AGRIBUSINESS: Expanding the reach of flavour imprinting in piglets.

AGRIBUSINESS: Expanding the reach of flavour imprinting in piglets. An aroma, based on essential oils, is capable of generating an imprinting effect in piglets that can boost their introduction to solid feed after weaning and improves their performance. Combining this with spray dried porcine plasma could bring even further benefits post-weaning. Early weaned piglets are subject to a great deal of stress and have to adapt abruptly to a new diet, which delivers a great physiological challenge. As a result, during the first week after weaning, piglets typically have a low feed intake and a growth decrease that has an impact on the animal’s gut morphology, increasing the risk of post-weaning diarrhoea and consequently affecting the animals subsequent performance. Supplementing sow and post-weaning diets with Print-Arome, a flavour formulated with essential oils, has an imprinting effect in piglets. This effect familiarises the piglets with its scent and facilitates the introduction to solid feed. The transfer of dietary information from mother to offspring with the essential oils flavour has been proven to successfully improve feed intake and weight gain of piglets at weaning. Likewise, spray dried porcine plasma (SDPP) is also a common feed ingredient used for similar objectives; included in weaning diets to improve feed intake, post-weaning performance and reduce diarrhoea incidence.

Antibiotic-resistant genes are being spread all over the world in animal feed.

Antibiotic-resistant genes are being spread all over the world in animal feed, scientists discover.Ten million people could die every year by 2050 if the rise of superbugs is not checked, experts have warned. Antibiotic-resistant genes are being spread around the world in animal feed, according to new research that adds to fears humanity could lose one of our most important medicines.

AGRIBUSINESS: How to choose the right bedding for broilers.

AGRIBUSINESS: How to choose the right bedding for broilers. It’s crucial for a broiler producer to get floor management right. This will improve the birds’ physical environment, reduce disease and result in better quality broilers. #poultry Floor management is one of the pillars of successful broiler production, as important as biosecurity, climate control and general animal welfare. Yet this essential aspect is all too often overlooked.

How to reduce ammonia pollution in a cattle ranch.

A new study provides a list of techniques and technologies that could provide the greatest reductions in ammonia emissions in cattle ranch.These techniques can reduce emissions by 17% to 50% which include improved barn design, cleaning processes, and manure treatment . 

 The study published in the journal Science of the Total Environment provided a list of the techniques and technologies that could provide the greatest reductions in ammonia emissions.

The new study assesses the emissions reduction potential of a number of techniques, such as floor scraping, flushing with water, manure acidification, and using different types of flooring Ammonia pollution in general have impacts on both the environment and human health, it can lead to algal blooms in freshwater, threatening aquatic wildlife, and contribute to smog that damages human health. In northwestern Europe, dairy cattle are usually housed in large barns, where they are kept loose, and manure, which is the source of ammonia emissions, is removed and stored in a pit beneath the barn. 

A number of factors contribute to how much ammonia escapes from the manure into air, including chemical processes, temperature, and air flow. Mendes and colleagues approached the problem using a model of ammonia emissions that was designed to calculate the ammonia emission reductions potential of new or adapted dairy cattle barns. It incorporates management technologies and processes designed to reduce pollution.

WATER HYACINTH AND THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS.

These 17 goals proposed by the UN is to transform the world and everybody has a role to play to ensure the success . The goals cut across board and borders and it spans health,education, environment, industrialization,partnership and peaceful coexistence. The goals really drives home the point that the world is a global village,and together we can accelerate growth,peace and development in various nations and industries. 

 The water hyacinth and the sustainable development goals, the plant is an invasive aquatic plant causing havoc in certain nations,by clogging up the waterways thus killing aquatic life and preventing easy movement on the seas. This plants can actually solve all these goals; Poverty can be eradicated by creating a source of income for those around the creeks and seas that the invasive plants occupy. The hyacinth can be harvested,processed and sold for money.when the rate of harvesting is doubled,there will be more space for aquatic life to flourish.The constant agitation of the water body by harvesters will oxygenate the water,making more oxygen available for fishes and other aquatic life.This harvesting will also save water life another goal. A community cottage industry built around the water hyacinth will not only end poverty because of the sale of various products that are derived from the water hyacinth.These products such as shown below will end poverty. The end to hunger can be achieved by incorporating the plant into animal feed,it has been shown to be suitable for pigs,and in aquaculture. The inclusion in animal feed normally promotes rapid growth and hence more food is produced. The hyacinth are also processed as food in man,there has been studies and trial sessions where the hyacinth has been used for bread and bean cake. The hyacinth are processed dry/fresh depending on the end product. The hyacinth is a goldmine and if properly harnessed more value will be derived. 

