Influence of Health on Feed Efficiency

Posted in: Pork Insight Articles, Welfare by PSCI on May 11, 2012

This presentation by Dr. Steve Dritz of the University of Kansas State was presented as the 5th in a series of 8 webinars on Feed Efficiency hosted by the Prairie Swine Centre. To access the presentation scroll down and click on Download PDF

View Past Feed Efficiency Webinars

Posted in: Press Releases by katrina on April 30, 2012

By clicking on the appropriate link below you will be directed to the Farm Leadership Council (FLC) website where you will be able to view the past presentation.  If you have not previously registered with FLC please log in as a guest. 

Once you have logged into the site you can view the recorded webinar by highlighting the appropriate link in the text box labelled links (top left of web page) and clicking “browse to”.

March 5, 2012 – Dr. Candido Pomar of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada “The Future of Precision Livestock Farming”  http://wflc.adobeconnect.com/pscmar5/

March 27, 2012 – Dr. Bob Goodband of Kansas State University “Feeding and Barn Management Factors that Influence Whole Herd Feed Efficiency”  http://wflc.adobeconnect.com/pscmar27/

April 10, 2012 – Dr. Aaron Gains of The Maschhoffs ”Herd Management Factors that Influence Whole Herd Feed Efficiency”  http://wflc.adobeconnect.com/pscapr10/

April 24, 2012 – Dr. Tom Scott, University of Saskatchewan “New Processing Technology that May Influence Feed Efficiency” http://wflc.adobeconnect.com/pscapr24/

May 8, 2012 – Dr. Steve Dritz, Kansas State University ”Health Effect on Feed Efficiency” http://wflc.adobeconnect.com/pscmay8/

New Feed Processing Technology that May Influence Feed Efficiency

Posted in: Pork Insight Articles, Production by katrina on April 24, 2012

This presentation by Dr. Tom Scott of the University of Saskatchewan was presented at the 4th in a series of 8 webinars on Feed Efficiency hosted by Prairie Swine Centre. To access the presentation scroll down and click on Download PDF

NEXT WEBINAR “Fueling the Immune Response: What is the Cost?” featuring Dr. Rod Johnson, University of Illinois

Posted in: Press Releases by katrina on

 The next speaker in the Prairie Swine Centre / Farm Leadership council webinar series is Dr. Rod Johnson from the University of Illinois who will be speaking with respect to the cost of fueling the immune response.  This webinar is the 6th in a series of 8. 

Details will be posted at a later date.

Upcoming Prairie Swine Centre/Farm Leadership Council Feed Efficiency Webinars

Posted in: Press Releases by katrina on April 23, 2012

With diets costing $50 to $60 per tonne more than budget all farms are looking for feed cost relief. Grain purchasing strategies are an essential part of controlling the total cost of production. With higher feed costs there has been a greater emphasis put on feed efficiency.

Prairie Swine Centre will be hosting a series of eight one-hour interactive webinars. Starting March 5 and ending in June 2012.

Focus on Feed Efficiency webinars are accessible with any internet connection and will include presentations from Research Scientists and pork producers who are making a difference in improving on-farm feed efficiency.

A variey of topics will be introduced to help producers use feed efficiency including the effect of feed processing, herd management effects on feed efficiency, amino acid nutrition, understanding dietary energy concentrations and new feed processing technologies.

Advantages of Attending the Webinars

In order to be competitive in the pork industry producers must know their cost of production. Feed costs represent approximately 60 to 70% of the total cost of production, and therefore represent the greatest opportunity to reduce costs.

During the course of this webinar series Research Scientists and pork producers will present information on improving feed efficiency in swine. By attending the live webinar events pork producers and industry personnel may not only ask the speaker specific questions but receive the answer right away, directly from the expert.

Schedule of Times and Speakers

May 22, 2012 – 10:30 am CST, Dr. Rod Johnson, University of Illinois “Fueling the Immune Response: What is the Cost?”

June 5, 2012 – 10:30 am CST, Dr. Denise Beaulieu, Prairie Swine Centre “Emerging Technologies with Potential to Influence Feed Efficiency”

June 19, 2012 – 10:30 am CST, Dr. John Patience, Iowa State University “Dietary Energy Concentration and Feed Efficiency Targets: What are the Right Questions, and Do We Have the Answers?”

Loading Facilities for Market Hogs: Saskatchewan’s Top 10

Posted in: Pork Insight Articles, Prairie Swine Centre by katrina on April 18, 2012

For swine producers, loading pigs at marketing can be one of the most stressful and time-consuming experiences. Problems at loading also affect the welfare of animals and have a significant economic impact as they may cause death losses, carcass damage and meat quality problems. The objective of this project was to identify components of swine loadouts that have the greatest impact on pig stress and loading time.  Ten swine loadouts in Saskatchewan were visited, and the facility design and handling methods at each facility were documented by photographs and video footage.

This study found that there is a large variation in facilities and handling skills across the swine industry, and often little opportunity for producers or barn employees to gain new knowledge. Lighting, flooring, alley and ramp dimensions, and animal handling techniques all have the potential to cause problems when moving pigs through a facility. The best loadouts in Saskatchewan are ones which take these factors into account.  The results highlight the fact that handling of pigs can be improved by a variety of measures, ranging from extensive load-out renovations, to simple changes in lighting and handling techniques.

