By Zahrah Imtiaz – 20 October 2024
Mycotoxin prevalence in feed samples in Asia is increasing. It is becoming commonplace to find more than one mycotoxin contaminating the feed. Asian Agribiz talks to Dr Sangita Jalukar of Arm & Hammer about why this might be so and the need to move beyond testing to actively deal with the massive challenge ahead of us.
In this podcast you will learn:
• Mycotoxin risks as the use of alternative ingredients rise.
• The impact of mycotoxins at a cellular level and its secondary effects on bird performance.
• Strategies to combat rising threats of mycotoxins in feed.

By Zahrah Imtiaz – 17 July 2024
Several new and old players in the Indian poultry sector are investing in processing plants as they want to tap into the growing demand for chicken in India. Asian Agribiz talks to Alok Raj, Principal Consultant at Aptec Technology Consulting on growth in the industry and what pitfalls many must look out for when investing in processing.
In this podcast, you will learn:
• The trend in poultry processing in India
• Automation in processing
• The challenges in starting a poultry processing plant in India
• What the future of Indian processing looks like

By Arief Fachrudin – 26 June 2024
Eggs can come into contact with bacteria such as Salmonella during the laying process or via environmental sources such as feces or feathers. Therefore, egg washing reduces the risk of contamination and makes eggs safe for consumption.
Although egg washing is not a common practice worldwide yet, Paul Buisman, Head of Innovation at Moba, tells Asian Agribiz that he believes this will be trending in Asia. In this podcast, he discusses the reasons, drawing on his extensive experience and knowledge in the field.
He also explains factors influencing the decision to wash or not to wash eggs and offers solutions from Moba for egg washing.

By Arief Fachrudin – 5 June 2024
Doug Korver, Professor Emeritus at the University of Alberta and President of Alpine Poultry Nutrition Inc in Canada, is doing a study on layers that are kept longer. As these are high producing birds and are relatively small, the practice puts pressure on their skeletal system and shell quality.
In this podcast, Dr Korver discusses with Asian Agribiz the nutritional interventions for these birds, including calcium and phosphorus supply, enzymes, and the physiology and bone biology as they go through a long production cycle.

By Meliyana – 29 May 2024
Demand for duck meat in Indonesia has surged over the past decade and continues to grow annually, but the production system is struggling to keep up.
In this second podcast with Dr Hardi Prasetyo, a consultant for duck breeding companies in Indonesia, learn about:
• his insights on the duck meat industry in Indonesia
• the challenges facing the industry
• his recommendations for duck meat producers on developing their business.

By Meliyana – 15 May 2024
Indonesia’s layer duck industry has the potential to grow since the per capita consumption of eggs remains low. However, only a few are investing in breeding and production.
Asian Agribiz speaks with Dr Hardi Prasetyo, a consultant for duck breeding companies in Indonesia, about the industry’s status and future opportunities.
In this podcast, he discusses:
• the industry’s growth potential;
• the available layer duck strains;
• factors to consider in raising layer ducks;
• challenges encountered by the industry.

By Arief Fachrudin – 1 May 2024
Gut health and moving away from AGP is a broiler research project that Doug Korver, Professor Emeritus at the University of Alberta and President of Alpine Poultry Nutrition in Canada, and his team are undertaking. They developed a necrotic enteritis challenge model, which is a natural exposure model that mimics the normal development of the disease. Asian Agribiz talks to Dr Korver about how they are trying to control the subclinical type of the disease and use the model to assess different candidates for antibiotic replacement.

By Isa Q Tan – 24 April 2024
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.

By Isa Q Tan – 3 April 2024
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.

By Rajeswari Ramanee – 20 March 2024
When it comes to animal welfare, small details like lighting can influence how birds behave and perform. Asian Agribiz quizzed Kim Hendrix, Product Manager of Hato Agricultural Lighting, about professional lighting for poultry and learned that:
1. Birds perceive light differently from humans, and farmers must put themselves inside the barn to understand this and their birds.
2. Though conventional fluorescent lights may seem cost-effective, they are not recommended because their flickering may adversely affect the birds.
3. In the long run, conventional lighting can lead to negative behavior like pecking or fighting and disrupted feed/water intake, hurting performance.
4. Professional lighting is designed for bird welfare and enhances bird behavior and performance, improving their ROI.
5. Professional lighting can be adapted according to stages, controlled properly, and is energy efficient, offering cost-savings.

By Zahrah Imtiaz – 21 February 2024
As tensions in the Red Sea impact movement of goods to and from Europe, Asian Agribiz talks to Mohammed Al-Ansare, Senior Pricing Specialist and Melvin Kwok, Agriculture Specialist from S&P Global Commodity Insights on how this would impact grain flow to Asia. Mr Al-Ansare also takes a deep dive into what to expect in the shipping markets going forward as the crisis drags on.
In this podcast you will learn about:
• market trends in container prices as the Red Sea heats up
• how Asia is buying grains and what impacts it is facing with the crisis
• key predictions on grain shipping markets in the next few months

By Meliyana – 7 February 2024
Good hatchery management is crucial to produce high-quality chicks and to maximize hatch rates and ensure successful in-ovo vaccination.
Asian Agribiz speaks with Gerd de Lange, Senior Poultry Specialist at Royal Pas Reform, about how in-ovo vaccination works for effective vaccine delivery.
In this podcast, he discusses:
• advantages of in-ovo vaccination
• vaccine administration
• the reasons why in-ovo vaccination might fail, and
• the hatchery management strategies recommended by Pas Reform.

