Feed Compounder - March/April

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FEED

March/April 2024

COMPOUNDER

Vol. 44 No. 2

PUBLISHED BY: Pentlands Publishing Ltd Plas Y Coed Velfrey Road Whitland SA34 0RA United Kingdom Tel: +44 (0) 1994 240002 Web site: www.feedcompounder.com E-mail: mail@feedcompounder.com

COMMENT

Contents Opinion: Why 1.52°C matters

2

Ryan Mounsey: Feed Production Update

4

Colin Ley: View from Europe

10

Matthew Wedzerai: Scientifically Speaking …

14

Christine Pedersen: Milk Matters

16

Robert Ashton: 10 Ways to Avoid Inertia

18

Green Pages

20

Feed Trade Topics From the Island of Ireland

CFE and CPM Seminar

23

How to Stay Competitive and Profitable

24

with Bestmix Software

EDITOR: Ryan Mounsey

ADVERTISEMENT/SALES MANAGER: Fiona Mounsey

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT: Sophie Mounsey

Mycotoxins in UK and Irish Feed

26

dsm-firmenich World Mycotoxin Survey Results

Driving Efficiency with Data-Drive Decisions with CORE Tech

28

Supplementing Copper in Calves

30

By Vet Leandro Royo and Dr Rahma Balegi

Dairy Benchmarking Report Identifies Herd Targets

31

Discussing the 500-NMR KPI Report with Will Tulley

Company Profile: Binary Consultants

34

Putting the Cream Back on Top at Turnout

36

With Nigel Airey, Debby Brown and Dr. Philip Ingram

Glutamine: the Pivotal Amino Acid to Support Gut Health in Pig and Poultry

38

By Aude Simongiovanni and Herman Claassen

SUBSCRIPTION RATES:

Cargill 2023 Global Mycotoxin Report

41

One year: £80 Two years: £150 Three years: £200

Adams & Green Pioneering Excellence in Animal Nutrition and Sustainability

42

Feed Ingredients: Fats, Molasses & Sugars

45

Feed Ingredients: Sensory Products

48

ISSN 0950-771X

In Brief

50

Views expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the Publisher.

Computing: Formulation, Process Control, Mill Management

53

In Conversation

56

© Feed Compounder 2024

with Promtek’s Richard Key and Liam Barks

People

58

Making the safe way the easy way…

61

With Dave Roberts

Buyers’ Guide

62 Feed Compounder March/April 2024 Page 1

Opinion WHY 1.52°C MATTERS The rising impact of global warming appears to be even closer than was

land. These are areas which were harmed in the past by wildfires,

thought with the past 12 months yielding a global mean temperature of

drought, deforestation, and pollution.

1.52°C above the world’s 1850-1900 pre-industrial average. That’s the

The ultimate goal set for the Flagship programme is to prevent,

1.5° rise everyone has been trying to avoid, of course, as enshrined in

halt, and reverse the degradation of ecosystems on every continent

the 2015 Paris Agreement.

and in every ocean, leading to the restoration of one billion hectares

While clearly not what anyone wanted to hear in early 2024, the

of productive land. Having mourned the loss of valuable hectares in

1.52°C announcement by the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service

recent years, this has to be good news for anyone seeking to produce

doesn’t mean the temperature battle has already been lost forever or

food or feed.

that there’s no going back. Scientists have been quick to point out there

FAO Director-General QU Dongyu said the programme

will be many temperature fluctuations in the years ahead, resulting

showed what can be achieved by addressing the impact of climate

in annual readings which will be both above and below the 1.5° limit.

and biodiversity factors, adding that the seven flagship projects

In fact, total 1.5° failure will only be confirmed once there’s an

represented a ‘crucial step’ forward in the transformation of global

average rise of that amount over a 20-year period. That’s according to

agrifood systems, potentially making them efficient, inclusive, resilient,

the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the UN climate

and sustainable.

body. Hardly a reason to rejoice certainly, but the fight goes on, with

The seven include a Mediterranean Forests Initiative, shared

a bit of time left to focus on what this means for our industry in terms

between Lebanon, Morocco, Tunisia, and Turkey, whose backers are

of sustainable crop production, raw material supplies, and the like.

targeting the restoration of over eight million hectares by 2030; the

An increased flow of climate-based research and analysis is

bringing of Pakistan’s Indus Basin back to full life by reinvigorating the

already starting to hit the headlines, both positive and negative, to help

country’s 3,180- km long Indus River which irrigates over 80% of the

businesses prepare for whatever the future holds.

nation’s arable land; and a Regreening Africa initiative based on the

One such project, carried out at Wageningen Economic Research

use of proven agroforestry techniques to return five million hectares of

in The Netherlands, has explored the possible impact of a climate-

land to its productive past, hopefully by 2030. There are also projects

driven decline in pollinating insects, such as bees, hoverflies, and

running in Asia, South America, Sri Lanka, and a second initiative in

moths. The suggestion is that a decline in pollinators could cause a

Africa, all designed to return damaged or neglected areas of land to

£1.2 billion reduction in annual Dutch farm output, equivalent to a fall

active cropping.

of about 4%. The estimated reduction for German farmers was put at more than £1.5 billion.

Even if some of these locations may sound a bit remote from a UK/EU compound feed perspective, the initiatives surely have to be

This is because crops such as oilseed rape have a 25%

applauded. Producing tomorrow’s raw materials will require all the land

dependence on pollinators. While this is a lot less than the 85%

resources the world has to offer. That will include farming restored

dependence registered by some food crops, such as apples and green

hectares wherever they happen to be.

beans, a 25% hit would still be worrying and costly, especially if growers

Our industry has long focused on the loss of productive land or the

had to replace the natural work of bees and insects with mechanical

impact of weather-driven disruptions to planting and harvesting around

pollination processes.

the globe, blaming both factors for removing vital supplies at short notice

The story is a little more positive in the UK, where the Dutch

and usually at considerable added cost. Bringing damaged areas of

analysis puts the potential pollinator-inflicted reduction in production

farmland back to life won’t solve all such issues but it can’t hurt either.

volumes at a less frightening 0-1.25%. In addition, while pollinator

Focusing on the 1.52°C challenge, meanwhile, holds the hope of

numbers are falling in Europe and other parts of the world, hence the

calmer and more predictable weather patterns emerging than those that

Dutch research, Scotland has continued to enjoy a 30% increase in

have become standard in recent years. There will always be weather

bees, etc., since 1970.

systems to face, of course, such as El Niño, etc., but something more

Staying with positive news, there was another item of climate-

settled would be good.

linked encouragement in February when a joint UN/FAO document was

Hopefully, embarking on a 20-year watch of the world’s

issued under the uplifting headline – ‘Nature is staging a comeback’.

temperature curve, waiting to discover if we’re stuck with a 1.52°C gain

The document featured seven so-called ‘World Restoration

or can secure a return to cooler times, will help concentrate minds on

Flagships’ which, taken together, are forecast to be contributing to the

climate correction and the benefits this could bring, before it really is

restoration of nearly 40 million hectares of damaged and unproductive

too late.

Page 2 March/April 2024 Feed Compounder

Comment section is sponsored by Compound Feed Engineering Ltd www.cfegroup.com

Feed Production Update

production down to 1,034,200 tonnes, while there was a proportionally

By Ryan Mounsey

cent, to 3,954,000 tonnes. Although this was a very small decline,

smaller drop from the corresponding period a year previous in chick rearing feed production, which fell 2,500 tonnes or 1.5 per cent to 122,300 tonnes.

Total cattle and calf feed production decreased for the second year in a row but in this case by a minimal 25,100 tonnes or 0.6 per

it was enough to keep the current output 144,500 tonnes or 3.6 per cent beneath the decade long average for the timeframe.

GREAT BRITAIN Year End Overview

review bettered its year earlier counterpart by 23,900 tonnes or 2.9 per

Total production of compounds, blends and concentrates, including

cent, rising to 786,000 tonnes. All other cattle blends also produced a

integrated poultry units, during the year 2023 amounted to 12,952,800

higher amount of feed than in the preceding year; its current total was

tonnes, the lowest output for a calendar year since 2012 and a

up 4,200 tonnes or 1.3 per cent to 293,700 tonnes. Production from

decrease from a year earlier of 474,000 tonnes or 3.5 per cent.

the sector’s largest element, compounds for dairy cows, was also at

Furthermore, the total under review was an even more significant

similar levels in 2023 to a year earlier, falling 11,300 tonnes or 0.5 per

620,700 tonnes or 4.6 per cent down on the decade average for

cent to 2.098,400 tonnes. There were larger declines displayed in both

production in a year.

the all other cattle feed and cattle protein concentrates subsectors

The production of blends for dairy cows during the period under

Total feed production during the year of 2023 was made up of:

which fell by 32,300 tonnes or 5.6 per cent to 514,300 tonnes and by

45.7 per cent poultry feed; 30.5 per cent cattle and calf feed; 14.4

5,600 tonnes or 5.8 per cent to 85,800 tonnes respectively. At 176,00

per cent pig feed; 5.6 per cent sheep feed; 1.5 per cent horse feed;

tonnes, all other calf feed output had declined by 3,700 tonnes or 1.9

and 2.2 per cent other feed.

per cent to its lowest level for the period under review since 2011.

For the third time in succession, total year-end poultry feed

Total pig feed production fell below two million tonnes for a

production had dropped below year previous levels. 2023’s output

calendar year for the first time since 2019. The current output of

of 5,924,900 tonnes was 160,300 tonnes or 2.6 per cent lower than

1,866,500 tonnes was a sizeable 187,300 tonnes or 8.9 per cent down

in 2022. The total under review was even greater 268,900 tonnes or

on a year previous. Moreover, the current total was 49,200 tonnes or

4.4 per cent below the 10 year average for the period.

2.6 per cent below the decade long average for a year.

Despite this considerable downturn, the production of integrated

Production from all pig feed subsectors dropped below their

poultry units for the timeframe increased by 49,600 tonnes or 2.4 per

respective year earlier counterparts. Pig finishing feed fell by 108,900

cent to 2,152,900 tonnes. Turkey feed also bettered its year previous

tonnes or 9.8 per cent from a year earlier to 1,035,900 tonnes,

production, up 5,800 tonnes or 4.2 per cent to 105,900 tonnes,

however, this was still the third highest yearly total on record. In

although this was its second lowest return since 1992. Broiler feed

contrast, the pig growing feed, pig starters and creep feed and pig

production for the year declined by 155,500 tonnes or 6.9 per cent

protein concentrate subsectors were all at their lowest levels for the

to its lowest level for the timeframe since 2015 of 1,959,800 tonnes.

period since records were kept in their current form. Pig growing

Poultry breeding and rearing feed production, at 304,500 tonnes, was

feed output had dropped by 23,300 tonnes or 6.3 per cent to 305,000

also at its lowest output for the calendar year since 2015, down 13,400

tonnes; pig starters and creep feed production fell 12,400 tonnes or

tonnes or 3.8 per cent on a year previous. A decrease in production

23.8 per cent to 36,100 tonnes; and pig protein concentrates declined

of 80,400 tonnes or 6.8 per cent from 2022 levels brought layer feed

from a year earlier by 1,900 tonnes or 31.1 per cent to 2,700 tonnes.

Finally, both pig breeding feed and pig link and early grower feed production had fallen below their year earlier output for the third year

Great Britain Year End Feed Production 14000

in succession: the former did so by 14,300 tonnes or 3.2 per cent to

13000 12000

405,900 tonnes and the latter by 26,800 tonnes or 24.5 per cent to

11000 10000 9000

81,000 tonnes.

'000 Tonnes

8000 7000

A sizeable 77,100 tonnes or 9.1 per cent drop brought total year

6000 5000

end sheep feed production down to 726,300 tonnes, its lowest total

4000 3000

for the period since 2015. As a result of this fall, the total under review

2000 1000 0

Cattle

Pig

Poultry

Sheep

Horse

Other

Total

2022

3979.1

2053.8

6085.2

803.4

208.0

296.7

13426.8

2023

3954.0

1866.5

5924.9

726.3

199.2

282.2

12952.8

10 year Average

4098.5

1915.7

6193.8

783.2

191.5

390.9

13573.5

Page 4 March/April 2024 Feed Compounder

was 56,900 tonnes or 7.5 per cent below the decade long average for the time frame.

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Compounds for breeding sheep production for 2023 fell from a

Total feed production during the month of January 2024 was

year previous by 29,700 tonnes or 10.1 per cent to 226,100 tonnes,

made up of: 43.6 per cent poultry feed, 31.3 per cent cattle and calf

its lowest total for the period on record. Output of blends for breeding

feed, 14.1 per cent pig feed, 7.6 per cent sheep feed, 1.8 per cent

sheep dropped by a substantial 9,900 tonnes or 30.1 per cent to

horse feed and 1.6 per cent other feed.

22,300 tonnes and production from the sector’s largest category,

At 525,500 tonnes of output, total poultry feed production was at

compounds for growing and finishing sheep, declined from its 2022

its second highest level for January and 89,200 tonnes or 20.4 per cent

return by 42,500 tonnes or 9.5 per cent to 401,400 tonnes. In contrast,

greater than a year previous. The current total also outstripped the

blends for growing and finishing sheep surpassed its year earlier

decade long average for the month by 44,600 tonnes or 8.9 per cent.

counterpart by 4,100 tonnes or 6.0 per cent and rose to its second

The sector’s two largest components, broiler feed and integrated

highest total for a calendar year on record of 70,600 tonnes. Protein

poultry units, both surpassed their year earlier totals by a significant

concentrates for sheep and lambs during 2023 also increased from

margin. The former rose by 14,440 tonnes or 9.1 per cent to 172,000

a year previous, doing so by 800 tones or 11.6 per cent up to 6,000

tonnes and the latter did so by 56,500 tonnes or 36.4 per cent to

tonnes of output.

211,800 tonnes. There was a remarkable increase in the production of

Total horse feed production during the calendar year, at

turkey feed from a year previous of 4,200 tonnes or 144.8 per cent to

199,200 tonnes, was 8,800 tonnes or 4.4 per cent lower than in

7,100 tonnes. This was the highest total for the subsector in four years

the corresponding period a year previously. However, due to the

but also the fifth lowest total on record for the month. All remaining

recent increases in horse feed production, the current total had still

poultry feed categories bettered their year previous returns: layers

outstripped the decade long calendar year average by 7,700 tonnes

compounds output grew by 6,800 tonnes or 8.4 per cent to 87,700

or 3.9 per cent.

tonnes; poultry breed and rearing compounds did so by 2,800 tonnes

At 282,200 tonnes, total other feed production for the period had

or 11.6 per cent to 27,000 tonnes; and chick rearing compounds

declined for the fifth year in succession. The current fall in output of

production grew by 2,600 tonnes or 29.5 per cent to 11,400 tonnes.

14,500 tonnes or 4.0 per cent brought the total an even great amount

After three year-on-year declines in production, total January

under the 10 year average for the period, which it was now a notable

cattle feed output surpassed its year earlier return by 40,700 tonnes

108,700 tonnes or 32.3 per cent below.

or 12.1 per cent and rose to 377,700 tonnes. Moreover, the total under

Total Great British animal feed production was at its lowest level for a calendar year in 11 years and moreover, considerably below

review was 19,800 tonnes or 5.4 per cent in advance of the 10 year average for January.

the decade long average for the period. The downturn was apparent

All cattle and calf subsectors had bettered their corresponding

across the board with every feed production sector down on their

year previous returns. Compounds for dairy cows output rose for the

returns from a year previous and all bar the horse feed production

second January in succession, up 18,400 tonnes or 11.1 per cent to

sector below the average output for the past 10 years. Only in the

184,700 tonnes. The same pattern was displayed in the production

months of July and November did production outpace its year earlier

of blends for dairy cows which increased from a year earlier by 6,800

counterpart. However, with production for the fourth quarter falling

tonnes or 9.4 per cent to 78,800 tonnes. Total calf feed production,

just 2,600 tonnes below the levels recorded in 2022, there may be

at 17,000 tonnes, was 2,300 tonnes or 15.6 per cent in advance of

signs an upturn in feed production as we enter 2024.

a year previous and all other cattle compounds, at 54,000 tonnes of output for the month, had increased from a year previous by 5,900 tonnes or 12.3 per cent. All other cattle blends were at their highest

GREAT BRITAIN January Production Overview

output for January since 2014 of 34,400 tonnes, up 7,200 tonnes or

Before beginning to analyse the January production figures for Great

was up 200 tonnes or 2.3 per cent on a year previous, to 8,900 tonnes.

Britain, it is worth noting that there are 53 weeks in the statistical year

Following a sizeable fall in production in the January of 2023,

for 2024. In order to incorporate the change, January 24 was increased

total pig feed production for the month grew by 27,800 tonnes or

to a 5 week period compared to 4 weeks in 2023.

19.6 per cent to 169,500 tonnes. Despite this total being lower than

Total production of compounds, blends and concentrates, including integrated poultry units, during the month of January 2024

26.5 per cent from 2023. Lastly, cattle protein concentrates production

three of the past five years it was nevertheless 10,300 tonnes or 6.3 per cent in advance of the 10 year average.

increased by 171,500 tonnes or 16.6 per cent from a year previous to

Despite both the sector wide upturn and the extra statistical week,

1,205,400 tonnes, the second highest total for the month on record.

two pig feed subsectors fell below their year previous counterparts.

In addition, the total under review was 111,500 tonnes or 9.3 per cent

Pig link and early grower feed output dropped by 2,200 tonnes or

in excess of the decade long average for the month.

29.3 per cent to 5,300 tonnes, its lowest January level since 2011.

Page 6 March/April 2024 Feed Compounder

Comment section is sponsored by Compound Feed Engineering Ltd www.cfegroup.com

Furthermore, pig starters and creep feed production declined by

NORTHERN IRELAND

100 tonnes or 3.4 per cent to 2,800 tonnes, its fourth successive fall

November Production Overview

for January. In contrast, the remaining pig feed subsectors all rose

Total production of compounds, blends and concentrates during

sharply from year previous levels: pig finishing compounds did so by

November 2023 in Northern Ireland, at 229,000 tonnes, surpassed

14,900 tonnes or 18.7 per cent, up to 94,600 tonnes; pig breeding feed compounds did so by 5,700 tonnes or 18.3 per cent, up to 36,900 tonnes; and finally; pig growing compounds did so by 9,600 tonnes or 47.8 per cent, up to 29,700 tonnes.

Total sheep feed production for the January under review had surpassed its year previous total by 7,300 tonnes or 8.6 per cent, rising to 91,900 tonnes. However, this total was the fourth lowest of the past decade and was more or less in line with the decade long

its year earlier return by 4,000 tonnes or 1.8 per cent. This was the second highest November total on record and outpaced the decade long average for the month by 16,900 tonnes or 7.7 per cent.

Total feed production during November 2023 was made up of: 54.2 per cent cattle and calf feed, 32.4 per cent poultry feed, 8.6 per cent pig feed, 1.8 per cent sheep feed and 3.1 per cent other feed.

At 124,000 tonnes, total cattle and calf feed production was at its second highest level since records were kept in their current

average which it climbed 200 tonnes above.

Compounds for growing and finishing sheep were at their highest

form, 4,300 tonnes or 3.6 per cent up on a year previous. Moreover,

level for the month at 45,900 tonnes, up 2,700 tonnes or 6.3 per cent

the current total was 9,900 tonnes or 8.6 per cent in advance of the

from a year earlier. Similarly, blends for growing and finishing sheep

decade long average for November.

were at their second highest total on record for the month at 6,700

Despite the sector wide upturn from a year previous, both all

tonnes, 600 tonnes or 9.8 per cent greater than in 2023. In contrast,

other cattle compounds and protein concentrates for cattle and

at 35,400 tonnes of output, compounds for breeding sheep were at

calves declined from year previous levels, with the former falling by

their second lowest level since 1993 despite bettering its year previous

just under 200 tonnes or 37.8 per cent to 300 tonnes and the latter

return by 3,700 tonnes or 11.7 per cent. Finally, blends for breeding

by just over 100 tonnes or 28.1 per cent to 300 tonnes. In addition,

sheep output increased by 100 tonnes or 3.2 per cent to 3,200 tonnes.

beef cattle compounds output remained at its year earlier level of

Total horse feed production was at its highest level in four

14,000 tonnes. Elsewhere in beef feed production, the beef coarse

years and the third highest level on record for the month at 21,100 tonnes, a rise of 2,200 tonnes or 11.6 per cent from a year previous.

Additionally, the current total outstripped the decade long average for January by 2,300 tonnes or 11.5 per cent.

After four successive falls in January output, total other feed production increased by a significant 4,300 tonnes or 27.9 per cent.

However, due to much greater outputs in the first half of the preceding decade, the total under review was 7,000 tonnes or 30.1 per cent

mixes or blends subsector rose by 3,500 tonnes or 14.5 per cent to 27,500 tonnes. The sector’s largest element, dairy cow compounds, rose to its second highest total on record of 51,000 tonnes after a 100 tonnes or 0.2 per cent increase from a year previous. Dairy coarse mixes or blends surpassed its year previous output by 600 tonnes or 2.6 per cent and rose to 23,900 tonnes and finally, other calf compounds, increased to 6,900 tonnes, up 400 tonnes or 5.9 per cent from 2022.

lower than the 10 year January average.

Given the difference in the statistical periods, there is little that can

For the fourth consecutive year, November poultry feed

be said in terms of comparison between the production of January 2024

production bettered it year previous production, in this case, rising

& 2023. However, as this is a phenomena that happens every five to

by 1,000 tonnes or 1.4 per cent to 74,200 tonnes, its highest level

six years, the fact that production is at its second highest level for the

for the month on record. Furthermore, the total under review also

month on record would suggest that production levels were trending

outpaced the decade long average by 6,600 tonnes or 9.8 per cent.

somewhat upwards from the historically low levels of 2023.

In contrast to the overall trend, turkey and other poultry feed production decreased from a year previous for the seventh year in

Great Britain January Feed Production

succession to 3,300 tonnes, a fall of 400 tonnes or 12.0 per cent from

1200

the corresponding month of 2022. Layer and breeder feed output

1100 1000

also dropped below year previous levels to 27,500 tonnes, down 800

900 800

tonnes or 2.8 per cent. However, broiler feed reached record highs

'000 Tonnes

700

for the month under review, of 40,800 tonnes, bettering the previous

600 500

record by 2,000 tonnes or 5.1 per cent. Lastly, chick rearing feed

400 300

production rose 300 tonnes or 14.2 per cent from a year previous

200

to 2,600 tonnes.

100 0

Cattle

Pig

Poultry

Sheep

Horse

Other

Total

2023

337.0

141.7

436.3

84.6

18.9

15.4

1033.9

2024

377.7

169.5

525.5

91.9

21.1

19.7

1205.4

10 year Average

357.9

159.2

480.9

91.7

18.8

26.7

1138.9

Page 8 March/April 2024 Feed Compounder

Total pig feed production for November decreased by 800 tonnes or 4.0 per cent from a year earlier to 19,700 tonnes. In spite of this Comment section is sponsored by Compound Feed Engineering Ltd www.cfegroup.com

Total other feed was only the second sector to fall below its

drop, the total under review was 200 tonnes or 0.8 per cent greater than the decade long average for the month.

year previous return in November and it did so significantly, with

Output of pig growing feed, at 3,100 tonnes, and pig breeding

production decreasing by 1,500 tonnes or 17.3 per cent to 7,000

feed, at 2,400 tonnes, both fell to their lowest level since 2012, a

tonnes of output. In addition, this decline had dropped the total

drop from a year previous of 400 tonnes or 12.1 per cent and 200

under review 300 tonnes or 4.1 per cent below the decade long

tonnes or 7.7 per cent respectively. Additionally, pig finishing feed

average for the month.

production declined from a year earlier by 600 tonnes or 6.7 per

Northern Irish animal feed production had never been higher at

cent to 8,100 tonnes. On the other hand, pig starter and creep feed

this stage of the year than in 2023. The continually strong outputs of

surpassed its year previous counterpart by 300 tonnes or 11.3

the cattle and calf feed sector and poultry feed sector, which was a

per cent, rising to 2,700 tonnes of output, while pig link and early

record high for November, suggest that this trend will continue into

grower feed production increased by 100 tonnes or 3.8 per cent to

December and result in a record year.

3,400 tonnes.

At 4,000 tonnes, total sheep feed output had risen by a notable

Northern Ireland November Feed Production

900 tonnes or 28.5 per cent from a year previous. As a result of this

240

upturn, the total under review outpaced the 10 year average for

200

220

180

November by 600 tonnes or 16.4 per cent.

160

level for the month since 2002 at 2,700 tonnes, up 700 tonnes or

140

'000 Tonnes

Growing compounds for finishing sheep were at their highest

120 100 80

35.0 per cent from a year earlier. Both coarse mixes and blends for

60 40

sheep and breeding sheep compounds bettered their corresponding 2022 outputs by 100 tonnes, with the former rising 18.9 per cent to 800 tonnes and the latter by 12.6 per cent to 500 tonnes.

20 0

Cattle

Pig

Poultry

Sheep

Other

Total

2022

119.7

20.6

73.1

3.1

8.5

225.0

2023

124.0

19.7

74.2

4.0

7.0

229.0

10 year Average

114.2

19.6

67.6

3.4

7.3

212.1

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Feed Compounder March/April 2024 Page 9

their wages after all, the Board’s headline message for 2024 is to ‘shop

View From Europe

By Colin Ley

around more than normal to ensure the best-value feed can be found’.

With conventional wisdom dictating that profits are made when markets rise and fall, not when they’re static, there is also clearly the potential for losses to result from pricing and production changes, certainly of the type we’ve seen over the last couple of years.

By the same process, farmers who are focused on applying ‘shop around’ principles to their 2024 feed purchases will inevitably create both winners and losers across our own sector as the year progresses.

Tough start to 2024 but should get better

Veganuary decline & petfood boost

First economic impressions of 2024 could be better on several fronts,

Okay, time for a couple of positive items to balance this tough intro.

although the year could still produce some worthwhile European upsides for the feed sector. The best advice at this point is the stay positive and progressive in a glass half-full rather than half-empty context.

First, news of a small boost from a meat-eating perspective, courtesy of a Kantar Worldpanel report on Irish consumer trends in January.

