PIC, GreenFeed partner to capture Vietnam pig breeding market

PIC and GreenFeed are expanding their Vietnam partnership to develop a complete pig breeding pyramid, with a portfolio of male and female PIC genetics for nationwide distribution. The two companies previously worked together in the production and distribution of genetically advanced swine semen.
PIC and GreenFeed have registered a new company, GreenFarm, and plan to capture 18 percent of the projected commercial market in Vietnam by 2017, according to the two companies. Parent gilt production will be jump-started with the stocking of three multiplication farms, one in Hung Yen province in the north of the country and the other two in Binh Thuan and Dong Nai provinces in the south. The farms will be populated by the import of grandparents from PIC North America in late 2012 and early 2013, ahead of the stocking of the first 1,200 nucleus facility in mid-2013. In addition to the genetic seed stock, PIC will provide technical management and a complete suite of support services.
“The new agreement builds on the success of PIC semen sales from GreenFeed’s 500-boar stud in Dong Nai," said Andrew Bateson, business development director for PIC in Asia. "PIC-sired slaughter pigs have exceeded the market’s expectations in growth rate, feed conversion, carcass yield and pork quality. By putting the female side of the equation in place, our partnership with GreenFeed will also set new standards for sow productivity."
Vietnam’s national herd is estimated at around 3.5 million sows, which puts it second only to China in the regional rankings.

USDA cuts corn crop estimates on Midwest drought

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has cut the nation's corn harvest to an average of 146 bushels an acre, down 20 bushels from June estimates, due to a continuing Midwest drought that is doing more damage to crops than analysts thought, according to reports.
The USDA's revised numbers, a 12 percent cut, drop the expected 2012–2013 harvest to 12.97 billion bushels — the third-largest on record, but the lowest yield since 2003. The USDA also reduced its forecast for corn ending stocks by 37 percent from June numbers, more than the 32 percent expected, said analysts. U.S. stockpiles are predicted to be at 1.183 billion bushels, up one-third from current levels.
Global corn stocks have also been cut, by 14 percent, although inventories will still be the highest they've been in three years. The overall report "tells me they feel pretty confident this crop has been hurt in a big way," said Shawn McCambridge, an analyst at Jefferies Bache. Additional cuts are likely, said McCambridge, when the USDA's August 10 report makes the first estimate of the harvest.

Low-protein pig diets could reduce nitrogen excretion

Feeding low-protein diets to pigs can reduce nitrogen excretion, according to research conducted by the University of Bristol and Scottish Agricultural College.
Three different diets were fed to finisher pigs of a lean genotype, between 40kg and 115kg, and pig growth and carcass quality were measured. A high-protein, standard commercial diet was compared with two low-protein diets: one (LP1) which reduced nitrogen intake by 11 percent while maintaining dietary amino acid levels, and the other (LP2) which reduced nitrogen intake by 16 percent but did not maintain essential amino acids in the later stages of growth.
Growth measurements showed that growth rate for pigs fed the LP1 diet was the same as the standard commercial diet, but feed conversion was slightly worse. “This was due to slightly greater fat deposition, especially within-muscle fat which creates marbling," said Professor Jeff Wood from the University of Bristol. "Growth rate was lower in LP2 pigs and they also became much fatter. Both LP1 and LP2 regimes would cost producers more than typical higher-protein diets at present because of the higher cost of fortifying the diets using amino acids and the poorer growth performance, especially with LP2.”
However, said Wood, tighter controls on nitrogen emissions in the future may mean pig producers will need to make use of this knowledge and alter feeding regimes. And, given the LP2 diet was shown to improve pork eating quality, greater incentives for quality would make this regime more attractive. It may also be possible to reduce nitrogen intakes even more in the future and lower the cost of these diets.

