Scientific Opinion on the effect on public or animal health or on the environment on the presence of seeds of Ambrosia spp. in animal feed

The European Commission requested EFSA to provide a scientific opinion on the effect on public or animal health or on the environment on the further distribution of Ambrosia spp. in the European Union and on the importance of feed materials, in particular bird feed, in the dispersion of Ambrosia spp. The genus Ambrosia (Asteraceae family) is distributed worldwide. Ambrosia artemisiifolia (common ragweed) has heavily colonised several areas of South-East Europe. Ambrosia spp., both in their native range and in invaded areas, are of public health concern due to the allergenic properties of their pollen. The NDA Panel concluded that inhalation of the plant pollen causes rhino-conjunctivitis and asthma, with skin allergies and food allergy playing minor roles. Ambrosia may cross-sensitize patients to other allergens, including food allergens. There is some evidence for allergenicity of Ambrosia pollen in animals. With regard to the effects on the environment of the further distribution of Ambrosia spp. in the European Union, the PLH Panel concluded that there is no direct evidence that Ambrosia spp. cause extinction of plant species. However, there are some indications that A. artemisiifolia could become highly invasive in certain environmentally-valuable habitats and might be linked to an impoverishment of species richness, therefore further ecological studies are needed. The CONTAM Panel focused on the relative importance of animal feed, bird feed in particular, on the dispersion of Ambrosia. Ambrosia seeds may contaminate feed. However, animal feed materials compounded for use in livestock are extensively processed. This processing destroys Ambrosia seeds and hence the contribution of compounded feed to the dispersion of Ambrosia is considered to be negligible. Bird feed often contains significant quantities of Ambrosia seeds and remains unprocessed. Therefore, bird feed seems to play an important role in introducing Ambrosia to new, previously not infested areas

Beyond Bird Feed: Proso Millet for Human Health and Environment

Domesticated in 8000–10,000 BP in northern China, proso millet (Panicum miliaceum L.) is the best adaptive rotational crop for semiarid central High Plains of the USA, where average annual precipitation is 356–407 mm. Proso millet has multiple benefits when consumed as human food. Proso millet is rich in minerals, dietary fiber, polyphenols, vitamins and proteins. It is gluten-free and therefore, ideal for the gluten intolerant people. Proso millet contains high lecithin which supports the neural health system. It is rich in vitamins (niacin, B-complex vitamins, folic acid), minerals (P, Ca, Zn, Fe) and essential amino acids (methionine and cysteine). It has a low glycemic index and reduces the risk of type-2 diabetes. Unfortunately, in the USA, it is mostly considered as bird feed, whereas it is mainly used as human food in many other countries. Besides human health benefits, proso millet has an impeccable environmental benefit. Proso millet possesses many unique characteristics (e.g., drought tolerance, short-growing season) which makes it a promising rotational crop for winter wheat-based dryland farming systems. Proso millet provides the most economical production system when used in a two years wheat/summer fallow cropping system in semiarid High Plains of the USA. It helps in controlling winter annual grass weeds, managing disease and insect pressure and preserving deep soil moisture for wheat. Proso millet can also be used as a rotational crop with corn or sorghum owing to its tolerance for atrazine, the primary herbicide used in corn and sorghum production systems. Proso millet certainly is a climate-smart, gluten-free, ancient, and small grain cereal, which is healthy to humans and the environment. The main challenge is to expand the proso millet market beyond bird feed into the human food industry. To overcome the challenge, unique proso millet varieties for human food and ready-to-use multiple food products must be developed. This requires successful collaboration among experts from diverse disciplines such as breeders, geneticists, food chemists and food industry partners

Influence of nutrient density and feed form on growth performance, nutrient digestibility and gastro intestinal tract development in broilers fed wheat-based diets : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Animal Science at Massey University, Manawatu, New Zealand

Figures 2.1.& 2.2 have been removed for copyright reasons but may be accessed via their source.This study investigated the influence of nutrient density and feed form, and their interaction on growth performance, nitrogen-corrected apparent metabolisable energy (AMEn) and upper gut components of broilers fed wheat-based diets for 35 d post-hatch. A completely randomised design was used, with a 5 x 2 factorial arrangement of 10 treatments (with 6 replicates, 8 birds per replicate) involving five dietary nutrient density, VL, very low nutrient density (11.71 MJ/kg AMEn, 13.44 g/kg lysine); L, low nutrient density (12.13 MJ/kg AMEn, 13.92 g/kg lysine); M, medium nutrient density (12.55 MJ/kg AMEn, 14.40 g/kg lysine); H, high nutrient density (12.97 MJ/kg AMEn, 14.88 g/kg lysine); VH, very high nutrient density (13.39 MJ/kg AMEn, 15.36 g/kg lysine) and two feed forms, mash vs. pellet. Nutrient density x feed form interaction was significant (P 0.05) on these parameters in other nutrient density diets. Feeding pellets lowered (P < 0.05) the CAID of N and starch. Pelleting significantly (P < 0.001) reduced the absolute weight of gizzard compared to mash diets. The gizzard pH of birds fed pellet diet was higher (P < 0.001) than those fed mash diets. In general, the current results show that the pellet-induced benefits on growth performance reduce as the nutrient density levels increase, highlighting the importance of considering nutrient density to maximise the benefits associated with pellet feeding

