The sale of poultry between any of Egypt’s 29 governorates is to be banned, and a major Health Ministry-led awareness campaign will alert the public to the dangers of raising birds at home, Sabir Galal, deputy chief of the Veterinary Medicine Section at the Health Ministry, told IRIN. “Bird flu has become endemic in this country… The fear now is that the virus can assume more dangerous forms in the days to come,” he said.

The Ministry also said it would stop inoculating birds after vaccines had proved incapable of stopping the virus from spreading.

With 105 infections to date, including 30 deaths, Egypt is the world’s third most affected country by avian influenza, according to the World Health Organization.

 

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The new study, to be published in the June issue of the journal Nutrition & Food Science, reveals that eggs are one of the most nutrient-dense foods that money can buy and that we should be eating at least one egg a day to get the optimum benefits. In addition, the researchers found that eggs can play an important role in weight management and dieting, and could even help prevent age-related macular degeneration – an eye condition that can lead to blindness – thanks to antioxidants found in eggs.

Nutrition scientists analysed data from 71 previously published research papers and reference documents that examined egg nutritional composition and the role of eggs in the diet. They discovered that, despite being low in calories, eggs are a rich source of protein and are packed with essential nutrients thought vital to good health, particularly vitamin D, vitamin B12, selenium and choline. The report also confirms that among protein foods, eggs contain the richest mix of essential amino acids - crucial for children, adolescents and young adults since a balance of amino acids is required for proper growth and repair.

The report identifies specific groups who could particularly benefit from eating more eggs including children, teenagers and older adults as well as heavy meat-eaters and those not consuming milk. It also highlights research showing that for older adults, high-quality protein may prevent the degeneration of skeletal muscle and protect against some of the health risks associated with ageing.

Lead author of the report Dr Carrie Ruxton, a dietitian and registered public health nutritionist, says, “The health benefits of eggs would appear to be so great that it’s perhaps no exaggeration to call them a superfood. Eggs are not only low in calories but are packed with nutrients that are essential to healthy living. They are an ideal food at every stage of life, as well as being easy to cook and enjoyable to eat.”

Vitamin D benefits
The report shows that eggs are an important dietary source of vitamin D and could significantly help to boost daily intake as they provide more than 20 per cent of the vitamin D RDA (recommended daily allowance) per egg – or nearly half the requirements with two eggs a day. According to government surveys, about three quarters of British adults fail to reach even their basic vitamin D requirements while low vitamin D levels have been linked with a host of health conditions including poor bone health, cancer, heart disease, multiple sclerosis, immune disorders and mental health problems.

Another key finding, taken from research in the US, was that people who ate eggs had higher intakes of all nutrients (except vitamin B6 and dietary fibre) compared with non-egg eaters. Cholesterol levels were also lower among frequent egg consumers, supporting the latest scientific advice that saturated fat, not dietary cholesterol, is the strongest dietary influence on blood cholesterol levels for most people.

Weight management and dieting
A medium-sized egg has less than 80 kcals – less than a small bag of crisps and about half the calories of a chocolate snack bar. The researchers behind the latest report found there is emerging evidence that the high protein content of eggs may play a useful role in weight management and dieting. They highlighted a study suggesting that eating two scrambled eggs for breakfast can contribute to greater satiety - a feeling of fullness - while reducing calorie intake throughout the day and over the following 36 hours. In addition, one trial found that eating two eggs instead of bagels for breakfast every day could significantly lower body weight when combined with a low-energy diet over two months. Interestingly, blood cholesterol levels remained unchanged in this study.

Lifting the limit
The latest research updates advice about the role of eggs in the diet following last year’s news of the removal of the previous limits on consumption, which were due to worries over cholesterol content. More than four decades ago, researchers wrongly believed that cholesterol in eggs could increase the risk of coronary heart disease, but this link has now been disproved by new and better research. The latest findings suggest that one or two eggs a day can be eaten with no effect on total cholesterol levels for most people.

One study highlighted in the new report demonstrated that eating two eggs per day for six weeks had no effect on endothelial function, a marker of heart disease risk. In another trial, levels of HDL cholesterol (so-called ‘good’ cholesterol) increased, and markers of metabolic syndrome – a condition that can lead to heart disease and diabetes - decreased when 28 overweight/obese males ate a carbohydrate-restricted diet plus three eggs daily for 13 weeks. Other research found no significant impact on low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (so-called ‘bad’ cholesterol) levels when two eggs were eaten daily for 12 weeks.

