Hamlet Protein and Euroduna
Hamlet Protein and Euroduna welcomed 25 participants at this year's "Feed Your Brain" seminar in Bramsche on 22 October. Both organisers, participants and speakers strictly followed the COVID-19 regulations, and the seminar could therefore be held as planned. As in previous years, Dr. Heinz Roling, Herocon Unternehmensberatung, was responsible for the moderation.
Günther Dubberke, Swine Nutritionist Germany/Benelux, Hamlet Protein, gave suggestions on feeding piglets with HP 300 as the only protein component
to think about it. Particular attention was paid to the different content of ß-conglycinin
in the various soya products available on the market. Sample formulations were also discussed with colleagues. Finally the new Hamlet Protein product HP FiberStart was discussed. HP FiberStart was classified as very interesting for poultry as well as for piglets or as carrier for various premixes by the participants.
Dr. Detlef Kampf, Head of the Animal Nutrition Department at the DLG, drew the bow between a changing demand for and the changing requirements of food and made clear that this is a very important issue in the area of conflict between the political and social demands for environmental, animal and consumer protection, production and marketing of food, feed and bio-energy against the background of a growing world population. In this context, the possible replacement of soya by domestic protein plants and alternative protein sources was also discussed. He also stated that 80 to 90% of the world's annually growing agricultural biomass cannot be used directly for human nutrition. However, the fact that it can be eaten by ruminants, for example, and converted into human food underlines its importance in future livestock farming. This applies equally to the use of by-products which are produced in the manufacture of food or bioethanol and which can be sensibly and efficiently converted into food of animal origin via the second utilisation route.
According to scientific calculations, 0.38 ha of agricultural land was available per person worldwide in 1970. This will be reduced to 0.15 ha per person by 2050, further underlining the need for efficient and sustainable agriculture. Here, land loss due to building development, renunciation of the use of slaughter by-products in animal feed and a scientifically unfounded renunciation of genetic engineering in food production pose further risks for securing the world population's food supply. With regard to alternative protein sources, indigenous legumes still have to increase their protein yield per ha significantly. To achieve this, breeding progress is essential to avoid the negative spiral of further declining competitiveness of domestic protein crops. Other products such as insect protein are also not in sight in the short term. Moreover, these are to be seen as direct food competition to humans and are currently not economically viable due to the double transformation rate.
Robert Pottgüter, Nutritionist, Lohmann Breeders, shared with the audience his rich experience in the feeding of laying hens and poultry in general. The rearing of young hens requires the same demands on feed quality as those already made for the piglets, he emphasised. A healthy intestine of the hen reduces the risk of cannibalism (feather pecking) of the animals. The time span between feeding or husbandry errors (water, ventilation) and the occurrence of cannibalism is only a few hours. A highly topical issue in poultry feeding is crude fibre (quantity, species). Lignocellulose 0.6-0.8% on top already works wonders.
Dr. Albert Hortmann-Scholten, head of the company division, Chamber of Agriculture of Lower Saxony, explained the consequences of the ASP and the political measures of the
piglet producers and pig farmers. The first 9 months of this year were very, very productive for the pig farmers. This has suddenly changed with the ASP case in Brandenburg. China, the largest export market, was suddenly closed. The coincidence of Covid 19 and the loss of exports to China have destroyed all positive expectations of pig farmers. At present, around 530,000 pigs ready for slaughter (as of 10/21 2020) are penned in German stables.
Dr. Hortmann Scholten's outlook for German pig farmers was not rosy under the influence of political measures for animal welfare. Restrictions on the castration of male piglets, roughage supply at all stages of production and increased space per sow with unchanged building facilities will automatically lead to a reduction in the number of sows. Further key sentences of the presentation are:
Robert Pottgüter, Nutritionist, Lohmann Breeders, shared with the audience his rich experience in the feeding of laying hens and poultry in general. The rearing of young hens requires the same demands on feed quality as those already made for the piglets, he emphasised. A healthy intestine of the hen reduces the risk of cannibalism (feather pecking) of the animals. The time span between feeding or husbandry errors (water, ventilation) and the occurrence of cannibalism is only a few hours. A highly topical issue in poultry feeding is crude fibre (quantity, species). Lignocellulose 0.6-0.8% on top already works wonders.
Dr. Albert Hortmann-Scholten, head of the company division, Chamber of Agriculture of Lower Saxony, explained the consequences of the ASP and the political measures of the
piglet producers and pig farmers. The first 9 months of this year were very, very productive for the pig farmers. This has suddenly changed with the ASP case in Brandenburg. China, the largest export market, was suddenly closed. The coincidence of Covid 19 and the loss of exports to China have destroyed all positive expectations of pig farmers. At present, around 530,000 pigs ready for slaughter (as of 10/21 2020) are penned in German stables.
Dr. Hortmann Scholten's outlook for German pig farmers was not rosy under the influence of political measures for animal welfare. Restrictions on the castration of male piglets, roughage supply at all stages of production and increased space per sow with unchanged building facilities will automatically lead to a reduction in the number of sows. Further key sentences of the presentation are:
- 26.2 million pigs will benefit from the animal welfare measure - that is 25% of the fattening pigs produced in Germany.
- There will be no radical change in the structure of the slaughterhouse sector.
- Regional marketing may gain in importance, but will remain a niche.