Ahmedabad-based poultry vaccine manufacturer, Hester Biosciences, has signed a memorandum of understanding with Kathmandu-based Golchha Organisation to set up a joint venture in Nepal to manufacture animal biologicals with an investment of around INR150 million.

Sify reports that the proposed JV, a 100 per cent export-oriented unit (EOU), would manufacture a range of animal biologicals that would supplement the existing range of vaccines manufactured by Hester in India. Hester plans to export to European markets from the Nepal facility. The company manufactures 39 types of animal vaccines for the poultry sector and closed with a turnover of INR375 million in the year ended March.

The market size of poultry vaccines in India is pegged between INR1.5 to 1.8 billion annually.

The company reported a net profit of INR18.2 million for the quarter ended 30 June, marginally up from INR17.9 million in the corresponding quarter last fiscal, according to Sify. The company has registered a turnover of INR104.9 million in the same quarter, up 14 per cent from INR9.2 in Q1FY10 on a year-on-year basis.

 

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Mr Bryan said: “Over €2.5 billion has been spent in improving farm yards and farm buildings to comply with the nitrates regulations. This is showing very positive results, with all EPA water monitoring sites conforming to nitrates water quality criteria. This is good news, which should for once and for all allow the Departments of Agriculture and Environment to make changes to the illogical calendar farming requirements

“It is essential for the survival of the pig and poultry sectors that the phosphorus provision is continued until a workable solution is found. Teagasc have a pivotal role to play and must produce the necessary science.”

IFA also sought the continuation of the nitrates derogation for commercial dairy and beef farmers, the lifting of the ban on winter ploughing for the tillage sectors and a reduction in the available nitrogen levels in spent mushroom compost and farmyard manure.

Concluding, Mr Bryan said: "The 2020 Strategy contains achievable growth targets, but the potential of the sector will not be realised if we fail to address those aspects of the current Nitrates plan that are an obstacle to farming.”

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At present the market requirement is split between 60% White, 25% Brown and 15% Tinted, says Novogen.

During April 2010 the first Novogen breeding stock were placed on the quarantine farms in Japan. The initial consignments were NOVOgen Brown parent stock, which were shortly followed by several consignments of NOVOgen White parent stock.

“The chicks arrived in excellent condition at Tokyo Airport and the quarantine farms after the long-haul flight from France,” commented Dr. Okuyama, Technical and Sales manager of Tohzai Sangyo Boeki Inc., Novogen’s Sales Representative in Japan.

“We supplied the NOVOgen Brown parent stock from Europe, and Japan is one of the longest shipments we can make. Therefore we have made sure that this shipment was organised in such way that each and every stage of the operation was calculated using the ‘just-in-time’ approach and the result speaks for itself. The NOVOgen White parent stock shipments have been delivered from the European production centre in France and the North American breeding centre in New Hampshire,” adds David Fyfe, Novogen’s Business Director for Asia.

 

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The report highlights the need for the European Union to regulate the breeding of animals used for food production and Eurogroup urges the Commission to take action immediately.

Eurogroup was already extremely disappointed in 2007 when the EU adopted legislation on the keeping of broiler chickens which failed to include rules on the breeding and treatment of parent stock and this report confirms our worst fears. Over the years the breeding and genetic selection of animals has been focused on producing more meat, more quickly. Chickens have been continually genetically selected to grow faster, from taking four months to reach maturity in 1950 to only one month today. This extremely fast growth and the increased weight of the birds themselves places a very high toll on the animals’ welfare and health which results in many animals dying and suffering unnecessarily.

EFSA scientists identify clearly several major factors which show that chicken breeding in Europe is also a very sad ordeal for the birds involved. The problems identified are:

Excessive growth rates: The birds grow so rapidly and to such an extent that they can no longer move freely and carry their own weight resulting in lameness and other painful injuries.
Severe painful mutilations without pain relief; toes, spurs and combs are routinely cut off without proof that these are necessary or beneficial to the chickens or their welfare
Barren environments: Broiler birds need their environment to provide security and comfort and this is ignored
Stocking density: broiler birds need space to move and perch and this is not provided. This severely affects their behaviour patterns and encourages the spread of disease
Restricted food supply; this is designed to prevent growing too fast but leads to competition for food resulting in injury and continual hunger for the birds
Slaughter processes: birds are being hung upside down on slaughter lines that are unsuitable for the size of the birds which often weigh 3 to 4kg and this create additional, stress injuries and a painful death for the birds.
Eurogroup's director, Sonja Van Tichelen, commented: "This report presents a catalogue of suffering for the birds from birth to the slaughterhouse. This suffering is hidden and far away from the eyes of the consumer. The industry can no longer claim that it cares for the welfare of their animals if they allow this to happen and they can no longer act in such a cavalier manner.

