bushel, down 45 cents on both ends of the range reflecting lower cash and futures prices. Soybean meal prices are projected at $255 to $315 per short ton, down $5 on both ends of the range. Soybean oil prices are projected at 37.5 to 41.5 cents per pound, down 6.5 cents on both ends of the range.

Global oilseed production for 2008/09 is projected at 417.8 million tons, down 1.3 million tons from last month. Foreign production is reduced 0.7 million tons as lower soybean and cottonseed production is only partly offset by higher rapeseed and sunflowerseed production. Brazil soybean production is projected at 60 million tons, down 2.5 million tons from the previous forecast due to reduced area and yield. Despite a strengthening U.S. dollar that has mostly offset the effect of declining soybean prices, recent Brazilian government surveys indicate a lower area projection due to higher costs and reduced credit availability. Global rapeseed production is projected higher mainly due to an increase for China.

Recently released government statistics indicate higher rapeseed area, resulting in a 0.5 million ton increase in production to 11.5 million tons. Rapeseed production is projected 0.2 million tons lower for Australia due to lower yields related to excessively dry conditions in some growing areas. Sunflowerseed production is raised for both Ukraine and Russia due to higher-than-expected yields. Sunflowerseed production is also raised for EU-27.

Other changes include higher soybean production for China and EU-27, lower peanut production for China, and lower cottonseed production for Brazil.

Sugar
Projected 2008/09 U.S. sugar supply is increased 251,000 short tons, raw value, from last month. Carry-in stocks are the final ending stocks reported for 2007/08. Beet sugar production for 2008/09 is increased 25,000 tons based on the larger forecast sugarbeet crop. Tariff rate quota (TRQ) imports are increased 75,000 tons to reflect the re-allocation of Mexico’s share of the refined sugar quota announced on August 6.

Partially offsetting, the TRQ shortfall is increased 30,000 tons based on new information about sugar supply and demand in quota holding countries. Ending stocks are raised 251,000 tons from last month to 907,000 tons, down 783,000 tons from last year. For 2007/08, year-end data from processors published in Sweetener Market Data (SMD) raise ending stocks 181,000 tons from last month. With other final data adding marginal changes to 2007/08 supply and use, the increase in reported ending stocks results in a miscellaneous statistical discrepancy of -269,000 tons on the use side.

This amount comprises three miscellaneous uses in SMD (inventory adjustments, refining losses, and intra-industry transfers) and the difference between imports recorded in SMD and official imports (from U.S. Customs Service and the Census Bureau). The difference in import reporting accounts for 86 percent of the statistical discrepancy

Friday, October 24, 2008Print This Page
Oceans Over-fished to Feed Livestock
AUSTRALIA - Fishing to produce fish meal as a feed ingredient for farmed fish, pigs and poultry is unsustainable, new research has found.



Factory-farmed fish, pigs and poultry are consuming 28 million tonnes of fish a year, or roughly six times the amount of seafood eaten by Americans, according to new research reported by Canberra Times.

A nine-year study by the University of British Columbia has found that 90 per cent of small fish caught in the world's oceans every year such as anchovies, sardines and mackerel are processed to make fish meal and fish oil.

They are used as a cheap feed for aquaculture (including farmed Atlantic salmon, prawns and trout), poultry, pigs and animals bred for the fur industry.


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"The study estimates that pigs and poultry around the world consume more than twice as much seafood as the Japanese eat." 

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The study's findings, to be published next month, warn this use is not sustainable, given current rates of global overfishing and increasing threats to global food security.

University of Columbia senior researcher Jacqueline Alder said, "Society should demand that we stop wasting these fish on farmed fish, pigs, and poultry.

"Although feeds derived from soy and other land-based crops are available and are used, fish meal and fish oil have skyrocketed in popularity because forage fish are easy to catch in large numbers and, hence, relatively inexpensive."

Dr Alder, who was previously a researcher at James Cook University in Townsville, warns that the excessive harvesting of forage fish is "squandering a precious food resource for humans and disregarding the serious overfishing crisis in our oceans".

According to the study, small forage fish account for 37 per cent, or 31.5 million tonnes, of all fish taken from the world's oceans each year. Of this amount, 90 per cent is processed into fish meal and fish oil.

Current figures show 46 per cent of fish meal and fish oil is used as feed for aquaculture, 24 per cent for pig feed and 22 per cent for poultry.

The study estimates that pigs and poultry around the world consume more than twice as much seafood as the Japanese eat.

