Category: Protein

Protein News covers the production, processing, and distribution of protein-rich foods derived from animals, including meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, and dairy. This section explores the entire supply chain, from farming practices and animal nutrition to processing methods and market trends. It also delves into sustainability, animal welfare, and innovations in protein sources, including alternative options like plant-based, insect, and lab-grown proteins. The Protein category is essential for understanding the role of all protein types in global nutrition, economic impacts, and evolving consumer preferences.

Australian farmers protest animal, environment policies

The policies are harmful, they say

11 September 2024

2 minute read

Hundreds of farmers from across Australia held a protest on Tuesday against government farming policies they said were influenced by environmental and animal welfare activists and which were harming their livelihoods, reported Reuters.

Australia is one of the world’s biggest agricultural exporters and farmers nationwide are increasingly angry with the centre-left Labor government that has sought to ban exports of live sheep, restrict water use and accelerate construction of renewable power and transmission in rural areas.

“We deserve to be respected,” National Farmers’ Federation (NFF) President David Jochinke told a crowd on the lawn in front of Australia’s federal parliament in Canberra.

“There are alternative voices that are united against us. We don’t think they are the ones that should be setting the policy,” he said. “We feel like we are getting stiffed.”

The government did not send a representative to the rally. Agriculture minister Julie Collins told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) the government was committed to listening and had helped farmers by expanding overseas market access and investing in biosecurity.

The NFF said more than 2,000 people attended what was its first nationwide rally of farmers in the capital since the 1980s.

The protest is part of a wave of unrest in Europe and elsewhere aimed at governments imposing environmental regulation that farmers say burdens them with red tape and higher costs, as well as limiting their ability to farm.

“Our message is clear: talk to us,” Jochinke said.

Federal elections are due in Australia by May next year and farm lobby leaders say they will try to eject Labor by raising money and targeting marginal seats.

Opposition leader Peter Dutton told the rally he would reverse a ban on live sheep exports and the opposition agriculture spokesman said he was against water restrictions.

“We have your backs,” Dutton said.

Australian farmers have seen several years of bumper production thanks to plentiful rain, but pessimism is rife.

“Under this government there’s no future for agriculture in Australia,” said Will Croker, a 32-year-old livestock farmer from New South Wales. “It’s not right.”

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Immune-complex vaccines pair with vector vaccines to cool IBD challenges

Reasearch and methodology behind immune-complex vaccines for IBD

11 September 2024

3 minute read

When it comes to protecting flocks from infectious bursal disease (IBD), poultry producers and veterinarians have several strategies available, including immune-complex vaccines that may be included in a rotation strategy with recombinant HVT-IBD vaccines.

Immune-complex vaccines provide unique attributes in the IBD protection toolbox. These vaccines contain an IBD virus vaccine coated by antibodies, which must first degrade before the vaccine virus is released in the bird, delaying the stimulate a robust immune response compared with classic live vaccines.

Often used in cases of high field-virus pressure, immune-complex vaccines are useful for “cooling down the house” and keeping the field pressure low for subsequent flocks, said Leticia Frizzo da Silva, DVM, PhD, senior principal scientist, Zoetis.

They do this by colonizing the bursa and blocking early replication of the field virus. The introduction and repeated use of immune-complex vaccines can repopulate a house with the vaccine virus, creating a “diluting” effect, she added.

Over time, this approach can replace the field virus to the point where the farm mostly has the vaccine virus.

Vector and live vaccine comparisons

Because of the way the immune-complex vaccine is manufactured, it cannot be immediately neutralized by maternally derived antibodies as conventional live vaccines can, said Frizzo da Silva.

This delayed release brings at least three major advantages:

The robust vaccine-induced active immune response reduces the high chance of neutralization of vaccine virus by maternal antibodies.
The onset of immunity is naturally adapted to when each individual bird is ready to respond, due to the active vaccine-induced immunity starting as passive immunity decreases.
The immunosuppression often seen with the use of conventional live vaccines is reduced.¹ Whether the birds are vaccinated in ovo or at day of age, the immune-complex vaccine gradually dissociates in the bird’s body and releases the live vaccine virus, which stimulates a robust immune response without being immediately neutralized by maternally derived antibodies.

Vectored IBD vaccines – based on herpesvirus of turkey (HVT) – and immune-complex vaccines have complementary roles. While vectored HVT-IBD vaccines cushion the bursa better and tackle clinical disease effectively, they cannot replace field virus to reduce the environmental load or lower the overall infection pressure in the long run. This makes rotation of the two approaches a sensible option, said Frizzo da Silva.

