Dairy Diary: March business update

Trouw Nutrition launches environmental footprint service

Trouw Nutrition announced the launch of MyFeedPrint, an online environmental footprint service for animal feed products. The service is designed to allow farmers, feed producers and integrators to quantify the environmental footprint of animal feed. The digital service is integrated into the NutriOpt digital platform and allows feed producers to uncover their environmental hotspots and prioritise the lowest-impact strategies.

Behnke named World Dairy Expo communications manager

World Dairy Expo has announced Lisa Behnke as their communications manager, beginning in her role on 27 February. In this role, she will coordinate strategic marketing and manage internal and external communications for the world’s premier dairy event.

Behnke holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she majored in dairy science with a specialisation in agricultural journalism. She has previously worked with the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board, The Cattle Connection, Ag Source Cooperative Services and World Dairy Expo, amongst others.

Global dairy leaders honoured with World Dairy Expo recognition awards

World Dairy Expo has announced the recipients of the 2023 Expo Recognition Awards. Nominated and selected by their peers, these individuals have made remarkable contributions to the dairy industry and their communities. Honorees will be formally honoured during the Recognition Awards Banquet at World Dairy Expo on 4 October. The 2023 Expo Recognition Award honorees are as follows:

• Dairy Producer of the Year: Randy Kortus, Lynden, Wash., Mainstream Holsteins, Jerseys and Ayrshires
• Industry Person of the Year: Tom Morris, Amery, Wis., Deronda Farm, Tom Morris Ltd., Cattle Connection
• International Person of the Year: Bonnie Cooper, North York, Ontario, Canada, Holstein Journal

Krone UK bolsters team

Krone UK has bolstered its team with 4 new recruits following a record-breaking 2021-2022, achieving a 15% increase in sales turnover. Ben Davies joined the team as product manager after spending 20 years working at CNH Industrial. Liam Featherstone has taken on the role of territory product support manager, covering Wales and central England, and Jonathan Miller and Charlie Thornton-James have joined the business as a territory sales manager for the South West.

Novozymes invests in UV pasteurisation technology from Lyras

Biotech group Novozymes has invested in a new, energy-saving UV filtration system from Lyras, a Danish company specialising in sustainable pasteurisation technology. This investment will help the group reduce energy consumption while providing a safe working environment for employees and improving control of unwanted microbial activity during the filtration process. Raslysation is a non-thermal treatment that uses UV light to pasteurise opaque liquid food and non-food products, including dairy. The liquid is directed past the light source in a controlled movement so that everything is illuminated to inactivate bacteria and other microorganisms.

Evonik expands production capacity for DL-methionine in Singapore

Evonik is expanding its capacity to produce MetAmino (DL-methionine) on Jurong Island, Singapore, by 40,000 mt to around 340,000 mt per year. The planned process optimisation measures will improve the carbon footprint of the product by 6%. Evonik’s methionine plants in Singapore, which came on stream in 2014 and 2019, were already the largest production complex for DL-methionine in the world, with an annual capacity of around 300,000 mt of MetAmino.

Evonik presented innovations at VIV Asia 2023

Evonik showcased its range of solutions for improving animal nutrition and animal health at VIV Asia in Bangkok, Thailand, which took place in March. The team was on hand to discuss their portfolio of feed additives, from amino acids to probiotics. Visitors also learnt more about how to optimise animal feed.

Group commercial director appointed at Holstein UK

Michael Halliwell has been appointed as group commercial director for the Holstein UK Group, which provides an array of services to assist members and customers in breeding profitable, robust and productive dairy cattle. Michael has a strong commercial and sales background with a broad network within the industry. He has experience in the genetics field, working with both elite pedigree and highly focused commercial operations which have given him knowledge of various production systems and business models required by the different dairy farming businesses. Michael spent 6 years as business development manager for Worldwide Sires and recently was in the role of commercial director for CattleEye, a tech start-up business.

Alltech publishes white paper comparing selenium sources

Alltech has published a new white paper, ‘Organic selenium: A comparison of form, source and function’ by Dr Richard Murphy, director of research at Alltech. The paper focuses on the varying stabilities of the different selenium sources currently on the market and follows on from Murphy’s 2021 white paper which explored improved bioavailability with organic trace minerals.

IDF Dairy Innovation Awards 2023 open for registration

The International Dairy Federation’s Dairy Innovation Awards 2023 are now open for registration. With a focus on sustainable and community-led initiatives, as well as new product development and innovative practices, entries are invited in 9 categories: innovation in sustainable farming practices (the environment, animal care, socio-economic); innovation in sustainable processing; innovation in sustainable packaging; innovation in new product development with focus on food safety and consumer nutrition; Innovation in women empowerment in the dairy sector; innovation in climate action; innovation in marketing & communication. Entries in all categories can be submitted until 1 June through the IDF Dairy Innovation Awards 2023 registration website.

Zinpro releases 2022 Sustainability Report

Zinpro, the manufacturer of high-performance organic trace minerals and animal nutrition solutions, has released its 2022 Sustainability Report, Advancing Performance Together for a More Sustainable World for All. In the report, the company shares examples of how proven animal nutrition improved the health, well-being and production efficiency of not only animals but producers’ businesses, which it says strengthens the case for nutrition as a critical component in driving more sustainable outcomes. For dairy cows, the report highlights Zinpro IsoFerm, a product that it says provides “game-changing advancements in dairy farm efficiency and profitability, driving operational and environmental sustainability”.

Novus adds cow expert to assessment programme for dairy farms

Novus International has welcomed its newest member of the dairy assessment team, Kelsey Hefter, who will serve as technical ruminant specialist for the company’s C.O.W.S. (Cow Comfort, Oxidative Balance, Well-Being, and Sustainability) program. In this role, Hefter will conduct on-farm assessments of cow behaviour, farm design and management practices; analyse the findings, and work with customers to increase profitability by improving cow comfort and optimising performance.

National Show judges confirmed for UK Dairy Day 2023

The National Ayrshire and Brown Swiss Shows return to the ring at UK Dairy Day 2023, along with the National Holstein Show. This year’s judges will be Colin Christophers from Cornwall for the Ayrshire classes and Brian Weatherup from Fife for the Brown Swiss classes. Colin runs the Rosehill Ayrshire herd. The 300-acre Cornwall Council farm has a herd of 300 with 170 milking cows and followers. Weatherup jnr of the Parkend herd in Fife runs the family farm that milks 220 pedigree cattle with a focus on proven genetics, aiming for exceptional udders and feet and legs, always pushing for high-yielding, long-lasting cows.

Holstein judges announced for the 2023 ABAB Calf Show

Holstein UK has announced the judges for the 2023 Holstein classes. Andrew Patton (N. Ireland) will judge the National Holstein Calf Show whilst James Doherty (Shropshire) will judge the National Holstein Showmanship Competition. Patton, along with his family, milk 275 cows at their farm in County Down with a focus placed on strong cow families and breeding healthy, medium-sized, efficient cows with good components and fertility. Doherty, along with his wife, began milking their own cows in 2020 and have steadily built to milking 175 cows today.