The farm animals eat more than six times the amount consumed in the United States.

Fisheries targeting forage fish are concentrated in four areas of the world the western coast of South America, northern Europe, the Atlantic seaboard of the US, and Alaska. Scientists have raised concerns that a 50 per cent increase in global aquaculture in the past 10 years will seriously affect marine ecosystems already under threat from acidification of the oceans caused by climate change. Species dependent on forage fish include penguins, gulls, cormorants, puffins, dolphins and right whales.

The study says little is known about the role of forage fish in marine ecosystems and few management plans exist for sustainable fishing of these key marine food-web species.

Neither are there plans to to deal with a growing global human demand for fish-oil supplements, thought to reduce the risk of dementia.

The US-based Pew Institute for Ocean Science Institute, which funded the research, plans to set up a global taskforce of leading scientists and fisheries policy experts to find new ways of making forage fisheries more sustainable.

The institute's executive director, Dr Ellen Pikitch, told Canberra Times, "It defies reason to drain the ocean of small, wild fishes that could be directly consumed by people in order to produce a lesser quantity of farmed fish."

[18 November 2008] Asia’s growing economies has helped create an additional two million middle class consumers a month in the world’s developing countries, who represent potential first time consumers of animal protein. Commending Australia’s red meat industry for the resilience it has shown during a period of high input costs and economic uncertainty Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) Chairman Don Heatley  said Australian red meat exporters have captured a good share of the emerging markets, with beef exports to Russia, Indonesia, and the Philippines while sheepmeat exports to China are increasing significantly.He urged the industry to continue to make the most of the opportunities arising as a result of the growing Asian economies, as these markets are the answer to export growth.

Record Harvest but Troubles Loom Ahead
GLOBAL - World cereal production is expected to hit a new record this year as high prices boosted plantings under generally favorable weather conditions, FAO said today in the latest issue of its Food Outlook, a bi-annual commodity publication.

 

World cereal production is forecast to be large enough to meet anticipated utilization in the short-run, and help replenish much depleted global stocks.

But the agency warned that the current financial crisis will affect agricultural sectors in many countries negatively, including those in the developing world.

Greater uncertainty
This year's record cereal harvest and the recent fall in food prices should, therefore, not create a false sense of security, said Concepcion Calpe, one of the report's main authors.

"For example, if the current price volatility and liquidity conditions prevail in 2008/09, plantings and output could be affected to such an extent that a new price surge might take place in 2009/10, unleashing even more severe food crises than those experienced recently," Calpe said.

"The financial crisis of the last few months has amplified downward price movements, contributed to tighten credit markets, and introduced greater uncertainty about next year's prospects, so that many producers are adopting very conservative planting decisions," Calpe said.

The report stresses that most of the recovery in cereal production took place in developed countries, where farmers were in a better position to respond to high prices. Developing countries, on the contrary, were largely limited in their capacity to respond to high prices by supply side constraints on their agricultural sectors.

Implications for the poor
The sharp 2007/2008 rise in food prices has increased the number of undernourished people in the world to an estimated 923 million. Lower international commodity prices have not yet translated into lower domestic food prices in most low income countries.

"There is a real risk that as a consequence of the current world economic problems people will have to reduce their food intake and the number of hungry could rise further," Calpe said.

Long-term challenges
The report says that world agriculture is facing serious long-term issues and challenges that need to be urgently addressed. These include land and water constraints, low investments in rural infrastructure and agricultural research, expensive agricultural inputs relative to farm-gate prices, and little adaptation to climate change.

To feed a world population of more than nine billion people by 2050 (around six billion today) global food production must nearly double.

Population growth will take place mostly in developing countries and for the greater part in urban areas. A shrinking rural work force will thus have to be much more productive. This will require more investments in agriculture, machinery, tractors, water pumps, combine harvesters etc., as well as more skilled, better-trained farmers and more efficient supply chain.

Milk Crisis Spills Out on All Food Sectors
CHINA - The melamine milk scandal had devastated Chinese dairy exports, but now other food sectors are beginning to feel the aftershock.



The growth in agricultural and meat products' exported from Qingdao fell to 1.9 percent in October from a monthly average of 15 percent in the first nine months of the year.

The figure is important because Qingdao is a major port in the country's largest agricultural product exporting province of Shandong.

The export growth of agricultural products from Yantai, another big port in Shandong, dropped from 12 percent in September to 3.2 percent in October. Yantai's exports to the US grew by only 3.6 percent in October, compared with 27 percent in August.

