NUTRITION, HEALTH & WELLNESS

While generally not fatal in adult animals, FMD can be deadly for young animals and causes significant economic losses due to reduced productivity and trade restrictions.

Vitamin D deficiency is a widespread concern in many regions, and farmed salmon enhanced with naturally elevated levels of the nutrient could help address this gap in daily dietary intake.

The deal, announced on July 10, is expected to reinforce vaccine production and disease response capabilities across sub-Saharan Africa, although financial terms remain undisclosed.

Authorities and developers believe digital tools will modernize the sector and equip rural communities with access to timely and actionable animal health services.

The resurgence is expected to renew pressure on South Africa’s agricultural and veterinary systems, especially with the industry still reeling from the effects of last year’s mass culling.

DSM-Firmenich confirmed in early 2024 that it intends to carve out the ANH division by the end of 2025.

Despite the easing of bans, Brazil’s poultry exports took a significant hit in June, with fresh chicken meat shipments falling by 23% to 314,000 tons.

Currently, most poultry vaccines are produced using embryonated chicken eggs (ECE), a system burdened by high costs, ethical concerns, and supply chain vulnerabilities.

The launch comes at a time when pig producers worldwide are grappling with the challenges of managing early-life stress in piglets, particularly during critical transition periods, such as weaning.

A recurring theme throughout the event was the urgent need to embed welfare in both policy and practice, and to shift industry mindsets from extractive models toward more ethical, inclusive systems.