Students, free range eggs and lupins….

UK free range egg supplier Birchgrove Eggs supplies Aberystwyth University, Wales, UK with over 4000 eggs per week, and in a commercial trial for a research project with scientists at the Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences (IBERS), they are feeding their hens a layers mash where most of the protein component of the feed is provided by yellow lupins instead of the usual soya protein.
 

Soya traditionally made up a considerable percentage of the poultry feed and using a home grown alternative which does not affect egg quality contributes to assured provenance and sustainability.

Birchgrove Eggs is undertaking an 18 week commercial trial as part of a collaborative research and development project between industry and academia where Aberystwyth University is one of 12 partners.
 

The company is run by Tony and Gwen Burgess. “We are delighted to be partners in this important research project that has already shown the potential to generate real nutrition and possible future cost benefits for poultry producers across the UK," said Tony Burgess.

“Poultry feed costs are escalating and we are looking for home grown alternatives to the imported soya we have relied on over the years. Growing lupins in the UK to replace imported soya is a really excellent good news story – for consumers, farmers and wildlife. The research with IBERS is a great example of innovation and partnership through science.”
 

The aim of the research and development project is to look at sweet (edible) lupins which are high in protein as a viable UK-grown alternative protein source to go into animal and fish feeds to replace as far as possible and ideally up to 100%, the soya protein component.

IBERS experiments feeding laying hens with lupins found no significant impact on their feed and water intake, growth, weight, egg production or bird health. In fact the lupin based feed seemed to perform essentially the same as the standard feed in comparison.
 

Soya prices are increasing and UK supplies are imported largely from South America, and the impact of their production in South America means that huge areas of land are turned over to soya production.
 

“The UK and Europe has major issues with protein security within the livestock sector and are heavily dependent on imported soya. We need to find ways of increasing the amount of protein that can be grown "on-farm" in the UK.  Research studies at IBERS have demonstrated the potential for lupins in laying hens and it is excellent to have this work taken forward in a large commercial scale study with Birchgrove," said Nigel Scollan, Waitrose chair of sustainable agriculture at IBERS and the principal investigator on this research project 

“We have always used Birchgrove eggs primarily due to the high quality of their produce. We believe that buying local and free range has benefits across the board. It is wonderful to see that they are now working to develop the feed that is local as well so reducing the carbon foot print even further for our eggs." added Jeremy Mabbutt, head of hospitality services at Aberystwyth University. 

Tony Burgess (left) from Birchgrove Eggs and Adrian Smith, Head Chef at Aberystwyth University.

Event: Pre-registration now open for 2014 International Production & Processing Expo

Attendee and exhibitor pre-registration and hotel registration for the 2014 International Production & Processing Expo (IPPE) is now open. 

Sponsored by the US Poultry & Egg Association, (USPOULTRY) the American Feed Industry Association (AFIA) and the American Meat Institute (AMI), IPPE is expected to attract more than 26,000 attendees and is a collaboration of three shows - International Poultry Expo, International Feed Expo, and International Meat Expo - representing the entire chain of protein production and processing.

The 2014 shows sees the return of the popular “Members to Atlanta” (M2A) program, which waives the pre-registration fee through December 31, 2013, for attendees from member firms of all three associations engaged in the production of poultry, eggs and meat for consumption, and feed and pet food manufacturers. 

Online is the only way to pre-register for the discounted price of $50 (USD) through December 31, 2013. After December 31st 2013, the registration fee will increase to $70.

More information about pre-registration available here.

The Expo will highlight the latest technology, equipment, and services used in the production and processing of meat, poultry, and feed products. The event will also feature several new educational programs including important sessions on food safety, consumer trends and international trade. 

New for 2014 are the following programs: 
 - New Approaches to Ground Poultry Pathogen Reduction
 - Poultry Market Intelligence Forum; Antibiotic Workshop
 - AFIA International Feed Education Program

 - VIV International Pork Production Summit
 - How to Export Feed & Feed Ingredients to the U.S.
 - Fall Protection Short Course
 - Biosecurity – Revisiting the Basics and Implementing New Strategies
 - Meat & Poultry Research Showcase.

Pre-registration now open for 2014 International Production & Processing Expo 

Event: IPPE

U.S. Poultry & Egg Association: Global Look at Antibiotic Use Offered at 2013 IPPE

Antibiotic use in poultry production has been extremely effective in enhancing bird health and producing a wholesome, safe, and economical food supply. However, as consumers, industry professionals, and regulators seek to gain more understanding of how their food is produced, even the judicious use of antibiotics by the poultry industry raises questions.

The Antibiotics Conference – Current Issues for the Poultry and Egg Industry, sponsored by the U.S. Poultry & Egg Association, aims to explore and discuss antibiotic use as viewed from the regulatory and scientific perspective of leading industry experts. For the first time at the International Poultry Expo, experts from the United States, Europe, and Latin America will discuss the current use of antibiotics throughout the world, explore the differences in regional perspectives involving antibiotics, investigate how antibiotic use is monitored, and review the current science behind alternatives to antibiotics. The registration fee for this invaluable, well-timed conference is $150 and will also include admission to the International Production & Processing Expo (IPPE).

"Animal welfare and the production of a safe food supply are prime concerns for all growers and processors. This conference aims to provide scientific, well-researched antibiotic data from global experts, so that attendees can gain a greater understanding about the risks and benefits. There are differences in the way regions of the world view antibiotic usage. However, we all want the same thing – to ensure that poultry producers can continue to bring safe, nutritional, affordable food to tables across America and the world," stated John Starkey, president of USPOULTRY.

Program topics include Current State of Affairs Regarding Antibiotics – How We Got to Where We Are, How We Currently Use Antibiotics; Antibiotic Resistance – Science Behind Antibiotic Resistance, How Is It Being Monitored (NARMS), How Is Data Being Used? Is There a Disconnect Between Use in Animals Compared to Antibiotic Resistance in Humans? Is the Issue Consumer or Government Driven?; Alternatives to Antibiotics; and Future of Antibiotic Usage – Industry & FDA Perspective.

The 2013 IPPE, one of the world's largest poultry, feed, and meat industry events, will be held from
January 29-31, 2013, at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, GA. The Antibiotics Conference – Current Issues for the Poultry and Egg Industry program will be on Wednesday, January 30, and Thursday, January 31, from 8 – 11:30 a.m. The conference agenda can be viewed at here. 

Antibiotics Conference – Current Issues for the Poultry & Egg Industry
International Production & Processing Expo
Wednesday, January 30, 2013: 8 – 11:30 a.m.
Thursday, January 31, 2013: 8 – 11:30 a.m.
Room B‐401 & B‐402



                                                          
 

 

Chinese researchers study broccoli in laying hens

The study carried out by Chinese scientist on the effects of broccoli stems and leaves meal on production performance and egg quality of laying hens. The hens were allocated into four random groups with six replicates of 16 chickens. The results of this study showed that the broccoli stems and leaf meals had no effect on production of laying hens. The eggs showed a linearly decreased content of cholesterol in the egg yolk. Read more ...

This blog is written by Martin Little, The Global Miller, published and supported by the GFMT Magazine and the International Milling Directory from Perendale Publishers