Welcome to this week's newsletter

Editorial - Europe Needs to Stay Vigilant for Bird Flu

Recent research has shown the westward spread of a new H5N1 avian flu strain towards and into Europe. Although the level of threat posed by the new clade – 2.3.2 – is uncertain, its discovery in March 2010 in hens from three flocks in Romania and in a buzzard on the Black Sea coast in Bulgaria highlights the unpredictable nature of this virus and reinforces the need for vigilance in the coming months.

Reaction has come in from several quarters following last week's confirmation that Russia will only allow sale of chilled, and not frozen poultry from next January.

Russia's own poultry producers have called for the ban to be overturned to prevent some consumers being deprived to product. Belarus, however, is confident that it can continue to supply enough chilled poultry meat to meet demand. In the US, some have voiced the opinion that the Russian ban is just another barrier to keep US poultry meat exports out of the country.

In the last week, the UK's Agriculture Minister announced the laying of two regulations on poultry welfare, reinforcing the government's commitment to high welfare standards, he said.

He confirmed that he had told the European Commission that he does not want to see any eggs imported from European countries that have not complied with the conventional cage ban after 2012. He added that a maximum legal stocking density for broiler chickens of 39kg per square metre will be established. Finally, the Minister confirmed the government's commitment to a complete ban on beak trimming of laying hens in the long term although he lifted the ban on routine beak trimming that could inadvertently have led to worse welfare for hens. Only infra-red technology will be permitted for this purpose.

In response, the National Farmer's Union welcomed the Agriculture Minister's commitment over imports of eggs from battery cages from 2012 but urged re-consideration of the broiler stocking density rule that would put the country's producers at a disadvantage to those in other EU member states where the maximum stocking density is higher.

Jackie Linden

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This Week's Feature Articles

Company News

World Expertise at Cobb Russian Seminar
GLOBAL - Almost 100 customers from Russia, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan took part in the two-day Cobb Europe technical seminar near Yakhonty, focusing on improving the efficiency of breeder and broiler production.

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Euro 2012 Venue for Cobb Germany Polish Event
POLAND - One of the new hotels built for the Euro 2012 football tournament – the Remes Hotel, near Poznan – was the venue for the Cobb Germany conference for 155 Polish customers including feed mill, hatchery and veterinary representatives.

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ISPAH Expands Vaccine Manufacturing Facility
NETHERLANDS - Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health (ISPAH) has announced that it has opened a specialised filling and freeze-drying unit for veterinary vaccines at its Biosciences Center in Boxmeer.

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ElSitioAvícola: Something New Every Day
GLOBAL – ElSitioAvícola.com publishes pertinent news every day and relevant articles almost every day; there is always something new to see.

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Oliver Lamps Offers Energy-Saving, Better Lighting
UK - Oliver Lamps has been granted sole UK distribution for Pharox 300 LED Dimmable Low Energy lamps, which provide energy savings and better lighting for poultry, the company says.

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DSM Leads Dow Jones Sustainability World Index
NETHERLANDS - Royal DSM N.V., the global Life Sciences and Materials Sciences company headquartered in the Netherlands, has continued its number one position in the chemical industry sector in the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index.

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Winners Receive Pfizer Trainee of the Year Awards
UK - For the second year running, the Pfizer Pig Trainee of the Year is awarded to a female winner while the Pfizer Poultry Trainee of the Year award goes to Scotland for the first time.

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Pfizer Opens SE Asian Centre
THAILAND - Pfizer has picked Thailand as its operations hub for animal-health products in Southeast Asia to capitalise on the region’s fast-growing economies.

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Erber is 'Entrepreneur of the Year' Finalist
AUSTRIA - Erich Erber, chairman of the Executive Boards of Erber Holding and Biomin has been honoured with one of the world's most prestigious business awards for building and leading a successful, growing and dynamic business.

Global Poultry Industry News

General

 » BIRD FLU: H5N1 Strain Spreads Westwards in Europe
 » New IEC Committee Chairs
 » CME: Russia Protects its Broiler Producers

Netherlands

 » New Name in Feed Additives - Animine

Germany

 » EuroTier: Bringing Science to the Farm

India

 » Economic Growth Drives Agricultural Change in India
 » Agreement Signed to Boost Meat, Poultry Industry

Korea, South

 » More Low-Path Bird Flu Found in South Korea

United States

 » Praise for Mountaire's Chicken Plant Expansion
 » More Corn for Ethanol and Exports
 » MS Poultry Houses Get Solar Power
 » Review Promised of 'Illinois River Poultry Case'
 » Rapid Test for Salmonella Receives Approval
 » CME: Lower Numbers for Corn Crop Expected
 » Activists Push for Arsenic Ban in Maryland
 » CME: USDA Reports Show Changes in Corn Usage
 » Deboning Plant Puts Cagle's on Road to Improvement
 » Weekly US Broiler Hatchery Report
 » GIPSA Rule’s Costs Substantial, Analysis Finds
 » IPE Programme: Benefits of Poultry Production

Philippines

 » Workshop Boosts Prospect of Halal Poultry Exports
 » Thai Food Firm Eyes Investment in Philippines

Australia

 » Steggles Wins International Marketing Award

Brazil

 » WTO to Consider Brazil's Case Against EU
 » Year-to-Date Chicken Exports Jump up in Value

South Africa

 » Competition Commission Settles with Pioneer Foods

Malaysia

 » Ducks Lay Fewer Eggs in Rainy Season

United Kingdom

 » Eggs Gain in Popularity with Consumers
 » NFU Sets Record Straight on Poultry Welfare
 » Choose Freedom Food Chicken, Says RSPCA
 » KellyBronze Turkeys Forge Ahead in Scotland
 » Minister Announces Two Welfare Regulations
 » NFU Half-Happy with Minister's Welfare Commitment
 » Free-Range Broilers Roam First Organic Forest
 » Retail Commitment Needed to New Welfare Rules

China

 » Further Concentration of Farms in Five-Year Plan
 » Senior Official Urges Greater Focus on Food Safety

Russian Federation

 » Producers Urge Overturn of Frozen Chicken Ban

Belarus

 » Belarus Exports Unaffected by Russian Ban

Chile

 » International Egg and Poultry Review: Chile

Canada

 » Govt Invests in Research to Boost Poultry Industry

European Union

 » Farmers' Group Opposes EC over Mercosur Trade



That's all for this week!

Ed.