SPACE attracts more than 100,000 visitors

SPACE 2015, held recently in Rennes, France, attracted 106,226 visitors including 15,042 international attendees from 125 countries. Attendance was down slightly due to fewer French visitors but was more than offset by a significant increase in international visitors (up 13% compared to 2014). Large delegations from Algeria, China, Egypt, Iran, India, Morocco and elsewhere firmly established SPACE as a true "Planet Livestock."
The 1,449 exhibitors were a record: 38 countries were represented and nearly 200 were new exhibitors.The number of foreign exhibitors totaled 494 – 34% of the total. There was also more stand and exhibition space.
The 2015 Expo featured the presentation of Innov'Space awards to 48 winners and five special prizes. An exclusive distinction went to the companies that had won the most times.
The Research and Development Village on the theme "My Connected Farm - Performance at My Fingertips" was a success. It showed that livestock farmers are looking for innovative, effective tools to improve farm performance, animal welfare and working conditions. The Village provided information on precision feeding, digital technology in dairy farming, utilizing data in poultry farming and selective breeding for the future.
The animal presentations focused on innovation with the only multi-breed auction in France. Several animals were sold for export, particularly to Portugal.
In these turbulent times for livestock production, SPACE 2015 helped reaffirm its role as a unifying event for livestock farming and its crucial role in plotting a course for the future.

Day 2 of SPACE puts spotlight on French poultry production

While protests during the opening day of SPACE 2015 highlighted difficulties in the dairy and pig sectors, Day 2 threw some light on problems faced by the French poultry sector.
Delegates attending talks on how to improve competiveness in the country’s poultry industry were told how the industry remains fragmented, with a large of number of smallscale producers, compared to other European countries.
But it is not only this fragmentation that has seen French production become less competitive than its rivals. As with the pig and dairy sectors, the French poultry sector has also failed to invest.
The volume of French poultry meat produced has been gently declining since the start of the century, while consumption of poultry meat has been rising. While the country remains self-sufficient in poultry meat, this self-sufficiency has seriously declined over the same period.
France is increasingly importing standard chicken meat, in part because the local costs of production and processing are higher than those in a number of its neighbors, making local production ever less attractive as a source of supply.

Protests keep Day 1 numbers low

Attendance numbers at the Rennes-based trade show were down by 30 percent in comparison to the 2014 trade show’s opening day.
This decrease was primarily due to the large-scale pre-announced demonstrations that took place at the event.
Marcel Denieul president of SPACE said: “Without doubt, a lot of visitors, aware of the planned demonstrations, delayed their visit to the second day of the show.”
He had previously commented that the show should not be “held hostage” by the protesters.
Despite the poor turnout, the show was nevertheless record-breaking, covering a larger area than ever before with more exhibitors and foreign delegations. SPACE reported that 1,441 exhibitors are taking part, coming from 39 countries.
But the demonstrations took their toll, with some exhibitors sleeping in their cars at the exhibition ground the night before the opening. Road blocks near the exhibition grounds meant that, for some, the normally short car journey from Rennes city center to the show became a two-hour slog.
However, the 500 gendarmes that were brought in to keep the peace did their job and, despite planning to attend, the French Agriculture Minister failed to appear, so removing a focus for the demonstrators.

Crowds return

Day 2 of the show was certainly very different. Anecdotal it may be, but on Day 1, there were no queues for restaurants or takeaway stands, and there seemed to be as many sandwiches available at the end of the day as there were at the start.
Day 2, however, saw food queues so long that they interrupted the movement of people around the show ground, so it would seem that at least some of those who stayed away on opening day made the effort on Day 2.
And torrential rain certainly forced the crowds into the exhibition halls where the various stands seemed to be hosting intense conversations.

SPACE sees livestock sector call for government support

SPACE, the French livestock trade show, would not quite be SPACE without some sort of protest, but during the 2015 edition at least, the major demonstrations were kept beyond the entrances to the Rennes, Brittany, showground.
300 protesters gathered at the gates, along with 60 tractors, to call for greater regulation of the European dairy and pork sectors. A strong police presence around and within the showground was ready to head off anything more than peaceful protests, and while issues were raised, little disruption occurred.
Within the confines of the showground, the demonstration was peaceful with a band of flag-waving protestors being led from exhibition hall to exhibition hall to the piping of bagpipes, as Brittany is a region of France with a long Celtic heritage.
This demonstration, however, was but one of a series of protests that have taken place across Europe this year.