It appears that while many in Ireland cut back on their alcohol

Starting with the reality of the European economy, however, the year

consumption in January, spending 8.6% less on beer, wine and spirits

began on a ‘weaker footing than expected’, according to the European

during the month, compared to January 2023, the same wasn’t true of

Commission’s Winter Interim Forecast. Having endured ‘subdued growth’

Veganuary, that great vegan invention.

in 2023, it didn’t seem unreasonable to expect a brighter start to 2024, but that’s not the case, certainly not so far.

As a result, EU growth this year is projected to be 0.9%. That’s a significant downgrade from the 1.3% projection contained in the EC’s 2023 Autumn Forecast.

It’s not all gloom, though. Looking beyond the immediate period,

Kantar’s figures show that while nearly 38% of Irish households purchased chilled or frozen plant-based products during the month, Veganuary sales still fell by 2.6% in comparison to January 2023, a decline of €200,000 in value terms.

Second, I also thought I’d pass on a brief piece of non-Europe information relating to the pet food sector.

EU economic activity is expected to ‘accelerate gradually’ as the year

Once again based on work commissioned by Kantar, the item in

progresses. Such optimism is based on an expectation of inflation

question concerns a 3.7% growth in dog food sales in the past year in

continuing to fall, accompanied by a degree of real wage growth and a

Central America. Equally encouraging, is the conclusion reached by

resilient labour market, both factors which are forecast to help support

the analysts involved that the pet food category has not yet reached

a ‘rebound in consumption’.

its full potential.

The Winter Forecast also suggests that investment is set to benefit

The ‘further growth’ view is based on the fact that some households

from a gradual easing of credit conditions in 2024 while trade with foreign

with dogs, bought in the last year, are still giving homemade food to

partners is expected to normalise, after a weak performance last year.

their pets while others are following a mixed homemade/processed

All of which amounts to a sobering dose of economic reality, followed by the promise of jam tomorrow, for those who survive that is.

Shop around Another team of forecasters, this time attached to the UK’s Agricultural and Horticultural Development Board (AHDB), has also been examining the year ahead, including taking a close look at future pricing patterns for feed ingredients and compound feed.

Their conclusion, published in February this year, is that it is ‘appropriate’ to anticipate that compound feed prices will continue to fall (this year) in line with the main trend of raw material costs.

Stating that there are ‘glimmers of things returning to normal’ after

feed process.

According to a Kantar survey, in fact, 6 out of 10 Central American households are currently following a mixed feed approach.

The company also reported that, by the end of 2023, more and more shoppers were considering snacks and wet food to ‘pamper’ their dogs.

“There is, therefore, a clear opportunity for brands to continue gaining space in the pet products market if they know how to communicate about the benefits that our pets have when consuming products specially designed for them,” said Kantar.

Hopefully, what happens there will travel here in due course. It usually does.

the economic shockwaves created by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine,

US breakthrough

the AHDB view is that there are already some signs of new (food and

Staying with the pet food sector, and the other side of the Atlantic (in part),

farming) growth starting to emerge.

congratulations to the Association of American Feed Control Officials

As such, they add, recent declines in feed demand and production

(AAFCO) for finally granting the French insect protein company, Ÿnsect,

suggests there is likely to be a surplus of feed production capacity in Britain

its first authorisation for the commercialisation of defatted mealworm

(in 2024). This leads into the point, however, that, for commercial, technical,

proteins (Protein70) in the United States.

and regulatory reasons, feed producers won’t be able to easily switch

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) published its scientific

between the livestock sectors they serve, thus creating a surplus of feed

opinion to the effect that insect proteins were no riskier than other types

production capacity as compounders are ‘driven to recapture demand’.

of protein way back in 2015. This marked a turning point for Europe’s

With the AHDB team gearing its content towards farmers, who paid

insect industry, serving as the basis for the partial and progressive lifting

Page 10 March/April 2024 Feed Compounder

Comment section is sponsored by Compound Feed Engineering Ltd www.cfegroup.com

Service, Support & Maintenance

of the continent’s previous feed-ban rules. As a result, insect proteins

NEWPORT

FEEDS

were duly authorised for use in European aquaculture in 2016, followed by clearance for pigs and poultry in 2021.

The fact that the US has now started to catch up is good news for Ÿnsect, of course, who say AAFCO’s decision will open ‘strong prospects’ for pet food sales into the American pet food market, which the French company states was worth in excess of $42 billion in total in 2022, according to the latest available figures.

For once, what happened here has finally travelled across the Atlantic, and hopefully to our own industry’s benefit.

Regulatory tsunami It won’t have escaped attention that Europe’s farmers have been

A NEW BULK SUPPLY CHAIN FACILITY

exercising their right to protest in recent weeks, and not only in France,

SODIUM BICARBONATE

overstepped the mark in early 2024, the farmer and farm co-operative

SODIUM CARBONATE

February to EC president, Ursula Von der Leyen, and Alexander De Croo,

where go-slow tractor convoys and the burning of imported meat lorries have a long term history.

While being careful not to support any protests which have

CALCINED MAGNESITE PHOSPHATES

body, Copa-Cogeca, penned a sharply-worded open letter in late Belgium’s Prime Minister and current holder of the Council presidency.

Stating that the European Green Deal, which was designed to drive key emission reduction targets, has been a ‘regulatory tsunami’ for farmers, the letter writers complained of too many rushed consultations, top-down targets lacking assessment, and proposals pushed through without feasibility studies.

The letter went on: “The increasing number of legitimate farming protests in recent weeks and months highlights the pressing necessity for the EU to shift the focus back to rural areas, agriculture, and forestry within its policies.

“Our farmers, forest owners and agri-cooperatives need stability, visibility and predictability to be able to look to the future with confidence.

A competitive cooperative model aimed at improving the bargaining power of farmers in the food supply chain, facilitating joint investments to allow farmers to obtain more added value for their products and encouraging farmers’ economic, social, and environmental sustainability must be promoted.”

The letter concluded with a challenge for the EC to focus on four imperatives: 1. The next EU budget must reflect the many challenges facing farmers.

2. The trade policy agenda must be consistent with the ambition set within the internal market while guaranteeing robust reciprocity measures and ensuring attention to sensitive EU productions.

3. Any new agri-related proposals must be backed up by a feasibility study, discussed with stakeholders.

4. A Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Areas with a key role

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as Vice-President of the European Commission is needed.

And, just in case EU leaders and MEPs weren’t already listening, Copa-Cogeca ended with a ‘little reminder’ that the clock is counting down to the next ‘pivotal elections’ for the European Parliament which are now only a few months away. Never a bad way to end a letter to a group of politicians.

Page 12 March/April 2024 Feed Compounder

Comment section is sponsored by Compound Feed Engineering Ltd www.cfegroup.com

Weather forecast improvement For businesses which rely on raw materials whose production and cost is highly weather-dependent, as many of our products are, the prospect of

E.C.O.TRACE®

MULTI SPECIES

improved seasonal weather predictions has definite appeal. The sooner you know what’s coming on the price and volume horizon, the quicker your buying teams can react, which is why new research taking place at the UK Universities of Lincoln, Sheffield, and Reading looks interesting.

Backed by £650,000 of UK Government grant funding, the three universities are working together on an AI and Machine Learning development which they believe will allow them to improve the predicting of seasonal weather conditions across the UK and Northwest Europe.

While current forecasts depend on expensive supercomputers, the researchers are exploring the potential for an AI/Machine Learning method to be added into the advanced weather mix. Known as NARMAX (Nonlinear AutoRegressive Moving Average models with eXogenous inputs) the new process is apparently capable of predicting the state of the North Atlantic jet stream and atmospheric circulation, both of which are strongly linked to surface air temperature and precipitation anomalies.

Already used successfully in delivering early predictions for both summer and winter conditions in the North Atlantic region, the claim is that NARMAX will ‘improve’ on recent supercomputer-based forecasts, which have tended to ‘underestimate’ year-to-year variations for both seasons.

Ultimately, they say, providing more accurate seasonal forecasts will help give farmers a better idea of likely yields for the season ahead, enabling them to plan how to optimise crop systems and prepare for harvest requirements. Hopefully, better forecasting will help us as well.

Coffee for sheep and cows Finally, the results of an EU-backed project to assess the potential for converting spent coffee grounds (SCGs) into livestock feed are to be given a public airing at the end of March.

Contact: Oliver Caiger-Smith Technical Sales Manager Caiger-Smith@biochem.net Mobile: +447722 019727

The project, called LIFE ECOFEED, has been running since 2020 with support from the European Commission’s Life Environment and Resource Efficiency programme. The launch theory was that with European coffee consumption averaging more than 2.6 million tonnes a year, the waste produced should be put to the best possible use.

Now, according to new information published by the EC’s European

SMALL INPUT – GREAT EFFECT

Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency, the researchers behind the project are ready to talk about their ‘positive’ findings.

Working with 21 tonnes of SCG and 1.5 tonnes of coffee capsules, the research team have produced 80 tonnes of experimental feed, reports the agency, all of which has been fed to sheep and dairy cattle

Bioavailable combination of metal and glycine Successfully tested in various animal species Safe trace mineral supply for high performance

in controlled diet trials.

Admittedly, 80 tonnes doesn’t sound like a lot on which to base your future. However, more detailed information on the LIFE ECOFFEED project, including the results obtained so far, are due to be unveiled at the World Rural Forum’s global conference which takes place in VitoriaGasteiz, Spain, from March 19-21. This will include a demonstration workshop on March 21, specifically dedicated to the coffee feed project.

Definitely worth following, especially during a year when things are

www.biochem.net

Feed Safety for Food Safety®

only set to get better as the months roll by.

Feed Compounder March/April 2024 Page 13 19-04-15 HW Anzeige - E.C.O.Trace - 86x254 mm.indd 1

23.04.2019 14:49:24

Scientifically Speaking …

By Matthew Wedzerai

Item

Dietary treatments Control (no

NC-1 (1.0 ml/

NC-2 (2.0 ml/

NC)

kg)

kg)

ADG (kg/d)

0.67

0.73

0.78

ADFI (kg/d/pig)

1.9

1.9

1.7

FCR

2.8

2.6

2.1

ADG (kg/d)

0.83

1.24

1.26

ADFI (kg/d/pig)

2.0

2.2

2.1

FCR

2.4

1.8

1.7

ADG (kg/d)

0.72

0.88

0.92

ADFI (kg/d/pig)

2.7

2.8

2.5

FCR

2.7

2.2

1.9

Days 1–28

Days 29–40

Curcumin: A natural colourant with performance and health benefits for pigs Most research work has focused on additives for weaning piglets.

Interestingly, researchers of a current study turned the focus to finishing pigs. Their study, recently published in the Frontiers in Veterinary Science journal, demonstrates the potential of dietary curcumin (in nanoparticle form) as an effective feed additive for improving the performance and health status of finishing pigs.

Days 1–40

Table 1 — Dietary nano-curcumin (NC) on performance and feed utilisation in finishing pigs

Recent research findings emphasise the use of phytogenic

growth improvements were attributed to the observed improvements

compounds in the form of nanocapsules or nanoparticles as most

in gut health that are described in subsequent sections of this report.

phytogenic materials have poor bioavailability in biological systems.

The natural colourant curcumin is a polyphenolic bioactive compound

Meat and carcass quality

extracted from the turmeric plant, Curcuma longa, which has

Nano-curcumin improved the lightness, redness, and yellowness of

phytotherapeutic potential owing to its antimicrobial, antioxidant,

both neck muscle and longissimus muscle. The carcass weight and

anti-inflammatory, and immunostimulatory properties. To increase

backfat thickness of pigs fed the higher NC supplemented (2.0 ml/kg

its solubility and bioavailability, nano-formulation of native curcumin

diet) diet were higher than those of the control and low-concentration

is a better option in animal diets. Previous studies have shown that

NC groups, which endorsed the beneficial effects of nano-curcumin

the encapsulation of phytogenic compounds enhances intracellular

supplementation on weight gain, following the slaughtering of pigs.

uptake and improves delivery in the target organs through surface

In addition, the grading percentage (1+) of pork meat also increased

area modification of the phytogenics.

with dietary supplementation of NC, which was attributed to the improvement in meat quality in pigs fed nano-curcumin-incorporated

The curcumin study

diets; higher-class meat grade (1+) and lower-class meat grade (2)

In this study, researchers investigated the effects of nano-curcumin

was 37% and 20% for the 2.0 ml/kg NC diet compared to the control

nanospheres on growth performance, serum biochemistry, meat

diet that had 23% and 40%, respectively.

quality, and gut health in finishing pigs. Crossbred pigs with an average initial body weight of 73.8 kg were assigned three diets for

Improving gut health

a 40-day-long study as follows:

Histological measures on the intestine, the modulation of microbiota,

•

Control diet: no additive

•

NC-1 diet: diet supplemented with nano-curcumin (NC)

•

and intestinal immune response all determine gut health and help establish the health status of pigs.

1.0 mL/kg diet

Histological changes

NC-2 diet: diet supplemented with nano-curcumin (NC)

Gut morphology can serve as an important tool to evaluate the

2.0 mL/kg diet

absorption and utilisation of a feed additive in the intestine, which ultimately affects the growth and health status of animals.

Enhancing growth performance

Abnormalities or changes in GIT especially in the small intestine as the

The results of the study showed a positive outcome of dietary

major site for nutrient absorption may influence the overall growth of

nano-curcumin through enhanced growth and feed utilisation

the animals. In the current study, pigs fed the NC-supplemented diets

(Table 1). Supplementation with nano-curcumin showed significant

showed remarkably enhanced villus length, crypt depth, and goblet

improvements in average daily gain (ADG) and feed conversion ratio

cell number in the jejunal part of the intestine, which was attributed

(FCR) which were more pronounced with increasing dosage. The

to the higher surface area of the intestine for absorption of curcumin.

Page 14 March/April 2024 Feed Compounder

Comment section is sponsored by Compound Feed Engineering Ltd www.cfegroup.com

The number of goblet cells per villus was significantly higher (4%

For the intestinal epithelial cell barrier functions, tight junction proteins

and 5% higher) in pigs fed the NC-1 diet and NC-2 diet, respectively,

such as claudins, occludin and zona occludin-1 are key proteins that

compared to pigs fed the unsupplemented diet.

create a physiological and immunological barrier in the intestine.

Intestinal bacteria content

A similar study conducted in piglets found that dietary supplementation

In this study, researchers reported the effects of dietary supplementation

of curcumin improves intestinal permeability by increasing the mRNA

with nano-curcumin on the pathogenic and beneficial bacterial

expression of the tight junction proteins occludin, claudin-1 and

contents in faecal and intestinal samples collected from finishing

zonula occludin-1.

pigs at the end of the experimental period. The intestinal (jejunum) bacteria, Lactobacillus spp., E. coli and Salmonella spp. were not

Serological indices and ammonia emissions

altered by nano-curcumin, however, the supplementation of both levels

Serological information of blood is an important tool for ascertaining the

of nano-curcumin resulted in lower faecal E. coli and Lactobacillus spp.

health status of animals. In this study, glutamic-pyruvic transaminase,

contents than observed with the control diet.

glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase, triglycerides, and cholesterol

Intestinal immune response

levels decreased significantly at the end of the finishing stage in pigs

Immunohistochemistry of jejunum sections of the intestine of finishing

fed nano-curcumin-incorporated diets, which was attributed to the

pigs demonstrated that the expression of the pro-inflammatory

immunomodulation effects of dietary curcumin in improving the health

cytokine, tumour necrosis factor (TNF-α) is reduced in the NC-

condition of pigs. Another benefit of supplementing nano-curcumin

supplemented diet compared to the control diet group. On the other

was a reduction in the emission of ammonia; both curcumin levels

hand, the expression of IgA and CD3 proteins was increased in the

showed a 65% reduction in faecal ammonia gas emission compared

jejunal intestine of pigs fed NC diets, which was attributed to the

to the unsupplemented diet.

enhancement of gut immunity and intestinal permeability of curcumin in finishing pigs.

As we all know, the GIT of animals is composed of the outermost cellular barrier and the innermost immune functional barrier systems.

The researchers concluded that dietary supplementation with nano-curcumin can enhance growth performance, immunity, meat quality, and gut health while reducing the emission of ammonia in finishing pigs.

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Feed Compounder March/April 2024 Page 15

Milk Matters

By Christine Pedersen Senior Dairy Business Consultant The Dairy Group christine.pedersen@thedairygroup.co.uk www.thedairygroup.co.uk

PROSPECTS FOR MILK PRICES AS WE HEAD INTO THE SPRING FLUSH.

Graph 1: Source - The Dairy Group, EU Milk Market Observatory

The dairy market has been in the doldrums throughout February with

& AHDB

Cream, Mild Cheddar and SMP slipping by 1-2% whereas Butter

result farmgate prices have been flat through the late autumn and winter

increased by 2%,” says my colleague Nick Holt-Martyn of The Dairy

with February continuing that trend.

Group. He goes on to say “the excitement with Butter is through EU

The following graph shows the deviation in supply from the 3 year

markets which in the last 2 weeks jumped 3% to suggest March will see

average through autumn 2023 and the recovery towards the average in

an uplift in the UK market.

2024. The sluggish start to spring however will dampen expectations of

Graph 1 shows the UK market returns through 2023 based on the

a strong spring flush and help to support markets with a flagging supply.

milk utilisations as reported by Defra. The downward trend that set in

With supply close to the 3 and 5 year average and European economies

through autumn 2022 continued until autumn 2023 when the decline in

flirting with recession, thereby holding back demand, there is little sign

autumn milk supply caused markets to stage a partial recovery. There has

of a change unless supply drops behind. Spring weather holds the key

been a slow easing in markets from December 2023 as the Christmas

to spring and summer market returns and farmgate prices.

seasonal effects receded.

With Easter in March this year, the recent rally in the butterfat market could just be another seasonal effect. Overall market returns and as a

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SECURES ENERGY +1.2 LITRES across different context of production

Milk production in the USA is slipping back while both the EU and New Zealand are volatile, with negative months being followed by positive months. The EU supply position through the spring will be as important as the UK domestic supply in setting the direction of UK pricing. Very

INCREASES PROPIONATE

IMPROVES TOTAL STARCH DIGESTIBILITY

REDUCES METHANE

often the weather does not discriminate and affects the UK, Ireland and the dairy nations of northern EU to a greater or lesser extent. Globally milk production is still drifting down, but as yet markets are showing little concern about future milk supply. Milk production costs are still high

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despite weakening feed prices. Oil prices have risen throughout the last 3 months helping to keep inflation above the long term average. Fixed costs have remained much higher than 2 years ago and will keep rising on the back of higher inflation. The rising fixed costs maintain the higher cost of production and the need for higher milk prices for milk production to be profitable. There is the expectation of higher feed and straw prices in 2024/2025 as land is taken out of cereal production due to adverse

Contact for more information: JAMIE-LEIGH DOUGLAS on +44 7586 323955

weather and margins. There is anecdotal evidence of land being diverted into high-value SFI actions instead of cereals, a risk compounded by the

Page 16 March/April 2024 Feed Compounder

Comment section is sponsored by Compound Feed Engineering Ltd www.cfegroup.com

wet weather through the autumn and winter. The combination of weak supply, weak margins and weak markets suggest something is going to change soon or farmers will look seriously at the alternatives.

MARKET PRICES The Market Price Equivalent (MPE) reduced in February to 39.0ppl (-1.3%), up 3.3 ppl (9.3%) in the last 6 months and down 0.8ppl (-2.0%) year on year. Liquid retail prices slipped to 65.0ppl, down 12.0% on the year and 1.4% in the last 6 months. UK supply reduced by 0.6% in January and is forecast to be down 0.8% in February (leap year adjusted).

EU weekly commodity prices rose in February with Butter up (3.7%), SMP

sectors rose to 6.0ppl from Liquid to WMP despite the weak market tone.

Farm Gate Price was provisionally up to 37.9ppl (+0.3%) for December but reduced in January to 37.7ppl (-0.6%). The farm gate price continues to track the MPE which has eased back from 39.6ppl in November to 39.0 in January. UK Milk quality seasonally eased back from the record levels in November and December to 4.32% Butterfat and 3.45% Protein in January. Our latest milk price forecast, based on current prices and the latest market returns, suggests the Defra farm gate price will rise to 38.7ppl in February, 39.0ppl in March and at 39.0ppl in April.

Production in December was confirmed at 1226 M litres (-0.2%) and January was provisionally 1239 M litres (-0.6%). Our forecast for February is 1145 M litres (-0.8%) (1186 M litres due to the leap year) and March 1323

up (0.8%) and Whey (1.2%), even Cheddar managed to rise up 1.1%.

M litres (0.1%). The forecast for 2023/24 stays at 14.85 B litres (-0.4%). The

The UK commodities were mixed with only Butter up 2.1% and the rest

weather changed its mind and reverted to record breaking wet conditions

falling 1-2% with Mild Cheddar dropping 2.0%.

The range across the and yet a drier forecast is now 10461_Inroads_Feed Compounder Ad_Half Landscape_124x178.qxp_Layout 1 again 21/12/2021 14:33 Page 1 in place for March (we hope!).

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Feed Compounder March/April 2024 Page 17

Ten Ways … to avoid

if your solution does work. Old challenges are always more imaginatively viewed through a fresh pair of eyes.

5. Get off the sofa – personal inertia can inhibit us from tackling organisational inertia. In my experience, doing something is

inertia

almost always better than doing nothing, so don’t despair and

By Robert Ashton

try to make your world a better place!

languish at your desk or in front of the TV. Get out and at least 6. Practice change – Doing things differently gets easier the more you try it, and the more you discover that it can actually work. In

I’ve been a charity trustee for more than 30 years, and the fact that

fact I’d go so far as to say that seeing and doing things differently

only in exceptional circumstances can you serve more than two, three

can become a way of life – a vocation even. You might even

year terms is good. It stops trustee Boards getting stale and bringing in new people should mean that long held assumptions can be challenged and new ideas tried.

develop a reputation for being someone who can!

7. Step into the unknown – Of course you have to be aware of the risk of failure and the very real danger of making things worse, in

But it’s still far too easy for trustees to see themselves as

your attempt to make them better. It’s always good to reflect on

custodians and simply mark time, before passing the baton on to the

what could go wrong, before you embark on an attempt to make

next generation of trustees, who may be equally reluctant to innovate

them better. Make sure too, that your motives are sound and

or encourage change. Let me give you an example.

can withstand critical scrutiny. That will help you if things don’t

One charity of which I’m a trustee sits on an endowed fund of around £800,000 from which it has become almost impossible to make

go as planned. Stepping into the unknown is good, providing you are prepared.

grants. The money was left, for the support of impoverished Quakers,

8. Look for examples you can learn from – There really is little

by a Quaker brewer in 1740, when the world was a very different place.

new in the world, and much can be gained from taking what works

I have recently become the point of contact for grant applicants, and

in one context, then applying it in another. One of my favourite

with only around 800 potential beneficiaries, I’m not likely to be kept

examples is how 19th century Suffolk engineer Richard Garrett

busy processing applications.

got talking with American gunsmith Samuel Colt at the 1851

For centuries, trustees have diligently managed the investment,

Great Exhibition. When he got home he built a production line,

but none, until now has explored negotiating widening the scope of the

building steam engines in a similar way to how Colt made pistols.

trust with the charity commission, so that more grants can be made. I’ll

This delivered a fivefold increase in output from his factory.

let you know if we succeed, but what is important is to make an effort.

9. Break habits and routines – How often have your heard

This is why I am reflecting on the importance of avoiding inertia. Here

someone say; ‘but we always do it this way’? Times change,

are ten things you might do to avoid failing into the inertia trap.

technology changes, yet too often, people and practices don’t

1. Believe that you can – Let’s be honest. The fear of failure is one of the main reasons we chose to sit on the fence rather than

evolve to keep up. Make a habit of breaking habits; in fact make a habit of breaking habits!

try to do something different. Yes, doing nothing is safe, but it’s

10. Lead by example – All the most effective managers lead by

also rather boring. Try being bold and be pleasantly surprised

example. Show people that you’re not afraid to take risks and

by what you can actually do.

not prepared to give up too easily. Creating a team culture

2. Don’t take no for an answer – I’m afraid that the more people tell me something is impossible, the more determined I become to

where failures are considered learning opportunities rather than prompting a public telling off will also help.

prove them wrong. Oddly, when someone says something cannot

While I started this month’s column writing about how a 280

be done, it usually means that it can, but only if approached

year old endowed fund needed refocusing to remain useful, I’ll end

differently. Go on, give it a try!

by reflecting on how future generations might view the decisions we

3. Accept less than perfect – I’ve always been haunted by the

make today. It is perhaps a quirk of human nature that while we’re

phrase ‘fit for purpose’, which essentially means just good

comfortable thinking about the time before we were born, thinking

enough. Too often over the years I’ve strived for perfection,

about how the world will continue to evolve after we have died can

wasting effort in making things better than they need to be.

make us feel uncomfortable.

Settle for good enough and you’ll get more done, in less time.

You only have to think back to your childhood to realise how

4. Sell the alternative – In my years of consultancy, I was often

much attitudes, behaviours and technology have changed. My work

challenged to achieve something that had defeated the in-house

career for example began before computers were common or mobile

team. It’s not easy, or wise to tell someone they’ve been going

phones invented. There’s little doubt that the next 40 years will see

about something the wrong way, so always sell the idea that

things change more than they did in the last 40. Let’s think and plan

an alternative approach might just work. And please don’t gloat

more adventurously.

Page 18 March/April 2024 Feed Compounder

Comment section is sponsored by Compound Feed Engineering Ltd www.cfegroup.com

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Green Pages Feed Trade Topics from the Island of Ireland OPPORTUNITY BECKONS FOR IRELAND’S MALTING BARLEY SECTOR Diageo and Boortmalt are both confirming their growing commitment to Ireland’s malting barley sector.

We are currently using a 50:50 mix of 2022 and 2023 barley. And, so far, everything has gone according to plan.

Last year 1.3 billion pints of Guinness were brewed at St James’s Gate in Dublin.

The backdrop for these developments was the 2024 Diageo / Peter Nallen is chief operations & agriculture officer at Boortmalt. He

FANE VALLEY TO PARTNER WITH NUFFIELD FARMING SCHOLARSHIPS

confirmed that further investment is planned for the company’s malting

Fane Valley Co-op will partner with the Nuffield Farming Scholarships

facility at Athy in Co Kildare, adding:

Trust in delivering, possibly, one of the most significant agricultural

Boortmalt Malting Barley Awards.

