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Industry Partners
Prairie Swine Centre is an affiliate of the University of Saskatchewan
Prairie Swine Centre is grateful for the assistance of the George Morris Centre in developing the economics portion of Pork Insight.
Financial support for the Enterprise Model Project and Pork Insight has been provided by:
First Results of Detection of PRRSV and CSFV RNA by SYBR Green I-based Quantitative PCR
Posted in: Welfare by admin on January 1, 2006 | No Comments
Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) and classical swine fever (CSF) cause significant economic losses to the swine industry worldwide. As both diseases cause similar
symptoms, rapid and reliable detection of these diseases is essential for disease surveillance. A quantitative SYBR Green I-based reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RTPCR)
is described for simultaneous and differential diagnosis. The established RT-PCR for the quantitation of PRRSV and CSFV cDNA was found to provide a broad dynamic range, detecting from 103 to 1011 and 102 to 1011 copies of cDNA per reaction, respectively. Sensitivity and specificity of this
method were compared with those of conventional RT-PCR and both were equal or superior to the reference method. Reproducibility was tested and the assay was proved very reliable. The assay is timesaving, easy to handle, and highly sensitive and specific. Therefore, it is a powerful tool for detecting PRRSV and CSFV simultaneously for routine outbreak investigation.
Effects of rearing and housing environment on behaviour and performance of pigs with different coping characteristics
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In intensive pig husbandry, pigs are predominantly housed in stimulus-poor environments in which the possibilities for expression of species-specific behaviours are limited (De Jonge et al., 1996; Schouten, 1986). Because of a lack of suitable substrates, barren housing environments may in particular frustrate the performance of explorative activities like rooting and chewing, which are considered important elements in the behavioural repertoire of pigs (Fraser, 1988; Fraser and Broom, 1997; Van Putten and Dammers, 1976; Wood-Gush and Vestergaard, 1989). This frustration of normal exploratory behaviour has been suggested to lead to the development of several maladaptive oral behaviours, such as nibbling, biting and rooting the tails, ears and other parts of pen mates, and vacuum chewing (Schmidt, 1982; Schouten, 1986; Van Putten and Dammers, 1976). Indeed, there is ample evidence that the availability of a rooting substrate reduces abnormal oral behaviours in growing-finishing pigs, and, as indicated by both behavioural and physiological data, improves their welfare substantially (Beattie et al., 1996, 2000; De Jong et al., 2000; Fraser et al., 1991; Kelly et al., 2000; Schouten, 1986). Apart from the actual housing environment in which the pigs are kept, the conditions present in early life and individual characteristics may also have an influence on the behaviour of the pigs. The present study investigated the relative importance of the housing environment during rearing and the actual housing environment on behaviour during the finishing phase, pathological lesions of the heart and stomach wall and weight gain in pigs with diverging coping characteristics. Pigs were reared either without a rooting substrate (barren, B) or in identical pens enriched with straw bedding (enriched, E). During the suckling period piglets were subjected to the Backtest. The Backtest classification of pigs is, to a certain extent, predictive of their coping style. Each piglet was restrained in supine position for 1 min and its resistance (i.e. the number of escape attempts) was scored. Sixty high-resisting (HR) and 60 low-resisting (LR) pigs were selected. Half of these pigs were from barren and the other half from enriched rearing environments. Pigs were housed in groups of six (three HR and three LR) after weaning. At 10 weeks of age, environmental conditions (B or E) were switched for half of the pens. Behaviour patterns of pigs during the finishing phase were largely determined by the actual presence or absence of straw bedding. Pigs that changed from enriched to barren pens (EB pigs), however, showed an increased inactivity beyond the inactivity levels of pigs with a barren rearing history (BB pigs). The impact of rearing history on chewing, manipulative and play behaviour in later life was larger for LR than for HR pigs. The availability of straw reduced the occurrence of gastric lesions in LR, but not in HR pigs. Feed intake tended to be lower in EB pens than in EE pens, but this was reflected in the growth rate of HR pigs only. HR–EE pigs showed a higher weight gain than HR–EB pigs. In conclusion, behaviour patterns of pigs were largely influenced by the actual (in)availability of straw. The influence of rearing history on behaviour, occurrence of gastric lesions and weight gain was smaller, and depended to some extent on coping characteristics (LR or HR) of the pigs under study.
