Multinational Hamlet Protein, headquartered in Horsens, Denmark, a market leader in soy-based specialty proteins for young animals was among the participants in the annual swine industry meeting hosted by SEGES. Congress attendees from across different segments of the swine industry were briefed on the latest developments in swine production. Hamlet Protein focused on sharing insights on how its portfolio provides alternatives to the use of Zinc Oxide in feed as the European Union will enforce a ban effective 2022.
Pig production accounts for 30% of Denmark’s total agricultural value and 20% of its food exports. Danish pork and bacon products are exported to over 140 countries around the world. Even though the number of farms has declined significantly over the years, the total pig production has risen as the size of individual pig farming enterprises continues to increase. Danish pig farmers are among the most efficient in the world, producing on average around 30 piglets per sow per annum.
Hamlet Protein has gained an important market share amongst pig producers, with its vegetable soy product offering, as they recognize how the product quality contributes significantly to production results, especially in early life stages. The company has now started to promote their fiber range for piglets, first launched at the Zero Zinc summit earlier this year, as the restrictions on ZnO use has pig farmers looking for alternative solutions.
“Just like we see in markets where the use of antibiotics is being restricted or banned, also when facing a ban on ZnO there is no single feed ingredient or additive that can replace it. Hamlet Protein can offer part of the solution, but a complete alternative will come from a combination of products together with good farm hygiene and farm management, “commented Hamlet Protein CEO Erik Visser.
HP FiberStart was developed at the Hamlet Protein Research Center in Horsens, Denmark and several successful trials have been concluded in Denmark in recent months. HP FiberStart is aimed at piglets’ first diet post-weaning to alleviate weaning syndrome. “Not only Danish farmers, but also farmers outside Denmark have shown interest in our new fiber solutions. At the SEGES swine congress we had the opportunity to speak directly to a broad group of industry specialists to further explore the opportunities of this new product range,” said HP EMEA Director Jan Kamphof.
More fiber products are in our pipeline to accommodate the increasing needs from our global partners for dietary solution to stimulate gut health and sustainable gut development. In our bioconversion process we are able to modify fiber fractions in raw materials to products with functional effects. Our ability to stimulate increased production of butyric acid in the lower gut of young animals is in particular interesting to us, concluded Hamlet Protein NPD Manager Christine Brøkner.
Hamlet Protein produces soy-based protein ingredients for young piglet, poultry and cattle feed at two production plants in Denmark and the US. Hamlet Protein services customers around the world through a network of own sales offices and distributors. Find out more www.hamletprotein.com