By Isa Q Tan – 31 January 2024
Soybean meal (sbm) is the main source of plant-based protein that contains all the essential amino acids necessary to maximize animal growth and development. However, when ordinary sbm is used in starter feed, young animals have difficulty digesting it because of its anti-nutritional factors (ANFs).
In this podcast, Dr Glenn Ferriol, Area Manager – Indonesia, Malaysia & Philippines at Hamlet Protein, discusses what ANFs are, the harm they cause to animals, and strategies to minimize or remove them in young animal diets.

By Zahrah Imtiaz – 10 January 2024
Infectious Laryngotracheitis which is a highly contagious upper respiratory tract disease in chickens often opens door to other illnesses once it infects a flock. Asian Agribiz talks to Dr K S Prajapati Retired Professor from the College of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry in Anand, India on why this particular disease is hard to control and vaccinate for.
In this podcast you will learn:
• What to lookout for when ILT is around the corner
• How do avoid disease spread
• The best ways to vaccinate or avoid the disease altogether.

By Zahrah Imtiaz – 20 December 2023
The Northern Soy Marketing (NSM) Board in the US, conducted a study on Southeast Asia to look at what matters to buyers most when it comes to soybean purchasing. A key outcome of the research was the knowledge people had on the usage of essential amino acids and critical amino acid value metrics when formulating poultry diets. Asian Agribiz talks to Seth Naeve, Prof at the University of Minnesota and Prof Bob Swick, Adjunct Professor of Poultry Nutrition with Poultry Hub Australia, to understand why these metrics can make a difference in the quality of soybeans you buy and what it means for better poultry nutrition.
In this podcast you will learn:
• Why the critical amino acid value in soybeans is important for poultry diet formulation,
• Why digestible amino acid values are more important than crude protein values when formulating diets,
• How to purchase the best soybeans for poultry diets.

By Arief Fachrudin – 13 December 2023
Asean’s first cage-free training center is up and running in Jogjakarta, Indonesia. Asian Agribiz talks to Jayasimha Nuggehalli, COO of Global Food Partners (GFP), about the new center, on:
• The reason for choosing Indonesia as the location
• Partners and their contributions to the center
• Programs offered at the center
• Ultimate goals of the center

By Isa Q Tan – 15 November 2023
The animal protein industry is fraught with diseases. With the increasing push to reduce antibiotic use, disease management has become even more challenging.
In this podcast with Asian Agribiz, Mary Grace Alba delves into the crucial role of vaccination in preventing and controlling diseases. Dr Alba shares insights on the importance of vaccination, strategies for crafting effective vaccination programs, and how it aids producers in meeting demands for less antibiotic use in production.

By Somhatai Mosika – 25 October 2023
As many countries have strict rules and controls on the use of antibiotics in the livestock industry, bacteriophage is emerging as an option to address on-farm bacterial infections.
Asian Agribiz talks to Dr Kitiya Vongkamjan, co-Founder and CEO of UniFAHS, an expert on phage technology about how this solution can help livestock producers tackle bacterial pathogen.  Listen to the podcast to learn:
• Developments in bacteriophage and its functions within the host animal.
• Benefits of bacteriophage technology compared to antibiotic treatment.
• Recommendations in implementing the technology.

By Zahrah Imtiaz – 10 October 2023
In 2015, Korean company CJ Bio introduced a revolutionary product- L-methionine. It is said to have higher bioavailability than DL- methionine and is cheaper. But the journey towards wider acceptance of this has been slow. Asian Agribiz talks to Dr Jae Cheol Kim Head of Technical Solution Center at CJ Bio APAC about how L-methionine can change the feed sector and help producers achieve sustainability targets while reducing costs. Listen to the podcast to learn:
• How CJ Bio’s key product L Methionine can revolutionize the feed industry
• Ways in which producers can achieve that fine balance between sustainability and cost-effective pricing.
• The ways in which the right additives can help in a price sensitive feed market.

By Arief Fachrudin – 6 September 2023
Research has proven that clay is effective as a multi-mycotoxin binder. However, not all clay-based mycotoxin binders are the same.
In this podcast, Erika Kusuma Wardani, Clariant’s Regional Manager Asia Pacific for Feed Business, details what makes them different in terms of the mining and production process.
She also explains key parameters to determine the quality of a clay-based mycotoxin binder, as well as specific binders to bind specific mycotoxins.

By Arief Fachrudin – 2 August 2023
Since several players in the Horeca industry in Asia have expressed their commitment to source cage-free eggs only, producers in the region are preparing to meet demand.
Asian Agribiz learns from Dietmar Tepe, Managing Director of KAT, the German Association for Controlled Alternative Animal Husbandry that provides a testing system for eggs from alternative husbandry systems, that shifting to cage-free egg production is “not as easy as turning the palm of the hand”.
But early birds will reap more benefits. Therefore, Mr Tepe suggests that producers be brave and drive this growing trend.
In this podcast, he offers advice to egg producers in the region who plan to transition.

By Alphecca Arriesgado – 19 July 2023
One of the main goals of producers is to lower production costs, and bulk of these costs are feeds. With that, many are looking into utilizing alternative ingredients. But is it really feasible? Can those really be an alternative to the typical ingredients? Dr Rommel Sulabo, Professor at the University of the Philippines Los Baños talks about how we can properly utilize these alternative ingredients to reduce production costs while maintaining the integrity and efficiency of animal production.