Companies in Guangzhou exported only 38 tons of frozen fish in October, down 64 percent year-on-year. And poultry exports from the city dropped 63 percent to 106,550 pieces, local Customs figures showed.

"The tainted-milk scandal has dealt a heavy blow to the 'made-in-China' label, and the global financial crisis has worsened the situation," said Zhao Xinzhi, an official with the Yantai foreign trade and economics bureau.

Philippine soybean meal imports rising
// 04 dec 2008

Philippine imports of soybean meal and wheat will likely increase next year (2009) on the back of an expected recovery in the livestock sector, a former official of Philippine Association of Feed Millers Inc. said.


"With lower feed prices, lower raw material prices [and] the expected rebound of the animal sector, we see more importation of soybean meal next year," said Ric Pinca, former association vice president. "I would conservatively place it at 1.6 million metric tons."

Soybean meal and wheat are used as ingredients for animal feeds.Pinca said soybean meal imports are expected to bounce back to 1.6 million metric tons from 1.3 million this year because of the low cost of soybean meal at this time.

In the market, soybean meal prices now stand at P22-P23 a kilo, from P28-P30 a kilo in August. "I would expect more wheat to come in because of the zero duty recently imposed," Pinca said. "Wheat would replace corn in the formulation of the feeds."

He, however, declined to cite specific figures since the importation of wheat would depend on the corn yield next year. In 2009, the government expects corn production to reach a hefty 7.8 million metric tons.

Through Executive Order No. 756, the government has temporarily removed a 7.0-percent tariff on feedwheat imports for the next six months. Corn farmers have since expressed their apprehension over the government’s decision, as feed millers and traders have begun placing orders totaling more than 200,000 metric tons of feedwheat to be delivered until early 2009.

How Real is the Threat of Mycotoxins for Feed and Animal Producers in Asia? (Part 1)
A recent survey of mycotoxins in Asian grains shed some light on this dangerous compound on animal feeds.

Mycotoxins are now well established as dangerous compounds in animal feed, where they cause a multitude of confusing symptoms. These typically cause poor performance and can result in disease, with the added danger of being passed into the human food chain via meat, offal and milk.

As with any - natural toxic compound that is influenced by environment and climate, it is important to keep a regular check on the current situation.

This helps feed manufacturers to be prepared to control the potential problems in viva by applying a suitably efficacious binder, by blending to reduce levels of raw materials sourced from especially problematic regions or by avoiding purchasing particularly contaminated batches.

Mycotoxin survey results
Alltech has conducted a mycotoxin survey of Asian grains and complete feeds. The Alltech survey involved analysis of approximately 800 samples collected mainly from China and SouthEast Asia between January 2006 and December 2007, and included corn and its by-products, seed meals, other grain by-products and complete feeds. Samples were subjected to analysis for aflatoxin, T-2 toxin, zearalenone (ZEA), ochratoxin, fumonisin and Deoxynivalenol (DON, vomitoxin) using ELISA methods (Chen, 2007).

The result of the survey showed that the main problems in the Asian region were from ZEA, DON, fumonisin and aflatoxin. Corn is the main source of contamination of ZEA, fumonisin, DON, and aflatoxin. Corn by-products, such as DDGS, corn gluten meal, and corn germ meal, could contaminated with high level of ZEA, fumonisin, DON, and ochratoxin. Soybean meal is in general low in mycotoxins, except for ZEA. However, contamination of mycotoxins in soybean meal is highly dependent upon the level of soy hulls, because sov hulls are more concentrated with mycotoxins. Hence, the higher the level of soy hulls, the higher the level of mycotoxins in soybean meal. Usually corn, soybean meal, and corn byproducts account for more than 70% of a diet. As the result, complete feed is contaminated with mainly ZEA, fumonisin, DON, and aflatoxin. The analytical survey clearly demonstrated that the major threats were from ZEA, DON, fumonisins and aflatoxin, whereas T-2 occurrence was relatively lower. They also confirmed that many samples were contaminated with more than one toxin, which co-existed at high levels in some samples. By-products typically contained much higher levels of toxin contamination compared to whole raw materials.

Fusarium mycotoxins are the biggest challenge

Fusarium mycotoxins are economically the most significant mycotoxins in foods and feed on a global scale. They remain a key threat to animal health and performance, a threat that has been isolated in samples from all 2005, 2006 and 2007 harvests. The main Fusarium toxins of concern for animal feed compounders and producers include ZEA, fumonisins, and DON, with most of these experiencing an increase in average level and incidence of contamination from 2006 to 2007. Aflatoxin remains a concern, but is limited to certain countries, such as India and countries in South East Asia.