The hyacinth can be used to produce paper,this alone prevents deforestation which is one of the element of several climatic changes experienced and also spread of diseases,as man is moving further into forests making us more vulnerable to diseases. 

 The water hyacinth as a game changer in economics can be read here; http://veterinarymedicineechbeebolanle-ojuri.blogspot.com.ng/2016/04/water-hyacinth-our-green-gold.html

COPPER SULPHATE AND ANTIBIOTIC- FREE PIGLET DIET.

Copper sulphate is an old additive that has received renewed interest with the ban of zinc oxide and antibiotics. Long before the advent of zinc oxide, another mineral used to dominate piglet feeds: copper sulphate. It was known to reduce or prevent piglet diarrhea and, as such, it improved animal growth rate and feed efficiency. when the need to rotate antibiotics from batch to batch was necessary, copper sulphate remained a constant addition to even the simplest corn-soybean meal-type diets. With the introduction of zinc oxide, the effects of copper sulphate appeared to wane, but it never completely left the scene, mostly because it is very inexpensive. Supplementing piglet diets with high dosages of zinc oxide is under pressure worldwide. The European Union which has imposed an otherwise restrictive feed legislation, it is common practice to add pharmacological doses of zinc oxide, but only under veterinary prescription.( WATTAgnet.com) Even in the U.S., this ingredient is under scrutiny, along with growth-promoting antibiotics. Luckily, long experiences in the EU have demonstrated that we can replace both antibiotics and high dosages of zinc oxide. This is done through feed reformulation and the use of alternative additives. One of those is, naturally, copper sulphate; old technology at the rescue due to new regulations! Using just a bit of copper sulphate to be sure is not going to harm animals, but it is not going to help them either. Going back to original research, we need 250 ppm to get the full result, and at least 150 ppm to start seeing an effect. And, if we accept the hypothesis of copper sulphate being a bactericide, then we need the highest possible dosage exactly when pathogen pressure is highest. .

PORCINE EPIDEMIC DIARRHOEA VIRUS AND FEED INGREDIENTS.

The porcine epidemic diarrhoea virus has been observed to survive in feed ingredients,this was demonstrated by some researchers who demonstrated this using a model as a point of study. The scientists used a model simulating shipment from China to the United States, as reported in BMC Veterinary Research. This is proof of concept suggesting that contaminated feed ingredients could serve as transboundary risk factors for PEDv, along with the identification of effective mitigation options. The scientists stated that this study describes a model developed to evaluate the transboundary risk of PEDv-contaminated swine feed ingredients and the effect of two mitigation strategies during a simulated transport event from China to the US. They stated that Ingredients imported to the USA from China, including organic & conventional soybeans and meal, lysine hydrochloride, D-L methionine, tryptophan, Vitamins A, D & E, choline, carriers (rice hulls, corn cobs) and feed grade tetracycline, were inoculated with PEDv. The control ingredients, and treatments (ingredients plus a liquid antimicrobial (SalCurb, Kemin Industries) or a 2% custom medium chain fatty acid blend) were tested. The model ran for 37 days, simulating transport of cargo from Beijing, China to Des Moines, IA, US from 23 December 2012 to 28 January 2013. To mimic conditions on land and sea, historical temperature and percent relative humidity (% RH) data were programmed into an environmental chamber which stored all containers. To evaluate PEDv viability over time, ingredients were organised into 1 of 4 batches of samples, each batch representing a specific segment of transport. Across control (non-treated) ingredients, viable PEDv was detected in soybean meal (organic and conventional), Vitamin D, lysine hydrochloride and choline chloride. In contrast, viable PEDv was not detected in any samples treated with the liquid antimicrobial or the medium chain fatty acid blend. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) pointed out that PEDv might have entered the United States in May 2013 by ways of tote bags. The new research shows a different way of transmission, but it's not proven which road the infection took in 2013. What it does show is that there appears to be a risk related to some long-distance feed trade. Ex

HOW TO HANDLE HEAT STRESS IN PIGS.

