BPEX will be moving to Stoneleigh Park next week so the Weekly will be published on the Website a day early.

Finding Latest Feed Info
Global commodity prices had a mixed week of trading over the previous week. European wheat markets saw some small gains, while US markets continued on a downtrend.

Crude oil values remained around the $60 mark due to fears of a ‘double-dip’ recession, and had a direct effect upon oilseed and soyabean prices.  CBOT Soybean meal nearby futures crashed from £241.1 on Monday to close on Thursday at £207.34 equivalent.  Click here for more.

Marketing News

Love Pork On-Line Competition
In support of the 'Not the Ashes' BBQ campaign the lovepork.co.uk website is hosting a competition to win a stylish bucket BBQ and chef's apron and hat.  By providing us with your favourite BBQ'ing tips winners will be picked weekly until the end of the Ashes and featured on the website. Asda will be displaying the Love Pork BBQ Guides on their butcher counters from the end of next week.
For more information, click here.

Farm to Plate Day
A 'Farm to Plate' day is being held at Uncle Henry's Farm Shop, Gainsborough on 14 September.  Agenda and details will be available next week, please contact Keith Fisher or Claire Holland for details if you wish to attend.  

Pork and the Credit Crunch
A new report, Pork and the Credit Crunch, has been published by BPEX. It shows pork loin steak is seen as an affordable alternative to chicken because of its price, taste and convenience. In addition to its traditional values (a great Sunday Roast for the whole family), pork is increasingly recognised for being healthy, convenient and economical. The report is available by clicking here.

Knowledge Transfer

Tip of the Week: Meconium Staining
Look out for Meconium staining at farrowing; this is a sign of foetal stress and the piglet should be identified as high risk. These piglets will need to be dried and put on a teat and if necessary helped to suckle.

Hidden Gold in Muck Heaps!
An innovative technique that could improve analysis of pig manures and provide local testing facilities for producers is being investigated by the BPEX Knowledge Transfer team.

While producers can already obtain special on-farm test kits to analyse slurry for total Nitrogen and available N content, all solid manures have to be sent away to a laboratory for testing. “This is costly and time-consuming, so we are now looking at a new method using Near Infrared Reflectance Spectroscopy (NIRS) and the Bruker Optics Matrix-I NIRS instrument,” said Nigel Penlington, BPEX Environment Programme manager.

He pointed out that this machine instrument was already used to scan samples of forages such as silage and grain in the arable sector, as well as analyse engine and transmission oils in plant and machinery. “We are now checking to see if we can adapt it to analyse a wide range of manures from very dilute dirty water through to well-rotted FYM. Its improved accuracy and speed will help pig farmers save money and time by reducing the costs of the analytical service needed for them to make best use of the valuable plant nutrients.

“We are working on this project with other levy bodies and the Defra sustainable arable LINK research programme and results from initial laboratory tests look promising,” he added.

“The project has another year to run and we are fairly confident we will be able to calibrate the first machines for pig slurry and manure soon,” said Mr Penlington.

Choose the Right Sire
Is a Hampshire terminal sire better than a Large White or does a Pietrain beat them both? Knowing which sire will provide exactly what is needed is vital for producers and the results of a genotype research project are answering those questions. The industry as a whole also needs to improve litter size, robustness and productivity.

The research was carried out at the University of Leeds farm and was conducted with 425 litters (145 Large White type, 140 Hampshire type crosses and 140 Pietrain type crosses). It revealed that piglets from Hampshire type crosses grew more rapidly and reached slaughter weight up to seven days before the two other genotypes.

The pigs were more robust and produced what was described by a University of Bristol tasting assessment panel as “good and tender meat”. Pietrain type crosses also exhibited higher feed intake and were more robust than Large Whites type in the trials. They also had a higher lean meat yield.

However, Professor Helen Miller, who led the team of researchers comparing genotypes and their nutritional requirements, pointed out that the Large White type (which was used as a control group) did display some positive attributes. They had good carcase composition, particularly for conventional payment methods, and a good feed conversion ratio (FCR). They also produced what was described by the Bristol tasting panel as “good meat”. The Pietrain type also displayed good carcase composition, along with the highest lean meat yield, especially prime cuts, of all three types.  The full report can be viewed here.

Free Manure Analysis
BPEX can arrange, for a limited period only, for manures and slurries to be analysed for nutrient content free of charge as part of this project. In order to get involved please ring Lindsey Tapp on 01908 844734 with the number of samples you would like to submit; bags and bottles will be provided.

If you have already submitted samples data will be available shortly. Contact Nigel Penlington if you have any queries.

Better Business Management
If you’re looking to improve your business skills, the Worshipful Company of Farmers are running a three week Advanced course in Agricultural Business Management. The course is designed for existing experienced managers and concentrates on developing your understanding of the business environment and implementing this knowledge to benefit your business. For Further information contact: Rhonda.Thompson@rac.org.uk  

Knowledge Transfer EU Hub
The BPEX Knowledge Transfer (KT) team will be getting together with a number of their European counterparts at the inaugural meeting of the EU KT Hub next week.

As well as increasing the number of study tours the KT team and KT pig clubs participate in, the BPEX team want to set up a unique network with fellow KT professionals in a bid to discover how other countries approach knowledge transfer, share ideas and learn from each other, so that we can deliver an even better service to levy payers.

Topics for discussion will include health initiatives, the challenges and solutions of environmental legislation and how different countries engage with their producers.
Representatives from countries including France, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland and The Netherlands will be attending, and we hope to attract people from even more EU countries once the hub is established.

National News:

Stuart Roberts to Leave BMPA
The British Meat Processors Association Director, Stuart Roberts, is to leave the BMPA later this summer. 

Stuart said: “It has been an enormous pleasure heading up the BMPA Secretariat for the past two years and there is more than a touch of sadness at moving on. 

However, I am confident that the strong BMPA team will continue to make a valuable contribution to the entire meat industry and provide high quality services for all members.
The search for a successor has started. 

Bowes Sells Pig Units
UK pig producer, Bowes of Norfolk, recently bought by Cranswick, has sold its pig rearing and fattening division to an existing management team.

A new company, called East Anglian Pigs, has been formed and will maintain the pig production business, which includes over 1200ha (3000 acres) of pig breeding farms.

Pig Farmers Sought
Calling Isle of Wight and Hampshire pig farmers! The Isle of Wight Council is looking for suppliers. If you can help, get in touch with tony.goodger@ahdbms.org.uk.

Lord Rooker Chairs FSA
Lord Rooker has been appointed the new chairman of the Food Standards Agency. Lord Rooker, a former Minister at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), replaces Dame Deirdre Hutton and will take up his new duties on 27 July.

International News

Lithuanian CSF Outbreak
An outbreak of Classical Swine Fever has been reported in Lithuania. It involves a breeding unit with 445 pigs. All pigs from the infected farm were culled and rendered. All small holdings within the 3-km protection zone (27 keepers who keep 41 pigs) and within the 10-km surveillance area (46 keepers with 71 pigs) were inspected and no clinical signs were observed.

Export Bulletin
On the European market fresh legs are sold at slightly increasing prices. Collars are sold at an unchanged price level. Regarding shoulders and production meat the trade and sales have improved and the products are sold at slightly increasing prices. Fresh loins are under pressure and they are sold at somewhat lower prices. To see the Export Bulletin, click here.

International Prices
For the latest international prices, click here.