Dairy Diary: August business update

Weltec Biopower constructs 3 biogas plants in Greece

Recently, 3 biogas plants were built in Greece, manufactured by the German manufacturer Weltec Biopower and designed together with Greek partner Tetoros Machinery. Of these, 2 are in the Epirus region in northwestern Greece: a 1-megawatt plant in the town of Arta, which processes 150 tonnes of cattle slurry and 50 tonnes of dry chicken manure daily, and a 500-kilowatt plant in Ioannina, where 100 tonnes of cattle slurry and 30 tonnes of dry chicken manure are processed daily. The third one, a 250-kilowatt biogas plant project, was realised in Serres, in central Macedonia. Here, an upgrade of the CHP plant to 750 kilowatts is also being implemented. Here, a substrate mix of 40 tonnes of cattle manure and 10 tonnes of energy plants enters the stainless-steel digester daily.

Mileutis reports positive clinical trial

In a clinical trial conducted in 7 large Israeli dairy farms, in collaboration with Strauss Health (partially owned by Groupe Danone), milk derived from cows treated with biopharmaceutical company Mileutis’ Imilac non-antibiotic, non-hormonal therapy exhibited a 7.2% increase in protein content, 4% increase in fat content, and an increase of 957 kg )8.6%) in energy-corrected milk yield per cow over 305 days.

Methane measurements at Schothorst Feed Research with the Greenfeed

The Schothorst Feed Research (SFR) dairy research facility offers the possibility to collect methane emission data in nutritional studies with a Greenfeed system, which consists of a cubicle where small portions of concentrates are offered to attract the cows. SFR clients can request methane emission measurements as a part of dairy nutrition trials, in addition to studying the impact of feeding strategies, ration composition and additives, not only on production and health parameters but, from now on, also on environmental aspects.

Berg + Schmidt Animal nutrition opens new company in Dubai

Berg + Schmidt Animal Nutrition has unveiled a new subsidiary in Dubai, Berg and Schmidt Middle East Trading LLC, which it says will allow the company to respond to the growing demand for feed additives and offer clients enhanced customer service in the Gulf Cooperation Council states. The company says that the Middle East feed market is rapidly expanding, especially for broilers, aquaculture, dairy and beef.

3CR Bioscience, MolBreeding and HC Scientific partner in genotyping services in Europe

3CR Bioscience has announced a collaboration with MolBreeding Biotech and HC Scientific to establish a new, cutting-edge lab facility in Europe, expected to open at the end of 2023. The facility will be based at 3CR Bioscience’s European facilities north of London and will offer a comprehensive range of genotyping services, including DNA extraction, endpoint PCR genotyping, and Genotyping by Target Sequencing, to genomic researchers and plant and animal breeders from industry, academia, government, and non-government organisations to drive modern genomics and sustainable agriculture forward.

CBS Bio Platforms feed additive supports net zero

CBS Bio Platforms says that based on a study conducted in Mexico on a commercial herd of 380 Holstein cows, its feed additive Optimax E shows breakthrough results to help dairy farmers meet net-zero targets while increasing milk yields.

dsm-firmenich announces latest World Mycotoxin Survey (Jan – June) results

dsm-firmenich’s World Mycotoxin Survey, which the company says is the longest-running and most comprehensive data set on mycotoxin occurrences and contamination, identifies mycotoxin risks based on time, animal species and location. Until June 2023, 10,199 samples were collected from 78 countries worldwide. The results concluded that the Fusarium mycotoxins fumonisins, deoxynivalenol and zearalenone are most frequently found, with the highest region of mycotoxins found in North America, South Asia, China and Taiwan. The survey includes further details on prevalence levels for each mycotoxin in each region, global and local risk levels for each mycotoxin, risk levels posed to each species, a comparison of prevalence levels from January-June 2022, and more.

Zinpro joins the Global Feed LCA Institute

Zinpro Corporation has announced its membership in the Global Feed LCA Institute. Terry Ward, global director of sustainability at Zinpro, highlighted the significance of partnering with GFLI in accelerating sustainable feed solutions: “Joining forces with GFLI allows us to leverage their unparalleled expertise, specialised resources, and dedicated team of experts, empowering us to further our commitment to sustainability.”

World Dairy Expo to host a dairy symposium

World Dairy Expo will host a Dairy Symposium featuring the Dairy Business Innovation (DBI) Initiatives from across the US on 3 October from 08h00-11h30. Registration is open. The DBI Initiatives were established in the 2018 Farm Bill. The 4 regional DBI Initiatives provide direct technical assistance and sub-awards to dairy businesses to develop, produce, market, and distribute dairy products.

Modelling climate change impacts on agricultural systems

Climate change remains a massive threat to agriculture, and it is believed that more must be done to protect the livelihoods of farmers worldwide during the climate crisis. One emerging area of interest to achieve this is the use of modelling techniques to assess the impact of climate change on agriculture, as well as the efficacy of climate change mitigation measures. A new book published by Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing promises to be the ‘go-to’ reference on this topic.

New awards for World Dairy Expo’s Youth Showmanship Contest

To honour the life and legacy of the late Annette Ostrom, a prominent World Dairy Expo exhibitor as a member of MilkSource Genetics and La Femme Fatale, a philanthropist, youth enthusiast and leader in the dairy industry, the Ostrom family will dedicate more than US$120,000 to World Dairy Expo’s Youth Showmanship Contest over the next decade. The first and second-place winners of each division will receive cash awards of $1,500 and $750, respectively. These individuals from the Junior, Intermediate and Senior divisions will then return to the colored shavings to compete for Supreme and Reserve Supreme Showman. The winner of the inaugural Annette Ostrom Memorial Supreme Showman Award will receive a crystal trophy and an additional cash award of $3,500, as well as the privilege to be recognised during the Parade of Champions on Friday, October 6. The Reserve Supreme Showman will receive an additional $1,500 cash award.

Novus to share top dairy herd best practices at World Dairy Expo

Experts from Novus International will share their insights into top-performing dairy herds at the World Dairy Expo this October. The company will host 2 Knowledge Nook sessions during the show, each designed to help dairy farmers optimise performance and support profitability through intelligent nutrition, which is a combination of experience, insightful perspectives, and smarter solutions.

EW Nutrition welcomes new CEO

EW Nutrition welcomes Jan Vanbrabant as its new chief executive officer. Vanbrabant has a PhD degree in microbiology and is an experienced manager in animal health and nutrition, having held leadership roles at DSM, Erber Group, Biomin and Kemin. Former CEO Michael Gerrits is heading into retirement after 6 years leading EW Nutrition.

Hamlet Protein appoints commercial director

Hamlet Protein has announced the appointment of Simon Martyn as commercial director at the company’s Denmark headquarters. Martyn (UK) is a graduate of Bicton College and comes with a strong international background and management experience in global companies. He takes over from Jan Kamphof, who recently joined Schothorst Feed Research as their new director.

Applications sought for new Ruminant Health & Welfare chairperson

UK-wide industry group, Ruminant Health & Welfare, is inviting applications for a new chairperson. The group, which formed in April 2020, aims to co-ordinate and focus the UK farming industry’s efforts to eradicate and control damaging cattle, sheep and goat diseases, improving the health, resilience and production efficiency of the national flock and herd. The new chair will replace the group’s inaugural chair, Nigel Miller, who retired from the role earlier this summer. For more information: careers.ahdb.org.uk