Final considerations
• The structures of the bacterial cell wall, as the PGNs, are recognized by the innate immune system of the animals and have an impact on their immunity and productivity.
• Several factors on the field may lead to an unbalance of the microbiota and will alter its relationship with the host.
• Intestinal integrity is directly related to the performance and the profitability of poultry.
• The balance of the microbiota and the immune response of the host are key to maintaining optimal intestinal functionality
• Several factors affect this balance and may induce dysbiosis. Thus, systematically monitoring the GI tract (necropsy and other tests: histology, cytokines and other markers) may pave the way to finding the ideal marker of intestinal health.
• Correct sampling and correlating the information supplied by the feed mill, the farm and the processing plant is the only way to manage the figures and be successful in reaching intestinal stability, profitability for the farmer and sustainability for the planet.
Original article from DSM Feed Talks, 13 March 2019 Reality hits as we face a new decade By Jane Brooks
On the cusp of a new decade it’s usual to look forward, to try to predict what the future might hold, reassess, review, make plans and generally set out your hopes and aspirations for the next few years. However here in the UK many arable farmers face an uncertain future, having faced the harsh reality of unplanted winter crops, utterly unseasonable weather and a challenging harvest.
Many people are theorising that the late autumn rain is the new normal, with less predictable weather patterns threatening continued disruption of autumn planting. Clearly this autumn’s weather had been exceptional, but it may happen more frequently.
As a result of the harsh conditions in many areas autumn cultivations have come to a complete standstill and there is no doubt that winter wheat, winter barley and oil seed rape areas will fall sharply for the 2020 harvest. Spring crops such as spring wheat, barley, oats, pulses and break crops should take up much of the slack, although it is highly probable there will also be a rise in land left fallow until the autumn. The AHBD recently reported that for October 2018 GB animal feed production was up 4.5% for pigs, 2.3% for poultry and down 5.3% for cattle and calves and 16.5% for sheep feed, compared to the previous October. However, for the season to date (Jul-Oct) GB animal feed production is up 5.8% for pigs, and relatively unchanged (+0.3%) for poultry compared to the equivalent period in 2018/19. Production is down 10.3% for cattle and calves and 33.6% for sheep over the same period. But given the wet summer of 2018 there was possibly more demand for sheep feed due to poor quality grass.
It is unsurprising that pig feed production has risen as UK pork exporters have seen high demand from China, which they anticipate continuing into 2020. Chinese producers have faced an African Swine Fever (ASF) epidemic, which has decimated their national herd. During the first 8 months of 2019 more than 45,000 metric tonnes of British pork was exported to China. That is almost a 100% increase from 2018, and makes China the UK’s biggest pig meat customer. Pork is the most popular meat in China and increased demand has not just been seen in the UK; the USA are currently experiencing unprecedented demand and have recently negotiated changes to pork tariffs to enable duty free access to China. The Chinese New Year celebrations are also anticipated to boost demand.
It was recently reported in the agricultural press that having rejected the idea in 2012, the EU is reconsidering removing the ban on inter- species feeding. The EU has been working on a proposal to reintroduce poultry PAP in pig diets and pig PAP in poultry diets, to lessen the reliance on soya based protein. A ban on the use of PAP in animal diets has been in force in the EU since 2000, although in 2013 the ban was lifted for the use of such proteins in fish feed.
Finding alternative sustainable sources of protein to alleviate the demand for soya is pretty high on the international agenda, for example the idea of using insect or microbial protein, feed made from various microbes, such as algae has been around for some years. However, currently technology to test the molecular structure of animal protein in manufactured feed doesn’t appear sufficiently developed to ensure there is no cross-contamination in the manufacturing process. Here in the UK there are many single species mills, particularly in the poultry industry so the use of porcine PAP is potentially possibly, however a major sticking point could be the view of the buying public. Of course there is also the Brexit effect, as we move away from EU legislation it still remains to be seen what level of alignment with EU rules will be applied to British agricultural production and animal feed manufacturing processes. Certainly for British producers if the use of PAP was reintroduced across the EU post-Brexit there could be serious cost consequences if the British ban was maintained. Meanwhile parts of the country may experience some forage shortages as stock were moved indoors earlier than usual and there is every likelihood that demand for concentrates will rise, as farmers struggle to maintain condition on their animals, particularly overwintering dairy and beef cattle. One thing that will be high on the agricultural agenda over the next decade is the drive to reduce carbon emissions. As the NFU strives to achieve their target of net zero greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture by 2040, feed manufacturers will have to play their part. As well as reducing carbon emissions during the feed manufacturing process, sustainably sourced ingredients, nutritional developments to reduce ruminants producing methane, the use of feed additives and antibiotic reduction will all come under increased scrutiny. In the pig and poultry world breeders are moving towards improved genetics in pigs and longer egg laying cycles for hens, something that will place greater nutritional demands on feed manufacturers, particularly in the early stages of pullet rearing, as well as maintaining consistent eggshell quality and sustaining optimal sow condition. Designing precision feed rations particularly with regard to dairy cattle has already enabled producers and feed manufacturers to work together developing automated feeding systems for calves and cows. Many farms use sensor technologies for cattle health and reproduction management, data that also provides information to enable changing nutritional needs to be evaluated during a cow’s lactation or as a calf grows. Smart farming technology already plays a huge part in crop production and looking to the future, the full potential of Big Data, within the precision feeding arena, is an area that will continue to be explored.
FEED COMPOUNDER JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2020 PAGE 31
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