Alltech Biotechnology one of the top five animal health companies in the world having presence in more than 120 countries, bringing innovative nutritional solutions to the marketplace. Dr. Aman Sayed, General Manager, Alltech South Asia shares about company’s latest innovations, 2015 Global Feed Survey and many more in recent interview with Think Grain Think Feed. Below are the excerpts from the interview:
Could you tell our readers something about Alltech India and its activities? It’s role in development of Indian feed industry?
We are now in our 15th year of direct operation in India, working with feed millers, integrators, cooperatives and farmers in the dairy, poultry, aquaculture, equine and pet value chains. Alltech business model across the globe is simple: we see what the world needs, look for innovative nutritional solutions and bring those solutions to the marketplace.
On the food safety front, we analyse ingredients, minerals and supplements in feed supply chain across India for heavy metal residues. The analysis results are used to educate stakeholders on the importance of using minerals and ingredients free from carcinogenic heavy metals such as arsenic, cadmium or lead.
Secondly, the Indian dairy industry is at the helm of revolutionising nutrition to increase productivity. We opened new chapter with the introduction of In Vitro Fermentation Model (IFM), a diagnostic tool that simulates rumen fermentation, allowing rapid screening of animal feeds and feed additives. IFM evaluates the nutritive value of animal feed in terms of digestibility and end-product formation. This new analytical tool illustrates Alltech’s primary objective and commitment to provide solutions and services to the dairy industry.
Would you please share some experiences of yours, having spent more than a decade journey with Alltech. What changes in the feed industry have you witnessed over the course of your career?
The journey has been tremendous and at Alltech, we are guided by what we call the ACE principle, our promise that in doing business we have a positive impact on the Animal, the Consumer and the Environment. We are in the feed additive business and believe that our additives now play a far more important role in improving production in all species and allowing feedmillers/integrators and farmer systems be more efficient than ever before. The demand of compound feed will continue to grow as farmers look for increased performance and profitability..
The 2016 Alltech Global Feed Survey revealed that the compound feed production in India for all species has grown approximately 37 percent in the last five years, including the transition of raw materials to compound feed fed to animals particularly in dairy and fish segment. At the end of 2011, India produced 23.4 million metric tons of feed while in 2015 the country produced 31.54 million metric tons. There is increasing awarenees on feed safety as todays consumers are increasingly focused on food safety, food that they eat and feed to their kids. People are more concerned about the safety of end products, be it fish, meat, milk or eggs, than they were a decade ago.
About a decade ago, there were limited options available to the customers but today, the scenario is totally changed, when there are many companies pushing their products in the market. How Alltech stands this tough competition and intend to deal with it?
We are proud that producers have embraced our nutritional technologies and innovation. We continue to help farmers feed the world, raise healthy animals and protect the environment through nutritional innovation.
It is always good to have a healthy competition but we believe our technologies and support programs, which enable farmers to realize greater efficiency, profitability and sustainability on their farms, are unique.
Alltech is known for innovations. Can you please share some of its new innovations in animal nutrition?
At Alltech we use nutrigenomics to learn as much as we can about how our solutions affect animals on the molecular and cellular levels. Studies conducted at Alltech’s Nutrigenomics Center for Animal Nutrigenomics and Applied Animal Nutrition, USA have facilitated the introduction of our On-farm Advantage solutions to the Indian market.
We are also focussing on sustainability in agriculture. Traditionally, DHA omega-3 has been supplied through fish oil. However, the availability and quality of fish oil for the feed industry has declined significantly. Alltech heavily invested in producing DHA omega-3 through algae as a viable alternative to fish oil. As a result, now consumers can have functional foods without the ‘fishy’ taste. Alltech is thereby helping to bridge the gap between food and health and create a new kind of preventative medicine. In particular, Alltech is examining algae applications for dairy, pet, poultry and aquaculture production, as a replacement of fish oil or fish meal or in feeding programs to enrich meat, milk and eggs with high DHA omega-3.
Please share a brief about recently concluded Alltech 2015 Global Feed Survey. According to 2015 Global feed survey by Alltech, feed production in India has increased to 29.43 MMT from 26.42 MMT previous year. Which sector has observed major expansion?
The Alltech Global Feed Survey is the most robust and reliable data available today in our sector. This is the fifth year Alltech has produced the survey since launching in 2011. The survey assesses the compound feed production from 131 countries through information obtained in partnership with local feed associations and Alltech’s sales team, who visit more than 32,000 feed mills annually.
Globally we estimate that international feed tonnage now is at 995.6 million metric tons, a 2 percent increase over last year. Asia has marginally grown by 0.4 percentage. Asia continues to be Number 1 region in the global feed production.
It is quiet surprising to see Asia pacific Vs North America feed prices. Average layer finisher feed per ton in Asia Pacific is $417.47 Vs $223.31 in North America. Average Broiler finisher feed per ton in Asia Pacific is $461.60 Vs $246.82 in North America. It is also evident that there is decrease in China’s total feed production by 2 percent. India is now No.4 producer and up by 4 percentage and growth is coming from poultry, dairy and aqua.
Please share the theme of Alltech upcoming conference ‘one.’
Today’s world is consistently changing. We get more information in a day than our great-grandparents got in a year. Our world is globalwe can connect with anyone in the world at the touch of a button, but are we using our newfound connections to innovate?
ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference, will be a forum for world-changing ideas, global networking and inspiration. Held in Kentucky, USA this May, ONE offers a topical blend of science, agriculture, entrepreneurship, business and marketing information, along with a craft beer festival.
This year, we are challenging ourselves to find ONE idea, ONE action, to change the world. This will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to take ONE step to change our future.
Customers interested in learning more about ONE can contact the Alltech Bangalore office or email india@alltech.com.
