Crop monitor is reporting that 231 of the 300 Defra wheat crop survey samples have been assessed. Of these 121 samples showed head blight problems, the majority being F. poae and F. Langsethiae. At this very early stage of the survey it would appear that levels of deoxynivalenol and zearalenone at harvest are likely to be low; although, as highlighted in previous years, the final toxin level/profile will depend on rainfall between now and harvest. Further updates will follow.

(Source :cropmonitor@fera.gsi.gov.uk) 29 July 2010

The European Commission (EC) has proposed allowing the use of animal meal to feed fish, chickens and pigs. This practice is currently prohibited to prevent the spread of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), known as "mad cow disease", reports FIS. The commission approved a proposal to ease the restrictions in force because it believes that, thanks to the efforts to combat diseases of the group of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs), there was a significant decrease in the number of animals affected.

From 2011, a certain "tolerance" level of processed animal proteins will be accepted in the feed used for animals other than ruminants. However, EU authorities want to maintain the ban on the use of animal protein for ruminating mammals. Furthermore, the EC seeks to prevent feeding species back to species.

It is expected that the Community initiative will be in force over the next 5 years until 2015.

(Source: www.allaboutfeed.net/news/animal-protein-feed-restrictions-to-be-eased-4621.html) 29 July 2010

Generally we are using high inclusion rates of barley this year. New crop barley contains viscous B- glucans which can increase the incidence of scour in pigs. The level of B-glucan depends upon the barley variety and growing conditions and declines over about a six week period. Where possible it is wise to blend new and old crop barley for the first month of use. Feed enzymes are certainly helpful. In recent years there have been few obvious issues with new crop barley but keep an eye open!

We are hearing that in parts of the country barley straw is now trading at £130/t -more expensive than barley!

29 July 2010

The £250m Ensus plant on Teeside has re-opened after work was completed to more than double the height of a 30m chimney stack following complaints of an unpleasant odour from the plant. This is a temporary fix. The Ensus bio-refinery is expected to meet about a third of the UK requirement under the Renewable Transport Fuels Obligation. It will also produce about 0.35mt of wheat DDGS. Premier released an updated technical note on DDGS for pigs last week.

29 July 2010

Results of baseline prevalence survey for the breeding population (commercial and multipliers) were published in late November 2009 ( http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/scdocs/scdoc/1377.htm). Salmonella prevalence among commercial breeding units in the UK was estimated at 44% of units positive (EU average was 33%). In addition, the survey found around 54% of UK nucleus and multiplier units to be salmonella positive (EU average was 29%). Country specific reduction targets will be set in late 2010 or early 2011 after completion of a quantitative risk assessment and cost-benefit analysis that better demonstrates the actual causal relationship between Salmonella in pigs and humans.

(Source: ZNCPigs Steering Group) 29 July 2010

In a survey from the Food Institute of Danish Technical University (DTU) there were salmonella in over 10% of conventional indoor slaughter pigs, in 7% of organic pigs, and in only 5% of outdoor pigs. Given the difficulties in achieving strict cleanliness outside, these results are considered to be surprising, says senior researcher Anne Wingstrand of DTU.

(source: www.food.dtu.dk) 29 July 2010

The area under organic agriculture has increased significantly over the last years and represents about 4.3% of the utilised agricultural area of the EU (in 2008), with particular high percentages in the Austria, Sweden, Estonia, the Czech Republic and Latvia.

About 197,000 farms all over the EU are involved in organic farming. However, despite a significant growth in demand in many Member States, the organic sector does not represent more than 2% of total food expense of the EU consumers, with even lower percentages in EU12 Member States.

(source: europa.eu) 29 July 2010

In the last year in the EU-27, a total of 22.6 million tons of pigmeat was produced.

Germany takes first place with 24% of the total, followed by Spain (14%), France (9%), Poland (7%), Denmark (7%), Italy (7%) and Holland (6%). Germany has been the country with the highest increase during the last decade, rising 28%, followed by Spain with an increase of 12%.

(source: www20.gencat.cat) 29 July 2010

When piglets are weaned from milk to solid food, their intestinal flora change, with a steep rise in the numbers of potentially harmful streptococci. An EU project, Feed for Pig Health, is looking at ways to maintain gut health post-weaning. Odette Pérez Gutiérrez, who developed a micro-array called the PIT (pig intestinal tract) chip with which she can quickly scan six hundred different types of bacteria on a glass slide in the lab. The chip makes it possible to analyse the composition of the bacteria over time, from three days before weaning until fifteen days after it. They are using the chip to assess the impact of feed additives on the gut flora. There are forty to fifty candidates, including garlic oil, an oregano extract and acids.

29 July 2010

This trial looked at lactose levels post-weaning. These results demonstrated that maximum performance could be obtained by including 25% lactose during the initial 14 d post-weaning to pigs weaned at 21 d of age and during the 7 d post-weaning to pigs weaned at 28 d of age respectively. High lactose diets improved performance and nutrient digestibility and increased microbial populations of Lactobacillus spp. Additionally in Exp. 1, 25% lactose diets reduced fecal coliform population when compared with 15% lactose diets.

(Source: J.S. Kim, P.L. Shinde, Y.X. Yang, K. Yun, J.Y. Choi, J.D. Lohakare and B.J. Chae. Effects of dietary lactose levels during different starter phases on the performance of weaning pigs.Livestock Science. 2010. Vol. 131 (2-3): 175-182). 29 July 2010