WShannon – Page 18 – Prairie Swine Centre

Finishing Facilities

Small changes have a large impact on the profitability of the operation in regard to finishing facilities due to the length of it. 16 finishing facilities were audited with many achieving a score above 80% for the adoption of best...

November 6, 2020

Management

Pork Quality and What it Means For a Healthy Way of Eating

For a human to lose weight, it is recommended to have a diet with low carbohydrates, moderate protein and a high amount of fat, which may be surprising. Carbohydrates stimulate insulin release which moves energy from our blood into fat...

November 6, 2020

Nutrition

Feeding Straw to Sows in Late Gestation. Benefits to Processing?

Behavioural problems due to restricted feeding in sows may be reduced and litter and sow performance during lactation may improve by feeding fiber-rich diets. The composition of the fiber (proportion of soluble to insoluble fiber) and dietary inclusion rates may...

November 6, 2020

Ethology Management

Nursery Facilities, Auditing Best Management Practices

Weaned pigs require a good environment without drafts, is dry with fresh air, water and feed in order to optimize nursery performance. Out of the 18 nursery facilities audited, management practices were good, though improvement can be made in regard...

November 6, 2020

Management

Farrowing Systems, Auditing Best Management Practices

Birth to weaning is the most critical period in the life cycle of a pig. Farrowing practices directly impact the piglets and their performance and also the future breeding herd performance. 21 farms were audited across Canada to see the...

November 6, 2020

Ethology Management

Gestation Housing Systems, Auditing Best Management Practices

The deadline to convert to group sow housing systems is 2024. In order to help this transition go smoothly, best management practices were looked at in 24 Canadian farms. Two thirds of the barns that have already switched over use...

November 6, 2020

Engineering Management

Demonstrating Water Conservation

An essential nutrient for pig growth is water. Water wastage leads to increased costs and often comes from nipple drinkers. When they are adjusted properly the water wasted is up to 25%, but commonly commercial farms report 40 to 60%....

November 6, 2020

Engineering Management

Washing Procedures, Auditing Best Management Practices

The top uses of water in swine barns are drinking and cleaning. Reducing water through water conservation strategies will reduce the cost of production and have a more sustainable environmental effect as less manure is produced. Most barns audited pre-soak...

November 5, 2020

Management

Personal Protection and Training, Auditing Best Management Practices

A safe work environment is the employers responsibility and is very important in the Canadian pork industry. Some protection used commonly includes hearing protection, dust masks and hydrogen sulphide monitors. The monitors should be used in key day-to-day activities, not...

November 5, 2020

Engineering

Assessing Trailer Cleanliness

An important step in maintaining biosecurity is proper washing and disinfection of transport trailers. Visual inspection is not aa reliable assessment for measuring cleanliness. Using microbiological culture works, though the plating of media and incubation time make it somewhat impractical...

November 5, 2020

Management

On-Farm Biosecurity Auditing Best Management Practices

Audit results across Canada show that producers know the importance of biosecurity. Almost all the farms that participated had only one source of animals entering the facility, showering with a change of clothes and reviewing biosecurity protocols yearly were common...

November 5, 2020

Ethology

Optimum Space Allowances for Nursery Pigs

Economic viability of farms and the health and welfare of animals are affected by space allowances. There is not much information available on the space allowances of nursery pigs. Maximum feed intake and average daily gain are increased when optimal...

November 5, 2020

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Author: WShannon