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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:
MODIFICATION AND USE OF DRAINMOD TO EVALUATE A LAGOON EFFLUENT LAND APPLICATION SYSTEM
Posted in: Environment by admin on January 1, 2004 | No Comments
Greenhouse gas emission from NAP-covered earthen manure storage basin
Posted in: Prairie Swine Centre by admin on | No Comments
The objective of a negative air pressure (NAP) cover in reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from an earthen manure storage basin (EMB). GHG emissions were measured from the same EMB when it was uncovered and covered with chopped straw in 2001, 2002 and 2003, and compared with the emissions from the NAP-covered EMB in 2004. The 2.cell EMB was located at the 600 sow farrow-to-finish operation of PSC Elstow research Farm Inc. near Elstow, Saskatchewan.
Wholesale-Retail Marketing Margin Behavior in the Beef and Pork Industries
Posted in: Economics by admin on | No Comments
An econometric model is used to estimate real wholesale-retail marketing margins for beef and pork. From 1970 to 1998, these margins increased by 27% and 149% while farm-wholesale margins declined. Wholesale-Retail (WR) marketing margin increases have caused livestock producers to focus on the retail sector as a contributor to declining real livestock prices. Increases in WR margins may be related to increased demand and costs of value-added food products/services as well as increased market concentration in the retail grocery sector. Results indicate that retail factors, and to a lesser extent meat processing factors, significantly increased WR margins and decreased livestock prices.
Effects of group size on social behavior following regrouping of growing-finishing pigs.
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Large group size may increase aggression, decrease productivity, and impair animal welfare. The objectives of this study were to assess the effects of group size on social behaviour post-mixing, particularly the distribution of aggression, associated injuries, and resulting productivity. A total of 480 growing-finishing pigs were used in a 12-wk study to quantify the effects of group size (10, 20, 40, and 80 pigs per pen) on aggression, aggression-related injuries, behavioural patterns, and the relationships among aggression, injuries, and growth rate. Pigs were regrouped at 8 weeks of age. Aggression of pigs during the first 8 h post-regrouping was observed by live observation. Injury scores were assessed on individual pigs 48 h after regrouping. Pigs were weighed individually at the beginning and end of the study to determine average daily gain. Total duration of aggression for the 8 h post-regrouping was similar among group sizes and average approximately 14 min per pig. The total number of fights per pig in the groups of 10 pigs was lower than for group of 20, 40, and 80 pigs. When group size was increased to 40 pigs per pen, the average number of naïve fighting pairs (neither pigs had previously fought) increased significantly. However, the ratio of total pigs in the pen to the number of naïve fighting pairs was similar among group sizes. The longest duration of fights and most number of fights occurred in the first 2 h post-regrouping. The proportion of pigs that did not fight during the 8 h post-regrouping was higher in groups of 40 and 80 pigs. Pigs with similar body weights fought for longer time than pigs with large difference in body weight. Total injuries scores, which were positively correlated with aggression, were similar among group sizes. Although initial body weight was positively correlated with the number of fights, the duration of fights and total injury scores, the overall average daily gain was not correlated with aggression and injury scores post-regrouping. In conclusion, pigs in large groups did not evidence a high level of aggression. The commonly held fears of increased aggression, its consequent injuries, and decreased productivity in large groups were not found in this study.
Pre-partum udder massaging as a means for reduction of fear in primiparous cows at milking.
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During the first 76 days of lactation, primiparous cows were observed to determine the effects of varying frequencies of pre-partum udder massage (45, 30 or 15 massaging sessions on alternate days during last trimester of pregnancy) on temperament score, milk letdown time, milk flow rate, and frequency of urination and defecation. During milking, the restlessness of the animals that had been exposed to pre-partum udder massage was reduced significantly compared to animals in the control group. The median value of milk letdown time varied from 23 to 31 s while the median value of milk flow rate varied from 13 to 16 g/s in the massaged groups compared to 46-50 s and 8-9 g/s, respectively in the control group. All of the differences were significant. Both urination and defecation frequencies were significantly high up to the 16th day of lactation in the non-massaged group. Conclusions stated that udder massaging for 30 sessions would reduce the level of fear in primiparous cows and also facilitate clean milk production.
Long-term detrimental effects of tooth clipping or grinding in piglets: a histological approach.
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Histological examination was carried out on young piglets in order to assess the consequences of tooth resection over the days following the tooth clipping. The methods of tooth clipping with clippers, and grinding by use of a rotating grindstone were compared. Piglets were slaughtered at days 3, 6, 13, 27, and 48 after tooth resection in order to collect their teeth and prepare the teeth for histological examination. Both clipping and grinding were found to induce lesions such as pulp cavity opening, fracture, hemorrhage, infiltration or abscess, and osteodentine formation. Most of these effects occurred sooner and were a larger problem after teeth clipping than after grinding. Conclusions stated that tooth grinding was still likely to cause severe pain in piglets. Thus, it was proposed that the rationale of the practice should be reevaluated.
Short-term spatial memory in the domestic horse
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This study was conducted to determine if horses could successfully remember where to find food after a delay in seeing and hearing where the food was initially placed. Twelve horses were tested individually in an arena. At the beginning of the test, the horses were maintained immobile in the arena where they could see and hear the food being delivered in one of two positions in the arena. The horse’s ability to find the food was tested immediately after the food was delivered and after a delay of 10 seconds after the food was delivered. Each test was repeated 40 times initially and repeated 40 times three months later. The results indicated that horses were successful in the immediate release tests, but not in the 10 second delayed release tests. The authors concluded that horses may not have a prospective type of memory and therefore limitations in recall abilities. These results are important to consider for the welfare of horses and during training, such as problems in overestimating their mental abilities and the effects of delaying reinforcements.