The latest information and updates from Alltech Mycotoxin Management.
Welcome to the latest edition of the Farmfeed newsletter! ⭐
In this issue, we bring you updates and insights on the latest news and events from the Alltech Mycotoxin Management team and the wider industry.
The last few months have continued to keep the team busy with multiple events being hosted, including the launch of the Alltech ONE World Tour! We also look to future events, with the 2nd instalment of the Feed Production Workshop set to take place in September, and the World Mycotoxin Forum in October.
We hope you find this edition informative and engaging, and we welcome your feedback.
The Alltech ONE World Tour Kicks Off in Europe!
This year, the annual Alltech ONE Conference (ONE) has been transformed into a series of exciting international events, giving more individuals than ever before the opportunity to engage with leading experts, discussing market trends in agriculture, business, health, and nutrition.
The first two stops on the tour were Budapest, Hungary and Dublin, Ireland.
During these stops, the focus remained on exploring the significant challenges faced by the industry and providing viable solutions for resilience.
At the first stop in Budapest, two members of the Mycotoxin Management team took to the stage: Nick Adams and Dr. Radka Borutova.
In his presentation on the mainstage, “Mycotoxins Matter: Challenging Conventional Thinking,” Nick stated there are no silver bullets when it comes to managing mycotoxin risk. Climate issues are adding fuel to that fire, driving the production of mycotoxins and the growth of molds. With changes to policies because of climate, we now need to challenge conventional thinking to be able to identify, quantify and mitigate the threat of mycotoxins.
Dr. Radka Borutova also gave her presentation "Defining the Risk of Mycotoxins in Pig and Poultry Production" during the inaugural event of the #AlltechONE World Tour in Budapest, Hungary. Her presentation outlined the different impacts of mycotoxins, the potential effect of climate change on mycotoxin risk, and what this means for producers.
Take a look at some of the event highlights using the buttons below!
We held the first edition of the 2023 Feed Production Workshop on the 4th April. The workshop focused on the key areas around preparing a mill for grain intake.
If you'd like to catch up on the workshop, the recording is now available. You can access the recording using the button below:
The Feed Production Workshop returns on September 14, 9-11am (EST)
Following the success of the first instalment of the newly formatted Feed Production Workshop in April, we are hosting another workshop on September 14th, 9-11am (EST).
The next edition of the workshop will focus on nutrition and formulation. Stay tuned for more information about how to register and for the full agenda.
In March, Alltech Asia hosted a webinar in collaboration with eFeedLink, titled "uncovering the hidden threat in imported grain" based on the Asia import risk analysis report.
To truly understand the potential threat of mycotoxins for Asian livestock production, we must first uncover how prevalent these hidden compounds are across imported grains. The Alltech Asia Import Risk Analysis focuses on the key traded ingredients (corn, wheat, barley and soybean) and the regions from which they are exported (Europe, North America, Canada and Latin America). The findings of this research have been published in a comprehensive, free report compiled by the technical experts on the Alltech Mycotoxin Management team.
Carry-over of Aflatoxin B1 from Feed to Cow Milk - A Review
Aflatoxin residues in milk destined for human consumption remains a significant food safety concern in many regions globally. The increased drought risk in recent years has only served to heighten the problem, and is shifting aflatoxin presence to areas that may not typically be seen as high risk.
In this recent paper, Zentai et al. set out to understand what are some of the key factors that may influence the transfer rates of aflatoxin from animal feed to milk. From a diet perspective, greater use of maize in dairy cow diets may be exposing animals to greater levels aflatoxin. Daily milk yield was seen as one of the biggest factors in contributing to the extent of carry-over, and the authors noted that in general, where milk yield increased, carry over increased in parallel.
The combination of heightened aflatoxin presence, changes in the dietary composition of lactating cows and the continued intensification of the dairy industry and push for higher output likely means this is an issue that will take careful management in the coming years.
The next World Mycotoxin Forum is set to take place in Antwerp, Belgium from the 9th - 11th October.
The forum is the leading international meeting series on mycotoxins dedicated to assembling the world’s best minds across the spectrum of integrated strategies ensuring the safety and security of the food and feed supply chain. The forum brings together a holistic conference programme covering the latest issues in mycotoxin management and is targeted at everyone working in the mycotoxin space – researchers, food and feed industry, laboratories, policy makers, and enforcement agencies from around the world.
