Welcome to this week's newsletter

Editorial – European Company Focuses on Welfare at Home & Expansion Overseas

An article in a German economics magazine recently highlighted two important trends in the European meat production business: a focus on improving animal welfare at home in the EU, whilst looking for expansion possibilities in developing markets.

WirtschaftsWoche carried at interview with Clemens Tönnies, board chief of Tönnies, one of Germany's largest pig slaughterhouse, who highlighted two important issues for the future of his company's business: the need for pig producers at home to improve further the rearing conditions for their animals and its plans for expansion in China.

Speaking on the need to raise pig welfare, Mr Tönnies explained that his company has established a new staff position, directly under the board, which is entirely focused on animal welfare. The appointee is responsible for defining the ideal housing conditions for breeding and growing pigs and the company will go to farmers with these specifications.

The new standards are expected to add around €20 to the cost of producing each pig. This will make pig meat a little more expensive but Mr Tönnies says the extra cost is justified.

He described his company's intention to undergo massive expansion in China after establishing a joint venture there. He wants to establish a nationwide network of large cutting plants across the country, supplying some of the pork from Germany.

The aim of Tönnies's involvement in China is to restructure the meat supply chain. Currently, meat is distributed right across the country, mostly unrefrigerated, by moped by middle men. Tönnies wants to make the conditions more hygienic.

Continuing on the theme of animal welfare in the EU, the pig industry can learn some interesting lessons from egg industry's experiences over the last month or so as a ban on conventional battery cages came into force on 1 January, despite a lack of preparedness across many EU countries.

Looking ahead 11 months to the partial ban on sow stalls across the EU, it has been reported that only three countries – United Kingdom, Sweden and Luxembourg – are already compliant with the new rules. A further four countries – Ireland, Lithuania, Denmark and Germany – will have switched to loose housing in time for the deadline but what of the other 20 countries? Can we expect to hear the same weak excuses for a lack of investment in those countries as the midnight hour approaches?

Of course, the situation will not be helped if pig prices continue to fall across the EU.

Possibly as the result of pressure from welfare organisations in the US, an ending to sow stalls has been announced by Hormel by 2017 but no such plans have yet been reported by Tyson Foods.

Turning to diseases, foot and mouth disease (FMD) has been reported in pigs at two farms in Taiwan. In the Krasnodar Kray region of Russia, the deaths of three wild boar were found to be due to African swine fever (ASF), which also caused more than 7,400 pigs to be culled on two neighbouring farms in the same region when the disease was discovered there.

Jackie Linden

This Week's Feature Articles

Market Reports

BPEX Export Bulletin - Week 5
Rabobank Pork Quarterly - 1st Quarter 2012
AHDB European Market Survey - January 2012
AHDB UK Market Survey - January 2012
QMS Pig Market Report - January 2012

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Company News

MSD/Merck Animal Health Headquarter in New Jersey
US - MSD Animal Health, known as Merck Animal Health in the United States and Canada, yesterday announced that it intends to centralize certain functions at the existing Merck Campus in Summit, New Jersey, USA.

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Meriden Targets Northern Malaysian Swine Industry
MALAYSIA - Meriden Animal Health recently presented their flagship product Orego-Stim and the Fusion Feed Safety Range at two seminars in Malaysia.

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First Product Candidate Moving Toward Commercialization
US - Novus International Inc., a leading manufacturer of animal and human nutrition and health products and Verenium Corporation, a leading industrial biotechnology company focused on the development and commercialization of high-performance enzymes, has announced the selection of a next-generation phytase as the first enzyme candidate from the two companies’ strategic collaboration to advance toward commercialization.

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From the Wallingford Pig Study Group to PIC
UK - In 1955, a group in the UK called the Wallingford Pig Study Group was concerned that the traditional purebred breeders were not producing the right pig for future markets.

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TOPIGS Philippines Imports Top Genetics
PHILIPPINES - TOPIGS Philippines recently imported 1111 top SPF genetics from Canada to set up a new nucleus farm for San Miguel Foods, Inc. (SMFI) in the Isabela province of the country. Thanks to this import, San Miguel can produce their own grandparent and parent breeding pigs for the realisation of their expansion plans through to 2020.

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SITES Certifies Novus International Campus
US - The global headquarters campus of Novus International, Inc. is one of the first pilot projects to be certified by the Sustainable Sites Initiative (SITES) for its sustainable site design, construction and maintenance. The Novus campus, lead by landscape architects SWT Design, was awarded a 3-star rating by SITES, making it the highest rated landscape project in the world.

