Updated Photo report: World Nutrition Forum

The sixth edition of the World Nutrition Forum was held in Munich, Germany from 15-18 October, 2014. The theme was ‘sustainability’ – emphasising mankind’s ability to deal with sustainability issues and addressing the future of animal nutrition.

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Munich’s Marienplatz is one of the main tourist attractions.
The venue of the event, sponsored by feed additives company Biomin, is the International Congress Center Munich.
The event drew about 800 delegates from over 80 countries to Munich.
Michael Eder, Biomin, kicked off the plenary session, giving his impressions of the term sustainability.
Arguably the most thought-provoking presentation of the day was held by Prof Jørgen Randers, from the BI Norwegian Business School. His view is not overly optimistic – population growth and consumption growth will come to a standstill when growth is simply no longer possible.
Prof Marty Matlock, University of Arkansas, USA, emphasised the possibilities and told the audience to look at opportunities to use existing technologies to improve sustainability.
Dr Didier Jans, Fefana, Belgium, closed off the plenary session by emphasising the importance for good international cooperation in harmonising animal nutrition quality controls. This could come from industry inititiatives but also by making more uniform legislation.
The breakout sessions focusing on swine first looked at challenges experienced in several regions all over the world.
In Denmark, said Hans Aarestrup, Danske Svineproducenter, voters'pressure to go for more animal welfare is considerably large – but these voters behave like cost-conscious consumers when buying pork.
Dr Alberto Stephano, veterinarian from Mexico, emphasised the future role Chile, Mexico and Brazil can play in pork trade in the years to come.
1South Africa’s veterinarian Pieter Grimbeek emphasised South Africa’s relatively good health status and saw good opportunities for growth of the pork industry in the country as more people reach middle class.
Yulong Yin, from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, highlighted the situation in China, where growth is still incredible. He pointed to farm sizes growing and moving away from backyard production to becoming larger.
Barbara Rüel, Biomin, then touched on alternative feed ingredients in swine and how to make resource management more efficient.
Merlin D. Lindemann, from the University of Kentucky, USA, said that improved technologies are not needed, but new technologies are. What about faecal transplants? In mice the microbiota in the gut of obese specimens proved to be different from those of lean specimens.
Frans Dirven, De Lintjeshof veterinary practice in the Netherlands, explained how his country achieved a 50% reduction of therapeutic antibiotics in a relatively short period of time.
Prof Cheol-Heui Yun, Seoul National University, South Korea, zoomed in on immunological and nutritional aspects of inflammatory response in pigs.
Prof Duong Duy Dong, Nong Lam University, Vietnam, then closed off the first day by presenting trials about phytogenics as alternative for AGP use in swine.
And since it is October and we are in Munich, it is time for a beer drinking session.
The second day was kicked off by a keynote lecture of Biomin’s founder Erich Erber. He spoke of ‘complexity’ and how people sometimes embrace making things difficult rather than simple.
Jan Vanbrabant, CEO Asia-Pacific, standing left, wrapped up the previous day’s breakout sessions, with representatives of the swine, poultry, ruminant and aqua events.
Mycotoxins is one of the main focuses for Biomin and the topic was discussed in various presentations. Franz Berthiller, of the University of Natural Sources and Life Sciences (BOKU) in Vienna, Austria, spoke of the determination of mycotoxins.
James Pestka, Michigan State University, presented various new insights on the mechanisms of very present mycotoxin deoxynivalenol (DON).
The topic of the impact of mycotoxins on gut integrity was discussed by Prof Siska Croubels, of Ghent University, Belgium. She presented a meta-analysis of over 100 studies.
Bertrand Grenier closed off the mycotoxins session, summarising the issue of effects of mycotoxins on the immune system.
A press conference revealed that Biomin has sharpened its strategic focus on two core competencies, being mycotoxin risk management and gut performance. Also was was announced that the company is building new plants in Panama and China.
The last session kicked off with the revelation of the BRAIN award – to Dr Isabelle Oswald, INRA, who then joined the round table discussion with the mycotoxin speakers.
Tim Jones of Future Agenda, summarised a workshop held before the World Nutrition Forum in which various agricultural experts identified the largest issues which will determine the agriculture of the future. The panel suggested to have attention for growing influence of the female population, agricultural career aspirations, the growing gap between rich and poor, water stress, ‘blue food’ and sustainability.
Last but not least – Dr Jason Clay of the World Wildlife Fund came to identify the 2050 goals and said that we need to produce more food in the next 40 years than has been done in the last 8,000 years together. He also said that the influence of agricultural expansion on the environment is much heavier than the influence of urban growth. Intensification is key, he added.