TheMeatSite Newsletter - 25 April 2012

TheMeatSite Weekly Newsletter

Wednesday 25th April 2012

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Welcome to this week's newsletter

Editorial: Welfare Groups Raise Concerns over Production Methods

Over the last week, welfare concerns have come to the fore with Compassion in World Farming questioning some of the practices in the European pig industry and calling on the European Commission to investigate what it describes as flouting of the EU laws.

In the UK the RSPCA has also called into question some of the on-farm practices in the UK and in the US the country's third largest pig meat producer, Seaboard Foods, was challenged at its annual meeting by the Humane Society of the US over the continued use of gestation crates in pig rearing.

These welfare concerns have been raised at a time when the USDA has shown that global pork production is expanding and is predicted to be 2.7 per cent higher this year compared to last.

In the global markets, Brazil is showing a strong presence with both pig meat and beef exports rising.

Brazilian beef exports are expected to reach $6 billion this year, according to the Brazilian Association of Meat Exporters (ABIEC). President of ABIEC, Antonio Jorge Camardelli said that this is an increase in revenue of 20 per cent compared to 2011.

And the volume and value of pork exported in March rose compared to the previous month according to the latest figures from ABIPECS. There have also been some significant changes among processing companies on the world market.

Following ConAgra's purchase of Odom's Tennessee Pride, it was announced that Vion's ingredients division had bought BAIC Protein.

Irish beef and lamb processor Dawn Meats has acquired West Devon Meats and JBS has put in a bid for Brazilian processor Grupo Independência.

However, at the same time the UK processor ANM has announced potential job cuts and HK Scan reports difficult times in its Swedish division. The lock out of workers at AFFCO in New Zealand is continuing this week although fresh talks are expected.

Chris Harris

This Week's Feature Articles

We have 6 new features this week:

Improving Tenderness with SmartStretch Technology
A study headed by the New South Wales Department of Primary Industries found that tenderness of leg meat from sheep using a meat stretching device was improved.

Shoppers Favour Carbon Footprint Labels on Food
The majority of respondents to a UK survey would like to see labels explaining the carbon footprint of the food they buy, according to study for the European Commission.

ESBL Producing Enterobacteriaceae in Animals, Meat and Milk
Researchers based in Switzerland found relatively high rates of extended–spectrum beta–lactamase (ESBL) producers in pigs, cattle, sheep and chickens and they expressed concern about the high genetic diversity among these isolates, which they said indicates an established reservoir in farm animals.

GLOBAL POULTRY TRENDS – Problems with European Egg Trade
Trade in egg and egg products is big business in the European Union, according to Terry Evans in his analysis of the egg industry in Europe. The region accounts for more than 60 per cent of global egg trade.

Impact of Freezing and Thawing on Meat Quality
A comprehensive review conducted by researchers at the Department of Food Science and the Department of Animal Sciences at the University of Stellenbosch in South Africa looked at the effects of freezing and thawing on the physical quality parameters of meat.

Novel Assay to Detect Antibody Responses in Pigs
Scientists in the Netherlands and Belgium have developed a new method to detect specific antibody responses in pig serum simultaneously against Toxoplasma gondii and Trichinella spiralis – two zoonoses passed from pigs to humans.

Market Reports

» USDA Livestock, Dairy and Poultry Outlook - April 2012
» UK Slaughter Statistics - April 2012
» USDA International Meat Review - 12th April 2012
» USDA Milk Production April 2012
» USDA Livestock Slaughter April 2012
» BPEX Export Bulletin – Week 16
» AHDB European Market Survey - 20 April 2012
» USDA Catfish Processing April 2012
» USDA Catfish Feed Deliveries April 2012
» AHDB UK Market Survey - 20 April 2012
» USDA Livestock Slaughter Annual 2012
» International Egg and Poultry Review: Mexico
» Agricultural Price Indices February 2012

Company News

Air Products' Freshline at AMI Expo
US - Air Products' Freshline solutions is designed to help meat processors improve productivity, increase product yield, and lower costs while producing high-quality products, the company says.

Foodmate US Names Operations & Engineering Manager
US - Foodmate US has named veteran engineer David Hughes as Operations and Engineering Manager.

Global Market for Coproducts is Changing
FRANCE - The global market for co-products is changing as the meat and poultry processing industry develops.

Global Meat Industry News