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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:
ANNUAL ODOR EMISSION RATE FROM DIFFERENT TYPES OF SWINE PRODUCTION BUILDINGS
Posted in: Environment by admin on January 1, 2006 | No Comments
ECONOMIC MODELS FOR TMDL ASSESSMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION
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A Solid-Phase Microextraction Chamber Method for Analysis of Manure Volatiles
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Economic Assessment of Manure Phosphorus Regulations for Manitoba's Pig Industry: Part 1 Costs of Alternative Manure Management Strategies
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One of the challenges of trying to implement regulations or recommendations to control agricultural pollution is to evaluate the economic impacts on the livestock sector. Therefore, the main objective of this project was to propose a framework for the economic evaluation of the impacts of the new phosphorus P regulations. To demonstrate the new regulations, manure application rates were assessed with the help of three different nutrient management options: N-based nutrient recommendations, up to two times crop P2O5 removal and up to one times crop P2O5 removal. Costs per marketed pig allowed an effective comparison between the different strategies. The lowest average incremental costs of compliance were for annual application on land (up to two times P2O5 crop removal) and for the multi-year land application (up to one times P2O5 crop removal), averaging $0.15 in increased costs per marketed pig for farrowing and finishing operations. As for the strategies where no extra land was available and manure needed to be transported over a certain distance, increased cost per marketed pig averaged $1.11 per marketed pig for the two types of transport and distances assessed. Finally, for the strategy where no additional spreading land was available, incremental costs for manure treatment with solid-liquid separation technology averaged $1.08 per marketed pig and with aerobic technology, $3.50 per marketed pig. As for manure storage, incremental costs averaged $0.62 per marketed pig over a 10 year-period, using an interest rate of 7.5%. Overall, the assessment of the impacts of the new proposed environmental regulations on the selected scenario farms presented the following results: Negative impacts on farrowing operations were larger than on finishing operations, Grain corn was the cropping system with the least increase in land required and pasture was the crop with the highest increase, In areas or on farms where there is not sufficient nearby land for manure application a P2O5 removal basis, the cost increases are substantial, Incorporation of phytase into finishing rations will pay substantial dividends in lowering costs of manure management, For operations with cropping enterprises, the impact of exporting manure N to other farms and replacing with synthetic fertilizer N is substantial, equivalent to a decrease in net returns of 22-54%.
These increased costs could have significant impacts on Manitoba’s pork industry. For primary producers, this represents decreased profitability that will reduce further investment in this sector and an increased risk of losses during periods of low prices, threatening the viability of some existing operations. Beyond the farm gate, these increases in costs could also reduce investment and economic activity in other sub-sectors of the pork industry such as feed suppliers and pork processors.
Prairie Swine Centre Nutrition Program Update May 2006
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The Nutrition program is basically focused on the evaluation of the quality of ingredients used in swine nutrition and produced in Western Canada. Particular attention is paid to pulses.
A study, funded by the Flax Council, was completed on the nutritional value of whole flaxseed and showed that the latter can be incorporated at a rate of 15% in the pig diet. The main interest of flaxseed lies in its content in essential fatty acids that can be incorporated in the lipid fraction of the carcasses.
Another study, ordered by the Saskatchewan Pulse Growers, is currently conducted on lentils. The latter are normally for the human market but it is estimated that 10% of the production, that’s to say 80.000 t, are downgraded every year and used by the feed industry. Virtually no information on their value in pig exists and the study will bring some basic data on digestible energy and protein.
A main research program started recently on the use of field peas in swine nutrition. Peas have become a major local ingredient recently, with 3.7 million metric tonnes produced in 2004. However, the information available is limited to growing pigs and most of the research was conducted in Europe. The new program will study the nutritional value of a large number of pea samples collected throughout the Prairie and will be carried out on piglets, growing pigs and sows. To our knowledge, this will be the first significant study on sows. The interest of the latter study lies on the fact that large animals are able to better digest fibrous diets such as peas than small ones and a significant increase in nutritional value of peas in sows might be expected. Hence, new specific tables of nutritional value are currently developed in Europe for sows. The program will also look at the possibility of improving the nutritional value and reduce the variability of the latter through processing (grinding and pelletizing). The whole program will be subsidized by the Saskatchewan Pulse Growers and the Alberta Pulse Growers.
A new research project has been approved for funding by the Saskatchewan Canola Development Commission and the Canadian Canola Council to study the net energy value of canola meal and full-fat canola seeds. The net energy system is more adapted to ingredients with high levels of protein and dietary fibre –as it is the case in canola- than the digestible energy system. Due to an increasing demand in biodiesel, the production of canola is expected to grow in the next coming years and the use of canola by-products in swine nutrition will depend on our ability to estimate their real nutritional value for these animals. On the other hand, important breeding programs has allowed the development of canola seeds with very low levels of toxic or antinutritional factors and the use of whole canola seeds is now possible. Since they contain high levels of oil, their use as a valuable energy source can be envisaged. Our research program will provide original and valuable information on that new ingredient.