By Rajeswari Ramanee – 4 July 2023
Meat and seafood are being consumed in different ways in Asia, thanks to cultural openness, cuisines and preference. Suppliers are using technology to cater to precision portioning, as different cuts, weight measurements and shape of meats are changing. Eric Gohres, Vice President Asia Pacific of Marelec Food Technologies tells Asian Agribiz that:
1) Cultural exchange, urbanization and population growth are leading consumers to eat differently.
2) Meat product differentiation covers both home cooking and foodservices.
3) Big brands are heavily investing in secondary and further processing alongside changing trends.
4) Deboning, especially of dark meat is trending and is being used for foodservices products.
5) In terms of technology, x-ray and water-technology is trending for precision, accuracy and flexibility.
Eric Gohres has more than 20 years of experience and an extensive network in the meat and poultry processing industry covering the Asia-Pacific region. His understanding of the industry enables him to analyze and understand customer demands for the right application, to help them advance profitably.

By Zahrah Imtiaz – 17 May 2023
On the sidelines of VIV Asia 2023, AB Vista, Managing Director, Juan Ignacio Fernandez talks to Asian Agribiz on the future growth strategies of the company in Asia. Mr Fernandez has always emphasised on Asia’s potential to drive growth in his company even as several countries struggle to cope with tough economic conditions this year.
This podcast will touch on:
• Challenges in the animal protein industry
• The potential growth points for AB Vista and Asia

By Arief Fachrudin – 26 April 2023
At the 2022 Broiler Feed Quality Conference, Dr Pradeep Krishnan, Technical Service Director at Evonik SEA presented how guanidino acetic acid (GAA) supplementation improved performance of vegetable protein diets and how GAA can compensate for low dietary energy in corn-sbm diet in Asia.
In this follow-up podcast, Asian Agribiz learns from him how GAA can also improve meat quality, reduce health issues, and improve animal welfare.
To learn more about GAA, visit guanamino.evonik.com.

By Rajeswari Ramanee – 5 April 2023
As implementation of Environmental, Social and Governance or ESG goals gain momentum, livestock stakeholders must understand some basic things. Malaysia’s carbon-related agriculture analyst and researcher, Dr Chian Wen Chan told Asian Agribiz that among other:
• Ratings are mostly given by accounting companies instead of science-based research and analytical bodies, and ratings will vary.
• ESG standards must be specifically tailored for different industries and there are no general standardized criteria.

By Arief Fachrudin – 18 January 2023
Farm management in cage-free egg production is more complicated. When it comes to flock health, producers should implement the right disease prevention and control program.
In this podcast with Asian Agribiz, Fernando Carrasquer, Global Technical Service and Veterinary Specialist at H&N International identifies the main diseases and behavioral problems to lookout for.
Dr Carrasquer also shares strategies to improve farm biosecurity and flock immunity.

By Rajeswari Ramanee – 4 January 2023
Manipulating the nutrient content of DDGS and brown rice to use in broiler feed is easier than you think, according to Matthew Clark. In this podcast following through from the Broiler Feed Quality Conference 2022, he looks at the salient points of these two ingredients such as:
• Choosing the right location and producers of DDGS means better results
• understanding the true value of the DDGS
• using NIR tools, the variability and content of DDGS is better understood
• brown or co-rice is an excellent alternative, should be encouraged in production
• the nutrient profile of brown rice is almost the same as corn and why
Mr Clark graduated in Agriculture from London University and has since focused mainly on projects in the feed and farming business in Southeast Asia. He is a founding member of Genesis Feed Technologies, based in Fargo, North Dakota. He concurrently works on the development, sales, and implementation of formulation systems, starting with the Brill Corporation in Atlanta as Vice President of Product Development in 1990 and continued in that role as a distributor and consultant for Brill Formulation Systems.
Read more here:
DDGS, and rice co-products are good for broiler diets
Broiler Feed Quality Conference digs deep into broiler diets

By Arief Fachrudin – 21 December 2022
However, the paramount factor is human resource (HR) that runs the business.
Jaap ten Have, Managing Director of Nomilk2day Asia, lists HR challenges in the industry.
“We see many vacancies, but not many suitable candidates. Companies must be more creative to lure potential candidates. Inflation is a contributing factor, pushing people to stay in their jobs a bit longer for security,” Mr ten Have told Asian Agribiz.
“We also observe that loyalty is waning. We don’t see people working for the same company for 20-30 years anymore,” he added.
In this podcast, Mr ten Have addresses:
• tips for foreign employees to succeed in Asia,
• pain points of Asian candidates in moving up their career ladder,
• and ideas to attract the younger generation to join the animal protein industry.

By Meliyana – 23 November 2022
Infectious Bursal Disease (IBD/Gumboro) is one of the most common diseases affecting commercial poultry in Asia. In the clinical acute form (vvIBDV), the disease causes significant economic losses due to mortality, reduced performance, and immunosuppression that lead to increased susceptibility to other diseases.
In this podcast, Leandro Ferreira, Poultry Technical Director Southeast Asia at Phibro Animal Health Corporation said biosecurity and vaccination are key to preventing IBD. Poor biosecurity, incorrect vaccination programs, and multi-age farms are the main issues confronting control of the disease.

By Arief Fachrudin – 26 October 2022
Marek’s (MD), infectious bursal (IBD) or Gumboro, and Newcastle disease (ND) are prevalent in Asia. Providing a strong immune foundation and optimized protection against the three poultry diseases is important.
Asian Agribiz speaks to Phang Yuen Fun, Technical Manager, Avian, at Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health, about the three viral diseases and a breakthrough in hatchery vaccination.
In this podcast, Dr Phang explains about:
• The current situation of MD, IBD, and ND in Asia.
• Boehringer’s 3-in-1 hatchery vaccine to protect against the diseases.
• Key advantages of the vaccine and the ‘dos’ and ‘don’ts’ of using it.