"If industry cannot take its responsibilities seriously, it is the duty of the EU to regulate the breeding companies and enforce better standards. We therefore urge the European Commission to propose legislation as soon as possible which includes all animal breeding practices for food production, as this has been neglected so far, and it is the very point where welfare problems start."

 

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Good water is needed for healthy animals but what is good water? Animal Health Service Deventer says drinking water for animals must meet three requirements:

It must be tasty. That is, the animals must want to drink
It must be available at the place where the animals normally drink. The pipes are not clogged, the nipple drinkers have good flow when the animal wants to drink, and
The water is not harmful. This speaks for itself: production, growth and health of the animal must not be jeopardized.
GD examines drinking water for animals. The three main reasons why water samples are sent for examination, are 1) quality (IKB, Qarant), 2) a new source or controlling an existing source and 3) complaints. An analysis of submitted samples shows that at all complaints especially iron, total cell count and E. coli numbers were increased. There is a clear relationship between increased levels of these three parameters and the occurrence of symptoms (animals drink less, do less, pipes are blocked).

Cattle
In 2009, 74 per cent of the investigated water was suitable for drinking. In 2004, this was only 54 per cent. Twenty-six per cent of the tested drinking water in 2009 was less suitable or unsuitable for drinking. This water was generally rejected because of the hardness, ammonium and iron content and the overall cell count.

Pigs
In 2009, 67 per cent of the tested samples was suitable for drinking water. In 2004, this was only 55 per cent. The less suitable or unsuitable samples in 2009 were mostly rejected because the ammonia content and hardness.

Poultry
In 2009, 64 per cent of the examined water samples from poultry were found suitable for drinking. In 2004, this was 50 per cent. Rejected samples in 2009 were rejected mainly because of the hardness and iron and ammonium content.

Although the percentage of suitable water samples has increased in the past five years, the other part of the drinking water is still not suitable for drinking. Animal Health Service Deventer recommends continuing drinking water testing and taking appropriate measurements if the drinking water is unsuitable for your animals.

 

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Adirek Sripratak, president and chief executive officer, said a shortage of foods and meat, as well as the high price of meat products in the Middle East especially in Iraq, Iran and Dubai, were increasing demand for meat imported from nearby countries. This has proved beneficial for CPF's business in Turkey, which can export more chicken meat and eggs to those countries. The company expects meat prices to remain at a good level until late this year. At the same time, CPF Turkey has high expectations from chicken-meat exports to Russia after that country slowed down orders from the United States, but increased orders from Turkey instead.

In addition, CPF Turkey has just started to operate a food-processing plant to produce sausage, meatballs, cordon bleu and chicken burgers. The company has enjoyed a good response from Turkish consumers. Recently, CPF Turkey won awards for quality and brand across Europe.

CPF's operations in India have also turned in an outstanding performance. The company has expanded three new aquaculture feedmills, and shrimp and fish, providing a total capacity of 150,000 tonnes per year.

Shrimp farming in India has become popular because of its long coastal areas. Currently, CPF is number one in the aquatic business in India. However, there is an opportunity to expand in the livestock business.

 

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Many other animal diseases have a negative impact on people's livelihoods. Pandemic influenza viruses H5N1 and H1N1, foot-and-mouth disease, Rift Valley fever, and rabies are among the more recent disease outbreaks.

Land use, ecological dynamics including climate change, and expanding trade and trade routes are all posing new challenges to animal disease prevention and control, the UN agency warned.

Emerging threats

These emerging threats are also related to increased urbanization and strongly growing urban demand for meat, milk and eggs. A rapid increase and intensification in poultry, production in east Asia translated into a 5-fold increase in duck meat output between 1985 and 2000. In 2008, over 21 bln animals were produced for food globally, a figure expected to rise by 50% by 2020.

"We are expecting the costs to human, animal and plant health of these pathogens, and their overall economic costs, to rise substantially over the next decades," said Juan Lubroth, FAO's Chief Veterinary Officer.

In the UK, for example, a 2001 outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease was estimated to have cost the government and private sector $25-30 bln.

In developing countries, high impact transboundary animal diseases pose a direct threat to the food security, nutrition and income of rural communities that are dependent on livestock. This adds to the difficulties of achieving the Millennium Development Goals, including the reduction of hunger, poverty, child mortality and ensuring environmental sustainability.

The collective influenza virus gene pool currently circulating in humans, poultry, pigs and other animals is becoming more diverse with new strains of the virus across different hosts becoming increasingly common.

As a result of human population increases, people are farming animals in locations closer to natural habitats, thereby increasing the risk of disease transmission between domestic animals and wildlife and thus affecting biodiversity and conservation efforts.

