December 6, 2006

BASF ties up with Indiana feed mill to provide NutriDense grain

BASF Plant Science signed an agreement allowing Indiana-based Matthews Feed and Grain to contract for their NutriDense grain.

NutriDense is the nutritionally enhanced corn designed to enhance animal feed performance.

Under a separate agreement with JBS United, Matthews would provide feed containing NutriDense corn to their customer Signature Farms, operated by JBS United.

Under the arrangement, customers of Matthews Feed and Grain who so contract with them would bring their NutriDense grain to the feed mill for a US$0.25 premium vs. yellow dent corn. After grinding, Matthews would use NutriDense in preparing the feed ration for the JBS United swine at Signature Farms according to the latter's nutritional recommendation.

Matthews is a retailer for Select Seed, which BASF Plant Science recently licensed to sell hybrids containing NutriDense.

Matthews Feed and Grain's feed operations manager, Brantt Huston considers it as a win-win situation. NutriDense would increase a producer's revenue by offering him a premium, while ensuring a nutritionally enhanced feed for pigs.

Research at Purdue and South Dakota State Universities found that NutriDense improved lysine, methionine, cysteine, threonine and valine digestibility over yellow dent corn. This reduces the need for supplemental amino acids (protein) due to increased concentrations and digestibility in NutriDense-based diets compared to yellow dent diets.