Wrapping up February: What’s new in the world of pigs?

IFF completes merger with DuPont’s Nutrition & Biosciences business

DuPont’s Nutrition & Biosciences business now forms part of IFF, a NYSE stock-listed company known in full as “International Flavors & Fragrances”. According to the company, the merger will give the company leadership positions within the taste, texture, scent, nutrition, enzymes, cultures, soy proteins and probiotics ingredient categories. The animal nutrition business will retain the name Danisco Animal Nutrition.

EW Nutrition acquires businesses from Novus

German-based animal nutrition company EW Nutrition has acquired the feed quality and pigments businesses from US-based minerals company Novus, making EW Nutrition the owner of a production facility in Spain. In addition, the German company is now the owner of brands like Santoquin, Surf●Ace (a feed mill processing aid), and Agrado. Novus said the sale is part of the company’s focus on “core platforms and emerging technologies, with a focus on gut health.”

Swinco and Nukamel join forces

In the 1^st quarter of 2021, pig nutrition companies Swinco and Nukamel, based in the Netherlands and Belgium, will launch a new concept for pig farming. It will focus on numerous challenges facing sow farming, such as the increase in the number of live-born piglets per sow, stricter legislation and regulations, and the emergence of more highly productive pig farms. The companies had already been working together in various ways.

Cherkizovo signs cooperation with Hendrix Genetics

Cherkizovo, Russia’s largest meat producer, has signed a long-term cooperation agreement with Hendrix Genetics. The company will populate their swine production systems with Hypor breeding animals to start its BioHypor breeding programme, which is described as “an advanced self-replacement system designed to increase total system profitability.”

Meanwhile, German pig producer, LFD Holding, has made the decision to continue its cooperation with Hendrix Genetics.

Digital EuroTier: 41,000 visitors

So far some of the larger deals that were announced in February. Let’s turn to EuroTier, which was held 9-12 February. Due to Covid-19, the show, normally held in Hanover, Germany, decided to go entirely digital. The creative online platform attracted 41,000 visitors, of which 45% hailed from outside Germany. In total 1,200 companies participated in the event, which offered 300 specialist events.

Evonik introduces products at EuroTier

Evonik’s animal nutrition business line presented numerous innovations during the digital EuroTier 2021, including GuanAmino, a new guanidino acetic acid product, and AminoNIR Portable, a mobile near-infrared spectroscopy device that can, within minutes, analyse amino acids independently.

Tonisity webinar series during EuroTier

At EuroTier, Tonisity developed its own webinar series. Dr Laura Boyle and Dr Keelin O‘Driscoll, Teagasc, Ireland, introduced how working with pig biology and behaviour could help to reduce pre-weaning mortality. Prof Richard Ducatelle, Ghent University, Belgium, discussed small intestinal absorption versus infection. Dr Alfons Jansman, Wageningen UR in the Netherlands, discussed nutrition and gut development. Other speakers included Tonisity’s Mathieu Cortyl, Dr Ava Firth and Dr Stefan Buzoianu.

Obviously the digital EuroTier had a lot more to offer for its visitors. This preview already offered a selection of the pig novelties

Agrifirm launches the Earlyfeed Academy

Also during EuroTier, Royal Agrifirm’s launched the online initiative Earlyfeed Academy, supporting the company’s new young animal nutrition brand, Earlyfeed. The academy will promote knowledge acquisition and best practices in young animal management. The platform, developed exclusively for professionals, is still under construction but is open for pre-registration. Late last year, All About Feed held a webinar around the launch of Earlyfeed.

Meanwhile, Agrifirm won the ‘Factory of the Future’ Award, which acknowledges Flemish food companies that are transforming their factories into high-technology sites ready to tackle the challenges of the future.

New Thomas dry feed controller launched

Just before EuroTier, Netherlands-based company Hotraco Agri introduced what they call the “most advanced pig feeding controller in the world”, the Thomas Feed pig dry feeding solution, which has integrated the experience of hundreds of pig farmers, and decades of product innovation in one system. According to the company this leads to optimal animal health and growth and more precise feeding per room and per animal, and eventually lower feeding costs.

Photo: Hotraco

Dr Eckel launches product to protect against endotoxins

Also around EuroTier, German animal nutrition company Dr Eckel launched the feed additive AntaCatch to provide all-round protection against endotoxins. The product, having a triple mode of action, immobilises up to 99% of endotoxins while protecting the intestinal barrier and supporting liver function, according to the company.