“The new development programme will further enhance the capacity of Athy up to 200,000t per annum.

“When completed this will constitute a doubling of the site’s capacity, relative to 2010 when Boortmalt took control of the site.

events taking place on the island of Ireland this year.

Belfast will host the 2024 Nuffield Farming Conference over three days between Tuesday 19 November and Thursday 21 November.

The event, which will include presentations from around 30 Nuffield

“Our two passions for the business are innovation and sustainability.

Scholars, looks set to attract 400 plus delegates from across the UK

“With this in mind, I can also confirm that our expansion for Athy

and Ireland.

will be carbon neutral.

“This is being achieved with the development of some very innovative technologies, focussing on the use of heat pumps. All of these have been developed in-house and are now patented.

According to Nallen, the spring barley season in 2023 was extremely challenging.

He cited the major split in the planting season with the months that followed throwing up major challenges with regard to crop yields and quality.

“But despite all of these problems, growers and the rest of the supply chain still managed to do what is needed.”

Nallen also referenced Boortmalt’s ongoing commitment to a transparent pricing model for malting barley growers.

He said: “We believe the current pricing system to be very fair. It is very transparent, giving farmers direct control over the pricing of the

Fane Valley Co-op will partner with the Nuffield Farming Scholarships Trust in delivering the 2024 Nuffield Farming Conference. Belfast will host the event in November.

grain that they produce.”

Meanwhile, Diageo is confirming that its commitment to develop a new €200M brewery at Newbridge in Co Kildare remains a priority.

Aidan Crowe, the operations director at Saint James’ Gate Brewery,

Adding to the significance of the conference coming to Belfast is the fact that Northern Ireland has been used to pilot Nuffield’s NextGen Scholarship programme.

also spoke at the Malting Barley Awards ceremony. He confirmed that

This is an exciting initiative that will provide two young people

Diageo remains committed to reducing the carbon footprint of its entire

from Northern Ireland, aged between 18 and 24 years of age, with a

operation in every sense.

unique opportunity to study the UK’s dairy industry.

According to Crowe, the adoption of regenerative agricultural practices by farmers will be a key part of this strategy moving forward.

He added: “Our farm trials in this area continue apace. It is our intention to make the results of this work widely available.”

Full details of how the scholars progressed will also be profiled at the November conference.

Speaking at the launch of the sponsorship agreement, Fane Valley Group Chief Executive, Trevor Lockhart MBE, commented:

Reflecting on the quality of the barley produced courtesy of the 2023

“Fane Valley is delighted to partner with the Nuffield Farming

harvest, Crowe confirmed its total suitability from a brewing perspective.

Scholarships Trust in support of the organisation’s annual national

“This is despite all the challenges that confronted growers last year.

Nuffield Farming Conference, to be held in Belfast later this year.

Page 20 March/April 2024 Feed Compounder

innovation, and the advancement of agriculture, and we believe the life-

FORTRESS FOOD PROGRAMME CONTINUES TO DELIVER FOR IRELAND’S COMPOUND FEED SECTOR

changing and life-shaping scholarships available through Nuffieldare

Robin Irvine is the director of the Northern Ireland Food Fortress

making a very positive contribution to the development of the next

programme, recognised internationally as a world-leading risk

generation in our sector.”

management and feed quality assurance scheme.

“As an agricultural cooperative, we embrace collaboration,

He continued: “For over seventy years Nuffield has been committed to the education and up-skilling of Scholars, enabling them

The initiative has a footprint that now encompasses the animal feed compounding sector, operating across the island of Ireland.

to study farming systems, techniques and new technologies across the

Irvine spoke at a recent mycotoxins seminar hosted by Alltech,

world and bring this knowledge back home, to their respective roles.

Queen’s University Belfast and the Agri-Food and Biosciences

Fane Valley applauds those passionate individuals seeking to

Institute.

develop, both personally and professionally, through their scholarships.

Courtesy of his presentation, he reminded delegates of the crises

“Fane Valley is privileged to promote and support the work of

created by the dioxin in pigmeat crisis of 2008 and the subsequent

Nuffield and their efforts in advancing agriculture.”

Wyn Owen, chair of the Nuffield Farming Scholarships Trust,

challenges created by aflatoxin residues detected in dairy products, produced in Ireland.

has welcomed Fane Valley’s substantial commitment to the Belfast conference.

Both issues were the result of mycotoxin-contaminated animal feed.

He commented: “Belfast is a fitting location for the 2024 Nuffield

The scale of the dioxin crisis was more than significant. It

Farming Conference, and we’re delighted to be coming back to such

resulted in 30,000 tonnes of pig meat product being recalled and

an important region to UK agriculture.

destroyed.

“We are proud to partner with Fane Valley, an iconic name in

Additionally, over 170,000 pigs and 5,700 cattle from farms that

Northern Ireland, and will deliver a conference to remember with their

received contaminated product were culled on a precautionary basis.

support.”

The contamination was eventually detected by the national

Tom Rawson, vice-chair of the Nuffield Farming Scholarships

monitoring programme leading to multiple farm closures, major animal

Trust, added: “Nuffield Farming’s return to Belfast is especially

welfare issues and a global recall of Irish pork, resulting in the loss

distinctive after launching the pilot for our Next-Gen Scholarship

of an estimated 1,800 jobs.

programme to the region’s dairy sector.”

He concluded: “Our first Next-Gen Scholars will share their

The incident was estimated to have cost the Irish economy over €120,000,000.

experiences from their dairy sector study tour at Belfast 2024, and

Robin Irvine commented: “The required lessons were quickly

we hope the programme will go on to develop young talent in the

learnt. The end result was a decision taken by feed compounders in

industry nationwide for many years to come.”

Northern Ireland, committing the industry to a comprehensive system

Fane Valley Co-operative Society is a progressive agricultural and food processing business with interests in animal feed manufacturing, agricultural supplies, livestock identification and the provision of agronomy & forage services, porridge oats & breakfast cereals, the production of beef drippings, the processing of edible offals and fully integrated duck processing and production.

The business operates across multiple locations in both the UK and Ireland.

of checks and state-of-the-art analysis, where all raw materials and compound feeds are concerned.

“This has evolved into the Food Fortress system that we have in place today. It has been fully operational for the past decade.

“Over the years, the scheme has evolved to include raw material importers and feed compounders in the Republic of Ireland.

“All are contributing to a risk management system, that is recognised as best in class the world over.”

Formed in 1903 Fane Valley remains 100% farmer owned. The

The Food Fortress representative confirmed that Northern

business, which employs almost 1,000 people, continues to develop

Ireland’s agri food sector generates an annual turnover in the region

through a strategy of organic growth and targeted acquisitions.

of £6 billion.

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Feed Compounder March/April 2024 Page 21

“Approximately 75% of this output is exported. Two thirds of this

IN MY OPINION...............RICHARD HALLERON

produce is destined for Great Britain with one third exported to the

Crop insurance has to be looked at as a safety net option for

European Union and beyond.

tillage.

“All of this represents a major contribution to Northern Ireland’s economy, both in terms of the monies generated and the jobs created.”

According to Robin Irvine, 72 feed compounders in Northern Ireland and seven raw material importers are fully aligned to Food Fortress.

He further explained.

“The comprehensive analysis of raw materials and compound feeds takes place on a regular and ongoing basis.

“Key to making this happen is the “Taking this approach has allowed feed compounders to manage the risk, where mycotoxins in rations are concerned. “ Looking ahead, Robin Irvine also predicted the introduction of

Irish tillage farmers must look at the feasibility of crop insurance as a future safety net option for the sector.

They can’t continue to go cap in hand to the government, every time we get a poor growing season.

The reality is that crop insurance works in countries like the United States. So there is no reason why a similar system cannot work in this part of the world.

Ireland is not the only country to experience extremes of weather.

Here excessive rain is, invariably, the issue. In the rest of the world, drought can wreak untold damage on growing crops.

tougher regulatory standards, where mycotoxin contamination levels in

The question then becomes the following: who pays?

compound feeds are concerned.

The obvious vehicle to promote a debate on crop insurance

He concluded: “However, the very real, on-farm, challenge caused by mycotoxins when present at well below guideline limits must be actively addressed by the feed industry.”

INCOME STABILISATION SCHEME TO BE PROPOSED FOR IRISH TILLAGE FARMERS

is the Tillage Vision Group.Its membership can both endorse the principle involved and come up with proposals on how best to pay for it all.

Obvious contributors in this regard include the European Union and the Irish government.

An income stabilisation scheme will underpin the final proposals put

But should Irish growers also be included in the funding mix?

forward by Ireland’s Food Vision Tillage Group.

I think so, on the basis that a bespoke scheme for Irish tillage

Farm Minister Charlie McConalogue has already indicated his potential support for such a measure and has asked for full details of a potential scheme to be fleshed out over the coming weeks.

The Tillage Vision Group is chaired by former Irish Farmers’ Journal editor Matt Dempsey.

He has confirmed that the proposed income stabilisation scheme would mirror similar support measures currently operating in the United States.

Dempsey explained: “The full detail has yet to be worked through.

Our plan is to publish the final Vision Group report over the coming weeks.”

The Tillage Vision Group chair has specifically highlighted the extremely low carbon footprint of Ireland’s arable sector.

Current figures indicate that greenhouse gas emission values linked to crop production in Ireland are 15% of the rate for dairy farms and 25% of that for beef farms.

“On that basis alone, tillage farmers would be justified in receiving an area payment of between €75 and €100/ac,” said Dempsey.

The Vision Group representative also confirmed that the Irish government will commit to support schemes that underpin a sustained tillage area of 400,000ha.

Matt Dempsey again: “The money is there to help make this happen.”

can be delivered.

The proposed measure would add to the support schemes already in place through the Common Agricultural Policy. And it would only kick in when specific crop failures can be identified.

Everyone agrees that the Irish tillage sector must be expanded.

This principle is already enshrined within the government’s response to climate change.

But this will only happen if tillage farmers have certainty that they can survive the ebbs and flows of the Irish weather.

The events of the last 24 months make this point perfectly.

Harvest 2022 was one of the best on record. Growers secured excellent yields and comparable prices. Fast forward 12 months and the polar opposite scenario was unfolding: disappointing yields and extremely weak farm gate prices.

In my opinion, a crop insurance scheme would take the extremes out of the tillage equation, giving growers an opportunity to plan for the future with a degree of certainty.

So much for the future: what about the here and now?

There has been a general welcome for the €7M tillage support scheme, confirmed by Ireland’s farm minister, Charlie McConalogue, in the wake of the disastrous 2023 harvest. And rightly so!

Other proposals that can be expected from the Tillage Vision Group

The Co Donegal man gets a fair amount of stick from any number

will include calls for the establishment of an oilseed rape crushing plant

of agri-stakeholder groups on an almost daily basis. So it’s only right

in Ireland and the provision of capital support measures to facilitate the

that he should get the plaudit when that extra mile is secured on

greater use of ‘home grown’ beans in compound feed rations.”

behalf of Irish farmers.

Page 22 March/April 2024 Feed Compounder

CFE and CPM Seminar Highlighting Advancements in Pellet Milling Technologies, Operations and Industry Insights On Wednesday, 24th and Thursday, 25th April, CFE Group and CPM will hold an industry Seminar at the Mercure Hotel in Haydock, U.K. The seminar’s main focal points will be: Evaluation of Energy

Over the duration of the

Efficiency Technologies, Hygienic Feeds Equipment, Steam and

seminar, attendees will have

Conditioning, Pelleting, Grinding and most recent legislation relating

an opportunity to network with

to Cooling. Industry experts, as well as engineers from CFE Group

fellow professionals and industry

and CPM, will shed light on pelleting machine design, efficiency

specialists, to foster connections

optimisation, and sustainable manufacturing practices.

and collaborations. The seminar

The seminar will kick off with an opening session introduced by

will also include tours of CFE’s engineering facilities at Arrox Park

CFE’s CEO, Con Lynch, setting the stage for two days of learning

and Haydock Lane. At Arrox Park, participants will be able to view

and networking opportunities. Attendees will have the opportunity

and examine a pellet station featuring Double Conditioning and a

to engage with speakers from leading organisations such as CPM,

CPM 7936-12 Pellet Mill with Lineator and RSM. The Haydock Lane

IVS, and Geelen, who will share their knowledge and expertise on a

visit will give customers the opportunity to tour Europe’s most up-to-

range of compelling topics.

date Die and Roll Refurbishing facility. Both visits will be structured

The agenda will have informative sessions designed to provide

to allow customers, speakers, and industry professionals to have

valuable insights and practical knowledge. Highlights will include

Q&A sessions in an informal setting and to exchange ideas and

discussions on Conditioning/T-Shape Paddle Technology, Steam

share experiences.

Utilisation, Cooling and New Dust Emission Legislation, offering attendees a comprehensive understanding of key challenges and opportunities in pellet milling operations.

On Wednesday night, CFE’s Die and Roll supplier, Smepro, will host a dinner for all seminar attendees and participants.

Whether you’re a seasoned professional or a newcomer to the

A feature presentation on Direct Drive Pellet Mills will compare

industry, this CFE - CPM Seminar will offer a unique opportunity to

the performance of belt driven machines versus direct drive machines.

stay abreast of the latest trends and developments in pellet milling

Another key topic on the agenda is the CPM Hammer Mill. Here,

operations. Don’t miss this exceptional opportunity to expand your

attendees will learn about consistent particle size and energy-saving

understanding of the pelleting processes and engage with industry

techniques essential for optimising feed milling processes. Insights

experts. Mark your calendars for the 24th and 25th of April 2024,

from industry leaders will give participants a greater understanding

and join us at the Mercure Hotel in Haydock for the CFE Group and

of how to achieve process excellence and sustainability in their

CPM seminar.

operations.

Please email: info@cfegroup.com if you have any questions.

Seminar Speakers

Carl Robinson

Gert-Jaap Dekker

Arthur vom Hofe

Raymond Blom

Jorn van de Burgwal

Nigel Hillyer

General Manager

Export Manager at

Sales and Product

Area Sales manager

Area Manager bij

Consultant to CFE

CFE

IVS

Manager CPM

Geelen- Counterflow

CPM

Group

Feed Compounder March/April 2024 Page 23

How to Stay Competitive and Profitable in Feed and Petfood Production?

With BESTMIX Software 10 essential software features that every feed and pet food producer needs In an ever-evolving landscape, feed and pet food producers face

you design blends or premixes that can be tailored to serve

a myriad of challenges, from managing raw material variability and

multiple end products. By embracing this innovative approach,

fluctuating prices, to meeting stringent quality standards, labour

manufacturers can simultaneously enhance their efficiency and

shortages, and many more. How can you stay competitive and profitable

lower production costs while reducing their environmental impact.

in such a dynamic environment? Enter industry-specific software, that

This not only secures a brighter future for the industry but also

helps meet the demands of the industry. Here are the most essential

ensures that our beloved pets receive the best nutrition possible.

functionalities that help you stay competitive and keep your customers happy.

• Ration calculation: Effortlessly handle all aspects of formulation, while empowering advisors and sales teams with integrated

• Procision: Managing complex raw material variability, balancing

ration functionality for individual animal precision. BESTMIX®

cost-effectiveness with product quality, and ensuring operational

Recipe Management offers a groundbreaking solution, uniting

efficiency are very challenging for feed and pet food producers.

multiple species and different industry standard models in one

BESTMIX Procision provides the solution by optimising raw

central platform. Premix and feed manufacturers can effortlessly

material usage, reducing the need for safety margins, and

handle all aspects of formulation, while empowering advisors

streamlining operations. Incorporating Procision into your

and sales teams with integrated ration functionality for individual

operations guarantees cost savings, consistent product quality,

animal precision. Tailor your approach with a choice of standard

improved operational efficiency, transparency, traceability, and

animal models or create custom ones, bridging the gap between

adaptability to market fluctuations.

manufacturers and farmers.

• Multiblend: Optimally redistribute allocation of ingredients, even in volatile markets. Easily (re)calculate recipes, assess buying opportunities, and make swift and informed purchasing decisions. In a world where adaptability and data-driven insights are paramount, BESTMIX® Multiblend is the key to overcoming challenges, making sound decisions, and securing your business’s future in the ever-changing feed and petfood producing markets.

• Quality Control: Start getting real, tangible returns out of your quality data. Spend your time more efficiently by automating sample management and thus leaving more time to actually improve your quality processes based on data driven decisions. Quality control within our industry comes with a set of complex challenges ranging from risk mitigation at ingredient sourcing, overseeing the quality of (semi-) finished products, keeping up with quality standards and legislation, etc. Our cloud-

• Blend Optimisation: Enhancing Efficiency and Cost Savings in the Pet Food and Premix Industry. By using Blend optimisation

FEDIAF & AAFCO Cloud inclusive

based quality control software solution is tailored specifically to surmount these challenges indigenous to the industry.

Ration calculation for individual animal precision

Streamline procurement operations Meet sustainability requirements Multiblend: optimally redistribute allocation of ingredients, even in volatile markets

Page 24 March/April 2024 Feed Compounder

Compliant labeling

Optimized raw Procision: managing complex Save Money material sourcing raw material variability

Ensure precise raw material verification

Tangible returns out of quality data

Software

• Bestmix Identification: a game-changer for the premix

Bestmix is shaping the way forward, with a complete solution

industry, offering a swift and efficient solution to ensure precise

- revolutionising how feed businesses operate and succeed.

raw material verification at the intake gate. Elevate your quality assurance, avoid costly recalls, and solidify your position as

• Sustainability: How to reduce environmental impact, boost animal health, and maintain cost-efficiency? As to

a symbol of excellence in the food and feed industry. In an

sustainable production: what is required from legislation and

industry where raw materials can be visually deceptive but

from the market? How can I implement it in my company?

have a profound impact when mixed incorrectly, accurate

At what cost? Why should I even consider introducing

identification is of high importance. Bestmix Identification acts

sustainability in my company? Discover how our cutting-

as a guardian at the intake gate, preventing faulty raw material

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• Compliant Labeling: Easily create labels that meet UK, EU, US,

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and Canadian regulations with Bestmix Recipe Management software. With our Labelling-as-a-Service functionality, you

• ERP suite: streamlining procurement, sales, operations,

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industry, achieving operational excellence is key to staying competitive and driving growth. BESTMIX ERP Suite empowers

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www.bestmix.com Feed Compounder March/April 2024 Page 25

Mycotoxins in UK and Irish Feed: dsm-firmenich World Mycotoxin Survey Results Mycotoxins, naturally produced by fungi, are a great concern within

years has also highlighted a problem, with these feeds demonstrating

the feed industry. The impact of mycotoxins can significantly affect

consistent contamination with B-trichothecenes.

the health, performance, welfare, and profitability of farm animals.

The concern for mycotoxins extends beyond domestically

To gain insight into the mycotoxin contamination levels of different

sourced feed ingredients. Imported raw materials, such as wheat,

feed materials, dsm-firmenich Animal Nutrition & Health analysed

maize and soya products also present a potential risk. Also, straws

thousands of feed samples internationally to compile the findings of

used for bedding or enrichment can pose a threat, as ingestion can

the latest dsm-firmenich World Mycotoxin Survey.

still occur. For example, results have shown a significant presence of

The most recent survey report has shed light on the implications

B-trichothecenes in European straw, with a concerning prevalence of

mycotoxins are having for the UK and Irish feed industry. In recent

79% and average levels exceeding 1000 ppb in 28 samples analysed.

years, survey data has shown that the feed industry in the UK and Ireland has seen that both homegrown and imported materials can

The Impact of Mycotoxins on Animal Health

pose a significant risk. While the incidences of mycotoxins in wheat

These findings highlight a potential concern for the feed industry,

and barley have slightly decreased this year, a significant risk persists

particularly due to the high DON contamination in maize, which

in maize and other alternative feed ingredients.

detrimentally impacts animal health. Medium doses of DON may not cause immediate illness (acute mycotoxicosis) in animals but often

The Results

have subclinical effects and besides that, long-term effects at these

The mycotoxin survey findings indicate that maize sourced from

levels will continue to cause complications for animal health.

various mills across the UK and Ireland exhibited a high concentration

The presence of mycotoxins at moderate levels can directly

of the mycotoxin DON, with a maximum level of 3,910 ppb and an

suppress the immune system of farm animals, making them more

average of 1,432 ppb among positive samples. A significant proportion

susceptible to infections. This can lead to increased outbreaks of

of this grain tested positive for deoxynivalenol (DON), with 70% of all

diseases, even in vaccinated animals as mycotoxins often interfere

samples indicating a positive result. Alternative feed ingredients used

with the efficacy of vaccinations, rendering them less effective in

in the UK and Irish feed industries, including wheat feed, biscuit meal,

preventing illness. Other effects of moderate doses of mycotoxins

oats, and rye, also exhibited the presence of various mycotoxins, with

include disruption to gut health, reduced nutrient absorption and

ergot alkaloids being particularly notable. These results underscore

reproductive issues.

the importance of vigilant monitoring and strong control measures throughout the entire feed production chain, for both traditional grains

Minimising Mycotoxin Risks

and alternatives used.

To effectively mitigate these risks, implementing a robust mycotoxin

On the other hand, wheat, a native crop from the UK and

risk management strategy is crucial. A precise and cost-effective

Ireland, had a much lower prevalence of mycotoxins, with only 8%

mycotoxin risk management strategy has consistent monitoring,

of samples testing positive. However, the mycotoxin Zearalenone

risk assessment, and a comprehensive intervention plan. Regular

(ZEN) was found in 14% of these samples. Barley demonstrated a

and continuous mycotoxin monitoring can identify their presence,

similar mycotoxin profile to wheat, with the prevalence of DON, ZEN,

contamination levels, and potential risks in feed materials. Frequent

and T-2 reported at 7%, 10%, and 17%. Nivalenol was also identified

feed analysis aids in early mycotoxin detection and allows producers

in barley samples.

to take action before exposing animals to these mycotoxins. This

It is important to note that B-trichothecenes represent the most

approach not only safeguards animal health and farm productivity but

prevalent group of mycotoxins in moderate climates and analysing

it ensures the safety of animal products entering the wider food chain.

samples for just DON alone can result in substantial underestimation

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) underscores the

of mycotoxin risk. For example, although grass silage samples were

importance of implementing robust mycotoxin management strategies.

limited in number, B-trichothecenes were identified as a potential risk,

EFSA continuously assesses the risks posed by different mycotoxins,

with levels reaching up to 1,700 ppb. Maize silage analysis in recent

evaluating their toxicity and their potential for animal exposure through

Page 26 March/April 2024 Feed Compounder

contaminated feed. EFSA emphasises the need for robust mycotoxin risk management strategies throughout the food and feed chain.

These strategies include frequent testing of feed and food samples, adherence to good agricultural practices and the implementation of mitigation strategies when contamination is detected.

It is important to note that EFSA’s guidance constantly evolves as scientific understanding of mycotoxins improves. In addition to a recent update acknowledging that lower levels of certain mycotoxins like fumonisins and DON may pose a greater health risk than previously thought, EFSA’s scientific panel has also issued recommendations for lower reference points for ochratoxins in pigs, hens, and growing chickens based on newly appeared peerreviewed publications over the last years. Furthermore, the panel recommended lower reference points for DON and fumonisins in poultry (broilers and turkeys) as well as horses. These updates highlight the importance of staying informed about scientific advancements and adapting mycotoxin risk management strategies accordingly. By adhering to frequent testing, implementing effective

Mycofix® Deactivate mycotoxins Activate performance Powered by science to actively defend against multiple mycotoxins* With 3 combined strategies Adsorption

mitigation strategies, and staying vigilant about evolving scientific knowledge, the feed industry can significantly reduce the impact of mycotoxins on various animal species and safeguard the integrity of the food chain.

Safeguarding the Feed Chain for a Healthy Future

Biotransformation Bioprotection *Authorized by EU Regulation 1060/2013, 2017/913, 2017/930, 2018/1568 and 2021/363.

The dsm-firmenich World Mycotoxin Survey reveals valuable insights into the presence and potential risks of mycotoxins in UK and Irish feed ingredients. While some positive trends, such as a decrease in mycotoxins in wheat and barley, have been observed, the report highlights the continued presence of concerning levels of DON in maize and other alternative feed ingredients. This, coupled with the potential threat from bedding, i.e. straw, or imported feed materials underscores the need for robust mycotoxin risk management strategies throughout the feed production chain.

Implementing a comprehensive strategy involving consistent monitoring, risk assessment, and effective intervention measures is crucial for safeguarding animal health, productivity, and ultimately, the safety of the food chain.

Ensuring animal health, productivity, and fortifying the safety of the food chain, a potent strategy that includes regular monitoring, comprehensive risk assessment, and effective intervention processes is indispensable. Reflecting upon the survey results a spokesperson for the company stated: “At dsm-firmenich Animal Nutrition and

Learn more at dsm-firmenich.com/anh

Health, our industry experts are passionately dedicated to providing unwavering support to the feed industry. Strategically integrating effective mycotoxin risk management within your feed operation, establishing a robust system that not only takes into account present challenges but can also adapt and tackle future uncertainties with efficiency and precision.”

Feed Compounder March/April 2024 Page 27

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Elevating Efficiency:

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One such partnership that exemplifies our commitment to collaboration is with LvLogics, a leading provider of advanced sensor technology for silos. By integrating LvLogics’ real-time monitoring capabilities with our COREmill ERP system, feed mills gain invaluable insights into silo stock levels.

This integration facilitates proactive inventory management, mitigating the risk of feed shortages and optimising production processes. Furthermore, it enhances customer retention by ensuring timely deliveries while simultaneously reducing operational costs and environmental impact.

LvLogics’ SiloSpi solution offers a unique sensor for monitoring the contents of feed silos. With its advanced sensing technology, SiloSpi not only prevents supply shortages but also optimises production processes, reduces costs, minimises waste, and promotes a safer working environment.

SiloSpi’s unique patented technology can first detect when dirt accumulates on the lens and can then self-clean. In the harsh, dusty environment in a silo, it’s this ability that differentiates LvLogics sensor and ensures consistent and reliable performance. Data from SiloSpi, including constant measurements of feed height in the silo, is securely transmitted to the cloud and presented in a user-friendly format. This data can then be seamlessly integrated into our COREmill ERP for efficient management and analysis, empowering our users to make informed decisions based on real-time insights.

