Genomic selection and an emphasis on making more use of information from DNA analysis lie at the heart of a new pig breeding project announced in Denmark.
The collaboration is between the pig research center of the Danish Agriculture & Food Council and Aarhus University. It aims to achieve improvements in aspects such as the longevity of sows and their maternal characteristics as well as in the more conventional traits of pig survival, growth rate and lean meat percentage. Ultimately, its backers think that the current rate of genetic progress in the target pig population could be increased by as much as 50%.
Work has started on developing a DNA-based selection model, scheduled for completion over the next two years. Among the sources of funding is a program established by the Ministry of Food in Denmark to promote initiatives in food production that benefit the environment and animal welfare.
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Pilgrim's to close Dallas poultry processing plant
Pilgrim's has announced plans to close its chicken-processing plant in Dallas, Texas, by September 30.
Production from the plant will be consolidated into several other Pilgrim's facilities in the region, including the processing and prepared-foods plants in Mt. Pleasant, Texas. Pilgrim's contract growers who supply birds to the Dallas plant will begin supplying the other company plants following the consolidation. There will be no disruption in supply of product to Pilgrim's customers.
Approximately 1,000 hourly and salaried employees who work at the Dallas facility will be affected by the plant closing. Pilgrim's Pride expects to be able to offer positions at other facilities to interested employees. The company will provide transition programs to employees who are not retained in order to assist them in securing new employment, filing for unemployment and obtaining other applicable benefits.
Production from the plant will be consolidated into several other Pilgrim's facilities in the region, including the processing and prepared-foods plants in Mt. Pleasant, Texas. Pilgrim's contract growers who supply birds to the Dallas plant will begin supplying the other company plants following the consolidation. There will be no disruption in supply of product to Pilgrim's customers.
Approximately 1,000 hourly and salaried employees who work at the Dallas facility will be affected by the plant closing. Pilgrim's Pride expects to be able to offer positions at other facilities to interested employees. The company will provide transition programs to employees who are not retained in order to assist them in securing new employment, filing for unemployment and obtaining other applicable benefits.
Monday, August 1, 2011
Food show Anuga bans foie gras products
Products that stem from foie gras production have been banned from German food exhibition Anuga, due to take place in October.
Production of foie gras is banned in some countries and now Anuga and its host, Kolnmesse, have decided that foie gras and meat from force-fed geese and ducks will not be shown at the exhibition.
The decision comes following pressure from international animal welfare organization Four Paws. “This is a very important symbol and shows that Anuga takes both animal and consumer protection seriously," said Marcus Muller, head of the Four Paws foie gras campaign. "Now we can call off our planned protest around the exhibition.”
Production of foie gras is banned in some countries and now Anuga and its host, Kolnmesse, have decided that foie gras and meat from force-fed geese and ducks will not be shown at the exhibition.
The decision comes following pressure from international animal welfare organization Four Paws. “This is a very important symbol and shows that Anuga takes both animal and consumer protection seriously," said Marcus Muller, head of the Four Paws foie gras campaign. "Now we can call off our planned protest around the exhibition.”
Hog futures rise on increased demand
Hog futures are rising on increased demand and tight supplies, with October numbers reaching 91.7 cents per pound (up 0.3%) as of 9:50 a.m. CST on July 28.
Current spot-market hog prices hit a five-week high at 99.35 cents per pound on July 27, up 1.6%, while wholesale-pork prices increased 1% to $1.0234 per pound, the highest since October 1997. Overall, hog futures have gained 20% in the last year.
Current spot-market hog prices hit a five-week high at 99.35 cents per pound on July 27, up 1.6%, while wholesale-pork prices increased 1% to $1.0234 per pound, the highest since October 1997. Overall, hog futures have gained 20% in the last year.
US pork production down in June
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| The majority of hogs slaughtered was made up of barrows and gilts. |
Hog slaughter totaled 8.94 million head, also down 1% from June 2010. The average live weight, however, was up 2 pounds, at 273 pounds. Iowa contributed the largest number of slaughtered hogs in June 2011, with 2.38 million head, down from 2010's 2.40 million head. Overall, barrows and gilts made up the majority of federally inspected hogs slaughtered, at 8.57 million head, compared to 268,000 sows and 28,000 boars.
US poultry certified wholesome up in June
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| Mature chickens slaughtered in June averaged 6.03 pounds per bird. |
The May 2011 revised certified total at 3.79 billion pounds, was up 8% from May 2010. The May revision represented an increase of 10.0 million pounds from the previous month's preliminary pounds
certified.
The preliminary total live weight of all federally inspected poultry during June 2011 was 5.11 billion pounds, up 5% from 4.88 billion pounds in 2010. Young chickens inspected totaled 4.37 billion pounds, up 4% from June 2010. Mature chickens, at 79.0 million pounds, were up 12% from 2010 numbers. Turkey inspections totaled 650 million pounds, up 7%. Ducks totaled 14.0 million pounds, up 3% from 2010.
Young chickens slaughtered during June 2011 averaged 5.81 pounds per bird, up 3% from June 2010. The average live weight of mature chickens was 6.03 pounds per bird, up 5% compared to 2010 numbers. Turkeys slaughtered during June 2011 averaged 29.3 pounds per bird, up 1% from June 2010.
Resistant bacteria breakthrough could benefit poultry, pig producers
Staff at independent Dutch research organization TNO have identified natural ingredients capable of eradicating bacteria that have developed resistance to antibiotics. The discovery has been tested on ESBL bacterial but can also be used to combat EHEC E. coli, with possible uses in both the poultry and pig industries.
“This breakthrough is vital to the future of public health," said Dr. Jan Pieter van der Lugt, director of food and nutrition at TNO. "There are countless bacteria out there capable of mutating into equally dangerous counterparts of the EHEC bacteria. For instance, 94% of the chicken in our supermarkets is infected with ESBL bacteria which have also become resistant to antibiotics. The excessive use of antibiotics in the veterinary sector means that more and more of these substances are finding their way into our food. Eventually, bacteria get so used to them that they become resistant.
According to van der Lugt, it is only logical that livestock farmers want to keep their cows, pigs, chicken and calves healthy, but indiscriminate antibiotic use can create "a ticking time bomb. Eventually, it will work against us," he said. "We are, therefore, going in search of ingredients already found in the natural world which can kill harmful bacteria.”
“This breakthrough is vital to the future of public health," said Dr. Jan Pieter van der Lugt, director of food and nutrition at TNO. "There are countless bacteria out there capable of mutating into equally dangerous counterparts of the EHEC bacteria. For instance, 94% of the chicken in our supermarkets is infected with ESBL bacteria which have also become resistant to antibiotics. The excessive use of antibiotics in the veterinary sector means that more and more of these substances are finding their way into our food. Eventually, bacteria get so used to them that they become resistant.
According to van der Lugt, it is only logical that livestock farmers want to keep their cows, pigs, chicken and calves healthy, but indiscriminate antibiotic use can create "a ticking time bomb. Eventually, it will work against us," he said. "We are, therefore, going in search of ingredients already found in the natural world which can kill harmful bacteria.”
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