IN THE NEWS: Poultry International March 2008

A collection of news items from the March issue of Poultry International

Cobb and Hendrix form alliance

Cobb-Vantress and Hendrix Genetics have formed an alliance that will strengthen both Cobb’s leading position in broiler breeding with Hendrix’s leadership in egg-layer, turkey and pig genetics. The aim is to allow the exploration of joint-venture opportunities.

The memo of understanding covers three areas of business. Firstly, there will be a broiler joint-venture, in which Cobb-Vantress acquires Hybro (the broiler breeding division of Hendrix), in exchange for preferred stock. Terms of the proposed acquisition have not been disclosed.

Second, a joint development agreement will cover their respective Research & Development into livestock genetics. Finally, part or all activities may be combined in the future.

The first two elements are expected to be completed in the first half of 2008, subject to approval.

“Once our discussions started,” commented Jerry Moye, president of Cobb-Vantress, “it became clear that we share a very similar vision and strategy, and we realised this alliance is a natural fit. Combining the efforts of our R&D teams will make us more efficient, and ultimately more successful. The combination between Cobb-Vantress and Hybro creates an even stronger global leader in broiler breeding with a further complementary portfolio of product, clients, markets and production structures.”

Thijs Hendrix, president of Hendrix Genetics, added, “With this alliance, we set foot on new land. Together, we create a new platform with a new horizon in animal breeding and life sciences”.

New Lohmann web site

Lohmann Animal Health has launched a brand new web site at www.lah.de  .

It provides a database of all products from both Lohmann Animal Health (LAH) and Lohmann Animal Health International (LAHI). These can be searched for by type of vaccine (live or killed), by production sector (broiler, layer, breeder), or by disease. Product details and brochures can then be downloaded in several languages as PDF files.

Details are also provided of its feed additives division and Pharma (its toll manufacturing arm), which offers a high level of professional expertise and quality control for the production of veterinary products.

The site is easy to navigate and offers links to the company’s headquarters in addition to Lohmann Animal Health subsidiary companies around the world. There are also details of career opportunities.

Cobb and Sasso in new partnership

Cobb and Sasso have started a partnership to develop, produce, sell and market Cobb Sasso coloured bird and speciality breeding stock in certain markets.

The Memorandum of Understanding, signed by Steve Parsons (managing director, Cobb Europe) and Louis Perrault (executive director of Sasso), establishes an agreement to produce and market specialty products for the semi-industrial, certified, free-range and organic sectors.

The objective of the alliance is to sell parent stock of coloured bird and speciality products in Europe and grandparent stock in markets elsewhere. This collaboration gives both parties opportunity to expand their product range and strengthen their joint position as suppliers of alternative genetic stock.

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Cobb and Sasso executives at the International Poultry Expo 2008 in Atlanta, USA: (from the left to right): Louis Perrault, Yves de la Foucardière (president, Sasso) Jerry Moye (president, Cobb) and Steve Parsons

Official launch of DKSH/Impextraco collaboration

One year after both companies successfully started to work together in Vietnam, the official launch of the collaboration between DKSH Thailand and Impextraco took place in November 2007. A seminar was organised in Bangkok, bearing the title Stay safe in livestock business. More than 150 delegates gathered to listen to keynote speakers from leading Thai Universities as well as speakers from Impextraco.

Patrick Pauwelyn (Director of Impextraco Latin America) delivered a detailed and practical speech about how Brazil can maintain its competitiveness in global meat markets. Dr Niphon Pouyphongsakorn (Thammasart University) explored the current economic situation in Thailand and the direction for Thai livestock industries in 2008. Impextraco’s products were discussed by Mathieu Cortyl, Asia- Pacific manager.

Jurgen Swinckels, vice-president of Animal Care Industry for DKSH, said that the two companies appeared perfect partners since Impextraco was targeting a rapid market expansion into one of Asia’s largest feed markets and DKSH Thailand was eyeing to increase their presence in the segment of the speciality feed additives.

Sanovo gains rights to eggshell disposal system

Danish producer of foodstuff drying systems, Crocus, has granted the environmental consultancy company, Sanovo Solutions, the exclusive right to distribute and promote Crocus drying systems for the egg industry worldwide. The system heat-treats eggshell waste from egg processing plants to reduce the cost of eggshell disposal.

Asian success for Delacon

Delacon had successfully concluded the first Asian seminar tour, covering Taiwan, Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand, to a total of more than 250 representatives from the feed industry, livestock integrators and researchers.

The main objective of the ‘Performing Nature’ tour was to raise the profile of phytogenic feed additives in Asia.

In addition to Delacon presentations guest speakers included Dr. Jan Dirk van der Klis (Schothorst Feed Research, the Netherlands) talking about microflora and intestinal health in broilers, and Professor Wilhelm Windisch (University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Science, Vienna, Austria) who explored aspects on non-antibiotic feed additives, including phytogenic products for poultry feeds.

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Speakers and honoured guests at Delacon’s seminar in Korea

Hy-line forms Chinese technical committee

Hy-Line International has held its second technical seminar for its Chinese grandparent technical committee. The event took place in Jiuzaigou, Sichuan province, and was hosted by Dr Douglas Grieve, Hy-Line’s director of global technical services and Chunning Zheng, Hy-Line regional business manager for China. More than thirty technicians, veterinarians and breeder flock managers representing eight of Hy-Line’s grandparent customers in China attended.

