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Reports on a survey of fertilizer dealers that was conducted to assess how the dealers were obtaining their agronomic information, aside from formal training sessions, and determine if these sources of information were satisfactory in fulfilling the dealers' needs. (TW)

Reports on a survey of fertilizer dealers which was conducted to: assess where and from whom local fertilizer dealers obtain agronomic training; evaluate the effectiveness of various dealer training; and determine the needs and objectives of future training programs. (TW)

Feed industry entrepreneurship is a key means to improve the efficiency of feed resource allocation, optimize feed industry structure, and alleviate the competitive pressure of feed industry. An in-depth analysis of the entrepreneurial path of the feed industry is of great significance for promoting the high-level development of the feed industry and accelerating the Chinese path to modernization. From the perspective of Chinese path to modernization, entrepreneurship in the feed industry is conducive to expanding the production scale of the feed industry, improving the quality of animal husbandry products, and shaping the new competitive advantages of the feed industry market. Facing the Chinese path to modernization, China's feed industry entrepreneurship has the advantages of abundant capital, advanced technology and abundant talents, which can lay the financial foundation, technical foundation and human foundation for the high-level development of the feed industry. Based on this, it should be guided by high-quality development, and strengthen the protection of the rights and interests of entrepreneurship in the feed industry, take the revitalization of production factors as the starting point, reduce the threshold of entrepreneurship in the feed industry, use the creation of a new business system as the carrier, expand the scope of entrepreneurship in the feed industry, further release the vitality of entrepreneurship in the feed industry, and enable Chinese path to modernization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For over a decade, numerous Greater Caribbean and Western African coasts have received enormous masses of holopelagic Sargassum spp. (sargasso). A promising use of this beached biomass as a feed ingredient in the animal industry is restricted by its high arsenic (As) content. This proof of concept aimed to demonstrate that simple, low-cost processes involving hot water (either fresh or seawater) and/or citric acid can remove arsenic from the sargasso. Sargasso collected from a Mexican Caribbean beach in December 2023 had a total arsenic level of 62.2 mg/kg, which decreased to 7.2 mg/kg after treatment with hot freshwater (90 °C for 15 min), and then further decreased to 0.8 mg/kg when followed up with a citric acid treatment. Sargasso collected in March 2024 had total arsenic of 89 mg/kg, which was lowered to 2.6 mg/kg by applying hot freshwater and citric acid sequentially. Employing only citric acid reduced the arsenic concentration to 8.0 mg/kg, while treating the sargasso only with hot seawater reduced the As level to 10.1 mg/kg. Thus, simply using hot water, either fresh or seawater, lowered the arsenic levels to acceptable levels for the animal feeding sector. These straightforward and potentially cost-effective methods may transform the restraint of high arsenic contents into a valuable opportunity to use these seaweeds as animal feed.

Multi-depot vehicle routing with precedence constraints and selective backhauling, along with practical challenges such as outsourcing, demand splitting, and flexible pickup and delivery formats, is a common issue in the animal feed industry. However, few studies address demand splitting and flexible pickup constraints. The industry struggles with inadequate management, leading to difficulties in efficiently utilizing limited vehicles for both raw material pickup and product delivery. This inefficiency results in higher transportation costs, including subcontractor vehicle expenses. This study proposes the Extended Adaptive Grey Wolf Optimizer to minimize total transportation costs by incorporating essential factors such as multi-depots, outsourcing services, optimization of split delivery and pickup operations, precedence constraints, and selective backhauling. The results show a remarkable 97.6% improvement toward optimality, representing a significant enhancement of 38.1% improvement over current practice. The findings emphasize the benefits to the industry of adopting proper route sequencing and utilizing subcontractor vehicles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of building a strong animal husbandry country, the development of green industries is an important measure to promote economic restructuring, accelerate sustainable development in China, and provide a key driving force for Chinese modernization. The green development of the feed industry chain, as an important component of promoting green development, contributes to the construction of a Chinese style animal husbandry power and plays a key role in promoting the green development of the feed industry chain. Promoting the green development of the feed industry chain is an inevitable requirement to comply with the development of circular economy, a necessary path to accelerate the modernization of agriculture, and an effective way to promote harmonious coexistence between humans and nature. From the perspective of development opportunities, the feed industry chain has achieved green development through the gradual improvement of industry chain policies, the continuous enhancement of green development momentum, and the continuous upgrading of green research and development levels, providing important support for the construction of a strong animal husbandry country. In view of this, the article proposes to deepen the top-level design and deployment of green development in the feed industry chain, consolidate the foundation of energy conservation and emission reduction in the feed industry chain, and strengthen the practical path of green technology innovation in the feed