Options for different field scenarios

The IBD virus is genetically diverse, with seven different genogroups falling into classical virulent, antigenic variant and very virulent types.² Different field challenges can call for different immune-complex formulations.

A Zoetis vaccine based on the Winterfield 2512 classical virus strain is one such formulation, which has been tested against a high, early IBD challenge, she said.

Another alternative is an immune-complex vaccine based on the V877 IBD strain, which is also considered intermediate plus and distinctly categorized as Genogroup 7,² Frizzo da Silva added. This option brings a unique mix of efficacy and safety, based on additional research.

A rotation strategy of immune-complex and vector vaccines could offer an option for controlling IBD. In broiler chickens, immune complex vaccines based on the Winterfield 2512 strain and the V877 strain can be used, while the V877 strain can be used in layer chickens.

Reach out to your Zoetis representative to find out more.

References
References
1 Muniz EC, Ressende MS, et al. Histopathology and serology reaction to an immune complex infectious bursal disease vaccine (V811 strain) in SPF and commercial birds. ARS Veterinaria. 2018;34(2):69-76. AR-20693.

2 Michel LO, Jackwood DJ. Classification of infectious bursal disease virus into genogroups. Arch Virol. 2017;162:3661-3670. AR-13682.

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Cooper Farms progresses toward zero waste

OAKWOOD, OHIO — Turkey, egg and deli producer Cooper Farms released its full 2024 Impact Report, detailing data on the company’s commitments to water quality and conservation, land stewardship, animal housing, and team member safety.

The full, 50-page report follows a preliminary report that was released in June during the International Dairy, Deli and Bakery Association’s (IDDBA) 2024 conference.

Throughout the company’s 86-year history, Cooper Farms has valued raising animals humanely, respecting the environment and investing in its community, according to Gary Cooper, chief operating officer and third-generation family farmer.

Through its Impact Report, Cooper Farms showcases its improvements in response to increased consumer demand for transparency and sustainability.

“We understand this information is important to our private-label customers and end-consumers of our protein products, and we want to be transparent about our efforts to continuously improve,” Gary Cooper said. “As a vertically integrated company, we can control each aspect of production — from breeding to distribution. This provides a strategic advantage to ensure continuous improvement and advancement toward our environmental, ethical and community commitments.”

In the 2023 fiscal year, Cooper Farms harvested 335 million lbs of turkeys and 250 million lbs of pork. The company also produced 32.4 million lbs of liquid eggs.

That production was thanks to a team of approximately 2,500 employees, of which 61% are male and 39% female. Nearly half of its team members have been with the company for five or more years.

Since 2016, Cooper Farms has partnered with Marathon Health to provide free primary health care clinics to all team members and their families covered by the company insurance program. Currently, Cooper Farms has eight healthcare center locations, which saves approximately $2.1 million in total a year for its employees. Since the beginning of its partnership with Marathon Health, Cooper Farms has provided $31.9 million in free medical care to team members and their families.

For the past seven years, Cooper Farms has strived to decrease waste and leave the land better for future generations. With over 98% of the company’s waste diverted from the landfill in 2023, Cooper Farms is inching closer to its goal of becoming a zero-waste company. Part of the company’s farm conservation efforts include reduced tillage, wooded acres, filter strips, composting and tree planting.

Cooper Farms is also making progress on its goal to reduce water usage at the company’s St. Henry Harvest plant by 50 million gallons by 2028.

With animal welfare being a top priority at Cooper Farms, the company reported it is progressing toward its goal of 70% cage-free laying hen housing by the end of 2024.

On top of its business operations, Cooper Farms looks for ways to give back to the community. In 2023, the company donated more than 78,000 lbs of meat and 13,000 lbs of eggs. The Cooper Family Foundation donated a total of $1.1 million between 2021-2023 and was awarded $54,200 through V.H. Cooper Scholarships.

“Every day, we work to still be the company my parents started in our small town,” Gary Cooper said. “We’ve made great strides toward excellence in sustainability, and we are proud to demonstrate the investment we have in our farms, plants and communities. As we move forward, our commitment to transparency, sustainability and community engagement will continue to drive innovation in how we produce quality food for our customers.”

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Cattle company commits to spend $200k on safety improvement after serious crush injury

QUEENSLAND based cattle company Vermelha Pty Ltd and company director Mr Hoang Diep Nguyen has entered into an enforceable undertaking to spend $200k on safety improvements after being charged over a serious crush injury that resulted in a worker’s arm being amputated.