Enzyme supplements in pig feed may enhance feed conversion

Adding an enzyme supplement to a pig's corn-based diet may improve average daily gain, feed conversion and carcass quality, according to a study conducted by Adisseo. The company ran a Brazil study on pigs aged between 49 and 144 days, adding its own multi enzymatic product Rovabio Max to the pigs' feed.
In the experiment, the animals were split into three groups:

• Positive control: regular diet without enzyme
• Negative control: a diet decreased by 85 Kcal net energy/kg, 3% of protein and amino acids, 0.15% in available phosphorus and 0.10% calcium
• Negative control + Rovabio Max
According to the results of the tests, the average daily gain and feed conversion were significantly better for pigs receiving the negative control plus Rovabio Max, even when compared with the results of the positive group. Adisseo said that the trials, in addition to other studies, confirm the positive effect of enzyme supplements like Rovabio Max on gut morphology, microbiota and digestibility of the diets for growing and finishing pigs.

Canada pork production subsidization schemes concern Trans-Pacific Partnership members

Canada’s open agricultural subsidization schemes surrounding pork production have Trans-Pacific Partnership member countries (the U.S., New Zealand and Australia) expressing concerns after Canada was recently admitted into the partnership at the G20 summit.
Canada’s federal and provincial governments bestow countervailable subsidies on the Canadian pig industry that cause significant distortions to overseas markets such as Australia, the U.S. and New Zealand, according to Australian Pork Limited CEO Andrew Spencer. "Domestic subsidy programs are generally not within the scope of free trade agreements," said Spencer. "However, in this case Canadian agricultural subsidies are so wide ranging and have such a broad and far-reaching impact on overseas markets it is on these grounds we, along with the U.S. and New Zealand, urge the [Trans-Pacific Partnership] negotiators and governments to deal with these issues fairly as part of the process.”
Australian, New Zealand and U.S. pork producers have said that the Canadian government’s actions are counterproductive to the overarching philosophy of the Trans-Pacific Partnership's goals and ambitions. "Subsidy programs are antithetical to free trade and to the spirit of the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations that Canada is entering,” said R.C. Hunt, president of the U.S. National Pork Producers Council.

Peregrine Financial Group files for Chapter 7 bankruptcy

Iowa-based brokerage Peregrine Financial Group has filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy amidst fraud allegations after regulatory group the National Futures Association found the company couldn't account for $220 million in customer funds.
According to the company's filing with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Peregrine has between $500 million and $1 billion of assets, between $100 million and $500 million of liabilities and between 10,000 and 25,000 creditors. The National Grain and Feed Association said that while it is uncertain about the full extent to which commodity customers or members companies may be affected by Peregrine's insolvency, it is "extremely alarmed" by reports of the missing customer funds, and sees this as a reaffirmation of the need to institute "serious reforms" to help prevent misappropriation of customer funds and to protect customer interests in liquidation proceedings.
Earlier in July, the association submitted recommendations to the U.S. Congress and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission designed to provide greater oversight and enhance customer protections in the event of another MF Global-type liquidation of a futures commission merchant. The recommendations focused on policy changes likely to require congressional action, and were targeted at protecting customer assets in the event of an merchant bankruptcy.
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission filed a complaint against Peregrine on July 10, accusing the company and its owner, Russell Wasendorf, Sr., of committing fraud by misappropriating customer funds, violating customer fund segregation laws and making false statements in financial statements filed with the agency. According to the National Grain and Feed Association, recent events prove that the MF Global bankruptcy was not a one-time problem. "We now see that significant risk to supposedly segregated customer funds still exists," said the association.

Chicken boycott planned in Dominican Republic due to high prices

Dominican Republic consumer rights group Pro Consumidor has chosen July 17 as a "day without chicken" in the country after producers, retailers and others involved in poultry selling could not come to an agreement on a price by July 4, according to reports. The boycott comes in spite of previous indications that an agreement might be reached.
On July 9, Pro Consumidor met with the House of Representatives’ Standing Committee on Agriculture, Ministry of Agriculture, and the producers and marketers of chicken.
The president of the Standing Committee on Agriculture, José Jáquez, announced the committee has scheduled the following meetings in order to agree on a price for chicken meat:

• July 16: The commission will meet with producers and distributors
• July 19: The commission will meet with slaughterhouse operators
• July 20: The commission will meet with supermarkets and retailers
• July 23: All above will meet again to define an appropriate price for poultry meat