industry chain, in order to drive the green development of the feed industry chain and accelerate the pace of building a strong animal husbandry country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the advent of the era of big data, the traditional feed industry to intelligent transformation has become an inevitable trend of the industry, seize this opportunity, and actively promote intelligent transformation, will become one of the important factors for the success of feed enterprises. The development and application of big data technology has promoted the transformation and up⁃grading of the feed industry. The industrial chain reconstruction supported by big data will no longer be limited to the competition between a single feed production enterprise, but realize the collaborative development between different industries through resource integration with the help of big data. This paper will deeply discuss the difficulties faced by the intelligent transformation of the feed industry under the background of big data, as well as the reflections on the intelligent transformation path of feed enterprises, analyze the current intelligence level in the industry, and point out the key factors to promote the intelligent transformation. This paper aims to provide a clear and systematic intelligent transformation blueprint for the feed industry, and provide reference for other agriculture-related industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The experiment aims to develop xylanase XynA and provide a new resource for feeding xylanase. The XynA of Geobacillus stearothermophilus was heterologous expressed in Pichia pastoris, the optimal fermentation conditions, enzymatic properties and antioxidant properties of the hydrolysis product Xylo-oligosaccharide (XOS) were studied. The results showed that the crude XynA with enzyme activity of about 33.7 U/mL could be produced after 96 h induced by 1.0% methanol concentration. The optimum pH value of XynA is 9.0, the optimum temperature is 65 °C, moreover, XynA remains above 80% of the activity at pH value ranging from 5.0 to 10.5 and temperatures between 45 and 75 °C. Thin-layer chromatography (TLC) analysis revealed that the main products of the hydrolysis of bagasse xylan by XynA were xylotriose and xylohexaose. The scavenging rate of DPPH free radical reached 72.04% and the scavenging rate of hydroxylradical reached 99.16% with 1 000 mg/L XOS. The study indicates that XynA exhibits robust activity and stability, efficiently hydrolyzing xylan to produce XOS, thereby facilitating its application in the feed industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two experiments were conducted to assess the efficiency of including the novel protein ingredient Arthrospira platensis or improved soybean meal in a broiler diet. The first experiment aimed to determine the feeding value of soybean meal produced from varieties of soybeans bred for increased amino acid content (SBAA) and improved oil content (SBO) compared to a conventional soybean variety in an ANOVA design fed to Cobb 500 female broilers for 28–42 d. The SBAA and SBO soybeans contained overall higher amino acid content and lower oligosaccharide content compared to the conventional soybean variety in addition to improved oil quality. The second experiment assessed the novel protein ingredient microalgae, Arthrospira platensis (algae), and was conducted to evaluate algae and corn distillers' grain (DDGS) inclusion on broiler performance for a 28–42 d feeding period in Cobb CF05 male broilers with a 2 × 2 factorial treatment array. Prior to the experimental period, all birds were reared on common feeds. In Experiment 1, birds were fed a diet containing 20% inclusion of an experimental soybean source in the form of full-fat soybean meal. In Experiment 2, the four dietary treatments consisted of diets containing algae at inclusion levels of either 0 or 2% and DDGS at inclusion levels of 0% and 8%. Diets were fed to 288 female broilers (Experiment 1) and 384 male broilers (Experiment 2), placed in eight replicate pens of twelve birds, and live performance was assessed from d 28 to 42. At d 42, six birds from each pen were randomly selected and processed for evaluation of carcass traits and incidence of woody breast. For Experiment 1, all performance data were analyzed using a one-way ANOVA using JMP Pro 16 software with diet as the fixed effect and block as a random effect. Statistical significance was considered at p ≤ 0.05. No significant responses were observed for any recorded measurement for live performance, carcass traits, or woody breast. All data in Experiment 2 were analyzed as a full factorial with a mixed model using JMP software with algae, DDGS, and algae × DDGS as fixed effects and block as a random effect. The F-protected Fisher's LSD test was used to separate means when p ≤ 0.05. No significant responses were observed for the algae, DDGS, and algae × DDGS influences on BWG, FI, and FCR or processing characteristics; the ingredient source did not affect bird performance. Experimental soybean lines developed at the University of Arkansas were able to be incorporated into broiler diets without decreasing performance. Algae has the potential to be a protein-contributing ingredient for broilers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For over a decade, numerous Greater Caribbean and Western African coasts have received enormous masses of holopelagic Sargassum spp. (sargasso). A promising use of this beached biomass as a feed ingredient in the animal industry is restricted by its high arsenic (As) content. This proof of concept aimed to demonstrate that simple, low-cost processes involving hot water (either fresh or seawater) and/or citric acid can remove arsenic from the sargasso. Sargasso collected from a Mexican Caribbean beach in December 2023 had a total arsenic level of 62.2 mg/kg, which decreased to 7.2 mg/kg after treatment with hot freshwater (90 °C for 15 min), and then further decreased to 0.8 mg/kg when followed up with a citric acid treatment. Sargasso collected in March 2024 had total arsenic of 89 mg/kg, which was lowered to 2.6 mg/kg by applying hot freshwater