"This is not science fiction," said Lubroth. "The threats are very real. Deadly and economically devastating livestock epidemics have existed throughout history but there is no doubt that more pathogens are emerging - and spreading. The good news is, with the right policies, they can be better detected and contained."

One Health

FAO, in partnership with the World Organisation for Animal Health and the World Health Organization has adopted a One Health strategy to more effectively detect and combat these new pathogens. This initiative aims to make a key contribution to the global response to disease outbreaks, implementation of effective prevention and containment strategies and management of risks of disease emergence, including improving knowledge of disease-emergence drivers in livestock production and in associated ecosystems.

FAO has requested donors to invest very significantly in its suggested 5-year programme on the One Health initiative. This investment is targeted with priority to action in South, Southeast and Central Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean - regions particularly vulnerable to the emergence and re-emergence and spread of infectious diseases.

Actions envisaged include enhancement of disease early warning and detection systems; strengthening of capacity for surveillance and response; identification and  assessment of disease drivers in food animal production and natural resource management; strengthening of the capacity of public veterinary services in preparation, prevention and response to animal disease occurrence; assessment of the social and economic impact of diseases; and associating private sector stakeholders with public sector action in livestock and wildlife health. Special attention of the programme is given to risk communication at all levels of action.

 

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Integrated poultry company Leong Hup Holdings Bhd plans to spend up to 30 million ringgit (MYR) this year to set up a broiler farm in the Bio Desaru Food Valley project in the Kota Tinggi district, reports The Star of Malaysia.

Executive director, Tan Sri Francis Lau Tuang Nguang, said the farm would be located on 72.8 hectares dedicated to poultry farming activities within the 3,642.17-hectare Bio Desaru Food Valley, the first big-scale organic food farm in the country.

Mr Tan told StarBiz: "We are investing between MYR20 million and MYR30 million in the farm which will have the capacity to produce 500,000 to over one million fowls within the next three years," recently after the signing of the memorandum of agreement (MoA) between Leong Hup subsidiary Leong Hup Contract Farming Sdn Bhd and Johor Biotechnology & Biodiversity Corp (J-Bio Tech).

State-owned J-Bio Tech, the developer of Bio Desaru Food Valley, also signed MoAs and memoranda of understanding with eight other companies in conjunction with the 2nd Bio Johor 2010 International Biotechnology and Biodiversity Conference.

Like other chickens reared in Leong Hup's farms nationwide, the birds at the Bio Desaru Food Valley farm would be bred in broiler houses, Mr Lau said.

"Chickens raised at our Bio Desaru farm will be sent to Singapore as the republic's close proximity to Kota Tinggi makes it more economical in terms of transportation costs," said Mr Lau.

He added that Leong Hup is still optimistic on the local poultry industry despite the recent increase in prices of dressed chickens in the market.

Consumers would continue to consume chicken meat and eggs as they are easily available and among the cheapest sources of protein, he said.

Before the Government abolished the ceiling price for chicken, it stood at MYR6 per kilo, according to The Star. Malaysia has an annual per-capita chicken consumption of about 38kg.

 

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Chicken egg prices have dropped steadily in Bangkok and nearby provinces since last week, Department of Internal Trade director-general, Watcharee Wimuktayon, said today.

Bangkok Post reports that the retail price of Size 0 eggs must not exceed 3.50 baht (THB) each, while the ceiling price of Size 1 eggs was THB3.30. Retailers cannot sell Size 2 eggs over THB3.20, Mrs Watcharee said.

She said the price for mixed egg sizes at the farm gate was set at THB2.70 each.

The Internal Trade Department had asked fresh markets to make sure retailers sell their eggs at fair prices to consumers, she said.

Pork prices at the farm gate remained at THB61-62 per kilo so retailers can sell them at THB115-120 per kilo.

Egg prices had previously soared due to high seasonal temperatures which resulted in a 20 per cent drop in egg production.

 

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Dr Chan meets Minister HanHan Changfu, Minister of Agriculture, met with Dr Margaret Chan, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) yesterday.

Minister Han spoke highly of the positive contribution of WHO headed by Dr Margaret Chan to promoting global health care. He then elaborated on the current situation of and measures for issues concerning national food security, quality and safety of agricultural produce, animal epidemics, zoonoses, and tobacco planting, and expressed appreciation to WHO for its active coordination with and great support to the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) in the above-mentioned areas.

The Director-General thanked MOA for its unswerving support to WHO, saying that the two sides had very successful cooperation. She appreciated the policies adopted by MOA to prevent and control animal epidemics, avian flu in particular, and safeguard food security and food safety, suggesting that the two sides further strengthen the cooperative effort in sharing resources in disease control, tobacco control as well as food security and safety.

 

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