Interactive effects of dietary fat source and slaughter weight in growing-finishing swine: II. Fatty acid composition of subcutaneous fat

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This study tested the interactive effects of dietary fat source and slaughter weight on the fatty acid composition of subcutaneous fat. It was concluded that the fat source included in swine diets was responsible for the fatty acid compositional changes in subcutanrous fat, yet the results of this study indicate that feeding 5% soybean oil dramatically increased the polyunsaturation of subcutaneous fat within the first 17.4 kg of birthweight gain.

For more information the full article can be found at http://jas.fass.org/

Transportation Audits: Industry-Driven Accountability

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Powerpoint presentation, presented at the 2009 Livestock Transportation Conference. Includes, information on the total system approach, why we need transportation audits, and transportation audits criteria.

Effect of dietary supplementation of n-3 fatty acids and elevated concentrations of dietary protein on the performance of sows

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This study was conducted to determine the effect of dietary supplementation of n-3 fatty acids (O3FA) with or without elevated concentrations of protein on the performance of sows during the first and the subsequent parity. Results indicated that O3FA alone during lactation improved the growth of nursing piglets, regardless of parity. However, the O3FA diet, with or without elevated protein, did not affect first-parity gestation performance, although O3FA alone may have improved piglet birth weight in the subsequent litter.

For more information the full article can be found at http://jas.fass.org/

Population dynamics of swine influenza virus in farrow-to-finish and specialised finishing herds in the Netherlands

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In a longitudinal study on 14 farrow-to-finish herds and 15 finishing herds, groups of pigs were followed by repeatedly testing the same animals for antibodies against all three influenza virus subtypes (H1N1, H3N2 and H1N2). It was found that for all three subtypes, the incidence of influenza virus infections was highest at the beginning of the finishing period in farrow-to-finish herds, while the incidence of influenza virus infections was highest at the end of the finishing period in finishing herds.

For more information the full article can be found at http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/03781135

Effects of exposing pigs to moving and odors in a simulated slaughter chute

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This study sought to determine the effects of minimal training and a novel odor/taste reward on the ease of handling finishing pigs in a novel environment. Pigs were assigned to one of four treatments: training and odor exposure at the barn or not (trained or non-trained, respectively) and provision or not of maple syrup in the simulated pre-stun area of a slaughter plant (reward or no reward, respectively). Trained pigs were let out of their home pens and onto a trailer for 10 min/d for 10 d and could chew on maple syrup soaked flags. Non-trained pigs were not handled or exposed to maple syrup. It was found that pigs that were allowed to exercise out of their home pen and were given access to an odor/taste reward moved faster and the neutrophil:lymphocyte ratio was decreased when exposed to a novel environment
containing the same odor/taste reward.

For more information the full article can be found at http://journals.elsevierhealth.com/periodicals/applan/issues

Effects of culture media and inhibitors on biology of porcine early embryonic development in vitro

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The objectives of this study were to determine: 1) whether PZM-3 or NCSU-23 better support porcine embryonic development, 2) the transcript levels of BAX and BCL2L1 genes in porcine blastocysts, and 3) effects of inhibiting transcription and translation on porcine early embryogenesis. It was concluded that use of PZM-3 as a porcine embryo culture medium could better promote embryonic development than NCSU-23. No significant differences of the BAX and BCL2L1 genes expression were detected in blastocysts generated from PZM-3 and NCSU-23 media. In addition, EGA might not be necessary for the porcine embryos cleavage; however, mRNA translations might be important for both porcine embryos cleavage and blastocysts formation. In addition, more fundamental research on mechanisms responsible for porcine early embryonic development should be studied.

For more information the full article can be found at http://www.journals.elsevierhealth.com/periodicals/livsci

Hulless barley creates excitement in hog industry

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The University of Saskatchewan’s
Crop Development Centre in Saskatoon has released its recently
registered low phytate hulless barley as a public variety. “That material is very interesting because it has low levels of phytic
acid in the barley,” states Dr. Brian Rossnagel, a barley and oat
breeder at the Crop Development Centre. The phosphorus in this variety is more readily available to the animals
that eat it, particularly hogs, rather than going in one end and out the
other creating potential issues with regard to phosphorus pollution. Release as a public variety means that seed growers can purchase
breeders seed from the Crop Development Centre, reproduce the seed
through the various generations of pedigreed seed and sell certified
seed free of royalties to anyone interested in growing it as feed,
particularly for swine. Dr. Rossnagel expects this new variety to be particularly useful to
those who grow their own feed.
“By not having any royalties associated with this variety we hope that
will make it flow more seamlessly and easily into the system.”

Challenges We Faced as Foreign Workers

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Looking back, it was quite a challenge getting set up to work here in Canada.
Without the help of our employers it would have been even harder. The
applicants also must be prepared well and think of all the necessary
paperwork and not just rely on other people.
When companies think about hiring people from overseas they have to keep
in mind that they also have to take good care of them as new Canadians.
Companies will not be able to keep good staff from foreign countries if they do
not feel comfortable in Canada. Therefore, the employers need to take care of
the essentials, such as accommodation, administrative things and support the
workers whenever they need help.
After living here more than a year, we will try to stay longer because we have
found that Alberta is a nice province to live in.

Amino acids in a yeast-derived protein source (NuPro®) are highly digestible for 3- to 4-wk-old pigs

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NuPro®, a yeast-derived protein source, is an alternative to spray-dried plasma in diets for newly weaned pigs. There is no information about the amino acid digestibility in NuPro® during the immediate post-weaning period. The objective of this experiment was to determine the ileal digestibility of amino acids in a yeast-derived protein (NuPro®, Alltech Inc.) in 4-wk old piglets. It was found that NuPro® is a source of highly digestible amino acids for newly weaned pigs. The data obtained in this experiment on standardized and apparent ileal digestibility values for NuPro® may be used in diet formulation for pigs between 20 and 30 d of age.

Validation of saliva sampling techniques in swine in order to assess stress responses

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Salivary cortisol (a stress hormone) is an outcome measure that can be used
along with health, behaviour, and productivity as an indication of what pigs are
experiencing when exposed to various production methods. Saliva sampling
has the potential to be a relatively non-invasive method of determining cortisol
concentration, where pigs chew on cotton attached to a rod to collect the
sample. However, techniques have not yet been validated or standardized for
use in grower-finisher pigs. The purpose of this study was to determine the
effect that different sampling regimens have on salivary cortisol concentration. It was found that Group/Interval sampling appears to be the least stressful
regimen for collecting saliva samples. With this knowledge, there will be
increased confidence that salivary cortisol concentrations indicate a stress
response to the situation being tested (for example, the effect of crowding)
and not a response to the sampling procedure