and citric acid sequentially. Employing only citric acid reduced the arsenic concentration to 8.0 mg/kg, while treating the sargasso only with hot seawater reduced the As level to 10.1 mg/kg. Thus, simply using hot water, either fresh or seawater, lowered the arsenic levels to acceptable levels for the animal feeding sector. These straightforward and potentially cost-effective methods may transform the restraint of high arsenic contents into a valuable opportunity to use these seaweeds as animal feed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is currently no comprehensive feed consumption database using a harmonised feed classification system. This means there is a lack of accurate information on the individual amount of feed consumed daily by farmed and companion animals. Such a database would support exposure assessments of feed. This report provides a complete overview of the main feed databases, their structure, and how feed materials are classified. It highlights their limits and potential and reports any differences from FoodEx2. A proposal for future updates of FoodEx2 and the development of a comprehensive feed consumption model database is provided. The proposed model database is based on three information areas represented by three Excel sheets. These represent Animal, Feed, and Consumption, allowing the determination of animal dietary exposure. A proof of concept of the developed model database was carried out by performing two case studies focused on genetically modified feed and feed contaminants. For genetically modified feed, a reduced animal dietary exposure was obtained compared to estimations reported in the scientific opinions and obtained using Excel calculators proposed by EFSA. For the contaminants in feed, differences were limited, resulting in slightly higher or lower exposure values. Weaknesses and possible mitigations are also addressed, and recommendations are made for a comprehensive feed consumption database. These include recommendations establishing an EU classification system in which the main features and items reported in the European Catalogue of Feed Materials are harmonised with FoodEx2. It is also recommended that real‐life animal consumption data are collected by the feed industry, animal nutritionists, breeders, and farmers, along with the collaboration of stakeholders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zearalenone (ZEN) is a toxic secondary metabolite produced by the Fusarium fungi, which widely contaminates grains, food, and feed, causing health hazards for humans and animals. Therefore, it is essential to find effective ZEN detoxification methods. Enzymatic degradation of ZEN is believed to be an eco-friendly detoxification strategy, specifically thermostable ZEN degradation enzymes are needed in the food and feed industry. In this study, a novel ZEN lactone hydrolase ZHRnZ from Rosellinia necatrix was discovered using bioinformatic and molecular docking technology. The recombinant ZHRnZ showed the best activity at pH 9.0 and 45 °C with more than 90% degradation for ZEN, α-zearalenol (α-ZOL), β-zearalenol (β-ZOL) and α-zearalanol (α-ZAL) after incubation for 15 min. We obtained 10 mutants with improved thermostability by single point mutation technology. Among them, mutants E122Q and E122R showed the best performance, which retained more than 30% of their initial activity at 50 °C for 2 min, and approximately 10% of their initial activity at 60 °C for 1 min. The enzymatic kinetic study showed that the catalytic efficiency of E122R was 1.3 times higher than that of the wild-type (WT). Comprehensive consideration suggests that mutant E122R is a promising hydrolase to detoxify ZEN in food and feed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, as the pig breeding industry expands, the demand for feed resources is gradually expanding. Unconventional feed has the characteristics of a wide range of sources, a variety of types, large output, and rich nutritional substances, and is an indispensable substitute for conventional feed resources. Therefore, the reasonable and effective development and use of unconventional feed resources is an important way to alleviate the shortage of conventional feed resources, reduce the cost of pig farming, improve economic and ecological benefits, and promote the healthy and sustainable development of pig farming and feed industry. Unconventional feed resources in China mainly come from agricultural by-products and food industry by-products, including straw and husk, cake and meal, dregs and woody species. At present, the research on unconventional feed resources in pig farming mainly focuses on growth performance, nutrient apparent digestibility, meat quality, antioxidant capacity, immune function and intestinal microorganisms. This paper briefly describes the types, characteristics and utilization technology of unconventional feed resources, mainly introduces their application in pig farming, and analyses some problems in the development and utilization of unconventional feed resources and gives solutions. It aims to provide reference for the development of Chinese pig farming and feed industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unconventional protein feeds, characterized by low nutritional value, high variability, and poor palatability, have limited their application in swine production. Fermentation technology holds the key to addressing these shortcomings. Given the ban on antibiotics in China, the inferior quality of imported pig breeds, and long-term dependence on imported soybean, the prospects for fermented unconventional protein feeds are promising. This paper delves into the common types of fermented unconventional protein feeds, factors influencing the fermentation process, the mechanisms by which they enhance swine health, and the challenges and prospects of fermented feeds, offering theoretical insights for the future development of the feed industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intelligent logistics has become the future development direction of the logistics industry and is an important means to empower the high-quality development of agriculture and aid