Business Update November: What’s new in the poultry sector?

Pas Reform receives ‘Royal’ predicate

This year, Pas Reform is 100 years young! The company received the predicate ‘Royal’ from the Commissioner of the King, John Berends. The title was awarded by His Majesty King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands.

Under historic rules, the predicate ‘Royal’ is only given to companies that have been in existence for over 100 years and those which have a major influence on the industry sector in which they operate.

It all began in 1919 when Gerrit Pas built his first incubator – a simple wooden cupboard on legs, with petroleum-fired heating. He could not have foreseen in those very early days that a century later his family business would grow into a global player in more than 100 countries with hatcheries capable of producing millions of day-old chicks per week.

Cobb Europe and Al-Watania Poultry host ‘Safe Environment for Safe Food’ training

Cobb Europe recently partnered with Al-Watania Poultry in Egypt to host the annual scientific conference focusing on the importance of creating a safe environment for broiler breeders.

The theme of the 2019 conference was “Safe environment for safe food” and highlighted global and regional poultry trends, biosecurity measures, and opportunities for industry improvement including rations, mortality rates and optimising performance.

New ADM livestock feed facility in Vietnam

Archer Daniels Midland Animal Nutrition has opened its newest livestock feed plant near northern Vietnam’s key farming region in Ha Nam province, Vietnam.

The new facility includes a production area, 3 warehouses for storing raw materials and finished goods, offices, and a loadout bay. Technology at the plant includes modern pneumatic transfer of raw materials, full automatic control, a biomass boiler to provide a renewable energy source, an automated micro-dosing system to ensure accurate nutrient content in products, and an automatic bagging line and palletising robot.

ADM’s new plant will produce feed mainly for swine, poultry and rabbits. Photo: ADM

A new partnership between INRA and Phileo by Lesaffre

INRA and Phileo by Lesaffre have signed a partnership agreement in the field of nutrition and animal health. Initially focused on demonstrating the beneficial effects of probiotics on production performance, the collaboration has evolved towards more in-depth studies that make use of increasingly sophisticated tools in the field of metagenomics, transcriptomics and metabolomics applied to immunology and microbiology.

In recent years, the collaboration has contributed to the development of Phileo solutions and has helped to advance health through nutrition. In addition, Phileo participated in the France Génomique Metachick project, which established a catalogue of the intestinal metagenome in poultry. This agreement will develop their collaboration further.

4th Aviagen Arbor Acres Training Seminar in Asia

The Aviagen Arbor Acres team welcomed 76 participants from 33 poultry companies to the 2019 Arbor Acres Training Seminar Asia in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, for 2 days of knowledge sharing and relationship building. This 4^th annual event explored best practices for getting birds off to a good start.

Among topics discussed were hatchery, ventilation and brooding management, proper feed and vaccination techniques, housing biosecurity, and chick processing and palletisation.

“Our team decided to focus this year’s AATSA on brooding due to the fundamental importance of giving chicks a good beginning,” said Arbor Acres VP, Marc Baribault. Photo: Aviagen

Parker’s new filtration systems to protect against airborne diseases

Parker HVAC Filtration introduces 2 new filtration products, namely Parker Pur Ag® SlimBox Filter and Parker Pur Ag® V-Bank Filter, both designed specifically for the agriculture industry. Both filters can be installed in livestock facilities as pathogen barrier filters to trap airborne viruses and the dust particles they travel on, thereby preventing them from entering the building and contaminating swine populations.

St David’s Poultry Team now Halamid distributor

St David’s Poultry Team, a poultry veterinary practice serving the broiler, layer and turkey sectors, has been appointed as Halamid distributor for the livestock market in the UK and Ireland.

Halamid can be used for terminal disinfection, for drinking water sanitation, foot and wheel dips, fogging and aerial disinfection. Photo: Axcentive

Sensor for LED lighting now on all Valenta control pans

VDL Agrotech in the Netherlands has developed a unique multi-voltage sensor with a built-in LED light for all Valenta control pans. The white LED light turns on when feed is detected and turns off when no feed is detected. It shines on the feed, which stimulates feed intake and prevents feed pans from being empty for long periods of time.

The new sensor is recognisable by the blue LED light on the back, which prevents broilers from pecking at the rear of the sensor and is clearly visible to people.

Production resumes at Evonik methionine plants in Belgium

Evonik has stated that the force majeure announced on Tuesday 12 November has come to an end. An issue with the hydrocyanic acid supply caused a temporary shutdown of its methionine manufacturing facilities in Antwerp, Belgium.

Hamlet Protein announces VP sales & marketing

Hamlet Protein, producer of soy protein specialties for young animals, has announced Grady Fain as vice president sales and marketing for the USA and Canada. Grady Fain (BSc biological and agricultural engineering) began his career in the Wayne Feed Division of Continental Grain Company, then joined Feed Flavors, which eventually became Nutriad, and most recently transitioned to Adisseo.

The company says that the USA continues to be the 2nd largest feed producer in the world, behind China. Hamlet Protein opened its local production in 2012, in Ohio, and recently completed a major investment to increase capacity under patented technology.

Hamlet Protein’s Ohio plant. Photo: Hamlet Protein

Biomin appoints MD

Animal nutrition firm Biomin has appointed Franz Waxenecker as managing director. Mr Waxenecker joined the company in 2001 and most recently served as director of development and innovation.

Biomin’s new managing director, Franz Waxenecker. Photo: Biomin