Sheepdrove Organic Farm Breed and Feed 1a Interim Report

• This interim report summarises the results of the first part of the breed and feed 1 trial, a final report will follow the completion of the second half of the trial. • The trial was undertaken to investigate the impact of removing the Soil Association derogation for 20 per cent non-organic component in organic table bird feed ration. • The trial was also investigating the suitability of the ISA 257 breed currently used in the SOF system, as it has been questioned as to whether it is the most appropriate genotype to use. • The objectives of the trial were to ascertain if there are differences between the performance of two genotypes of organic free-range table birds (ISA 257 and colourpac) and two ration types (80 per cent and 100 per cent organic) and establish if there is an interaction between the two. • 2000 birds were grown in 2 identical houses divided into sections in mixed flocks of approximately 500, under organic free-range conditions conforming to Soil Association standards. • Weekly weights were obtained for 50-bird samples of each genotype and ration combination in each flock/house. As were behavioural observations after week 6. • Gait scoring was undertaken one week prior to depletion for a sample of birds of each genotype and ration combination in each flock/house

A SHORT HISTORY AND USE OF HEMP

The possibilities of using the hemp plant are endless. A wide range of products can be obtained from this plant, from clothing to paper, from crockery to automotive components and from musical instruments to bird feed. It is known that this plant fits well in almost any climatic conditions, grows quickly and needs very little maintenance. It requires no chemicals and is resistant to pests and diseases. Hemp uses very little water per kilogram of fiber compared to cotton and stores CO2 during growth, which increases its photosynthetic efficiency. In addition, it improves the soil, being ideal for crop rotation

Testing for Market Power in Multiple-Input, Multiple-Output Industries: The Australian Grains and Oilseeds Industries

Recent empirical studies have found significant evidence of departures from competition in the input side of the Australian bread, breakfast cereal and margarine end-product markets. For example, Griffith (2000) found that firms in some parts of the processing and marketing sector exerted market power when purchasing grains and oilseeds from farmers. As noted at the time, this result accorded well with the views of previous regulatory authorities (p.358). In the mid-1990s, the Prices Surveillence Authority (PSA 1994)determined that the markets for products contained in the Breakfast Cereals and Cooking Oils and Fats indexes were "not effectively competitive"(p.14). The PSA consequently maintained price surveillence on the major firms in this product group. The Griffith result is also consistent with the large number of legal judgements against firms in this sector over the past decade for price fixing or other types of non-competitive behaviour. For example, bread manufacturer George Weston was fined twice during 2000 for non-competitive conduct and the ACCC has also recently pursued and won cases against retailer Safeway in grains and oilseeds product lines. Griffith obtained his results using highly aggregated data and a relatively simple empirical model. In this study we focus on confirming the earlier results by formally testing for competitive behaviour in the Australian grains and oilseeds industries using a more sophisticated empirical model and a less aggregated grains and oilseeds data set. We specify a general duality model of profit maximisation that allows for imperfect competition in both the input and output markets of the grains and oilseeds industries. The model also allows for variable-proportions technologies and can be regarded as a generalisation of several models appearing in the agricultural economics and industrial organisation literatures. Aggregate Australian data taken from the 1996-97 input-output tables are used to define the structure of the relevant industries, and time series data are used implement the model for thirteen grains and oilseeds products handled by seven groups of agents. The model is estimated in a Bayesian econometrics framework. Results are reported in terms of the characteristics of estimated probability distributions for demand and supply elasticities and indexes of market power. Our results suggest that there is a positive probability that: (a) flour and cereal food product manufacturers exert market power when purchasing wheat, barley, oats and triticale; (b) beer and malt manufacturers exert market power when purchasing wheat and barley; and (c) other food product manufacturers exert market power when purchasing wheat, barley, oats and triticale. What is interesting is that each of the transaction nodes where market power is indicated is one where a farm commodity is sold to a processing sector that is, the evidence suggests oligopsonistic behaviour by grains buyers. The wheat and barley industries seem to be especially disadvantaged by this type of market conduct. A related and equally interesting result is that there was no consistent evidence of market power in the downstream nodes of the data set relating to the sales of flour and other cereal foods, or the sale of bread and other bakery products. These transaction points are where legal judgements against suppliers have been made in the recent past. We have stated our results in quite cautious language, as there is much uncertainty surrounding our estimates. This stems partly from the lack of good quality data, so we suggest that one avenue for future research should be improving the collection and integrity of relevant data (especially including the retail and distributive nodes of the various markets).Industrial Organization, Marketing,

Analysis of Ardeidae Bird Feedin The Coastal Ecosysrtem of Johan Pahlawan Sub-District West Aceh Regency

Study aims to determined know type Ardeidae bird feed in coastal ecosystem area of Johan Pahlawan District, West Aceh Regency. Research on Analysis of Ardeidae Bird Feedin The Coastal Ecosysrtem of Johan Pahlawan Sub-District West Aceh Regency carried out from July 2020. The method used is roaming method of diversity of bird feed species was observed and cleavage was carried out in the bird's stomach in the Coastal Coastal Ecosystem in Johan Pahlawan District, West Aceh Regency. The data obtained were analyzed descriptively. The results obtained 5 species, namely Ardea cinerea, Ardeola speciosa, Egretta alba, Egretta garzetta and Bubulcus ibis with the type of feed in the form of animals that are on the forest floor such as small fish, grasshoppers, crabs, frogs or frogs, small insects that live in water, flies and other types of invertebrates and vertebrates

Farm business survey 2008/09: poultry production in England

The report provides a commentary on the UK poultry industry focusing on its structure, development and contribution to the UK agricultural economy. It also includes data on the economic performance of poultry businesses in England during 2008/09