At CORETech we believe that innovation thrives on collaboration. By fostering partnerships and embracing cutting-edge technologies, we empower feed mills to overcome the many challenges they face. We aim to provide a service that drives feed mills towards a more efficient and sustainable future. With COREmill and LvLogics partnership, the future for feed mills is looking bright.

By providing feed mills with the data they need to make informed decisions, we offer a winning recipe for success, ensuring they can navigate the complexities of the industry with confidence and achieve their goals.

working together with

Providing agritech solutions for over 40 years, helping clients to innovate, grow and adapt to change.

Supplementing Copper in Calves

By Vet Leandro Royo and Dr Rahma Balegi, Animine

There are multiple factors that can affect copper (Cu) metabolism in

fully developed functional rumen. This means that calves don’t have

cattle, many of which remain poorly understood. These factors may be

the effect of antagonists (S and Mo) in the rumen, making Cu more

due to the animal’s own metabolism, nevertheless, copper metabolism

available for absorption in the gut. A large fraction of the antagonist

can also be affected by external factors, such as the presence of

(especially Mo) comes from forages; a feedstuff that is present in small

antagonists and starch in the diet.

amounts in calf’s diets.

The absorption of Cu in the gut of calves seems to be more

Introduction

effective when compared with adult animals. As Cu is absorbed from

Copper (Cu) is crucial for the proper functioning of adult cattle and

the intestine, it enters the liver where Cu is either utilised in normal

calf organisms. It is primordial to maintain the immune system, growth

hepatocyte metabolism, stored bound to metallothionein (MT) or, if Cu

and productivity of farm animals. Copper, like many microelements,

balance is positive, excreted into the bile (Bremner, 1991). MT seems

is a constituent of several enzymes and proteins involved in many

to play a main role in the Cu excretion into the bile.

metabolic processes, including cellular respiration, anti-oxidant system, lipid metabolism, and reproduction etc. Copper deficiency during the

Beware of copper toxicity due to milk replacers

intrauterine foetal development or in early growth may have adverse effects

In the field, both acute and chronic forms of Cu toxicity in calves have

on animals’ health and performances in the future. Later, copper deficiency

been observed. Important excess of Cu in milk replacer can cause acute

in ruminants is generally secondary and happens due to decreased copper

toxicity leading to severe gastroenteritis and rapid death. However, the

bioavailability, in the presence of antagonists of this element in feed or

chronic form occurs when a lower excess of Cu is ingested over an

forages, such as molybdenum (Mo), sulfur (S) and iron (Fe). In order to

extended period, resulting in an accumulation of Cu in the liver. In fact,

prevent this, there are tendencies to supplement Cu in injections at an

in ruminants, Cu is extensively stored in the liver (with concentrations

early age or in milk replacers to meet or exceed the requirements. Indeed,

ranging from 100 to 450 mg Cu/kg DM) because of limited biliary Cu

copper toxicity in pre-ruminant calves occasionally is encountered as a

excretion. If there is a large influx of Cu into the liver, the capacity of the

result of excessive supplementation of replacers with the element, as we

MT to bind Cu and the lysosomes to remove Cu from the cytosol can be

often forget that a young calf is physiologically monogastric.

exceeded, and Cu starts to accumulate at a higher rate in other organelles

Young Calves are not affected by the antagonistic events in the rumen

(mainly in the nucleus), or, at even higher Cu accumulations, may remain as free Cu ions in the cytosol; in both cases, Cu is responsible for severe changes in liver structure and function. When the liver Cu tolerance is

Even though the copper requirement is well known, Cu is the most common

exceeded, hemolytic crisis occurs resulting in anemia, jaundice, and

trace mineral (TM) deficiency in adult ruminants due to the interaction with

frequently rapid death.

some antagonists including S, Mo and Fe that influence its bioavailability.

Copper levels in cow milk is only about 0.15 mg/l, whereas dairy

More precisely, S interferes with Cu via sulphides formed in the rumen;

calves are fed milk replacer that typically contains 10 mg/l of Cu. The

this compound has a strong affinity for Cu and forms insoluble Cu sulphide

present level allowed for pre-ruminant calves could jeopardise their health

complexes (CuS). They are eliminated via the faecal route. Rumen

due to the high accumulation of copper in their liver. Consequently, the

sulphides and molybdates form together thiomolybdates. This complex

copper level authorised in feed should ideally be reduced to 5 mg/kg in

has a high affinity for Cu, making it insoluble and therefore less bioavailable

milk replacer to protect calves’ health. This, in addition, would lead to a

to the animal. There are 4 forms of thiomolybdate, described according

reduction in the human consumer exposure. Furthermore, the absorption

to the number of S atoms. A Mo

is higher than 50% for the milk replacer in young calves and less than 5%

intake of 3-4 mg/kg dry matter

in growing ruminants mainly fed with roughages. Copper supplementation

(DM) is sufficient to reduce Cu

of dairy calves also occurs when calves are fed calf starter or other grain

uptake. In addition, Cu uptake is

mix rations that contain copper. Dairy calves typically begin consuming

decreased when animals have

these calf starter rations in the first week of life. Once dairy calves are

a high Fe intake (Fe /Cu> 100;

weaned, copper supplementation continues in the total mixed ration.

risk of Cu deficiency) due to ingestion of Fe-rich soil, drinking

Conclusions

water or pasture rich in Fe.

Do not forget that calves do not have a physiologically developed rumen.

Regarding copper

It is necessary to take into account all the sources of Cu that the calf

supplementation in calves,

is receiving, to avoid overdosing. Calves are very efficient in absorbing

great care must be taken, as

and storing Cu in the liver. Chronic copper intoxication can have later

these animals do not have a

consequences on the productive and reproductive life of these animals.

Page 30 March/April 2024 Feed Compounder

Dairy Benchmarking Report Identifies Herd Targets Discussing the 500-NMR KPI Report With Will Tulley, Vet & Nutritionist at Advanced Ruminant Nutrition NMR’s latest Key Performance Indicator (KPI) report for the year ending

important. “We’re aiming for a stable rumen condition, good cow comfort,

August 2023, published by PAN Livestock Services at the University of

sufficient feed space and an ad-lib supply of fresh feed that’s pushed up

Reading, identifies important targets for UK dairy herds.

regularly. This is all part of the nutritionist’s job on farm.

The report, which is repeated annually, is now in its 14th year and is based on data from 500 NMR-recorded Holstein Friesian herds.

“Rumen buffers can help to maintain a stable rumen environment and additives can improve feed efficiency, but should only be used if they

It ‘strips down’ NMR data and shows the achievements of the top

can be justified in terms of production or rumen health improvements.

25% and bottom 25% of herds for 37 management parameters (see

It’s essential to understand the costs of improving performance with the

Table 1). This data provides a valuable benchmarking tool for farmers,

economic benefit of any changes.”

vets and advisers to identify where and how improvements to dairy

Fertility gap

management can be made.

The report shows encouraging trends in reproductive performance,

Practical benefits

but there is still a gap between the average and top-quartile herds. “An

Vet and nutritionist Will Tulley, from Advanced

extended lactation due to poor fertility is typically a lose-lose,” says Mr

Ruminant Nutrition, says that the KPI report is

Tulley. “More open days, when a cow isn’t in calf, has a price tag, and

an excellent opportunity to benchmark clients’

she is less efficient at producing milk in late lactation so cost per litre is

herds alongside others in the group, as well

usually more expensive. Lower-producing late-lactation cows are also

as the 500-herd sample.

likely to gain body condition and so are more at risk of a poorer transition

“It is a tool that we can use with our

into the next lactation.

farmers to select key parameters that are

“The best feed efficiency is during the first 100 days of lactation, so

relevant to their own business, and it helps us

we should be looking to maximise production at this stage,” he explains.

set realistic targets,” he says, adding that the report shows up the diverse UK dairy industry with a wide range of performance in some areas with considerable scope for improvement.

Will Tulley - Vet & Nutritionist, Advanced Ruminant Nutrition

“Transitioning cows successfully and feeding to support high yields in early lactation will set the peak of the lactation curve and largely determine overall production. Post peak, consistent nutrition and management will control the rate of decline and support higher production into later lactation.”

Udder health is one area where improvements have been good

Mr Tulley believes herds should be targeting 50% of cows back in

during the past decade, but the gap between the average and top quartile

calf by 100 days after calving in an all-year-round calving system. An

performance demonstrates what is achievable and the opportunity for

effective, integrated dry cow and transition programme is essential in

those lagging behind.

achieving this, as well as minimising the risk of metabolic diseases such

Mr Tulley, who advises dairy farmers nationally, typically with high input high-output systems, is pleased to see that milk constituents have also increased alongside yields.

“But it’s important that farmers understand what drives their milk

as ketosis and milk fever.

“These cows need carefully formulated diets with the correct energy and dry matter content. Lameness control, the correct stocking density and making sure there’s enough feed space are important protocols too.”

contracts - whether it’s yield or constituents – so they can use the most relevant data to set targets.”

While genetics play a big part in yields and milk quality, nutrition and management are critical to achieve the cow’s potential.

Dairy farmers typically aim to increase production from home-grown forages. “So quality is important, and the necessary steps should be taken to improve this, but we also need to know exactly what’s being fed so dry-matter, protein, fibre and energy levels can be balanced.”

Youngstock targets The report’s age at first calving KPIs highlights scope for improvement.

“Even the top quartile herds only achieve 2.1 years (761 days), and this should be between 22 and 24 months (670 and 730 days) to minimise rearing costs and improve the unit’s sustainability,” says Mr Tulley.

“Birth-to-weaning performance has got a lot better on many units, but improvements can be made from weaning to six months when the

More forage testing wouldn’t go amiss on many units. “It’s not

calf is still extremely feed efficient. The target weight gain throughout

enough just to test silages every month or when moving to a different

the rearing period should be 0.8kg a day for a Holstein heifer, and this

cut. Changes can occur between layers in a clamp, and certainly from

will rely on quality milks and a good starter feed early on to encourage

one clamp to another,” says Mr Tulley. He stresses the need for regular

rumen development and ensure a smooth transition into the post weaning

dry-matter analyses. “High-production units should be routinely checking

phase. A well-grown heifer is more likely to be ready for breeding at

this on-site at least every week.”

between 13 and 15 months old.”

And as production increases, consistency becomes even more

He comments on the culling rates shown in the report, with the top

Feed Compounder March/April 2024 Page 31

25% of herds only culling 3% of cows in the first 100 days after calving.

500-NMR KPI Report - Key Findings

“This should be seen as a target for all herds, as these cows have typically

Since 2010, the mean age at first calving has decreased by 89 days

failed transition and are a significant loss to the farm. Again, effective

to 804 days (2.2 years), although it has increased by five days since

dry- and fresh-cow programmes minimise these losses.

2022. The median, or mid-point in the sample, calving interval is also

“Overall target culling rate should be decided at farm level,

30 days shorter than in 2010 at 394 days but remains unchanged

dependant on the requirement to introduce genetically superior heifers

since the previous report in 2022.

and to voluntarily cull lower producing animals. The fewer animals culled

Conception rates increased by 1% compared to 2022 to 39% and,

for infertility or health problems the better, and the greater the opportunity

during the past 14 years, they have increased by 7%. However, the

to drive genetic improvements.

variation remains high between herds, from 32% in the bottom quartile

“Good fertility, controlled culling with minimal losses in early

of herds to more than 45% in the best quartile.

lactation and improved youngstock rearing are where gains can be

Milk yields have remained stable for the past five years, averaging

made on many farms. These will improve their production efficiency

8,737kg in 2023, but have increased by more than 1,000kg since

and carbon footprint.”

2010. Lifetime milk per cow per day increased by 25% from 10.5kg

He says that it’s important to take a holistic view and look at the

in 2010 to 12.7kg in 2023.

whole system. “We can’t look at one area in isolation but rather drive for

The most significant improvements have been in milk fat and

efficiencies and strike the right balance. Realistic targets and monitoring

protein during the 13 years that the report has been published. Milk

progress are key in all situations.”

fat has increased from 3.35% in 2010 to 4.26% in 2023, up from

Table 1: Median and target values from the study of 500 NMR recording herds in 2022 and 2023, compared with the original study in 2010 Parameter Year of the Study

Median 2010

2022

Target “Best 25%” 2023

2010

2022

2023

Milk / cow / year (kg)

7,665

8,708

8,737

8,760

9,763

9,961

Average protein%

3.27%

3.33%

3.36%

3.33%

3.40%

3.43%

Average fat%

3.96%

4.18%

4.26%

4.12%

4.34%

4.45%

Lifetime milk / cow / day (kg)

10.5

12.7

12.7

12.6

14.7

14.6

Age at 1st calving (years)

2.4

2.2

2.2

2.3

2.1

2.1

Culling rate

24%

26%

28%

18%

22%

22%

Percentage culled (off take) / died 100 days after calving

7%

5%

5%

4%

3%

3%

Age at exit (years)

6.6

6.0

6.0

7.4

6.7

6.7

Age at exit by lactations

3.9

3.6

3.6

4.5

4.1

4.2

Percentage Served by day 80

46%

60%

59%

59%

70%

69%

Percentage conceived 100 days after calving

26%

39%

39%

33%

46%

46%

Calving to 1st service interval (days)

105

80

81

87

70

71

Calving interval (days)

424

394

394

409

384

383

Conception rate

32%

38%

39%

40%

45%

45%

%Service intervals at 18-24 days (Heat detection)

30%

41%

41%

38%

47%

48%

%Service intervals >50 days

32%

19%

19%

22%

13%

12%

%Cows eligible for service served (Submission rate)

27%

41%

41%

37%

53%

53%

%Cows eligible for service conceived (Pregnancy rate)

9%

16%

16%

13%

21%

21%

Culling

Fertility performance

Udder health Average SCC (‘000 cells/ml)

210

166

168

169

130

133

% SCC ≥200,000 cells/ml

24%

16%

15%

19%

12%

12%

% SCC ≥500,000 cells/ml

9%

7%

7%

7%

5%

5%

% 1st recording SCC ≥200,000 cells/ml

20%

15%

15%

15%

12%

12%

% chronic SCC ≥200,000 cells/ml

14%

8%

8%

10%

6%

6%

% Dry period cure (High:Low)

74%

78%

77%

80%

84%

86%

% Dry period protection (Low:Low)

84%

86%

86%

89%

90%

90%

% Low at end of previous lactation (SCC<200,000 cells/ml)

60%

78%

79%

70%

84%

84%

The table shows changes in the median and target (top 25% performance) for each parameter. The majority of parameters have improved since 2010 (green) with the exception of some that have deteriorated (red)

Page 32 March/April 2024 Feed Compounder

4.18% in 2022. Protein has risen from 3.33% to 3.36% since 2022, up from 3.27% in 2010.

Annual trends in herd health from 2010 to 2023 show that 70% of herds had a SCC below 200,000 cells/ml in the year ending August

This is particularly useful for advisers, nutritionists and vets as the basis for discussion with their dairy clients, either as a group or individually. Graphs clearly show each herd’s position for any KPI, relative to other clients and the 500 herds.

2023, an improvement from 44% in 2010.

Mastitis incidence across a 242 sample of the 500 recorded herds averaged 22 cases per 100 cows per year, a reduction of 14 cases

It can also compare current performance with the three-year trend, highlighting changes and identifying areas of strength and weakness. This is key to constructive discussions going forward.

per 100 cows per year since 2016.

Results are shown in Table 1.

Figure 2a shows an example of 21 herds in a veterinary practice ranked alongside the 500-herd sample for heat detection.

Figure 2b shows the difference in heat detection for each herd

Group benchmarks

between 2020 and 2023.

NMR’s InterHerd+ dairy management software system has developed

The NMR 500-Herd report was produced by Dr James Hanks,

a new tool that enables a group of dairy farms to be compared

Dr Emma Taylor, and Dr Mohamad Kossaibati from the University

alongside the 500-herd sample for each parameter.

of Reading and can be found on NMR’s web site: www.nmr.co.uk

Figure 2a: Herds in a vet practice vs 500-herd sample - heat detection

Fig 2b: Changes in heat detection for each herd in a veterinary practice between 2020 and 2023

Feed Compounder March/April 2024 Page 33

PUTTING THE CREAM BACK ON TOP AT TURNOUT With Nigel Airey, Debby Brown, Ruminant Vetinary Adviser, Dugdale Nutrition and Dr. Philip Ingram, Ruminant Technical Manager, Cargill Managing milk fat in cows on grass-based diets or high oil feed

he’s struggled to maintain milk fat. “This would typically dip to 4.2% with

ingredients can be a challenge, but it can be averted with specialised feed

some cows going below 4% and I’d see the milk cheque go down in

ingredients. And the proof of the pudding is in the eating, as farm trials

these months,” he adds.

and the experiences of UK feed compounders and farmers have shown.

“So on the advice of my nutritionist, Gemma Ford from Dugdale

Fresh young grass – either grazed or cut in zero-grazing systems

Nutrition, I switched to another 17% protein cake, Creamyield, in 2023.

– has a high oil content and this interferes with the milk production

This is specially designed to promote milk fats and reduce the dip at

pathway. It’s worth noting too that TMR diets rich in oil, such as those

turnout.”

with by-products can have the same effect.

Dips in average milk fat can be 0.5%, and a 0.35% depression is typical. This can have a significant and rapid impact on the milk cheque.

Lancashire-based producer Nigel Airey has experienced this in his dairy herd, but an improved dairy compound, using Cargill’s Equaliser® Cream product in his dairy cake, has mitigated the issue and kept milk fat on target.

Nigel’s 78-cow Holstein herd

Spring and summer grazing can significantly depress milkfat

averages 9,000 litres, at 4.5% fat

It includes Cargill’s Equaliser ® Cream, which counters the

and 3.3% protein, on twice-a-day

negative effects of high oil content diets, seen in spring and early

milking. The traditional summer

summer fresh grass and in diets with high oil content ingredients,

Nigel Airey with his Lancashire

grazing and winter housing

on milk quality.

based Holstein herd

system relies on high-quality

“I tried the new cake in April 2023 when milk fats had started to

grazed grass and ad-lib grass silage in winter, with a high-quality 17%

drop,” says Nigel. “Within three weeks they’d recovered to the 4.5% level

protein compound feed fed to yield through the parlour. Concentrate

and this remained steady all summer, right through the grazing season.”

feed rate is 0.35kg/litre.

Convinced of its effectiveness, and having tried various products

The focus is on maximising milk from home-grown forage while

in the past that hadn’t delivered the same results, he’s committed to

keeping a straightforward system, which is run by Nigel with part-time

Creamyield in 2024. “And I’m keen to prevent the problem so cows

help.

now move on to it a few weeks before turnout. I have seen it work and

He grows grass silage and rotates this with summer grazing on the 90-hectare unit, based between the Yorkshire Dales National

it more than pays for itself by maintaining milk quality and keeping the milk cheque on target.”

Park and the Forest of Bowland. The farm also supports a flock of 100 Texel mules.

Cream appeal

The herd is closed and calves in an extended autumn block from

Dugdale’s ruminant veterinary adviser

July to the end of January. “Turnout is rarely before May,” says Nigel, “but

Debby Brown researched the specialised

the heavy land doesn’t dry up, so the grass keeps growing all summer.

rumen buffer Equaliser® Cream in 2021,

I get three decent cuts of silage.”

as an alternative to palm fats.

Good quality first-cut silage made in 2023 boosted yields this winter

“When the cost of palm fats

and in January 63,450 litres of milk were sold to milk buyer First Milk.

increased, we started to look at the

“Most cows peaked at between 35kg and 40kg of milk a day in

sustainable source of ingredients we use

early- to mid-lactation,” he adds.

within our feeds,” says Debby. “We were presented with this specialised rumen

Spring boost

buffer from Cargill as an alternative, in

Dugdale Nutrition’s

Nigel looks for a boost in milk production as cows are turned out to grass

certain diet situations, to support milk

ruminant vetinary adviser

in the second half of their lactation. But despite milk yields increasing,

fat on farm.

Debby Brown

Page 36 March/April 2024 Feed Compounder

“Sceptical as ever, I risked trying some direct on farm, in a zero

“Equaliser® Cream

grazing herd that has challenges through the summer with decreasing

is particularly effective

milk fat levels. The results were positive, with milk fat holding up. This

because it works as a

meant the producer met his contract requirements and optimised his

buffer in maintaining

milk price.”

rumen pH and also

In 2022, following the success on farm, Dugdale replaced C16 fats

supports the reduction

in compounds with Equaliser® Cream for herds challenged with milk fat

of CLA production by

levels resulting from oily diets, either through grazing, or high levels

normalising the oil

of byproducts. They adjusted energy to ensure the correct levels. The

conversion pathways.

response was consistently good.

It has a two-pronged

And on farms where the milk fat challenge was greater and compound feed levels lower, they topped up with more of the

Dr. Philip Ingram, Cargill ruminant technical manager

attack and prevents rather than ‘cures’ the problem,” explains Dr Ingram.

specialised rumen buffer added to the partial mixed ration part of the

“Most buffers tackle rumen pH to help prevent milk fat depression,

diet. This ensured the required dose level was met for the response

but they are not consistently effective. Instead, Equaliser® Cream has key

required.

ingredients to help reduce the impact of the high oil content of the diets

“The added advantage from a compound manufacture perspective

on milk fat. And the response is rapid with increases in milk fat typically

is the better quality nut produced with the Cargill product compared

happening within days of introducing the product into the cows’ diets.”

to C16 fats, which historically always represented a challenge to feed

Trial evidence

quality,” adds Debby.

Recent trial results using the specialist Equaliser® Cream buffer

Oil fuels milk fat plummet

on 25 UK and Irish dairy farms from 2021 to 2023 have shown the

A dip in milk fat percentage can happen fairly rapidly after turnout,

effectiveness of the product.

but can also happen during the second or third round of grazing,

Thirteen farms introduced the specialist buffer early, before the

often between three and nine weeks after initial turnout, and continue

usual dip in milk fat, and 12 farms introduced it after experiencing low

through early summer.

milk fat. Feed rates were between 75g and 150g per cow per day,

The two main factors responsible for this drop are the high oil content and fibre in fresh grass.

and the proportion of grazed grass in the diet ranged from 0% to 75%.

Those introducing the buffer early had the best overall response

“This high oil content, which is even more elevated in some of

by mitigating a drop in milk fat and recording an improvement in 0.4%

the newer grass varieties, makes the unsaturated fat content of the

in May, compared with the same month in the previous year, as shown

grazing diet about 50% higher than a typical winter ration,” says Cargill’s

in Figure 1.

ruminant technical manager Philip Ingram.

“And fresh grass has low structural, highly digestible fibre that causes a reduction in rumen pH and creates acidic conditions. This creates a storm in the cow’s rumen and disrupts the normal pathways used to produce milk fat,” he adds.

The 12 farms feeding the buffer after milk fats dropped saw an improvement within a week of 0.33%, with an average increase in one month of 0.51%.

The average financial benefit of adding Equaliser® Cream to the diets of the 25 commercial dairy herds monitored from 2021 to 2023 was 51p

Specialised buffers, that go beyond controlling rumen pH, will reduce the negative impact on milk quality of high oil content diets.

per cow per day, and for an average herd of 155 cows, this was £2,412 per month based on milk prices for the farms at the time of the trial.

Figure 1: Equaliser Cream - year on year response

Feed Compounder March/April 2024 Page 37

Glutamine: the Pivotal Amino Acid to Support Gut Health in Pig and Poultry

By Aude Simongiovanni and Herman Claassen, Metex Animal Nutrition

During the last decades, great efforts have been made to reduce

Glutamine, a pivotal amino acid for gut health

the use of antimicrobials in livestock production due to the risk of

Glutamine (Gln), a conditionally indispensable AA, is predominantly

antimicrobial resistance development. However, our sector is still

consumed in the gastrointestinal tract as a source of energy,

under pressure for further reduction or even withdrawal of these

particularly under conditions of intestinal disturbance when its

substances in livestock production.

consumption exceeds the rate of production (Rao and Samak, 2012).

Improving gut health resilience in pig and poultry is a long and

Most notably, it is the main energy substrate for rapidly

complex journey. The growing portfolio of feed-grade amino acids

proliferating cells such as intestinal enterocytes and is used as

(AA) developed by Metex Animal Nutrition allows:

metabolic fuel for the immune cells (including lymphocytes and

1. to decrease the dietary crude protein (CP) level efficiently and

macrophages) and by supplying substrates for the synthesis of

reduce the excess of undigested protein reaching the hindgut,

glucosamines, nucleic acids, nucleotides and adenosine triphosphate

thanks to the range of indispensable AA

(ATP) (Calder and Yaqoob, 1999; Blachier et al., 2009). In addition,

2. to supplement the adequate nutrients to boost physiological functions such as gut health, thanks to the range of functional AA. These complementary nutritional strategies are efficient tools in the context of antibiotics and anticoccidial compounds reduction.

Under specific physiological stage or rearing conditions, the demand for some AA will increase, while the supply via anabolism cannot be increased at a sufficient level. These AA are named “functional”.

Metex Animal Nutrition has developed a range of solutions for pig and poultry based on a synergistic combination of functional AA, inneus®.

All amino acids are essential – Amino acids to support gut health

Gln, via the biosynthesis of amino sugars, is a notable component of mucin, a glycoprotein protecting gut mucosa (Neu et al., 2002; Newsholme and Carrié, 1994). Furthermore, Gln can modulate the phosphorylation of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) which is involved in the regulation of protein synthesis in the intestine (Coëffier et al., 2005).

During periods of challenge, the demand for Gln can exceed its supply due to increased catabolism and decreased feed intake and digestibility. Several studies have shown that supplementing diets with feed-grade L-Gln improved growth performance at a similar or greater level than dietary antibiotics both in piglets and chickens (Bartell, 2006; Johnson and Lay, 2017; Duttlinger et al., 2019). It is expected that supplementation of L-Gln translates into consistent improvement of gut integrity.

