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Author: c001os

A race for methane emission reducing vaccines

Written by c001os on . Posted in Cattle, Nutrinfo.

Some researchers are focusing on the development of vaccines to reduce methane emissions from cows.

New Scientist reports that the startup Arkebio presented its vaccine, which is in development, to the American Society of Animal Science. The prototype vaccine works by stimulating the cow’s immune system to produce antibodies in the saliva that target the methane-producing microbes in the rumen.

Cows given the prototype vaccine produced 12.9% less methane over a period of 105 days. There were no adverse side effects or disruption of growth rate.

The trial included 10 cows, 5 of which received the vaccination in the neck, with a booster vaccination given after 56 days. The other 5 cows formed the control group. A second test with 14 cows started in June this year and is still ongoing. The first results indicate a methane reduction of at least 13% per cow.

A second group investigating the feasibility of a vaccine against methane is a collaboration in England led by The Pirbright Institute. Researchers control how methane-forming microbes populate the gastrointestinal tract of calves and how the immune system responds to them. Yet others are investigating whether they can tackle the methane-forming microbes with specific antibodies, which could result in a vaccine. The scientists involved expect that an effective vaccine will reduce methane production by more than 30%.

Pioneering project: producing feed from greenhouse gases

Written by c001os on . Posted in Cattle, Nutrinfo.

Two micro-organisms – a bacterium and an algae – can be used together to convert carbon dioxide and methane into a protein-rich biomass. The discovery has prompted the New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries (MPIs) to support Upflow and partners to progress the research.

The funding of nearly $5 million for the 4-year project will be the first in the world to pioneer biomass feedstock production from gases and robust microorganisms that thrive in the extreme conditions found at geothermal sites.

The biomass is created when microorganisms feed off greenhouse gas emissions captured from geothermal power stations, such as those used to generate electricity in the central North Island. The biomass produced is made up of several potentially commercial valuable components, including protein for animal feed.

Early-stage research looks promising. Industrial biotechnology processes developed by University of Canterbury researchers uses a methane-eating bacterium and a carbon dioxide-eating microalgae to capture the gases and use them as a food source for growth. The novel process generates a biomass rich in protein. It is being explored as an animal feed ingredient, use for human nutrition, or to produced high-value nutraceuticals or pigments.

Steve Penno, MPIs director of investment programmes, said it was an exciting project to support: “If successful, this could be the start of a new biomass feedstock manufacturing industry for New Zealand, worth an estimated $500 million per annum by 2045, creating new skilled jobs. “It would reduce our reliance on imported livestock feed, and decarbonise these industries, while also reducing the cost of carbon emissions for geothermal companies that adopt the system.”

Ukrainian egg market hit with oversupply

Written by c001os on . Posted in Nutrinfo, Poultry.

Following nearly 2 years of shortage, the Ukrainian egg market has started experiencing oversupply, Yevhen Khailov, sales director of Incuba, a local egg manufacturer, revealed. The surplus is felt despite record-breaking exports.

Ukraine is now manufacturing over 100 million eggs per month, Khailov told a local publication, Our Poultry Farming. Production has exceeded demand as multiple farmers struggled to ramp up production, as the market has been in short supply in recent years. Too many companies boosted the number of laying hens, Khailov added.

Similar situations have already happened in the past, but now farmers are limited in their opportunities to lower their laying hen population as the poultry meat market is fully saturated, too, Khailov stated. “In addition, long power outages pose a problem for farms, making it difficult to slaughter birds and store meat,” he said.

In the meantime, Ukrainian egg exports continue to rise. During the first half of 2024, sales to foreign customers reached 36,980 tonnes against 29,700 tonnes in the previous year, the official statistical data showed. The growth happened as industrial egg farming in Ukraine is recovering, the Union of Poultry Farmers of Ukraine said in a statement.

The largest importers of Ukrainian eggs were European countries, primarily Poland and Italy, as well as Singapore, the UAE and Israel, the organisation said.

Egg prices in Ukraine may surge over the next few months as the country is braced for extended blackouts during the heating season. DTEK, the country’s largest power generation company, estimated that power outages may last up to 20 hours per day, as a substantial share of the Ukrainian energy system is in ruins.

