I raise chickens because I like being self-sufficient and enjoy the many benefits of fresh eggs. The eggs from my backyard are fresher than anything I can get in a store, and they're more nutritious, too!
It is important to me to know where my food comes from, how it is cared for, and what is in it. My backyard chickens are as free range and organic as I can let them be, eating only things chickens should eat like bugs, worms, whole grains and whatever else they can chase down or scratch out of the earth. Read the full blog on www.poultrytribune.com.
Friday, April 9, 2010
Netherlands offers grants for biogas projects
The Netherlands Ministry of Economic Affairs is offering grants of up to €1M for projects to create biogas from waste fermentation. Preliminary applications must be made before the end of April 2010 in order to qualify for the grant program, which offers to provide a maximum of €0.75M for a pilot project or €1 million for a demonstration project, according to a note from the Dutch product board for livestock, meat and eggs.
Iowa Pork Industry Center publishes mycotoxin fact sheet
A fact sheet about mycotoxin contamination of corn is now available from the Iowa Pork Industry Center at Iowa State University. John Patience, associate professor of animal science, said he hopes pork producers, nutritionists and veterinarians will find the fact sheet helpful in understanding what mycotoxins are and how their presence in corn can affect swine.
“The fact sheet explains the relationship between molds and mycotoxins, and provides vital information on how to detect, prevent and, in some cases, utilize contaminated corn,” Patience said. “We want to provide practical management recommendations for corn growers, swine producers, nutritionists and veterinarians in the pork industry.”
The publication describes several common forms of molds and mycotoxins and includes a current listing of mycotoxin field test kit suppliers.
“The fact sheet explains the relationship between molds and mycotoxins, and provides vital information on how to detect, prevent and, in some cases, utilize contaminated corn,” Patience said. “We want to provide practical management recommendations for corn growers, swine producers, nutritionists and veterinarians in the pork industry.”
The publication describes several common forms of molds and mycotoxins and includes a current listing of mycotoxin field test kit suppliers.
USDA: 1 million more tons of cottonseed in 2010
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has forecast 1.3 million additional acres of upland cotton and 1 million more tons of cottonseed produced in 2010, which is good news for dairy producers, says a Cotton Incorporated spokesperson. The acreage increase is 15% over last year’s and would bring total acreage to 10.3 million.
“Based on the latest cotton planting intention reports, 2010 may spell relief for dairy producers who want to get their cows back on cottonseed,” said Tom Wedegaertner, director of cottonseed research and marketing at Cotton Incorporated, which is the research and marketing company representing upland cotton. The cotton supply has been tight over the past year. “We're looking at a 50% increase in the amount of cottonseed available to dairy cows this year, if abandonment levels remain at average levels.”
He noted that there is still a chance that poor weather could interfere with production, as it did last year. “These cottonseed projections assume an average abandonment rate of 11.5%, compared to 2009's unusually high 20%,” he said. “We're also expecting more seed to be produced on each acre. These factors could contribute to as much as a million tons of additional cottonseed in 2010.”
More than half of the nation’s cotton crop is produced in Texas. “Crop conditions in Texas will be the most important factor determining the overall outcome of this projection,” Wedegaertner said.
As of April 2, new crop cottonseed prices were about $50 per ton lower than current old crop prices.
“Based on the latest cotton planting intention reports, 2010 may spell relief for dairy producers who want to get their cows back on cottonseed,” said Tom Wedegaertner, director of cottonseed research and marketing at Cotton Incorporated, which is the research and marketing company representing upland cotton. The cotton supply has been tight over the past year. “We're looking at a 50% increase in the amount of cottonseed available to dairy cows this year, if abandonment levels remain at average levels.”
He noted that there is still a chance that poor weather could interfere with production, as it did last year. “These cottonseed projections assume an average abandonment rate of 11.5%, compared to 2009's unusually high 20%,” he said. “We're also expecting more seed to be produced on each acre. These factors could contribute to as much as a million tons of additional cottonseed in 2010.”
More than half of the nation’s cotton crop is produced in Texas. “Crop conditions in Texas will be the most important factor determining the overall outcome of this projection,” Wedegaertner said.
As of April 2, new crop cottonseed prices were about $50 per ton lower than current old crop prices.
Poultry partnership works toward new processing facility in New Brunswick
Sunnymel, a partnership between poultry processor Olymel and chicken producer Groupe Westco, are moving forward on a CAN$30M poultry slaughtering plant in Clair, New Brunswick, Canada, according to the Manitoba Cooperator. They recently added 100 acres and two buildings to the site they purchased for the facility in October 2009.
Unforeseen obstacles have arisen as the companies work on the plant. Sunnymel had arranged to send chickens to Quebec for slaughter during construction, but the New Brunswick government has ordered that poultry raised in the province must be slaughtered within the province at New Brunswick’s only federally inspected facility, which is owned by competitor Nadeau Poultry Farm, the Manitoba Cooperator reported. Sunnymel plans to mount a legal challenge to the directive, according to the paper.
Unforeseen obstacles have arisen as the companies work on the plant. Sunnymel had arranged to send chickens to Quebec for slaughter during construction, but the New Brunswick government has ordered that poultry raised in the province must be slaughtered within the province at New Brunswick’s only federally inspected facility, which is owned by competitor Nadeau Poultry Farm, the Manitoba Cooperator reported. Sunnymel plans to mount a legal challenge to the directive, according to the paper.
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Joint Poultry Industry Safety and Health Council appoints committee chairman
Brian Rodgers, director of safety and risk management for Butterball LLC, has been appointed committee chairman of the Joint Poultry Industry Safety and Health Council. The council is made up of members from the U.S. Poultry & Egg Association, National Chicken Council and National Turkey Federation. As committee chairman, Rodgers will work with the council to continue the development and enforcement of industry safety and health initiatives.
In his work at Butterball, Rodgers helped the company achieve five of the highest recognitions from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s Voluntary Protection Program.
“By encouraging safety excellence within our member organizations, we will continue to advance the poultry industry as a whole and tackle the challenges that will help us grow,” says Rodgers. “I am proud to be a part of a committee that is leading the charge to support continuous safety performance throughout our industry.”
In his work at Butterball, Rodgers helped the company achieve five of the highest recognitions from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s Voluntary Protection Program.
“By encouraging safety excellence within our member organizations, we will continue to advance the poultry industry as a whole and tackle the challenges that will help us grow,” says Rodgers. “I am proud to be a part of a committee that is leading the charge to support continuous safety performance throughout our industry.”
Feed congress to focus on food security
The third Global Feed & Food Congress runs April 20-23, 2010, in Cancun, Mexico. It is being organized by the International Feed Industry Federation with technical assistance from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization.
Delegates will discuss their work to address food security issues, especially in developing countries.The feed group’s chairman, DaveCieslak , said, “We are working closely with FAO in this area because we recognize the importance of what they are doing, and because we understand that fully focused feed production will play an increasing role in achieving greater food security.”
The Mexican Feed Manufacturers Association, CONAFAB, will host the congress.
Delegates will discuss their work to address food security issues, especially in developing countries.The feed group’s chairman, DaveCieslak , said, “We are working closely with FAO in this area because we recognize the importance of what they are doing, and because we understand that fully focused feed production will play an increasing role in achieving greater food security.”
The Mexican Feed Manufacturers Association, CONAFAB, will host the congress.
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