Among the nutritional strategies, the decrease in dietary CP combined with the inclusion of feed-grade AA is a proven solution to reduce

inneus®, a full range of solutions based on Gln to face

deleterious pressure on the gastrointestinal tract. Indeed, feeding a

gut health issues

low CP diet lowers pH both in the stomach and intestine and reduces

Based on the published literature, there is no doubt concerning the

substrate availability for pathogenic bacteria to proliferate or to

efficiency of L-Gln supplementation to improve gut health. However,

produce harmful metabolites (Luise et al., 2021).

all experiments tested high doses (0.5 to 3% in the diet), leading

Feed-grade AA are more than a lever to decrease the dietary CP level while maintaining animal performance. On top of their usage

to inconsistent results, and preventing this strategy from being implemented in the field.

as “building blocks of muscle proteins”, it is time to consider their

Synergistical solutions combining Gln with other functional

metabolic functions as precursors of energy, signalling molecules

AA have been developed by Metex Animal Nutrition and proven to

and microbiota modulators. It has been shown that AA can directly

(i) increase the efficiency of the solution (ii) decrease the dose of

support or restore the four pillars of gut health (Chalvon-Demersay

efficiency (iii) increase the reproducibility of the results. Combining

et al., 2021): epithelial barrier, immune fitness, microbiota balance

AA with different functions helps to potentialise their effects on gut

and oxidative status homeostasis.

health.

Page 38 March/April 2024 Feed Compounder

1. Synergistic combination of amino acids and polyphenols, to act all along the digestive tract, reaching the hindgut (Feed Compounder, issue July/August 2022, p.50) The first inneus® products, which were launched two years ago, are complete solutions based on a synergistic combination of functional AA potentialised by specifically selected polyphenols.

This combination, with a selected mixture of polyphenols, increases the anti-inflammatory properties of inneus® and allows it to carry the

Figure 1: Connected metabolisms of glutamine and glutamate (Watford, 2015)

functional AA all along the gut, where they can exert their effect on

and Kim, 2017); thus, it plays a key role in preserving the gut from

microbiota (Beaumont et al., 2022).

oxidative damage.

Piglet trials performed at INRAE (Beaumont et al., 2021) and

Based on the specific effects of Glu and Gln on gut health and

Ghent University (Michiels et al., 2021) clearly demonstrated the

considering their interconnection, it is expected that the combined

ability of inneus® to positively act on key metabolic pathways with

supplementation of Glu and Gln has synergistic effects (Teixeira et

a clear impact on oxidative stress regulation, cell integrity, and

al., 2014). To date, few studies have investigated the effect of mixing

microbiota modulation. Beaumont et al. (2021), demonstrated that

Glu and Gln supplementation on piglets, suggesting a positive effect

inneus® significantly increases the abundance of beneficial bacteria

on growth performance and gut morphology parameters (Teixeira et

(lactic acid producing bacteria) and metabolites (butyrate, propionate

al., 2014; Molina et al., 2012).

and isovalerate) while decreasing the abundance of pathogenic

A recent study performed at the University of Bologna (Luise

bacteria (Proteobacteria) in the caecum. In Michiels et al. (2021),

et al., 2022) suggested that both Glu and Gln were able to improve

it is shown that inneus® significantly downregulates key metabolic

piglet growth during the more acute inflammatory periods (until the

pathways in the ileum: Caspase 3 (a protease involved in the

second week post-weaning). A favourable effect of mixing the Glu

programming of cell apoptosis) and NRF2 expression (a regulator

and Gln was observed on the immune parameters, gut morphological

of oxidative stress).

structure and barrier function of the small intestine. These effects

In broilers, it was demonstrated that inneus® improved gut

contributed to reducing the number of days with diarrhoea and

integrity after a challenge in two different trials with dexamethasone

increasing the faecal consistency during the first period post-weaning

(Barekatain et al., 2021) or corticosterone (Paes et al., 2022)

(Figure 2).

challenged birds. Concomitantly, it was found that inneus® positively modulated microbiota composition and promoted mucus synthesis by goblet cells to protect more efficiently the gut barrier (Paes et al., 2022). Furthermore, birds provided with inneus® showed significantly decreased inflammatory response under stress conditions compared with non-supplemented birds (Barekatain et al., 2021).

2. Synergistic combination of glutamine and glutamate to target the upper part of the gut and improve gut integrity L-Glutamate (Glu) and L-Gln are abundant AA in the body and have traditionally been considered dispensable AA. However, they are currently regarded as a conditionally indispensable nutrient under stress conditions, including gut health challenges.

The metabolism of Glu and Gln is closely connected, as shown in Figure 1. Glutamate is the immediate product of the Gln metabolism, produced by the action of glutaminase; Glu can be combined with

Figure 2: Fecal index (%) of piglets receiving diets supplemented with different levels of glutamate and glutamine during the first week post-weaning (Luise et al., 2022)

ammonia (NH3) to produce Gln by the action of glutamine synthetase in some tissues and cells, such as the liver and skeletal muscles (Newsholme et al., 2003).

Glutamate is mainly utilised as a source of energy by enterocytes (Windmueller et al., 1975). Moreover, it may also display anti-apoptotic

This study suggested that supplementation with Glu (under the form of monosodium glutamate) and Gln at a ratio of 50:50 during the post-weaning phase supports gut health and maintains the growth of piglets after the challenge of weaning (Luise et al., 2022).

properties in the intestines by maintaining normal cellular redox status

For poultry, on top of the benefits described above, Gln is

through its role as a precursor for the synthesis of glutathione (Kim

necessary to produce uric acid at the systemic level and allows N

Feed Compounder March/April 2024 Page 39

excretion. During a sanitary challenge, Gln may become indispensable and its dietary supplementation has been shown to be efficient in promoting growth and gut health.

In a trial performed at Guelph University, a basal corn-soybean meal diet was formulated to meet breeder (Ross 708) nutrient specifications. A total of 1800 day-old male Ross 708 chicks were allocated to 72 floor pens (25 birds/pen, n=6) for 35 days. Treatments with Glu/Gln were formulated as the control but with the addition of L-Glu and/or L-Gln (0.5% inclusion) supplemented on top of the feed.

Broiler chickens receiving the mixture 66%Glu:33%Gln performed significantly better than the control diet and at the same level as the control diet + Maxiban (Figure 3).

Figure 4 – Complementary mode of action of low crude protein diets and functional amino acids to improve gut health This year the range is enlarged with new solutions based on L-Gln and monosodium glutamate (MSG); the proportion of each component being adapted specifically depending on the species.

Figure 3 – Feed conversion ratio (FCR) of broilers receiving diets supplemented with different levels of glutamate and glutamine

For additional information, please contact Herman Claassen: herman.claassen@metex-noovistago.com.

during their whole life (d0-35)

Metex Animal Nutrition offers solutions to target pig and poultry gut health Metex Animal Nutrition has always focused its R&D program on the main challenges faced by the pig and poultry production markets.

Historically, reducing the dietary CP level while maintaining the

Metex Animal Nutrition registered 11 Amino Acids in

animal performance, was a big focus, as it brings a lot of benefits on

Europe & the United Kingdom to provide the ultimate

the different pillars of sustainability, including economy, environment

solutions for the Animal Feed industry. The solutions

(protein autonomy, Feed Compounder, issue Jan/Feb 2012, p. 33;

provided: Sustainable Nutrition, Health and Welfare.

decarbonization, Feed Compounder, issue Nov/Dec 2022, p. 34), and animal health & welfare.

In the last years, animal health & welfare came to the front: antimicrobial and anticoccidial molecules have increasingly been used to control digestive diseases - increasing concerns have urged the industry to find alternative nutritional strategies to improve gut health resilience.

On top of reducing the pressure on the gut via low CP diet strategies, Metex Animal Nutrition developed inneus ®, a complementary range of solutions based on functional AA that can prepare the piglet and poultry gut to face challenges or help the gut to recover from a challenge (Figure 4). inneus ® specifically decreases intestinal permeability and inflammation, thus increasing overall gut health resilience.

Page 40 March/April 2024 Feed Compounder

b-noov, the first bio-sourced butyrate for the animal nutrition market – available as a coated sodium or calcium source, exclusively available from Metex Animal Nutrition (Feed Compounder, issue Jan/Feb 2024, p34).

Metabolic Explorer is also the only European producer of biobased 1.3 Propanediol. This low carbon diol ingredient can be used as a green solvent for cleaning formulation in animal nutrition segment.

Metex Propanediol + can boost the stability and the conservation of your formula. Moreover, it is easily biodegradable. An Ecocert-Ecodetergent grade is available and can bring naturality to your end-product

Cargill Publishes 2023 Global Mycotoxin Report Cargill has published its global Mycotoxin Report for 2023. Now in

others in the herd due to the combination of toxin stresses and other

its third year, the report now includes analyses of forages making it

stress factors affecting cows in this period.

relevant and useful to all livestock species.

The report includes 360,000 analyses from more than 145,000

Threshold level

raw material samples, from at least 150 feed plants and across 43

There is a recognised correlation between the presence of mycotoxins

countries. More than 17,000 forage mycotoxin analyses have been

and the performance of the animal. The effect on performance depends

included in the 2023 report.

on the level of mycotoxin in feeds and there is a defined threshold at

Cargill hosts the largest mycotoxin contamination database in

which production takes a hit.

the world, providing information on the most problematic mycotoxins,

Regulatory detection levels set this threshold when clinical

their level of contamination and performance risk rates, and species

symptoms become evident, but Cargill sets this threshold, which it

sensitivity when exposed to a given mycotoxin.

applies in its risk assessment tools, at the level at which performance

To ensure its usefulness at a local level, global mycotoxin contamination levels and their risks are split into regions and countries.

starts to decline.

Calculating the risk of mycotoxin contamination in feeds and assessing the losses is an essential part of good husbandry.

Key points

Cargill has developed a Mycotoxin Impact Calculator, which

In 2023, mycotoxin contamination levels were slightly lower than in

estimates the loss in performance by referencing the feed material

2022 with 70% of samples being positive and 37% of the analyses

alongside the database data. From this, it calculates the effect of

exceeding Cargill’s performance risk thresholds.

the mycotoxin contamination on animal performance in each farm

The top three mycotoxins to watch for due to their prevalence and

situation. These data-backed insights help customers identify and

risk levels are Deoxynivalenol (DON; Vomitoxin), Fumonisin (FUM),

mitigate mycotoxins so performance can be maximised and financial

and Zearalenone (ZEN).

losses mitigated.

In 2023, there was a notable increase (+7%) in FUM analyses surpassing performance risk thresholds, while both the prevalence of

Accurate decisions can then be taken on whether mitigating mycotoxin measures, like feed additives, are necessary.

DON (-1%) and ZEN (-9%) decreased.

Three or more mycotoxins were detected in 78% of analyses showing the frequency of contamination with multiple mycotoxins.

Anti-mycotoxin additive The risk estimation tools allow the most appropriate control plan to be developed. Farmers and their advisers can assess the value of

Mycotoxin risk assessment

an anti-mycotoxin additive and the most appropriate product and

Mycotoxins are naturally occurring toxins produced by fungi. Levels can

dosage based on the type of mycotoxin and the contamination rate.

vary by ingredient and region, and they can affect species differently.

Cargill has developed a comprehensive portfolio of narrow and

Risk assessments take account of the contamination rate and

large spectrum anti-mycotoxin agents backed by extensive research.

level and the species sensitivity. Real time data used by Cargill as the

As Cargill continues to increase the scale of its mycotoxin

database continues to be updated, provides the most accurate risk

analyses it gets an even better understanding of the magnitude of

assessments for use in the industry and on farm.

their impact, its risk assessments become more accurate. This means

Many factors affect the type and level found in feed ingredients and an accurate assessment of their presence in real time is required

that, at a local level, feed mills and farmers can then adopt a targeted approach to mycotoxin mitigation.

“This wealth of information in

Download Cargill’s 2023

Although ruminants are less sensitive to mycotoxin contamination

this report is designed to provide

Global Mycotoxin Report

in feeds, the inclusion of forage analyses adds to the report’s usefulness

farmers and their advisers with

in ruminant mycotoxin risk evaluation.

real-time information on the most

to implement effective control in diets used in livestock production.

High concentrations of mycotoxins can result in clinical symptoms, but many feeds have low to moderate levels.

problematic mycotoxins with their level of contamination,” says report author

There is increasing evidence that mycotoxins have subclinical

Clement Soulet, global anti-mycotoxin

and indirect effects on performance loss. Livestock can unknowingly

agent category manager for Cargill’s

be affected by mycotoxin contamination which can affect their immune

animal nutrition business. It equips

system, degrade nutrient absorption and vaccine response. Feed intake

them with the information they need

and fertility can be affected, as well as meat, egg or milk production.

to implement proactive and effective

In the dairy sector, transition cows may be more susceptible than

control plans.”

Feed Compounder March/April 2024 Page 41

Advertising Feature

Adams & Green Pioneering Excellence in Animal Nutrition and Sustainability

By Laura Andrew with Rob Brocklesby, Managing Director, Adams & Green

Driven by a passion for sustainability and customer satisfaction,

Adams & Green takes pride in actively listening to its customers

East Yorkshire-based Adams & Green is a trusted feed fat producer

and partners, ensuring it develops innovative blends that meet the

specialising in supplying a diverse range of high quality products to

unique needs of new and existing sectors and align with the demands

feed compounders, farms, pet food manufacturers and feed merchants

of the market.

nationally.

Through its ongoing customer-centric innovation and industryleading customer service, Adams & Green has made a powerful mark on the UK animal feed industry.

Sustainability and customer satisfaction sit at the core of Adams & Green’s business philosophy and its commitment to product and service excellence, coupled with a focus on continuous innovation, sets it apart in a demanding industry.

Exceptional quality and customer service Customers choose Adams & Green for its exceptional products, unwavering commitment to quality and unmatched market-leading customer service.

Fundamental to its organic commercial growth, successful Founded in 2011, with a dedicated Feed Materials Assurance Scheme accredited facility in Hull, Adams & Green is more than just a feed fat producer, it’s a market leader through its unwavering commitment to innovative and successful international trade.

customer and supplier retention, is the exemplary team, led by seasoned owner and managing director Rob Brocklesby: “From the very beginning, my vision

With a deep rooted understanding of the vital role liquid feed fats

for A&G was to be

play in supporting the health and performance of livestock, Adams &

a market leader for

Green is dedicated to delivering exceptional service and top quality

quality and customer

products to its valued customers.

service, and I’m proud to say we’ve

Cutting edge innovation

accomplished

With a growing emphasis on animal welfare, sustainability and

that through the

performance, the demand for innovative and sustainable solutions is

dedication of our focused team and diligent research and development.

on the rise.

That said, our commitment to improvement knows no bounds and we

It’s why Adams & Green is committed to delivering products of the highest quality that meet the strictest industry standards, carefully formulated to meet the nutritional requirements of animals.

Continuous investment in research and development to bring new solutions and cutting-edge innovations to the UK market enables the

continuously push ourselves to lead the way and set the standard for excellence.”

Understanding its customers’ unique requirements and everchanging needs means the company prioritises a customer-centric approach in everything it does.

company to embrace emerging trends and leverage the latest scientific

Taking the time to listen and understand customers’ specific

advancements to empower its customers to stay competitive and adapt

challenges and goals, and gaining deep insights into their operations,

to the changing market landscape.

the company is able to tailor its solutions to meet customers’ individual

Its diverse and high-quality product range has set strong standards

demands.

in the industry. Always on the lookout for new raw materials and through

Whether it’s optimising feed formulations or supporting sustainable

ongoing research and development, Adams & Green is committed to

practices, Adams & Green works closely with customers to deliver the

bringing new products and concepts to its customers.

right solutions.

Page 42 March/April 2024 Feed Compounder

A homegrown global leader

The Yorkshire-based company sources from all the major

Headquartered in Hull, East Yorkshire, this independent family-owned

agricultural businesses in Argentina, as well as in mainland Europe,

company has expanded its global footprint, playing a pivotal role in

to deliver materials to Hull in order to produce the finished products

enhancing the UK’s reputation as a hub for excellence in the animal

its customers require.

feed industry.

Adams & Green’s growth is further underscored by the transition to vessel-based raw material transportation, reflecting the company’s adaptability and commitment to efficient global trade.

While global supply chain management is never easy, with vessels needing to be in the right place at the right time, Adams & Green works with trusted partners to facilitate this process to ensure a smooth flow of materials and products across borders.

The approach Adams & Green takes to its international partnerships highlights how the company is fostering global relationships. With strong international trading relationships across the world, the team works in collaboration with those outside the UK with a long term view of achieving a ‘both sides win’ approach.

From its inception, Adams & Green has distinguished itself by collaborated with their customers to enhance sustainability while

Championing sustainability: A&G’s ethical sourcing and environmental stewardship

delivering a diverse range of high-quality products.

The company’s commitment to sustainable sourcing is exemplified by

fostering a culture of innovation and excellence. They have continuously

The company’s journey began with a focus on the broiler chicken

the firm requirement of a No Deforestation, No Peat, and No Exploitation

industry but has since evolved to supply a wide range of animals,

(NDPE) policy, particularly with regard to palm oil production, ensuring

including broilers, broiler breeders, laying hens, ducks, pigs, game,

responsible procurement away from Europe.

cattle, sheep, and most recently, the Scottish salmon feed industry.

In the last three years, Adams & Green has achieved exceptional growth, driven by a dedicated focus on research and development and a willingness to collaborate internationally. The company has invested significantly in R&D, working closely with partners in Europe and other parts of the world to bring cutting-edge innovations to the UK market.

Its international presence is one of Adams & Green’s key strengths.

Sourcing 90% of its raw materials from across the globe, including South America (notably Argentina), the Far East and Europe, for the benefit of its UK-based customers who, in turn, produce for both domestic and international markets.

Rob explained: “At the heart of our business lies a commitment

Rob explained: “We’re constantly expanding our network to forge

to integrity, reflected in our stance on critical issues like No

strong partnerships with suppliers who share our values. In addition,

Deforestation, No Peat, and No Exploitation (NDPE). Upholding

we’re exploring alternative, innovative raw materials from around the

these values is non-negotiable for us, ensuring we always strive

world to enhance the quality of feed rations in the UK.”

to do what’s right.”

Actively collaborating with partners worldwide, the company

The business also sources sustainably in South America, with

has addressed global raw material supply chain challenges, from

all soy-based products derived from non-deforested land and more

sustainability to ethical considerations, demonstrating commitment to

importantly, sourcing co-products from the core soy processing.

responsible business practices on a global scale.

Adams & Green’s top-of-the-range products, supplied alongside

Feed Compounder March/April 2024 Page 43

traditional fat blends to established UK animal feed companies, have

that every customer is different, with unique goals, specific requirements

set high standards.

and ever-changing needs.

Moreover, the company’s proactive approach to addressing global

Providing personalised support and exceptional customer service,

raw material supply chain challenges, from sustainability to ethical

the company actively engages with its customers, taking the time to listen

considerations, demonstrates its commitment to responsible business

and understand their specific challenges and goals, needs and concerns.

practices.

By gaining deep insights into customer operations, A&G is able to develop tailored solutions, from optimising feed formulations to supporting sustainable practices.

Rob explained: “At Adams & Green, our customers are the heartbeat of our operations. Every decision we make, whether introducing innovative products or enhancing our customer service, is driven by our unwavering commitment to meet their needs. We recognise that Adams & Green serves a vital purpose, and it’s our privilege to serve our customers with excellence and dedication.”

A collaborative spirit Proudly operating a fully owned and liveried tanker fleet, Adams & Green aims to provide the utmost convenience and flexibility to customers, with

From formulation to manufacturing A key factor contributing to its growth is the diverse and high-quality product range, developed through rigorous research and development and an unwavering commitment to collaboration with customers.

A leader in the fast-paced animal feed industry, Adams & Green understands the importance of staying at the forefront of innovation,

trained drivers able to meet customers’ needs quickly and professionally with precision via its 15-strong fleet. Adams & Green delivers 7 days a week, including bank holidays.

The company’s success - fueled by innovation, sustainability and a collaborative spirit - not only benefits its stakeholders but also contributes significantly to the UK’s standing in the world.

working closely with customers and suppliers to achieve excellence in animal nutrition and contribute to a sustainable and thriving industry.

Forward-thinking, it works closely with customers to gain deep insights into their operations to develop tailored solutions, from optimising feed formulations to supporting sustainable practices, all from its Hull headquarters.

Open dialogue and a collaborative approach have not only solidified the company’s market presence but have also made it a trusted partner in addressing complex challenges, such as sustainability, non-GMO oils and fats, ethical supply chains, and modern-day slavery concerns within the global raw material supply chains.

More recently, it has grown by offering alternative feed blends, constantly striving to provide innovative alternatives to meet evolving industry and customer demands.

Rob added: “I’m immensely proud of the remarkable strides Adams & Green has made in just over a decade since its inception. This

With continuous investment in research and development to

achievement stands as a testament to the dedication and expertise of

bring new animal nutrition products, solutions and technologies to its

our exceptional team, who consistently strive to deliver excellence to

customers, A&G embraces emerging trends and leverages the latest

our valued customers. Looking ahead, I’m confident our trajectory will

scientific advancements to empower its customers to stay competitive

continue to ascend, fueled by our unwavering commitment to innovation

and adapt to the changing market landscape.

and customer satisfaction.”

Adams & Green’s dedication to addressing critical issues and the

Customer focused approach to innovation and service

company’s remarkable journey from a small family-owned business to a

Since 2011, A&G has been dedicated to working alongside its customers

thriving medium-sized enterprise, is a testament to its vision, innovation

to improve sustainability by offering a high-quality range of products.

and unwavering commitment to growth and excellence.

As a forward-thinking business, it has taken significant steps in

Its story is one of unwavering commitment and exceptional success,

recent years by offering alternative feed blends, constantly striving to

which, with unbridled enthusiasm, is set to continue. Together with its

provide innovative alternatives to meet evolving industry demands.

customers and suppliers, this East Yorkshire company is helping to

Setting high standards for service and innovation, A&G recognises

Page 44 March/April 2024 Feed Compounder

create a sustainable future for the animal feed industry.

Fats, Molasses & Sugars A showcase of fats and molasses/sugar products used in feed ADAMS & GREEN LTD

to their needs as well as the demands of the market to develop new,

ADAMS & GREEN LTD, an

innovative blends.

independent family-owned

With ongoing development since the end of 2022 for a soy

company based in East

alternative, Dairyflo marked the company’s return to the ruminant

Yorkshire, is a dynamic feed

sector with a non-soy blend primarily derived from sustainable palm

fat producer supplying a range

oils.

of liquid feed fat products to the animal feed manufacturing industry.

New in 2023 is Aquaflo, a non-GMO lecithin blend for aquafeed

A supplier in feed excellence and feed innovation, we’re

and Sunflo, a new blend formulated to replace crude bean oil offers

committed to working alongside our customers to improve

a like-for-like nutritional option without the use of soy or palm for

sustainability with a high quality range of products.

conscious end users.

These top of the range blends are supplied alongside traditional

Our Lecithin blends - Leciol and Superflo - are soya derived replacers for use in pig and poultry diets and replace palm oil blends

fat blends to many established UK animal feed companies.

Feed safety is central to our ethos and quality system, supplying

in ruminant feed.

Superflo+ is a fully soya derived blend designed to give an alternative option to crude soya bean oil for use on a 1:1 basis.

high quality, consistent and feed-safe products to give our customers full peace of mind. FEMAS accredited (Member No 385) by KIWA with

The development of products for new and existing sectors is

a fully traceable HACCP and quality management system, our systems

important to us here at Adams & Green. We care about doing the

are regularly audited by internal, customer and third party auditors.

best by our customers and partners and pride ourselves on listening

We operate an industry-leading and unique finished product

Innovative producer of liquid feed fats Quality assured feed safe products

EXCELLENCE IN FEED FATS

Customer focused in-house tanker fleet providing flexible service and full product traceability

EXCELLENCE IN FEED FATS

www.adamsandgreen.com 01482 968881 sales@adamsandgreen.com Feed Compounder March/April 2024 Page 45

positive release policy and encourage an open dialogue with

ED&F MAN LIQUID PRODUCTS

customers about feed material inputs and finished products. Our

ED&F Man Liquid

well-equipped in-house laboratory supports the quality system with

Products is the leading

testing of all feed materials and finished products. Positively released

supplier of molasses

on testing, our finished products are fully compliant with current feed

based liquid products to

safety regulations, with analysis available at any time.

the feed manufacturing

We recognise the sensitivity of some of the global raw material

industry. Offering a

supply chains and proactively work with customers and supply chain

range of product options to suit individual production needs. Whether

partners to understand and manage issues such as sustainability,

you are looking for molasses as a raw material ingredient of more

Non-GMO oils and fats, ethical supply chains and modern day slavery.

specialist coating products we can supply highly cost effective

Operating a Fully Owned Liveried Tanker Fleet, our trained drivers are flexible to meet customer needs quickly and professionally 7 days

solutions to meet the ever increasing demands of our industry.

Molasses blends represent excellent value especially as sugars

per week.

are now recognised as a key nutritional component of an effective

Adams & Green Limited

ruminant ration and are vital in producing good quality pellets.

Plot 9, Burma Drive,

Recent R&D work carried out by ED&F Man has highlighted the

Hull, East Yorkshire, HU9 5SD

value of 6-Carbon sugars in ruminant rations especially in the area of

Email: sales@adamsandgreen.com

improved fibre digestion. It is therefore, important to look at maximising

Tel: 01482 968881

inclusions in compound feed formulations

Web: www.adamsandgreen.com

The Millspec range offers cost effective options designed to supply high levels of nutrition with ease of handling to ensure high

AZELIS

quality pellet production

Azelis Animal Nutrition has a

Molglo/Blendflo: The market leader in coating product

developing fat portfolio which

technology, if one of our current range doesn’t fit the bill we will work

now includes our NxtLac ®

together to produce a bespoke solution tailored to our customers

range of calcium soaps,

specific needs.

offering a range of fatty acid

ED&F Man can also offer bespoke products formulated to exactly

profiles and options based on

meet customers individual requirements

either palm oil or non-palm

Web: www.edfmanliquidproductsuk.com

oil derived raw materials

Twitter: @EDFMan_Molasses

In addition Azelis Animal Nutrition distributes the Energizer RP10

Instagram:edfmanliquidproductsuk

premium rumen protected fat produced by IFFCO Malaysia from refined, fully sustainable Malaysian palm oil sources and certified to the GMP+ quality assurance standard.