Non-GMO supply chain unites against NGT deregulation

Written by c001os on . Posted in Nutrinfo.

Operators across Europe’s non-GMO supply chain are uniting against proposed deregulation of new genomic techniques (NGTs), with a strong call for choice and transparency emerging from the recent non-GMO Summit in Frankfurt. Organized by key industry groups—Verband Lebensmittel ohne Gentechnik (VLOG), ARGE Gentechnik-frei, Donau Soja, European Non-GMO Industry Association (ENGA), and ProTerra Foundation—the event​​ drew attention to the need for consistent non-GMO standards as regulatory pressures mount.

Alexander Hissting, managing director of VLOG, emphasized the enduring strength of Europe’s non-GMO market, affirming that the sector “is here to stay.” He is closely watching the debate on deregulation of NGTs​​, which could influence the non-GMO market. However, this discussion hasn’t yet reached the everyday operations of food producers or retailers, he claimed. While some have been informed and even signed letters regarding possible deregulation, they feel there’s no need for immediate action until concrete regulations are in place, he noted. 

Hissting also noted that the topic has minimal media coverage and limited public awareness; most consumers likely haven’t heard about NGTs and, therefore, have not altered their purchasing habits.

He expressed concern about the future impact on non-GMO labeling standards if deregulation allows NGT crops to enter the European market without labeling. This scenario, he told us, would add complexity to maintaining non-GMO quality assurances. He emphasized that detection tools are crucial for tracking NGTs in the food chain, highlighting the importance of having affordable and practical options available.

Additionally, ENGA wants a clear liability framework based on the “polluter pays” principle, ensuring that any contamination of non-GMO products is addressed financially by those responsible.

Furthermore, the organization supports an opt-out mechanism allowing individual EU countries to restrict NGTs within their borders. Although this proposal has not yet been included in EU policy discussions, said Heike Moldenhauer, secretary general of ENGA.

Iranian company to produce single-cell proteins from methanol and petroleum compuonds

Written by c001os on . Posted in Nutrinfo.

Iranian company Kimia Life has developed a technology for manufacturing single-cell protein from petroleum raw materials. A local publication, Hakim Mehr, quoted Kimia Life CEO Mr Pourkazem, who expressed confidence that the developed technology could significantly boost Iranian food independence.

“We produce feedstuff suitable for livestock, poultry and fish by using hydrocarbon resources,” he said, not diving deeper into technical details.

The Iranian feed industry has been grappling with persistent feedstuff shortages in recent years. The cash-strapped Iranian economy lacks foreign exchange currency to pay for grain and feed additives, which are mostly imported.

“All livestock and poultry feed and feed protein are imported, which is a huge problem. We can use the country’s rich hydrocarbon resources to produce animal and poultry feed protein inside the country so that the country does not need to depend on foreign supplies any longer,” he added. In addition, he revealed that the development technology is cost-effective and allows the obtained feed protein to be cheaper than imported.

“The successful development of the prototype production unit of animal and poultry feed from petroleum hydrocarbons is a significant milestone for our group. No company has achieved such a feat in Iran until today,” said Pourkazem, noting that both methanol and flare gas are available in Iran in abundant quantities. Processing them in animal feed is also a sustainable practice since both substances are considered pollutants. The company has sent first batches of obtained feed protein to livestock companies and got generally positive reaction, Pourkazem said, again refusing to disclose additional details.

This is not the first attempt of Iranian scientists and business to come up with a solution to the feed industry crisis. Over the last couple of years, technologies for feed production from lignocellulosic and agricultural waste have been rolled out in the country. However, none of them have reached a scale sufficient to make a difference in the industry yet.

BRICS to establish an alternative grain exchange

Written by c001os on . Posted in Nutrinfo.

BRICS members welcomed the proposal of establishing an inter-organisation grain exchange, according to a declaration passed following a three-day bloc summit in Kazan, Russia. In the document, BRICS members affirmed the need to develop a fair agricultural trading system and implement resilient and sustainable agriculture.

