Alltech will be showcasing two new pieces of cutting edge equipment at this year’s British Pig and Poultry Fair being held on 15 and 16 May at Stoneleigh, Warwickshire.
On display will be their new eggshell force reader, as well as the recently launched Alltech®RAPIREADTMmycotoxin test, both portable assessment tools being pioneered in the UK by Alltech’s pig and poultry specialists.
“The latest assessment equipment enables us to obtain an enhanced level of insight and helps inform any subsequent decisions on nutritional programmes and management. A major benefit of both new tools is that they provide instant results. This means that solutions, if required, can be implemented promptly,” says UK poultry manager John Cooper.
Explaining the new eggshell force reader, Mr Cooper says it uses six quick steps to measure internal and external egg quality and can be used on-farm or during processing.
“Eggshell strength is the most basic aspect of egg quality and if it’s insufficient, high levels of breakage can occur between the farm and plate. Nutrition plays a critical role in egg quality and by testing internal and external egg quality, we can pinpoint the key areas of nutrition to focus on.
“This enables us to develop a targeted and bespoke nutritional programme, that will meet egg quality targets,” adds Mr Cooper.
Commenting on the RAPIREAD portable mycotoxin test, Alltech’s pig business manager Jason Evans, says it is helping identify mycotoxin issues faster than ever before.
“Having formerly spent 20 years managing a pig unit, I know first-hand that mycotoxin contamination can be a major issue in livestock systems. Now that we’re able to test feed on-farm, we can alert producers to a potential problem quickly and ultimately allow a solution to be implemented before significant production losses are observed.”
He says RAPIREAD can provide results in around ten minutes and it’s now a valuable part of Alltech’s Pig Assist Programme toolkit.
“Pig Assist is a free consultancy service, which analyses all aspects of pig production with a detailed eye to ensure health and performance is as good as possible, while taking into consideration the cost of production. It provides a useful benchmark and can identify priority areas for improvement, that will ultimately help lift profitability.”
Mr Evans adds that helping producers meet targets for antibiotic reduction is also a focus area.
“For over 35 years, Alltech has been taking an innovative approach to animal health, developing natural and sustainable nutritional solutions to meet on-farm challenges. All nutritional solutions are fully supported by extensive trials and research and we know that by taking a holistic approach to key areas such as gut health, it’s possible to lower reliance on antibiotics and improve overall performance,” says Mr Evans.
To find out more about Alltech’s Pig Assist Programme, RAPIREAD or egg quality testing, please drop by the Alltech stand number 44 at the Pig Poultry Fair.
