Pig and Poulty Fair A Great Success

UK - This years Pig and Poultry Fair was judged a great success with environment and bird flu discussions pulling in large audiences and ingenious products winning several awards.
calendar icon 15 May 2006
clock icon 5 minute read
Pig and Poulty Fair A Great Success - UK - This years Pig and Poultry Fair was judged a great success with environment and bird flu discussions pulling in large audiences and ingenious products winning several awards.

Awards

Just a few of our Sponsors at the 2006 Pig and Poultry Fair
Judges inspected entries on the first morning of the Fair for cost-effective new products that will make life easier and improve productivity.

This years Pig Sector Best Overall New Product Award went to East Riding Farm Services from Driffield, East Yorkshire for its Insight Ultrasound Scanner for sows. The handheld Insight Scanner came top thanks to its robust, easy-to-use and cable-free design and is expected to retail at £3,000.

A runner-up award went to AM Warkup for its new Groovee Feeder, developed by Paul Wright. Warkups will market this 'new direction' in pig feeding, that allows pigs to take food at a more natural angle and may have the potential to reduce waste, for £285.

The second runner-up award went to Rotech for a new foam that allows more effective cleaning of pig accommodation. MS Topfoam softens and breaks down dirt before pressure washing and is marketed for £85 for 22kg, which is sufficient for the annual cleaning of 100-sow places.

East Yorkshire Producers Share Pig industry Award

The prestigious Pig Industry Service Award went to two producers, both of whom are actively involved in promoting their industry.

The judges, former editor of the Grocer Clive Beddall and director of the RASE's Arthur Rank Centre and chaired by the RASE's John Moverley, selected John Rowbottom and Richard Longthorp as joint winners from 13 excellent nominations for their outstanding contributions to the sector.

From Melbourne, near York, John Rowbottom has been involved in pig production throughout his career. With his son Edward, he currently runs a herd of 750-breeding sows with stock taken through to finishing. He has also developed a grass drying business.

Judges highlighted John's exceptional service to the pig industry, particularly on behalf of the British Pig Industry Supporters Group where he is prepared to put his head above the parapet on behalf of the whole sector. On the pig production side, his foresight in introducing the MADEC principles to the UK in 2000 to help reduce the severity of the pig wasting disease PMWS from well-known French vet was also recognised by the judges.

Also from East Yorkshire, Richard Longthorp runs 1300 outdoor sows on an arable and pig unit near Howden. A past Chairman of the National Pig Association, Richard has been instrumental in improving the profile for training in the pig production sector and in launching the national training project 'From Sustainability to Sustained Ability' to help to ease the skills shortage in the industry.

Judges highlighted Richard's role as an outstanding ambassador for the pig sector, which was well-deserved as later in the day he received a cheque for £20,000 from Mark Young, Asda's general manager, to help fund the pig industry's training scheme.

Environment and Avian Flu Discussions Tabled At British Pig and Poultry Fair

Discussions on new environmental legislation and Avian Influenza attracted a wide audience of producers at this year’s British Pig and Poultry Fair, Stoneleigh, Warwickshire last week.

Organisers of the Fair, Haymarket Land Events, pulled together key industry experts including the Environment Agency, NFU and Defra – with Defra Chief Veterinary Officer Debby Reynolds contributing to the Avian Influenza discussion - to ensure discussions were topical and relevant to producers.

Debby Reynolds emphasized the need for the industry to be prompt with its information, consistent and transparent. Supporting this view, Charles Bourns said that the poultry industry had to be different in this respect from other livestock sectors affected by disease.

The panel’s message for producers was to review and step up biosecurity as a means of keeping Avian Influenza under control – vaccination is not part of the control measures in the UK at this stage.

Speaking to pig producers in the Pig Central Feature, MLC pig technologist Nigel Penlington said that some re-investment may be crucial in order for producers to meet environmental legislation with a lot of regulations set to come in this year.

The Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (IPPC) legislation will mainly affect larger pig (and poultry) units and producers will have to apply for a permit to continue to farm.

In addition to the seminars, visitors to the Fair made the most of the 280 trade stands that covered all aspects of pig and poultry production, from the genetics to the finished and marketed product.

“Visitors represented a wide range of farming businesses,” said managing director of Haymarket Land Events Dominique Gill. “Feedback is that the Fair gave them an ideal one-stop shop window, whatever their size of operation and system, reinforcing the role of the event in providing a platform for meeting valued customers and prospects.”

ThePoultrySite News Desk

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