By Isa Q Tan – 14 September 2022
For many years, the production of colored birds, sometimes referred to as ‘kampung’ or native chickens, was relegated to small and independent backyard farmers. Systems were unscientific, with birds allowed to roam free and eat what they could find in their surroundings and whatever feed they were given.
Today, however, raising these birds has become more science-based, with upgrades in genetics, nutrition, and management practices.
In this podcast, Isa Q Tan, Asian Agribiz’s Regional Correspondent in the Philippines, talks with Dr Erwin Joseph Cruz, about how the raising of colored birds has changed over the years and where colored bird farming is heading today.
Dr Cruz is an independent poultry veterinarian who since 1987 has been helping raise the standard of colored bird farming in the Philippines.

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By Rajeswari Ramanee – 7 June 2022
Managing the health of cage free layers is not that different from managing regular layers. According to Mike Button, Consultant of Veterinary Health International, a good health management system include:
• Balancing production costs – why although it is higher compared to commercial production, consumer demand translates to a willingness to pay a premium.
• Health management is a collaborative effort – from feed suppliers to transporters to biosecurity management at the farm.
• Training and labor costs are part of overall health management costs as cage free production requires different skill sets.
• Main challenges include the environment and how well the birds are trained. Litter handling, bathing, and pecking are part of health management to be considered and to avoid excessive floor or dirty eggs.
Mike has been in the livestock industry for over 35 years and is experienced in all areas of business management, sales, marketing, team leadership and production. He has been instrumental in developing new markets, new distributors and new products in the UK and international markets. In poultry, his in-depth knowledge covers breeders, commercial and cage free layers in rearing, health/husbandry management and bio-security sectors.

By Arief Fachrudin – 12 April 2022
In this podcast, Asian Agribiz talks to Benny Chng of SGInnovate to get a venture capitalist’s perspective about technology adoption in the animal protein sector in the region. He discusses drivers of growing meat consumption, new technologies (precision farming, blockchain, black soldier fly larvae, and alternative proteins), and challenges in adopting the technologies.

Note: This podcast was recorded in January 2022 and Mr Chng was interviewed in his capacity as Assistant Director, Investments at SGInnovate. He has since moved on to another role.

By Ha Thu – 22 February 2022
The past two years have been tough for Asia’s livestock industry with many challenges resulting from the double scourge of ASF and Covid-19.
David John Whitehead, Chairman of Mavin Group, said the Group has survived thanks to many effective and creative solutions put in place during the pandemic.
However, he believes producers should learn from the challenges to prepare for the future, and adapt to the new trends that are driving the industry, such as consumer habits and environmental concerns.
Moving forward, he still has confidence in a positive future and progress for the animal protein industry.

By Arief Fachrudin – 15 February 2022
In this second part, Vincent Guyonnet, Managing Director at FFI Consulting and past speaker of Asian Agribiz’s Layer Feed Quality Conference, says the time is right for Southeast Asian egg producers to innovateand invest in branding and packaging.
Dr Guyonnet also suggests the producers invest in egg processing to enjoy price and supply stability. “The potential is great as there are only few egg-processing plants in the region,” he says.
On environmental sustainability, Dr Guyonnet says producers should address the issue beginning with feed because almost 70% of production emissions come from feed. Therefore, producers should find ways to improve the feed conversion ratio.
Finally, Dr Guyonnet addresses the importance of modern precision farming and automation and their link to production costs, animal health, food safety, and sustainability.

By Arief Fachrudin – 8 February 2022
As home to 670 million people, Southeast Asia offers a huge opportunity for the egg industry. However, there are challenges for the industry to grow and develop.
In this podcast, Vincent Guyonnet, Managing Director at FFI Consulting and past speaker of Asian Agribiz’s Layer Feed Quality Conference, discusses opportunities in the region particularly in Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines, and Thailand.
In grabbing the opportunities, Dr Guyonnet suggests egg producers collaborate to increase market volume through nutrition and egg consumption campaigns, among others.
On challenges, he cites disease as a constant reminder for producers to keep strengthening and improving biosecurity.
Last but not the least, Dr Guyonnet offeres his analytical and objective view on the cage-free movement in the region.

By Meliyana – 25 January 2022
Producers blame vaccination failure when diseases occur in farms, but often, it is the handling/administration/procedures that are the cause. In this podcast with Meliyana of Asian Agribiz, Jessica Lee of Ceva Animal Health discusses:
• Why to vaccinate and how vaccines work
• The right time to vaccinate
• How should vaccines be handled/stored
• Why vaccination may not be effective
• Vaccine technology in the future
Jessica Lee is Veterinary Services Manager at Ceva Animal Health Asia, overseeing veterinary services related affairs in the region. She had experience in hatchery vaccination equipment, product registration, field veterinary services and vaccination support in hatchery.

By Isa Q Tan – 11 January 2022
The animal protein sector is said to contribute significantly to global greenhouse gas emissions and therefore, climate change. But it is also a key component of food security.
This is especially true in Southeast Asia, where challenges continue to hound the animal protein industries where both big and small players play a crucial role. Understandably, improving productivity and enhancing efficiencies are key goals in achieving sustainability. But at the same time, resilience in the face of changing environmental and climatic conditions is also critical to survival.
Forum for the Future, a global sustainability non-profit, is working to help bring about a balanced system in Southeast Asia that could address issues facing animal protein producers in the region.
In this podcast, Lesley Mitchell, Associate Director for Sustainable Nutrition at Forum for the Future, talks to Isa Q Tan about what, through its Animal Protein Southeast Asia challenge, the agency is doing to help achieve this.

