Who do you think should fill the end frame and win this year’s David Black Award? Go to the BPEX website for a nomination form to put forward the person you believe has made an important and sustained contribution to the British pig industry.

Knowledge Transfer
Tip of the week: Stocking Density
Many producers are reporting decreased mortality rates since implementing a PCV2 vaccination strategy following the BPEX voucher scheme. Great news, however check the stocking density of pens. With reduced mortality rates more pigs are being finished, which means that more space is required!

Check the capacity of your pens and be certain of the stocking rates, you don’t want to negate the benefits of the vaccination strategy!

Recommended stocking rates can be found in the Defra Code of Recommendations for the Welfare of Livestock: Pigs.

NVZ Action Programme
The Government response outlining proposals for revised Nitrate Vulnerable Zones and Action Programme have been published here. The requirement is for 6 months slurry storage on pig farms (with an exception where slurry is exported). The designated area will increase to approximately 70% of England.  The whole farm limit for nitrogen from livestock will be 170 kg/ha/yr. BPEX will shortly be producing a summary document which will be available on the website.    

BPEX Funded Studentship
Applications are invited for a fully funded BPEX studentship, based in the School of the Environment & Natural Resources, Bangor University. This studentship is part of a wider project researching into the viability of Bioreduction as a storage method of fallen stock prior to disposal. It provides an exciting opportunity for a dedicated individual eager to develop a range of research skills involving both pure and applied natural sciences. The project will involve a combination of laboratory work and field work with the Bioreducers.

There will be a need to interact with industry (e.g. farmers, farmers unions) and other stakeholders (e.g. Government, Environment Agency); and to present the work to the funders on an annual basis. This studentship offers the prospect for the successful candidate to develop an array of applied science skills, especially in the field of microbiology and environmental science. It will provide a real understanding of livestock and waste systems.

A full training programme will be provided to ensure that the successful candidate is able to conduct the wide ranging research envisaged.For informal enquiries about this position please contact Professor Davey Jones (d.jones@bangor.ac.uk) or Dr Prysor Williams (prysor.willams@bangor.ac.uk). To apply, send a CV and letter of application to: Mrs Sheila Jones, School of the Environment & Natural Resource, Bangor University, Thoday Building, Deiniol Road, Bangor Gwynedd, N Wales, LL57 2UW. Email: s.m.jones@bangor.ac.uk; Tel: 01248 382457, Fax: 01248 354997. Closing date: 1st August 2008.

Marketing News
Chefs Recipe Booklet
BPEX In conjunction with 4 celebrity chefs, lead by Phil Vickery, along with Aldo Zilli, Lesley Walters & Antony Worrall Thompson have produced a PAWit campaign recipe booklet. For circulation to journalists and consumers it contains a selection of their own recipes in support of the campaign along with stunning new photography of each of the dishes.  Phil Vickery will be giving 15 radio interviews today (Friday 25th July). These include 11 BBC stations and seven consumer foodie magazine interviews which include BBC Good Food and Best to promote the booklet and campaign, this will also support the press activity around the launch of the booklet.

Marketing Update
Since the start in July 2007, the Pigs Are Worth It campaign has gone from national advertising to a pink pig tour, to singing and then protesting outside parliament to now getting support from a number of celebrities.

To view the overall range of marketing activity undertaken since the start, download a copy of the summary leaflet from the BPEX website by clicking here.

Butchers Promotional Kit
Promotional material has been sent to independent retailers featuring summer pork recipes it will include a poster and 20 recipe cards for consumer use.  If you have not had your copy yet and would like a kit please call 01908 844107 or email enquiries@ahdbms.org.uk

Celebrate With Pork
A new information leaflet extolling the virtues of using pork for a function or event has been produced and is now available from 01908 844114 or email foodservice@bpex.org.uk. 

 With advice from top chefs with experience in conference and banquet catering this leaflet highlights how versatile pork can be and how to get the best out of a variety of cuts.

Put Pork on the Barbie
A step by step guide to adding flavour and profit when using pork on the BBQ menu.  The booklet is produced in conjunction with the Best of British BBQ Team, and provides some simple secrets of successfully barbecuing pork with succulence and flavour.  Copies now available from 01908 844114 or email foodservice@bpex.org.uk

National News:
Rapidly Rising Exports
Exports of British pork are booming showing a year-on-year rise of more than 20%. The figures for the first four months of 2008 are 41,000 tonnes up on the same period last year, a rise of 22%.

The major export markets for British pork now include Germany, Holland, Poland, Hong Kong and also, more surprisingly, Vietnam. BPEX Export Manager Jean-Pierre Garnier said: “We have been doing very well with exports to Hong Kong which is now our fourth biggest export market. This is despite the adverse exchange rate because exports to Hong Kong are calculated in $US.”