Heat stress affects the pig industry in tropical climates as well as temperate regions. Losses due to heat stress include nonproductive days for sows and economic losses in growing-finishing pigs. Even in mild climate conditions such as the Netherlands pigs have problems in the summer with performance losses due heat stress .This problem can be dealt with by improved nutrition. Pigs are much more sensitive to hot weather than other livestock animals – largely due to the fact that pigs hardly sweat and their lungs are relatively small compared to their body size. When pigs are exposed to heat stress, their respiration rate increases, pulse rate falls, they start panting heavily and they stop eating because this contributes to further heat production. The fact that bigger pigs are more sensitive to heat stress can be clearly seen in growth performance. Investigation of different weight classes (75, 80 and 28 kg body weight) showed a direct negative correlation on average daily gain (ADG) with increasing room temperature. While 75 kg pigs start to decrease their ADG at around 23°C, pigs weighing 25 kg can compensate up to 27°C (Langridge, Western Australia, 2014). A commonly accepted temperature range for sows in the farrowing house typically spans between 21°C and 25°C - though this is too big of a range. Nursery sows begin to show signs of heat stress starting at 22°C . The feed intake drops almost 0.5 kg/day as temperature increases to 25°C. Technical solutions to reduce heat stress are often time 
consuming and can be highly expensive, e.g. building cooled stables. A nutritional approach can prove more adaptable and quicker to implement. Based on current knowledge there are some measures we can take to improve the swine productivity during periods of heat stress. The nutritional intervention include; 1) Smaller, more frequent meals per day and/or night feeding. 2)A sufficient supply of fresh, clean water. 3)Wet the feed with water. 4)Use pelleted feed instead of mash. 5)Lower crude protein. 6) Replace starch with fat as an energy source. 7) Use less fiber. Story from materials from pig progress.

QUALITIES OF FEED PELLET.

Feed pelleting can be defined as conversion of finely ground mash feed into dense, free flowing pellets or capsules, in a process that involves steam injection (moisture and heat) and mechanical pressure. There are several advantages for feeding broilers pelleted rather than mash feed. The main advantage is the improved bird performance (improved feed intake, weight gain and feed conversion). Birds fed pelleted diets spend less time and need lower maintenance energy requirements during eating and digestion in comparison to those fed mash feed. The other benefits of feeding pelleted diets include increase feed density, decrease feed dustiness, wastage and selection, better mechanical handling of feed on the feed lines, and destruction of feed-borne pathogens. Therefore, the full genetic potentials of modern broiler strains cannot be achieved without pelleted feed. In order to achieve these multi-benefits, the pellet durability should be of a standard quality (not contain too much fines), otherwise, the bird’s performance will be adversely affected. High quality pellets can be defined as pellets that can withstand repeated handling as can occur during bagging, transportation, storage, and moving on feed lines without excessive breakage or generation of fine particles. Pellet quality is usually expressed as the pellet durability index (PDI), and measured by using a tumbling can device, in which the pellet sample to be tested is first sieved to remove fines, then tumbled in the tumbling can device for a defined period of time. The tumbled sample is then sieved to remove fines, and the amount of intact pellets is determined. Factors affecting pellet quality Several factors have an effect on the quality of the pellets. First of all the feed formulation (raw materials and additives used). Some feed ingredients have a good impact on pellet quality, while others could adversely affect the quality. Unfortunately, corn-soy diets are not the ideal diets to achieve the desired pellet quality. Dietary inclusion of wheat grain or wheat by products (wheat midds, wheat gluten) can increase pellet durability, because of the high protein (gluten) and hemi-cellulose content of wheat in comparison to corn or corn co-products. Similarly inclusion of oat as a partial substitute of corn can increase pellet quality. We can rank feed grains according to their positive impacts on pellet quality from best to worst as followings:oat,wheat,barley,corn and sorghum. It was previously known that starch and its gelatinisation is the most important factor for achieving the desired pellet quality. However, recent reports indicated that the positive impact of protein on pellet quality is much more important than that of starch. Dietary inclusion of oil has an adverse effect on pellet quality. This is attributed to the coating effect of oil to the feed particles which prevent their penetration by the steam, also oil reduces the friction generated between die and feed particles with subsequent decrease in the starch gelatinisation rate. Inclusion of binding agents (e.g. water (simplest binder), lignin sulphonate, hemicelluloses extract, gelatin, etc.) and/or surfactants can increase pellet quality. Pellet quality can be influenced by several factors, including the ingredients, diet formulation and processing. A good rule of thumb is the pellet quality factor (PQF), that each feed ingredient has. The PQF has a score from 0 to 10, where 0 predicts poor pellet quality and 10 good pellet quality. From experience we know that starch and its gelatinisation is the most important factor for achieving the desired pellet quality. However, recent reports indicated that the positive impact of protein on pellet quality is much more important than that of starch.