Difficulties for European production

The European agricultural crisis is a deep one, although different sectors are being affected to varying degrees.  Dairy has been affected particularly hard, with farming groups from across Europe calling from improved prices either from supermarkets or more government intervention.
Many dairy farmers are selling milk at below cost, and the call at SPACE was for the “right to an income, and greater European protection.”
There is a feeling among many livestock producers that there is little point in continuing to produce. When the cost of investment and regulatory compliance is compared with returns, the appeal of livestock production is ever less.
However, the problem is also due, in part to a lack of investment. In the case of France, for example, the country’s pig producers have fallen behind those based in neighboring Spain and Germany because there has been a failure to invest.
French producers are calling on their government to adopt “significant measures” not only to help modernize livestock production and meat processing, but also to help restore competitiveness and create a viable future for the sector.

Adisseo France wins top honors at SPACE’s 2014 Innov’Space

Pierre-Andre Geraert, marketing innovation director, Adisseo, accepts one of three three-star Innov’Space awards that were presented at SPACE 2014. 
Adisseo France was one of three three-star Innov’Space award winners for its new product, Selisseo 2% Se. The Innov’Space competition recognizes new product innovation and is held among exhibitors at SPACE 2014, the second largest animal production show in the world held annually in Rennes, France.
Of the 166 companies who submit product entries, 49 were awarded the two-star label. Aside from Adisseo France, E-Cat’s mirage laser life, which detects air pockets in eggs, and Renolit Ondex’s Windbreak, a cladding system, also received the three-star ranking. An independent jury comprised of SPACE organizers and experts from technical institutions select the winners.
Selisseo, an original, pure and chemically defined molecule of HMSeBA, provides a reliable source if organic selenium. It is notable because it is a “stable, reliable source of pure organic selenium for animal nutrition.” According to the company, the product has been authorized in Europe since May 2013 as a source of organic selenium in premix and feeds for all species. It is developed either as a solid containing 5 percent HMSeBA and 95 percent carrier, thus supplying 2 percent selenium or as liquid, containing 5 percent HMSeBA in water.
Beyond Addiseo France, other animal nutrition companies also were recognized. Biomin France received two stars for anti-mycotoxin additive BBSH 797, “the first and only microorganism authorized in Europe meant to reduce deoxynivalenol in feed.”
Cargill’s nutrition additive Aloapur and milk replacer Energy@Milk by Denkavit France received one-star recognition.
The 28th edition of SPACE, held from Sept. 16-19, features more than 1,400 exhibitors, covering nearly 400,000 square feet.

SPACE: French government shows confidence in livestock sector

France's Agriculture Minister Stéphane Le Foll spoke about his confidence in French agriculture at SPACE 2014. 
At the opening of the French livestock trade show SPACE 2014, France’s Agriculture Minister Stéphane Le Foll expressed his confidence in the country’s livestock sector saying that his presence at the event demonstrated his faith in France’s animal production.
Referring to the Ukraine crisis, he stated that it is a problem that affects not only French agrifood industries but those across Europe, and that action needs to be coordinated across sectors and throughout the European Union.
He also touched on the need for the government to support poultry exports, and referred to the work that his government was doing to open new export markets for French meat and livestock products around the globe.
Marcel Deniuer, SPACE president, welcomed Le Foll and called on him to help livestock producers by cutting the costs they face and addressing the sector’s difficulties. He continued that livestock production should not be the casualty of geopolitical issues.
Across the country’s various livestock sectors, the goal of “Eating French” should be adhered to. This is particularly the case where poultry production is concerned, Deniuer continued.
Forty percent of poultry products in France are now imported, and in the catering sector this number rises to 87 percent. This meat is mainly coming from France’s European neighbors, who have “gradually nibbled at, and then invaded, our market.” 
“We have to reverse this trend,” Deniuer said, “reconquer the French market and defend our opportunities in the world market, which continues to grow." 
Despite strike action by airline Air France, the four-day event is hosting 1,410 exhibitors from 36 countries and is expected to attract more than 100,000 trade visitors.

