Recent research at the University of Missouri shows that the Hypor Magnus Duroc boar is more feed efficient than the current leading boar in the U.S.

The 2015 trial compared the feed efficiency of 200 pigs—100 pigs per boar line—up to the average U.S. live market weights of 285 to 300 pounds.

“Statistically, a 0.22 feed conversion difference is significant,” says Hypor Nutritionist and Product Manager Greg Simpson.

During the trial the pigs were allocated a specific amount of feed per weight range and weighed at the end of each weight range. These numbers were used to calculate how much feed the pigs needed to get to the desired market weight.

This trial shows that even at higher weights, the Hypor Magnus is still significantly more feed efficient.

Hypor is constantly testing its products against competitor’s products in North America and Europe.

Nuscience, the specialty division of the Royal Agrifirm Group, is launching a new young animal nutrition program for piglets: Babi®.

The Babi® feeding program consists of 3 piglet feeding lines: Babi® Delicious, for the highest feed intake; Babi® Dynamic, for cost-effective growth performance; and Babi® Robust, for a healthy start.

The main factors determining the choice of pre-starter are the voluntary feed intake of piglets before and around weaning and the health status on the farm. The 3 piglet feeding lines offer farmers a perfect solution for choosing the most convenient pre-starter feed.

The new piglet feeding program focuses on delivering high piglet quality, maintaining a high weaning weight, and reducing the need for antibiotic use.

France’s GROUPE GRIMAUD and AGROCAMPUS OUEST – Higher national institute of agricultural, agri-food, horticultural and landscape sciences – sign partnership agreement in “Genomics and Selection in the Poultry Sector” to improve the knowledge in genomic selection.

Both parties will jointly undertake research on genomic selection (UtOpIGe project) to enhance selection capacity in pyramidal breeding schemes such as laying hens.

Research on adaptability of animals to changing conditions (ChickStress project) will be conducted to understand animals’ mechanisms for adaptation to abiotic stress (thermal shock and sub-optimal nutrition), which may lead in the medium term to the establishment of new selection objectives consistent with animal sturdiness.

These projects will involve 35 scientists from GROUPE GRIMAUD’s research teams and the 135 lecturer-researchers from AGROCAMPUS OUEST.

(left) Grégoire THOMAS, General Manager of Agrocampus and Frédéric GRIMAUD, General Manager of Groupe Grimed at the agreement signing ceremony

Healthy demand for phytogenic feed additives (PFAs) in livestock production should cause annual global sales to grow four-fold by 2030, according to calculations by BIOMIN.

The botanicals market has grown rapidly in recent years, having already topped US$500 million in global sales in 2015. Worldwide sales will cross the US$1 billion threshold by 2023 and could reach US$2 billion annually by 2030.

“Looking at numerous scenarios based on feed production trends, evolving consumer demands changes in livestock production including antibiotic-free and antibiotic reduction strategies, and the growing demand for animal protein products, by 2030 we can expect the PFA market to total between US$1.7 billion and US$2 billion,” explained Michael Noonan, Global Product Manager Phytogenics at BIOMIN.

Market drivers

Though roughly 3% of the 1.2 billion tons of feed used worldwide today include these plant-based products, PFA inclusion in livestock feed should grow considerably by 2030. This represents growth in global market demand of 8% to 10% per year on average.
Consumer preferences have shifted considerably in recent years, as efforts to phase out antibiotic growth promoters (AGPs) and coccidiostats have accelerated in countries worldwide, including Brazil, China and the United States. Antibiotic reduction and the uptake of novel growth promoters (NGPs) to optimize feed costs, improve efficiency and reduce emissions should boost demand worldwide for PFAs in the future.

Matt Einarson has assumed the title of regional director for Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines, effective September 1, 2016. Einarson previously was the managing director of EMF Nutrition, which he had also served as director of monogastric nutrition and business development.

Alltech named Matt Einarsson as regional director for Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines, effective September 1, 2016. He will be based at the company’s Bangkok offices.

In addition to many years with Alltech, which he initially joined in 2003, Einarson previously was the managing director of EMF Nutrition, which he had also served as director of monogastric nutrition and business development. Most recently, he was the director of innovation and business development at Masterfeeds, Canada’s leading animal nutrition company, which was acquired by Alltech earlier this year.

Matt Einarson’s extensive knowledge of business development in the animal feed industry will be invaluable to Alltech in Southeast Asia, as the company grows there as a developer and manufacturer of its proprietary premixes and looks to acquire new subsidiaries. He also brings great value to Alltech as an outstanding builder of customer relationships, since these relationships are the foundation of the company’s recent strong growth in the region.

Nutriad, Belgium based multinational feed additives producer, appointed Daniel Fernando Ramírez as Business Development Manager Digestive Performance. The digestive performance platform focuses on the digestive system as the key towards healthy and performing animals.

Mr. Ramírez received a degree in veterinary medicine and master in animal production at the UAM and UNAM universities in Mexico, and completed an MBA at the Porto Business School in Portugal. He has several years of experience as veterinary expert in research programs and as a senior commercial manager in the feed industry.

He will team up with Tim Goossens, to support Nutriad’s Digestive Performance portfolio.

DSM announces that it is increasing prices for the Vitamin C forms it produces in China by a minimum of 10% for non-contracted business, effective immediately.

In Asia and Europe late August, the Associations of Animal Production organised their yearly Meetings, in Japan for the Asian-Australasian Association of Animal Production Societies (AAAP) and in Northern Ireland for the European Federation of Animal Science (EAAP).

New experimental data were exposed on HiZox®, the potentiated source of zinc oxide from Animine. In Fukuoka, Dr Noel Lumbo from the University of the Philippines Los Banos won the Young Scientist Award for his Excellent Paper Presentation. His study, supervised by Prof. Rommel Sulabo, compared HiZox® to the pharmacological dosage of the conventional ZnO in tiamulin/CTC supplemented diets for weaned piglets. In Belfast, recent findings from Ghent University (Belgium) were presented. The experiment, supervised by Dr Joris Michiels, evaluated the effect of HiZox® and of the regular zinc oxide on intestinal bacterial populations and gut permeability of weaned piglets. Supplementation with 3000 mg/kg of the standard zinc oxide or with lower dosages (110 mg/kg and 220 mg/kg) of HiZox® gave similar reduction in E.coli and coliforms in the small intestine. Gut integrity, measured by Transepithelial Electrical Resistance in Ussing chambers, was significantly improved by HiZox supplied at the same level (110 mg/kg : legal dosage in the EU) than the negative control.

Hypor Maxter, the fastest growing Piétrain globally, is now also outperforming top boars in carcass quality according to a recent trial at LWK Niedersachsen, Germany.

The 2015-2016 trial compared the average daily gain and slaughter performance of the Hypor Maxter to the PIC boar 408 and the BHZP db.77® boar.

Groups of 80 pigs from each boar were tested for carcass quality, such as drip loss, back fat, muscle depth and the overall meat percentage. The Hypor Maxter showed strong results in carcass performance and had the lowest drip loss of the three boars: Hypor Maxter had a 2.47 percent drip loss while the other boars had a drip loss of 3.80 percent and 2.80 percent respectively in the group housed pigs. A low drip loss is a low yield loss for the meat packer and high quality meat for the consumer.

In addition to grading high for carcass quality, the Hypor Maxter continues to outperform in daily gain. Hypor Maxter averaged a daily gain of 1,007 grams (2.22 pounds) compared to the other boars that averaged a daily gain of 941 grams (2.07 pounds) and 942grams (2.08 pounds) in the group housed pigs