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On Canadian farms, interest in enrichment has grown recently due to changes in the Code of Practice requirements, stating that ‘Pigs must be provided with multiple forms of enrichment… to improve the welfare of the animals through the enhancement of their physical and social environments.’ This change, along with increasing adoption of group housing for sows led a team of Canadian researchers, directed by Dr. Laurie Connor at the University of...
2024 PSC Producer Meetings Tuesday, April 30th - Strathmore, AB. - Travelodge Hotel, 1150 – 350 Ridge Road Wednesday, May 1st - Swift Current, SK. - Coast Hotel, 905 North Service Rd. E. Friday, May 3rd - Niverville, MB. - Niverville Heritage Centre, 100 Heritage Trail Time: 10:00 – 3:00 p.m 9:30 REGISTRATION Lunch provided AGENDA “Insights into mycotoxins in swine diets” Dan Columbus, Ph.D. – Prairie Swine Centre “Seek and you shall find” …The value of post mortem, in pigs?” Jeff Bergermann, DVM. – Zoetis “Advances in nutrition...
An audit was completed in 2017 on best management practices in Canadian swine barns. Results show areas for possible improvements in biosecurity, personal protection and training, washing procedures and gestation housing systems. Many of the participating farms had biosecurity protocols like showering in and out of the barn and restricting animal sources to one supplier. An area for improvement was updating the visitor registry and implementing proper biosecurity signage. While...
Economics often limit the amount of comfort pigs have access to. Space allowance is a big issue for pigs since performance and behaviour are largely affected when there is not enough. Often nursery pigs are given less room due to smaller body size, but this causes animal welfare concerns due to discomfort, stress and crowding. It also negatively impacts average daily gain when allowances are too low on commercial farms....
Sows often have increased aggression due to restricted feeding or low space allowances. It may also be increased in a competitive feeding system. Moving to group sow housing makes aggression more dangerous to the animals and implementing enrichment in the pens may help mitigate this. It also keeps the sows more active which is very beneficial for gestating sows. Rope, wood and chains are the most common forms of enrichment,...
Articles in the June 2019 Better Pork Include: Beyond the Barn: Wild Pigs a Wild Card for ASF, Facial Recognition for Swine Farms, The Problem of Trade Uncertainty Having African swine fever in the wild boar population has made it even harder to eradicate the virus in Europe and China. The wild pigs in Canada could be a possible vector if the disease enters the country and are also destructive...
Articles in the April 2019 Better Pork Include: Beyond the Barn: Swine-Powered Semis on the Horizon, Tainted Meat Makes Bad Souvenir, New Trial Cancer Treatment Tool Diesel-powered engines may be able to use swine manure as a renewable fuel source. Hydrothermal liquification converts it into crude oil which needs further processing to create engine fuels. This fuel may be used within the next five years. African Swine Fever can survive...
Articles in the February 2019 Better Pork Include: Beyond the Barn: Properly Storing Drugs Pays Off, Finding a Prescription for Success, Tips for Keeping Disease at Bay Veterinary medications should be stored carefully at specific temperatures. Accurate thermometers are necessary and fridges should not be overstocked. Medically important antimicrobials now need a veterinarian prescription for use, so a good relationship with a veterinarian is more important than ever. Biosecurity protocols...