TROUW NUTRITION

Energizer RP10 is a pure 100% fat delivering both a high level of palmitic acid (C16, typically 88-92%) and the highest possible dietary energy concentration.

Its rumen stability means it is preferred over alternative protected fat sources where high levels of supplementation are required and

Trouw Nutrition’s Maxcare molassed mineral bucket range has

in dietary situations predisposing to low rumen pH or low milk fat

recently been reformulated to balance UK diets. The Maxcare range

content, eg TMR’s based on acidic silage and/or high starch content,

of minerals is formulated using forage analysis averages from the

spring grazing etc.

Trouw Nutrition GB laboratory, ensuring that the mineral specifications

A white, free flowing flake, Energizer RP10 is both palatable and

are suitable for GB farmers. The Maxcare mineral specifications

highly digestible, whilst its high melting point ensures it remains rumen

are suited for all classes of livestock, especially suited to extensive

inert. It is therefore ideal for boosting both milk yield and butterfat

systems where mineral buckets are a more convenient source of

concentration, helping farmers take advantage of milk compositional

mineral supplementation compared to powdered minerals.

quality premiums or avoid quality penalties.

The cattle range includes: Cattle bucket for all cattle on a wide

For further information please contact Leia Trotman at Azelis on: +44

range of forage based diets- High Mag bucket for all cattle including

(0)7792116659 or via email: leia.trotman@azelis.co.uk

dairy and suckler cows to reduce the risk of grass staggers in spring

Page 46 March/April 2024 Feed Compounder

and autumn- Suckler bucket ideal to balance forage based diets

UNITED MOLASSES

throughout the year- Dry Cow bucket for in calf cows and heifers, contains a range of specific additives to help support cow performance during the stressful period in the run up to calving, as well as calf health and vigour- Cattle Protein and Energy bucket suitable for cattle all year round, particularly where extra energy and protein is required such as later in the grazing season and for outwintered

United Molasses GB Ltd offers a range of molasses products developed

cattle- Cattle Easy Breather suitable for calves and youngstock at

specifically to meet the diverse needs of compound animal feed

risk of respiratory disorders.

manufacturers. Our range consists of high energy liquids such as

The sheep range includes: Sheep bucket for sheep all year round-

our Feed Mill Molasses in addition to products with modified flow

Sheep High Mag ideal for lactating ewes at risk of grass staggers

characteristics such as Millflow to help ease any potential handling

during spring- High Protein and Energy suitable where extra protein

issues. We believe our product range allows us to offer a liquid that

and energy is required, such as alongside poorer quality grazing and

will fit every mill situation.

mid-pregnancy- Super Boost Ewe with added fish oil, ideal for ewes at tupping time and in the run up to lambing, also suitable for flock replacements and growing and finishing lambs.

The cattle and sheep range includes: Garlic bucket ideal for cattle and sheep during the summer to help discourage flies and biting insects.

All our buckets contain IntelliBond which optimizes the trace

At United Molasses GB Ltd we have also developed an extensive range of specialist coating products that includes our Molashine and Molablend ranges which caters to the diverse needs of coarse mixes and blended feeds. These products supply all the nutritional benefits of molasses while also significantly enhancing the physical appearance of the finished mix.

United Molasses GB Ltd, Athel House, Liverpool L20 8DD Tel +44 (0)151 955 4850

Fax +44 (0) 151 955 4860

element delivery in the diet.

E-mail: molassesgb@umgroup.com

For more details visit: trouwnutrition.co.uk

Web: www.unitedmolasses.com

STRAW AND MOLASSES WILL HELP EXTEND SILAGE STOCKS With turnout delayed across the country and silage stocks running

silage to allow an extra day of winter housing from current silage

down, incorporating a proportion of straw and molasses in the diet

stocks.

will be an effective way to eke out silage stocks.

“The molasses blend plays a crucial role in maintaining

“Due to the continued wet weather, the prospects for turnout

good rumen function. Molasses blends contain highly rumen

are not encouraging,” concedes Georgina Chapman from molasses

fermentable sugars, increasing microbial protein production and

blends specialists ED&F Man. “While grass covers are increasing,

stimulating rumen microbes to improve fibre digestion. The blend

ground conditions mean cows on many farms will be unable to

used in the trial also contained Regulated Release protein, which

graze effectively, putting pressure on silage stocks.

releases nitrogen at a steady rate to optimise rumen microbial

“So it will be important to look at ways to extend silage stocks until cows can go out. One cost-effective option is to consider

activity. Coupled with a high sugar content, they promote rumen fermentation and activity and can utilise straw effectively.

feeding straw and a molasses blend. This can either be used to

When implementing a straw-based diet, it is important

replace a proportion of grass silage in the milking diet, or to replace

to provide good access to a plentiful supply of clean water.

silage totally in heifer and growing cattle diets.

Additionally, the transition from a silage-based diet to a straw based

Trials at the South West Dairy Development Centre

must be controlled, by introducing more straw into the diet and

in conjunction with Kingshay showed that it is possible to

reducing silage over a few days to give the rumen microbes time

successfully replace 2.5kg silage dry matter in dairy diets (around

to adjust to the new forage. Finally, straw is deficient in minerals

7-10kg freshweight) with 2.2kgFW of straw and 1kg of a molasses

so additional mineral supplementation could be necessary.

blend. Assuming cows had been fed 12.5kgDM of silage, moving

“Incorporating straw and molasses into dairy diets now will

to 10kgDM of silage and the straw: molasses blend alternative

help minimise the consequences of any delay to turnout,” Ms

would mean every four days on the new diet would save enough

Chapman advises.

Feed Compounder March/April 2024 Page 47

Sensory Products A Round-up of Sensory Products: Flavours/Palatants/Sweeteners, Colourants/Pigmenters

ADM

The range of flavours include more vanilla, milky, flavours for young

ADM is a global leader in animal

animals, fruity flavours for growing animals and more spicy noted

nutrition solutions and services,

flavours for older animals.

including sensory products.

Azelis also offers three sweeteners:

These sensory products include

Piggysweet is a uniquely formulated sweetener specifically

an extensive range of flavours,

designed for inclusion in piglet diets up to four months of age. Trials

sweeteners (SUCRAM),

have proven it to outperform leading sweeteners when included in

and combination palatants

the diets of weaned piglets.

(MAGNASWEET).

Appitello Naturale is an entirely natural sweetener, produced

ADM has been a pioneer in the sensory products for animal

from plant extracts and designed to enhance the palatability of

nutrition space, and has specific in-house expertise in innovating,

animal feed in situations where saccharin based sweeteners are

developing and commercialising palatant products for animal nutrition

not permitted. It has a sweetening power approximately 300 times

applications.

greater than sucrose making it a highly effective natural solution. It

ADM has recently launched two swine-specific, saccharin-free

is suitable for use in all species.

sweetener products, SUCRAM SPECIFEEK and SUCRAM M’I SWEET.

Phytosweet is a plant-derived appetising additive with a

Developed in collaboration with the University of Liverpool, these

pleasant, hay-like scent. With a sweetening power 40 – 50 times

sweeteners have been formulated to specifically and synergistically

that of sugar, it is effective as a flavour-sweetener and it also allows

activate the swine sweet taste receptor. As in-feed, saccharin-free

reduced dietary molasses inclusions whilst still boosting feed intake.

sweeteners, they promote improved outcomes for piglets from weaning

For further information please contact Leia Trotman at Azelis on: +44

through fattening, and for the environment.

(0)7792116659 or via email: leia.trotman@azelis.co.uk

Contact: Sarah Cooper

BIOCHEM

Global Director, Creation, Design & Development, Animal Nutrition

TechnoYeast – the

sarah.cooper@adm.com

tasty all rounder for improved gut

AZELIS Azelis Animal Nutrition offers an

development TechnoYeast is a functional feed material based on the unique and highly palatable milky-umami yeast strain Kluyveromyces fragilis.

extensive range of feed flavours

TechnoYeast contains high levels of essential amino acids, umami-

and sweeteners on behalf of

tasting peptides for support of feed intake and beneficial nucleotides for

Phytobiotics for the UK & Ireland

cell growth and further immunological effects. Furthermore, it contains

feed market.

valuable cell wall components, such as mannan-oligosaccharides and

The range of feed flavours under the Miracol brand covers savoury, fruity, milky/creamy and spicy options developed to optimise

ß-1,3/1,6-glucans which bind pathogens such as E. coli or Salmonella and activate immune defences, respectively.

both smell and taste of feeds for all categories of livestock. Strategic

Research has shown TechnoYeast significantly increases feed

use of flavours in early life feeds, i.e. milk replacer/starter feed can

intake, improves weight development and reduces gut health problems.

have a significant effect on reducing stress during weaning and

Thanks to its high nutritional value, TechnoYeast can furthermore be

improve the intake which can be affected by the change from liquid to dry feed.

Miracol flavours are available in powder, encapsulated and liquid forms as required. Expert advice is on hand to ensure that selected flavours are compatible with strong tasting or smelling ingredients.

Page 48 March/April 2024 Feed Compounder

used in a cost optimised way. TechnoYeast increases feed acceptance, enhances intestinal development and supports immune functions, especially in young animals. All this combined, it ultimately leads to better gut functionality, less gut health problems and enhanced performance. www.biochem.net

DSM NUTRITIONAL PRODUCTS LTD

pigmentation of egg yolk. Recently, the formulas have been updated to bring synthetic pigments to the market without ingredients of animal origin. In

CRINA® – delivering essential digestive performance Our specific digestive solutions have been developed using speciallycreated blends of essential oil components.

Digestive efficiency has an immense impact on the performance and profitably of farmed animals. Animals that use feed more efficiently: • Grow faster • Produce more • Have lower feed costs • Are more profitable Rising feed costs mean that the challenge of achieving more efficient digestion is even more important than before.

CRINA® contains essential oil components proven in trials to improve feed digestion and provide great benefits.

Essential oil components have shown to work on two fronts. Firstly, they improve the balance of gut microflora, increasing the proportion of beneficial bacteria and reducing the amounts of pathogenic and undesirable bacteria in the animal’s system.

Secondly, they have shown to stimulate the animal to produce more digestive enzymes. This improves the effectiveness of feed breakdown

both Elovital Red and Elovital Yellow, the gelatine has now been replaced by lignin sulfonate, obtained from pulping processes linked to the wood industry.

With the naturally low level of pigments available in poultry feed ingredients, laying hens and broilers are often unable to deposit the preferred colour in either the egg yolk or the broiler skin. Applying Elovital Red to laying hen diets leads to significant changes in redness, yellowness and brightness of the egg yolk. By combining Elovital Red with Elovital Yellow, the desired colour of egg yolk and skin (for broilers) can be reached. Therefore, Elovital Red and Elovital Yellow provide the perfect tool to precisely control different colours.

Elovital Red and Elovital Yellow guarantee optimal product stability, proven both for the pure products as week as after pelletising the feed.

Elovital Red and Elovital Yellow are the trustworthy choice to reach consistent results in colouration of egg yolk and broiler skin. Both products are produced under FAMI-QS guidelines, guaranteeing high quality and safety.

For more information, visit our website www.orffa.com

in the gut.

Of course, different species require different essential oil components.

All flavouring components in CRINA® products are approved for feed

INROADS INTERNATIONAL LTD

and food, and appear on the Register of Feed Additives (Reg 1831/2003) of the European Union and the FEMA (Flavor and Extracts Manufacturers Association) and/or GRAS (Generally Recognised As Safe) listings.

The power of phytogenics Digestarom® line of phytogenics contains unique blends of herbs and spices, essential oils and other plant extracts to improve palatability

Aroma stimulates animal appetite and creates commercial feed appeal.

and acceptance of feed, support digestion and overall performance of

Taste provides a critical platform for driving feed intake and palatability

farm animals.

throughout an animal’s growth and dietary transition. So how do you

Digestarom® supports the development of the gastrointestinal tract and can help ease stress effects during critical periods in animal production and development.

maximise this opportunity?

Inroads International is a proud, British manufacturer of flavours, aromatics and seasonings. We support UK and global feed

Digestarom is proven to enhance digestibility, which is a pre-

manufacturers with the science of flavour, using our expertise to help

requisite for the efficient conversion of raw materials into milk production

influence feed palatability and feed intakes for all livestock and pet

or growth performance, while also reducing intestinal stress.

sectors.

Improved digestibility of feed means there are less free nutrients

So, if you’re tired of the same generic flavoured milk powder and

available in the gut to nourish pathogenic bacteria, as well as less

want to create your own brand differentiation, for example, then let us

nutrients being excreted into the environment, thus reducing emissions.

show you how condensed milk and caramel flavours can freshen up

For more information visit www.dsm.com/anh

your range and optimise neonatal growth.

Why not make use of our knowledge and experience and unleash the full potential of your product range; it’s all a matter of good taste.

ORFFA

Inroads International Ltd,

Elovital Red and Elovital Yellow, pigments to improve the colouring

Unit 4 Wem Engineering Centre,

of egg yolk and broiler skin

Church Lane, Wem, Shropshire, SY4 5HS

Elovital Yellow contains 10% β-Apo-8’-carotenoic acid ethyl ester

Tel: +44 (0) 1939 236 555

and is designed to optimise yellow colouration in animal production.

Email: info@inroadsintl.com

Elovital Red consists of 10% canthaxanthin and ensures a uniform

Web: www.inroadsintl.com

Feed Compounder March/April 2024 Page 49

FORFARMERS 2023 RESULTS ForFarmers has released its results for the year ending 2023. The key highlights are detailed below.

• Implementation of ’Local in the lead’ is bearing fruit; the second half of 2023 showed a recovery of the market position and a clear improvement in underlying profitability • Total volume was 8.4 million tonnes in 2023 (2022: 9.0 million tonnes); adjusted for Belgian volumes, compound feed volume in the second half 2023 was in line with the first half • Gross profit declined 3.5% as a result of the decline in volume and volatile raw material and fertilizer prices. In H2 2023 gross profit rose 2.1% compared to a year earlier • Underlying EBITDA came in at €70.0 million and underlying EBIT was €32.7 million; this was lower compared to 2022 but, as expected, H2 showed a strong improvement compared to both H1 2023 and H2 2022 • Underlying net profit was €22.7 million. There was a reported net loss of €1.0 million, mainly as a result of one-off non-cash items • Strongly improved net cash flow from operating activities as a result of favourable developments in working capital and raw material prices • Successful implementation of organisational changes aimed at more local responsibility and cost-saving measures • Following the acquisition of Piast in Poland and Thunderbrook (horse feed activities) in the United Kingdom in January 2024 and the sale of the compound feed activities in Belgium, ForFarmers is more strongly positioned for growth • Dividend proposal of €0.15 per ordinary share (2022: €0.20) Specifically discussing their UK cluster the report detailed that: In the United Kingdom, ForFarmers achieved success with its specialist approach in the dairy sector, managing to improve its position in this market. Despite the high availability of good forage and lower milk prices at the end of 2023 the market saw volume growth for the full year.

The non-integrated market for pigs and broilers is contracting amid increasing chain integration. This trend continued, resulting in a loss of volumes.

Poultry volumes were impacted by the effects of avian flu, particularly in the first half of the year.

On balance gross profit showed a stable development over the year, partly

Page 50 March/April 2024 Feed Compounder

due to a higher share of ruminant feeds in the product mix. Underlying operating expenses increased as a result of inflation and higher production costs, partly offset by lower energy costs. The number of FTEs decreased during the year, in line with the sharpened focus. Underlying operating profitability declined.

In early 2023 ForFarmers UK and 2Agriculture abandoned their proposed joint venture announced in 2022. This joint venture was the response to the increasingly integrated poultry market in the United Kingdom. Similar chain integration is happening in the swine sector. ForFarmers has recently been considering the best solution for the future of its customers and operations in the United Kingdom. A reorganisation of the UK organisation has been announced, and as a result, the divestment process of two factories starts. Deliveries to customers will be transferred to other ForFarmers locations.

The full report can be accessed from the ForFarmers’ website.

DSM-FIRMENICH AND DONAU SOJA TEAM UP TO HIGHLIGHT THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF FEED INGREDIENTS ON ANIMAL PROTEIN WITH SUSTELLTM dsm-firmenich and Donau Soja, an international non-profit organisation supporting sustainable European soya, are proud to announce their partnership to highlight the environmental footprint of animal feeds and feed ingredients using SustellTM, the LCA platform for the animal protein value chain.

The impact of eggs, meat, milk and farmed seafood on the environment greatly depends on what animals eat and how they use it. The ecological footprints of various raw materials and ingredients in the feed can vary enormously. Advanced life cycle assessment (LCA) platforms, such as Sustell™, enable the feed and animal protein sectors to precisely measure and improve their sustainability and unlock new sources of revenue.

David Nickell, Vice President of Sustainability & Business Solutions at dsmfirmenich, Animal Nutrition & Health said, “Our commitment to this partnership with Donau Soja will help empower businesses along the value chain to both improve and communicate the sustainability of their operations. Accurate, scalable and credible LCA measurement of a product’s environmental impact from farm to fork is fundamental to unlocking multiple value opportunities such as eco-labelling initiatives of both food and feed, sustainable finance, adherence to the latest sustainability reporting requirements, as well as being a strong business diagnostic to understand

where best practice is within the production process.”

Roughly one-third of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions come from food production, with 10-15% of this coming directly from livestock emissions. Companies along the food value chain are increasingly called upon to measure, report and reduce their environmental footprints because of their sustainability commitments, regulatory requirements, and consumer preferences.

Susanne Fromwald, Senior Advisor and Programme Director at Donau Soja adds: “Animal feed accounts for 40 to 60% of the environmental footprint of eggs, meat, milk and farmed fish. Protein sources in animal feed, such as non-certified soybean meal from overseas or even Europe, can be major contributors to the overall greenhouse gas footprint. Donau Soja has conducted several science-based calculations with renowned institutes whose results show the carbon footprint reduction potential of using certified European soya. With Donau Soja certified non-GM sustainable conversionfree European feed we could prove for example a reduction of 42% CO2 emissions per kilogram pork. The partnership with dsm-firmenich, using SustellTM creates benefits for our Donau Soja members to do more science-based calculations and bring greater transparency to the feed and food industry that empowers more sustainable food production and consumption.”

BORREGAARD ENSURES APPROVAL OF LIGNOSULFONATES FOR USE IN ANIMAL FEED WITHIN EUROPE Borregaard is proud to announce the reauthorisation of its lignosulfonate products as feed additives for all animal species by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).

As the only lignosulfonate producer, Borregaard has spearheaded the reauthorisation process towards EFSA and the EU Commission over the past thirteen years.

“We have compiled a thorough dossier, demonstrating the performance and safety of our lignosulfonates. We are therefore very pleased with this approval, which validates the efficacy and safety of our products as feed additives for the foreseeable future”, says Tom Stylo, Business Director Feed Additives at Borregaard.

The date of effect is 21.03.2024. This approval applies to the use of Borregaard’s lignosulfonates as a technological additive (functional group: binders) for all animal species and underlines the company’s commitment to delivering sustainable solutions to the feed industry.

NOVUS ACQUIRES ENZYME COMPANY BIORESOURCE INTERNATIONAL, INC. NOVUS International, Inc. announced it has completed the acquisition of U.S.based enzyme company BioResource International, Inc. (BRI). Under the terms of the agreement, NOVUS becomes the owner of all BRI’s products and intellectual property and takes control of the company’s facilities.

“This move will allow us to serve our customers better and expand our innovation pipeline further,” says NOVUS President & CEO Dan Meagher. “Enzymes are vital tools for producers to ensure animal health and well-being and help deliver on-farm profitability. We’re very excited to offer our customers more options, as well as aspire to develop new feed additives.”

The relationship between the two companies isn’t new. NOVUS has partnered with BRI since 2008 to manufacture its protease product, CIBENZA® Enzyme Feed Additive. Meagher says having full ownership and control of the product line and the option to expand NOVUS’ portfolio beyond protease enzymes is a natural fit in the company’s long-term strategic plans.

“NOVUS’ priorities include investing further in functional proteins and the gut health segment, growing our portfolio, and achieving stronger control of our supply chain,” he says. “Along with supporting these goals, acquiring BRI also increases our capabilities to develop innovative solutions in the fermentation space.”

BRI’s products include Versazyme® protease feed additive, Xylamax® xylanase feed enzyme, Dymanase® mannanase enzyme, Phytamax® granulated, thermostable, microbial 6-phytase enzyme; and EnzaPro® enzyme and direct-fed microbials, among others.

Along with BRI’s current product portfolio, NOVUS also takes over the company’s facilities in North Carolina in the U.S. Meagher says continuity is key for current BRI customers and they should experience “business as usual” during the integration process.

FAIR AND TRANSPARENT DAIRY CONTRACTS FOR ALL AFTER MORE THAN A DECADE OF CAMPAIGNING

More than a decade on from the NFU’s SoS Dairy Campaign, and the UK farming unions first calling out unfair practices and abuses of power in the dairy supply chain, new legislation being laid in Parliament this week will ensure fair and transparent contracts for all dairy farmers in the UK. In response to ongoing campaigning by the UK farming unions, the government held an industry-wide consultation in 2020 which found unfair practices within the supply chain linked to buyers having the power to set and modify the terms of a contract with no negotiation with the producer and little notification.

The new regulations, a commitment set out at the Prime Minister’s Farm to Fork Summit last year, will establish transparency and accountability across the dairy supply chain by stopping contract changes being imposed without agreement. There will also be a system in place to enable farmers to verify the calculation of variable prices. The regulations also include an enforcement regime, backed up by the ability for the Secretary of State to impose substantial financial penalties in respect of any breaches.

NFU dairy board chair Michael Oakes said: “It became clear to us back in 2012 that the voluntary code of practice still left many dairy farmers open to unfair practices and abuses of power, so this marks a significant step in a long road of campaigning by the NFU and the other farming unions to improve fairness across the supply chain.

“For a long time, unfair milk contracts have held back many UK dairy businesses, and these changes will help give dairy farmers much needed business security and confidence. While progress has taken far longer than any of us hoped and expected, I am confident that, from today, we are finally on the right path to building a stronger, more resilient future for the UK dairy sector. Notwithstanding the progress that is being made, the NFU believes that representative organisations, such as

producer organisations, will play an important role in helping farmers negotiate contracts within the dairy sector and we will continue to support the development of representative structures like these to help improve trust and collaboration across the supply chain.

“We will continue to work with government and the wider dairy industry to not only benefit farm businesses and the dairy supply chain, but the millions of people who value access to quality, sustainable, nutritious British milk and other dairy products on a daily basis.”

NEW TREHANE TRUST WEBSITE LAUNCHED UK dairy industry charity, The Trehane Trust, has launched a new website with details of its scholarships, dairy study groups and networking opportunities. The new website can be found at: trehanetrust.org.uk.

The Trehane Trust, which was set up in 1977 on the retirement of Sir Richard Trehane as Chairman of the Milk Marketing Board, supports knowledge transfer and career development within the dairy supply chain.

As part of this, it sponsors up to two dairy-focused Nuffield Scholarships each year. There are now more than 100 Nuffield Farming Trust Trehane scholars.

“The new website is our shop window for attracting dairy-minded people from all sections of the supply chain who are keen to progress their own knowledge, and also research sectors of the industry that may benefit the UK dairy industry,” says dairy business adviser and Trehane Trust chair Diana Allen. “This may be from a scholarship, or from taking part in the many seminars, study tours and workshops that we are involved with.”

The Trehane Trust also offers dairy industry research fellowships on subjects specific and topical in the dairy industry.

Transforming the stock inventory process for animal feed mills

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Feed Compounder March/April 2024 Page 51

2024 SFT RUMINANT TH CONFERENCE—18 APRIL The 2024 SFT Ruminant conference is now available for booking on the SFT website.

The conference is being held on the 18th April 2024 at the Windmill hotel in Coventry. The packed agenda includes two presentations from SFT Edgar Pye winners.

• Further talks include: • Welcome - Tom Butler, Conference Chair • Net Zero Beef – Who, What, How and Why - George Peart, Promar Sustainability Team Lead and James Royce, Sustainability Consultant for Promar • The effect of starter pelleted intake on faecal starch and pH of pre-weaned dairy calves - Amber Broadway, Harper Adams University • Dairy calf microbiome and the potential effect of probiotics Aisling Carroll, Hartpury University • Recent research on improving the efficiency of protein utilization in dairy production systems - Chris Reynolds, Reading University • Update on genetics with a view on beef sustainability - Mike Coffey, SRUC • Beef Signals - from the farm to the abattoir - Bruno Martin, Ruminants Technical Manager, Lallemand Animal Nutrition

OHT’s intellectual property strategy and protects OHT’s IP over the core claims of how its OceanFeedTM proprietary blended seaweed additive products work and the benefits it leads to. The patent covers a range of formulations providing OHT with significant flexibility in the future, both in terms of which seaweeds the Company uses and the exact proportions in which these are combined to produce the end products delivered to customers.

The patent, GB1909443.2 “Seaweed Blend for Modifying Gut Microbiota” has been issued by the UK Intellectual Property Office and similar applications have been made in other relevant jurisdictions by OHT. To OHT’s knowledge, this is the only patent that has been granted in any of OHT’s target markets which covers the mode of action of a seaweed blend as an additive to animal feed diets.

Mark Williams, CEO of OHT, commented: “The granting of this patent is a very important milestone for OHT. For a number of years we have been demonstrating improved performance in production animals from adding OceanFeedTM to their diets including higher growth rates, reduced mortality and improved feed efficiency. The grant of this patent enables us to uniquely make and protect the claims over these performance improvements and how they are achieved, which is through the specific pre-biotic effect our product has in the microbiome of the animals.”

• Holistic approach to carbon footprint reduction in dairy farms - Jim Uprichard, Technical Manager – Sustainability for GB and Ireland Trouw Nutrition GB

SOYA SUPPLY THREAT AND LIKELY PREMIUMS PROVIDES OPPORTUNITY FOR RESPONSIBLE ALTERNATIVES

The full agenda can also be found online.

With less than a year before EU Deforestation regulations are implemented, dairy producers are being warned of a potential scarcity of supply of imported soya products, alongside likely price hikes on what is available.

Conversely, this is providing an opportunity to consider alternative responsible protein sources to fill the requirement, while also reducing feed carbon numbers.