Are you planning on attending to the World Mycotoxin Forum? We'd love to see you there!
Proper forage is crucial to a herd’s efficiency. Mycotoxins in animal feed can impact animal health and performance. It’s important to use appropriate storage facilities, monitor feed for mycotoxin contamination, and prevent mycotoxin-related negative effects such as reduced feed intake and decreased reproductive performance.
Mycotoxins in livestock feed can severely impact health and production efficiency. By enhancing the quality of what animals consume, you can help unlock your farm’s profit potential. Learn more about closing the knowledge gap on emerging mycotoxins
Choosing the Right Mycotoxin Test for your Business
Mycotoxins pose a significant challenge for livestock operations, and it’s essential to have the right detection method in place to ensure productivity isn’t affected. When selecting a testing method, consider the ingredients or feedstuffs being analyzed, the frequency of analysis, the time it takes to access results, and the cost of the testing method.
The complex relationship between mycotoxins and pathogens in pigs poses challenges for producers. Coexistence amplifies risks as mycotoxins weaken immunity, making pigs susceptible to bacterial invasion. Learn more about this complex problem in this blog.
The heightened risk of Penicillium mycotoxins in European forages
Discover the impact of Penicillium mycotoxins on dairy cows in EU fermented forages. While North America faces risks from fusarium mycotoxins, the EU experiences higher risks from Penicillium mycotoxins, affecting cow health and performance. Grass silage, dominant in the EU, shows higher Penicillium levels. Learn how managing forages and implementing mycotoxin control programs can restore cow health and optimize milk production.
I was born in the capital of the Epirus region Ioannina in Greece but raised in a nearby small mountainous town called Paramythia. Being surrounded by rivers with cold crystal water and the lovely Ionian Sea coastlines, I have always felt a connection to the water element.
Long summer school holidays were always well-spent exploring nature around the mythical Acheron River or enjoying the coasts in Parga and Sivota and daily boat trips in the neighbouring islands of Paxos, Lefkas and Corfu. In this environment, I was always fascinated by the aquatic living organisms. After completing my secondary education, I moved to Thessaloniki to study (all living organisms) Biology (BSc.) at Aristotle University. There I studied the population genetics and traceability of animal organisms laboratory and participated in projects about the traceability of farmed fish species (e.g., seabass and seabream). At that moment, I got introduced to aquaculture and was inspired to continue my studies in this field aiming to contribute to a more sustainable supply of seafood.
And the best place to go would be Wageningen University & Research, in the Netherlands to follow the MSc. programme "Aquaculture and Marine Resource Management". During this programme, I was interested in the field of fish nutrition and, therefore, I did my MSc. internship at Alltech Coppens. My project was to set maximum limits for mycotoxins in the plant-based ingredients used in Alltech Coppens recipes, which was my first connection with mycotoxins. Back then, it was very recently when Alltech acquired Coppens, I had the chance to meet Nick Adams during his visit to the Alltech Coppens factory in Nettetal Germany. At the end of this project, Alltech Coppens had a proper mycotoxin management plan to prevent mycotoxin contamination in the mill and I had the opportunity to continue research in the field with a form of a PhD funded by Alltech.
I accepted this challenge and enrolled as a PhD student at Aquaculture and Fisheries Group (Wageningen University) while Dr Philip Lyons was the industrial supervisor. During this period, I was a sandwich PhD in the Netherlands doing my experimental work at Alltech Coppens research facilities and laboratory work at Wageningen University. During my staying at Alltech Coppens, I was lucky to be involved in events such as Aqua in Depth, Women in Food & Agriculture, global R&D meetings, and conferences and to introduce myself and my work in Alltech teams globally. Not directly involved in this PhD project, but Alltech Mycotoxin Management team and Nick Adams had an interest in my work inviting me as a speaker in internal and external webinars. Upon finalizing my PhD, it was a rather natural process to join the Alltech Mycotoxin Management Team with a role of technical support for the aqua side. Being part of a team dedicated to addressing mycotoxin-related challenges and of a company dedicated to the Planet of Plenty is truly rewarding.