The surveys also confirmed the n continuing problem of contamination ot multiple mycotoxins in single samples, an extra complicating problem that r researchers have shown has a cumulative effect in terms ‘of severity and complexity of symptoms in affected animals. By-products show particularly high levels of toxins, which is not surprising as many of them are derived from either particularly vulnerable parts of the grain or the toxins become concentrated due to processing.

In order to control potential intoxication in animals given contaminated feed formulated, it is essential to use a proven broad spectrum adsorbent. The effectiveness of a mycotoxin binder can be verified based on a seven-point check-list:

1. Has the efficacy of the active component been verified by specialist researchers?
2. Does it have a low effective inclusion rate suitable for animal feed applications?
3. Is it stable over a wide pH range?
4. Does it demonstrate a good capacity to adsorb high concentrations of mycotoxins?
5. Is there a high affinity to adsorb low concentrations of mycotoxins?
6. Has the chemical interaction between mycotoxin and adsorbent been established?
7. Is there proven and published in-vivo data?

To be continued…

10 December 2008] The local governments of Mandaue City in the Philippines and of three municipalities are revving up their respective slaughterhouse in tandem with the Department of Agriculture as part of the DA's Meat Establishment Improvement Program (MEIP) that aims to upgrade existing abattoirs to national standards and transform the country into a major producer of meat and meat products in Southeast Asia. Under the agreement, the National Meat Inspection Service will provide technical and financial assistance to these local government units to help them improve their slaughterhouses so that they can comply with Good Manufacturing Practices and Sanitation Standard Operation Procedure set by the DA.
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Philippine soybean meal imports rising
[9 December 2008] The Philippine is likely to import more soybean meal and wheat next year to support the expected recovery in the livestock sector. Soybean meal imports are expected to reach 1.6 million tonnes from 1.3 million this year. Wheat import are due to gain as a result of 7% import duty on the grain being temporarily abolished. 

Dioxins spread to Irish beef farms
// 09 dec 2008

Three Irish beef farms have been contaminated with the same toxic dioxins that have devastated the country's pig meat industry, food safety chiefs confirmed today (9 December).

 
The levels of dioxins found in the beef were two to three times above safe limits, compared to 200 times in some pig meat." This would make the samples technically non-compliant but not at a level that would pose any public health concern," said the Irish agriculture minister, Brendan Smith.

Tests were carried out on 11 herds in the Irish Republic, eight of which were given the all-clear. Earlier, the Food Standards Agency said contaminated pig feed from the republic had been fed to herds of cattle on eight farms in Northern Ireland.

Friday, December 12, 2008Print This Page
MEPs Probe Reasons Behind World Food Crisis
EU - The world is facing "an acute food crisis". That was the verdict of a report adopted by MEPs in the Agriculture Committee on 8 December.





Tipping the scales: the value and price of food is a source of sharp debateAccording to the report, the price of wheat - a vital staple foodstuff - has rocketed 180 per cent in just two years.

Mr Capoulas Santos, 57, a former teacher and Socialist member of the Parliament since 2004, said that although the situation had improved, food markets are very "volatile". Speaking to us in his office in Brussels he said, "We cannot say if prices will remain at the same high level."

"Environmental legislation is driving down food production"
Mairead McGuinness was the first women to graduate from University College Dublin in Agricultural economics. The 49-year old is a member of the centre right EPP-ED group in the Parliament.

She said that trends across the continent tended to increase prices: "In the Europe Union we are a high priced market because we demand high standards of food producers and we have decided to produce agricultural and food products in a particular way."

On the issue of whether producing more food is the answer, the former journalist was sceptical: "I am not sure that any of the policies we have currently would allow more food to be produced in Europe because all the environmental legislation is driving down food production and we're trying to do less damage to the environment."

Her report says "EU legislation, (e.g. on plant protection products), may have a dramatic impact by reducing the tools available to farmers to maximise yields and may, in effect, lead to a dramatic reduction in EU farm output, particularly in the grain sector."

Europe and the developing world
As food prices rise, the extent to which Europe should use its wealth and large agriculture budget to help the developing world has been the subject of fierce debate.

Earlier in December, MEPs approved €1 billion in farm aid for practical things like seeds and fertilizers to help to poor farmers in the developing world.