Marcel Denieul elected president of SPACE

The board of directors of SPACE, who met in Rennes, France on January 20, unanimously elected Marcel Denieul as president of SPACE. He succeeds Jean-Michel Lemetayer. 
Marcel Denieul has been president of the Ille et Vilaine Chamber of Agriculture since February 2013. 
Marcel Denieul is a farmer in Janze, France, in a GAEC with 10 associates whose main commodities are milk, pork and Janzé chicken. He is also vice-president of the Regional Chamber of Agriculture of Brittany, president of the GIE Elevages Bretagne and Deputy Secretary General of the National Federation of Milk Producers. 
SPACE 2014, a French animal agriculture show, has been scheduled for September 16-19 in Rennes.

SPACE 2013 a great success for AB Vista

It was another busy SPACE for AB Vista, with overall attendance at the event up 5% on last year. A total of just under 115,000 visitors from over 100 countries -- including more than 12,000 from outside France -- made the 27th SPACE one of the busiest ever.
"SPACE is an important event for AB Vista, and a great opportunity to meet distributors, customers and clients from all over Europe, plus a few from further afield," highlighted Maria Soto-Salanova, AB Vista's Business Manager for France.
"This year's event has been a great success, with a really positive atmosphere and a lot of interest in the innovations we presented during the show."
AB Vista leads the way in terms of innovation, quality standards and customer service in the micro-ingredient sector, and SPACE 2013 provided an opportunity to demonstrate the very latest technologies being introduced to the market.
The new Thermo Scientific microPHAZIR AG. hand-held near infrared reflectance (NIR) analyzer from Thermo Fisher Scientific was demonstrated by Steven Tayfield of AB Vista's sister company Aunir, which partnered with Thermo Fisher to develop NIR calibrations for the instrument. Generating considerable interest amongst visitors for its ability to achieve rapid forage and cereal analysis straight out of the box, this unique instrument sets a new benchmark for on-site NIR testing.
AB Vista's Liquid Engineering Director, Paul Steen, was on hand to present details of the Mixer Liquid Application (MLA) equipment that is allowing the new generation xylanase product, Econase XT, to reduce dosing coefficients of variation (CV) to as low as 5% in both pellets and mash. The possibility of applying the intrinsically thermostable Econase XT xylanase into the batch mixer as a dilute liquid prior to heat treatment or pelleting, using MLA technology, has been the key to significant gains in performance and return on investment for customers.

SPACE 2013: A record-beating show

The 27th SPACE, held September, 10-13, 2013, in Rennes beat all attendance records for the number of visitors, in particular foreign visitors, number of exhibitors, size of the exhibition area and number of new products presented.
There were 114,591 visitors (6 percent more than in 2012, beating the 2003 record) including 12,298 foreign visitors (+12 percent) from 110 countries. This increase in the number of visitors and the large area covered by stands (67,000 m² net exhibition area) helped to promote ideal conditions for trade and business discussions.
The significant increase in the number of foreign visitors illustrates the position of SPACE as one of the leading animal production shows in the world. This increase, marked by a large number of visitors from Asia (China, Vietnam, etc.) and West Africa, met the expectations of exhibitors for whom exports are the key to increasing sales and long-term stability. The large number of countries who sent representatives, the large number of foreign journalists (73) and the number of policy makers within these visiting delegations demonstrate that SPACE is representative of the animal production sector and a world-wide crossroads.
The official visit by the Prime Minister, Jean-Marc Ayrault, accompanied by Stéphane Le Foll and Guillaume Garot, was the occasion for them to address the agricultural world. There were around 50 conferences and forums (a third of which dealt with subjects of international import) which were well attended. The high level of these discussions between experts and farmers helped to establish SPACE as an exceptional driver for discussion and progress in the agricultural sector.
Innovation was also a feature of the 27th SPACE with 63 Innov'SPACE awards, five of which received a special prize. The Research and Development Village featured pig and poultry buildings of the future. Farmers were able to find the latest solutions in ergonomics, information technologies, energy management and environmental management.
SPACE was also a unique occasion for showing breeds to buyers from all over the world. More than 400 farmers presented 12 different breeds of animal. The Open Space, organized for the first time by the Evolution group as part of the animal classes, demonstrated the progress made in genomics for genetic selection. Auction prices reached high levels (€8,400, a record for the Prim'Holstein breed) and several animals were sold to foreign buyers.
This year's show was overshadowed by the absence of its President, Jean-Michel Lemetayer, who died suddenly this summer. The tributes paid to him enabled everyone -- family, friends, the organizing team, VIPs, exhibitors, farmers and visitors -- to honor his memory and confirm their determination to continue to expand this Show as he would have wished: an enjoyable event for professionals from all over the world.

