January 7, 2008

Feed conference to balance animal welfare with competitive production

With animal welfare high on the EU agenda and gaining acceptance internationally, Schothorst Feed Research has organised Nutrition Conference "Feed & Wellness: Optimal nutrition for welfare, health and production" to look at balancing the needs to adhere to animal welfare standards and the costs of production.

The conference will focus on the role of nutrition in animal health (immunity), reducing stress and decreasing production diseases. These measures are viewed as the most practical and applicable methods of providing welfare to animals while profiting animal producers and gaining consumers acceptance.

As the EU enacts tougher animal welfare laws, higher production costs are likely to result, thus highlighting the need to find alternatives of reducing stress while providing wellness for animals.

The EU commissioner will address the EU welfare legislation at the conference. The scientific standards and arguments for the legislation would also be presented. The consumers' perspective on food choices would also be featured in the conference. 

The conference is aimed at international and national nutritionists of feed manufacturers, allied industry, regulatory people and government officials, researchers and interested parties from the food chain.

The conference would be held on March 6 at the "Reehorst" conference center in Ede, the Netherlands.

Registration Preregistration with payment of EUR 245 (excl. VAT, is required via www.schothorst.nl or email to jdoppenberg@schothorst.nl