“We welcome the initiative of the Russian side to establish a grain [commodities] trading platform within BRICS and to subsequently develop it, including expanding it to other agricultural sectors,” the declaration stated.

During the past year, Russia has been lobbying for the idea of setting up infrastructure for building BRICS, an alliance of 9 emerging economies (at the beginning of 2024, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates joined the BRICS alliance, so the enlarged alliance is referred to as BRICS+). The Russian Union of Grain Exporters described the proposed grain exchange as an analogue of the international oil cartel for the global grain market. This suggests that the exchange could potentially have a significant influence on global grain prices and trade dynamics.

However, it was not entirely clear whether other BRICS members would buy the idea, since unlike OPEC the organisation consist of not only grain exporters, but also of the biggest importers. This diversity of interests within BRICS could potentially lead to challenges in reaching consensus on the structure and function of the exchange.

Speaking during the Kazan summit, Putin once again reaffirmed his intention to take the project off the ground. He claimed that among other things the BRICS grain exchange “will help protect national markets from “negative external intervention, speculation and attempts to create artificial food shortages.”

Trading of agricultural and related products on a BRICS commodity exchange could exceed $1 trillion in future, the CEO of Russia’s Grain Exporters Union, Eduard Zernin, head of the Russian Union of Grain Exporters, said in a follow-up statement. Beating this goal, Zernin continued, would make it one of the world’s largest markets for agricultural products and a serious factor in strengthening BRICS influence in the area of global food security.

Zernin also added that mentioning the Grain Exchange in the Kazan declaration would facilitate the start of work on establishing the relevant infrastructure. “Now it is possible to begin the practical implementation of the project. This will require substantial organisational efforts, not only from agricultural agencies but also from the financial authorities of BRICS countries, since exchanges, including commodity, are in their area of responsibility,” Zernin said.

Philippines introduces ASF vaccination to commercial farms

Written by c001os on . Posted in Nutrinfo, Pig.

In the Philippines, the Department of Agriculture (DA) has announced it is expanding the government-controlled African swine fever (ASF) vaccine rollout nationwide.

Set to benefit are large farms and smaller herds, reports the official Philippine News Agency (PNA). They explain that the farms must request inclusion in the campaign in writing to the DA. Then officials will visit the premises to assess biosecurity standards and preparations for vaccination.

One stumbling block in the ASF vaccination campaign so far appears to be a shortage of sampling and testing capacities, according to PNA. Vaccines can only be administered to healthy growing pigs (age six weeks or more) that have tested negative for the ASF virus. This requires the collection and testing of blood samples, and there are not enough accredited labs with the capacity to handle these and the follow-up checks taken at specified intervals after vaccination.

As far as Europe is concerned, the ASF situation among Germany’s wild boar population has remained consistently high, reported Schweine at the end of October. Since July, confirmed cases have been running at around 100 per month — much higher than earlier in the year.

Over the period October 16-23, further cases of ASF were confirmed in wild boar by eight European states according to the Animal Disease Information System from the European Commission (EC) Poland and Germany each recorded 39 new cases during that week, Latvia 29 and Bulgaria 13. Smaller numbers of cases were confirmed by Hungary, Italy, Lithuania and Slovakia. So far in 2024, 21 countries in the region have confirmed to the EC a total of 5,299 ASF outbreaks in their respective wild boar populations. For comparison, the EC logged more than 7,900 outbreaks in this category in 20 countries across the region during the whole of 2023. The EC had been informed by 15 countries about cases of ASF affecting their domestic pigs, bringing the regional outbreak total in this population to 657. During the whole of last year, 16 of the region’s states recorded a total of 4,513 ASF outbreaks in this category. Outbreaks have been reported in Italy (Lombardy region), Serbia, Romania and Ukraine, among others. 

Treatment for dangerous turkey disease sought in the U.S.

Written by c001os on . Posted in Nutrinfo, Poultry.