French poultry, pig crises fuel tension toward Prime Minister at SPACE

French Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault spoke September 12 at SPACE in Rennes, France, as protesters, who criticize Ayrault during this unstable time for French animal agriculture, gather outside the expo.

French Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault's visit to SPACE 2013 was met with protesters from the pig and poultry industries and the boos and jeers of angry farmers as he quickly made his way through the breeding hall late on the third day of the show. Escorted by a large security detail - and with a troop of riot police standing by - his visit comes at a particularly unstable time for French animal agriculture.
The summer of 2013 has delivered a series of blows to the poultry, pork and eggs industries.
France's poultry sector took a sudden and significant hit after the European Commission repealed its poultry subsidies, which had allowed it to remain competitive against the world market, before its original January 2015 expiration date. As a result, Tilly-Sabco, Europe's No. 2 exporter of frozen poultry, announced a 40 percent reduction in production. This, topped with the financial problems of major producer Doux that began in 2012, has left many in Brittany, France, in fear of the future. Many SPACE attendees wore shirts warning of the potential loss of 50,000 jobs in the poultry industry if action isn't taken.

Response from Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault
Ayrault tackled the issue during his afternoon address by announcing that the government will roll out emergency measures to keep hatcheries and the poultry industry afloat and will file an appeal against the European Commission's decision.
Meanwhile, after being rocked by the swine crisis, France's primary slaughterhouse and processor Gad SAS announced the closure of one of its production facilities and elimination of nearly 1,000 workers in an attempt to balance its books after it entered into a receivership earlier in the year.
Ayrault noted the government stands with its people and hopes to save jobs; however, it cannot "substitute for the leaders of these companies."
SPACE and the aforementioned companies are located in Brittany, a region in northwestern France with a rich tradition of animal agriculture; it accounts for most of the country's animal production.
Ayrault ended his speech by stating, "The Breton agricultural model is not dead."
This edition of SPACE reports record attendance boasting more than 100,000 attendees from around the world. The event, located in Rennes, will be the largest European livestock show in 2013. 

French poultry, pig crises fuel tension toward Prime Minister at SPACE

French Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault spoke September 12 at SPACE in Rennes, France, as protesters, who criticize Ayrault during this unstable time for French animal agriculture, gather outside the expo.

French Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault's visit to SPACE 2013 was met with protesters from the pig and poultry industries and the boos and jeers of angry farmers as he quickly made his way through the breeding hall late on the third day of the show. Escorted by a large security detail - and with a troop of riot police standing by - his visit comes at a particularly unstable time for French animal agriculture.
The summer of 2013 has delivered a series of blows to the poultry, pork and eggs industries.
France's poultry sector took a sudden and significant hit after the European Commission repealed its poultry subsidies, which had allowed it to remain competitive against the world market, before its original January 2015 expiration date. As a result, Tilly-Sabco, Europe's No. 2 exporter of frozen poultry, announced a 40 percent reduction in production. This, topped with the financial problems of major producer Doux that began in 2012, has left many in Brittany, France, in fear of the future. Many SPACE attendees wore shirts warning of the potential loss of 50,000 jobs in the poultry industry if action isn't taken.

Response from Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault
Ayrault tackled the issue during his afternoon address by announcing that the government will roll out emergency measures to keep hatcheries and the poultry industry afloat and will file an appeal against the European Commission's decision.
Meanwhile, after being rocked by the swine crisis, France's primary slaughterhouse and processor Gad SAS announced the closure of one of its production facilities and elimination of nearly 1,000 workers in an attempt to balance its books after it entered into a receivership earlier in the year.
Ayrault noted the government stands with its people and hopes to save jobs; however, it cannot "substitute for the leaders of these companies."
SPACE and the aforementioned companies are located in Brittany, a region in northwestern France with a rich tradition of animal agriculture; it accounts for most of the country's animal production.
Ayrault ended his speech by stating, "The Breton agricultural model is not dead."
This edition of SPACE reports record attendance boasting more than 100,000 attendees from around the world. The event, located in Rennes, will be the largest European livestock show in 2013. 