By Payungsak Wiriyabunditkul – 21 December 2021
The poultry industry in Southeast Asia has been heavily impacted by the Covid pandemic. Poultry production declined in 2021, for the second year in a row. However, the outlook for 2022 signals improving production and consumption, Rabobank said. Supported by rising vaccination rates, reopening economies, and the resumption of international travel, market conditions are set to improve with higher consumption. Still, costs will remain high, with feed, labor, freight, and energy costs expected to rise.
In this podcast, Nan-Dirk Mulder addresses:
• The outlook for the poultry industry in Southeast Asia in 2022
• Opportunities and challenges of the poultry industry
• The outlook for chicken exports in Thailand and Vietnam
• How producers should adapt their business amid higher input costs
Nan-Dirk Mulder is Senior Global Specialist – Animal Protein at Rabobank.

By Arief Fachrudin – 7 December 2021
Egg handling systems were designed for egg producers to increase productivity and efficiency and add value to their eggs. End-consumers also get the benefit of buying uniform, graded, clean, and safe eggs.
Dimitri Goossens, General Manager at Moba Asia explains:
• The uptake of egg handling systems in Southeast and South Asia
• Initiatives and collaborations to raise awareness of the value potential which would in turn favor the adoption of egg handling systems
• Lessons learned from countries that have adopted egg handling systems
• Impact of Covid-19 on automation

By Meliyana – 30 November 2021
Disease prevention management is a priority for producers. There are multiple diseases, which contribute to economic losses. The availability of animal health data advances real-time tracking of diseases and enables outbreak prediction. With big data, producers can raise value by identifying actionable information, enabling decision making that promotes efficiency, reduces cost and potential risk.
Suresh Neethirajan offers Asian Agribiz’s community insight into how big data helps in detecting animal diseases. He addresses:
• A description of big data
• Its role in detecting animal diseases
• Tools commonly used for big data analytics
• Challenges in accepting and implementing big data programs
• How big data can revolutionize the animal health industry?
Suresh Neethirajan is Associate Professor in the Animal Sciences Department, Wageningen University & Research, Netherlands.  His background is in bioengineering and sensor technologies, and he is focused on solutions that improve animal health and welfare through digital technologies.

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By Rajeswari Ramanee – 23 November 2021
The focus on food safety coupled with intermittent Salmonella outbreaks in the region has prompted poultry producers to vaccinate their chicks, especially layers. Western supermarkets have also pushed egg brands to adopt Salmonella vaccinations. This is expected to catch on in Asia. Dr Nicholas Phuah of Elanco said Salmonella contamination can be minimized with early vaccination, which reduces the chances of contamination in the gut. Dr Phuah, Elanco’s Animal Health Technical Manager for Vaccines in Asia Pacific, has been active in the poultry sector for 20 years. He provides technical support and assists customers with trouble shooting, training and support services.
Key takeaways:
• Salmonella vaccinations are available for layer chicks and can reduce or eliminate different strains of the bacteria in the gut.
• Salmonella contamination can happen at any point in the egg or broilers journey to end consumers.
• A good vaccine program should have thorough pre and follow-up measures including biosecurity to reduce contamination.
• Modern Salmonella vaccinations for chicks can be less stressful with easier methods such as via drinking water or feed.

By Isa Q Tan – 16 November 2021
Sustainability is now a buzzword in animal protein production. Yet there remains some misunderstanding or misconceptions about what sustainability means and what it entails.
Peter Fisher, President of Aviagen Asia, sat down with Asian Agribiz to discuss the three pillars of sustainability—economic, environmental, and social—and the importance of balancing the three in broiler production.
“Sustainability is good for business,” he said. “I think [companies] have always looked at the various elements of sustainability, but more and more, industries across the board have been looking at it in a much more holistic way.”
For more details, listen to or download the podcast.

By Payungsak Wiriyabunditkul – 9 November 2021
Poultry production is cost sensitive, and feed is the single biggest cost. It is prudent to remain flexible regarding feed ingredients. Both broilers and layers are adaptable and can utilize nutrients from a wide range of feedstuffs. In Southeast Asia, poultry diets traditionally have utilized corn and soybean meal. But they could perform equally with alternative grains. Still, producers need to understand the nutrient composition of the alternatives and formulate the diets accordingly.
In this podcast, Tony Edwards addresses:
• Alternative options in poultry diets amid high prices of corn and soybean meal
• The benefits of wheat, barley, sorghum, canola, sunflower meal in poultry diets
• Feed formulation in broiler and layer diets
• Supply of alternative feed ingredients from Australia
Tony Edwards is a feed grain technical consultant to AEGIC (Australian Export Grains Innovation Centre).

By Rajeswari Ramanee – 12 October 2021
The way poultry meat is purchased and consumed in Asia is changing. Prompted by the pandemic, the shift away from traditional live bird markets has been swift. Consumers are leaning towards convenience, food safety and health. This has led to greater technology adoption in primary processing. In this podcast on how the poultry processing landscape is evolving, Pete van Poorten, Meyn Global Food Processing Technology’s Global Product Manager and Mukanjay Singh, Meyn India’s Director highlight how:
• There is a paradigm shift with wet market purchase being quickly replaced by clean, hygienic, processed retail products. Food safety has taken precedence for consumers.
• The Covid-19 pandemic made both producers and processors realize the volatility of the poultry market. Whether it’s Covid or other avian influenza, stakeholders cannot afford ongoing price fluctuations, thus an efficient processing and storage set up is needed.
• Lockdowns raised labor issues, leading to more demand and adoption of automation to stem acute supply shortage.
• Rapid increase in demand due to population growth is imminent and the best way to move forward is by adopting technology, which can also help control production wastage while offering value to less popular cuts.
Mr van Poorten’s vast background as process technologist and quality manager at meat processing plants makes him an expert in optimizing automation in this sector. Meanwhile, Mr Mukanjay’s broad network in India and Sri Lanka gives him an edge in international management, market access, strategic alliances and business development.

