Two projects funded by Swine Innovation Porc and carried out by Prairie Swine Centre (PSC) and Centre de développement du porc du Québec (CDPQ) examined the adoption of best management practices on farms throughout Canada. The first project audited 24 farms across Canada (2018), with a minimum of two farms in each province, consisting of a questionnaire and an on-site visit. The second project focused on a survey (2023) of pork producers, throughout Canada, of various best management practices implemented in their operations. Each focused on best management practices looking at biosecurity/herd health, feed/feeder management, and personal protection, water use/management, in addition to each phase of production (breeding, gestation, farrowing, nursery, and grower-finisher). We analyzed the results from each project, measuring the change in the adoption of best management practices across projects.
Based on the survey results we can see that little changes can make a big impact on the overall profitability of your operation. While most producers are aware of individual best management throughout their barns, day-to-day activities and emergencies sometimes get in the way. Currently there seems to be a margin for improvement as we incorporate approximately 50% of measured and surveyed best management practices.
A Survey of Best Management Practices of Swine Farms Across Canada (full article)
