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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:
Nitrous Oxide, Nitric Oxide, and Nitrogen Dioxide Fluxes from Soils after Manure and Urea Application
Posted in: Environment by admin on January 1, 2003 | No Comments
Reduce Odors: Plant Trees
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Lowering wind speeds over manure storage areas allows for slower release of the odor plumes. Shelterbelts are an excellent way to block the wind and deflect and lift the air odor plumes. When building a shelterbelt, a minimum of 2 rows of trees or shrubs should be planted, with wedge-shaped ones that face prevailing winds creating the most turbulence. Planting fast-growing species will also give height to the plumes more quickly.
Tall barriers around manure lagoons can reduce downwind lagoon odor emissions by 26 and 92%. The horizontal extent of wind protection is proportional to the height of the shelterbelt. Wind speed reduction on the windward side of shelterbelts has been recorded at 2 to 5 H of the shelterbelt and on the leeward side, typical reductions are 30H. As porosity of the shelterbelt decreases to less than 50%, the greater the turbulence in the turbulent zone in which much of the dilution of the odor takes place. Porosity can be manipulated by spacing and species. Deciduous trees tend to create more open shelterbelts near the ground compared with conifer shelterbelts. A 1984 study found that a forest cleans the air of microparticles 20 times better than barren land. Leaves with large circumferences collect these particles better than simple-shaped leaves, suggesting that conifers may trap particles more effectively than deciduous trees and shrubs.
The physical properties of compost
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A new inventory of ammonia emissions from Irish agriculture
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Practical Aspects of On-Farm AI
Posted in: Prairie Swine Centre by admin on | No Comments
Over the past decade the use of artificial insemination has become common as producers recognize the benefits it provides. Artificial insemination can provide the use of genetically superior boars, reduce transmission of disease as well as decrease the cost of boar housing. However, there are also several management aspects that must be monitored closely in order to ensure success. Some areas that should be monitored closely involve the handling and storage of extended semen, proper insemination technique as well as accurate heat detection. For example, temperature fluctuations of extended semen can be harmful to boar sperm. Cold or heat shock can occur by removing a tube of semen from storage temperature at 17¢ªC and placing it on a window ledge, counter or penning. It is best to place extended semen into a cooler for transport to the breeding barn and only to remove enough semen for one hour of breeding so as not to fatigue the technician. It is recommended that one technician only inseminate 7-8 sows/hour. Reversal of temperature should also be avoided so as not to harm the sperm, stressing again that only the one hours worth of semen tubes be taken to the breeding barn in the cooler. Heat checking and insemination timing is very critical. In the presence of a boar, sows will express a standing heat when stimulated. This response may be exhibited up to 10-15 minutes following stimulation and not longer. Therefore it is important that the boar is not too far ahead of the technician when heat checking or inseminating. If the sow is stimulated too early, the technician will not be able to accurately detect estrus. Finally, it is not a good idea to move the sow once she has been inseminated. If she must be moved it should not occur between day 4 and 30 of gestation, as this is the period of embryo migration and implantation. Moving during this time would cause abortion or reduced litter size. These are four important management areas of artificial insemination that require specific attention, as they are critical to success.
Panel Presentation: Managing the Nursery Environment
Posted in: Prairie Swine Centre by admin on | No Comments
Quadra runs a new 7-week nursery program. Four different feeds are fed to the nursery pig over the course of the 7 weeks. Two are fed in the first week by hand. Over the next 6 weeks, two separate chain disk or cable drive systems provide automated feed delivery. The feeders are Crystal Springs stainless steel dry feeders. The flooring is totally slatted plastic flooring with PVC plank penning. Water is supplied to the pigs through stainless steel nipple drinkers and adjustable drops. Ventilation is designed as a negative pressure system. The inlets are installed on the bottom of ducts that lead from a pre-heat plenum. For summer time ventilation, flaps on the top of the duct are opened to allow air directly into the duct and increase the make-up air supply capacity. Heating is primarily provided through gas-fired unit heaters or radiant tube heaters. Two facilities use Hydronic heating systems. One is fired with a coal boiler. All walls are at least 2 feet above finished floor height on a concrete grade beam. All ceilings are 10’ high. Typically the ceiling is painted plywood with either PVC planking as walls or fiberglass covered plywood.
Evidence for local spread of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus
Posted in: Air Filtration, Pork Insight Articles by admin on November 26, 2002 | No Comments
It is has been proven that the PRRS virus can spread by direct contact of infected pigs with non-infected pigs. But there is also speculation that the PRRS virus can spread from indirect contact, such as by fomites, biological and mechanical vectors and by aerosols. Although tests done on indirect transmission haven’t produced clear results, but if it is a threat producers will have to improve there biosecurity guards to adapt. An ongoing study for virus surveillance was going on at the National Animal Disease Center with animals suspected to have the PRRS virus. These animals had their blood samples taken when the appeared to be infected with the virus. They consisted of 7 different herds, 6 of which were in close proximity to each other. Each herd was given a ranking in order of when they contacted the virus. 6 farms tested had the same isolate pattern while one had a unique isolate pattern. The farmers revealed in their interviews that they did not share equipment, their deads did not contact each other, and only one site had a vet visit in the previous 6 months. Only one herd was kept in a complete confinement system, while the others were in an open faced facility. The similarity of the PRRS virus found in all but seven of the farms was believed to be because of use of replacement animals from the same herd or the use of contaminated semen, not by indirect contact. The one herd that did not have the same strain of virus may have been because the virus made rapid mutations when it entered that specific farm that were different from the changes the other viruses went through. This research supports the hypothesis that PRRS area spread may occur but the method is unknown. When producers are building new facilities and deciding where to build them, PRRS virus area spreading should be considered.