Asian Agribiz Podcasts

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 ha...

This week, we have the pig industry in focus with some developmental news, despite lackluster demand, supply constraints, and price pressures. We see a new GGP farm surface in Sri Lanka and post-ASF repopulation in Malaysia progressing well. Pork remains the dominant meat in Vietnam, accounting for over 62% of the country's total meat output. According to the Department of Livestock Production, po...

Asian governments say that broiler feeds should have a minimum crude protein level to ensure quality. In this podcast with animal nutritionist Dr Budi Tangendjaja, Asian Agribiz digs deeper into the background of the regulation, the impact if we keep using minimum levels, and why industry players are now formulating broiler feeds based on digestible amino acids rather than crude protein. In the la...

Generative AI (artificial intelligence), still in its infancy, is moving all industry sectors forward at a fast but uncertain pace. Yet, it leaves an indelible mark on operational efficiency, mainly through automation monitoring, output consistency, waste reduction, and increased yield. Digitalizing operations with smart farming is already gaining traction, as is making sense of the data generated...

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 conventiona...

One of the most interesting things that happened in the food processing industry post-Covid is the growth in demand for frozen food. It allows shelf-stability and offers better reach and accessibility to consumers, and for businesses vying for import dollars. Frozen food has given rise to the development of a cold chain management system, storage facilities, freezing equipment, and other related s...

The Indian piggery sector has received much attention in recent years as the government has turned its attention towards this neglected sector. Asian Agribiz talks to Dr C P Gopakumar, Managing Director at DLG Farms, to understand the history of the industry and the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. In this podcast you will learn about the: • The nature of the Indian piggery sector  • C...

With continued fractures in the global food space, we see production costs and the ensuing cost of goods weighing in on consumer purchase decisions. Still, there are green shoots to consider within meat production and retail. We see winners and losers in exploring changing consumer needs and how meat producers are keeping in step . There is a pivot among Japanese consumers from premium meat like b...

This week we celebrated 'Protein Day' in South Asia, aimed at educating more consumers on the importance of eating protein in their daily diets. South Asia, with a vast population, lags in meat and egg consumption, and change has been slow for many years. In 2020, the average daily meat consumption per person was below 40g in the region, and per capita egg consumption in the year was less than 4kg...

Meat quality is critical for both producers and consumers. Factors like genetics, nutrition, and management during production and processing all contribute to quality. Asian Agribiz talks to Dr Chaiyapoom Bunchasak, Nutritionist and Professor at the Department of Animal Science at Kasetsart University in Thailand how to enhance meat quality with proper feed formulation. In this podcast you will le...

The pig industry in Asia has been hard at work, striving to get back on its feet and reach pre-pandemic levels of output. Year-long price fluctuations have shadowed producers, leading to downsizing and fewer players. Despite rising demand, consumption remains weak amid hope that prices will bounce back in 2024. Vietnam expects prices to rebound and demand to recover this year. Elsewhere, in a bid...

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 w...

The Lunar Year of the Dragon is predicted to bring good fortune to livestock industries globally. But staying positive is a task indeed with all the challenges the industry must contend with. For instance, in the past, an election year in Indonesia would boost chicken meat consumption significantly and reign in good prices. But this has not been the case with a lot of online campaigning. Then, the...

When feed producers develop formulations with the intention of reducing in-feed antibiotics, they need to ensure the optimization of the ingredients to support animal health. Kurt Wegleitner, Managing Director, and Waraporn Kraitavin - Regional Technical Support Manager at Phytobiotics Futterzusatzstoffe GmbH, shared with Asian Agribiz that phytobiotics are a proven and feasible solution. With cle...

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...

China is on a mission to widen its network of high-standard free trade agreements in 2024. No surprise that Asean and chosen Asian countries are tipped as favored partners in this exercise. Already Asia is being touted as the furnace in which a new era is forged. The region accounts for 57% of global GDP growth, 64% of patent generation, and more than half of global middle-class households. It is...

Purchasing or formulating broiler feed diets based on crude protein content is an outdated concept, says Matthew Clark, Director, FeedGuys Resources, Malaysia. Mr Clark who will lead Asian Agribiz's Broiler Feed Quality Conference on February 21, will discuss how new concepts of measuring amino acid composition will be both useful for the bird as well as the wallet. Listen to this to know what to...

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 Prote...

Food safety is not an individual concern. It involves all stakeholders from processors to consumers. The World Health Organization's Framework for Action on Food Safety for the Southeast Asia Region says unsafe food undermines food and nutritional security, human development, and international trade. The report cited food safety challenges such as adulteration, microbiological, chemical, and radio...

Having a blended Broiler Feed Quality Conference (BFQC) allows Asian Agribiz to offer broiler industry professionals better ways to remain updated on critical developments. Conference Chairman David Faulkner explained that Asian Agribiz has, over time, developed a vast network of experts worldwide, and can bring them together to discuss topics crucial for the industry. The blended sessions allow p...

Each feed ingredient has pros and cons when used in aquafeed formulation. DDGS stands out due to its high protein content, well-balanced essential amino acids, and lack of anti-nutritional factors.   Asian Agribiz talks with Dr Romi Novriadi, Vice Chairman of Indonesia's Aquaculture Society and lecturer at the Jakarta Technical University of Fisheries on why DDGS is a viable alternative shrimp fee...

Shipping is once again experiencing disruption, this time because of escalating turmoil in the Red Sea. With large freighters, especially from Europe, forced to use a much longer alternative route, freight charges are once again escalating. Already we see the challenges and added costs it has created in shipping equipment to Indonesia. Asian producers also import farming equipment, feed additives...

Producers wanting to meet the demand of younger consumers for different types of sausages do not need extra equipment. Attagorn Pongthep, General Manager of Handtmann Thailand, explains to Asian Agribiz how co-extrusion technology allows producers to: 1)      Offer sausages with viscous fillings like cheese and sauces. 2)      Acquire new market share. 3)      Create new opportunities for developi...

How has 2024 launched for you? As much as industry leaders foretell significant disruption across the agriculture value chain in the next two years, it does not seem different from the last two years. What is obvious though is that animal protein producers that have survived the trauma of the past, have grown in resilience. This strength then holds them in good stead to navigate growing population...

As farmers focus on lowering production costs, and feed makers are challenged with labels that meet regulations, home mixing appears to resolve both. However, home-mixers may face challenges such as technology, knowledge of animal nutrition, and extra investment in processing equipment as they pursue this idea. Matthew Clark, Director of FeedGuys Resources shares that home mixing can be simple. Wi...