Tail-biting in outdoor pig production
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Microbial source tracking using host specific FAME profiles of fecal coliforms
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The objective of this study was to investigate the host-specific differences in fatty acid
methyl ester (FAME) profiles of fecal coliforms (FC). A known-source library was
constructed with 314 FC isolates cultured from 6 possible sources of fecal pollution; 99
isolates from sewage; 29 from bovine; 29 from poultry; 50 from swine; 46 from waterfowl;
and 61 from deer. It was found that the hydroxy FAMEs 12:0 2OH, 12:0 3OH, and 14:0 2OH
were exclusively associated with isolates of human origin. On the other hand, 3 saturated
FAMEs, 10:0, 15:0, and 18:0 were found only in isolates from non-human sources, 15:0 being
associated with livestock samples only. In addition to the presence of these signature
FAMEs, the mean relative masses of 16:1 o7c and 16:1 ISO/14:0 3OH were significantly
different between the isolates of human and non-human origins. A linear discriminant
function differentiated FC isolates of human origin from those of livestock and wildlife
origin at 99% accuracy. These results strongly suggest that the FAME profiles of FC show
statistically significant host specificity and may have the potential to be used as a
phenotypic microbial source tracking tool.
Ventilation: How to Read a Room
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Successful production requires uniformity in many areas including ventilation. Air velocity and turbulence are two important ventilation factors. The interactions of these factors have an influence on pig comfort/stress as well as disease. Studies have resulted in the development of a temperature vs. airflow velocity chart that suggests specific airflow rates (in feet/minute) that do not hinder productivity. As the temperature of the barns fluctuates the pigs will adjust their feed intake accordingly. It is believed that the greatest intake of net energy along with peak conversion occurs just above the lower critical temperature. When analyzing ventilation it is important to take into account volume, distribution, and control of air. Recommended ventilation rates are simply calculated by multiplying the number of animals in the house by the recommended rate. The distribution system will provide sufficient mixing of fresh air with appropriate maintenance. A common method of monitoring the control of air is via a sensor inside of the room in question. These can help to make control decisions. Most of the ventilation problems occur during cold or cool weather when ventilation rates are low. Air quality can be poor because of under ventilation. If relative humidity is high, other contaminants are usually above the threshold values as well. A suggested priority for ventilation testing would be temperature and humidity, air distribution pattern, ammonia, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and dust.
Lactic acid fermentation of food waste for swine feed
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Apparent and true total tract digestibility of phosphorus in field peas (Pisum sativum L.) by growing pigs
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The apparent (ATTD) and true (TTTD) total tract digestibility of P in field peas were measured using growing pigs. Two diets based on field peas without or with microbial phytase were formulated. A P-free diet was also formulated to measure endogenous losses of P. Results of the experiment showed that the ATTD and TTTD of P in field peas with microbial phytase (65.9 and 72.3%, respectively) were greater (P < 0.01) than in field peas without microbial phytase (55.0 and 60.8%, respectively). The addition of microbial phytase to field peas also reduced (P < 0.01) the excretion of P in the feces (from 5.77 to 4.09 g/5 d).
Financial Risks, Concerns & Opportunities for Pork Producers
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Farm Credit Canada (FCC) is a federal crown corporation, with roots dating back over 45 years. Back then they were strictly a mortgage lender, offering one type of loan. Today, they offer 24 types of loans – 18 of them being customized products to meet the various needs of the agriculture industry and the sectors within it. In addition to financing, through their expanded mission, they provide a variety of other business solutions to farm families and ag-business. FCC operates out of 100 offices across the country – so they are represented in every hog-producing region in Canada and hold a fairly large loan portfolio in the sector. FCC’s Account Managers are fairly knowledgeable about the issues facing the hog industry and have found that although the reasons may be varied; expansion in the form of increasing the scale of operations is not in the forefront of producers’ minds. Rather, producers are placing more emphasis on how they can “hold their own” at least through 2006/07. The general consensus is that this core business goal will be achieved if they can: withstand tightening margins (in particular maintain their working capital position); re-tool or enhance existing operations in order to find finishing space –either under the umbrella of their own operation, or through contract barns; stabilize the herd from a health perspective; andor find and keep good employees. At Farm Credit Canada, “Agriculture is all we do.” So says their slogan. In French-speaking parts of the country, the literal translation is closer to “Agriculture…our reason for being”. Passion for the industry has made it easy for FCC to be there during the peaks and the troughs. Cycles in the industry result in continuous change in the needs of producers, and with that change, FCC continues to broaden its focus and to add value in a variety of ways.