MEAT OF THE MATTER
Thailand is one of Southeast Asia's leaders in new livestock health practices, but even here we find that the various livestock sectors perceive the challenge of livestock health in different ways - with an ironic outcome.
The Philippines is an interesting case study where we see what happens when we rely on traditional livestock remedies but not Thai-style, policy-based enforcement of quarantine and transport restrictions. In the case of the Philippines, this is made worse by two other factors.
If the Philippines wants to know the outcome of stubborn adherence to traditional livestock rememdies, it need not look any further than China.
MARKET
After the European Union had banned antibiotics in feeds, there has been renewed interest in plant-based remedies for animals.
The Beijing Olympics, to be held from August 6 to 24 this year, will likely draw millions of local and overseas visitors, not to mention competitors, coaches and officials. Understandably, food supplies and food safety have emerged as key concerns.
SUPPLY CHAIN
In a country where everyone seems to run a mom-and-pop shop, sidewalk food stall or a mobile fresh-food store, hypermarts and retail chains are too hot an issue to talk about.
INDUSTRY
After hundreds of pets died from feed contamination in the US last year, food safety suddenly became a worldwide concern. Manufacturing techniques, raw material sources and other production aspects have come under increasing scrutiny.
Despite increased production cost, China's Shuanghui continued to perform well for the fi nancial year ending Dec 31, 2007.
LIVESTOCK HEALTH
Since the January 2006 EU ban on antibiotic growth promoters (AGPs) in animal feeds, the use of plant extracts and essential oils as AGP alternatives has risen from an EU average 55 per cent in 2005 to 70 per cent in poultry feeds and 80 per cent in pig feeds.
MEAT OPERATION
A typical large meat processing plant in New Zealand produces a wastewater load equivalent to that from a city with a population of about 400,000 people.
Appropriate and effective treatment of the wastewater and disposal of the treated effluent is therefore of major importance.
COLD CUTS
Until 2003, Thailand was one of the world's leading exporters of frozen chicken, shipping 331,045 tonnes abroad for that year alone.
