Digestible and net energy content of peas in weaned pigs, growing pigs and gestating sows

Posted in: Prairie Swine Centre by admin on January 1, 2007 | No Comments

Peas have become an essential feed ingredient in swine production, thanks to their high content in lysine and their good digestible (DE) and net energy (NE) content in pigs. The digestible energy (DE) content of pea varieties grown in the Prairies in 2005 and 2006 was measured in growing pigs (25 and 50 kg) and in gestating sows (200 kg). Based on the DE content and the chemical composition of the peas, the net energy (NE) content of the latter was also estimated. The DE contents ranged from 3232 to 4555 kcal DE/kg DM in growing pigs and from 3441 to 4052 kcal DE/kg DM in sows. The DE content was, on average, 208 kcal DE/kg DM higher in 50kg-pigs, as compared to the 20kg ones. No marked difference was observed between growing pigs and sows. The NE content was, on average, 69% that of DE. Peas grown in different conditions present different chemical compositions and DE contents. However, no relationship could be established between composition and energy content. On the other hand, the results confirm that large pigs better digest peas than weaned pigs and that it makes sense to consider different energy contents for weaned pigs and larger pigs.

Assessment of Selected Odour Control Practices in Swine Barns Using an In-house Panel

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Developing cost-effective ways to reduce and assess odours from swine barns is a continuing need for the industry. The goal of this work was to use an in-house panel of assessors to evaluate the intensity and offensiveness of odour from three swine grow-finish rooms with different applied management practices – conventional, intensive cleaning, and manure pit treatment. The conventionally managed room served as the control, while the intensively cleaned room simulated the highest level of cleanliness practically possible. Pit treatment involved weekly spraying of a commercial additive on the surface of the accumulated manure slurry in the manure pits at a rate of 500 ppm. Two bagged air samples were collected for each room weekly. Each panellist then assessed the coded sample bags three times in random order. Pit treatment intensity scores were significantly higher than the other treatments, indicating no positive improvement in odour intensity from the use of the additive. Although not shown to be statistically significant in this work, high level of cleanliness and appropriate housekeeping noticeably reduced odour intensity in the room compared to a conventional swine room.

LÉGISLATION ET RÉGLEMENTATION

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Les aspects légaux encadrant les pratiques agricoles et l’environnement deviennent de plus en plus
importants, principalement en raison des problèmes de nuisance et de pollution qui se sont graduellement
développés suite à l’intensification de plusieurs productions animales dont l’augmentation de la taille des
unités de production animale et la concentration dans certaines régions. Selon le pays et sa structure
politique, des lois sont adoptées au niveau fédéral (et s’appliquent de la même manière dans le pays), au
niveau de l’état ou de la province et aussi au niveau régional ou local (particulièrement pour les
règlements qui traitent du zonage et de l’utilisation du territoire). Les informations fournies ici ne
proviennent pas d’une recherche exhaustive car les lois et règlements sont difficiles à obtenir et sont
régulièrement changés ce qui exige des mises à jour très fréquentes. La majeure partie des informations
présentées dans ce chapitre provient d’une étude sur l’impact de la réglementation sur l’agriculture (MEF,
1997). La référence à ce document ne sera pas répétée dans le texte qui suit.

Potential of Biogas Production from Sustainable Biorefinery Concepts

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Are exports a monotonic function of exchange rate volatility? Evidence from disaggregated pork exports

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The objective of this paper is twofold. First, a theoretical trade model accounting for production and marketing lags in agricultural supply chains is developed to analyse the effect of exchange rate volatility on the volume of trade. The second objective is to gauge to what extent trade flow responses to exchange rate/price volatility suggested by our theoretical framework are consistent with observed empirical responses. The theoretical model suggests that the
relationship between export price volatility and exports may be not monotonic, yet sensitive to changes in the parameters embodying risk preferences, the degree of volatility, and the mean export price.

Incentive Systems under ex post Moral Hazard to Control Outbreaks of Classical Swine Fever in the Netherlands

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In this paper, we argue that the nature of animal disease (e.g. highly contagious or infectious
disease, the length of the incubation period, how obvious clinical signs are) matters greatly while
designing incentive structure for early disclosure of contagious disease. A more complete analysis of
farmer’s decision to timely report a disease outbreak or a suspicious case is needed. This study proposes a more realistic approach to tackle the problem of farmers’ motivation to disclose of a disease. A simple conceptual stochastic dynamic programming model is used to better understand and optimize the individual farmer decision of a timely disease reporting, given certain incentive parameters defined by a regulator. An empirical study is performed in the context of CSF, a highly contagious disease without obvious clinical signs, in the Netherlands. The model allows us to investigate which disease parameters and economic incentive parameters are essential and how they influence farmers’ decision on early disclosure. After providing basic results, the article discusses their implications and the further model improvement and including of principal-agent relationship in the model.