On average, people in the UK still eat less than three eggs a week, which is around half the amount they ate in the 1960s before the cholesterol scare. But the new findings indicate that for most healthy people, eating seven eggs a week would have no impact on heart disease risk and could help boost health significantly in a number of key areas.

Dr Ruxton says, “New evidence now suggests that, although eggs provide dietary cholesterol, other lifestyle factors - such as smoking, drinking, exercise levels, obesity and especially the amount of saturated fat in the diet - are far stronger risk factors for heart disease. Consequently, the potential of eggs to increase cholesterol has little clinical importance when considered relative to other dietary and lifestyle factors.”

She adds, “This review has identified that eggs are an inexpensive, low energy, nutrient-dense food that can significantly contribute to diet quality, particularly intakes of selenium and vitamin D. For most people, egg consumption will have little or no influence on cholesterol levels or CHD risk.

“For the general population, there are clear nutritional benefits to eating eggs on a regular basis. Emerging evidence suggests that eggs may be beneficial for satiety, weight control and eye health. With previous limits on egg consumption lifted, most people would benefit from a return to the days of going to work on an egg.”
n the companies’ Global Marketing Strategy. Effect from 1 May 2010, the company’s newest Regional Office has been established in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
"We will now be in a position to provide a regular presence in real time, to the market place, in addition to proving these services with local personal that have an understanding of local languages as well as an understanding of regional business practices and culture," according to Mauro Pericoli, sales director.

Termotecnica Pericoli is an Italian company specialised in climate technology since 1967.  The company is a market leader in the manufacture of heating, cooling and ventilation equipment for greenhouses and livestock buildings: air heaters, circulation fans, exhaust fans, evaporative cooling pads and accessories for a complete heating and cooling system.

 

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"We will now be in a position to provide a regular presence in real time, to the market place, in addition to proving these services with local personal that have an understanding of local languages as well as an understanding of regional business practices and culture," according to Mauro Pericoli, sales director.

Termotecnica Pericoli is an Italian company specialised in climate technology since 1967.  The company is a market leader in the manufacture of heating, cooling and ventilation equipment for greenhouses and livestock buildings: air heaters, circulation fans, exhaust fans, evaporative cooling pads and accessories for a complete heating and cooling system.

 

www.worldpoultry.net

ESBL is a collective term for a group of enzymes made by bacteria. These enzymes are able to make antibiotics such as penicillin and cephalosporins ineffective.

The occurrence of ESBLs in animals is a risk to public health. Cephalosporins are used in humans who have severe bacterial infections used. Often the antibiotic is used in humans as a last resort against multi-resistant bacteria.

Prudent use in animals is therefore required. Furthermore, in Europe there is no maximum residue limit (MRL) for cephalosporins in poultry. The MRL is used to determine the waiting time for poultry meat after use of antibiotics.

 

www.worldpoultry.net

Sanofi-aventis and Merck & Co., Inc. announced that Sanofi-aventis has exercised its option to combine Merial with Intervet/Schering-Plough, Merck’s Animal Health business, to create a new global in animal health company.

The new joint venture will be equally-owned by Merck and Sanofi-aventis. The completion of the transaction is expected to occur in approx. the next 12 months following execution of final agreements, antitrust reviews and other customary closing conditions.

“The upcoming combination of Merial and Intervet/Schering-Plough is an exciting opportunity for Sanofi-aventis to create with Merck a leading company in the animal health strategic and growing sector,” said Christopher A. Viehbacher, CEO of Sanofi-aventis. “I am convinced that, together, we will create strong value in bringing broader and improved offerings in both pet and production animal segments.”

Richard T. Clark, Merck Chairman, President and CEO: “Merck has been in the animal health business for well over 6 decades and through this new joint venture we will bolster our diverse portfolio and create a new global competitor poised for growth... This new joint venture delivers on Merck's commitment to customer focus by creating one of the broadest portfolios of animal health products and services…. The planned joint venture will have an attractive geographical network of global technology and expertise to provide health solutions based on customers' needs, which often vary regionally.”

Enterprise value
The enterprise value of Merial has been fixed at $8 bln and the enterprise value of Intervet/Schering-Plough at $8.5 bln, leading to a true-up payment of $250 mln to Merck to establish a 50/50 joint venture.

An additional amount of $750 mln will be paid by Sanofi-aventis, as per the terms of the agreement signed on July 29, 2009.

5% global market growth
The worldwide animal health market reached $19 bln in 2008. Products for companion animals accounted for 40% of total sales while products for production animals accounted for the remaining 60% of total sales.

This market is expected to grow at around 5% per year over the next 5 years, driven by a growing demand for animal proteins, as well as a strong consumer needs for companion animal health care.