The EU is the biggest aid giver in the world, with 60 per cent of all development aid coming from European countries in the Union, but farm aid has fallen and now accounts for only 3 per cent of development aid, down from 17 per cent in the 1980's.

Ms McGuinness said that if Europe had invested in more projects in the developing world 20 years ago, the €1 billion would not have been needed.

Food stockpiles too low
Another issue highlighted by the report and the two MEPs is the level of global stocks of food available for an emergency. Just over five years ago, the world could have fed itself for over four months if all food supplies were interrupted.

The present situation is that the world has just over one month of surplus food. Ms McGuinness thinks this situation is "extraordinary" and a "bad policy" due to the "sudden twists nature can take".

For Mr Capoulas Santos the CAP itself is not to blame for the falling food stocks, rather it is "market instability and unfavourable climatic conditions".

The real price of food and the relative interests of those who eat and grow the food has been a political issue for centuries. Ms McGuinness put it like this: "The balance has to be struck between a fair price to a producer of food to keep them in the business of growing and the consumer interest which is the access to good value food."

Ms McGuinness added a last point saying "We have to realise that there is a price to be paid for good food and quality and we are going to have to pay that price."

Melamine misery extends into seafood
// 31 dec 2008

Some scientists and consumer advocates are raising concerns that fish from China might also be contaminated with melamine.

China is the world's largest producer of farm-raised seafood, exporting billions of dollars worth of shrimp, catfish, tilapia, salmon and other fish.

The US imported about $2 billion worth of seafood products from China in 2007, almost double the volume of four years earlier, according to the US Department of Agriculture.

But industry experts and businesspeople in China say melamine has been routinely added into fish and animal feed to artificially boost protein readings.

And new research suggests that, unlike in cows and pigs, the edible flesh in fish that have been fed melamine contains residue of the nitrogen-rich substance.

Some American fish importers are voluntarily testing for melamine, but the FDA, which is responsible for ensuring the safety of imported fish, currently doesn't require seafood products to be screened for melamine. Yet research from its own scientists has raised a warning flag.

High levels found
Laboratory studies in the U.S. of melamine-fed catfish, trout, tilapia and salmon by the FDA's Animal Drugs Research Center found that fish tissues had melamine concentrations of up to 200 parts per million.

That's 80 times the maximum "tolerable" amount set by the FDA for safe consumption.

Scientists said testing of melamine in farm-raised fish from China should be made mandatory for precisely that reason: a lack of information about melamine levels in Chinese feed and fish.

Fang Shijun, who has monitored the melamine problem in China for several years, says he believes the adulterated products are now being supplied only by small operators, which abound there.

Like those who added melamine to milk and diluted it with water to increase profits, feed businesses can sell more by substituting melamine for real protein sources, especially with raw material costs having soared in recent years