The regulations entered into force from 29 June 2023, and means that from 1 Jan 2025, any soya product must be traceable to point of origin, with a segregated supply chain, and must not have been sourced from recently deforested land or an area that has contributed to forest degradation.

“This particularly applies to at-risk countries, from a deforestation point of view, such as Brazil and Argentina,” says

OCEAN HARVEST TECHNOLOGY GRANTED SECOND PATENT Ocean Harvest Technology is pleased to announce that it has been granted a second patent, covering a wide range of claims about the benefits of using its OceanFeedTM product in the diets of a range of animals.

The patent protects the claims: i) of how OHT’s product positively impacts the gut through its proven prebiotic effect; and, ii) that this results in increased body weight and/or improved feed efficiency in a wide range of animals.

The grant of this patent is a core pillar of

Page 52 March/April 2024 Feed Compounder

Chris Davidson, head of procurement at AB Agri’s ruminant division.

“It is a huge change in requirements, because all of the soya that currently comes into the EU or UK is predominantly any origin, meaning shippers can source from wherever the cheapest point is, and just ship it into the different countries,” he adds.

What this means in practice is that currently, shippers are not offering anything for February 2025 onwards, as they look into how to meet those requirements, and the costs of doing so.

The situation is further complicated by uncertainty around UK regulations, and how they will align to the EU’s position.

“At this stage, no-one is sure where to source soya or the cost involved, so there is a great deal of uncertainty,” says Mr Davidson.

“Farmers have a decision to make, are they willing to pay that premium, or wait and potentially miss opportunities, without knowing how much they will end up having to pay,” he adds.

This does provide a good opportunity for products such as NovaPro from Trident Feeds, the UK grown and manufactured high energy rumen by-pass rape expeller.

As it is sourced from British rapemeal there are no availability issues, with the added and significant environmental benefits over the use of imported soya products.

“This xylig-treated rapeseed expeller is an ideal complement as a protein source,” says Trident Feeds ruminant technical manager Charlotte Ward.

“Trials run at the University of Nottingham found rations containing NovaPro produced an additional 1.7 litres of milk per cow per day compared to a soya and rape ration, with no significant effect on milk constituents.

“The trials also found an improved amino acid profile, rape having a closer amino acid profile to milk protein than soya, and improved protein utilisation, shown by a significant reduction in milk urea nitrogen levels, meaning less nitrogen pollution on farm,” she adds.

“NovaPro allows producers to replace soya fully or partially, whilst improving animal performance. Its carbon footprint is also only around 1/7th of the carbon footprint of soya*.

“There is a significant risk of soya within the EU and coming into the UK being at a premium to the price we have been used to trading at,” says Mr Davidson.

“NovaPro offers a cost-effective and viable alternative. You can cover it forward today, and you know what prices you are going to pay. In doing so, you are also reducing your carbon footprint as well.” * GFLI figure for soya coming into the UK including Land Use Change, NovaPro figure submitted for review into GFLI branded data

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Result-driven Feed Formulation

another partner, deciding the “deliberately different” approach

Your partner for feed optimization and ration calculation

might be for them too. If you have or are considering Dynamics AX/

•

Quality control at your advantage

Dynamics 365 then give us a call to see if we are different in the

•

Introduce quality control/assurance in the core of your

right way for you.

business processes

Tel: +44 (0) 1423 223 511

Smart Commodity trade, risk management and procurement

or e-mail Chris Black (chris.black@binary.ax) or Andrew Birch

software

(andrew@binary.ax)

•

•

Feed Compounder March/April 2024 Page 53

CORE Tech

It has an intuitive graphical browser interface accessible from any device with a browser. The web pages are published on a local server protected by the client’s firewall and network security. As opposed to

In the ever-evolving landscape of the feed industry, efficiency and

cloud-based software it is not reliant

adaptability are paramount for success. As challenges like fluctuating

on an internet connection. Reliability

commodity prices, supply chain disruptions, and sustainability concerns

remains the key for process control

continue to shape the sector, the need for innovative solutions becomes

and that with usability and optimisation underpins the Imperium4Feed

increasingly apparent.

architecture and design.

COREmill, the market leader in customised grain software from CORE Tech, is poised to revolutionise feed mill operations.

COREmill offers a comprehensive solution designed to streamline all aspects of feed production, from inventory management to formulation and beyond. Its customisable features allow feed producers to tailor the software to their specific needs, ensuring seamless integration into existing workflows and maximum efficiency gains.

By providing real-time insights into inventory levels, production schedules, and ingredient formulations, the software empowers feed producers to make data-driven decisions that minimise waste and maximise profitability. Whether it’s adjusting production schedules

Imperium4 is a software for life solution which is continually evolving

to accommodate fluctuations in demand or fine-tuning ingredient

and improving through over the air updates from our R&D team to bring

formulations to optimise nutritional value, COREmill equips businesses with the tools they need to stay agile in a rapidly changing market.

new features and user experience enhancements ensuring your plant and operations remain ahead of regulatory and technological advancements.

COREmill’s advanced analytics capabilities enable feed producers to identify trends, pinpoint areas for improvement, and forecast future demand with precision. This proactive approach not only enhances operational efficiency but also fosters strategic growth and innovation.

In an industry where margins are tight and competition is fierce, having a reliable partner like COREmill can make all the difference. By streamlining operations, optimising resource utilisation, and providing actionable insights, COREmill empowers feed producers to overcome the challenges of the feed industry and thrive in an increasingly competitive market landscape.

Web: www.coretechnology.ie Tel: +353 25 41400

There are also several additional modules • Plan4Imperium – Visual production planning module • OOE4imperium – Mill performance monitoring module • CMMS4Imperium – Integrated maintenance management module • Insight4Imperium – Online report viewing module.

For further information or a demonstration please contact: Bill Wright – Datastor Systems – billwright@datastorsystems.com 01260 277025 Matthew Swallow – DSL limited – matthewswallow@dsl-systems.com 01159 813700

DSL / Datastor Systems Feed Dynamics Imperium4Feed is the award-winning mill control software offered by Datastor Systems, DSL Systems and WEM Automation all of whom are part of the Valstone Process Control Division. Recognised at the IPPE 2023 show in Atlanta winning an award for “Best of the Best in Animal Feed” and at the end of last year the new Imperium4 website was launched www.imperium4.com Imperium4Feed is a process control, planning and information system that is designed specifically for feed and grain plants, including animal feed mills, pet food plants, pre-mix plants and grain silo storage.

Page 54 March/April 2024 Feed Compounder

Feed Dynamics is a system specifically built for (in fact born out of) a UK feed mill (it works in Ireland too!), built on Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations. Feed Dynamics is the bit built by Binary to take the extremely featureful but generic Dynamics 365 ERP and make it work for a feed mill. To do that we add features including: •

Raw Material Contracting & Position Analysis

•

Sales Contracting

•

Formulation Import (from all major formulation systems)

•

Raw Material Cost Sets and Advanced Margin Analysis

•

Full Product Labelling & Bulk Declaration Generation

•

Simplified Central Product Management

•

Graphical Map-based Transport Planning, Load Building and

• •

Have you started your automation and digitisation journey?

Are your process controls taking you where you want to go, quickly and

Costing

efficiently?

Full Two-way Integration with Process Control Systems (DSL,

Do you have seamless integration

Datastor & ICM)

between all aspects of your production

Touch-screen Weighbridge module with integration to multiple

software?

brands of weigh head •

Promtek Ltd

Mobile Apps for Sales Reps and Raw Material Buyers

Promtek can help you answer ‘yes’ to those questions!

We’ve designed and built manufacturing and production process

Feed Dynamics is more than just a software add-on to D365. It’s

control systems since 1972. It’s our passion. Our decades of knowledge

the culmination of 20 years’ experience implementing and operating

and innovation have created intelligent integrations for the animal feed

Microsoft Dynamics in the feed industry. Our customers have told us

industry and beyond. Our systems engineering experts create bespoke

that when they buy Feed Dynamics from Binary, they are our buying

process automation technology and instrumentation for weighing and

our experience and understanding of the feed industry as much as they

handling processes of all sizes and complexities.

are buying the software. That’s why we’re proud that 21 mills are now

We’re confident we have the production solution for you.

using Feed Dynamics with 3 more joining them in 2024.

Our StoraWeigh process control system is one of Promtek’s

To find out a bit more about Feed Dynamics contact Chris Black (chris.black@binary.ax) or Andrew Birch (andrew@binary.ax) or call us on +44 (0) 1423 223 511

Primetics

signature products, developed with over 50 years of industry insight. It’s a robust and reliable system, adaptable to the needs of any factory. It integrates with multiple PLCs and provides a customer-specific control centre to ensure optimal production.

The Storaweigh suite is complemented by graphics management

The global challenge of feeding an ever-

options, including Kestrel SCADA. This user interface allows specific

growing population, expected to surpass

adaptations of trend reporting and multi-site views to suit customer needs.

10 billion by 2050, necessitates heightened

It also has the flexibility to coordinate process control across all levels

efficiency in feed production. Gold Feed

of production. The Microman options, with barcode scanning and label

software offers a comprehensive ERP solution tailored to optimize mill performance amidst rising pressures such as commodity prices, supply chain complexities, and sustainability concerns.

Financial management is pivotal for profitability, especially amid

printing capabilities, expertly manage stand-alone or integrated singleingredient throughput and raw material hand-weighing.

Additionally, our Condor platform is a browser-based production management system designed to provide business-specific insights, offering four modules to enhance production:

volatile commodity prices. Gold Feed aids in financial control by

• The Manufacturing Execution System (MES), for formulation

streamlining invoicing, sales, and purchase transactions, enhancing

control, raw material in and outtakes, scheduling, works orders,

budget management and profit maximization.

and cross contamination

Addressing sustainability concerns, Gold Feed facilitates accountability by enabling ingredient traceability and sourcing from reputable suppliers. This supports efforts to mitigate environmental harm associated with feed production, crucial in combating the climate crisis.

Total traceability is prioritized, ensuring compliance with evolving customer demands and regulatory changes. Gold Feed’s configurability accommodates unique business requirements, with optional modules and custom developments tailored to individual needs.

With over 40 years of industry expertise, Gold Feed stands as a steadfast partner to feed producers, offering unwavering support and innovative solutions to navigate the challenges of modern feed production.

• The Time in Motion & Energy (TiME) module, for insight into production performance and energy consumption • The reporting module, to store and use historical production data to analyse batches, production, and stock reports • The Application Programming Interface (API), to integrate Condor with external systems and applications to automate import and export data This essential integration translates all the data generated from different sources into a better and more accurate picture of how energy is being used.

Promtek provides world-class solutions, sustainability, and customer

Web: www.primetics.co.uk

service.

Email: primetics@culturatech.com

Contact us at: 01782375600

Tel: 01257 279 811

sales@promtek.com

Feed Compounder March/April 2024 Page 55

In Conversation...

With Promtek’s Richard Key & Liam Barks More than ten years after taking over the day to day running of Promtek's operations and taking responsibility for the company's future fortunes, Directors Charles and Simon Williams felt that the company was capable of more and needed to change gear, in order to stimulate significant growth and create fresh opportunities. For the first time in over a decade, the company appointed two new managers to work closely with the directors and our in-house HR, marketing and quality to build a new Projects division and a new Service division out of the existing software and engineering teams. This new strategy promises to give new clients the best possible onboarding experience, while ensuring that the extensive existing client base continues to enjoy the highest levels of support and customer care. The two divisions have autonomy within Promtek but work closely together to drive continuous improvement and achieve the company's ambitions. We sat down with these new managers, Richards Key and Liams Barks, to discuss their progression through the business, from part-time gardener and apprentice to their new roles.

Richard Key (31) - Head of Service

Liam Barks (30) - Head of Projects

“My current job role within the business

“I’m responsible for the onboarding

is head of service. I look after all

of new and existing customers to any

our existing customer base. The

projects or developments they want to

service team does calibration service,

make within the business that sit inside

preventative maintenance and also

the projecting capacity. So taking it

offers 24 hour breakdown cover for our

right from the point of inception all the

existing customers.”

way through to the finished article.”

How did you first come to join Promtek?

in the working environment with Promtek. And then now that’s finished

Richard: So it’s a bit of an odd story. I started by doing the gardening at

I’ve progressed on to being the head of the head of projects. So yeah,

Promtek. The owner, Peter, knows my dad because my dad has worked

quite a rapid incline.

at the company for 36 years. So, at the age of 16, he asked me if I wanted to come and do some of the gardening while I was still in high school.

And then I started on an advanced diploma in engineering and he pulled me to one side and said: “I’ll tell you what we’ll do, whilst you’re at college and you’ve got a couple of days off a week. Go out with the engineers and learn about how to be a service engineer because it should help you with the college course and if you pass, we’ll offer you a job within the company.” This was back in 2008 and I’ve been with the company since then, starting full time in 2010.

There was no formal apprenticeship programme at that point, I was

What first attracted you to joining Promtek or making use of their apprenticeship scheme?

Liam: The engineering that Promtek provides is quite niche, quite specific and very interesting because of the fact that it is niche.

For me. it was an element of wanting to learn, wanting to understand and also develop experience and knowledge in a new area of engineering that, before coming to Promtek, I didn’t have any exposure to.

Another of the main draws was the ability to have that exposure not only to the office environment but also customer facing roles as well.

There was immediately a heavy customer emphasis involving being out

sort of a trial run. I think Peter saw the opportunity of engaging somebody

on-site for long periods at different locations. That flexibility in the role

young and he liked the fact that I was a family member of somebody

between site and office work was definitely an attraction.

who was already working here, because we’re a family run company.

Richard: Really it was also about what we do. Although we’re a small

So keeping that culture going is one thing that they really like to do.

company in the grand scheme of things, our process control systems

Liam: I joined about eight years ago now. Initially, I was on a Level 3

are vital, especially when you look at the production of animal feed. Our

apprenticeship in electrical and electronic engineering. That was for the

process control systems are vital to make sure that it actually gets done.

duration of about two and a half to three years. Once that had finished,

Not just from a point of view of production, it’s also the reporting side of it

I then progressed on to another apprenticeship, but this time a degree

and the quality side of it. So I think part of it was that it was quite exciting

apprenticeship, which I completed last year and again that was in

when you were younger to be part of the food chain. Because without

electronic and electrical engineering.

feed there isn’t much else.

Richard You were the 1st engineer at Promtek to go on to that, weren’t you?

I think the challenge of doing something that was electrical and

Liam Yes, in terms of degree apprentices, I was the first to go through

process driven was also interesting. I’d always been pulling things apart,

that route. So, in the sense that Richard was sort of the original trial

fixing things when I was younger. So I knew I wanted to be an engineer at

apprentice, I was the first degree apprentice.

some stage, but I think when you’re 16 and coming into an apprenticeship,

Alongside one day a week at college, the other four were spent

Page 56 March/April 2024 Feed Compounder

engineering is such a vast title. You know, I’m an engineer, an engineer

in what? So it was nice to be able to hone my skills in something and

How has your experience helped you get the best out of the

say, OK, I’m an engineer within process control.

apprentices you now manage?

How have you progressed from your time as an apprentice to

Richard: Because of my route through the company, I knew what the

your current role and how has the company supported you in this

progression looked like and as a result, I was able to manage the

progression?

apprentices a lot better. I could look at my progression and use that

Liam: Having initially joined as a Level 3 Apprentice in electrical and

experience to create a training path that allows apprentices to come in

electronic engineering, once that came to an end, there was the

and be able to step up nicely, instead of having to be sort of thrust in

opportunity within the business to explore whether I wanted to continue

at the deep end.

forward with the academic route or if I wanted to leave that to one side

For example, they typically start in the service team and you do so

and start full time employment. I decided that I wanted to go down a

many years in the service team which usually fits into Level 3, and then

degree avenue and the business was happy to cater to my needs and

at the Level 6 option, you’re looking to be moving into commissioning

support my choice.

and projecting because the Level 6 focuses heavily on projects and the

And I suppose for me it’s been a natural progression, not only

ability to show how you’ve managed to take this from a concept into

going from Level 3 to degree apprenticeship etcetera but also within

actual product that’s been designed and put out onto the actual market.

the workplace. I started in the service department which is generally

Liam: With my particular team, I’ll typically get them at the point where

where the majority of our apprentices join, because it gives them that

they have already finished their apprenticeship, whether it be Level 3 or

underpinning knowledge of what the business does, before progressing

an apprenticeship of a degree nature.

on to commissioning and then from commissioning to projecting as

Richard: Basically what he’s saying is I’ve got to do a good job, so that

head of projects.

he’s getting good people into his teams!

In terms of the support that the business has given me, they’ve always been happy to provide any support that they can when I felt that I needed it in every aspect, really, both within the workplace and what you could class as continual professional development.

They’re also supportive from a personal standpoint. One of the main things, and Richard touched upon it a little bit but because we are a family-owned environment, they provide that flexibility, they’re understanding. They know if people are going through hardships or need some time, they’re fully flexible and fully supportive of that sort of thing.

So that’s really good as well.

Richard: Having done the gardening for a couple of years I then started off in service, worked about four years in service and then moved on to doing commissioning. After I did commissioning, my team lead at the time left and I was encouraged to step up to that role in projecting.

And so I took that role and stepped up into doing projecting and

What are your future ambitions within Promtek?

Liam: I think, build upon the existing teams that we’ve now got as part of the divisional change, expand and grow them and ensure that people are brought up to the relevant skill sets as well as catering for their personal progression. Another thing I’d be keen to emphasise is that, whether or not they’re a senior member of the team, we have individuals who have been here for over 40 years, or a new member, the progression opportunities are just as accessible at Promtek.

Richard: I’d second that. At the moment the future ambition is basically to develop the teams we’ve got and get them to a point where they are strong and well running teams. Also, I’ve got a young lad who is seven at the moment, but I’d like to think that he would come and join here once he’s grown - maybe not in the garden though!

What advice would you give anyone, young or not so young, who

panel design which actually led to me becoming the engineering manager

was thinking about entering the industry?

over the whole of Promtek.

Richard: I think just go for it. It’s about bolstering the engineers of

So I managed the service team, I managed the projecting team, I

the future. It doesn’t matter whether you’re young or whether you’re

managed the commissioning team whilst also doing projecting such doing

somebody who’s older. You’ve got more to gain than you have to lose.

electrical drawings, customer liaisons and all of the project meetings that

I think the important thing at the moment is that people need to realise

come with being a project manager and then started to do sales as well.

that the industry does need them and it is a vital industry.

It got to a point where for the business to grow to where it needed to be, we needed to split those roles out because there were too many focuses for one person to properly dedicate enough time to.

It’s a sector that’s interesting, where no two days are the same, there’s always something going on and there’s a lot to learn.

And, in terms of what Promtek can offer, what we do albeit

And so Liam, who I’d mentored through his Level 6 had got to

very niche, the core principles, the electrical principles, the project

a point where he’d started to take on some projects for us and we

management principles, and the service principles are something that

said, look, you’ve done well with those projects, you’ve done well

can be used in a wide range of engineering activities, not just within one

with the project management side of it. Is that something that you’d

sector. You’re not committing yourself to one sector for your working life.

like to progress on? And so that’s where the sort of idea was born

Liam: Having been through an apprenticeship myself, the ability to learn

for splitting the services and projecting to where we are now. We’ve

and earn is certainly an attraction. Another important thing for people to

now got smaller, more focused teams that can then drive the growth

be aware of is that the opportunities are there and you’ll be surprised

of the business.

when you go looking for these opportunities, what is actually out there

So I’ve gone through pretty much all of the aspects of Promtek and the business has given me those opportunities to do that.

for new entrants. Lastly, you’ll be playing an important role that is vital to the industry.

Feed Compounder March/April 2024 Page 57

I’Anson Bros Ltd Recruits Commercial Director As Opening Of New Mill Nears

largest financial investment in the 120+ year history of the company. It

I’Anson Bros has appointed a new Commercial Director as the business

is set to more than double production capacity by an additional 200,000

looks to grow its sales with its new, £20m+ state-of-the-art feed mill and

tonnes, and with the ingenuity of Chairman Chris I’Anson it has the

distribution centre.

opportunity through its design to increase capacity significantly further

Andrew Richardson has extensive experience within the Agri,

It will complement the firm’s existing facility at Masham and is the

to meet market demands.

Retail, Equine/Leisure and Fuel sectors having previously held the

I’Anson Managing Director Sarah Richardson said: “The role of

successful roles of Managing Director and Group CEO at two other major

Commercial Director is vital in ensuring we capitalise on the significant

Agri supply companies. He will take up his new post at the beginning

investment we have made in developing the new mill. The search to find

of March as Waterloo House, the firm’s technologically-advanced new

the right individual has been long and thorough but we are delighted to

production facility, the most significant development in the UK feed

have attracted someone of Andrew’s undoubted calibre.

industry this century, prepares to go into production. The appointment

“He not only brings a wealth of industry experience and expertise

bolsters the senior management team allowing Director Will I’Anson,

but also the ideas and the ambition to help take the business on its next

who previously fulfilled the role, to focus on procurement as the business

stage of growth. Andrew is passionate about building and developing

grows.

teams so I am sure he will be an enormous support to the talented and

Andrew said: “I have spent my working life in the animal feed

dedicated people we have in the business.”

and Agri business industry, and this ground-breaking development by I’Anson’s is one of the most exciting and forward-looking initiatives I have ever seen in the sector. With its latest technology and location,

Lallemand Expand Their Poultry Team

this investment will bring further serious advantages to its growing farm

Lallemand Animal Nutrition have

customers and business partners. I have long known and admired the

expanded their monogastric team,

business, not just for the quality of its products, but for the values it has,

welcoming a new poultry sales manager

its commitment to the farming industry and its contribution to the wider

who brings a wealth of industry experience

rural economy.

“I am delighted to have been offered the opportunity to be part of such a significant and important project and look forward to working with the team to make it an outstanding success. The new mill will deliver real benefits for customers, providing security of supply, the ability to meet growing demand and the development of new products to mention just a few. Increased production will also require more raw materials providing additional opportunities for arable farmers.”

to the business.

Antonia Chittock is bringing over 13 years of poultry experience to the team, with a reputation for building strong customer relationships across the sector.

She started her career at AB Agri as a feed sales trainee and progressed to account manager before moving to ForFarmers in

He added: “I’Anson also have the sales divisions Masham

2016 as a key account manager. This was followed by a short stint

Micronized Feeds, British Horse Feeds and The Golden Paste Company.

at family feed supplier Marriages. In 2021 she diversified from feed

Sales from these divisions are diverse, unique and innovative. Selling in

sales to selling in-feed pathogen control products and milling efficiency

more than 40 countries both branded and contracted ‘own label’ is an

solutions with Anitox.

incredible strength to the business and one I’m looking forward to further develop with the sales teams and strategic feed partners.”

Designed and constructed by Dutch milling industry specialists, Ottevanger with machinery installation by GAME Engineering, mill wiring

by Apex Electrical, groundworks by HACS of Harrogate and site wiring

“It seemed a natural progression joining Lallemand,” says Mrs Chittock.

“Their commitment to optimising animal performance and wellbeing through microbial solutions aligns with my core principles, to

by Preston Electrical, the facility is located on the Dalton Industrial Park

support financially sustainable businesses while contributing to food

in North Yorkshire. It has been designed to be as energy efficient as

safety and high animal welfare standards.”

possible and with the least environmental impact.

Page 58 March/April 2024 Feed Compounder

Antonia’s previous roles have involved selling both direct to

make-up and production limitations while incorporating microbial

Steven Read leaving ForFarmers in safe hands after 38 years

solutions provides her with great experience that will pay dividends

After 38 years with ForFarmers Steven

for Lallemand customers.

Read will be retiring from the business at

farmers as well as integrated businesses. Her understanding of diet

“I’m excited to be part of the Lallemand team as I see major value

the end of 2024. Until the end of this year

in their product portfolio, and I’m looking forward to showcasing this,

Steven will be responsible for divesting

with the support of the wider technical team,” she explains.

two UK sites and fulfilling an interim

Mrs Chittock adds that she is looking forward to reaching out to

assignment at Group Headquarters.

new and existing customers to explore how Lallemand’s microbial

“It has been hugely rewarding to be

solutions could support their businesses, by improving poultry health,

part of the journey of ForFarmers in the

welfare and performance.

UK and see it set on solid foundations to

Lee Gresham, UK and Ireland Country manager at Lallemand

continue to support all livestock sectors,” said Steven. “The expanding

Animal Nutrition, says Antonia is a welcome asset to the monogastric

CirQlar business is particularly exciting as the feeding of co-products is

team.

an environmentally sustainable and cost-effective way to bring increased

“Antonia’s wealth of experience in the feed sector and strong

nutrition to livestock feed.”

industry relationships are an excellent fit for Lallemand. We’re really

“I’m really pleased to have found two talented individuals to take

excited to have her on board, helping to increase exposure and uptake

the business forward. Dr Mark Cole will be Managing Director of the

of the benefits of our microbial solutions in the monogastric sector.”

compound feed, blends, forage and straights business, and Peter Lyon the Managing Director, CirQlar UK, the growing coproducts business.”

ForFarmers appoints Managing Director for UK compound feed, blends, forage and straights business Dr Mark Cole moves from the role of

Dr. Colm Moran Appointed Alltech’s Chief Regulatory Officer

Managing Director Ruminant OpCo, to take

Dr. Colm Moran has been appointed

on the leadership for all species in the UK.

chief regulatory officer at Alltech. Moran

Mark has over 30 years of commercial and

has worked with Alltech for more than 20

business experience in the industry. His

years, most recently serving as director

appointment solidifies the strong relationship

of European regulatory affairs and as

across all sectors of the business and

chairman of Alltech’s crisis management

demonstrates ForFarmers’ commitment to

team.

the UK livestock industry as a whole.

This transition is happening at the same time as Steven Read steps down from responsibility for the UK business and ultimately retires from ForFarmers at the end of 2024 after 38 years.

Mark brings extensive international expertise and perspective to the role having spent over 18 years with Provimi (now Cargill) in several General Management and Technical roles both in the UK and abroad. He has also worked with ForFarmers in both the UK business and in group roles including a stint as Micro and Speciality Purchase Director and was then charged with leading the integration of the Polish business, Tasomix into the ForFarmers family following its acquisition.