The purpose of the Chinese grandparent customer technical committee is to strengthen Hy-Line’s technical support to its GP customers, as well as to provide a forum for the exchange of technical information between the Chinese poultry companies.

The committee receives direct training from visiting experts from Hy-Line on management, health, biosecurity, nutrition and genetics. This knowledge is then spread further to parent and commercial customers.

Zagro acquires premix plant in Taiwan

Singapore-based Zagro Group has acquired the animal nutrition premix business from BASF Taiwan's Animal Nutrition unit under its Fine Chemicals operating division. As part of the acquisition, Zagro will take over the entire running of BASF’s feed premix business in Taiwan, including ownership of its manufacturing facility in Nankang Industrial Zone, Nan-Tou City.

Zagro says that the acquisition will boost its turnover and profit by double-digits, and that it complements its existing business into a new Asian market.

MOBA parent acquires Diamond

From 1 January, Diamond Automations Inc has been 100% owned by FPS Holdings Inc. which in turn is fully owned by FPS Food Processing Systems b.v.

FPS Food Processing Systems b.v. is a holding company based in Nootdorp, the Netherlands and is, amongst other companies, also owner of Moba b.v.

With this acquisition, FPS broadens its portfolio in the egg industry with egg-breaking and processing equipment. For FPS, the acquisition is a response to the ongoing consolidation of the egg market and it is in line with the company’s ambition to bring innovative solutions to the industry.

FPS aims to invest in new technologies for all of its companies. Diamond Automations and Moba will be operated totally independently, and will continue to focus on their respective market segments.

New ownership of Ziggity

Ziggity Systems Inc. has redeemed all outstanding shares of its stock, leaving brothers Dale and Robert Hostetler as sole shareholders.

The Hostetler brothers have been managing the company, which produces poultry watering systems, for the past five years. They issued a joint statement saying this consolidation in ownership will not impact day-to-day operations or Ziggity's relationships with distributors and customers.

“For the last five years, we have focused on providing producers with products that deliver the highest performance possible. That will not change. We will continue to have a very selective product line, selling only those with proven results in the field. We remain committed to our guiding principle of maximizing bird, litter and system performance,” said the statement. “This consolidation also guarantees that Ziggity will maintain its headquarters in Middlebury and will retain all of our current employees.”

OIE appoints Mench to welfare group

World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) has appointed Dr Joy Mench to sit on its ad hoc Group on Animal Welfare and Livestock Production Systems. Dr Mench is professor of animal science at the University of California, Davis and is well known worldwide for her expertise on animal welfare.

EuroVet becomes Hysolv

Hysolv Ltd is the new company name of EuroVet Applications Ltd. Based in Great Brickhill in the United Kingdom, the hygiene company markets a range of high-quality biosecurity and hygiene products to the poultry industry as well as other livestock and food sectors and veterinary practices.

The new company web site can be found at www.hysolv.com.

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Jim Bigmore is managing director of the new company, Hysolv

Compostable packaging patents for New Ice

New Ice Inc. develops, manufactures and markets compostable food packaging. It has been granted patents in the USA and Europe that cover the manufacturing of a new class of compostable containers.

The patents disclose methods for manufacturing biodegradable or compostable containers. The process covered by the patents provides an improved method and materials for forming mouldable biodegradable containers that can hold food products in dry, damp or wet conditions. Corresponding patents have already been granted in a number of eastern European and Asian countries, including Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore and Taiwan.

The company initially will be providing products to packagers of fruit and vegetables to be followed by meats and poultry. The products based on the patents use potato starch.

Chr. Hansen acquires Medipharma

Chr. Hansen and Sweden’s Arla Foods AB have signed an agreement on the former’s acquisition of the latter’s subsidiary, Medipharm AB.

Medipharm specialises in probiotic bacterial products for the agricultural and food industries and has subsidiaries in the USA, Czech Republic and Hungary with almost 100 employees and sales of close to 130 million Swedish kronor (US$20.3 million).

Medipharm’s activities will combine with Chr Hansen’s strong position in lactic acid bacteria to offer further opportunities for growth in the field of probiotics.

First Novus plant in Brazil

Novus International has inaugurated it s first animal feed plant in Brazil. The plant, located in Indaiatuba in the state of Sao Paulo, brings the company’s number of manufacturing plants to eight around the world.

The new plant will have a monthly production capacity of 300 tonnes of antioxidants, mineral supplements, methionine and organic acids. It will serve the fast-growing Brazilian market with these products from the full automated facility covering 3400m2.

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New Novus plant in Indaiatuba, Brazil

Adisseo invests in China and Europe

Adisseo is to build a new methionine production unit in China in partnership with its parent company, China National Bluestar. The new unit is scheduled to be operational in 2011. In addition, Adisseo is planning to invest in its European units. These initiatives are being taken in anticipation of continuous growth of global demand for methionine.

In China, Adisseo and China National Bluestar will build a new unit at Tianjin for the production of methionine in order for Adisseo to develop in Asian markets.

“The new plant should be up and running by 2011, when our existing production units will no longer be able to satisfy global demand alone, and especially demand from China and Asian countries which will account for more than half of the global growth of the methionine market over the next decade,” points out Gérard Deman, CEO of Adisseo. The new unit will have an annual capacity of 70,000 tons but it will be designed so that its capacity can be doubled to meet expected market growth.

Adisseo will also invest €20 million over the next two years in its production units in France and Spain, covering various manufacturing stages increasing capacities.

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