Dust and ammonia levels are often high in swine facilities and pose a risk for workers. Methods for reducing these levels are needed in order to keep the workers and animals safe. High levels of nitrogen in the pigs diet...

Heating costs in pig production rooms can be expensive. A gas-fired infrared radiant heating system was compared to a conventional forced-air convection heater, which heats the air by the ceiling that is then moved with fans. Heat is transmitted to...

One of the major stressors to pigs is transportation as it involves physical exertion, an unfamiliar environment and psychological and social stress. Death losses occur and are of higher incidence in the summer months. Temperatures vary in seasons and also...

In temperate regions like Canada, swine production requires substantial energy input. Costs for energy have been rising so that now, utilities are the third greatest expense. Energy conservation measures were examined to look at possible cost reductions. Each barn varies...

By using energy efficiently, energy costs can be further reduced. Space heating can be used more optimally to reduce energy usage. Different heating systems were investigated including a heat recovery ventilator with a forced-convection heater, a ground source heat pump...

Temperature and humidity conditions vary significantly in different compartments in trucks that transport market pigs. Transportation of pigs can involve economic losses due to death, reduced meat quality and welfare concerns. More losses are reported in the summer with specific...

Sows in group housing systems maintain room temperatures between 9 to 12°C which reduces energy consumption by 78% compared to gestation rooms at a pre-set temperature of 16.5°C. Since sows can interact with each other, they have more control over...

There are serious gaps in biosecurity, especially related to transportation. There is a need for easier to clean trailers and better sanitizing and cleaning procedures in order to reduce disease transmission. Issues that hinder the cleaning of trailers include downtime...

A significant risk for transmission of swine diseases is pig transportation. This area needs to be researched to see what biosecurity measures can be taken to reduce risk of disease. Visual inspection as a means for assessing cleanliness is not...

Often the quarantine facility is located within 100 m of the breeding facility. This increases contamination risk as some viruses and diseases can spread further, such as PRRS virus which can be transmitted over 9.2 km in the air. Filters...

Sprinkling pigs on-farm, before transport and unloading at the packing plant improve meat quality and pig comfort when it is over 20°C outside. There are no current guidelines on when to sprinkle pigs in hot temperatures. If temperatures are above...