Page 889 of articles about news

In the late 1990s the Finnish Yorkshire pig population was threatened by a genetic defect which spread at an alarming rate and led to infertility. The defective KPL2 gene in porcine chromosome 16 caused pig spermatozoa to be short-tailed and immotile. The recessive genetic defect did not cause any other symptoms in the pigs. Research Scientist Anu Sironen of MTT Agrifood Research Finland mapped the defective gene in her doctoral research. Sequence analysis of the candidate gene KPL2 revealed the presence of an inserted retrotransposon, a DNA sequence which moves around independently in the host genome.

There is no salmonella outbreak in Region 8, announced Dr. Archie Lluz who is Chief of Regional Animal Disease and Diagnostic Laboratory of the Department of Agriculture (DA) in the region. The results were identified as "Pasteurella hemolytica" a type of bacterial infection that reportedly causes deaths of swine and is due to bad sanitation and changes in weather conditions.

COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 152/2009 of 27 January 2009 laying down the methods of sampling and analysis for the official control of feed.

A federal appeals court yesterday denied an industry request to order U.S. EPA to reconsider its decision to regulate dust in rural areas, a move that agricultural groups say could stifle farmers unnecessarily.

The decision was written in a draft law on food safety, which was tabled to the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, China's top legislature, on Wednesday for a fourth reading.

From March 3 2009, the Ministry of the Environment and Rural and Marine Affairs (MARM) will extend the use of the telematic system for the application for health certificates for the exportation of genetic material (semen, ovules and embryos) and live equine and porcine animals. (Original in Spanish. Read Google translation here).

Kathleen Merrigan has been nominated by U.S. President Barack Obama to be deputy secretary of Agriculture, officials said Tuesday.

Agricultural product volume increased by 2.6% to 71.4 billion rubles in Russia in January 2009, to compare with the corresponding period in 2007, Federal State Statistics Service of Russia (Rosstat) reports.

After the detection of cases of CSF in wild boar in neighbouring states, the government of Hessen has launched an information campaign with the aim of preventing and protecting against the disease. (Original in German. Read Google translation here).

Danish Crown decided to lower the interest rate on contracts to finance purchase of piglets.

The european exportation of pig meat and derived products reached a record level of 2.6 million tonnes, 34% more than the previous year. (Original in German. Read Google translation here).

This publication from the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics (ABARE), describes research indicating that the Australian livestock industry is including greater proportions of genetically modified (GM) crops in its stockfeed, and that consumers are not rejecting animal products raised on these products. The 48-page publication issued in 2009, also discusses the implications of the apparent changes in market acceptance of GM products.

U.S. imports and exports of red meats—beef, pork, lamb, and mutton—have expanded rapidly over the last several decades, linking livestock sectors of the United States to those of several major trading partners. Factors driving this trade growth include not only rising incomes, but also the preference of U.S. and foreign consumers for a greater variety of red meat cuts, facilitated by the expansion of free trade agreements.

The work group ProSchwein has made three proposals: castration with anaesthesia, chemical castration or breeding of entire male pigs. (Original in French. Read Google translation here).

Most crop prices are expected to be substantially lower in 2008/09. Even with larger quantities of most grains and oilseeds available to market, lower prices will pull down receipts and production value from 2008's record level. A substantial reduction in milk prices will signal the same outcome for livestock commodities. Despite increases for red meat and poultry receipts, overall livestock receipts are projected down by nearly $11 billion in 2009.