By Arief Fachrudin – 4 October 2021
Technology development and poultry producers’ need for higher quality day-old chicks have led to changes in the poultry hatchery industry in the region.
In this podcast, Bas Kanters discusses:
• The migration from multi-stage to single-stage incubation systems and factors driving it.
• New post-hatch feeding concept and its benefits.
• Asian market’s response towards the new concept.
Mr Kanters is Sales Director Asia at Royal Pas Reform.

By Zahrah Imtiaz – 28 September 2021
Energy costs have steadily increased for livestock farmers across Asia, making this a good time to think about how better design and renewable energy sources can increase efficiencies and save money.
Asian Agribiz spoke to Jaap ten Have, Business Development Sales Manager of Big Dutchman Asia on how animal housing can be made more energy efficient.
This podcast touches on:
• Key areas in which energy efficiency gains can be made
• How better design can improve energy costs
• The ways in which farmers can choose the right renewable energy source that works best for them.

By Arief Fachrudin – 31 August 2021
With a growing number of outbreaks, Avian influenza has once again become a hot issue for Asian poultry farmers. In controlling the viral disease, good biosecurity is priority.
In this podcast, Dr Magali Charles, a biosecurity expert discusses:
• The definition of biosecurity.
• What poultry producers and farmers should know about avian influenza.
• Biosecurity measures to control the pathogen.
• Ways to convince farmers and farm operators to apply biosecurity measures.
Dr Charles is Regional (Asia Pacific) Veterinarian at broiler genetics company Cobb-Vantress.

By Meliyana – 23 August 2021
The duck industry in Asia has been growing in spots, in response to the ASF scourge in the pig industry. In China, official statistics show that duck production has increased faster than chickens. Of course, processing equipment suppliers see potential in primary and further processing.
Arjan Schrauwen offers Asian Agribiz’s community some insights into duck processing. He addresses:
• The potential in the duck processing business in Asia
• Investment in duck processing
• Obstacles in duck processing
•What the future holds for the industry
Arjan Schrauwen is Product Manager for duck and turkey at Marel. He worked for the poultry unit for 20 years, first as a specialist in broiler evisceration and in the last 10 years, as a specialist for duck and turkey processing.

By Isa Q Tan – 3 August 2021
More than 60 years since it was first identified, Infectious Bursal Disease (IBD), also known as Gumboro Disease, remains among the most economically important diseases in poultry production. Because of its prevalence around the world, eradication may not yet be in the offing. Controlling the disease calls for a strategy to break the ‘Gumboro Cycle’ by preventing the IBD virus from entering a farm.
In this podcast, Mel Umandal talks about IBD in more detail and discusses how the disease can be prevented and controlled.
Dr Umandal is the Veterinary Services Manager for Layers of Ceva Asia. He is a veterinary medicine graduate from the University of the Philippines in Los Baños, from where he also received his master’s degree in veterinary epidemiology. He has been a poultry practitioner for over 20 years.

By Payungsak Wiriyabunditkul – 27 July 2021
Asia holds enormous potential for egg producers. According to a market report, Asia Pacific accounted for 64% of the global egg market in 2020. Eggs have a good image in Asia, and they are nutritious. Moreover, eggs are an affordable and valuable source of protein and are child friendly. To grasp the opportunity, producers should add value to eggs.
In this podcast, David Hughes addresses:
• Business opportunities in egg industry in India, China and other countries
• How to add value to eggs
• The importance of branding and marketing/how to differentiate your brand
• Category management in physical and online channels
• Potential and limitations of plant-based eggs
David Hughes, Emeritus Professor of Food Marketing at Imperial College London, United Kingdom.

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By Ha Thu – 13 July 2021
Asia is vulnerable to climate change and so is its agriculture industry. Still, it is at a stage where productivity rather than sustainability is key.
In this podcast, Siegfried Bank shares recent efforts made to tackle climate change challenge and greenhouse gas emission. He also discusses why livestock producers in Asia should take these issues into consideration, and what they could gain from doing so.
Dr Siegfried Bank is the owner of ChiPro GmbH, a German consulting and trading company focused on upcycling of food residues, value chain development and market access support for food and other life sciences products with sustainable origin.

By Arief Fachrudin – 31 May 2021
In this podcast, Dr Xabier Arbe, Global Business Unit Head of layer genetic company H&N International, discusses:
• How Covid-19 pandemic and avian influenza outbreaks have affected trade and delivery of GP and PS in Asia.
• Outlook of the region’s egg industry in the next decade in relation to farm expansion and demand for GP and PS.
• Disease and biosecurity challenge optimizing the genetic potential of modern layers.
• Adaptation by genetic companies for cage-free egg production.
• Helping Asian layer farmers operate in a sustainable manner.

By Rajeswari Ramanee – 25 May 2021
It is not hard to introduce technology into poultry farming according to Evonik’s Kristof Mertens. It depends on the goals producers set to achieve like production scales, quality of products (broiler or eggs), and efficiency, while maintaining a bird’s eye view of the business using pure data. Mr Mertens is the creator of Porphyrio, an integrated management system for data collection, processing, and information analysis for modern poultry farming. In this podcast with Asian Agribiz, we find out:
• Smart farming involves using collected data to make better business decisions such as in feed strategies and even provide added value in sustainability, such as managing ammonia levels from manure. Setting business goals and achieving them is doable by using data collection and knowing how to manipulate them accordingly.
• Data information process can be easily used to adapt or diversify into different production methods, whether birds are going into live markets or for further processing, an issue in the post-pandemic market.
• Having your data in a cloud system is safe and secure. Reluctance to upload production information is unfounded, as most sensitive information from different corporations or legislative outfits together with individuals’ personal details are already in clouds.
• The difference between using data collected from self-made smart systems and using something like what Porphyrio offers is the ability to compare best practices. While collected propriety data is protected, general best practice parameters can be used as analytics for better performance in birds, translating into better profitability with the shared knowledge.
Kristof is an entrepreneur, animal, and data scientist with a mission to turn sensor data into profit for farm managers worldwide. He carries a Masters in Livestock Production and a PhD in Bioscience Engineering from the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, focusing on a design for Early Warning System for Laying Hens. For his doctorate, he used advanced statistics to turn process data of livestock production to more profit with better performance.