Improving milk production efficiency by using feed additives.

Farmers can achieve efficient milk production by investing in high quality genetics, but this can depend on the maintenance of high-quality rations. Evidence from trials and practical experience indicates that a reliable and cost-effective way of earning more profit from cows' milk is through optimizing feed with the right additives. This is important for farmers not only to ensure that milk production is profitable, but also to ensure optimal health and well-being for cows. Longer productive life in cows using ß-carotene; A longer productive life is associated with low culling rates and high fertility. Regular breeding can be helped by ß-carotene, a plant pigment that acts as a vitamin to support fertility in dairy cows. It accumulates in the ovaries and participates in the synthesis of the hormones oestrogen and progesterone, both of which are important for ovulation and for safeguarding the embryo. Trials conducted worldwide show that optimal dietary levels of Rovimix ß-carotene increase conception rates and lower the number of abortions. Pregnancy rates for first inseminations in a practical farm trial conducted in France increased by almost 40% in ß-carotene supplemented cows. Calving intervals were reduced by 27 days and milk yield increased by more than 400 kg per cow and lactation. The correct supplementation of ß-carotene in rations leads to an improvement in cows' fertility, health and welfare. Other recorded advantages include more regular ovulation, better foetal health and reduced incidence of retained placenta; as well as better calf health. Health issues such as mastitis can also lead to losing otherwise productive cows. Vitamin E is an important feed additive for the natural control of mastitis. Optimal levels of this vitamin (which cannot be synthesised by the cow) in pre-calving and immediate post-calving rations has been proven to increase immune system resistance to mastitis infection, reducing mammary infections at calving by up to 80%. Clinical and sub-clinical mastitis remain among the biggest drains on dairy profitability (Table 2). Supplementing rations with vitamin E, such as Rovimix E, has proved cost-effective and efficient in combating this serious problem. Correct amounts of vitamin E have also proved to decrease the duration of mastitis in infected cows by as much as 50%. There are also clear advantages gained from boosting dairy cow rations with biotin. Evidence suggests that getting the right additives to optimize feed can lead to increased animal health and well-being, production efficiency and increased income on the dairy farm. Longevity is key for efficient milk production and lifetime performance depends on healthy cows, which depends on their diet. source all about feed)

FEED,HEALTH AND GROWTH OF PIGS.

Precision Livestock Farming is becoming very popular; many technologically driven companies are zooming into data-
collecting methods. Thus focusing on exact needs of the modern pig will allow producers to meet tomorrow's challenges, says Prof Sandra Edwards.“We cannot hope to improve the performance of today's pigs if we continue to rely on the nutritional, feeding and performance data we collected from (traditional) pigs a long time ago," says veteran UK pig researcher and scientist and chair of agriculture at the University of Newcastle, Prof Sandra Edwards. She argues that the type of pig that most commercial producers are working with at the moment is completely different to the animals on pig farms even a decade ago, when consumer demands were totally different.A whole new bank of research data reflecting the needs of the modern pig are urgently required to ensure progress by researchers in pig development on the scientific front. he says research had shown that producers needed to feed sows with arginine and glutamine supplements to help increase the placental quality, which reduced birth weight variation, as well as the number of under-weight piglets born alive.Recent work had also shown that including essential fatty acids such as docosahexanoic acid (DHA), which is found in algae and fish, in sow diets during the last month of their pregnancies led to a significant drop in the number of stillbirths. It also resulted in a longer farrowing duration. Feeding the sows to get their condition right before they go into the farrowing house and even before that. The pre-mating diet can have a big impact on embryo survival and high plane feeding before mating will help reduce embryo mortality. Sows should not be fed to produce bigger litters, but rather fed to meet the challenges of weaning more top quality piglets successfully. Read more ;http://www.pigprogress.net/Home/General/2014/1/Health-feed-growth--Nothing-happens-in-isolation-1392863W/?intcmp=related-content