Vermelha Station, about 200km east of Katherine, was purchased was sold in 2016 for $18 million to a Vietnamese company called An Avien Pastoral Holding and Agriculture. The company has now put it back on the market, with expectations that it could make $40 million.

In November 2022, a worker on Vermelha Station suffered a serious crush injury to their arm while manually positioning the fence post for a post driver to hammer into the ground.

NT WorkSafe alleged that the post-driver had been modified, removing built in safety features and the tractor, which was over 10 years old, lacked appropriate labels or marking to differentiate the functions of the various levers which were located together. It is also alleged that the worker was not provided adequate training or instruction, and a safe system of work was not implemented on the use of the tractor and post-driver.

The enforceable undertaking has committed to:

Engage a Work Health and Safety (WHS) consultancy to assist Vermelha Station and its employees over a period of two years, in additional to annual auditing of safety systems by an external WHS advisor.
Assist with heat-related stress, fatigue and mental health by upgrading uniforms and personal protective equipment, worker accommodation quarters and communal recreation facilities at Vermelha Station.
Develop a mobile app aimed at improving worker safety when working in remote or isolated areas.
- Once developed, the mobile app will be shared with the NT Cattlemen’s Association (NTCA) members for use on other working stations in the Northern Territory.
Sponsor first aid and WHS training for participants in NTCA programs.
Sponsor and facilitate a one-day work health and safety workshop to members of the NT Vietnamese Horticultural Association and develop Vietnamese-language resource kits.
Present at a Vietnamese business community event a presentation on the work health and safety requirements when doing business in the Northern Territory.

The Northern Territory’s Work Health and Safety Regulator, Ms Peggy Cheong said the proposed safety benefits outlined for workers and the agricultural industry was a key factor in accepting the enforceable undertaking.

“Over the past few years, NT WorkSafe published statistics showing farm hands are the main occupation being seriously injured in the Northern Territory.”

“While a fine from a successful prosecution is a deterrent for companies not to break the work health and safety laws, the money paid is not reinvested back into the industry to improve safety,” Ms Cheong said.

“The value of the strategies would be higher than a fine in a successful prosecution and I hope the strategies proposed are met and deliver the intended safety benefits to the workers in the NT’s agriculture industry.”

“The charges against Vermelha Pty Ltd and Mr Nguyen have been withdrawn but can be reinstated if the enforceable undertaking is contravened or not fulfilled in its entirety,” said Ms Cheong.

Mr Lindsay Clive Elliott, the Manager of Vermelha Station, was also charged over the incident. Mr Elliott’s case is still before the courts with his next court appearance on Wednesday 18 September 2024.

Source: NT Worksafe

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Southwind Foods debuts skin pack addition to Utah facility

Southwind Foods has opened a new state-of-the-art processing and distribution facility in Salt Lake City, Utah, creating 35 new jobs and investing $30 million in the local economy.

The family-owned and operated company, based in Carson, California, has over 5,000 customers nationwide but, with its new facility, is looking to serve over 1,000 customers across the Intermountain Region, including Montana, Idaho, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Wyoming and New Mexico.

CEO Sam Galletti previously told Undercurrent News that the company was planning to open its skin-pack expansion in Salt Lake City to supply the US Intermountain Region. Initially 10,000 square feet, the facility has grown to 40,000 square feet.

In the Intermountain Region, “shoppers are looking for better seafood options; their consumption is growing,” Galletti explained. “We want to have the opportunity to serve that.”

Southwind, which trades as Great American Seafood Imports Co. and has been in business for 25 years, added in its latest press release that the strategic location will “help reduce food costs” for customers and end consumers through things like increased shelf life and reduced spoilage; as well as a reduction in packaging waste; significant decrease in CO2 emissions through streamlined transportation; local production of products in high demand; and greater product selection for consumers.

The new plant comes with high hopes as the company aims to get past $600 million in turnover and 120m pounds of product volume by the end of the year. Turnover and volume fell about 10% in 2023 due to “various pain points” that hit the seafood sector.

