Find out what 10 WATTAgNet stories and blogs on poultry-related topics drew the most readers during the month of October.
1. Cargill to acquire Diamond V
Responding to growing consumer preferences for natural and wholesome food production, Cargill has signed a binding agreement to acquire Diamond V, a leading global provider of innovative natural solutions and technologies that improve animal health, animal performance, and food safety.
2. Rose Acre puts cage-free housing construction on hold
Because consumer demand for more expensive cage-free eggs remains low and a glut of cage-free eggs exists, Rose Acre Farms is at least temporarily discontinuing the addition of cage-free laying systems, or as CEO Marcus Rust put it, the company is “shutting [its] construction program down.”
3. Cal-Maine adjusts cage-free production to fit demand
The demand for cage-free eggs has not kept up with the supply, so Cal-Maine Foods has adjusted its cage-free egg production accordingly.
4. McDonald’s broiler welfare vow involves 14 global markets
McDonald’s has revealed a broiler welfare commitment that will involve 70 percent of its global broiler supply chain.
5. BLOG: Perdue videos dispel factory farm stigma, instill trust
Roy Graber: I’ve heard it said quite a few times recently that American consumers may not necessarily trust big agribusiness companies, but they do trust farmers.
6. BLOG: Is FCR always the right profitability index for broilers?
Ioannis Mavromichalis: We often forget that the efficiency by which animals convert feed to products like body weight, eggs or milk (often called feed conversion rate or FCR) is but an index, and not always related to true profitability.
7. Temple Grandin: Some slow growth may help broiler industry
Slowing down broiler growth rates somewhat may be appropriate, according to one of the country’s foremost welfare experts.
8. BLOG: Vital Farms video disparages cage-free egg production
Terrence O'Keefe: An online video released by pasture-raised egg producer Vital Farms purports to tell the difference between pasture-raised and cage-free eggs.
9. 3 Kansas sites considered for Tyson poultry complex
Three Kansas communities have been identified as possible sites for a new Tyson Foods broiler complex that was originally planned for the Leavenworth County community of Tonganoxie, in the northeastern part of the state.
10. Hi-Grade Egg Producers suffers major fire damage
A fire destroyed at least four barns at the Hi-Grade Egg Producers farm near North Manchester, Indiana.
