In his review of the book "Protein - Population - Politics", Prof. Gerhard Flachowsky, FAL, Braunschweig, focuses on sustainable protein supply for the growing world population from the nutritionist's point of view. The questions raised are indeed complex and solutions must be found in a global context. The basic needs of people with different purchasing power have to be met, but animal ecology and environmental concerns will play an increasing role in the search for sustainable solutions.

published in No. 42 / 2007 (ISSN-number: 1617-2906)

Satisfying basic nutritional needs is not only a question of quantity, but also involves food quality and safety, especially freedom from food-borne agents. In his article "Preventing Salmonella infections by rationally designed feed additives - the use of organic acids", Dr. Filip Van Immerseel, specialist in Salmonella control in poultry at Ghent University, reviews the use of organic acids in poultry feed and advocates a new approach, aiming at an increase in the butyrate producing flora in the chicken caeca

published in No. 42 / 2007 (ISSN-number: 1617-2906)

The improvement of food safety by controlling zoonoses is a major issue in the EU while implementing "Regulation No. 2160/2003 of the European Parliament on the control of salmonella and other specified food-borne zoonotic agents" until 2013. In his article "Control of Salmonella and other zoonotic agents in the European Community", Dr. Matthias Voss, head of the Veterinary Laboratory of LTZ in Cuxhaven, reviews the current legislation and time frame for the control of salmonella in poultry and pig production.

published in No. 42 / 2007 (ISSN-number: 1617-2906)

Production of safe food of animal origin starts with healthy animals. Hatcheries and associated parent farms play a key role in this respect, as emphasized in "Breeder farms and hatchery as integrated operation" by Prof. Hafez Mohamed Hafez, Berlin, an internationally recognized authority on poultry health and currently President of the World's Poultry Veterinary Association.

published in No. 42 / 2007 (ISSN-number: 1617-2906)

Beyond the challenge to produce poultry meat and eggs at low cost, in high quality and with minimal use of natural resources, producers also have to respect and respond to demands of ethicists to treat animals well. People in the industry may question whether correct beak treatment is an unnecessary "mutilation", but management practices must be optimized based on current knowledge of the bird's physiology and practical experience with less invasive methods. In her paper "Mutilations in poultry in European production systems", Thea Fix - van Niekerk, Wageningen, member of WPSA Working Group Welfare and Management takes a balanced look at the general subject from a welfare and industry point of view.

published in No. 42 / 2007 (ISSN-number: 1617-2906)

Prof. John Hodges: "Sustainable Agriculture and Food at Risk". The author has been responsible at the FAO for conservation of biodiversity and food production in developing countries after a career in Agribusiness and education at the University level. Since his retirement, he continues to publish and lecture extensively with focus on undesirable side effects of the concentration in the global food chain. Politicians and global players in the food industry are challenged to develop conditions for food production, in which agriculture finds its appropriate position.

published in No. 42 / 2007 (ISSN-number: 1617-2906)

Dr. Ken Laughlin: "Poultry Genetics – Anticipating Industry Requirements". To remain competitive, primary breeders have to predict industry requirements well in advance, and it takes many years from anticipated needs to advanced measurement techniques and finally the appropriate product profile at the time the industry asks for it. The improvements documented are impressive, but unlikely to be acknowledged by "fundamental" opponents to modern farm animal agriculture.

published in No. 42 / 2007 (ISSN-number: 1617-2906)

Dr. Hans-Heinrich Thiele: "Management Recommendations for Rearing Pullets for Alternative Housing Systems". As head of the Lohmann Tierzucht service team, the author coordinates the publication of management guides for breeding stock and commercial layers. Due to his extensive previous experience in duck and broiler breeding and management, he has a keen eye for bird behavior in connection with the transition from conventional cage management to alternative floor systems in Europe. This review should help to minimize avoidable mistakes.

published in No. 42 / 2007 (ISSN-number: 1617-2906)

Dr. A. Petri and Dr. A. Lemme: "Trends and Latest Issues in Broiler Diet Formulation". Increasing feed prices force nutritionists to take a closer look at the price of available components in order to minimize feed cost per unit edible meat. Balancing rations in terms of energy and amino acids is a key to minimize feed cost. This paper is reproduced from Degussa AMINONews, covers extensive world literature and is designed to check current standards for broiler feed formulation. Obviously, nutritional needs are changing with genetic improvement of growth potential.

published in No. 42 / 2007 (ISSN-number: 1617-2906)

Prof. H. H. Swalve: "Crossbreeding in Dairy Cattle – International Trends and Results from Experiments in Germany". The superiority of crossbreds compared to their purebred parents has been observed and documented in different animal and poultry species since at least a century ago. Plant breeders were pioneers in developing theories to explain "heterosis" and in designing long-term breeding plans to make maximum use of general and specific combining ability. Poultry breeders were first to follow plant breeders, and pig breeders soon followed poultry breeders. Terminal crosses of different breeds of beef cattle are also not uncommon, but systematic crossbreeding in dairy cattle on a larger scale is still the exception. In this article, the author examines under which conditions crossbreeding in dairy cattle may become more widely practiced in the future.

published in No. 42 / 2007 (ISSN-number: 1617-2906)

Prof. G. Flachowsky: "Iodine in Animal Nutrition and Iodine Transfer from Feed into Food of Animal Origin". Many people suffer from insufficient iodine in their diet, while excessive intake presents another equally serious risk. On the basis of results from the literature and own experiments, the author reviews possibilities to optimize daily intake by consuming iodine-enriched food of animal origin. The high transfer rate in milk and eggs has led the EU Commission to reduce the maximum level from 10 to 5 mg/kg iodine in feed for dairy cows and laying hens. Increasing the iodine level in meat would be a very inefficient alternative.

published in No. 42 / 2007 (ISSN-number: 1617-2906)