There are
many reasons to add fats or oils to animal diets. Nutritionally, fats are a
concentrated source of energy and a source of essential fatty acids. Fats
improve palatability, feed efficiency, reproductive efficiency, and the
digestibility of certain protein-rich feeds, as well as alleviate heat stress.
There is also evidence that certain fatty acid configurations have
nutraceutical properties.
Vietnam
is a major importer of soybean meal (about 900,000 tonnes) and vegetable oil
(roughly 300,000t). Although 2004 imports may dip due to livestock production
problems, Vietnam
is currently one of the largest Asian importers of oilseed products.
Energy sources are critical in animal
diets. Vegetable oils have been shown to be an ideal energy source in animal
nutrition. Fat is one of the most economical energy sources. It differs from
other nutrients in that it supplies about 2.3 times as much energy as the same
amount of carbohydrates, for example. But fats are by no means all the same.
Oilseeds in
the EU represent two percent of the value of total agriculture output.
Subsidies account for more than half of the total value of oilseeds for the Union as a whole. France,
Germany and Italy as main
producing countries benefit the most from this financial support.
The Mildola oil mill in the south of Finland is small
compared to worldwide operating crushers. But small can be beautiful. Involved
in food as well as in feed products, the company is proud to produce a fully
organic rapeseed meal for the feed industry.
The Federation of the Belgium Chemical Industries (Fedichem), the Federation
for the Food industry (Fevia) and the cooperative of the Belgium feed producers
(Bemefa) have developed a code of conduct regarding the use of chemicals in food
and feed. This code was established in close cooperation with the Belgium Food
Agency (FAVV).
DuPont said recently that it completed US regulatory
submissions for approval of a high oleic soybean oil trait being developed
through its Pioneer Hi-Bred International unit, in partnership with
Bunge.
Argentina's soybean processors increased output by 14% last year as rising
demand for vegetable oil and animal feed boosted prices, the government said.
Plains Oilseed Products, LLC ("POP") an Oklahoma Limited Liability Company,
formed January 3, 2007, plans to construct, own and operate a state-of-the-art
oilseed processing plant in Western Oklahoma, USA.
Archer Daniels Midland Company (ADM) has bought the Ukrainian Ilichivsk Oil
Extraction Factory. With this purchase, ADM consolidates it position into
Ukraine’s promising agricultural market.