In addition to this he has worked for the Carr’s Group including the role of Managing Director of Carr’s Billington Agriculture (Sales) before its divestment.

“Alltech’s regulatory strategy is moving into new strength under Colm’s leadership,” said Dr. Mark Lyons, president and CEO of Alltech. “This positions Alltech firmly at the leading edge in delivering innovation to our customers.”

Moran has worked in the feed industry for 23 years and has extensive experience in zootechnical studies for registration of feed additives for livestock and poultry species. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in biotechnology from University of Wales, Cardiff, and three master’s degrees in food biotechnology, food regulatory affairs, and brewing and distilling — from University of Strathclyde, University of Ulster/University College Dublin, and Heriott-Wyatt University, respectively. He also has a Ph.D. in fermentation microbiology from University of Plymouth.

Moran has published more than 70 peer-reviewed articles in

Mark is excited to take on this new challenge at ForFarmers. He

his subject area. He has received two international patents and has

said: “I have built up considerable experience in commercial, technical

presented at numerous international conferences. He is based in

and general management within the feed sector which I am looking

Marseille, France.

forward to bringing to this role as we continue to support farmers across the UK with the best possible feed solutions.”

Moran serves on the board of directors for the International Feed Industry Federation (IFIF).

Feed Compounder March/April 2024 Page 59

Premier Nutrition Appoint Business Manager for Ireland

Other recent Alltech appointments include:

Premier Nutrition has appointed Lorna

• Steve Elliott (U.S.), global vice president, corporate accounts

Power to guarantee focused commercial

and pet. Elliott has been with Alltech for more than 29 years in

and technical support for customers

a variety of roles. Most recently, he served as global director

across Ireland.

of the mineral management division.

As Ireland’s new Business Manager,

• Russell Gilliam (U.S.), global director of business development

Lorna will work with customers across

for pork. Gilliam has worked with Alltech for nearly 24 years.

all species to ensure their nutrition

Prior to this role, he was Alltech’s U.S. pork business leader.

programmes are both fit for purpose and maximising growth and production opportunities. With support from Premier’s internal Technical Team, Lorna will also be able to advise customers on formulation, labelling and regulation requirements.

Head of Farm Animal Division, Alan Johnston, said: “We’re excited to have Lorna join us as we expand our business in Ireland.

She has extensive experience in the ruminant sector, as well has previously holding technical roles in both pig and poultry, so we’re confident customers now have local access to some of the best industry knowledge available to support and grow their businesses.”

Lorna Power, Business Manager Ireland added: “I am working with a fantastic team of people at Premier Nutrition to support both current customers and prospective new businesses who wish to

• Dr. Daniel Graugnard (U.S.), dairy research director.

Graugnard, who has worked with Alltech for more than 12 years, most recently served as monogastric research director.

• Dr. Jose Soto (U.S.), monogastric research director. Soto most recently served as global swine technical manager. He has worked with Alltech for two-and-a-half years.

• Claire Boudwin (U.S.), global product launch marketing manager. Boudwin, who previously served as North American species marketing manager, has worked with Alltech for nearly six years.

• William Wallis (U.S.), Eastern U.S. marketing manager, is now also serving as U.S. poultry marketing manager. Wallis has worked with Alltech for 12 years.

improve their own results. It’s such an exciting phase of growth for Premier here in Ireland and I’m looking forward to helping customers with increased success.”

New Managing Director appointed for dairy businesses of AB Agri

Lorna graduated from Waterford Institute of Technology with a

AB Agri has announced the appointment

BSc (Hons) in Agriculture Science and has recently started a Masters

of a new Managing Director to head up

in ruminant nutrition. She has experience in ruminant, poultry, pig

its dairy businesses within the UK and

and food innovation sectors and has held roles comprising equine,

Ireland.

David Williams took up the new role

sustainability and regulatory aspects.

on 20 February 2024, and brings a vast wealth of executive experience within

Alltech Announces New Roles to Support its Global Agriculture Solutions and Services Over the past 15 years, Alltech has grown its portfolio significantly. To

the dairy industry, spanning the UK and wider Europe, with both the Arla group, and more recently as CEO for Omsco Ltd (Organic Herd).

reflect this growth, Alltech has formed a new team, the Technology

“I am delighted to take up this new opportunity at an exciting time

Group. This team will be responsible for Alltech’s nutritional

for the development of our businesses here in the UK and Ireland,”

technologies, services and technical support. Its focus will be on

says Mr Williams.

providing customers with an advantage, drawing upon company’s

“I will continue to help drive and support the incredible hard work

diverse range of solutions and services to offer customised support.

and successes our teams and businesses are demonstrating every

To lead the Technology Group, Alltech has appointed:

day, as well as overseeing ongoing investments and developments,

• Nick Adams (UK), commercial director. Adams has worked with Alltech for 24 years, most recently as global director of the Alltech Mycotoxin Management platform.

all geared towards providing responsible solutions for a sustainable and profitable future for farmers.”

AB Agri CEO José Nobre adds, “We are committed to help build

• Dr. Jules Taylor-Pickard (UK), technical director. Taylor-

the world’s most responsible and productive farm ecosystems, that

Pickard has worked with Alltech for 22 years and previously

are resilient for the future. Our recent investments mean we have a

served as global director of the Alltech Gut Health platform.

unique proposition to support farmers and the supply chain to produce

• Martin Minchin (UK), commercial marketing director. Minchin

more responsible, affordable nutrition.

previously served as global marketing manager of the Alltech

“We are delighted to welcome David, with his wealth of experience

Mycotoxin Management platform. He has been with Alltech for

in the dairy industry, as he strategically moves this proposition forward.

nearly seven years.

We look forward to working with him at this exciting juncture.”

Page 60 March/April 2024 Feed Compounder

Making the safe way the easy way…

With Dave Roberts, Director of Health, Safety, Quality and Environment, ABN

How a focus on health, safety, quality and environment is helping to drive production efficiencies and customer experiences at ABN ‘Making the safe way the easy way’ may sound like a simple

According to Dave, this is where the mantra ‘make the safe way

principle, but by adopting that approach and developing a safety culture,

the easy way’ comes in, and if that can’t be achieved, make the unsafe

ABN’s new Director of Health, Safety, Quality and Environment is driving

way the most difficult way.

a Target Zero ambition that is leading to continuous improvement and best practice across all elements of the business.

The Safety Culture programme of Target Zero underpins everything ABN does across the supply chain, and as such provides the security of supply that customers require, based on sound QESH (Quality, Environment, Safety and Health) principles.

“This role for health, safety, quality and environment demonstrates our commitment to QESH, providing a voice as a representative of quality control to the ABN board,” says Dave.

The role dovetails with the CI team, with Everyday Excellence the vehicle driving the quality, safety, health and well-being responsibilities across all areas of the business and supply chain, including relationships with customers.

Dave Roberts, has been appointed to a new director level role

“These principles are really important to us as a business, not least

with both ABN and Premier Nutrition, overseeing quality control

because it is equally important to our customers, and this is where our

across all elements of AB Agri’s UK monogastric businesses, as an

partnership approach takes centre stage,” he says.

extension of the Everyday Excellence programme pioneered by head of Continuous Improvement, Steve McNamara.

“It really is from factory to farm, covering the complete loop from inbound and outbound logistics, with raw materials coming in, and feed

Coming from a chemical engineering background, and with

deliveries going out. This includes our drivers, account managers and

a long operational track record working in high-risk environments,

nutritionists going out on farm, identifying and advising on hazards,

Dave understands the important balance between creating a safe and

and providing bio-security support,” he adds.

healthy working environment, while also meeting quality standards

Dave holds a NEBOSH general

and productivity targets.

certificate and oversees a team of three

Beginning his career as a graduate trainee chemical engineer

full-time health and safety managers,

with British Sugar, Dave spent the subsequent 20 years gaining

as well as the feed safety and quality

experience in various roles within the business including Continuous

team, working to eliminate hazard

Improvement (CI) Manager, before spending a little under five years

and risk, while improving standards

as Head of Supply Chain in Premier Nutrition.

and cultures across people, sites, and

In his eyes, safety and quality go hand-in-hand, and together they

processes.

should result in enhanced productivity. The Target Zero ambition is

Having previously held roles

based around a movement to make sites safer, from manual handling

that have been focussed on hitting

to the control of vehicles on site, while the same applies to quality,

production targets, Dave is enjoying

based around robust quality parameters.

combining that fast-paced environment

“I like to take a ‘Head and Hearts’ approach. The head means we are legally compliant and operating responsibly, but crucially we also need full engagement with our people to create the right culture for behavioural safety,” he adds.

Dave Roberts - ABN’s new Director of Health, Safety, Quality and Environment

with a focus on safety and ensuring quality feed is going out to customers.

“Bad safety quality equals bad production, so again those approaches go hand-in-hand. Good operations will encourage safe

“Target Zero looks at challenging behavioural issues across

working environments, good quality feeds and production efficiencies.

the entire supply chain, from factory to farm, including addressing

While it was not a career plan I had envisaged as a graduate trainee,

‘loss-time’ injuries and environmental hazards that could impact on

I am very happy to have this opportunity at board level to make a

the business and the service we provide,” he says.

difference.”

Feed Compounder March/April 2024 Page 61

Product and Service Finder for the Animal Feed Industry Also available interactive and online at www.feedbuyersguide.com

Trouw Nutrition GB, Blenheim House, Blenheim Road, Ashbourne DE6 1HA Tel: 01335 341100 Fax: 01335 341171 E-mail: customerservices.gb@nutreco.com Web: www.trouwnutrition.co.uk (See Acidifiers, Analytical Services, Animal Health Products, Antibacterials, Chelated Minerals, Enzymes, Feed Additives, Feed Supplements, Milk Replacers, Mould Inhibitors, Mycotoxin Binders, Salmonella Control, Silage Additives)

Promtek Ltd Fisher Street, Brindley Ford, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire ST8 7QJ Tel: 01782 375600 Fax: 01782 375605 E-mail: info@promtek.com Web: www.promtek.com (See Calibration and Weighing Services, Process Control Systems)

CLASSIFIED LISTINGS ACIDIFIERS Lallemand Animal Nutrition Limited 10 – 13 Spring Lane North, Malvern Link WR14 1BU Email: animaluk@lallemand.com Tel: 07827 228161 Trouw Nutrition GB, Blenheim House, Blenheim Road, Ashbourne DE6 1HA Tel: 01335 341100 Fax: 01335 341171 E-mail: customerservices.gb@nutreco.com Web: www.trouwnutrition.co.uk

ANALYTICAL SERVICES DM Scientific Ltd, Main Site, Dalton, Thirsk, North Yorkshire YO7 3JA Tel: 01845 577757 Email: dmacmillan@dmscientific.co.uk Web: www.dmscientific.co.uk Trouw Nutrition GB, Blenheim House, Blenheim Road, Ashbourne DE6 1HA Tel: 01335 341100 Fax: 01335 341171 E-mail: customerservices.gb@nutreco.com Web: www.trouwnutrition.co.uk

ANTIBACTERIALS Adesco Nutricines, 23 Strandside South, Abbeyside, Dungarvan, Co. Waterford X35 W778, Ireland Jack: +353 87 2208816 Seán: +353 85 1667512 Email: info@adesco.ie Web: www.adesco.ie Trouw Nutrition GB, Blenheim House, Blenheim Road, Ashbourne DE6 1HA Tel: 01335 341100 Fax: 01335 341171 E-mail: customerservices.gb@nutreco.com Web: www.trouwnutrition.co.uk

ANTIOXIDANTS Adisseo Tel: +353 87 766 8848 E-mail: info.nauk@adisseo.com Web: www.adisseo.com

ALTERNATIVE PERFORMANCE ENHANCERS Adisseo Tel: +353 87 766 8848 E-mail: info.nauk@adisseo.com Web: www.adisseo.com

ANIMAL HEALTH PRODUCTS

Lallemand Animal Nutrition Limited 10 – 13 Spring Lane North, Malvern Link WR14 1BU Email: animaluk@lallemand.com Tel: 07827 228161

AUTOMATED BAGGING & PALLETIZING EQUIPMENT

Kernfarm B.V. De Corridor 14D 3621 ZB Breukelen, The Netherlands Tel: +31 (0) 346 785 139 Email: info@kernfarm.com Web: www.kernfarm.com

Mervue Laboratories Ireland Unit 9 Watergrasshill Business Park, Watergrasshill, Co. Cork, T56 HH98, Ireland Tel: +353 21 21 4391080 E-mail: info@mervuelab.com Web: www.mervuelab.com

Trouw Nutrition GB, Blenheim House, Blenheim Road, Ashbourne DE6 1HA Tel: 01335 341100 Fax: 01335 341171 E-mail: customerservices.gb@nutreco.com Web: www.trouwnutrition.co.uk

Page 62 March/April 2024 Feed Compounder

salesuk@fischbein.com Tel. +44 208 344 6600 www.fischbein.com

BAGGING EQUIPMENT Concetti S.p.A S.S. 75 Centrale Umbra, km 4, 190 Ospedalicchio 06083 Bastia Umbra, PG - Italy Tel: +39 075 801561 Fax: +39 075 8000894 E-mail: sales@concetti.com Web: www.concetti.com

BULK STORAGE AND HANDLING

FEED ADDITIVES

Croston Engineering Ltd, Tarvin Mill, Barrow Lane, Tarvin, Chester CH3 8JF Tel: 01829 741119 Fax: 01829 741169 E-mail: admin@croston-engineering.co.uk Web: www.croston-engineering.co.uk

Borregaard UK Ltd Clayton Road, Risley Employment Area, Warrington, Cheshire WA3 6QQ Tel: 01925 285423 Fax: 01925 285433 E-mail: glenn.dearsley@borregaard.com Web: www.lignotechfeed.com

CALIBRATION AND WEIGHING SERVICES Promtek Ltd Fisher Street, Brindley Ford, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire ST8 7QJ Tel: 01782 375600 Fax: 01782 375605 E-mail: info@promtek.com Web: www.promtek.com

Cargill Animal Nutrition Provimi Ltd., Dalton Airfield Industrial Estate, Thirsk, North Yorkshire, YO7 3HE Tel: 01845 578125 www.cargill.com/feed Inform Nutrition Ireland Ltd Whitescross, Cork, T23 KD50, Ireland Tel: +353 21 4394770 E-mail: info@informnutrition.com Web: www.informnutrition.com

CHELATED MINERALS Trouw Nutrition GB, Blenheim House, Blenheim Road, Ashbourne DE6 1HA Tel: 01335 341100 Fax: 01335 341171 E-mail: customerservices.gb@nutreco.com Web: www.trouwnutrition.co.uk

www.kemin.com

Kemin UK Ltd Kemin UK Ltd. Castlethorpe Court, Castlethorpe, 34 Botanic Road, BRIGG NorthSouthport, LincolnshireMerseyside DN20 9LG, England PR9 7NG tel: +44.1652.65.10.10 Tel: +44fax:+44.1652.65.54.13 (0)1704 537702

COMMODITY CLAIMS MANAGEMENT

Orffa

RMC Commodity Claims Management 3 Clement Road, Fulwood, Preston PR2 9LG Tel: 07841 198733 E-mail: enquiries@rawmaterialclaims.co.uk Web: www.rawmaterialclaims.co.uk

Minervum 7032 51 Vierlinghstraat 4817 LZ Werkendam Breda 4251 LC The Netherlands The Netherlands

T +31 183 44 77 66 E info@orffa.com

Find your Orffa specialist at www.orffa.com

ENZYMES

Pancosma SA Voie des Traz 6, 1218 Le Grand-Saconnex, Geneva, Switzerland Tel : +41 22 929 84 84 Fax : +41 9259 84 95 E-mail: info@pancosma.ch Web: www.pancosma.com

AB Vista Edificio Twin Golf A, C/Perú, 6, 2º Floor, Office 4, 28290 Las Rozas, Madrid, Spain Tel: +34 91 859 1787 Email: info@abvista.com Web: www.abvista.com

Trouw Nutrition GB, Blenheim House, Blenheim Road, Ashbourne DE6 1HA Tel: 01335 341100 Fax: 01335 341171 E-mail: customerservices.gb@nutreco.com Web: www.trouwnutrition.co.uk

Adisseo Tel: +353 87 766 8848 E-mail: info.nauk@adisseo.com Web: www.adisseo.com

FEED MILL DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION

Danisco Animal Nutrition & Health, IFF PO Box 218 2300 AE Leiden, THE NETHERLANDS Tel: +31 6 1539 6689 Web: www.animalnutrition.iff.com

Croston Engineering Ltd, Tarvin Mill, Barrow Lane, Tarvin, Chester CH3 8JF Tel: 01829 741119 Fax: 01829 741169 E-mail: admin@croston-engineering.co.uk Web: www.croston-engineering.co.uk

Trouw Nutrition GB, Blenheim House, Blenheim Road, Ashbourne DE6 1HA Tel: 01335 341100 Fax: 01335 341171 E-mail: customerservices.gb@nutreco.com Web: www.trouwnutrition.co.uk

Turner Process Equipment Ltd 5 De Grey Square, De Grey Road, Colchester, Essex CO4 5YQ Tel: 01206 752017 Fax: 01206 854484 E-mail: sales@turnerprocessequipment.co.uk Web: turnerprocessequipment.co.uk

FEED MILL SILO MONITORING Lvlogics Limited, Ballyhist, Carnaross, Kells, Co. Meath, Ireland Tel: +353 89 2426825 Email: info@lvlogics.com Web: www.lvlogics.com

Silo Monitoring

Van Mourik Group Boylestraat 34, 6718 XM Ede, The Netherlands Tel: + 31 (0) 318 64 11 44 E-mail: info@vanmourik-group.com Web: vanmourik-group.com

Feed Compounder March/April 2024 Page 63

FEED MILL EQUIPMENT

FEED SUPPLEMENTS Inform Nutrition Ireland Ltd Whitescross, Cork, T23 KD50, Ireland Tel: +353 21 4394770 E-mail: info@informnutrition.com Web: www.informnutrition.com

The sole UK supplier for Feedtech and supplier of all new and used milling equipment Go Green Pelleting Solutions Ltd, Unit 8A Brindley Road, St Helens WA9 4HY Mick Swift – 07500887637 David Kelly- 07500335621 Office Number – 01744808600 www.gogreenpelletingsolutions.co.uk www.feedtech.com.tr

Premier Nutrition The Levels, Rugeley, Staffordshire WS15 1RD Tel: 01889 572500 Fax: 01889 577074 E-mail: info@premiernutrition.co.uk Web: www.premiernutrition.co.uk Trouw Nutrition GB, Blenheim House, Blenheim Road, Ashbourne DE6 1HA Tel: 01335 341100 Fax: 01335 341171 E-mail: customerservices.gb@nutreco.com Web: www.trouwnutrition.co.uk

FEED PATHOGEN CONTROL

MANUFCTURING OPTIMISATION SOFTWARE

Adesco Nutricines, 23 Strandside South, Abbeyside, Dungarvan, Co. Waterford X35 W778, Ireland Jack: +353 87 2208816 Seán: +353 85 1667512 Email: info@adesco.ie Web: www.adesco.ie

Promtek Ltd Fisher Street, Brindley Ford, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire ST8 7QJ Tel: 01782 375600 Fax: 01782 375605 E-mail: info@promtek.com Web: www.promtek.com

Anitox Ltd 7 Regent Park, Booth Drive, Park Farm, Wellingborough NN8 6GR Tel: +44 1604 811228 Fax: +44 1604 811013 E-mail: anitoxEMEA@anitox.com Web: www.anitox.com

METHIONINE

FEED INGREDIENTS Azelis UK Ltd Axis House, Tudor Road, Manor Park, Runcorn WA7 1BD Tel: 01928 793090 Fax: 01928 716997 Email: nutrition@azelis.co.uk www.azelis.com

Adisseo Tel: +353 87 766 8848 E-mail: info.nauk@adisseo.com Web: www.adisseo.com

MILK REPLACERS Trouw Nutrition GB, Blenheim House, Blenheim Road, Ashbourne DE6 1HA Tel: 01335 341100 Fax: 01335 341171 E-mail: customerservices.gb@nutreco.com Web: www.trouwnutrition.co.uk

MINERALS/PHOSPHATES Gemcom Ltd 68 Great Portland Street, London W1W 7NG Tel: +44 (0)20 7580 8004 Fax: +44 (0)20 7580 8002 E-mail: info@gemcom.co.uk Web: www.gemcom.co.uk WestendAgri The Heath Business & Technical Park, Runcorn, Cheshire, WA7 4QX Tel: + 44 (0)1477 544400 Mobile: +44 (0)7961 977623 E-mail: sales@westendagri.com Web: www.westendagri.com

FLAVOURS & PALATANTS

WestendAgri The Heath Business & Technical Park, Runcorn, Cheshire, WA7 4QX Tel: + 44 (0)1477 544400 Mobile: +44 (0)7961 977623 E-mail: sales@westendagri.com Web: www.westendagri.com

MOISTURE MEASUREMENT & CONTROL Adesco Nutricines, 23 Strandside South, Abbeyside, Dungarvan, Co. Waterford X35 W778, Ireland Jack: +353 87 2208816 Seán: +353 85 1667512 Email: info@adesco.ie Web: www.adesco.ie

Adisseo Tel: +353 87 766 8848 E-mail: info.nauk@adisseo.com Web: www.adisseo.com

PELLETING EQUIPMENT

Inroads International Ltd Unit 4, Wem Engineering Centre Church Lane, Wem, Shropshire SY4 5HS Tel: +44 (0)1939 236 555 Fax: +44 (0)1939 236 450 Email: info@inroadsintl.co.uk Web: inroadsintl.com

Compound Feed Engineering Ltd 5 Haydock Lane, Haydock, St Helens, Merseyside, WA11 9UY Tel: +44 (0) 1942 728188 Fax: +44 (0) 1942 408430 E-mail: info@cfegroup.com Web: www.cfegroup.com

Page 64 March/April 2024 Feed Compounder

MOLASSES PRODUCTS

NUTRITION TOLL MANUFACTURE

E D & F Man Liquid Products UK Ltd Alexandra House, Regent Road, Bootle L20 1ES Tel: 0151 944 5100 Fax: 0151 944 3919 E-mail: info.mlpuk@edfman.com Web: www.edfmanliquidproductsuk.com

B2B Nutrition, Fordton Industrial Estate, Crediton, Devon EX17 3BZ (A division of the Denis Brinicombe Group) Tel. 01363 775115 Tom Butler (Technical) 07803 736194 Email: tbutler@brinicombe.co.uk Web: www.b2bnutrition.co.uk

United Molasses GB Ltd 48 Gracechurch Street, London EC3V 0EJ Tel: 0151 955 4850 Fax: 0151 955 4860 E-mail: molassesgb@umgroup.com Web: www.unitedmolasses.com

SALMONELLA CONTROL

MOULD INHIBITORS Adesco Nutricines, 23 Strandside South, Abbeyside, Dungarvan, Co. Waterford X35 W778, Ireland Jack: +353 87 2208816 Seán: +353 85 1667512 Email: info@adesco.ie Web: www.adesco.ie Trouw Nutrition GB, Blenheim House, Blenheim Road, Ashbourne DE6 1HA Tel: 01335 341100 Fax: 01335 341171 E-mail: customerservices.gb@nutreco.com Web: www.trouwnutrition.co.uk

Adesco Nutricines, 23 Strandside South, Abbeyside, Dungarvan, Co. Waterford X35 W778, Ireland Jack: +353 87 2208816 Seán: +353 85 1667512 Email: info@adesco.ie Web: www.adesco.ie

Lallemand Animal Nutrition Limited 10 – 13 Spring Lane North, Malvern Link WR14 1BU Email: animaluk@lallemand.com Tel: 07815 483755

Trouw Nutrition GB, Blenheim House, Blenheim Road, Ashbourne DE6 1HA Tel: 01335 341100 Fax: 01335 341171 E-mail: customerservices.gb@nutreco.com Web: www.trouwnutrition.co.uk

MYCOTOXIN BINDERS AB Vista Edificio Twin Golf A, C/Perú, 6, 2º Floor, Office 4 28290 Las Rozas, Madrid, Spain Tel: +34 91 859 1787 Email: info@abvista.com Web: www.abvista.com Adisseo Tel: +353 87 766 8848 E-mail: info.nauk@adisseo.com Web: www.adisseo.com Trouw Nutrition GB, Blenheim House, Blenheim Road, Ashbourne DE6 1HA Tel: 01335 341100 Fax: 01335 341171 E-mail: customerservices.gb@nutreco.com Web: www.trouwnutrition.co.uk

PACKAGING SOLUTIONS Fischbein Tel: +44 (0)20 8344 6600 E-mail: salesuk@fischbein.com Web: www.fischbein.com

PROCESS CONTROL SYSTEMS

SELENIUM Adisseo Tel: +353 87 766 8848 E-mail: info.nauk@adisseo.com Web: www.adisseo.com

Lallemand Animal Nutrition Limited 10 – 13 Spring Lane North, Malvern Link WR14 1BU Email: animaluk@lallemand.com Tel: 07827 228161

SIEVING & PRECLEANING Turner Process Equipment Ltd 5 De Grey Square, De Grey Road, Colchester, Essex CO4 5YQ Tel: 01206 752017 Fax: 01206 854484 E-mail: sales@turnerprocessequipment.co.uk Web: turnerprocessequipment.co.uk

SILAGE ADDITIVES

DSL Systems Ltd Adbolton Hall, Adbolton Lane, West Bridgford, Nottingham NG2 5AS Tel: 0115 981 3700 Fax: 0115 981 3702 E-mail: sales@dsl-systems.com Web: www.dsl-systems.com

Lallemand Animal Nutrition Limited 10 – 13 Spring Lane North, Malvern Link WR14 1BU Email: animaluk@lallemand.com Tel: 07884 312382

Promtek Ltd Fisher Street, Brindley Ford, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire ST8 7QJ Tel: 01782 375600 Fax: 01782 375605 E-mail: info@promtek.com Web: www.promtek.com

Trouw Nutrition GB, Blenheim House, Blenheim Road, Ashbourne DE6 1HA Tel: 01335 341100 Fax: 01335 341171 E-mail: customerservices.gb@nutreco.com Web: www.trouwnutrition.co.uk

Feed Compounder March/April 2024 Page 65

Danisco Animal Nutrition & Health

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