Gary ThorntonGary Thornton is editor and publisher at ClearPoultry.com. Email him at [email protected].From the Author - Page 13Broilers & TurkeysDid Tyson Foods agree to pay too high a price for Hillshire?Was Tyson Foods’ winning bid for Hillshire Brands too high a price to pay? More than one analyst has questioned the price levels reached in the bidding for Hillshire Brands by Tyson and Pilgrim’s Pride. Tyson Foods submitted a binding offer to acquire Hillshire Brands for $63 per share in cash, in a bidding process that concluded June 8.Poultry FeedLife without antibiotics in poultry productionHow are broiler producers coping with the flock health challenges inantibiotic-free production?Processing & SlaughterSanderson Farms sticks to build-and-grow expansion strategyAs Pilgrim’s Pride and Tyson Foods bid against one another to acquire Hillshire Brands, the CEO of Sanderson Farms exhibited unflappable resolution during a May 29 earnings conference call to build and grow his company through new plant construction and expansion of existing facilities.Broilers & TurkeysTyson’s acquisition of Hillshire Brands would be a ‘game changer’Tyson Foods today upped the cash bid for acquisition of Hillshire Brands to $50 a share – $5 a share over Tuesday’s bid by Pilgrim’s Pride.With these two meat and poultry powerhouses now in a bidding war over Hillshire Brands, one wonders why their play for Hillshire did not come earlier.Processing & SlaughterPilgrim's Pride, Hillshire Farms in takeover trianglePilgrim’s Pride CEO Bill Lovette made the case on May 27 for a merger with Hillshire Brands, but is his acquisition target listening? One of the most compelling merger attempts involving poultry companies is now playing out between Pilgrim’s Pride and Hillshire Brands. It’s a three-way corporate romance (two of the companies in the triangle in the poultry business), and who knows what’s next.Poultry FeedAnimal food rule in FSMA needs revisions, says AFIAWhether or not poultry feedmanufacturers are ready for the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), the finalrule is expected to be issued August 30, 2015. Feed manufacturers, however, aresaying the rule in its present form is highly prescriptive and needs changingbefore final publication.Processing & SlaughterProposed poultry slaughter modernization rule still hanging fireThe poultry slaughter modernization rule is still under review at the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS)prior to being sent for review by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), according to Rachel Edelstein, assistant administrator for the FSIS’s Office of Policy and Program Development (OPPD).Poultry FeedPoultry has a stake in the genetically engineered issuePoultry businesses operating against the backdrop of mandatory food labelingor un-countered misinformation about GE food and feed ingredients should expectto pay real, tangible costs.Processing & SlaughterTips for successful marination of poultry meatChoosing theright marinades and using a combination of injection and tumbling can result inimproved flavor, tenderness and yield of poultry meats.Broilers & TurkeysWater can be the hidden problem in poor broiler performanceDrinking water for poultry flocks can be a hidden and under-diagnosed problem in poor flock performance. "Broiler flocks of today need a lot more water than 10 years ago," said Dr. Susan Watkins, University of Arkansas, a leading expert on drinking water for poultry. "Have we paid attention to that increased need as we equip poultry houses and manage the watering systems? Is the increased demand for water being met?"Processing & SlaughterMaple Leaf Foods reduces Salmonella with enhanced poultry slaughter sanitationWhile no food company can promise never to have a food safety problem, Maple Leaf Foods made a very public pledge in 2009 to become a global leader in food safety. Speaking at the 2014 International Production and Processing Expo, Christian Fuchs of Maple Leaf Foods explained the enhanced sanitation approach: It is to attack the bacteria where they are able to live and grow because daily sanitation procedures may not always remove them.Processing & SlaughterFood safety interventions that reduce Salmonella in poultry live productionReducing Salmonella in poultry live-production operations can be an effective means of reducing the food pathogen in the poultry processing plant and the final consumer product. Vaccination, organic acids and probiotics are among the interventions that work to reduce Salmonella levels of broilers arriving at the slaughter plant, but a carefully focused plan is required for success.Previous PagePage 13 of 29Next Page