BLIND DOG NAMED CHRISTMAS RESCUED AFTER BEING TRAPPED IN WELL .

According to ABC eye witness reports; a blind, elderly dog named Christmas has been rescued after months of living alone in a well, -- and his rescue was captured in a touching video, ABC News reports. (http://abc11.com/pets/blind-dog-named-christmas-rescued-after-being-trapped-in-well-for-months/1131401/) "Surprisingly, the dog is in fairly good, psychical condition," said Laura Simpson, founder of the Harmony Fund in Holden, Massachusetts. "The blindness of course is from a pre-existing condition, but he's now in foster care and we're hoping he can find a home there he's loved and respected in the way he should be." Simpson told ABC News that it was last week when international animal rescuer Fahrudin Caki Bravo and his friend Ratko Koblar received word of a dog trapped in a well in nearby Bosnia."The dog had been there for months and they don't know if he was thrown in, or if he fell in," Simpson said. "We're certainly hoping that he fell, but with the dog being completely blind, he was only kept alive because the local children were kind enough to feed him.""He (Bravo) and his friend thought it was perfectly feasible getting the dog out and they did a great job," she added. "They made it look easy." Following his rescue, , Christmas received veterinary care and was placed in foster care.

FINANCIAL ANALYSIS ; RAISING BROILERS FOR PROFIT.

REARING COST FOR 5OO BROILERS; EXPENDITURE AMOUNT. 1) Land...............................................1,500,000 2)Housing...........................................900,000. 3) D.O.C @ 200#.....................................100,000. 4) Brooding cost @ 25#/chick........................12,500. 5)vaccination/medication @ 40#....................20,000. 6)Farm supplies,tools,wheel barrow................15,000. 7)Drinker/feeder.....................................25,000. 8) Feed @ 100g/chick/day @ 0-3 weeks cost of feed(2800).....11,760. 9)Feed @ 180g/chick/day for 4-7 weeks and cost of feed..3000....226,800. 10) Labor...................................20,000. TOTAL.............................2,831,060. Analysis. sale of birds @ 2000/bird. 2000x 490(2% mortality}......980,000. Profit=sale proceeds-recurrent expenditure = 980,000- 391,060 588,940 Naira. An investor will have a profit of 588,940; and subsequent production cost will reduce because the capital expenditure is paid for at onset of production An investor can have this turn over every 42 days,thats a good turn-over.

POULTRY VALUE CHAIN: LESSONS FROM INDIA.

Broiler production in India is projected to increase by approximately 8% to 4.2 million tonnes in 2016 on rising demand from the growing middle class.Local estimates believe that demand for processed chicken meat is growing between 15-20% per year, according to a recent USDA GAINS report.The organised sector produces an estimated 80% of total chicken meat production, and is mainly concentrated in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, and West Bengal. The live poultry market constitutes 90 to 95% of total sales since most consumers prefer freshly culled chicken meat. Within the last ten years, many broiler enterprises have vertically integrated their operations, especially in southern and western India. Approximately 60-70% of all operations use the integrator model, while the remaining are smaller backyard operations. Integrator' s own all the hatcheries, feed mills, and slaughter facilities, and contract with multiple smaller farmers who raise the chicks to slaughter weight primarily in open air sheds. One integrator may have as many as 20,000 contracted farms, however, in a few cases integrator's may sell chicks or feed without requiring a contract. Some integrator's also provide credit, extension services, and veterinary medicine. At the end of the production cycle, the live birds either are purchased by the integrator's for slaughter and further processing, or by a middle man/wholesaler, eventually arriving at a live bird wet market for local sale. For 2016, egg production is forecast at 80 billion eggs, up 5% from last year. In order to mitigate rising transportation costs and better maintain quality control, poultry companies are reportedly establishing more layer farms near highly urbanised areas. The processed chicken meat sector is growing at a rate between 15-20% per year due to the growing middle class, which reportedly has positively affected sales not only in retail, but quick service restaurants and the hotel, restaurant, and institutional sector. A few major poultry companies have started expanding their slaughtering and processing facilities, and are beginning to offer a wider range of processed chicken meat products for the retail sector like frozen chicken burgers, salamis, nuggets, sausages, and tikkas. India's per capital consumption of poultry meat is estimated at around 3.1 kg per year, which is low compared to the world average of around 17 kg per year. India's per capital consumption of eggs is estimated at about 62 eggs per year. More and more people are shifting to poultry and poultry by-products,as a means of livelihood, employment opportunities and providing more protein for the nation.The sector provide various points of investment opportunities,which are very profitable. portions of story from world poultry.

