fi - September 2006

EuroTier 2006:
Feed hygiene on show

Quality must make its way into the feeding trough. So says German agricultural society DLG (Deutsche Landwirtschafts-Gesellschaft), explaining the focus on a feed theme and a special display at the biennial Euro Tier livestock production exhibition DLG is organising for 14-17 November in Hanover. DLG argues that both feed manufacturers and their customers need to understand the risk factors threatening contamination of good feed materials during the time between first storage in a silo or tank on the farm and consumption by the animal.

However, there is another reason for choosing hygienic feed distribution as the theme on this occasion. DLG’s manager of animal nutrition, Dr Walter Staudacher, refers to it by drawing attention to food and feed safety laws enacted by the European Commission which have taken effect this year.

“Our special display on feeding hygiene is intended to be especially useful to European farmers who want to understand more about the subject in the context of the new EU directive,” Dr Staudacher remarks. “At this special display, farmers can learn how to detect whether a feeding system stays clean and where improvements may be possible.

“The places to look for weaknesses are going to be demonstrated in a visual and comprehensible way. Examples of feed flows will be shown and the display will identify

New: ‘Feed Special’ at EuroTier

Feed will be a special thematic area of Euro Tier 2006. The four-day show will focus on feed as the most important farm input for livestock farmers, and, as the largest cost input, it is one of the keys to farming success.

Together with the exhibitors, DLG organisers will set up a ‘Feed Special’ display that will look at all aspects concerning feed. Especially, the Special will focus on maintaining feed hygiene, safety, and quality of both manufactured feed products arriving at the farm and home-mixed products—all

of which move from the farm silo or tank to the trough. Potential solutions will be shown here that contribute to sound individual components reaching the animal as high-quality feed via milling, mixing, and feeding.

The organisers envision Euro Tier’s Feed Special as an ‘information roadmap’ for all livestock farmers, in which DLG is supported by international organisations such as the European Dairy Farmers and the European Pig Producers. For details, see http://www. eurotier.de/ programme0.0.html.

▼

Euro Tier’s Feed Special focuses on hygiene, safety, and quality of feed—whether coming from the feed mill or milled and mixed on farm. This topic is the focus of attention on farms every day and is a critical component in allowing animal producers in the newest European Union countries— especially Poland, Hungary, and the Czech Republic—to enter the broader EU market with safe, high-quality food products.

areas that are prone to a build-up of germs or contamination.

“A central message,” Dr Staudacher emphasises, “is that the feed distribution system on the farm should be monitored regularly for its cleanliness. We will illustrate that in the context of dry, mash and liquid feeding installations. The frequency of monitoring always depends on the cleaning method used in storage and transportation facilities, but our presentation of some solutions for problem areas means that the farmer can go home, check and analyse what is happening on his farm regarding feed hygiene and implement any changes necessary as they apply to his own circumstances.”

The display titled ‘Feed hygiene LIVE— from silo to trough’ is being arranged at Euro Tier by DLG in close collaboration with feed equipment exhibitors, Dr Staudacher adds. It will relate to both purchased feeds and to those made on the farm. Its agenda covers storage, transport and mixing operations. Also planned are demonstrations of processing techniques to ensure hygiene in the complete feed, whether made in an industrial mill or on the livestock unit.