Normal profiles for deciduous dental eruption in domestic piglets: Effect of sow, litter, and piglet characteristics

Posted in: Production by admin on January 1, 2009 | No Comments

The purpose of this study was to examine dental development in commercial swine and identify maternal, litter, and piglet factors. Sequence of tooth eruption and reversals in eruption order (i.e., polymorphisms) were also examined. this is the first study to examine deciduous tooth eruption and the key factors influencing eruption times in domestic large breed commercial pigs. The study found that considerable variation in eruption times exists among individuals and litters. As well, substantial differences in the timing of molar eruption were found between the current study and earlier studies, indicating the need for current knowledge regarding the developmental physiology of our domestic animals. Further research investigating the relationship between tooth eruption and feeding behavior in the young pig is needed to provide a more comprehensive picture of feeding ability and feeding potential. As well, additional research is needed to determine how dental integrity and dental health influence feeding ability and overall health in the herd.

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

Reducing Transport Losses

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Drawing on the collective studies noted, ISU researchers and a commercial pork integrator teamed up to take a
closer look at the factors associated with fatigued, injured and dead pigs during transport to a processing facility.
Factors contributing to transport losses, such as pig density in trailers (pig weight/transport square feet), sort
from the barn, season, temperature, management and others, were studied. It was found that there are many ways to reduce transport losses. 1) Periodically check the transport losses from your hog operation and/or sites 2) Be sure your truck drivers are certified under the Transport Quality Assurance to ensure they understand and follow the guidelines. 3) Calculate the usable square footage of the transport trailer and develop a loading plan for the number
of pigs being transported. 3) Check ventilation in the trailer to ensure it is appropriate for current weather conditions. 4) Develop written standard operating procedures and checklists for loading and transporting pigs.

Mapping for manure management

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By employing new manure mapping technologies and through their own progressive initiatives, Iowa’s Van Gilst brothers are keeping their hog farm ahead of the curve on the manure management front. The barns at the Van Gilst operation are all slatted, with eight-foot cement pits under each. The pits can hold enough manure for up to a year, though they try to pump the barns in both the spring and fall, depending on weather conditions. They are working to incorporate technology—in the form of mapping software that would record manure hauls—into their operation,
which will tell them easily and quickly what areas of the fields have been covered.

Fatty acid composition and meat quality traits of organically reared Korean native black pigs

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In recent years, organic animal products have received a significant attention in most developed countries, as the environmentally friendly products are considered to be a healthier and safer than those produced by intensive
production system. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate the effect of free-range outdoor and conventional confined-indoor feeding systems on growth performance, meat quality and fatty acid compositions. It was found that that the organic rearing system significantly influence meat quality of longissimus muscle for Korean native black pigs (KNPs). The organic system resulted in significantly highermyoglobin content, and consequently higher redness value (CIE a*) than the conventional one. The current study also identified that the organic system changed fatty acid composition of intramuscular fat, resulting in significantly higher levels of PUFA,USFA and PUFAn-3. In this respect, the quality of meat can be proved to benefit from the organic system for pig production.

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

Substituting energy crops with organic wastes and agro-industrial residues for biogas production

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The aim of this work was to evaluate the advantages of different substrates used in a full-scale biogas plant situated in a farm in northern Italy, by considering their potential biogas production and their prices in the market during the year 2007. For feeding the considered biogas plant, substitution of EC with some BR and OW was proposed as an example for other similar applications. It was found that a variety of residual biomasses, such as various BRs, AMs, and OWs, can substitute for ECs in AD for the purpose of biogas production, and may thus facilitate future development of agrarian economy. Biogas plants at farm level are good candidates for treating organic residues of municipalities and the agro-industrial sector in a cost-effective way and for providing territorially diffused electric and thermal power.

For more information the full article can be found at http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/03014797

Cash Flow Hedges Have Accounting Implications

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Hedging and key risk management principles have become mainstream financial tools for many pork producers as they look to manage the risks associated with buying grain and selling hogs. Hedging is an investment to reduce the risk of adverse price movements in an asset. Derivative contracts, such as futures, forwards, puts and calls are now a part of everyday operations as lenders encourage producers to implement risk management strategies. From a financial reporting perspective, these cash flow hedges are accounted for as purchase commitments, derivative contracts not electing hedge accounting and derivative contracts electing hedge accounting. Each of which are summarized in the article. However, make sure you discuss your strategy with your broker, accountant and those who utilize your financial statements to ensure you have considered all issues that may arise from the selection of these methods.