Developing Strategies for Water Conservation for Producers

Posted in: Pork Insight Articles, Prairie Swine Centre by katrina on

Animal drinking and cleaning are the top uses of water in swine barns. Using water conservation strategies to reduce water use will ultimately lower cost of production and contribute towards a more sustainable environment as less manure slurry is created. In order to find out which water conservation strategy is most effective, experiments were performed using different animal drinkers and cleaning strategies. It was found that about 60% less water wastage was achieved when a trough with side panel and constant water level was used compared to the nipple drinkers. Also, at barn clean up, the use of a conventional nozzle led to lesser time and water consumption during high pressure washing.

The results suggest that the use of the trough with the side panel and constant water level for drinking has the greatest potential for water savings without affecting pig performance. High pressure washing using the rotating turbo nozzle led to lesser time and water consumption during the cleaning process. Also, high pressure washing in fully slatted concrete flooring can be done without prior water sprinkling (soaking).

Can Omega-3 Fatty Acids Modulate the Immune Response of Pigs?

Posted in: Pork Insight Articles, Prairie Swine Centre by katrina on

Our experiments demonstrated that feeding n3 fatty acids to sows can affect piglet responses to immune challenges at weaning. We also showed that feeding piglets’ starter diets with n3’s in the nursery can also modulate their inflammatory reactions. Altering the n6:n3 fatty acid ratio in either sow or piglet diets can affect febrile and inflammatory cell responses of piglets when challenged with E. Coli LPS post-weaning.

When sows consumed an n6:n3 ratio of 1:1, their piglets had elevated body temperatures and a greater response to the immune challenge compared to piglets from sows consuming the other diets. When fed to piglets, a ratio of 5:1 n6:n3 tended to increase production of some inflammatory cells, but did not affect body temperature.

Based on these results we hypothesize that either the n6 fatty acids are not as inflammatory as we originally thought; or alternatively, that there is an ‘optimal’ n6:n3 ratio in the diet. Going below this ‘optimal’ ratio, the energy required to generate the immune response takes nutrients away from growth and can actually be a hindrance to piglet productivity and health.

Based on our preliminary results, we can recommend that pork producers include plant based n3 fatty acids such as those found in flaxseed, into the diets of lactating sows or newly weaned piglets, but to ensure that the ratio does not go below 5:1 n6:n3. Further experiments are being conducted to determine the consequences of generating immune responses, and the implications on animal health and performance.

Focus on Feed Efficiency in Pork Production

Posted in: Pork Insight Articles, Prairie Swine Centre by katrina on

Feed represents the largest proportion of cost of production, contributing up to 70% of the variable cost of production. This is nothing new. However in the past couple of years we have seen feed costs rise to historically high levels, while costs may retreat somewhat, it is highly unlikely in the short term that we will see feed costs dip to levels experienced in 2004 and 2005.

Since feed costs represent the largest portion of cost of production, it also represents the greatest opportunity for reducing costs in particular the grower-finisher barn.  With the higher feed costs there has been a greater push towards managing feed efficiency within operations. At current feed costs an improvement in feed efficiency of 0.1 kg of feed per kg of gain will result in a greater than $2.00 net income per pig marketed.

There are a number of considerations that need to be taken into account when examining feed efficiency in pork production: These are environmental (temperature, humidity, air circulation), social (space allocation, group size, re-grouping), immunological (disease, pathogen concentration), and management (particle size, feeder adjustment).

While this is not an inclusive list, it gives us the perspective of the multi-disciplinary approach that is required to achieve the full potential of managing feed efficiency. One of the ways in which Prairie Swine Centre is delivering this message is through a series of webinars specifically dedicated to a “Focus on Feed Efficiency”.  This series of eight Feed Efficiency webinars are being delivered in partnership with the Farm Leadership Council starting March 5 and concluding June 19. Webinars will run on two week intervals by well-known experts in the area of feed efficiency discussing a wide range of topics including: feeding and barn management, whole herd factors, feed processing, new technologies and health impact on feed efficiency.

Swine Innovation. What Does It Mean for Producers?

Posted in: Pork Insight Articles, Prairie Swine Centre, Swine Innovation by katrina on

The pork industry is no stranger to change. While the change in the industry has garnered most of the headlines in recent years, Canadian pork producers have always been on the leading edge of incorporating new technologies and management practices that enhance the competitive position of their business. One of the roles researchers play is ensuring producers have all the tools available to remain competitive.

Research is addressing some of the questions of the pork industry through the Canadian Swine Research and Development Cluster.  The Canadian Swine Research and Development Cluster rebranded as Swine Innovation Porc is a multi-year $9.6 million program established within the Growing Canadian Agri-Innovation Program – Canadian Agri-Science Initiative of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, in addition to receiving financial support from private sector and provincial government organizations.

Swine Innovation Porc objectives are to facilitate research, technology transfer and commercialization initiatives designed to enhance the competitiveness and differentiation of Canada’s pork industry.