Web Wonders!
Did you know that a basket of pork products from the top four multiples costs the consumer on average a third more than a year ago but producers are receiving only a quarter more for their pigs than twelve months ago? The "DAPP v pork basket price" is updated weekly on the BPEX website. Visit the market intelligence section at www.bpex.org.uk to find out what other price information is available - you only have to register once and then in future you will automatically login.

Producer Clubs a Winner
This season’s East Anglian pig producer groups, funded by BPEX, came to a close with a successful farm walk. Over the past few months, Jonathan Bradley has facilitated a series of discussion meetings and farm walks across the region providing producers and stockmen alike with plenty to think about when it comes to efficient pig production. Some producers have improved their systems as a direct result. Topics under the spotlight included farrowing management, gilt management, service layouts and making the change from breeder/feeder to BQP finisher.

Farm walks have been a key part of the programme, helping people see the practical aspects of production on units different to their own. The latest tour, organised by the East of England Pig Training Group (EEPTG), attracted more than 40 producers and stockmen to a Stamper Farms unit run by Colin Stone. Meetings are now being planned for the autumn season so if you would like to join one of the producer groups or would like to find out more about EEPTG please contact Jonathan Bradley at geneticsolutions@btopenworld.com or phone 01449 615933/07881 780340.

Technical information and practical advice to enhance profitability and competitiveness is also available to the whole industry through BPEX’s Knowledge Transfer team. If you would like further information contact Kayt Johnson phone 07973 977171, or click here.

AHDB Design Announced
The proposed organisation design and structure for the new Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) came off the drawing board at a meeting on 7 July 2008.

Following in-depth work by the sector organisation CEOs, led by AHDB Chief Executive Kevin Roberts, proposals for the optimal design of the new organisation were presented to the board.

The board agreed the following key points:

• AHDB should be one organisation arranged in a divisional structure including a range of centralised activities – finance, IT, levy collection, human resources, market intelligence, business and corporate services, AHDB communications.
  
• The business functions of research and development, knowledge transfer, marketing and stakeholder communication will be managed at sector level.
  
• There will be a single senior executive team headed by the AHDB Chief Executive.
  
• There will be a chief scientist and a senior marketeer recruited to enhance the quality of output and foster better collaboration across those areas.

NADIS Latest – Erysipelas Vaccination
Erysipelas continues to be commonly reported in both breeding and feeding herds on pig farms surveyed under the NADIS reporting scheme.  Following withdrawal of one vaccine some years ago there has been further contraction of supply with the discontinuation of ‘Erysorb’ recently.  This now means that only a single Erysipelas vaccine is marketed in the UK (Porcilis Ery: Intervet/Schering Plough), and with it will be the risk of interruption of supply.  Furthermore, this product only covers serotype 2. Where producers are switching to this product they will need to consult their veterinary surgeons as to how best to effect this change without losing herd protection. Erysipelas vaccination – at least in the breeding herd – is essential and cheap.  Do not cut corners with your herd

International News:
China Pig Production Rising
China's live pig production has picked up rapidly despite the feed price hike and the consequences of natural disasters in Southwest China earlier this year, according to China's Ministry of Agriculture (MOA).

A survey by MOA of 1,800 scaled farms and 1,800 private farms in 20 pig-raising provinces shows that the number of pigs in stock by the end of June was up 10.6 percent year on year, and pigs slaughtered were up 4.8 percent, according to the Chinese news agency Xinhua.
China recently allocated 2.8 billion yuan (about $420 million) from its central budget to support live pig production.

German Pig Numbers Fall
Provisional results of the May 2008 German pig survey show that within a space of six months the number of breeding sows had fallen by nearly two per cent to 2.4 million head. 

Compared with a year ago numbers were down five per cent.  In-pig gilt numbers were down nearly six per cent compared with May 2007.  In the course of a year 7,400 pig herds went out of business.  Further analysis of the suvey results will be presented in next week's issue of the European Market Survey, available from the Economics Department of AHDB meat services. 

Corn and Soymeal Price Falls
The weather has been as cooperative in July for corn and soybean crop development as it was uncooperative for planting in May, resulting in the largest three-week break in corn prices since July 1996.

The futures price of September corn has fallen $2.14 per bushel — nearly 28 percent — since June 27, and soymeal futures contracts are down $50 to $70 per ton since peaking on July 11, according to the CME Group's Daily Livestock Report.

That translates into good news for the cost of feeding livestock. The report said these declines have reduced hog feed costs by $45 to $50 per ton through next July and by $30 to $40 per ton from August through October 2009.

Those feed cost declines have taken roughly $10 per hundredweight carcass off the breakeven costs of raising hogs next summer, putting it at about $86, which is lower than current live hog futures contracts from April 2009 forward

International Prices
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