Infection, excretion and seroconversion dynamics of porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) in pigs from post-weaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS) affected farms in Spain and Denmark

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Longitudinal case–control studies were performed in post-weaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS) affected farms from Denmark and Spain using similar designs. It was found that sensitivity and/or specificity values observed from both tests used separately or combined suggested that quantitative PCR and/or serology tests are not apparently able to substitute histopathology.

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

Influence of different types of environmental enrichment on the behaviour of finishing pigs in two different housing systems: Hanging toy versus rootable toy of the same material

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This study aimed to assess the effects of (1) environmental enrichment with either straw bedding or a plastic toy and (2) the way in which the plastic toy was presented on the behaviour of finishing pigs in two different housing systems. One thousand and twenty four (Large White X Landrace) X Large White pigs were housed contemporarily in either a straw-based (ST) or fully slatted (FS) building from 35 kg to slaughter at 104 kg. In each building, half of the pens received additional environmental enrichment in the form of a hanging plastic toy. The remaining pens in the ST house were enriched only by the straw bedding. In the FS house, the remaining pens were provided with a rootable toy of the same plastic material presented on the floor of the pen. There was no significant effect of housing system on the level of manipulation of the hanging toy. Within the FS system, the level of manipulation of the hanging toy tended to be higher than that of the plastic toy presented on the floor (P = 0.052). Neither form of additional environmental enrichment provided a comparable level of occupation to that of straw bedding. In the absence of straw, more investigatory behaviours were directed towards both pen-mates (P < 0.001) and pen components (P < 0.001). Further study is required to identify functional forms of environmental enrichment in slatted systems to occupy pigs and prevent them from performing adverse behaviours.

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

Effect of dietary inclusion of benzoic acid on mineral balance in growing pigs

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The hypotheses of this study were that dietary benzoic acid increases mineral digestibility resulting in increased
mineral retention, and that these effects would be more profound with a higher level of inclusion of benzoic acid.
The objective was to investigate the effect of 10 or 20 g kg−1 inclusion of benzoic acid on balance, plasma concentration, and bone content (femur) of Ca, P, Mg, K, Na, and Cl. In addition, the effect of dietary inclusion of benzoic acid on the pH of urine and blood were determined. The study found that dietary inclusion of benzoic acid did in fact affect the pH in urine and plasma, the ATTD, retention, and plasma concentrations of Ca, P, K, Na, and Cl, and the concentrations of Ca, P, and Cl in the femur. It was concluded that dietary benzoic acid improved utilization of dietary Ca, P, and K, did not affect utilization of dietary Mg, and reduced utilization of dietary Na and Cl. These results indicate that the dietary inclusion of benzoic acid affects the utilization and metabolism of the macrominerals Ca, P, K, Mg, Na, and Cl differently, suggesting that several underlying mechanisms are involved.

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

Quantification of factors affecting semen traits in artificial insemination boars from animal model analyses

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The objective of this study was to investigate individual fixed effects in an animal model for breeding value estimation for semen traits of pig sire breeds. It was found the semen volume was greatest from October to December and least in March and April. Sperm concentrations were greater in winter and early spring and least in late summer and early autumn. Semen increased until about 2 years of age and remained relatively constant thereafter. Motility decreased steadily with age, wheras the percentage of abnormal sperm increased over the entire productive lifetime of the boar. Both total sperm number and number of functional sperm rose as the interval between collections increased to 10 days. It is concluded that AI centers should place economically optimal emphasis on boars with favorable estimated breeding values for semen traits.

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

Building ‘Team North America’ for livestock transport

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Canada and the U.S. share the longest undefended border in the world. As evidenced at the recent Livestock Transport Conference in Calgary, AB., the livestock and transport industries in both countries also share a strong commitment to progress in improving the care of livestock hauled within and across their borders. Leading examples of this commitment are training and certification programs for livestock transport, developed and implemented in both countries through cross-sector cooperation. The next step in the evolution of this trend is to further streamline approaches, says Susan Church, Manager of Alberta Farm Animal Care (AFAC), a major organizer and sponsor of the conference. A core part of the program included updates on the livestock transport training programs, which included
presentations by Church on the CLT program and by Erik Risa of the National Pork Board on the TQA
program.

Feed preference in pigs: Effect of cereal sources at different inclusion rates

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The palatability of different cereals was studied in 2 two-way choice (preference) experiments using pigs of 56 d of age and 17 kg of BW. The diets containing extruded rice, extruded naked oats, or naked oats were preferred by pigs to the reference diet. However, the reference diet was preferred to the diets containing 150, 300, and 600 g·kg−1 of cooked long-grain rice, oats, or cooked oats, 300 and 600 g·kg−1 of extruded wheat, wheat, corn, sorghum, or unhulled short grain rice, and 600 g·kg−1 of thick rolled oats, extruded corn, rye, extruded barley, micronized naked oats, barley, cassava, or biscuit meal. Therefore, cereal type, inclusion rate, and diet form affect feed preference in pigs and using cereals with greater preference values may contribute to the formulation of more palatable feeds, which enhance feed intake of piglets at critical stages such as weaning time.

