Asian Agribiz Podcasts Asian Agribiz

Transportation biosecurity is paramount for safeguarding the health and safety of livestock and poultry during transit. It involves implementing measures to prevent the introduction and spread of infectious diseases among animals and into farms. Yet, it frequently gets overlooked within biosecurity initiatives.
Mike Button, a global consultant in veterinary health, delves into transportation biosecurity, its challenges and ramifications, and offers insights on enhancing consistent implementation for producers.

Falling raw material prices helped ease business for Asia’s feed industry in the second half of 2023. While global feed production dipped last year, Asia Pacific saw a 1.4% growth.
Most poultry and livestock industries in the region are expected to grow this year, meaning higher feed demand.
 However, growing geopolitical tensions, climate change, and government regulations will continue to pose challenges, making it imperative for companies to remain vigilant and adaptive in their strategies.
However, challenges are a given in any industry, and the feed business is no exception. However, with such an integral role in food production, feed producers can remain secure in their business if they are willing to evolve with it.

Vietnam’s livestock industry has undergone a significant level of specialization, but the slaughtering subsegment seems to lag behind. Michael Patching, CEO at Alta Food and Agriculture, suggests prioritizing worker training programs to improve meat processing standards. Currently, Vietnam lacks such courses, but companies can look beyond the country or partner with equipment suppliers and professional trainers for necessary training.

Porcine circovirus (PCV) is a widespread virus globally. While PCV1 has long been known as a common contaminant in laboratory cell cultures, it is generally non-pathogenic. However, the emergence of PCV2 has led to the postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome, affecting pig populations worldwide.
 Asian Agribiz speaks with Dr Roman Krejci, Veterinary Services Manager for Swine Vaccines at Ceva Santé Animale, about PCV prevention and control strategies.
In this podcast, he discusses:
• the current status of PCV infections in Southeast Asia;
• how is PCV2 diagnosed;
• the current vaccine development; and
• the challenges in dealing with the disease outbreak

Experts have suggested that broiler producers in Indonesia do what CP, Japfa, and Malindo do: invest in a vertically integrated operation to optimize cost efficiency along the supply chain and survive in the long run.
This message has been reverberating for years and is frequently offered as the solution when the industry suffers oversupply and poor prices. A huge investment is a major limitation for many producers.

Systematic culling of male chicks is common in many poultry-producing countries. This is done since male chicks are considered redundant. However, in recent years, the practice has been frowned upon as cruel and unnecessary. In Europe, some countries have begun phasing out this practice, citing animal welfare concerns.
One technology that can help achieve this is in-ovo sexing, which will allow hatcheries to identify and remove male chick embryos before they are hatched. Martin Enderink, Global Sales Director at In Ovo, talks with Asian Agribiz about this technology, its advantages, and how it can be a cost-effective measure for hatcheries.