in the construction of a strong agricultural country. Under the strategic background of building a strong agricultural country, the development of intelligent logistics helps to promote the high-quality development of the feed industry, which is specifically manifested in stimulating the production dynamics of the feed industry, improving the transportation efficiency of the feed industry, and deepening the innovation of the feed industry's business model. In this process, national policy support, the application of innovative technologies, and the collaborative upgrade of the industry lay a practical foundation for intelligent logistics to empower the high-quality development of the feed industry. To fully exert the enabling effect of intelligent logistics on the high-quality development of the feed industry, it is necessary to improve the incentive policy system and build a new system for the high-quality development of the feed industry, to accelerate the construction of information platforms and create a new pattern for the high-quality development of the feed industry, and to strengthen the construction of infrastructure to consolidate the basic guarantee for the high-quality development of the feed industry, with the expectation of comprehensively accelerating the process of building a strong agricultural country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China is currently actively carrying out risk management in the food industry chain, and the safety and reliability of feed raw materials constitute an important aspect of food security. The risk management of the grain industry chain is closely related to the feed industry in processing, storage, transportation, trade and consumption, and requires the feed industry to reduce the occupation of arable land by feed grains, reduce external dependence and implement reduced substitution of feed grains. It is necessary to strengthen the risk awareness of the feed industry, expand the sources of raw materials in the feed industry, and establish a diversified supply chain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The aquaculture industry heavily relies on fishmeal and fish oil, which are derived from wild fish stocks. With concerns about overfishing and limited marine resources, finding alternative and sustainable feed sources is crucial. Plantbased protein source commonly used in aquaculture feeds. It is rich in protein and has a balanced amino acid profile. However, anti-nutritional factors in plant-based protein sources may impact digestibility in certain species, and plant cultivation practices also raise environmental concerns. Therefore, other sources of feedstuffs need to be investigated to substitute fish meal, fish oil and plant-based protein in aquafeeds without any effect on production. So, Insect Meal is gaining attention as a sustainable and nutritious protein source for aquaculture feeds. They have a high protein content and favourable amino acid profiles and can be produced using organic waste. Due to increasing prices of fish meal and oil, more plant-based material from legumes, oilseeds or cereal gluten has been used in the feed. But, it is difficult to substitute large amounts of fish meal and fish oil with plant-based material. For this reason, insect meal could be beneficial and could replace fish meal or plant content. An alternative to fish meal and soya bean has been found in insect meal. Insects generally consist of 40 to 60% protein. Insect meals can replace fish meals and plant-based ingredients in feed. Insects require less space and utilize less energy for cultivation. Insect meal can be mixed with other feed components to form a mixture of a balanced composition and then pressed into pellets for better and more convenient feeding to cultured species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Indian animal feed industry, crucial for sustaining the country’s livestock and poultry sector, heavily relies on a diverse range of feed ingredients such as soybean meal, corn, wheat, broken rice, and various energy and protein sources. Several of these commodities are in short supply for various reasons, including but not limited to stagnant productivity. Most of these commodities are imported from the world market to meet the supply shortage. The present study investigates the market competition among the exporting countries from which India imports 13 specific agricultural raw materials for feed ingredients over the decennial years of 2000, 2010 and 2020. We utilize data from the United Nations Comtrade database. Our analysis reveals India’s significant dependency on specific Asian nations, notably China, as a key source of these agricultural raw material imports. Import costs vary, prompting India to diversify its sources of imports of these agricultural commodities, spanning different continents. Such diversification of import sources is largely driven by cost-effectiveness in a competitive global market. This study provides valuable insights into India’s import dynamics and trade partnerships on these key agricultural commodities used by the feed industries (as well as some food industries), thereby offering essential information for the feed industry, commodity traders and policymakers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China's feed industry has entered a period of transformation, upgrading, and high-quality development. To achieve high-quality development of the feed industry and significant improvement in the production efficiency of all production factors, it is necessary to vigorously cultivate and develop new quality productive forces. This article introduces the concept and four dimensions of development of new quality productivity, and provides a detailed introduction to the four components of new quality productivity required for the high-quality development of the feed industry and their optimization, including new workers, new labor objects, new labor tools, and the construction of new public welfare infrastructure platforms. Suggestions are also made for the cultivation of new workers - feed engineering and technical talents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]