A Partial Equilibrium Model of the Linkages between Animal Welfare, Trade and the Environment in Scotland

Posted in: Economics by admin on January 1, 2008 | No Comments

Mechanical refrigeration, seasonality, and the hog–corn cycle in the United States: 1870–1940

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This paper examines the role of mechanical refrigeration in seasonality and structural change in the U.S. hog–corn
cycle, 1870–1940. This period covers an era in which the widespread adoption of mechanical refrigeration greatly affected the ability to store and transport perishable commodities. These developments in turn altered the seasonal production and price structure for many commodities, including pork. We use a new class of time series models, time-varying smooth transition autoregressions (TV-STARs), to document both the structural change and the nonlinear features observed in seasonal patterns for the U.S. hog–corn price relationship during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

Effects of season and distance moved during loading on transport losses of market-weight pigs in two commercially available types of trailer

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This study evaluated effects of trailer design and season on physical indicators of stress during loading and unloading and transport losses (dead and nonambulatory pigs) in market-weight pigs (BW = 129.6 ¡À 0.40 kg). A total of 109 trailer loads of pigs (n = 17,256 pigs) from 1 farm were used in a randomized complete block design with a 2 ¡Á 4 factorial arrangement of treatments: 1) trailer design (pot-belly vs. straight-deck) and 2) season (spring vs. summer vs.
fall vs. winter). A subset of loads (n = 42) was used to examine effect of distance pigs were moved during loading [short ( indicators of stress and transport losses. This study was conducted on 7 d per season at 1 farm with 4 loads (2 on pot-belly and 2 on straight-deck trailers) being transported each day to 1 commercial packing plant. Pigs from different farm groups were mixed on the trailer and provided with 0.45 m2/pig floor space during an approximately 4-h journey to the plant. The percentage of pigs exhibiting open-mouth breathing, skin discoloration, and muscle tremors was recorded during loading and unloading. Additionally, dead pigs on arrival at the plant and nonambulatory pigs at the farm
and at the plant were recorded. Effects of trailer design on open-mouth breathing and skin discoloration during unloading were dependent on season (trailer design ¡Á season interaction; P < 0.05). Pigs unloaded from
pot-belly trailers had a greater (P < 0.05) incidence of open-mouth breathing in the spring and summer and a
greater (P < 0.05) incidence of skin discoloration in the spring, summer, and winter than pigs unloaded from straight-deck trailers. The incidence of total nonambulatory pigs at the plant was greater (P < 0.05) in the winter than in the spring and summer. The long compared with short distance moved treatment resulted in a greater (P ¡Ü 0.001) incidence of open-mouth breathing and skin discoloration during loading and tended (P = 0.06) to increase the incidence of nonambulatory pigs at the farm. However, there was no effect of trailer design, season, or loading distance on total losses at the plant. In summary, physical indicators of stress (open-mouth breathing and skin discoloration) were increased with the long distance moved during loading treatment and were greater during unloading for
pot-belly than straight-deck trailers; however, trailer design, season, and loading distance had minimal effects on total transport losses.

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

The effect of feeder type and change of feeder type on growing and finishing pig performance and behaviour

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Reduction in feed intake at weaning has been reported to result in a post-weaning ‘growth check’ (Pluske et al., 1997). This reduction in intake and growth rate is likely to be caused by a number of factors including the stress of being transported and mixed (Ekkel et al., 1995; Bilkei et al., 1997; Mardarowicz, 1985) and abrupt changes in both the diet and environment, for example, feed being offered from unfamiliar feeders (Pluske and Williams, 1996). A similar growth check is likely to occur when pigs are transferred to finishing accommodation. Despite the evidence to indicate that ‘wean to finish’ accommodation would be advantageous in terms of production performance (Ekkel et al., 1995; Bilkei et al., 1997; Mardarowicz, 1985), there are few units where pigs could be housed in the same accommodation from weaning to finish. Consequently producers aim to minimize the extent of change of diet and environment, thereby reducing the stress of transportation and re-housing and ultimately the ‘growth check’. The aim of this study was to compare the performance and behaviour of pigs offered feed in the same type of feeder from weaning to finish with those offered feed from two different types of feeder. A total of 640 pigs in 32 pens of 20 pigs per pen were used to investigate the effects of two feeder types and changing or not changing the feeder type at 10 weeks of age on growth performance and behaviour in the periods from 4 to 10, 10 to finish (22) and from 4 to finish (22) weeks of age, respectively. The two feeder types tested were a ‘wet and dry’ single-space (S) feeder and a ‘dry’ multi-space feeder (M). In the period 4–10 weeks of age feeder type had no significant effect on growth performance though pigs on the ‘dry’ multi-space feeder tended to exhibit significantly better feed efficiency from 4 to 7 weeks of age. In the first week after changing accommodation the growth rate of pigs on all treatments was depressed (compared to the last 3 weeks of the grower period) and was reduced a further 60 g/day when the feeder type was changed. However, the “feeder” effect was transitory and had no effect on overall finisher performance except for pigs changed from a ‘dry’ multi-space feeder to ‘wet and dry’ single-spaced feeder. These animals had significantly faster growth rate over the finisher phase.

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

Synthetic lying mats may improve lying comfort of gestating sows

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A prototype lying mat as an alternative to straw bedding for improving sow lying comfort was evaluated
using a dynamic group of 47 gestating sows housed in a pen with 5 communal lying areas. Mats were
installed in 3 lying areas while the concrete floors of the remaining lying areas remained uncovered (period
1). After 5 weeks the position of the lying mats was rotated (period 2). It was concluded that under conditions of this experiment covering concrete floors with synthetic mats appeared to improve sow lying comfort. It is questionable whether this finding can be generalised to other (climatic) conditions.