Understanding how histomonosis spreads through flocks could lead to better preventative measures for the deadly turkey disease. There are currently no approved treatments to prevent, treat or control histomonosis, also known as blackhead disease or infectious enterohepatitis, in the U.S. Two therapeutic drug classes used to mitigate the disease caused by single-celled parasites were banned for use in food animals due to concerns of carcinogenic residues.

The major vector for the disease is thought to be Heterakis gallinarum, more commonly known as the cecal worm, but it’s unclear how the nematode parasite gets into the body to spread the disease. The most popular theory for transmission right now is known as the cloacal drinking phenomenon. The parasite enters the lower gastrointestinal tract of the bird by cloacal contact with either parasite-containing feces or with the cloaca of an infected host. However, it’s unclear whether H. gallinum is necessary to be present for disease transmission or if cloacal contact is enough.

Danielle Graham, assistant professor of poultry science for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture and Zhicheng Dou, an associate professor in the biological sciences department at Clemson University revealed that one strain of the protozoa responsible for the disease, H. meleagridis, forms cyst-like structures in the turkey digestive tract. A $3.2 million five-year grant from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will fund the research to find out more about the cyst-like structure and its role in histomonosis transmission.

“Developing therapeutics to combat the formation of these structures could be critical to controlling histomonosis, but first transmission must be properly understood,” Graham said. “What we’re going to do is refine what we’ve done already in vitro, confirm that in vivo and then see if we can identify targets within that cyst-like formation that could be used as a potential drug target,” she added.

Poultry manure to energy source

Written by c001os on . Posted in Nutrinfo, Poultry.

Opportunities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, provide eco-energy and provide income for producers were highlighted at this year’s International Egg Commission (IEC) annual conference.

Speaking to delegates at the recent IEC conference in Venice, James Corbett, Ridgeway Foods Group managing director, talked about handling of poultry litter, which for some producers represents a significant cost, while for others it is a source of additional income.

Poultry litter in the UK has a market value of between £10-15/tonne in crop available nitrogen fertiliser replacement value on average over the year, while in other countries, producers have to dry and pellet the manure before it leaves the farm. It often has to be stored before being used or sold, and storage means that infrastructure needs to be in place and run-off needs to be captured to prevent water pollution.

Corbett questioned whether farmers were making the most of their litter. His company has successfully miniaturised and patented fluidised bed combustion for the reliable combustion of untreated poultry and layer manure to produce heat and electricity for use on-site. Additionally, he said the technology was proven over substantial operating hours and now had 14 units installed in the UK for poultry and layer farms.

As well as heat, it produces a valuable organic fertiliser with high P and K levels, and Corbett said he is now developing solutions for municipal sludge, meat and bone meal and digestate from anaerobic digesters.

“We need to be prepared”: test developed for Japanese encephalitis virus

Written by c001os on . Posted in Nutrinfo, Pig.

When porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) struck U.S. pig herds in 2013, the Iowa State University (ISU) Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (VDL) – which carries the nation’s largest swine caseload – scrambled to design a high-capacity test to keep up with the outbreak. Then they had to play a little catch-up to manage the large caseload, which taught the researchers many lessons.

It’s part of the reason VDL researchers have developed a diagnostic test for swine to detect Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV), a mosquito-borne disease common in southeast Asia that hasn’t been seen in the US.

JEV became a higher priority after it spread to Australia in 2022, prompting the Swine Health Information Center – a pork checkoff-funded industry organization charged with monitoring swine diseases – to fund development of a real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test for JEV, the same genetically based screening method considered the gold standard for diagnosing COVID-19.

Having a federally approved JEV test ready would help mitigate the damage of a possible outbreak, which could cause a drop in U.S. pork production of 1-2% and lead to economic losses of up to $612 million, according to an estimate commissioned by the Swine Health Information Center.

While most cases of JEV in pigs lead to minor symptoms, it can cause neurological and reproductive issues. JEV also poses risks for other animals, including humans. Severe symptoms in infected humans are rare, but in the 1 in 250 cases where they develop, the fatality rate is as high as 30%, according to the World Health Organization. The test developed at Iowa State, which can detect all five genotypes of JEV, could be used for humans, said Rahul Nelli, head of the research project.