To promote sustainable agriculture in Europe, Truly Irish Country Foods established a €1.68 million EU funded group, Thrive Rite. Pig producers are enduring enormous challenges in the form of rising feed costs. Legislation also has increased with tighter restrictions on reduced antibiotic use. Thrive Rite hopes to find the solution.
Key Members include: Michael McAuliffe, CEO, Truly Irish Country Foods Ltd, Prof. John O’Doherty, University College Dublin, John T. O’Sullivan, BioAtlantis Ltd, John McKillen, Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute, Belfast, Clasado Ingredients Ltd, Malta, Drobex-Agro, Poland and University of Technology and life Sciences, Bydgoszcz, Poland will together tackle the fundamental problems facing agriculture in the EU today.
It is expected that the project will yield the following results in two years:
• Increased productivity
• Reduced level of pathogenic bacteria
• Increased daily live weight gain
• Improved F.C.E
• Improved health status in the form of a protective shield
• Improved digestive system so that the pig is overall healthier and can strive on different diets
• More focus on dietary requirements of the pig rather than what we presume it to be.
The unique feature of these benefits is that they are derived from natural bioactives. It will make producers rethink how they feed their pigs which will be different to normal current pig production.
This research and trials will be carried out in conjunction with University College Dublin.