French poultry meat sector questions export refund suspension

A delegation from the French poultry industry met the French Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault during trade show SPACE to raise their concerns over the EU decision to suspend export refunds for poultry meat exports.
Export subsidies are thought to benefit two French companies in particular; however, indirectly they have an impact across various producers and supporting industries.
The poultry industry argues that while it is not against the eventual removal of export subsidies, it must be given time to adapt. Originally, export subsidies had been due to come to an end in 2015.
One-third of French chicken production is exported, mainly to the Middle East, and without support, these exports would not be competitive.
The sector notes that its main rival in export markets is Brazil, which has competitively devalued its currency. Further, other exporting countries have not removed the support offered to their exporters, adding to the disadvantages already experienced by French producers.
France has seen a gradual decline in its share of export markets and an increase in the volume of product imported. Its producers further note that even on the home market they are hampered by having social costs that are not imposed in other countries.
The delegation is calling on the Ministry of Agriculture to delay the removal of subsidies and argues that failing to do so could be catastrophic. It says that the early removal would result in the loss of export markets. It would also destabilize the home market given that that chicken produced for export would no longer be able to sold in the market for which it was destined and end up flooding the French market.
This, in turn, would discourage the investment needed to help the sector modernize and result in closure and the possible loss of some 50,000 jobs along the production chain.
Producers are calling for the adoption of a number of measures to support the sector in addition to a delay in removing export support. All players must pull together, its representatives argue, to resist the change. There should not be any new taxes imposed on the sector; environmental policy should be developed in the support of agriculture; the government must help support the sector to become more competitive; and an investment fund should be created to renovate or replace buildings.

27th edition of French livestock show SPACE opens to public

French livestock show SPACE has opened with a record number of exhibitors, despite Europe's ongoing economic difficulties.
The 27th edition of the event, held in Rennes, France, September 10-13, offers visitors 1,400 stands and extends to an area of 67,000 m².
The organizers note that exhibitors this year have come from a wider range of countries, with 13 from China, four from Turkey and three from Japan. For European suppliers to the poultry industry, the event helps them to showcase their goods to overseas visitors, thus helping to ensure survival while demand remains weak on the home market.
Within the poultry sector, there are 101 direct and co-exhibitors, of which 29 are exhibiting for the first time. The poultry sector has drawn more new foreign exhibitors than any other.
Over the course of the event, 100,000 trade visitors are expected to attend the event, with more than 10 percent coming from outside France.
A record number of products are on display at the show this year, with 64 selected for recognition in the event's innovation awards; of those 64, 11 are for use in poultry.

Poultry pest products win prizes at SPACE innovation awards

Poultry pest control products were among those recognized in this year's INNOV'SPACE Awards, the innovation awards that form part of the trade show SPACE to recognize new products and services.

Red mites
A One Star award was awarded to Elanco's Elector, which entered the French market for use against red mites in May. One application of Elector can provide total protection against red mites for up to 12 weeks due to its new mode of action, and trials in France have shown effectiveness within three to four days.
About 70 percent of layer farms in France are thought to be infected with red mite, and it is the second most important problem reported by French egg farmers. Europe-wide, some 74 percent of farms are thought to be infected.
Elector requires mites to adapt to two different nerve site receptors instead of one, making survival more difficult. Additionally, the product has a continuous effect, as the mites are subject to a double exposure. Spraying in hiding places give one exposure, and migration over surfaces offers another.

Lesser meal worms
Palmatrap, exhibited by San San Prodesing/Koppert France was awarded one star in this year's innovation awards.
The conical structure has been designed to capture lesser meal worms and fits over a bowl filled with feed. The product's rough exterior facilitates entry to the opening at the top and access to the feed, but its smooth interior makes exit difficult. Its manufacturers note that the trap, made from 100 percent recyclable plastic, can trap many kilos of insects, and that the device is robust and can be used over many years.
Rats and mice
A One Star award was also went to Wisecon France's Wisebox. The Wisebox rat controller is 100 percent poison free and offers a method of control that is based on the natural behavior of rats and mice.
The basic system is a box with an entry hole. Once the mouse or rat enters, it is electrocuted and bagged, meaning that when the box is emptied, carcasses do not have to be touched.
However, with Wisebox Intelligent, a daily followup is possible offering a record of the work of the traps, and the number of killed rats and mice can be accessed via internet. Wisebox can be placed inside or outside the poultry house and communicates with the farm manager by SMS when it needs emptying.
The trap is battery operated but also has a solar panel to extend battery life.

