Pork Companies Announce AI Technology Study Results, New Feed Additives, New Hires and Success in Sustainability
Industry players, including MASCO, Danisco Animal Nutrition & Health, a business unit of IFF, Hormel Foods Corporation and Maple Leaf Foods Inc., announce recent updates within their companies. Here's a look at their recent news.
MASCO’s Artificial Intelligence Audio Sensors Address Issues of Swine Production
Aiming to address labor shortages and herd health management in the swine industry, MASCO has developed artificial intelligence audio sensors to provide continuous wellness monitoring of animals, specifically focusing on respiratory events, or coughing, and pinpointing the location for treatment, says a release.
During a case study in Minnesota, the technology was found to have helped decrease mortality rates by half or up to four times, depending on the surveyed barn, validating that the monitoring system helps create faster detection and treatment to decrease pig and economic losses.
Additionally, the producer reported the MASCO sensors provided consistent, objective alerts that were accurate.
"There was an instance where I asked my employees how their barn was doing, they said it was doing great,” says one of the herd managers from the study. “That same day I received a message from MACSO saying that there were coughs in that barn. I drove over to the barn to check it out and MACSO was spot on. These pigs happened to be sick enough that I needed to go in and inject medication to keep them alive."
The company says the system gives producers a “24/7 Herdsman” to help make informed decisions about their herd health management.
Danisco Animal Nutrition & Health Launches New Enzyme Blend Focused on Piglet Production
Danisco Animal Nutrition & Health, a business unit of IFF, recently launched Axtra PRIME, an optimized enzyme blend designed to address key challenges in piglet production. According to the release, the feed solution aims to improve nutrient digestion and enhance gut health, delivering measurable performance results.
The company says the feed additive is formulated to mitigate the risks and issues that can disrupt feed strategies and adversely affect performance during times of stress, such as weaning. By targeting key digestibility challenges, the company says the formula helps “create a favorable nutribiotic state in the gut of the piglet, thereby minimizing susceptibility to disturbances in the gut and maximizing overall performance.”
Axtra PRIME includes a combination of xylanase, beta-glucanase, alpha-amylase and protease enzymes and have been shown to support healthier, faster piglet growth across different diet types, while studies highlight the potential piglet growth performance and producers’ profitability benefits of supplementing various feed formulations with this enzyme blend.
Hormel Foods Corporations Named to Barron’s Most Sustainable U.S. Companies List
Ranked on Barron’s prestigious list of the 100 most sustainable U.S. companies for 2023, Hormel Foods Corporation lands 23rd, based on 200-plus environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance indicators compared to the 1,000 largest publicly traded companies, the release says.
The company’s efforts, including “Our Food Journey” and “20 by 30 Challenge,” have been instrumental in sustainability and the investment in its people, partners and communities.
“We are honored to be recognized as one of Barron's 100 Most Sustainable Companies,” said Jim Snee, chairman of the board, president and chief executive officer of Hormel Foods. “We understand the responsibility that comes with being a sustainable food company, and we take that responsibility seriously. We have an incredible team of 20,000 people who take pride in the work we are doing. We know that our environmental, social and governance commitments and achievements matter, not only to our shareholders, but to our customers, consumers and communities where we live and work.”
Maple Leaf Foods Inc. Names New Pork Division President
Maple Leaf Foods Inc. names Dennis Organ, an industry veteran bringing over 27 years of experience, president of the company’s pork division. Organ has held a variety of key roles within the food industry, including serving 11 years with Smithfield Foods, and has a strong track record as an innovative thinker, leading complex global food and meat processing organizations, the release says.
This recent announcement follows the company’s recent changes to its senior leadership team, as the company embarks on its next chapter focused on leveraging its network of facilities, accelerating innovation and elevating its operational system, says the release.