 Zhongpin's new facility starts operations
[7 January 2009] Zhongpin commenced production at its new chilled and frozen pork facility in Yongcheng City, eastern Henan Province on January 3. This has allowed the company to increase its annual production capacity for chilled and frozen pork to 498,760 tonnes. Zongpin invested approximately USD 17 million in this facility which has a total annual production capacity of 80,000 tonnes. Approximately 75% of the facility's production capacity is dedicated to the production of chilled pork and 25% to the production of frozen pork. Zhongpin expects the new facility to achieve an over 60% utilization rate by the second quarter of 2009.
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China's agriculture insurance sees triple-digit growth
[7 January 2009] China's agriculture insurance income soared 112% to CNY 10.54 billion (USD 1.54 billion) as of November last year, according to China Insurance Regulatory Commission (CIRC). CIRC Chairman Wu Dingfu said China will further develop agricultural insurance in 2009, which was extended to 16 provinces last year and the crop insurance will be exxtended to all major producing regions this year.
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Myanmar to export corn to China
[7 January 2009] Myanmar will export 200,000 tonnes of corn to China in the 2009/2010 financial year according to a deal made at a recent meeting of the Myanmar-China Border Trade Joint Committee. China-Myanmar bilateral trade rose 40% from USD 1.46 billion in 2006 to USD2.057 billion in 2007. The bilateral trade in the first 11 months of 2008 stood at USD 2.038 billion USD, up 30.3%.
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Grain output rises in Vietnam
[7 January 2009] Vietnam's total grain output rose 7.5% in 2008 to 43.16 million metric tonnes, said the government of Vietnam. Of the total, the country's unhusked rice output rose 7.5% to a record 38.6 million tonnes. Vietnam earned USD 6.2 billion from exporting agricultural products and seafood in the year, up 22.7% on year. Vietnam targets to export 4 million tons of foodgrains in 2009.
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Indonesia to achieve meat self-sufficiency in 2015
[6 January 2009] The Indonesian Farmers Association has predicted that Indonesia will only be able to achieve meat self-sufficiency in 2015, instead of 2010 as the government has targeted.Chairman of the association’s advisory council Siswono Yudhohusodo said from 2002-2006 the average increase in meat imports was recorded at 26.65% per annum while that of innards reached 111.8%. Mr Siswono said that in 2002 Indonesia’s beef imports were only 11,474 tonnes but in 2006 it reached 25,949 tonnes while that of innards were respectively recorded at 80.8 tonnes and 470.6 tonnes.
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Live bird price hike in India
[6 January 2009] The live bird price remained high in South India in the last week of December as producers cut back parent stock and broiler placements. The live bird price was quoted at INR 56-58/kg (USD 1.2-1.26), while the production cost ranged from INR 39-42/kg (USD 0.85-0.91). High production cost of broilers was also a result of soybean meal prices that went up to INR 16,000/tonne (USD 347.. Corn price however, dropped by 15% from December's average to INR 7650-7700/tonne (USD 166.3-167.4) in the last week of the month.
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Vietnam needs better plan for agriculture
[6 January 2009] Vietnam’s Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has instructed the country’s agriculture sector to improve forecasts and use statistics to boost production and exports of agricultural products in 2009.  He said 2009 will be harsh for Vietnam’s agriculture sector. The premier praised the agriculture sector for its remarkable growth in 2008, despite difficulties brought on by rising input costs and bad weather conditions.
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Cheaper chicken for lunar new year
[6 January 2009] A glut in the market will ensure that Malaysian consumers are able to buy chicken at between MYR 6.50 - 7.50 (USD 1.80- 2.08) per kilo right up to the lunar New Year celebration. The 10-15% excess has been attributed to lower demand from restaurants, hawkers and consumers.
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Beijing Huadu’s cooked chicken exports grow
[5 January 2009] Despite the global financial crisis, cooked chicken meat exports from Beijing Huadu Group, one of China’s top broiler integrators, rose 40% for the fourth quarter last year to 5000 tonnes. Beijing Huadu General Manager Mr She Feng attributed the growth to the efforts in traceability and food safety. The actual slaughter capacity during the fourth quarter remained at 100,000 chickens with the operation of its newly established processing plant in Hebei province. The group exported about 10,000 tonnes of cooked chicken meat in 2007, mainly to Japan, Korea and Central Asia.
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CPI predicts good revenue for 2008
[5 January 2009] Charoen Pokphand Indonesia (CPI) predicts that its net profits will grow by more than two fold on the back of more sales and higher selling prices in 2008.The company was confident that it would book IDR 450 billion (USD 47.52 million) in net profits, up from IDR 187 billion (USD 16.8 million) last year.Another factor that is likely to boost net profits was the higher prices for animal feed and for day-old chicks this year, as well as cost efficiency.
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China exports rabbit meat to Korea
[5 January 2009] South Korea’s Ministry for Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries recently approved the Shandong-based Haida Foods as the first qualified rabbit meat exporter to Korea. Haida Foods has a total slaughter capacity of 18 million rabbits per year and used to export 40% of its whole rabbit meat to the EU and it now exports mainly boneless rabbit meat to South Korea.
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Kedah to venture into meat trade
[5 January 2009] Malaysia's Kedah Corporation hopes to venture into the meat trading business in Australia, starting with the export of Halal beef throughout Southeast Asia, with particular interest in Indonesia. The Corporation has a client in Indonesia, who needs 200 tonnes of fresh beef a day from Australia.Industry insiders say the sovereign funds of Asia are strong but the meat trade is a tough trade.
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Vietnam moves ducks into shed
[2 January 2009] Vietnam is supporting owners of free range ducks in the Mekong Delta to raise them in closed farms to improve biosecurity and prevent them from the bird flu. Livestock authorities in An Giang said the province has over 2.2 million ducks, 13% of which is farmed in sheds. An Giang  aims to increase the number of farmed ducks to 50% by the end of 2008. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development said the delta used to have 18-20 million ducks in its 10 provinces and most of them are raised in the open and feed on rice left-over from the paddy fields. But since the bird flu hit Vietnam in 2004, the ministry reported that over 10 million ducks in the Mekong Delta were killed by the disease or culled to contain the outbreak.