Assessing Consumer Preferences and Attitudes toward Imported Pork in Urban China

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The objective of this study is to assess and measure consumers’ preferences and attitudes
towards U.S. pork. It was found that age had a negative effect on willingness to pay (WTP) for U.S. pork, relative to domestic or Chinese pork. It is plausible that older Chinese citizens are more reluctant to purchase foreign produced
goods because they are either less understanding of imported food products or due to nationalistic and patriotic reasons. The aggregate model also indicated that individuals that shop at international supermarkets have a higher willingness-to-pay for U.S. pork. The food safety variable is insignificant in the WTP model, indicating that consumers
have not established a clear link between U.S. pork and food safety issues.

Different roughages to organic growing/finishing pigs — Influence on activity behaviour and social interactions

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The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of roughage on organic growing/finishing pigs’ activity behaviour and social interactions. It was hypothesized that access to additional roughage in the outdoor area would make the pigs use this area more frequently and change their activity pattern and access to the roughage would reduce aggressive behaviour and stress among the pigs. The results confirm that access to additional roughage in the outdoor run did encourage pigs to go outdoors more frequently. This suggests that pigs might be motivated to use the roughage to explore and forage. Although straw was provided indoors, access to additional roughage outdoors affected the pigs to be more active and reduced the aggressive behaviour among them. This indicates that roughage is an important resource that might influence the well-being and the behaviour of pigs.

Experimental enteric infection of gnotobiotic piglets with Chlamydia suis strain S45

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Enteric chlamydial infections of pigs with Chlamydia (C.) suis are frequent and often subclinical. The enteric pathogenicity of C. suis strain S45 was investigated in gnotobiotic piglets. Piglets from three litters (n = 31) were inoculated with egg-grown chlamydiae at 2–3 days of age (n = 17) or used as controls (n = 14). They were observed for clinical signs, killed and necropsied sequentially at 2–13 days postinoculation (DPI). Feces were collected daily and investigated with an ELISA for chlamydial antigen. At necropsy, specimens were collected for histopathology and for immunohistochemical, PCR-based, and serological (complement fixation test, ELISA) detection of chlamydiae. Chlamydial replication and associated symptoms and lesions were observed from 2 to 13 DPI and were particularly pronounced within the first week PI. Clinical symptoms consisted of moderate-to-severe diarrhea, slight and transient anorexia, weakness and body weight loss. Immunohistochemistry and ELISA revealed that chlamydial replication was particularly marked at 2–4 DPI and primarily located in the small intestinal villus enterocytes. Further sites of replication included large intestinal enterocytes, the lamina propria and Tunica submucosa, and the mesenteric lymphnodes. Histopathological hanges included moderate-to-severe villus atrophy with flattened enterocytes and focal
villus tip erosions, and moderate mucosal inflammatory cell infiltrates and lymphangitis in the small intestine. PCR of spleen tissue and blood was mostly negative for chlamydiae, indicating that they did not substantially disseminate into the host up to 13 DPI. All sera were negative for anti-chlamydial antibodies. In conclusion, C. suis strain S45 elicited
significant enteric disease and lesions in gnotobiotic piglets indicating its pathogenic potential for swine.

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

Suffering in diseased pigs as expressed by behavioural, clinical and clinical–chemical traits, in a well defined parasite model

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Based on a well-defined model disease (Sarcocystis miescheriana), we have studied behavioural patterns (lying inactive [LYWA], activity during lying [ADLY], feeding [FEED], drinking [DRNK], rooting [ROOT], walking [WALK] and social interactions [SOCB]) of pigs during stages of health (day 0, before infection), acute disease (day 14 post-infection [p.i.]), recovery (day 28 p.i.), and chronic disease (day 42 p.i.). It was found that Deviation from the populations ‘‘standard’’ activity (before infection) could be predicted with clinical–chemical parameters (e.g. alkaline phosphatase). However, further investigations on other disease models are needed to validate suitability of clinical–
chemical traits in assessing suffering and welfare in diseased pigs in the future.

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