Increasing Creep Feed Intake by Stimulating Exploratory Behaviour using Enrichment
Multiple significant changes occur simultaneously during weaning making it a highly stressful time for piglets. Increased cortisol levels and weight loss are often noted after weaning, resulting in increased disease risk and mortality. Providing creep feed before weaning promotes solid...
Impact of Calcium and Phosphorus on Sow Lameness and Sow Longevity
As sow productivity continues to improve, dietary mineral recommendations are evolving. Physiological and anatomical demands on the skeletal system are increasing so higher dietary levels of minerals like phosphorus and calcium are recommended. The modern, highly prolific sow has not...
The Efficiency of Energy Utilization by Growing Pigs Selected for Potential Growth Rate
Growth rate variability within a group of pigs leads to variation in carcass composition and inefficiencies in nutrient utilization. Variability is a significant challenge for the pork industry. Cost-effective feeding regimes are being developed to minimize the negative effects of...
Effects of Altering the Omega-6 to Omega-3 Fatty Acid Ratio in Starter Diets on Piglet Inflammatory Response
Many new stressors are present at weaning, including immune challenges. These stressors can result in an inflammatory response as well as reduced feed intake and growth. An over-production of immune cells can result in increased muscle degradation and reduced protein...
Spray-Dried Animal Plasma Mitigates the Negative Impact of Deoxynivalenol (DON) in Nursery Pigs
There is an increase in prevalence of deoxynivalenol (DON) contaminated grains in the Canadian Prairies. DON is the toxin produced by Fusarium fungi, which is affected by the moisture content during flowering and/or harvest. Grains that are contaminated with DON...
Enhancement of Litter Size in Commercial Swine
A large concern in the North American Pork Industry is prenatal mortality. Between gestation days 15-0, 20-30% of coceptuses are lost, with another 10-15% loses between gestation days 50-70. Different techniques to improve litter size have been used such as...
Identifying the Cause of Death of Hogs that Perish In-Transit: A Pilot Project at Two Ontario Packing Plants
The cause of death and associated risk factors for in-transit losses are needed in order to reduce mortalities. It is often assumed that deaths are due to stress or heat exhaustion but the actual cause is not usually identified. Hogs...
Effect of Rubber Flooring and Social Grouping on the Utilization of Free Space for Sows in Walk-in/Lock-in Stalls
A gestation stall alternative are walk-in/lock-in stalls, a group housing design that gives sows a choice to the communal area or to remain in the stall while providing individual feeding protection. Most sows use the free space area, but they...
Early Detection and Interventions for Reducing Lameness in Gestating Sows
One of the most common reasons for culling sows in lameness. Overall herd productivity, sow welfare and sow productivity can be increased if treatment and prevention of lameness is implemented. In order for sows to generate profit, they must remain...
Investigation of Translactational Analgesia for Reducing Piglet Pain at Castration
Painful livestock procedure concern is increasing, with one of pig productions key issues being castration of piglets. Castration is done in male piglets to avoid ‘boar taint’ which is the development of undesirable odours that can occur in the meat...
Temperament Traits Related to Stress and Meat Quality: Are they Reliable and Heritable?
Welfare, ease of handling, stockperson labour required to move and productivity are all influenced by the susceptibility of pigs to stress. Severe losses for packers and producers often arise from stress during transport and handling of pigs at marketing. This...
Development of an Air Filtration System for Swine Transport Vehicles to Protect Against Airborne Diseases During Transport
Transporting breeding stock across Canada is a daily occurrence with farms each having biosecurity procedures to reduce potential disease outbreaks. Infecting breeding stock during transport is a risk, especially through pig dense areas. Measures are needed to protect breeding stock...