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

Concentrations of Leptin in Serum of Gilts and Barrows Sired by Boars of Different Breeds and Adiposity

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This experiment was conducted to provide basic information on the effects of sire and gender on serum concentrations
of leptin in swine. Leptin secreted from adipocytes is hypothesized to be a metabolic link between heart disease and obesity in humans. It was concluded that circulating levels of leptin in swine are influenced by sire, and differences are likely due to genetically dictated differences in adiposity.

For more information the full article can be found at http://www.jarvm.com/articles/Previous.htm

Performance and diarrhoea in piglets following weaning at seven weeks of age: Challenge with E. coli O 149 and effect of dietary factors

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The objective of this study was to determine the effect of four selected dietary factors on a potential reduction in severity of weaning diarrhoea in piglets, which were weaned at 7 weeks of age to simulate this condition in organic pig
production. The four factors were ad libitum versus feed restriction, control versus protein restriction at ad
libitum feeding, control versus inclusion of lupin as a protein source at ad libitum feeding, and control versus extra vitamin E at ad libitum feeding. It was concluded that the studied dietary factors could not alleviate a diarrhoea-like condition and at the same time maintain the growth rate. Furthermore, the results indicate that performance after weaning at 7 weeks of age can be improved if piglets achieve a daily feed intake of at least 200 g from the day of weaning.

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

A new manure management system

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A new—and economically practical—manure treatment system developed for North Carolina hog farmers is looking very positive. In the late 1990s, the forecast was not terribly good for North Carolina as they were facing some serious pollution problems: municipal wastes, agricultural run-off, swine manure in lagoons and sprayfields. In July 2000, the North Carolina Attorney General and Smithfield Foods, Inc, and its subsidiary companies, agreed to a legally binding pledge to develop and implement new technology that would protect both the environment and the economy. They came up with a system that actually recycles a lot of the water. The new technology allows hog waste to be flushed out of barns with copious amounts of water, but instead of going into a lagoon, the waste is collected in a tank. In this tank, the liquids and solids separate. Ideally, the solids will be converted to Class A biosolids or energy, but the final outcome of the solids has not been decided. A polymer floculant and sanitizing solution are then injected into the liquid, which then enters a settling tank. The polymer settles out the small solids still remaining in the liquid. Some settle at the bottom while others float at the top of the tank. The middle contains clear liquid, and the sanitizer helps kill any remaining  pathogens in the liquid. The settled and floating solids enter a leach field (similar to a home septic system). The clear water is divided into two streams. The first stream is reused to flush out hog barns. The second stream undergoes additional wastewater treatment with filters and aeration. It can then be diluted with fresh water and used as drinking
water for the hogs. Technologies such as this offer the promise of a healthy environment and a healthy farm economy for the hog industries future as this technology decreases water usage by 50-60%.

Turning brown into Green

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Construction is well underway on a new $9.5 million facility for
Premium Standard Farms that will turn hog manure into an
odorless organic fertilizer that’s perfect for the putting green.
As a hefty dose of nutrients in an easy-to-deliver slurry, pig
manure has a lot to recommend it. But with an aroma likely to put
a duffer off his swing, it’s never really found its place as the
fertilizer of choice on American golf courses. “We have the philosophy of trying to make something valuable
out of the manure,” says Dave Townsend, vice-president for
environmental affairs at Premium Standard Farms. “We want to
offset the cost of the technology required to process the manure,
but we also want to do something beneficial with it, rather than
just treating it as waste we’ve got to do something with.”
The result is a process, now under construction, that is both
complex in design and elegantly simple in operation. The system uses an approach developed by Crystal Peak Farms to
combine anaerobic digesters, a centrifuge dewatering system, an
ingenious freeze-thaw system to capture nutrients from the
effluent, and the dryer-fertilizer facility. The end result is a granulated product that “doesn’t have dust
and doesn’t have odor. It’s in nice, solid black granules. It handles
like a traditional fertilizer and has zero odor,” says Townsend. To ensure market acceptance, “we test-marketed the product on
golf courses in Hawaii, and I think it’s going to be very well
received,” McGinnis says. To bolster the appeal of the fertilizer,
McGinnis is also seeking organic certification for the product, and
working closely with distributor J R Simplot Co.