Effect of a synthetic plate in the lying area on lying behaviour, degree of fouling and skin lesions at the leg joints of finishing pigs

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Flooring type may have a major influence on thermo-regulatory behaviour in finishing pigs, as well as on the occurrence of skin lesions at their leg joints and pen fouling. In this study, we compared the lying behaviour, pen fouling and the occurrence of leg lesions in finishing pigs kept in partly slatted pens with a concrete lying area covered with either a non-deformable synthetic plate or a small amount of straw (100 g per pig an day), or left bare, whilst controlling for the effects of temperature and pig weight.

Eighteen groups of 10 finishing pigs each were kept in six replicates in three pens with different floor types as described above. Lying behaviour was video recorded for 48 h at weights of <35 kg, 50–70 kg and >80 kg. A fouling score for the lying area was estimated daily. Pigs were examined for skin lesions around the carpal and tarsal joints upon introduction into the experimental pens at a mean weight of 28 kg (±3.9 S.D.) and four times thereafter at regular intervals until they reached 100 kg. Data were analysed using generalised linear mixed-effects models taking the hierarchical experimental design into account.

Floor type in the lying area did not affect the proportion of pigs lying laterally or sternally, or huddling. However, the proportion of pigs lying on the slatted floor was higher in pens with synthetic plate flooring compared to those with a straw layer and was even lower in pens with concrete flooring (p = 0.015). Fouling of the lying area increased as room
temperatures rose. This increase was sharper in pens with straw on the floor than in those with bare concrete flooring (interaction: p = 0.017), but did not differ between pens with a layer of straw and those with a synthetic plate flooring (interaction: p = 0.324). The likelihood of pigs having hairless patches or hyperkeratosis on the carpal joints was similar
in pens with synthetic plate flooring and in those with a layer of straw, but higher in bare concrete- floored pens. This pattern was also found with respect to the higher prevalence of adventitious bursae at the carpal joints and wounds at the tarsal joints found in pigs kept in pens with synthetic plate flooring.

In conclusion, our results indicate that the synthetic plate flooring studied may cause heat-loss problems, and does not improve floor quality in the lying area as regards skin lesions. From the point of view of pig welfare, it cannot therefore be considered a better alternative to bare concrete floors.

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

Effect of Lameness in Pigs in Terms of “Five Freedoms”

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The concept of “five freedoms” is viewed as a tool to evaluate and represent nonhuman animal welfare. These freedoms are not mutually exclusive and differ in their extent of attainment at the farm level. At the herd level, the freedom
from pain, injury, and disease may be the most complicated freedom. Painful conditions, such as lameness in pigs, are seldom mentioned as challenges to pig welfare, regardless of their high prevalence. A disease such as lameness may affect all of the five freedoms. Lameness is often closely associated with pain, an important constituent of the five freedoms. Pain may persist for longer than the clinical signs and may not be visible due to hiding behavior. Inflammatory pain alters nociceptive information processing, leading to long-term adverse welfare consequences. Lameness can cause poor welfare and contribute to disease in a vicious cycle. A lame pig may not be able to move about and meet its feed and water requirements, taking away the freedom from hunger and thirst despite feed and water availability. At the herd level, shelter and resting areas are provided, considering the normal healthy pig, and sick pens are often devoted to extreme cases only. The absence of a “gold standard” restricts diagnosis of lameness and evaluation of the effectiveness of therapeutic measures when practiced. Lameness also hinders an animal’s ability to perform normal behavior. Often, conspecifics increase competition for resources and may aggravate the condition. The freedom from fear and distress is also violated when a pig becomes lame as the ability to demonstrate the survival instinct is physically restricted. Despite these obvious links between the effects of lameness and five freedoms, pig welfare is often
determined on easily measurable, systematically applied terms such as space allowance.

Absorption of carbohydrate-derived nutrients in sows as influenced by types and contents of dietary fiber

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This study investigated the absorption and plasma concentration of carbohydrate-derived nutrients and the apparent insulin production sows fed diets containing contrasting types and contents of dietary fibre. It was concluded that feeding high dietary fiber diets resulted in an increase and more uniform uptake of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) than when feeding the low fibre (LF) control. Also, the high soluble fiber (HF-S) diet reduced diurnal variation in glucose and insulin concentrations.

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

Teamwork drives new progress in livestock transport

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Livestock, meat and transport sectors working together across North America for humane, safe and effective livestock transport.

