new research debunks trad views on nutrition

[NanaK]

I can't find an ingredient list quickly to identify what their new "FeedLock" process or ingredient is

I don't think "FeedLock" is Purina's product. Appears to come from Agrimprove. This article is from 2020.

"As there is an important need for improved global biosecurity via the feed, Agrimprove have recently developed FeedLock. The product is a patented mixture of medium chain fatty acids (MCFA) with proven effect on viral transmission via the feed.

The product is able to neutralise viruses in infected feed and this way safeguard the animal from being infected through this pathway."

https://www.poultryworld.net/specia...ses,test the efficacy of FeedLock towards ASF.

I wouldn't feed it to my birds, much better options available at the likely price point.

It is not something I was looking to purchase.
I more curious about what "it" is and it's effectiveness. To me it looks like more of a scratch product. I do think commercial operations could benefit if it works well and does no harm.

 

[Perris]

I was not trying to point a finger at the UK. I think all countries should be looking harder.

I was saying this sheep was only found because of *routine testing around an outbreak*. No outbreaks, no testing.


The cattle is the US?
The cattle problems started with a group of dairy cows that had mastitis. All tested negative for known pathogens that cause mastitis in cows. Cats on the premise were fed raw milk and got sick. I also read mice at some of the locations also tested positive for ai. Cows are also moved from one farm to another at some point. They think this caused the spread between farms. Milking machines also caused spread between cows.
Workers also got sick and reported milk splashed into their eyes while working.

I do not think manure should be in any animal feed.

If manure in feed is causing outbreaks, I think ai would be more wide spread in many farm animals other than dairy cattle.

If ai would become widespread in swine, I think humans would be next.

I think the 'bird flu in dairy cattle' thread is the place where this has been discussed, fwiw.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I don't think "FeedLock" is Purina's product. Appears to come from Agrimprove. This article is from 2020.

"As there is an important need for improved global biosecurity via the feed, Agrimprove have recently developed FeedLock. The product is a patented mixture of medium chain fatty acids (MCFA) with proven effect on viral transmission via the feed.

The product is able to neutralise viruses in infected feed and this way safeguard the animal from being infected through this pathway."

https://www.poultryworld.net/specials/closing-the-door-on-asf-with-feed-biosecurity/#:~:text=The product is able to neutralise viruses,test the efficacy of FeedLock towards ASF.

It is not something I was looking to purchase.
I more curious about what "it" is and it's effectiveness. To me it looks like more of a scratch product. I do think commercial operations could benefit if it works well and does no harm.

Thanks for the link, I'll look into it later.

and in fairness, I may find it beyond me - i'm not a chemist or a molecular biologist, and have only done a little bit of laboratory wastewater testing as a paid gig. How medium chain fatty acids are supposed to interfere with virus transmission is not immediately obvious to me, with my current understanding of the sciences. {i suspect that is true of most, if not all, of the current participants in this thread} Anyhow, if I should form any confident opinions about the product, I'll offer comment.

and if it turns out to be analogous to the wax coating I mentioned above in passing, I'm going to have a good laugh. (Waxes are long chain Fatty Acids attached to long chain Alcohols)

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I read the whole thing. A bit quickly, I will admit.

It is a crock.

It is full of "may" and "could" with almost no perspective.

Yes, bacteria is found in animal-based ingredients. Bacteria is found everywhere.

Poultry litter. That Florida produces hundreds of millions (or whatever super big number) of tons of chicken litter doesn't mean it is fed. Hiding behind *federal and state not requiring reporting* is a copout. The author should go look if they think it is a significant amount.

When they do use specifics - it weakens their case. The example using Belgian plant-based ingredient,

"rendered animals" sounds horrible. Wasn't it this thread where we discussed what "rendered animals" means? Making ghee from butter is rendering. The ghee is great food, so are the milk solids left after the ghee is removed.

"not fit for human consumption" sounds horrible. It can be horrible (I don't think that kind gets into animal feed very often). but it mostly isn't. We fed some "not fit for human consumption" products to our cows. It was poptarts rather than animal products but the concept applies. Some were there because they baked a little too long. Some had a mixup in the recipe - didn't add enough salt. Some were mislabeled - the labels in the labeling machine weren't changed to blueberry instead of strawberry when the filling was changed over, some had the package ripped, and so on. I looked up what sorts of things the USDA defines as "unfit for human consumption" and it includes these sorts of things. I think it is much more these sorts of things than what your article implies.