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AAAP: Novel APEC serogroup pathogenicity

Novel APEC serogroups O152 and O145 caused the highest embryonic mortality

11 September 2024

2 minute read

[Excerpts of a poster presentation by Klao Runcharoon and colleagues, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, during the 2024 annual conference of the American Association of Avian Pathologists]

Avian Pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) causes colibacillosis resulting in systemic or localized infections in poultry including airsacculitis, septicemia, pericarditis, perihepatitis, salpingitis, and cellulitis. Serogrouping based on the detection of somatic O-antigens is a useful tool to classify APEC and relate to disease pathogenicity. There are approximately 188 E. coli serogroups and the most common types associated with colibacillosis include O1, O2, and O78.

However, our APEC collection from avians diagnosed with colibacillosis in Georgia poultry populations has identified emerging serogroups with limited information on their pathogenicity. Therefore, the pathogenicity features of these emerging serogroups were evaluated using multiple approaches including the serum resistance assay, embryo lethality assay, and chick challenge assay.

We selected 10 novel APEC strains from our collection which included serogroups O25, O15, O91, O152, O161, O86, O88, O115, O62/O68 and O45. We tested their ability to grow in chicken serum in 96 well-plates. A bacterial suspension was added to the chicken serum and adjusted to a concentration of 106 colony-forming units (CFU/mL). Serum was removed from each well at 0 and after 4 hours incubation at 40◦C. The suspensions were diluted and plated and the CFU was determined after 24 hours of incubation. All selected APEC serogroups except O25 were resistant to serum.

For the assay, 12 day of age embryonic eggs were injected with 300-500 CFU/0.1 mL of each strain via the allantoic fluid. Embryos were candled daily for five consecutive days, and deaths were recorded. The results showed that the highest mortality (100%) was found for APEC serogroups O152 and O145, while O88 caused only 50% mortality. Further assessment of the pathogenicity in chicks was also performed using a chick challenge assay. Twelve one-day-old chicks per group were inoculated subcutaneously with 108 CFU/0.1 mL of the bacterial strain. Times of death and clinical scores were combined to give pathogenicity scores.

E. coli isolates that killed >50%, 10%-50%, and 0-10% of chicks were considered as virulent, moderately virulent, and avirulent, respectively. Analysis found that O15, O91, and O88 had significantly lower (p< 0.05) pathogenicity scores than the positive control group APEC O18. Serogroups O25, O152, O115, and O45 had numerically higher pathogenicity scores than the positive control group.

Overall, the novel APEC strains exhibited different degrees of pathogenicity in both in vivo and in vitro assays. Some strains showed high virulence in all assays while some were less virulent warranting further investigation of their pathogenicity in older birds to establish new protection plans against these emerging serogroups.

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How is the US animal-free dairy protein market shaping up?

Danish company 21st.BIO has become the latest company to have achieved a self-affirmed GRAS status for its beta-lactoglobulin (BLG) ingredient, bringing another precision fermentation-derived, animal-free whey protein ingredient to the US market.

The company – which part-licenses its fermentation technology from Novonesis – says the ingredient is ‘highly nutritious’ and can be used in the food industry as well as the medical, adult and sports nutrition space.

In the US, it will be available under license to manufacturers who wish to scale-up its production. It’s the first food protein that the Denmark and California-based firm is making available through its development program, which includes supporting protein producers in taking their products to market, from upscaling production to achieving regulatory approval.

But is there enough new product development activity to justify the level of supply that the US market is seeing from protein producers?

Animal-free dairy protein: busted flush or nutritional powerhouse?

The US is the largest global market where regulators deem fermentation-derived proteins safe for human consumption, paving the whey for food innovations such as cow-free ice cream and other dairy alternatives with improved functionality compared to plant-based products. In the nutrition sector, manufacturers are also betting on cow-free ingredients, including for innovations such as hybrid protein powder.

Besides 21^st.BIO, Perfect Day, Vivici, Remilk, and ImaginDairy are the other players that have obtained a self-affirmed GRAS status for BLG derived through precision fermentation, making the US fermentation-derived protein market a relatively crowded space given its niche status in the overall dairy alternatives industry.

Elsewhere, New Culture’s cow-free casein has been used to create vegan mozzarella, which has in turn featured on the menu of chef Nancy Silverton’s Pizzeria Mozza. And TurtleTree, which makes GRAS-certified animal-free lactoferrin, recently partnered with nutrition company Strive to launch an immunity-boosting beverage aimed at the adult nutrition and ready-to-mix protein powder market.

In the consumer food space, however, a mixed picture.

In 2023, Perfect Day told AgFunderNews it would sell its consumer products arm The Urgent Company in order to focus on B2B; the company has since made leadership changes and partnered with ice cream maker Breyers, a Unilever company, to manufacture cow-free dairy ice cream. But Unilever has since announced it would spin-off its entire ice cream division as part of a cost-cutting productivity plan, leaving the fate of its brands hanging in the balance.