President of International Livestock Trade Fair SPACE dies

Jean-Michel Lemetayer, president of SPACE, the International Livestock Trade Fair, died suddenly on July 31, 2013. Lemetayer was one of the co-founders of SPACE in 1987 and over the past 26 years, was devoted to expanding the show.
A defender of animal production in Brittany, France, he was one of the driving forces behind SPACE and had ambitions of serving livestock farmers and animal producers.
SPACE released the following statement: "His death is a great loss. SPACE will no longer be the same without him but the directors and staff will continue in his footsteps, maintaining the professional standards and cordial approach that he always inspired."

Pig producers focus on energy efficiency at SPACE 2012

Several exhibitors in the pig section at SPACE 2012 in Rennes, France, held September 11–14, said they were “pleasantly surprised by the positive response” they were receiving from visitors to the show, and that energy efficiency seems to be a key point of interest.
Large crowds of producers thronged the aisles of the pig sector halls on September 13, with many stopping to look more closely at the array of different products on display. “Business is good,” said a spokeswoman for Dutch bio-energy installation company HoSt Bio-Energy, a first-time exhibitor at the event. “We are finding there is a lot of interest among the pig producers here in our small farm-scale anaerobic digesters, which can produce electricity and heat for their businesses. “I think an increasing number of French pig producers are realizing that they need to take action to control and cut their energy costs, as well as find new, less expensive ways to deal with their waste products, especially slurry.”
Charlotte Højgrav-Huus Skjold, sales manager at VengSystem, a Danish supplier of ventilation technology, said she is seeing the same thing. “Pig producers here seem surprisingly positive about the future, with much more focus on saving energy wherever possible," said Skjold. "I feel things are definitely changing." In addition to France, she said that VengSystem is looking at new markets in Asia. It already exports its systems, which provide controlled temperatures for sows and piglets and, she said, help reduce ammonia emissions. The company exports to Canada, the UK, Ireland, Norway and other EU countries.
While some observers at the show said they think production will fall during the first few months of 2013, they are all confident it will bounce back as producers adapt to the new EU welfare regulations, which come into force on January 1, 2013, and the prices for pigs rise. Shi-Heung Park, president of InterHeat, which specializes in supplying heating lamps for pig houses, also said he feels business has been good in France in 2012, and he has confidence about the future. “People must eat,” he said.

SPACE 2012: Animal nutrition specialist Olmix researching algae for pig gut health

French animal nutrition specialist Olmix is conducting further research and development into the use of algae to help improve the gut health of pigs, and it expects to have new products available for producers within a year or two, said the company's European business development manager, Olivier Biannic, at SPACE 2012 in Rennes, France, on September 13.
The company, which is already seeing success with its algae-based products for pigs, saw greater potential for further development of the beneficial effects of algae on pig health and productivity, said Biannic to Pig International. A product the company launched in 2011 — ecopiglet, which helps prepare piglets for weaning — is proving very popular, according to Olmix, and has resulted in a 50 percent improvement in the health of piglets in trials, while the use of antibiotic medications had been reduced by more than 50 percent.
This news followed a pre-SPACE seminar on “algae, the blue revolution for a sustainable chemistry,” organized in nearby Pontivy, France. Nearly thirty scientists, including Breton specialists in marine sciences and in algae; representatives of research labs; and representatives from CNRS Roscoff, the University of Western Brittany, the University of Southern Brittany, the French National Institute for Agricultural Research and the regional SMEs; presented the potential of algae to provide global solutions to the issues of nutrition and health, particularly of animals and plants.

Animal feed prices, production costs highlighted at SPACE 2012

Animal feed prices and production costs were the key topics of conversation among visitors and exhibitors at SPACE 2012, which opened in Rennes, Brittany, France, on September 11, with discussion about the new EU animal welfare regulations also a hot-button topic.
And in spite of the current difficult financial climate for all livestock farmers, the show, which runs until September 14 and is celebrating its 25th anniversary, is bigger than ever before, although attendance remained stable at about 22,100 visitors on the first day compared with figures from 2011.

A leading visitor on opening day was new French President François Hollande. While there, the president urged pig producers and other sectors of the agricultural industry to “go out and conquer new markets by boosting new farms, protecting agricultural land and calming volatility.”
His words were welcomed by many at the show, including Michel Rieu of the French Institute for Pigs, who told Pig International he believes there is plenty of room for French pig producers to grow and consolidate production for the domestic market, as demand for pork grows in the future. He also said he believes the balance of supply and demand will soon lead to higher prices for pork and that the prices will remain high through 2013 and maybe even 2014.
Pig farming, said Rieu, is becoming popular again in France with the number of young French people who want to be pig farmers growing rapidly. “This is a good sign and reflects the excellent model of farming that the industry has here — small, family-style farms with between 300 and 400 pigs per farm,” he said.
Jean-Michel Serres, president of the National Pig Federation in France, told Pig International that “France is a good place for the future.” He said that producers need to consolidate production to secure the domestic market, and that French producers are used to high input costs and can remain competitive under the current wave of high international prices.

