ThePigSite Newsletter - 12 March 2012

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Monday 12th March 2012

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Welcome to this week's newsletter

Editorial – Ever More Red Tape Ties up Pig Industry

Over–regulation may be limiting US food production. Cutting red-tape and reducing regulatory burdens are common themes that producers are eager to see put into practice.

However, in reality, the industry is ever more tied down by red tape. A new report from the United Soybean Board suggests that over–regulation is becoming a threat to US livestock production.

Laws and regulations imposed by federal, state and local governments can make domestic farmers and ranchers uncompetitive with overseas competitors and drive them out of business, says the report.

It adds that the regulatory areas most likely to generate increased costs for US producers in the near term are animal housing, environmental regulations, the use of antimicrobials and other drugs, livestock trading and labour regulations.

The red tape issue is not confined to the US. At a high-level debate on the future CAP held by European Parliament, the EU farmers’ association, Copa-Cogeca, warned of excessive red-tape governing the EU Commission proposals on the CAP post-2013. The group stressed this will hinder competitiveness and threaten the economic viability of farmers, cooperatives and small businesses.

USDA estimates of the 2011 and 2012 pig crop and slaughter figures for the EU have been adjusted upwards, based on higher–than–expected breeding efficiency, likely caused by the restructuring of the industry. The agency confirms, however, that despite the latest spike, the longer–term trend continues to be downward.

As US producers increase the sow herd in response to better returns, profitability will again turn downward in the medium term, according to the Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute.

One area of food production seems to be bucking the trend: that of organics. Despite the tough economic times, the organic market is growing and going against the trend of generally falling sales, cuts and reduced expenditure.

The latest figures issued by the Soil Association in the UK and Organic Monitor show that in 2010 sales of organic products rose by eight per cent and by 228 per cent since 2000. Worldwide sales were valued at US$59 billion or around €44.5 billion in 2010 and were showing strong growth in all the major European markets as well as the US.

Farmers in the Mpumalanga region of South Africa have been warned that they face a threat of African swine fever following the disposal of the carcasses of infected pigs in a local river.

Turning to zoonotic disease, local sources report that a number of people in the north of Bangladesh have died from Nipah virus. The latest cases appear to be related to consumption of raw date juice. The disease also affects pigs, a factor that is unlikely to play a role in the predominantly Muslim country.

And finally, to news of foot and mouth disease (FMD). From Zambia, there is a report of an outbreak in cattle in Northern Mwamba Kaka, and the Taiwanese veterinary authorities have reported finding FMD-positive pigs from three farms in two regions during routine surveillance.

Jackie Linden

This Week's Feature Articles

We have 6 new features this week:

Emerging and Re–Emerging Viruses in Swine
X.J. Meng of the College of Veterinary Medicine at Virginia Tech in the US identified the following disease as potential threats at the International Symposium on Emerging and Re-Emerging Diseases in Pigs in 2011: swine hepatitis E virus, torque teno sus virus, porcine bocavirus, porcine lymphotropic herpesviruses, porcine torovirus and porcine sapovirus.

Comparative Study of Mycobacterium avium subsp. avium and Mycobacterium avium subsp. hominissuis in Pigs
In experimentally infected pigs, both subspecies were able to cause infections, according to researchers in Oslo, Norway. They proposed that the more extensive shedding of the hominissuis type might cause pig–to–pig transmission and contribute to the higher incidence of infection caused by this subspecies.

Pork Industry Economic Outlook Cautiously Optimistic
North American pork producers have reason for optimism on prices and cost of production through 2012, says leading industry economist, Karl Skold, speaking at the 2012 Banff Pork Seminar.

Land Application of Livestock and Poultry Manure
Factors affecting the fertiliser value of manure and recommendations for application are covered by Mark Risse, Extension Engineer at the University of Georgia's Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, as well as practical aspects on how much manure can be applied and handling solids in liquid manure.

Australian Agricultural Commodities Report – March 2012
Australian pig meat production is forecast to increase by one per cent in 2012–13 to around 352,000 tonnes and to increase gradually to 370,000 tonnes by 2016–17, according to the Agricultural Commodities report from the Australian Government.

Organic Acid-Based Products – Market Evaluation and Technical Comment
An overview of some acidifiers currently available on the market by Angela Riemensperger (Product Manager for Biomin), demonstrating the growing importance of this group of products.

Market Reports

» BPEX UK Pig Meat Market Update - March 2012
» USDA GAIN: Spanish Dried Fodder Sector Faces New Challenges
» USDA GAIN: Brazil Livestock and Products Semi-annual 2012
» World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates - March 2012
» BPEX Export Bulletin – Week 10
» AHDB UK Market Survey - 9 March 2012
» AHDB European Market Survey - 9 March 2012

Company News

Ceva Continues Rapid Growth in 2011
FRANCE - During 2011 Ceva Santé Animale achieved 13.3 per cent growth through €530 in net annual sales, the first time the company reached the half billion euro mark. The company also invested record levels in research and development to fund future growth investing over €50m close to 10 per cent of sales. All of Ceva’s geographic zones achieved an increase in operating profit.

Life Technologies Acquires LSI
FRANCE - Life Technologies Corporation has announced it has acquired Laboratoire Service International (LSI), a French-based manufacturer of animal health diagnostics.

Cash Lean Hog Market Continues to Go Sideways
US - The cash lean hog market continues to go sideways with the US National lean hog price hovering around 85 cents. We’ve got about 60 days before the higher markets expected in the spring come to fruition with May – August lean hog futures averaging close to $1.10 lean per pound. The $30.00 per head boost in prices will go a long way to give strong profits for the four month period, writes Jim Long.

Genesus Attends Canada Trade Mission in China
CANADA and CHINA - Genesus was recently honoured to attend a Canadian trade mission in China.

Genesus: 2012 Promises Well for Brazilian Pork Plants
BRAZIL - Pork exports in 2011 at 516,419 tonnes were a shade below the total for 2010 of 540,417 tonnes, but total receipts increased by seven per cent to US$1,435 million.

World Pork Expo Invites Early Registration
US - Seeing the pork industry’s newest technologies, participating in business seminars and showing outstanding breeding stock are just a few of the reasons nearly 20,000 people will attend the 2012 World Pork Expo.

BPEX Issues Dysentery Warning
UK - BPEX is urging pig producers to be extra vigilant for symptoms of swine dysentery and step up defences after further cases of the disease have been reported across the North Yorkshire region.

Advances in AI – The Future
UK - Already delivering the ‘best of the best’ genetics and farrowing rates of up to 95 per cent, the role of AI in pig production is assured. But what of the future? What is the focus of current research and development? Here, Head of Science Stephen Waite and Stud Manager Steve Cook of JSR Genetics tell how latest research initiatives offer plenty for pig producers now and even more to look forward to.

Global Pig Industry News