Photo: Dr Eckel

Aivlosin WSG approved to control M. hyopneumoniae

Pig health news from both the United States and Canada: In January, Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae was added to the approved label indications for Aivlosin (tylvalosin) water soluble granules, which are administered in pigs’ drinking water for 5 days. Use of the product by animal health company Pharmgate requires a veterinary prescription.

Reduction of Salmonella after ileitis vaccination

Boehringer Ingelheim has announced that the German Federal Institute for Vaccines and Biomedicines (Paul Ehrlich Institute) has accepted new language on the label of Enterisol Ileitis. The institute has confirmed that it reduces the prevalence of Salmonella infection and Salmonella seroprevalence at slaughter.

Also read: 7 recent advances in understanding Lawsonia

Acuity exports pigs to post-ASF China

Acuity Genetics has shipped 451 gilts and 18 boars representing Acuity Yorkshire, Duroc, and Landrace breeding stock to Zhaoqing McKabo Animal Husbandry. This is the first shipment since US exports to China reopened following the suspension due to African Swine Fever. The shipment was loaded in Chicago and sent to Guangzhou International Airport to be used as breeding stock for local farmers.

TN Tempo-sired finishers top performers

Results from an independent trial show that Topigs Norsvin’s TN Tempo-sired finishers outperformed the progeny of 2 competitor sire lines in the United States. According to the trial, TN Tempo progeny had significantly more full-value pigs, higher survival rate, and greater daily gain than either group of competitor-sired pigs.

DanBred is moving headquarters

The headquarters of Danish pig breeder DanBred are moving to Ballerup, Denmark, effective 1 March 2021. The company looks forward to welcoming visitors and notes that this change does not affect the location of the branch office in Vejen, Denmark, nor the global subsidiary offices, which will remain the same.

Photo: DanBred

Nuqo appoints Barentz as distribution partner

French feed additives company Nuqo has appointed Barentz Animal Nutrition as the preferred distribution partner for their range of feed additives in the Benelux and several surrounding countries. The Nuqo product range consists of several products that combine phyto- and phycogenic compounds that are encapsulated to provide maximum efficacy, depending on each species different requirements.

ADM helps prevent ASF spread in the Philippines

Animal nutrition company ADM has joined with the Philippine College of Swine Practitioners and its partners from the private and public sectors to form an interdisciplinary programme that will assist local hog raisers to control African Swine Fever and revive the livelihoods of both backyard and commercial swine farmers through biosecurity, surveillance, and monitoring, and restocking of swine farms affected by the disease.

Bioproton to focus on AGPs and feed additives

In addition to finding alternatives to antibiotic growth promoters in animal feed, new funding received by Bioproton will be used to develop new formulations as natural additives to better understand their effect on meat quality. The team will conduct a swine trial to study the effects of additives on modifying and improving the fatty acid profile and reducing cholesterol levels in pig meat.

Study: Palbio 62 improves piglet performance

A study published in the journal Animals confirms that including Bioiberica’s Palbio 62 hydrolysed protein obtained from porcine intestinal mucosa in the diet of recently weaned piglets helps regulate the expression of genes associated with intestinal health, digestive processes and immune response and improves the animals’ production parameters.

Photo: Bioiberica

Allmicroalgae achieves GMP+ certification

Portuguese company Allmicroalgae announced that it is now GMP+ standard certified, demonstrating that the company’s processing of its algae-based ingredients complies with the legal regulations and requirements to ensure safety throughout the feed chain. The company produces its own microalgae and its feed products, high in fatty acids, proteins, natural vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, are marketed under Allvitae.

Corbion expands distribution

In partnership with UFAC-UK, Corbion announces the expansion of AlgaPrime DHA, a source of omega-3s produced using algae, to animal feed markets in the UK and Ireland. This ingredient contains higher levels of omega-3 than fish oils and over 3 times more than salmon oil, according to the company.

Menon conducts trial with weaned piglets

California biotech startup, Menon Renewable Products, conducted a weaned piglet trial that observed the effects of Menon’s new functional ingredient, MrFeed. The study found that piglets fed MrFeed had an improved FCR of about 7% and a cumulative survival rate of 100%.

Farmex upgrades software on Dicam controllers

UK-based equipment company Farmex is offering an upgrade to the software on its Dicam controllers for pig housing. The upgrade is offered on all controllers with an alarm function and ensures that the alarm cannot be permanently deactivate, for example, when emptying pens. The upgrade, which involves a ROM replacement, costs £50 (US$ 70).

Photo: Farmex