Weaning is a stressful time for the piglet as there are environmental, nutritional and social stressors along with an undeveloped immune system. Post-weaning growth lag is commonly seen with reduced growth rates and increased susceptibility to pathogens that can trigger...

Fusarium mould contaminated grain has been on the rise due to cool wet summer weather. The mycotoxin deoxynivalenol (DON or vomitoxin) can be produced when fusarium moulds contaminate cereal grains. Other livestock are not as sensitive to DON as pigs...

Western Canada is the worlds largest producer of flaxseed. Flaxseed oil is rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Using flaxseed in swine diets could be a low-cost feeding protocol that enriches the carcass with omega-3. It is comparable to canola meal...

Micro-Aid® helps reduce ammonia emission and odours from livestock production facilities and is a natural plant extract. When sows are fed Micro-Aid®, their colostrum has increased levels of immunoglobulins. This may help piglets gain weight. The impact on their piglets...

Western Canadian Prairies had a late harvest due to a wet and cold spring delaying sprouting and seeding. A prediction of immature, sprouted or frozen grain is expected which may lower the overall cost for swine producers feed. Grain provide...

Ammonia has odour and environmental implications so the excretion of nitrogen is problematic as this is the main form. Paylean® with ractopamine hydrochloride as its active ingredient improves average daily gain, carcass lean growth and feed efficiency when added to...

Canola meal is often outcompeted with other protein sources as it is perceived to be a poor energy source due to its high protein and fibre content and low oil and starch content. Full-fat canola seeds have a higher oil...

Creep feeding in the farrowing room is often practiced to ensure the transition to solid feed at weaning goes smoothly. This is important as weight loss and increased disease risk are often noted post-weaning due to the stressful transition. It...

An essential nutrient in a pigs diet is zinc, with minimum levels need around  100 ppm. In early starter rations, zinc oxide is often used therapeutically to control post-weaning E. coli diarrhea in levels of 2000 to 3000 ppm. Zinc...

Protein is the second most expensive nutrient after energy in swine rations. While essential amino acids have been looked at extensively regarding requirements needed, total dietary nitrogen and non-essential amino acids have not. Pigs can use non-protein nitrogen to correct...

Many piglets do not eat before weaning, even though it helps ease the weaning dip if they do. Weaning is a stressful period for piglets; they are removed from the sow and put into an unfamiliar environment, mixed with unknown...

Fusarium has been reported throughout western Canada. The principle toxin DON (deoxynivalenol or vomatoxin) contaminates the grain and impacts the feeding of pigs that ingest it. Average daily gain and feed intake are suppressed when fed DON levels over 1...