feedstuffs in focus

Activated medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs) support feed biosecurity as they can weaken some viruses lurking in feed before they even enter the pigs' system.

According to Stacie Crowder, monogastric product manager with PMI Nutrition, a good place to start is with a tool that does more than one job such as medium-chain fatty acids. Multifaceted, MCFAs work in more than one way to protect pigs from bacteria and viruses and support pig performance. 

Feedstuffs editor Sarah Muirhead caught up recently with Crowder to talk about how MCFAs serve multiple roles when incorporated into swine rations. Among other things, Crowder explained that, activated MCFAs can work in feed to weaken pathogens before they reach the pig. They also work inside the pig to support immune activity, gut health and pig performance.

In this episode you'll also find out how you as a producer or feed company can choose the right MCFA for your operation. 

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For shell egg producer, MPS Egg Farms, the COVID-19 pandemic has meant struggles to meet demand, keep grocery store shelves stocked and make sure employees are kept safe.

In this episode of Feedstuffs in Focus, Feedstuffs editor Sarah Muirhead talks with Sam Krouse, vice president of business development at MPS, to get his perspective on egg industry challenges brought about by COVID-19. The egg industry’s move to cage-free production and how consumers responded in the marketplace when temporary egg shortage emerged.

This episode is sponsored by Hog Slat and Georgia Poultry. New for 2020, the Classic Pullet feed pan: built to handle the most aggressive birds, the Classic Pullet features an anti-rotation clip, feed shut-off slide, and a shallow divided pan. Learn more at HogSlat.com.  

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It’s time for livestock and poultry producers to better connect with consumers on the issues and more actively engage and communicate with consumers as to why they do what they do, according to David Ortega, associate professor in the department of agricultural, food and resource economics at Michigan State University, and Danielle Ufer a doctoral candidate at Michigan State. 

In this episode of Feedstuffs in Focus, they share their insight with Feedstuffs editor Sarah Muirhead and discuss how consumer outreach could help protect animal agriculture when the next crisis hits.

Ortega and Ufer are in the middle of a three-year study looking specifically at consumer preference and attitudes toward animal agriculture. They believe the future of animal agriculture depends on what steps farmers are allowed to take moving forward and consumer attitudes toward those practices and technologies. This, they say, may well be pivotal in herd and market restoration, particularly as the industry works its way out of the current COVID-19 pandemic.

This episode is sponsored by Hog Slat; from cleanup to startup, we're here to supply the products you need.  As close as your local Hog Slat store or order online at www.hogslat.com.  

Related Feedstuffs article: Time to get personal: Consumer outreach may help protect animal agriculrue in next crisis

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As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to take its toll on the economy, many businesses have been forced to furlough staff or close their doors altogether. Even companies able to stay afloat during this time have experienced financial setbacks from which they will take years to recover. While government subsidies are available for many businesses, available funds run out quickly and can take weeks or months to make it to the business owner. In the meantime, businesses who can’t wait are forced to make tough decisions. 

Also in the news of late have been stories on how businesses thought they were covered from an insurance standpoint but it turns out they were not. COVID-19 and other such business slowdowns are not among those things that generally trigger payment under a typical business policy.

James Allen Insurance’s CEO Tim Craig saw a need to cover businesses experiencing this hurt and launched the Pandemic Insurance Policy in March. The policy covers added out-of-pocket expenses and lost revenue associated with the outbreak of disease. Feedstuffs editor Sarah Muirhead caught up with Craig this week to talk insurance and COVID-19.

He noted that while the nation’s food and hospitality establishments have been hit the hardest, some farmers, agribusinesses and, of course, packing plants also have felt the strain. Among other things, Craig noted that his company’s new pandemic policy got its roots from animal disease policy coverage created by the company several years back to protect livestock producers in the unfortunate outbreak of African swine fever and several cattle diseases. 

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Iowa might seem an unlikely location to harvest fish, but it’s the lack of fish there that makes it the perfect place, says Joe Sweeney, CEO of Eagle’s Catch. Located in Ellsworth, Iowa, his company is one of the largest fish farms in the nation and growing.

The market for tilapia in the U.S. is dominated by imports. In fact, only about 5% of tilapia sold in the U.S. is actually produced domestically. 

Farming tilapia in the Midwest just makes sense and has a strong sustainability story, according to Sweeney.

In this episode of Feedstuffs in Focus, Feedstuffs Editor Sarah Muirhead caught up with Sweeney to talk about the potential for domestic fish farming and why indoor fish farming is an approach that makes sense. “We want to offset the amount of imported seafood sold in the United States,” he says. “We want to do better for the oceans and provide safer food for families."

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Pigs and COVID-19. We’ve all been hearing about the unfortunate shutdown of various pork packing and processing plants these last two weeks but pigs are playing another role in the current pandemic as well. In fact, it is a rather unexpected role at that. 

In this episode, Feedstuffs editor Sarah Muirhead talks with University of Illinois professor Dr. Matt Wheeler about the role pigs and his team are playing in an experiment that could be save many lives.  Wheeler, who has built and tested lifesaving medical devices animals before, was called upon last month test a new emergency ventilator that is designed to save lives of COVID-19 patients.

“If this device saves one person, we did our job. Hopefully it'll save a whole lot more than that,” says Wheeler, professor in the department of animal sciences at University of Illinois. 

Recent Feedstuffs In Focus Episodes  on COVID-19

• Talking COVID-19 and the impact on livestock markets
• NCBA CEO talks COVID19, Brazil beef, GIPSA
• Frontline observations from animal food industry in COVID-19 battle
• Farm Bureau economist discusses COVID-19 impact
• COVID-19 emergency school nutrition campaign takes on hunger
• COVID-19 takes toll on packing plant workers, operations

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