Arnaud Buchet, commercial export manager for French pig breeder Nucléus SAS, said the company has been selecting for feed conversion rate, rather than growth, to help French pig producers produce more with less feed for several years, so it is now ahead of the game as feed prices continues to soar on the international markets. As a result, according to Buchet, the company’s sire and female lines are now attracting many new customers in several new markets, including China, Korea and the U.S.

French pig producers protest pork prices at SPACE

Dozens of French pig producers staged protests against low pig prices and lack of government action at the SPACE livestock event in Rennes, France.
The protesters also demanded action against retailers that were charging consumers more for pork while paying lower prices to pig producers. The farmers claim that they are losing up to €15 on every pig that they finish and sell. Pig producers are demanding some action from the French government to help them improve conditions, or else they are threatening to cut off all relations with the ministry of agriculture. Protesters said they would also like to see the European Union’s agricultural policy restructured to recognize the problems within the pig industry and to force prices up for high-quality French pork.
SPACE is celebrating its 25th anniversary and organizers are reporting record attendance and more exhibitors at this year’s show. Exhibitions Manager Paul Kerorton said the number of pig industry exhibitors has remained stable in spite of the problems currently facing the animal agriculture industry in Europe.

SPACE 2011: Poultry products perform well in SPACE awards scheme

Prototype of the FAF La Reve ventilation system, recognised with three stars in this year's SPACE innovation awards.

Products for the poultry industry performed well in this year’s SPACE awards, Innov’Space.
Nine of the 54 products recognized this year were exclusively for use in poultry production, while a further six were applicable to a number of species, including poultry.
A poultry product was also the recipient of a “three star” award, the highest in the program. The FAF La Reve ventilation system is designed for use with FAF La Reve Collective Cages, used for force feeding ducks. It offers horizontal ventilation and clips to the center of the cage modules, providing ventilation for two coops or 12 ducks. Air is drawn upwards, to avoid the introduction of feathers, by a cylindrical fan and blown downwards over a deflector which divides the air evenly and blows it downwards and across each coop.
2011 was the fourth time that a FAF innovation had been recognized under Innov’Space.
The new modular meat processing units from Isomir received two stars. These modular micro-factories offer smaller producers in the pig, poultry and rabbit sectors the opportunity to slaughter and process on-farm. Currently being sold in France and in its overseas dependencies, the units come ready assembled, needing only ground preparation and fitting out with slaughter and processing equipment. They can be added to over time and are compliant with current food processing legislation.
Ovoflash, from Actini’s egg processing division, was the recipient of one star. Ovoflash allows pasteurization temperatures to reach 74 C, while preserving the egg quality, and avoiding the coagulation of proteins or reducing foaming capacity. This optimization has been achieved not only as a result of heating technology, but as a result of high speed and short residence time. The system results in processed eggs with a lower bacteria count and a longer shelf life. 

SPACE 2011: SPACE celebrates 25th edition

The French animal husbandry trade show SPACE celebrated its 25th edition this year, with a record number of exhibitors — 1,300. The show’s organizers note that requests for space this year could not be fully met, particularly in the dairy and poultry farming sectors.
While the overwhelming number of exhibitors, 700, at the event were from France, SPACE is increasingly placing itself as an international event, and welcomed ministers and delegations from around the world. Its organizers noted that while the show was unrecognizable in comparison with 25 years ago, it remained a “friendly” place to do business.
Visitor numbers on day one of the event may have been a little low in the poultry halls but the show was not without excitement. As in previous years, the event witnessed a protest from local farmers — this time from the pig industry — however, it was nothing like last year’s protests when a lockdown had to be implemented and riot police charged.
Some 100,000 visitors are expected over the course of the event, and day one saw the French Agriculture Minister Bruno Le Maire, absent for the last three years, attend the event. He recognized the difficult climate that France’s livestock producers are facing and, for poultry producers, promised that despite budgetary constraints there would be no restrictions on the €20 million earmarked for the next three years to help producers modernize and make their buildings legally compliant.