The companies said that both Merial and Intervet/Schering-Plough will continue to operate independently until the closing of the transaction.

About the partners
Sanofi-aventis, a global pharmaceutical company, discovers, develops and distributes therapeutic solutions to improve the lives of everyone. Sanofi-aventis is listed in Paris and in New York.

Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health, based in Boxmeer, the Netherlands, is focused on the research, development, manufacturing and marketing of animal health products.

The company offers customers a broad, innovative animal health portfolio, spanning products to support performance and to prevent, treat and control disease in all major farm and companion animal species.

Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health is a fully owned business unit of Merck & Co., Inc., based in Whitehouse Station NJ, USA.

Merial is a global, innovation-driven animal health company, providing a comprehensive range of products to enhance the health, well-being and performance of a wide range of animals.

The company employs approx. 5,700 people and operates in more than 150 countries worldwide. Formed in 1997, Merial was a 50/50 joint venture between Merck and Sanofi-aventis and is now a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sanofi-aventis, after Sanofi-aventis acquired Merck’s interest in Merial for a cash consideration of $4 bln (US) in 2009.

 

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The Humane Society of the United States, the nation's largest animal protection organization, praised the proposal and encouraged Congress to act swiftly to pass the bill.

The bill, H.R. 4733, simply requires that any food purchased for federal programs comes from animals raised with enough room to stand up, lie down, turn around and stretch their limbs, says the HSUS in a press release.

"Americans are increasingly demanding that we move away from abusive confinement in tiny cages on factory farms," Rep. Watson said. "The federal government has a responsibility to help lead the way on this important issue, just as many of our nation's largest companies are starting to do."

"This bill requires meat producers who sell to the federal government to follow the same guidelines that California producers have in place to ensure the animals are raised humanely," Rep. Gallegly said.

"We are grateful to Representatives Watson and Gallegly for introducing this important legislation, which would meaningfully improve the lives of millions of farm animals being raised for the federal government," commented Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of HSUS. "Animals built to move should be allowed to move, and it's the most basic of requirements that they shouldn't be crammed into cages barely larger than their own bodies for virtually their entire lives."

 

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Fusion® is the next generation of toxin binder that also has great antifungal, ammonia binding properties and is an anti-caking agent.  This unique product, in addition to its toxin binding advantages, offers analogous properties of a great source of essential amino acids, vitamins and other nutrients required to improve animal health and to boost performance. 

The individual components contained in Fusion® have specific characteristics and modes of actions that work synergistically to benefit all animal species. 

F  - Fixes Mycotoxins
U - Utilises the Feed
S - Synergistic Effect
I - Immune Booster
O - Orego-Stim added
N - Nutritional Benefits

Mycotoxicosis is a well-known immunosuppressant caused by mycotoxins in animal feeds, increasing the risk of scouring, acidosis, enteritis and other gastrointestinal tract problems.  The best solution to prevent mycotoxicosis in animals, in order to prevent the risk of zoonosis and reduce the detrimental effects caused by mycotoxins, is to include a high quality mycotoxin binder in animal feeds.  Meriden Animal Health Limited has specifically created the high affinity mycotoxin binder, Fusion®, which safely binds various mycotoxin derivatives within the animal’s gastrointestinal tract, as well as inhibiting mould and fungus growth in feed.
 
With its high binding capacity against mycotoxins such as, Deoxynivalenol, Fumonisin B1, Zearalenone, Vomitoxin, Aflatoxines (B1, B2, G1, G2), Ochratoxine A and T-2, Fusion® protects and strengthens the immune system. Thus, the animal’s immune system is able to function normally and defend against various respiratory and gastrointestinal diseases.  This enables proper growth and development of bone tissue and structure and minimises the risk of secondary bacterial invaders such as E. coli and Salmonella spp.

As well as fixing mycotoxins Fusion® increases growth rate and daily weight gain by improving FCR. Meanwhile, it reduces scouring, acidosis, enteritis and other gastrointestinal tract problems. 

Fungal moulds in food and feed ingredients are the pre-cursor to mycotoxins.University studies have shown that Fusion® has great antifungal properties that can kill Aspergillus and Penicillium strains that produce a wide range of mycotoxins that can cause great economical losses in animal industry.  Fusion® can kill the fungal precursors preventing or reducing the mycotoxin presence, which in turn reduces the economic loss and increases returns.

Fusion® is suitable for all types of animal feeds.

Contact sales@meriden-ah.com for more information or go to www.meriden-fusion.com

www.meriden-ah.com

Gail Shea, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, announced the investment of $170,000 for the organic sector, on behalf of Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz, at the the Atlantic Canadian Organic Regional Network (ACORN) conference and trade show in Charlottetown.

