Wrapping up April: What’s new in the world of pigs?

MSD: 3rd generation of IDAL swine vaccination device

MSD Animal Health announced the launch of the 3^rd generation of IDAL, a needle-free, intradermal delivery device for swine vaccination. With it comes ‘The IDAL Way’, which is an extended portfolio of 5 vaccines designed for intradermal use. This includes Porcilis PCV ID, Porcilis M hyo ID Once, Porcilis PRRS, Porcilis AD Begonia and Prime Pac PRRS.

The needle-free approach is intended to make vaccination safe and less stressful for pigs and people. The 3G comes with a long-lasting Li-Ion battery and nearly twice the service interval of its predecessor. The 3G also has a new balanced design, ergonomically shaped 2-component surface for maximum grip, and intuitive handling with 2-button control and graphical display. The system will not be available in the USA and Canada.

Nutriad launches Delistart at Ildex Vietnam

At Ildex Vietnam 2018, feed additive company Nutriad launched a new palatability product. Delistart is a piglet feeding concept that links quick feed to starter feed, training the piglets to the new feed in weaning period, resulting in 6-7% extra feed intake in piglets. The product is a combination of flavouring, appetising substances and sweeteners that provides specific taste cues, stimulating dry feed intake in the young piglet pre- and post-weaning.

Pannonia Gold receives Vlog certification

Pannonia Gold, a European protein animal feed ingredient, has been awarded the highest level of GMO-free quality certification in Europe, the ‘Ohne GenTechnik’ seal, from a top German certification body, called Vlog. The product is a dried distillers grain (DDGS) mid-protein feed, available in countries throughout Europe and beyond and produced at the the company’s biorefinery in Hungary.

Evonik to close its Kaba site in Hungary

Evonik will stop its amino acid production at its Hungarian Kaba site by the end of April 2018. Evonik Agroferm currently employs about 120 people. The decision was prompted by intense and increasing competition in the market for the amino acid L-threonine, produced in Kaba under the ThreAmino brand name. Supply of the product to global customers remains assured. It is added to animal feed to ensure an optimally balanced supply of amino acids.

Farm-to-fork trip for Olmix customers

Feed additives producer Olmix invited a Spanish delegation to attend a 2-day full technical trip in Brittany, France. On March 7 and 8, the visitors discovered the brand’s product range which is based on algae. Also included in the trip was a visit to supermarkets like Carrefour and Intermarché selling antibiotic-free pork, and a visit to a pig farm that decreased the use of antibiotics by 76% while raising the number of pigs weaned per litter from 11.6 to 11.9.

Photo: Olmix

40 million pigs in breeding database Pigbase

Pigbase, Topigs Norsvin’s breeding database, has hit the 40 million breeding pig mark. The database contains pig data gathered at nucleus farms, commercial farms, and slaughterhouses. It also contains genomic data and data gathered from cut-out sessions, CT scans and other innovative measuring protocols used in our breeding programme and research. Pig 40,000,000 was a piglet born mid-March at Calvern Farms, a Topigs Norsvin nucleus farm in Canada.

Novus swine nutrition event on sows and piglets

The 2^nd Iberoamerican swine nutrition roundtable, hosted by Novus, brought together over 50 swine experts from Europe and Latin America to discuss challenges facing swine nutrition, i.e. feeding sows for more productive offspring (epigenetics) and alternatives to antibiotic use. The event was held in Sitges, Spain, from 4-6 April and was visited by nutritionists, academics and researchers. The event included a visit to the Albesa Ramadera pig farm in Lleida.

Kemin seminars highlight antibiotics programme

Feed additives producer Kemin Industries recently held a series of seminars to showcase its new product Aleta and to introduce the Kemin Antibiotic Alternatives programme in the Philippines. Dr William Chin, product manager for Kemin in Asia Pacific, started each seminar with a talk about stress as performance inhibitor and immunity suppressor. Dr Geoff Horst, R&D lead and inventor of the product talked about factors that cause stress to animals.

Photo: Kemin

Barentz establishes joint ventures in Latin America

Barentz International, a distributor of ingredients for the food and feed business, established a joint venture with Deltagen Group, a food ingredients distributor headquartered in Curaçao, with local presence in Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Chile and Peru.

Barentz also announced a joint-venture with Tovani Benzaquen Ingredients from São Paulo, Brazil. This is a major ingredient distributor in South America. The joint venture will allow Barentz to supply its products on the Brazilian market.

Danbred launches Dutch subsidiary

The establishment of a Dutch subsidiary of DanBred will ensure the supply of the Danish breeding animals and genetics in this market. DanBred (formerly DanAvl) has had a strong presence in the Dutch market in the past decade, but a new company structure has seen the company redefine its global presence. In total 6 Dutch multipliers chose to work with DanBred. The establishment of the subsidiary came into existence in collaboration with AI company Klasse KI.

Nutrisuin scores well in Danish trial

Animal nutrition company Nutrisuin held a large field trial organised in Denmark. Together with Danish veterinary practice Svinenet, over 400 litters (over 5,000 piglets) were monitored. About 50% were fed conventional feed, the remainder received Nutrisuin. Of the group of piglets given conventional feed, 50% had no feed intake before weaning. Piglets receiving Nutrisuin scored a factor 3.5 better. Also there were 0.72 more weaned piglets/sow.

Vion introduces Robusto ham in Spain

Swine processor Vion will also be offering its premium Robusto ham to dried ham producers in Spain. According to the meatpacker, Robusto ham is ‘distinguished by its weight, colour, fat layer, intramuscular fat, shape and consistency’. The quality of the ham and its origin from the Good Farming Balance supply chain concept are important selling points, said Vion in a press release. The company presented the ham at food fair Alimentaria in April.

Photo: Bart Nijs | Vion