Livestock producers, transporters and meat processors each deal with different business challenges but all share a critical interest – the welfare of livestock under their care. This priority and the benefits of working together to address it was a key focus of the recent Livestock Transport Conference in Calgary, AB. Themed “Are we there yet?” the conference brought together over 120 people including transporters, livestock producers, researchers and other industry leaders from across North America. “Livestock care is a growing focus of industry and consumers worldwide, and livestock transport is one of the most critical and visible components,” says Dr. Duane Landals, a veterinarian and a board member of Alberta Farm Animal Care, one of the conference sponsors.

The standardized ileal digestible valine-to-lysine requirement ratio is at least seventy percent in postweaned piglets

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To reduce the impact of animal production on the environment, the CP content of the diet can be reduced by limiting the excess supply of AA. Improving the balance between AA relative to the requirement of the animal implies that we need to have accurate knowledge of the requirement of individual AA.The purpose of this study was to determine the Val requirement in postweaned piglets (12 to 25 kg) because Val is considered to be potentially limiting to performance after Lys, Met (and Cys), Thr, and Trp. The results of the experiments indicated that the SID Val:Lys was at least 70%, which was slightly greater than the current NRC recommendation.

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

Torque teno virus (TTV) infection in sows and suckling piglets

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The goal of this study was to gain insight into the potential role of the sow in transmitting TTV to piglets and the
infection dynamics of both swine TTV genogroups (TTV1 and TTV2) during the lactation period. The number of sows delivering stillborns and the mean number of stillborns per sow tended to be higher in the TTV2 infected sows and old parity sows had a higher percentage of TTV1 infected 1-week-old piglets.

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

Use of double-choice feeding to quantify feed ingredient preferences in pigs

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The knowledge of the pig apatite for the different feed ingredients should allow for improving selection of ingredients that may encourage feed intake at weaning and contribute to prevent problems associated with weaning. Therfore, this study used a double choice feeding protocol to quantify the preference of pigs for sorghum, maize, rye and lupine, at different levels of inclusion, relative to a standard reference diet. It could be anticipated that differences in palatability between these ingredients exist as a result of their different contents in fibre, tannin or alkaloids. Additionally the effect of a previous experience feeding pigs dry feed was also evaluated by conducting these measurements in both newly-weaned and post-weaned pigs. The results show that broken rice has a higher acceptability in pigs, than sorghum, maize or rye. As sorghum, maize and rye were tested against the same reference diet, an indirect comparison of these three feedstuffs was possible. In that case it appears that at 250 g kg−1 of inclusion maize has the highest palatability (35%), sorghum and rye being similar (29%), and that at 500 g kg−1 of inclusion rye has a higher palatability (49%) followed by maize (28%) and sorghum (21%). The lower palatability in sorghum may be explained in part by its relatively high content in bitter-tasting tannins (Mariscal-Landin et al., 2004). The comparisons using pure ingredient preparations, on the other hand, resulted in similar values for all three cereals relative to rice (overall period preferences ranging between 16 and 19%). It is concluded that Feedstuff palatability can be quantified with a double choice protocol using a reference diet. This will allow taking into account palatability aspects of feed ingredients, as well as nutritional value, when formulating diets for young pigs. This may become a useful tool to improve piglets feed initiation at weaning.

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

Effect of floor cooling and dietary amino acids content on performance and behaviour of lactating primiparous sows during summer

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This study evaluated the effects of floor cooling and the use of two dietary amino acid (AA) contents on the performance and behaviour of lactating primiparous sows in summer under Brazilian climatic conditions. It was found that the dietary AA content had no effect on the performance and behaviour of the sows and their litters.
The cooling of the floor under the sows increased daily feed intake, and as a consequence, increased lysine intake.
This fact leads to a lower body weight loss and a lower weaning-to-oestrus interval. The floor cooling also
improved the nursing behaviour of the sows, leading to a higher milk production and, consequently, higher weight gains for piglets and litter during the lactation period. The detrimental effect of exposure to high ambient temperature and humidity fluctuations on voluntary feed intake and lactation performance of lactating primiparous sows can be reduced by using the floor cooling system.

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

It’s in the details

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An award-winning Minnesota hog operation finds the most
effective manure management approach includes a strong focus on
records and taking care of the details. The Braun Farms’ efforts in manure management, and their high standards
in general farm management, were recently recognized by the
Pork Checkoff of the National Pork Board. The Brauns were one
of four pork production operations to receive the 2006 Pork
Industry Environmental Steward Awards. Working off a FarmWorks software program, they use tracking
software and have an account of what they have done in every
field, right back to 1998.

Recruiting & Retaining Staff the Hytek Way

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I am fortunate for being able to work for a company that truly believes and
values their employees. Hytek owners and executives acknowledge that they
wouldn’t be where they are today without their employees. If you choose to
wholeheartedly support this mind set and truly put employees first it won’t take
long before the word gets out and you will be more successful recruiting and
retaining employees.