The exhibition organised by VNU Exhibitions in the Netherlands and Asti Group, are welcoming an exhibitor field of 300 international, regional and local companies from 32 countries.

Alongside the pig and poultry industry trade fair, the organisers are also presenting a three day seminar covering topics including economics and policy subjects, animal farm equipment, feed processing, feed ingredients, animal health and breeding, slaughtering egg and meat processing meat and dairy products and the entire meat supply chain.

At the official Opening Conference on 27 May, Nan-Dirk Mulder, an industry analyst at Rabobank's Food & Agribusiness Research and Advisory will give a presentation of the study of the rise of the Russian and Ukrainian animal protein industry in a global context.

The CIS animal protein industries, particularly in Russia and Ukraine, belong to the fastest growing industries in the world.

Many new greenfield projects are currently implemented in the poultry and pig industries offering huge opportunities for domestic and international investors and suppliers.

The Rabobank presentation will focus on the position of the CIS meat industries in the international animal protein market, the changing profile of the internal markets and industry structures and the opportunities and threats for investors and suppliers in these attractive markets.

"This presentation is a true added value for our visitors and exhibitors," said project manager Ruwan Berculo.

"There is a direct link to the exhibition, because the field of exhibitors also shows a strong combination of domestic and international suppliers."

Russian Animal Husbandry

The first day will also see speeches from representatives of the federal and regional legislative and executive authorities in Russia including the Ministry of Agriculture, Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Supervision, Federal Agency for Technical Regulation and Metrology, Meat Union, Rosptitsesoyuz (Russian Poultry Union) and Rossvinprom (Russian Swine Industry).

They will cover Russian animal husbandry in new conditions - the politics, economics and market situation.

Topics for discussion will be:

• Cattle-breeding as the priority branch in the agriculture: state support and state policy in five year future
• Influence of international tendencies on the animal husbandry: dairy, meat and poultry market
• Dairy and meat production in conditions of new market price economy (raw materials, provision, technical resources including energetic and construction materials)
• Problems that prevent development of the market (not enough agriculture specialists, undeveloped infrastructure, etc.)
• Prospects of animal husbandry market: deficit of raw material or crisis of overproduction? + influence of import.

Tackling Disease Problems

Animal health products manufacturer Merial will be delivering two presentations on the first day of the conference.

Dr Stéphane Imbert will discuss a product range for swine at the forefront of infectious disease control and Dr Bruno Cluzel and Dr Andreas Hermann will look at control of Marek's disease and IBD infection and the safe and efficient control of Newcastle disease.

Dr Alex Eggen from Schering-Plough/Intervet Animal Health in The Netherlands will give a presentation on "What are now the best options for preventing respiratory diseases in swine?" and Dr Marc Martens, also from Schering-Plough/Intervet Animal Health will discuss "Enteric diseases in young piglets: differential diagnosis and prevention"

Other presentations on the first day will include:

• Successful Turkey production by Mr. R.A. Hutchinson / Mr. M. Swalander from British United Turkeys.
• The use of natural titrated plant extracts to manage gut flora balance in feed programmes by Dr. François Recoquilla from Phytosynthèse, France.
• Animal biosecurity disinfect to protect by Phil Keene from Dow Biocides, USA

First Financial Seminar

Coface and VNU Exhibitions will present the first Financial Seminar for the Meat and Meat Processing industry on the second day of the seminars at VIV Europe 2008/Moscow Edition.

Coface is one of the world's leading providers of credit management services. This part of the seminar on 28 May will present credit management solutions and attendees will have the opportunity to receive answers to their questions for their specific company situations.

Coface offers four business lines in Russia, facilitating the trade in the meat, agro and food sector: information and ratings about companies, trade protection through credit insurance, trade finance through factoring and better receivables management with debt collection. With information about more than 57 million companies worldwide Coface has one of the strongest databases for the assessment of credibility and opinion on credit insurance limits for trade purposes.

The second day agenda for the seminars will see Vladimir Getman from Nedap Agri in the Netherlands give a presentation on "More Profit through innovative farm equipment".

Dr. Luciano Gobbi from Schering-Plough/Intervet Animal Health will talk on "Coccidiosis control: a sanitary approach or a management approach?" and Dr Pieter Kühne also from Schering-Plough/Intervet Animal Health will discuss "Prevention against the Respiratory Complex in poultry production is not so complex."

Other presentations on day two will include:

• Control of salmonella in feed by Dr Don Wilson Global Technical Director for Anitox.
• Phyzyme XP: a new generation phytase with higher bioefficacy by Sandor Zsarnoczay, Technical Manager with Danisco Animal Nutrition.
• Consumer perception on Egg Quality in Russia by DVM Mustafa Ünal from DSM Nutritional Products.
• "Understanding Infections' Dynamics to control PDC problematic farms by Dr. David Llopart from HIPRA, Spain.
• Improved performance through innovative animal nutrition; increasing feed costs - what to do? and risk management in mycotoxins by biotransformation, binding and prevention by Ms. Maryte Narmontiene and DI Ursula Hofstetter from Biomin GmbH.
• Eubiotics - Modern approaches in improving piglets gut health by Dr. Matthias Wiemann from DSM Nutritional Products, Switzerland.
• Practical experiences feeding poultry with HyD: a question of quality by Dr. Maria F. Soto-Salanova from DSM Nutrional Products, Spain.
• Mycotoxins, how to manage a serious matter of concern in food safety by Dr. Olga Averkieva from Kemin Europa NV, Belgium.

Joint Seminar on PCVD

The final day of the conference will see a joint seminar organised by Merial, France and the EU Framework 6 Specific Support Action (SSA) on PCVD. The speakers, Dr Gordon Allan, Dr Steve Krakowka and Dr John Ellis will look at "Porcine circovirus disease: Pathogenesis, diagnostic and control.

Martijn Gruyters from Cobb Europe will give a presentation on Managing the Progeny in Young Breeder Flocks and Santiago Gomez from Diamond Systems USA will look at egg products processing technology.

Sandor Zsarnoczay from Danisco Animal Nutrition in Finland will close the conference with a presentation entitled "Feed Costs to High? Learn more about how we can help to reduce your swine feed costs".