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

Factors influencing farmers’ responses to welfare legislation: A case study of gestation sow housing in Flanders (Belgium)

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In this study a survey was conducted and revealed that Belgian pig production is likely to undergo drastic changes during the few years remaining before the 2013 deadline and the socio-economic consequences for the Belgian pork industry may be considerable. Although this survey was specific for the Belgian situation, many findings (such as concerning user satisfaction and factors which affect decision making) are clearly relevant to livestock scientists as well as pig farmers from other countries using or planning to convert to a group housing system for their gestating sows.

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

Estimates of genetic parameters for kyphosis in two crossbred swine populations

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This study estimated genetic parameters for degree of kyphosis from Duroc-Landrace F2 population and from a composite population composed of Duroc, Large White and 2 sources of Landrace. It was concluded that selection to decrease kyphosis should be effective and would not be expected to affect the number of ribs, lumbar vertebrae, nipple, or carcass length. Also, the selection for growth should not affect the incidence of kyphosis.

Response to dietary phosphorus deficiency is affected by genetic background in growing pigs

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This study was conducted to examine how genetics influence phosphorus utilization. At the end of the trial, carcass traits, meat quality, bone strength, and ash percentage were determined. The data indicated different mechanisms of phosphorus utlization between the genetic lines. Elucidating these mechanisms may lead to strategies to increase efficiency of growth in a more environmentally friendly manner.

Citrulline and intestinal fatty acid-binding protein: Longitudinal markers of postweaning small intestinal function in pigs?

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The objective of the current study was
to investigate whether plasma citrulline or intestinal
fatty acid-binding protein (I-FABP) concentrations
might be used as longitudinal markers for small intestinal
function in piglets after weaning. Plasma citrulline
and I-FABP concentrations were measured longitudinally
in weaned and unweaned piglets, and related to
intestinal absorption values (i.e., plasma mannitol and
d-xylose concentrations in a sugar absorption test).
Within each litter (n = 10), 2 piglets with a close-tolitter-
average BW were selected. At 20.8 ± 0.4 d of age,
the selected piglets per litter were either weaned conventionally
(CW) or remained with the sow (UNW).
One day before, and 0.5, 2, 4, and 7 d after weaning
of the CW piglets, the selected piglets of both groups
were subjected to a sugar absorption test. After a 2-h
fast, piglets were administered an oral dose of 2 mL/
kg of sugar solution, containing 50 mg/kg of mannitol
and 100 mg/kg of d-xylose. One hour after administration,
a blood sample was collected from a jugular vein
for determination of plasma I-FABP, citrulline, mannitol,
and d-xylose concentrations. Plasma I-FABP concentration
showed great variation within treatments,
and no difference was observed in plasma I-FABP concentrations
between the CW and UNW treatments (P
= 0.63). The absorption of d-xylose was not different
between treatments (P = 0.83). Mannitol absorption,
however, was less in the weaned CW piglets compared
with the UNW piglets (P = 0.003), with the nadir on d
4 postweaning. Weaning also reduced plasma citrulline
concentrations in the CW treatment compared with the
UNW treatment (P < 0.001). On d 4 and 7 postweaning, plasma citrulline concentrations of CW piglets were less (P < 0.001 and P = 0.0013) than preweaning values. Furthermore, in the CW treatment, plasma citrulline concentrations correlated with plasma mannitol concentrations at d 4 postweaning (r = 0.89, P = 0.008) and overall (r = 0.76, P = 0.001). Based on these results, plasma citrulline concentration seems to be a possible marker for monitoring intestinal function in pigs after weaning.

InraPorc: A model and decision support tool for the nutrition of growing pigs

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Nutritional systems, such as the net energy system or the ideal amino acid profile are widely developed in swine nutrition. These systems are based on the premise that the feeding value of feed ingredients and nutritional requirements of animals can be expressed on the same scale. However, it is generally acknowledged that nutrient utilisation is a dynamic phenomenon, implying that ‘value’ and ‘requirement’ are in fact the result of an interaction between the feed and the animal. To illustrate the existence of such an interaction, the current INRA-AFZ database of feed values (Sauvant et al., 2002) includes two digestible energy values for each feed ingredient: one for growing pigs and one for sows (Noblet et al., 2002). The systems approach (of which modelling is a formalisation) is ideally suited to account for interactions and to study different aspects of a system. Even though considerable progress has been made in the development of models of nutrient utilisation, application of these models beyond the context of research has been relatively modest. Over the past 25 years, different research programs have been carried out in our laboratory with the objective to develop response curves of animals to nutrient supplies. Animal production is facing new challenges that call for a more integrative approach towards nutrition. The objective of the InraPorc® project is to integrate the current state of knowledge in a nutritional model for growing pigs and sows, and make it available as a decision support tool to end-users. The objective for the growing pig (15–150 kg BW) model is to analyse nutrient utilisation for characterized pig types and to evaluate the effects of using different nutritional strategies in terms of nutrient utilisation, performance and carcass characteristics. As model parameters related to feed intake and growth potential are adjusted by the model user, growth (in an absolute sense) is not predicted. The model is based on the transformation of dietary nutrients to body protein and lipid, which are then used to predict body weight, lean body mass and backfat thickness. The representation of nutrient utilisation is mostly based on concepts used in net energy and ideal protein systems. Driving forces of the model include feed intake, the partitioning of energy between protein and lipid deposition, and availability of dietary protein and amino acids. Using literature data, the model appeared reasonably well capable of predicting the consequence of a nutrient intake restriction. The decision support tool is available at http://www.rennes.inra.fr/inraporc/. Through a user-friendly interface, the tool can be used to visualise different aspects of nutrient utilisation and excretion.