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Slap-Dash Slap-Marking
UK - ACMC says it still sees numerous farm reports where slap-markings are recorded by the abattoir or by BPHS (British Pig Health Scheme) vets as illegible.

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PIC Celebrates First 50 years of Genetic Improvement
UK - 26 February 2012 marks the 50th anniversary of business for global swine genetics leader Pig Improvement Company (PIC). From the very beginning, the company has been true to its "never stop improving" motto.

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New HelixX System Rivals Central Exhaust Air Washer
GERMANY - For many pig producers in regions with a high livestock density, the retrofittable Big Dutchman-system for exhaust air treatment HelixX is often the only solution to qualify for a permit for the expansion of an existing farm.

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Global Pig Industry News

Taiwan

 » FMD NEWS: Cases Discovered in Pigs in Kinmen

United States

 » Applying New Technology to Track FMD Vaccine
 » Pork’s Demand Indicators Holding Strong
 » AFBF Files for Judgment in Chesapeake Bay Case
 » CME: Is Drought Still a Problem?
 » Weekly Roberts Market Report
 » US Companies Hit Back at Cruelty Allegations
 » Hormel to End Sow Stalls by 2017
 » CME: Consumer Demand for Healthier Products
 » HSUS to Question Tyson on Sow Stalls
 » Addressing Land-Based Systems & Price Outlook
 » Parental Exemption of Child Labour in Ag Rule
 » CME: What Can the Prices of Beef & Pork Cuts Tell Us
 » A Satellite to Feed the World?
 » NCBA Cattlefax: Hope for Strong 2012 Corn Harvest
 » Hog Prices End the Week on a Steady Note
 » CME: Job Growth Has Returned
 » Pork Commentary: Iowa Pork Congress Report

European Union

 » Guidelines for Risk Assessment of Animal Welfare
 » Salmonella Cases Reduced by Almost One-half
 » EU Pig Prices: Scarcity Continues to Raise Prices
 » Why Should Spain Call for Moratorium of EC Rules?
 » Views Sought on How EU Can Produce Sustainably
 » European Pig Prices Starting to Fall
 » Only Seven Countries Ready for Sow Stalls Ban

Canada

 » Focus on Sharing Ideas to Improve Pork Production
 » Air Filtration Key to Halting Spread of PRRS
 » Impacts of Ethanol Policies on Livestock Industry
 » H@ms Marketing Services to Rebate 2011 Fees
 » Improved Ability to Diagnose & Track Swine Diseases
 » OPIC Swine Nutrition e-Learning Course
 » Pork Conference Celebrates 50 Years
 » Alternative for Managing Manure Phosphorus
 » Revised Pig Code of Practice Expected by Mid-2013
 » A New Year: Looking Back, Looking Forward

United Kingdom

 » Final Members Join Animal Health & Welfare Board
 » BPEX 2TS: Focus on Weaning - Diary Dates
 » British Pork Production Highest Since 2002
 » Outlook Conference Date Set
 » Livestock 2012 Stand Space Schedule Launched
 » The Cold Weather Will Warm Up the Market

Japan

 » US Pork Sandwiches Showcased in Railway Campaign

Belize

 » Belize Under Classical Swine Fever Threat

Russian Federation

 » Cherkizovo Pork, Poultry Sales Volume Up in 2011
 » Two New ASF Outbreaks in Krasnodar Krai
 » Russia Suspends Feed Additive Shipment from China
 » More ASF Cases Reported in Wild Boar
 » AgroFarm 2012: 270 Exhibitors from 23 Countries

General

 » Downward Trend in Slaughterings Forecast for 2012
 » North America: Where's the Snow?
 » Expert Presents 2012 Global Weather Outlook
 » Rabobank: Prospects for Pork Bright in Q1 of 2012

Spain

 » Spanish Farmers Call for Time to Convert Farms

Germany

 » Tönnies Focus: Better Welfare & China Expansion

Botswana

 » Botswana Halts Imports of Pig Products from SA

China

 » China Vows Enhanced Agricultural Investment

Brazil

 » Palfenier is Named New CEO of Seara
 » December 2011 Pork Export Volume, Value Up

Mexico

 » Mexico Contributes to CSF Control in Guatemala

Qatar

 » Qatar Cooking Up a Storm Over Pork Sales

That's all for this week!

Ed.