Livestock

Collaboration of Eurofins Agro Testing and trinamiX. (Image source: trinamiX)

Renowned laboratory, Eurofins Agro Testing Wageningen has announced its collaboration with trinamiX to enable the optimisation of forage analyses without sending samples to a laboratory

The partnership brings together Eurofins Agro Testing’s expertise in state-of-the-art analysis, their global network of laboratories and extensive knowledge of the agri-food industry with trinamiX’s technology to offer on-the-spot analytics in a fraction of the time it takes for a traditional sample to be analysed. 

The collaboration is set to revolutionise the way feed suppliers, nutritionists, and farmers capture feed data to enable more accurate nutrition management. Bringing trinamiX’s technology and Eurofins Agro Testing’s analysis together in this partnership is set to provide high quality analysis with the flexibility to provide data and insight anywhere in the world.

Hans Martin, managing director of Eurofins Agro Testing Wageningen, emphasises that its customers rely on best-in-class laboratory services to run their businesses profitably and sustainably. Combining this analytical data with trinamiX’s technology is the best way for the industry to improve livestock health and productivity.

Further details of the partnership will be will be revealed at EuroTier 2024 taking place from 12-15 November in Hannover.

NOVUS will present four abstracts across production topics. (Image source: NOVUS)

Researchers at NOVUS will be sharing their insights at the Poultry Science Association (PSA) Annual Meeting which is scheduled to take place from 15-18 July in Louiseville, Kentucky

NOVUS will host a symposium titled, 'Achieving Reproductive Performance and Quality Chicks with Modern Broiler Breeders' and present a research representing the combined efforts of the poultry technical and R&D teams across the international company to support the poultry industry. The leader in intelligent nutrition will present the following four abstracts across production topics:

1. Use of different sources of zinc and combinations of zinc with copper and manganese in broiler chickens.

2. Effect of replacing inorganic Zn, Cu and Mn by chelated sources with Methionine-Hydroxy-Analogue on performance para.meters and mineral excretion in broiler.

3. Evaluation of trypsin inhibitor contents in different types of soybean meal from various world areas analysed by near-infrared spectroscopy technology.

4. A Review of Mineral Recommendations in Broiler Breeders.

NOVUS global poultry solutions executive manager, Alfred Blanch highlighted that in addition to demonstrating the company's commitment to research, the activities at PSA 2024 will also show the company’s partnership with customers to help animals meet their full potential.

The event, which is open to all PSA 2024 attendees, also includes presentations from PhD of Cargill, Henk Enting; PhD of Wageningen University & Research, Rick van Emous; PhD of Aviage, Felipe Kroetz Neton; Estella Leentfaar of Hendrix Genetics and NOVUS’ Hugo Romero, PhD.

For a full schedule of NOVUS at PSA 2024, visit https://www.novusint.com/psa-2024/.

Analysis of these three cattle trials showed that cattle produced less methane and gained more weight each day, on average, when fed Rumin8’s development stage methane reducing feed additive. (Image source: Adobe Stock)

Rumin8 announced interesting results from cattle trials of its investigational methane reducing feed additive involving 92 head of cattle, which recorded reductions of methane intensity of up to 86%, along with weight gains ranging 8.4-12.5% higher than control groups that were fed the same base ration

Studies mostly comprised a combination of feedlot and grazing productions systems. In the first study, 24 animals underwent three treatments for a duration of 12 weeks. Liveweights were measured weekly and animals were group housed, but fed individually. The second study comprised 20 animals that were subjected to four treatments for a duration of 77 days, while the third study comprised 48 animals that were subjected to three treatments in a grazing system for a duration of 130 days.

Analysis of these three cattle trials showed that cattle produced less methane and gained more weight each day, on average, when fed Rumin8’s development stage methane reducing feed additive. These recent results were released at the Breakthrough Energy 2024 Summit in London. In its quest to use a pharmaceutical approach to creating affordable feed and water supplements that reduce methane emissions from livestock and improve productivity, Breakthrough Energy Ventures has been a cornerstone investor in Rumin8. 

“Weight gains are pivotal for the commercial adoption of methane reducing feed and water additives in the cattle industry,” said Rumin8 CEO, David Messina. “At the very least those weight gains have the potential to offset some of the cost of these additives, all while helping the planet. While our number one focus remains on reducing methane production to address the critical climate risk that this gas presents, we are particularly interested in these initial weight gain figures, because productivity improvements are of high interest to farmers.”

The company expects to begin shipping in volume in the third quarter of 2024. (Image source: Adobe Stock)

Following rigorous development and testing, leader in molecular sensing and diagnostics, Alveo Technologies, Inc (Alveo) recently announced that the Flockscreen LAMP Avian Influenza Molecular Test was capable of accurately detecting the presence of virus in both cloacal and oropharyngeal samples from poultry with comparable limit of detection, sensitivity and specificity

The HPAI panzootic virus has spread to not only cattle, but at least 47 other mammalian species, resulting in the destruction of more than half a billion poultry worldwide. One among the many significant drawbacks that make current agricultural tests unsuitable for these HPAI use cases, includes the lengthy processing time required to obtain a result from polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Moreover, vaccinating birds can cause their serology tests to turn positive despite not being infected. In addition, lateral flow, also known as antigen or instant tests, lacks sensitivity and produces a significant percentage of false negative results.

However, Alveo's portable and rugged molecular diagnostic platform has been designed to provide accurate, rapid test results at the point of need. It functions as a core component of a notifiable disease electronic management ecosystem that the company and its strategic partners have developed to support producers, as well as governmental bodies who are looking to expand the surveillance of important zoonotic pathogens. 

Two multiplexed panels enable the on-site broad detection of Avian Influenza Type A virus (targeting matrix gene) in poultry with differentiation of H5, H7 and H9 subtypes using oropharyngeal or cloacal samples. Both panels contain seven assays, six of which are identical between cartridges. This configuration ensures the greatest coverage of the most clinically relevant global AI strains from the past 5-10 years, through to the current strains. The platform's rugged design enables it to function in the field under extreme conditions, including very hot and near freezing temperatures, following a drop of one metre, and when subjected to movement and vibration, which are common challenges encountered in field settings. 

During their evaluation of over 100 candidate primer sets and assay conditions, Alveo and their development partners performed more than 20,000 reactions on over 4000 assay cartridges using both contrived and clinical samples.

"Our platform makes it simple to test for HPAI in poultry and we will be the first diagnostic of its kind that can test both cloacal and oropharyngeal samples," said CEO of Alveo, Shaun Holt. "Our rugged design enables healthcare providers, veterinarians, growers, and public health officials to obtain rapid results at point of need so they can take immediate action."

The product will be validated and verified by relevant regulatory bodies prior to shipment. Shipping of the product, which is currently available for pre-sale in Europe and the Middle East, is set to begin in the third quarter of 2024.