Productivity of Gilts and Sows in Various Management Programs Within an Electronic Sow Feeder System
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Summary
In this study we examined the effect of management methods on the productivity of gilts and sows in a group housing system using electronic sow feeders. Dynamic groups, provided animals were not removed or added more often than every 5 weeks, did not affect sow productivity. Grouping animals prior to embryonic implantation resulted in lower productivity than for sows spending 6 weeks in stalls after breeding. This difference was largely due to a reduced farrowing rate rather than poor litter size. Performance of sows in stalls was intermediate to the various group housing methods.
Introduction
The restriction on movement placed upon sows in gestation stalls has led numerous consumer groups to advocate a move to group housing. The challenge to group housing is to ensure appropriate levels of feed intake for all animals, and to create a social group that can minimize the effects of aggression at the time of group formation. Group housing actually refers to a variety of housing systems and management options, ranging from floor feeding to electronic sow feeders; group sizes from four to several hundred; and regrouping at weaning through to some time after pregnancy is confirmed. It is important for producers to be aware of the effects of these options if they intend to consider alternatives to gestation stalls. Electronic sow feeders (ESF) provide a feeding station that allows one animal at a time to enter and be fed its specific amount of feed. We examined two social management options within an ESF system to determine their effects on productivity.
Experimental Procedures
The study was conducted over six breeding cycles at PSC Elstow Research Farm. In total, over 800 breedings were involved, with animals ranging in age from gilt to 5th parity. New animals were added each reproductive cycle. Within the ESF system we considered small groups of approximately 35 sows that were all added to the pen at the same time (static) vs larger (120 sows) that were dynamic, that is groups of approximately 35 sows were removed for farrowing and others added at 5 week intervals. We also considered two stages of gestation at which to place the animals. Animals were either moved to the ESF 8-10 days after breeding, or approximately 45 days after breeding, by which time embryonic implantation should have occurred. We also collected data from animals kept in stalls for their entire gestation.
Results and Discussion
Farrowing rate was determined based on all sows mated. We also recorded live piglets born, and calculated the number of live piglets per 100 sows mated. This measure combined farrowing rate and litter size. We classified the sows by parity as gilts, 1st, 2nd and mature, and calculated an adjusted performance assuming a standard distribution of ages in each system. Animal flow problems developed during our first two breeding cycles leading to a decision to house gilts separately from sows in order to be trained to the ESF system.
The farrowing rate of the animals differed with parity, being lowest for gilts and not differing among the older animals (Table 1). This is not an uncommon finding on commercial herds, but the depression was greater within the ESF system. Once gilts were housed by themselves we did not see such a difference. There were no differences between the static and dynamic groups for farrowing rate. Although the farrowing rate for post-implant sows was 4% higher than for pre-implant animals, the difference was not significant. Although such a difference would be a major concern on a commercial farm, the week to week variation in farrowing rate was substantial and precluded a significant treatment effect. Stalled sows were intermediate to the ESF groups of sows. Litter size was smaller for gilts than for other parities, and total live piglets per 100 sows bred was highest for the post-implant than for pre-implant treatment (Table 2). Again, stalled animals were intermediate.
Conclusion
Productivity equal to that obtained in stalls can be achieved in an ESF system, but this was only possible in our study if animals were already past implantation when the group was formed. Other studies using only pre-implant grouping tend to report lower productivity in groups. Static and dynamic systems did not differ, but it should be pointed out that our dynamic system involved adding new animals at 5 week intervals, not weekly as in several other studies. It is important to note the management methods used in group housing studies, as these can affect the outcome of the comparison.
‘It is important to note the management methods used in group housing studies, as these can affect the outcome of the comparison.”
Acknowledgements
Strategic program funding provided by Sask Pork, Alberta Pork, Manitoa Pork, and the Saskatchewan Agricultural Development Fund. Project funding was provided by Ontario Pork, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.
Variation in the Finishing Barn
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All-in-all-out (AIAO) systems expose the fact that some pigs require longer to market weight than others (some even 4 to 6 weeks longer). This fact went unnoticed in continuous flow operations. This variability in weights in the AIAO systems can result in significant economic loss. To calculate variability, statistical tools such as mean (average), median (middle value of a data set), mode (value that occurs most frequently), minimum and maximum values, standard deviation (measure of dispersion), and coefficient of variation (a percentage). Sample group size to determine these factors is related to the variability. For example, if you want to determine coefficient of variation for weaning weights, a large number is needed. This is because the variability is so high. A list of causative agents for variability is listed along with an explanation as: 1) Pre-natal influences; 2) Post-natal influences; 3) Post-weaning influences; 4) Herd health and pathogen exposure; 5) Feed and water. Aside from these primary factors, there is also the social behavior theory. This regards the hierarchy that pigs create which results in the inferior pigs having a restriction of feed and water, being crowded, or having competition with limited resources. Production targets for variability (coefficients of variation) should not exceed 20% of weaning weights, 12 to 15% for nursery exit weights and 8 to 12% for weight at first pull from the finishing barn. If these are exceeded, managers can enhance the growth of the slower growing pigs via improving the herd health or having better access to food and water. Variability can be managed by pre-planned segregation (splitting up groups based on expected future performance), parity segregation (separate housing of gilts and their offspring), increasing weaning age, increasing overall weight gain (to minimize the impact of tail-enders), and weighing pigs at marketing.