Using "diseased animals" sounds horrible. I think it is also not represented fairly (but I don't have time to look just now.)

Will edit shortly if my battery doesn't die first.

I'm all for improving the system. It certainly isn't perfect. This paper doesn't look to me like improving the system is their motivation.

Whatever their motivation, they seem to be quite effective in vilifying the use of animals as products as livestock feed. What would that leave? A choice between soy and chemicals or malnutrition for omnivores like swine and chickens? I get that this whole thread is about a fourth option - basically that of having a small holding (if I have the European concept correct) is a viable option. I agree it is, assuming one has enough land and is willing to manage it appropriately (that is, look messy and/or cultivate the variety needed.)

Its slightly better than click bait. Lots of icky sounding things, lots of speculation, short on proof. I assumed motivation to be begging for dollars to do more research.

Neither Prion diseases nor AI are transmitted primarily thru feces. Or even significantly thru feces. Though it is apparently possible in some herbivores, prion diseases are primarily either genetic, or transmitted thru the consumption of the flesh of similar species. and AI is transmitted thru the air, primarily, suspended in moisture droplets.

Does that mean I want to use litter as a feed ingredient? Absolutely not. Plenty of things I don't want are known to be transmitted thru feces. E Coli and numerous worms as prominent examples. I don't need study money and the latest newsworthy diseases as excuse not to do it.

That said, my goats, my chickens, my ducks, and my turkeys all share the same pasture - I'm not keeping them from eating where they defecate.

 

[Perris]

AI is transmitted thru the air, primarily, suspended in moisture droplets.

FYI "Infected birds pass on H5N1 through their saliva, nasal secretions, and feces. Other birds may pick up the virus through direct contact with these excretions or when they have contact with surfaces contaminated with this material." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transmission_and_infection_of_H5N1

And, to return to the initial point before this distracting detour into bird flu, commercial feed currently can and does contain manure.

A homogenized feed without a complete ingredient list gives the user no real information on what went into it. A minimum guaranteed average nutrition label is no substitute for that.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

FYI "Infected birds pass on H5N1 through their saliva, nasal secretions, and feces. Other birds may pick up the virus through direct contact with these excretions or when they have contact with surfaces contaminated with this material." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transmission_and_infection_of_H5N1

And, to return to the initial point before this distracting detour into bird flu, commercial feed currently can and does contain manure.

A homogenized feed without a complete ingredient list gives the user no real information on what went into it. A minimum guaranteed average nutrition label is no substitute for that.

I said primarily.

The primary means of transmission remain aerosolized moisture from respiratory or ocular secretions.

and at least over here, our ingredient lists mean something.

The risks associated with AI transfer via feces are extremely low compared to the other methods, with one Dutch study [it has significant limits] suggesting one farm every 400+ years might become infected via that route, and another finding that lake sediment was a better source of AI transmission than either fecal matter or poultry meat. I readily concede that none of the studies I've read tested deliberately feeding AI infected poultry excrement to other poultry. Because its not used as a feed ingredient for poultry in the US.

Poultry litter as feed CAN BE part of commercial feeds here in the US for Cattle and other ruminants. Though its use was discouraged in the 1970s, the Gov't currently takes a more neutral view, and some Universities are rather more supportive. It must be disclosed on our feed labels. It can ALSO be used to raise organic vegetables - where its use need not be disclosed on the final product. For feed, at least, poultry litter is to be composted or otherwise heat treated first, a way of destroying pathogens (including AI) in the litter.

 

[Molpet]

 

[PacificChorusFrog]

Back in the 1990s I was fostering rabbits from the local humane society, and I learned essentially the same thing. The standard feed companies tailor their feed to short-lived rabbits or chickens for quick growth, because short life is expected.

 

[Mother of Chaos]

View attachment 4130163

Yep. And with the mention of biogas, I’m guessing this is a fairly recent poster? (Poster as in visual display)

 

[Molpet]

Yep. And with the mention of biogas, I’m guessing this is a fairly recent poster? (Poster as in visual display)

View attachment 4130193

Not sure how old... it was in my FB memories and now it's gone LOL

but they have updated ones for most livestock
https://www.farmcreditofvirginias.com/knowledge-center/educator-resources/everything-but-the