"Our Government is always looking for new opportunities for Canadian farmers and processors," said Minister Shea.

"We want to give Canadian farmers and processors a competitive edge in the organic sector and help them meet consumer demands at home and abroad by providing organic products of the highest standards."

The Organic Trade Association (OTA) in Canada will receive more than $118,000 from the Government of Canada's AgriMarketing program to stay ahead of international market trends by participating in international trade shows, developing promotional materials, and building a long-term international strategy for the organic sector.

"We are excited about what this federal funding means in terms of building new markets for Canadian organic products," said Matthew Holmes, OTA in Canada's managing director.

"The global organic market is expanding rapidly and this support will allow Canada to establish itself as a supplier of quality organic products."

The Canadian Organic Growers Association (COG) will receive almost $50,000 from the Government of Canada's Integrated Food Safety Initiative to develop a strategy for determining how current on-farm food safety systems can best meet the specific needs of organic agriculture. Five organic commodities will be chosen for this project in consultation with organic farmers across the country.

"The Canadian Organic Growers Association is very pleased with the Government of Canada's investment in organic agriculture", said Laura Telford, COG's Executive Director.

"This funding will go a long way to enable the organic sector to begin a dialogue with national agricultural commodity groups to customise On-Farm Food Safety Programs to meet the specialized needs of organic farmers."

Both contributions are funded under the Government of Canada's Growing Forward framework. In addition, Canada's Economic Action Plan continues to support agriculture as a core economic driver in this country. By creating jobs and working to develop high quality standards at home and abroad, farmers and food processors play an important role in the economic stability of Canadian communities.

The Canadian organic retail market was valued at close to $2 billion in 2008, representing a 66 per cent growth from the $1.2 billion organic retail value in 2006.

 

www.thepoultrysite.com

Leaders from the poultry industry at the Harper Adams dinner.The aim was to give them a chance to discuss how they could encourage more young people to consider a career in the sector, where they are badly needed.

Harper Adams Principal Dr David Llewellyn said: “A number of ideas were discussed during the course of the evening which we hope to progress in conjunction with industry representative groups.”

Positive discussions were held about poultry industry scholarships and work placement opportunities for students considering a career in the sector.

Harper Adams administers the annual Temperton Fellowships for poultry industry research.

In 2009, fellow Dr Murdo MacLeod highlighted the need for more dedicated young scientists in the poultry sector.

The 2010 report, “The World of Waterfowl”, will be presented by Richard Bird, Managing Director of Cherry Valley Farms, at the Farmers’ Club, London, on 7 June.

 

www.thepoultrysite.com

Vilsack focused on the USDA's efforts to increase exports of agricultural products to help American farmers, ranchers, and workers.

"USDA's continued work to expand trade opportunities for America's hard-working farmers and ranchers will play an important role in our effort to rebuild rural communities across the country," said Vilsack at the 2010 Commodity Classic event. "Increased trade will not only create important income opportunities for producers, but also the off-farm jobs that are so critical for revitalising rural America."

In the State of the Union address, the President announced a National Export Initiative to coordinate federal efforts to help rebuild the economy by increasing export opportunities. The new roadmap announced will help achieve the President's goal of doubling all US exports in the next 5 years.

While the USDA has traditionally looked at agricultural trading partners by geographic region, under the new trade strategy outlined by Vilsack, the USDA looks at countries based on their position on an agricultural market continuum, which enables tailored strategies to increase exports to each individual market. The continuum goes from fragile markets/food security states, to potential growth markets, to restricted access markets, to rapid growth markets, to developed consumer markets. The new strategy will improve collaboration among USDA agencies and guide priorities for international staffing, foreign assistance, and agricultural research.

For example, in potential growth markets, USDA programs will now emphasise building the institutional and human capacity needed to support increased trade, while in restricted access markets, USDA efforts are designed to remove trade barriers. In rapid growth markets, USDA will now emphasise using a full range of programs to build trade capacity, remove trade barriers and develop new markets for US products.

The annual value of US agricultural exports is rapidly increasing. Ten years ago the annual value was less than $50 bln and this year, even with the sharp global economic downturn, USDA estimates agricultural exports to reach $100 bln, the second highest level ever. USDA will continue to push hard for an open rules-based international trading system that will benefit both consumers and suppliers of agricultural products around the world.

USDA launched a new website and social media tools at www.usda.gov, which are designed to enhance discussions and facilitate innovation for challenges facing rural America.

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