The impact of group size on damaging behaviours, aggression, fear and stress in farm animals

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Group size may have a large impact on the behaviour of farm animals, especially in species where the natural group size is very different from the group size used on farms. In cattle, large group sizes are common in wild populations. For poultry and pigs, however, the group size found in the wild is generally much smaller than the group size found under farming conditions (Collias et al., 1966; Gonyou, 2001). Large group sizes may lead to damaging behaviour, aggression and increased fear and stress levels. The aim of this review is to study the impact of group size on these parameters and to identify housing and management options that can help to reduce problems caused by increased group size. Increasing group size was found to increase the risk of damaging behaviour, such as feather pecking in laying hens and vulva biting in sows. Aggression does not appear to be a problem in large groups, because dominance relationships in these groups are not based on individual recognition, but based on other signals such as body size, avoiding costly fights. There is evidence for increased fear and stress levels in large groups compared with small groups, but fearfulness is also strongly affected by type of housing. To minimize problems in large groups it seems helpful to offer separate functional areas and to provide cover, reducing disturbance between animals. To minimize the risk of damaging behaviour, such as feather pecking in laying hens and tail biting in pigs, stimulating foraging, exploration and manipulation behaviour by providing sufficient substrate (straw, wood shavings and sand) offers perspective. Rearing the animals in a system that allows the development of all these behaviours is very important. Other solutions can be found in optimizing the diet and offering extra foraging opportunities. Furthermore, genetic selection against damaging behaviour seems promising. In conclusion, group size mainly has an effect on damaging behaviour and fear and stress in pigs and poultry. The effect on aggressive behaviour is limited. To reduce damaging behaviour, fear and stress, it is important to provide a complex environment with ample behavioural opportunities and separate functional areas.

Regional Eradication of PRRS Virus: A Pilot Project

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A little over 4 years ago, a practicing veterinarian suggested to us that producers in a particular region in southern Minnesota might be interested in attempting to act together to control PRRS virus. In Phase I, eastern Rice County in Minnesota, USA was chosen as the region to perform the study given its natural borders and presumed low prevalence of PRRS. First the farms’ addresses were found using the MN Board of Animal Health database of pig farms in the state of Minnesota dated on 2000. Based on the information provided in that database each location was confirmed in a system of longitude-latitude coordinates in decimal degrees using a GPS device. The study involves 49 sites belonging to 35 producers. The objective in the first phase of this study was to determine if producers would allow their herds to be tested for PRRS and whether they would share this data with other producers. Secondly, to determine the prevalence of PRRSV in Rice County, USA and to assess the geographical distribution of PRRSV strains in the region. The participation of the producers reached 90%, which exceeded our goal, and they openly shared the status of their farms, positive experiences and frustrations with control of the virus. PRRS was detected at many sites; however, we have relatively little evidence of spread between farms since the project began. Phase II began in 2004, the project expanded to a second county in west-central Minnesota – Stevens County. This county has a markedly different type of producer with many producing breeding stock. The sow herds tend to be larger and more recently built. There are similar objectives for the project here, but a major difference is that no funding was provided to support testing. There were similar observations in Stevens County as in Rice County. However, the regional projects presented continued challenges, some of which were expected and some of which caused one to reflect on the value of the efforts. These challenges included identifying the local opinion leaders and determining if they support the concept; overcoming apprehensions and/or resentments that might reside at or below the surface in one or more of the regional participants; determining the locations for all the sites that have pigs; finding someone to pay for the program; the actual documenting of the impact of PRRS; and finally, getting the producers to invest in an attempt to stop the PRRS spread in their herds. National eradication of PRRS virus has been proposed for North America. Pseudorabies virus was hard enough to eradicate with regulatory program and even then it did not eliminate the virus from feral swine. It is believed that regional eradication of PRRS is achievable with the currently available diagnostic tools, vaccines and knowledge on biosecurity and elimination methods. Regional projects present continued challenges and if a group of producers are contemplating a control program, the region should have the following characteristics: excellent veterinary knowledge and leadership, few positive or variable PRRS status pigs entering the region for nursery or finishing; majority of producers willing to monitor the status and eliminate virus; and good collaboration with people who have exhibition pigs. In summary, the challenges are substantial and progress will be coupled with setbacks. But, our experience in these two regions for 4 years leads us to believe that it is achievable in the “right” regions.

Guidelines For Estimating Swine Hoop Shelter Finishing Costs Based on marketing 11,527 pigs sold from 18 shelters

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Latest Developments In Alternative Feedstuffs for Pigs

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Few crops have been developed primarily for livestock production. Zero-tannin faba beans (tannin being the highest anti-nutritional factor in faba beans) hold advantages over field peas such as higher crude protein and ability to grow better in variable conditions. Crop fractionation consists of the separation of the product into a main portion and one or more by-products. 2 by-products of importance come from the ethanol industry (Dried Distiller’s Grains with Solubles) and from the dry milling of wheat. These do have some negative aspects, for example, dry milling by-products contain more phytate, which mobilizes the need for xylanase and phytase enzymes to assist in the breakdown.