BEIJING, China (Nov. 2, 2012) — Alltech, one of the world’s leading animal health companies, has launched a $2.5 million Alltech – Chinese University/Institute Research Alliance with leading Chinese universities and academic research institutes.
Agreements were signed in October at a press conference in Beijing and at ceremonies at the Institute of Quality Standard and Testing Technology for Agri-Products – Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhejiang University, South China Agricultural University, Northwest A&F University and Jiangnan University.
As part of a 2011 Global Feed Tonnage Survey conducted and released by Alltech, it was shown that China is now the largest feed market in the world. As such, Alltech is putting unprecedented resources into China, including transferring Dr. Mark Lyons, one of its senior vice presidents and the son of its founder, to China. Another senior vice president, Aidan Connolly, visits China approximately once a month to support Alltech’s operations in the country.
“Issues such as mycotoxins, feed and food safety and the environmental impact of our industry are strongly present in China,” Lyons said. “Also, in times of the highest ever raw material prices in history, Chinese animal producers still need to be profitable by reducing feed costs and increasing animal performance. One of the biggest questions for China is how the country can improve the feed conversion rate and, at the same time, decrease the dependence on crop imports.”
The investment is demonstrative of Alltech’s commitment to find sustainable solutions to “our most important markets, solving real problems for the benefit of society and the industry. The impact of this will go beyond the borders of China as China today impacts all parts of the food and feed industries around the world,” he said.
Alltech has been successfully collaborating with top academic institutions through research alliances in order to find long-term answers to the key issues facing the agricultural industry by using sound sciences and educating the next generation of scientist. This research alliance follows the inking of major agreements with the University of Kentucky and Nofima, the Norwegian Institute of Food, Fisheries and Aquaculture Research, earlier this year.
“China is potentially the largest single market for Alltech and has attracted the best resources from the company. This research alliance platform thus becomes the first key program invested in by Alltech’s Corporate Research Department to provide animal agriculture the combined resources of Alltech and the top academic research institutions in China,” said Dr. Karl Dawson, chief scientific officer at Alltech.
The research alliances at each university will focus on specific key areas that address emerging challenges to animal agriculture in China. Examples include:
Alltech – IQSTAP Feed Toxicology Research Alliance: Mycotoxin testing methodology development and application
Alltech – ZJU Animal Nutrition and Feed Science Research Alliance: New feed additive evaluation and solution development
Alltech – NWAFU Animal Science Research Alliance: Application of animal metabolic chamber in the control of greenhouse gas emission
Alltech – SCAU Animal Nutrition Control Research Alliance: Nutrigenomics in yellow feather chicken
Alltech – JNU Food Research Alliance: Programmed Nutrition on the regulation of meat quality
The research alliances will be run by the joint Alltech/ University/Institute Management Committee, responsible for the programs’ preparation, justification, monitoring and outcome review. This strategic, long-term partnership will be critical for the consistency of future scientific studies and will be the basis for successful breakthrough in scientific research. These alliances are expected to be the catalyst for future advances in agricultural technologies.
“Alltech’s University Research Alliances present a fantastic opportunity to promote research collaboration. I really think this will benefit both the universities and Alltech enormously. More importantly, it will provide an excellent opportunity for the education of future generations,” said Dr. Youling Xiong, professor, University of Kentucky, Department of Animal and Food Sciences.
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