By Ha Thu – 11 May 2021
Cage free farming is still relatively young in Asia. There are some challenges related to accreditation, health and food safety, and economic benefits in developing this model.
In this podcast, Robert Geerts discusses how these challenges can be addressed to help producers secure their investments. He also talks about the potential growth of cage-free egg production in Asia as animal welfare awareness is gaining attention in the region.
Robert Geerts is Vice President of Sales at Big Dutchman Egg Unit in Asia.
Big Dutchman has more than eight decades of experience in designing, testing, developing, and refining cage-free systems.

By Zahrah Imtiaz – 27 April 2021
Mycotoxins are a serious threat to poultry health globally. In Asia, we see the increasing frequency of two or more mycotoxins in feed samples. Moreover, poultry producers in the region now must deal with the threat of masked mycotoxins, which we are just starting to understand. In this podcast, Dr Swamy Haladi talks about:
• The increasing mycotoxin threat with climate change
• The nature of the toxin and how it affects poultry health
• The challenge of dealing with masked mycotoxins and
• The best methods to measure and minimize the threat
Dr Haladi is the Global Program Manager- Mycotoxin Risk Management for Trouw Nutrition. He has nearly 30 years of experience in the study of mycotoxins and animal nutrition.

By Conny Pereira – 7 April 2021
Aileen Supriyadi Senior Analyst at Euromonitor International talks about some of the trends that are encouraging growth for the animal protein industry, despite the challenges brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic. She addresses
• Innovation, convenience, technology adoption and food safety
• A behavioral reset and how consumers are moving from bricks to clicks and away from traditional markets.
• The emphasis on wellness, health, and safety and the many ways in which producers can leverage this shift.
Aileen is based in Singapore and at Euromonitor International she focuses on food and nutrition in Southeast Asia. She also specializes in alternative foods including plant-based products as well as on ingredients in Asia Pacific.

By Payungsak Wiriyabunditkul – 22 March 2021
Biosecurity and disease control are a top priority for producers amid the ASF spread in several countries. Technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) can play an important role in disease prevention in pig farms and other livestock farms.
Technology companies are seeing the potential and business opportunities. Sertis is a data science and AI research company that has worked with many large companies in Thailand including CP Foods (CPF). Sertis has developed the CPF AI farm lab, which issues alerts automatically if biosecurity is breached and thus compromising the safety of the livestock. The detection is automatically done via CCTV cameras and real-time notifications are sent to managers.
The AI farm lab technology is designed to optimize farm management with real time monitoring and violation detection and notification.
In this podcast, Tee Vachiramon addresses:
• How AI technology increases biosecurity and prevents diseases including ASF
• How AI software works in the CPF AI farm lab
• The difference between the AI farm lab and other farms, which deploy CCTV cameras
• Level of investment needed for AI in a farm
• What’s next for AI technology in the livestock business
Tee Vachiramon is CEO of Sertis. His areas of specialty include data science, artificial intelligence, and data strategy. Mr Tee had worked in London and Beijing in the technology sector.

By Meliyana – 28 January 2021
Dr Budi Tangendaja, a reputed animal nutritionist and feedmill expert in Indonesia shares with us his observations in the field, following the ban of antibiotic growth promoters or AGPs in Indonesia in 2018. In this podcast with Asian Agribiz, he discusses:
• The impact of the AGP ban
• Monitoring and control of the use of AGPs in the field
• Strategies to minimize the cost of production
• Consumer awareness of antibiotic-free products

By Payungsak Wiriyabunditkul – 21 January 2021
Thailand has long been a major exporter of chicken products. According to the Thai Broiler Processing Exporters Association, the country is expected to export 960,000 tons of frozen and processed chicken products in 2021, up 1% from last year. The industry is reputed for its high production standards, and competitive advantage. However, it is facing rising production costs due to higher feed prices.
In this podcast, Chaiwat Sowcharoensukan addresses:
• The outlook for Thai chicken exports inn the 2021-2023 period
• Competitive advantage of Thai chicken products and market growth
• FTAs and opportunities for intra-regional trade
• Thailand’s chicken meat production, costs, and feed prices
• Key risks for the industry
Chaiwat Sowcharoensukan is an analyst (Agricultural Products, Food) at Krungsri Research, Bank of Ayudhya.

By Arief Fachrudin – 11 January 2021
Asia has seen some layer farms transition to cage-free production to meet growing demand from the retail, f&b and horeca industries for ethically sourced eggs. Some NGOs have been actively supporting the movement for a smooth transition.
In this podcast, Luiz Mazzon addresses:
• Key drivers of the transition and challenges for both producers and consumers
• Success stories of Certified Humane egg farms in Asia and common challenges they faced during the certification process
• Humane Farm Animal Care’s egg-laying hen standards in local languages
Mr Mazzon is Director Asia of Humane Farm Animal Care. He is also President of Brazil’s Instituto Certified Humane. He founded this NGO that represents the American non-profit Humane Farm Animal Care in Latin America and more recently South and Southeast Asia.

