SEARCH
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:
Community-Based Strategies for Resolving Agricultural and Land Use Conflict
Posted in: Environment by admin on January 1, 2004 | No Comments
Design and Testing of an Enclosed Biofilter
Posted in: Environment by admin on | No Comments
Biofiltration of odourous air from livestock barns using a horizontal airflow configuration
is possible. During the course of this research, two possible designs have been evaluated.
A pressurized headspace design functioned well, but may not be practical for a full-scale
commercial hog operation. Using the principle that “simpler is better”, a biofilter using a
non-pressurized headspace seems to eliminate some of the practical challenges associated
with the pressurized headspace design. Looking to the future, I see two potential applications of horizontal airflow biofilters. First, as we have demonstrated in this project, is a retrofit situation where the exhaust air from an existing barn is to be treated. I envision that individual biofilter units would be constructed in a factory setting and then transported to the barn for installation and
filling. Each biofilter unit could be custom-designed to either the airflow requirements of the exhaust fan, or the odour reduction desired by the owner. Construction of the units would be quick, easy, and inexpensive at a central, factory-like location. The dimensions of the units are such that they could be transported on a flat-deck trailer. Further work must be done to determine the best way to install the units within the limits imposed by insurance companies. The second potential application of a horizontal airflow biofilter is the integration of the biofilter with the barn at the time of construction. Specifically, the integration of the exhaust fan and the booster fan. By considering both the ventilation requirements for air quality within the barn and the airflow resistance characteristics of the biofilter, a single fan could be selected to satisfy both functions. With such integration at the design stage, there should be no need for insurance companies to be uptight about the presence of a
biofilter. During this project, much has been learned about the technology of biofiltration. At the
same time, much has been learned about the non-technical issues associated with biofiltration of hog odour. As evidenced by the response to the open house event, the general public is extremely interested in biofiltration if it can make the smell go away. Those within the hog industry are somewhat interested, but seem to be more skeptical. Companies that design livestock facilities are beginning to take notice of the technology because it may help to remove roadblocks to new expansion within the hog industry. Municipal officials are watching closely. And finally, the insurance companies are
concerned about increased liability.
Land Application of Manure
Posted in: Environment by admin on | No Comments
Odours, dust from road traffic and potential soil and water contamination are often associated with land application of manure. These issues can be addressed effectively through proper management techniques and through an awareness of cropping principles and environmental regulations.
Response of Growing-Finishing Pigs to Dietary Energy Concentration
Posted in: Prairie Swine Centre by admin on | No Comments
The primary objective of pork production is to produce lean meat in a cost effective and sustainable manner. From a nutritional perspective, energy is perhaps the most critical nutrient, because it is the most expensive to provide in the diet and because gut capacity may limit the ability of the pig to consume sufficient quantities to achieve their full genetic potential for growth. It is generally assumed that feeding a higher nutrient density diet will enhance pig performance. The only outstanding question in most people’s minds is at what point does the higher cost of the high energy diet exceed the value of improved animal performance.
Confounding this logic is recent research at the Prairie Swine Centre showing that pigs do not always respond to higher energy diets with improved performance. Indeed, we have completed no less than 4 studies with nursery pigs showing no increase in growth rate when dietary energy was increased. Have we been wrong all these years in feeding high energy diets in order to achieve improved performance?
There are other reasons for wanting a better understanding of how the pig uses energy. For example, our knowledge of amino acid metabolism is rapidly increasing, with literally dozens of experiments on this subject completed each year. We are rapidly getting to the point where a nutritionist can estimate with a reasonable degree of accuracy, the optimum level of lysine and other amino acids required for a given farm operating under a given financial environment. However, before we can take full advantage of our knowledge on amino acids, we must have an equivalent understanding of energy – and that is certainly not the case at the present time.
Nutritional value of zero-tannin faba beans for grower-finisher hogs
Posted in: Prairie Swine Centre by admin on | No Comments
Zero-tannin faba beans are a potential replacement of soybean meal in swine diets. The chemical characteristics, energy and amino acid (AA) digestibility, the content of DE and NE, and tannin content of zero-tannin faba beans were determined and indicate, together with the subsequent growth performance variables and carcass quality of grower-finisher pigs, that zero-tannin faba beans can replace soybean meal and result in similar performance in grower-finisher pigs.
The Importance of Animal Welfare in the Barn
Posted in: Welfare by admin on | No Comments
Animal welfare is important for public concern, animal performance, facility design, standard operating procedures, and job satisfaction. Animal welfare audits are being designed and tested, especially in Europe, to get a hold on animal welfare. In the US, the Food Marketing Institute and the National Council of Chain Restaurants put together a set of guidelines for animal agriculture. It provides guides for breeding, rearing, handling, slaughter, and more. Specifically, the National Pork Board in the US has created the SWAP (Swine Welfare Assurance Program). In Canada, the Canadian Pork Council created an on-farm animal welfare assessment program. This works to identify positive as well as negative areas on the farm, and how they can be improved. Animal welfare is assessed by animal based, environmental based, and management based parameters.