General Mills also chose to shut down its animal-free cream cheese brand Bold Cultr – weeks before a planned expansion into retail. Nestlé too briefly explored cow-free dairy in a partnership with Perfect Day.

At the same time, the likes of Strive’s FreeMilk and Bored Cow’s animal-free milk alternatives form part of the success stories within the category in US food retail.

R&D rumblings signal future NPD potential

Dairy heavyweights such as Danone, Leprino Foods Company and the Bel Group are working behind the scenes to leverage animal-free proteins and come up with superior dairy alternatives in their respective portfolios. Leprino’s partnership with Fooditive has made the mozzarella major the exclusive rightsholder for its fermentation-derived casein; and Danone wants to bring precision fermentation to the masses through a France-based project. The Bel Group is also working with numerous foodtech companies to develop functionally and nutritionally-superior cheeses.

All this suggests there’s more to come from the animal-free dairy alternatives space.

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Alistair Carmichael elected as new EFRA chair

Liberal Democrat MP Alistair Carmichael has been elected as the new chair of the cross-party Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee, which scrutinises Defra’s work in parliament.

The MP for Orkney and Shetland, who held the role of Scottish Secretary between 2013 and 2015 under David Cameron’s coalition government, was the sole nomination for the role. Succeeding Conservative MP Sir Robert Godwill, he will take up his position as chair of the committee when the remaining members of the committee have been appointed by the House.

He said: “I am very pleased to take on the role of Chair of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee.

“This Parliament will see the new Government make major decisions on the environment, farming, food security and rural communities that will affect us all.

“I will work collaboratively with Members from across the House of Commons to scrutinise and inform these important decisions.

“I will ensure that the Committee gives a voice to rural, coastal and island communities, and fully considers the interests of our fishers, farmers, food producers, processors and exporters, while holding corporate interests such as water companies to account.”

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Maximizing Efficiency and Profitability: The Essential Role of Sorters in Swine Operations – Swineweb.com

As the swine industry evolves, the need for advanced technology that enhances efficiency and profitability becomes increasingly crucial. One such technology is the sorter, a device that automates the sorting of pigs based on weight, ensuring uniform groups for feeding or market sale. This automation not only streamlines workflows but also significantly reduces labor costs, a critical factor in an industry where margins can be tight.

The ProSort system from NuEra Enterprises is a standout in this category, offering advanced features designed to meet the diverse needs of modern swine operations. Unlike traditional sorting methods, the ProSort system uses sophisticated sensors and software to accurately weigh and sort pigs, providing data that can be used to optimize feeding regimens and improve overall herd management.

Key Features and Benefits:

Enhanced Precision and Accuracy: ProSort’s advanced sensors ensure precise sorting, reducing the likelihood of errors that can occur with manual sorting. This precision leads to more consistent weight groups, which is crucial for maximizing market value.
Labor Efficiency: By automating the sorting process, ProSort reduces the need for manual labor, allowing farm workers to focus on other critical tasks. This not only cuts labor costs but also improves worker safety by reducing physical strain and exposure to animals.
Data-Driven Management: The system’s data analytics capabilities provide valuable insights into herd performance, enabling producers to make informed decisions about feed distribution, health monitoring, and overall herd management. This data-driven approach helps in identifying trends and making proactive adjustments to improve productivity.
Durability and Adaptability: Designed for harsh environments, ProSort is built to last, with materials and construction that withstand the rigors of daily farm operations. Additionally, the system can be customized to fit the specific needs of different farm layouts and herd sizes, making it a versatile choice for a wide range of producers.

Real-World Applications:

Several farms that have integrated ProSort into their operations report significant improvements in efficiency and profitability. For instance, a large-scale operation in the Midwest saw a 20% reduction in labor costs and improved consistency in market weights, leading to better prices and reduced feed costs. These tangible benefits demonstrate the value of investing in advanced sorting technology.

Conclusion:

In an industry where efficiency and precision are paramount, investing in a sorter like the ProSort system offers significant advantages. It not only enhances operational efficiency and reduces costs but also supports better animal welfare and provides valuable data for continuous improvement. For swine producers looking to stay competitive and profitable, the ProSort system represents a smart investment in the future of their operations.

For more information on ProSort and how it can benefit your farm, visit the NuEra Enterprises website.