Early life factors important for broilers .

Early life conditions such as feed and water availability immediately post hatch and housing conditions may influence immune development and therefore immune reactivity later in life.The current study, done by researchers from the Adaptation Physiology Group at Wageningen University, addressed the consequences of a combination of these 2 early life conditions for immune reactivity, i.e., the specific antibody response towards a non-infectious lung challenge.The researchers conclude that the results from the present study show that early life feeding strategy and housing conditions influence a chick's response to an immune challenge later in life. These 2 early life factors should therefore be taken into account when striving for a balance between disease resistance and performance in poultry. Broilers are better protected against a non-infectious lung challenge when the feed, water and housing was optimum during the early life of the animals. read more about research in journal of poultry science.

OBESITY IN HORSES.

Obesity in horses not only comes with weight gain but with endocrine problems such as insulin resistance.Obesity in horses has been linked to heart disease , diabetes mellitus and laminitis. Obesity in horses has been linked to laminitis, a painful condition that affects joint of horses ,the weight of the horse puts a strain on the joint.Horses that develop insulin resistance are at higher risk of laminitis. Obesity in horses has been linked to 1) overfeeding of horses. 2) carbohydrate overload. 3) excessive access to grass and pasture. 4)excessive apple and carrot treats which are high in sugar content. 5) feeding commercial feeds that have high sugar content. 6) lack of adequate exercise. Nutrition and exercise are the major tools needed to prevent and control obesity.

MEGA-ESOPHAGUS.

This refers to a condition where peristalsis is altered because of an enlarged esophagus.The esophagus is the passage of food from mouth to stomach,thus when its enlarged the food passage is stalled leaving food in the throat for a prolonged time,the food is usually regurgitated or inhaled in lungs resulting in aspiration pneumonia The food often times decays in the throat resulting in foci of infection. The condition is common in horses,cats,dogs and humans,and it could be inherited as in the Friesian horse. The common signs associated with mega-esophagus are 1) inappetence 2) frequent episodes of regurgitation 3) severe weight loss. There are certain breeds predisposed to mega-esophagus, these include 1) great Dane,2) German shepherd 3)golden retriever 4)corgis,5) Siamese cat 6)Persian cat 7)Boston terrier 8)rottweiler 9)french bulldog e.t.c. The prognosis of the condition is guarded and the remedy is feeding the subject in a raised position; where the neck is stretched vertically to receive food and create an easy passage to the stomach. Dogs are usually fed in special chairs,to ensure they have required calories and prevent food stasis. photo credit; The telegraph.

HOW TO IDENTIFY NUTRITION NEEDS OF HORSES AND PROVIDE THE NECESSARY QUANTITY.

Nutrition is vital to horse health.Nutrition can be in form of compounded ration or processed and packaged feed, however you must know the nitty gritty of feed components and proper combination ratio. The combination are of importance,hence you should know how to read labels.Horses can be fed healthy diet by following these tips;http://www.thehorse.com/articles/36667/identifying-unhealthy-horse-feed-and-supplement-ingredients?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=nutrition&utm_campaign=11-02-2015

Using Nutrition to Manage Obesity

Using Nutrition to Manage Obesity

Colic: First Things First

Colic: First Things First