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By Rajeswari Ramanee – 17 December 2020
Nourredine el Molaka, General Manager for Asia with Sanovo Technologies addresses profitability with eggs. In this podcast with Asian Agribiz, he offers insights on how regional egg players can re-purpose their shell eggs to embrace a changing market and remain profitable as foodservices recover. We discovered:
• Why diversification is crucial to remain a steady player
• Growth in the egg industry is not only possible but essential as opportunities exist
• Diversification to processed products will raise consumption and profitability
• Food safety standards will only increase as consumers need traceability assurance
• Automation and robotics will play a greater role soon and why
Mr El-Molaka’s knowledge and experience in the regional egg industry is supported by the growing Sanovo client portfolio.

By Arief Fachrudin – 10 December 2020
The past couple of months has seen widespread avian influenza (AI) outbreaks in Asia. Our Avian Influenza Monitor page , details outbreaks in Vietnam, the Philippines, Taiwan, India, South Korea, Japan, Indonesia, China and Iran. These have been in commercial poultry farms, as well as in backyard farms and wild birds.
In this podcast episode, Dr Teguh Prajitno addresses:
• Highly pathogenic AI and low pathogenic AI cases in the region
• Vaccination strategy to control the disease
• Relation to live bird markets and the AI virus
• Transparency and openness in control of the global spread of AI
Dr Teguh Prajitno is a molecular biologist and Managing Director of Strategic Business Unit – Animal Health & Livestock Equipment (Vaksindo and Agrinusa) at Japfa Comfeed Indonesia.

By Conny Pereira – 4 December 2020
In our earlier podcast with JY Chow, we addressed DIGITALIZATION and DISPLACEMENT, the first two of the four key dimensions in agrifood post Covid-19, in his article similarly titled.
This podcast covers the next two dimensions – DISRUPTION and SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT. He addresses:
• Funding opportunities and how to access them
• Agtech, Foodtech and Welltech innovations that have emerged and are working well
• The power of DISRUPTION and its positive impact
• How sustainability can this filter down to smaller enterprises to realize collective consciousness and a positive impact
• Ethical and environmentally responsible production and conscious consumerism
JY Chow, APAC Agrifood Sector Coverage Lead, Mizuho Bank, is an Agrifood Advisor and Financing Expert who loves to get his boots muddy! He has over 18 years of experience in Asia Pacific across operations, strategy, and banking. His food passion started in the kitchen of his family restaurant in France and evolved into engineering and finance. He is wide-eyed about how Foodtech and Agtech are reshaping our future.
Click here to read the article by JY Chow: ‘The four key dimensions in agrifood post Covid-19’.

By Meliyana – 1 December 2020
Newcastle Disease (ND) has been an ongoing scourge for Asian poultry producers, causing huge economic losses. In this podcast with Meliyana of Asian Agribiz, Dr Marcelo Paniago of Ceva Animal Health addresses how:
• Genotype VII ND circulates the most
• The symptoms and lesions induced by this virus vary
• Significant losses are inevitable
• To better prevent the virus, keep it under control and keep flocks protected.

By Rajeswari Ramanee – 9 November 2020
Rabobank Singapore’s Ben Santoso lays it out plainly why and how brand development will become crucial for meat producers soon. Ben is Senior Analyst, Animal Protein Research for Southeast Asia. Some key points he raises are:
• Significant product differentiation will be needed for higher margins
• The growing trend towards ‘healthier meat products’
• The shift to automated slaughtering and higher processing capacities
• Brand development and vertical integration in the industry

By Conny Pereira – 19 October 2020
In this interview with Jean-Yves Chow, we look at retailing models, the labor landscape, automation and re-engineering food-service, among others. JY also walks us through omni-channels and shop-streaming that is lending authenticity and rapport with the product, producer, and the consumer. He also addresses supply chains and paradigm shifts and the growing focus on food security.
JY Chow, APAC Agrifood Sector Coverage Lead, Mizuho Bank, is an Agrifood Advisor and Financing Expert who loves to get his boots muddy! He has over 18 years of experience in Asia Pacific across operations, strategy, and banking. His food passion started in the kitchen of his family restaurant in France and evolved into engineering and finance. He is wide-eyed about how Foodtech and Agtech are reshaping our future.
Click here to read an article by JY Chow: ‘The four key dimensions in agrifood post Covid-19’.

By Zahrah Imtiaz – 12 October 2020
Mr Chitturi is a veteran in the poultry industry in India and heads Srinivasa Farms as its Vice Chairman and Managing Director. In 2019, Mr Chitturi became the first Asian to take up the mantle of the IEC; a global network for the egg industry.
As the Chairman of the IEC, Mr Chitturi has been promoting a farmer first philosophy. He is also promoting modernization and sustainability of the poultry industry through the adoption of technology, good rearing practices and welfare of the livestock. He is also an advocate of nutritional deficiencies of women and children in India. Mr Chitturi is a regular speaker in many international forums on the egg industry.

By Conny Pereira – 1 September 2020
We have seen an uptrend in onboarding technology both at farm and processing levels prior to and during the pandemic. In this podcast, Gordon Butland addresses how:
• With consolidation farms are getting bigger and it is more prudent to operate with technology
• Biosecurity is more crucial both for the producer and consumer in terms of profitability and food safety
• The health crisis is making governments look inward and towards self-sufficiency and food security, while actively exploring local and regional markets.
• The labor shortage is pushing the agenda for automation.

Gordon Butland is Director of G&S Agriconsultants Co Ltd, Thailand. He established a career in accounting that saw him rise to become Chief Financial Officer for the Coca Cola Company for South Latin America. In 1989 he started his association with Rabobank International. In the mid-90s he started to visit Southeast Asia and in 1998 moved to Asia and became Rabobank’s Global Head of the poultry sector. In September 2004 he retired and is now concentrating on advisory assignments within the entire spectrum of the global poultry industry.

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