Raw potato starch in weaned pig diets and its influence on postweaning scours and the molecular microbial ecology of the digestive tract

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This study evaluated to effect of raw potato starch (RPS) on growth performance, postweaning diarrhea, and gastrointestinal microbial populations in weaned piglets. It is concluded that 7% of RPS can be used to prevent postweaning diarrhea in weaned piglets and there was no effect on growth performance.

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

Respiratory Eqipment Fact Sheet

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Facts and different types of equipment, as well as the proper fitting.

Role of selection and inbreeding on the incidence of cutaneous malignant melanoma in Sinclair swine

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This paper reports the quantitative analysis of the historical database of a herd of Sinclair swine affected by cutaneous malignant melanoma. The herd was under partial and non-systematic selection for melanoma susceptibility (animals having at least one tumour during the first 6 weeks of life). It was found that there was no evidence of dominance in the individual inbreeding coefficients but the number of live-born pigs was lower in litters from parents susceptible to the disease (p < 0.01).

For more information the full article can be found at http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1111/(ISSN)1439-0388/issues

Control charts applied to simulated sow herd datasets

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This paper presents an approach for computer-based farm analysis, to support the decision-making of the farmer. The
aim was to develop a method enabling the farm manager to quickly detect with statistical certainty emerging process
changes in swine production. To gain more insight into the optimal design of the CUSUM as well as the EWMA
(exponentially weighted moving average) chart in agriculture production processes without any side-effects, a simulation study was performed. It was found that both the EWMA and CUSUM charts enabled a clear graphical presentation of the results. The classification performance was comparable. The presentation of the EWMA chart may be easier to understand, because actual values are assigned in contrast to CUSUM, which works with deviations. An advantage of CUSUM is the possibility to differentiate between calculating the positive and negative deviations. Modern computer technology enables the implementation of control charts in online production monitoring. Further, analysis of the relevant (out-of-control) deviations should examine the underlying causes to improve farm performance.

Going Organic

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Faced with time-consuming drives to apply its manure and new
phosphorus
management regulations, the Grenier family hog operation
recently turned to technology company Envirogain and its system
of converting manure into organic fertilizer.
In the Canadian province of Quebec, which has a major hog
industry, the manure problem has become so severe that a
moratorium has been placed on the expansion of pig farms. In
regions which have been found to have too much phosphorus in
the soil because of manure application, pork producers have been
forced to find other areas—often more than 50 kilometres from
their breeding sites—to spread pig manure. While the challenge to meet these requirements is great, help is
coming thanks to a new hog manure treatment system that is
being developed, marketed and operated by Envirogain, a
technology firm in Saint Romuald, on the south shore of Quebec
City. After five years of research on an experimental site, the firm
is marketing a technology that will allow hog operations to
continue production, and not have to be concerned about looking
for new land to spread manure.

Country of Origin Labeling – COOL

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The new Country of Origin Labeling requirements took effect in the U.S. on
September 30, 2008. Most non-processed beef, pork and chicken sold in
grocery stores must be labeled with the countries in which the animals were raised and slaughtered. There are a number of potential outcomes from
COOL. The law could be loosely enforced or repealed. Packers may make
widespread use of multi country labels. In this case COOL is likely to have
little impact on pork or hog trade between the U.S. and Canada. Canadian
pork has the potential to develop into a niche market and sell at a premium to
U.S. pork. U.S. retailers may resist handling more than one label, causing
packers to resist buying hogs born in Canada. Time will tell.

Regaining Competitiveness: Alternative Feedstuffs for Swine

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Although feed grain prices have dropped since their records levels of last
year, large opportunities exist to develop more cost-effective feeding
programs using alternative feedstuffs. To regain competitiveness, the western
Canadian pork industry must implement aggressive strategies to use other
feedstuff combinations than have been used for the last decade. A key to
managing the risk of using alternative feedstuffs to maintain growth
performance is feed formulation using modern evaluation systems: net energy
(NE) and standardized ileal digestible (SID) amino acids. A strategy to include
multiple alternative feedstuffs will likely be most effective.
This paper summarizes recent research findings to use alternative feedstuffs
in swine diets.

Dietary oat ß-glucan affects kinetics of glucose absorption and insulin secretion in grower pigs

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The role of dietary ß-glucan in glucose absorption and insulin secretion is not
known. Kinetics of absorption may impact the metabolic status following a
meal. Effects of dietary ß-glucan on glucose absorption and insulin secretion
were studied in three 35-kg pigs, surgically modified with catheters in the
portal vein and carotid artery and an ultrasonic flow probe around the portal
vein. It was found that oat ß-glucan as a soluble, viscous fiber decreases the speed of
glucose absorption and reduces peak insulin secretion; thus, dietary ß-glucan
in the long term improves carbohydrate metabolism. Specific fiber sources
thus not only serve as a nutrient, but may also affect absorption of other
dietary nutrients by the pig.

Pathogenesis of swine influenza virus (Thai isolates) in weanling pigs: an experimental trial

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In Thailand, pathogenesis of SIV subtype H1N1 and H3N2 infection in swine has never been studied. Since
different subtypes of the influenza type A viruses isolated from pigs are found to cause different pathogenic levels in
pigs, the objective of this study is to investigate the pathogenesis of SIV (Thai isolates) subtype H1N1 (A/swine/
Thailand/HF6/05) and H3N2 (A/swine/Thailand/S1/05) in weanling SPF pigs. Genetic characterization of the HA gene of both studied viruses were also performed in this report. The results of this study may assist in the prevention and control of SIV infection in Thailand, especially for H1N1 and H3N2 subtypes. Based on the percentages of cranioventral
pneumonic lesion and times of virus shedding, the H1N1 virus might play a major role in respiratory diseases
in weanling pigs in that farm. More works are needed in the co-infection model with other respiratory pathogens
and in the prevention and control of the SIV-related diseases in Thailand. In this study, investigations on virus
transmissibility between sentinel animals housing together with infected animals were not performed. Therefore, whether these Thai H1N1 and H3N2 subtypes will be transmitted efficiently in the field situation requires further experimental and epidemiologic studies.

For more information the full article can be found http://www.virologyj.com/archive

A whole genome scan for quantitative trait loci for leg weakness and its related traits in a large F 2 intercross population between White Duroc and Erhualian

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The aim of this study is to identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) for leg weakness-related traits, including leg and gait scores, and weight and length of the biceps brachii muscle in the White Duroc × Erhualian resource population.

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