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:
It's Not "Waste" Anymore!
Posted in: Energy by admin on January 1, 2001 | No Comments
The article profiles a Saskatchewan company that recycles hog slurry into heat and energy. Clear Green Biotechnologies promises to make traditional waste management methods obsolete. Minimizing lagoon construction, no danger of groundwater contanimation and quick startup are some of the benefits. The heart of the solution is Biorek, Bioscan’s organic waste refinery. Biorek’s plants convert hog slurry into usable energy, fertilizer components, and clean water. The waste separation and conversion system (Biorek) has been established through joint ventures in many countries.With Western Canada’s increase in livestock production, the companies process can play an important role. With the money saved over lagoon and other systems, farmers will have the capital to take an equity position in the plant and even earn returns from it. Perhaps this system could sell energy into the provincial power grid because as “green” energy it could market at a premium.
Economic impact of a ban on the use of over the counter antibioticsin U.S. swine rations
Posted in: Economics by admin on | No Comments
Organic livestock farming: A critical review
Posted in: Production by admin on | No Comments
The goal of organic livestock farming is to produce a high quality product in the most environmentally and animal-friendly ways. With an increasing number of consumers that demand that products be produced this way, organic farming has an established market. Organic farming has been shown to reduce pollution and nutrient losses. However, the health of dairy cows, for example, was not found to differ between conventional and organic systems. The animal welfare standards in organic farming enable good quality of life for the animals. Product quality does not appear to be related to the production system. The author concludes that the method of organic farming improves environmental and animal welfare aspects of livestock production over conventional production. However, there does not appear to be a difference in animal health and product quality between the two production systems. These two factors seem more related to individual farm management. There appears to be more qualification required to be successful at organic farming, and therefore more risk of failing to meet the demands of consumers. Therefore, quality assurance programs are important to ensure that consumer demands are being met.
Utilisation of whole cassava plant in the diets of growing pigs in the tropics
Posted in: Production by admin on | No Comments
Land-Use Issues and Conflict
Posted in: Environment by admin on | No Comments
Municipalities are also often drawn into conflict. Sometimes municipalities are the source of
the conflict and other times they are perceived as an objective body that can or should
intervene to resolve problems between neighbours. When people have a concern, for example,
the first place they often turn to is their local municipality. Sources of conflict within the rural
community are varied. Sometimes, conflict may be a running feud between two neighbours
and the municipality will likely decline involvement. In other instances, however, and from
the perspective of rural planning and environmental management it may be in the
municipalities interest to become involved. For example the “Dirty Dozen” sources of conflict
identified by Carter and Owen (2000) have a strong municipal or public component to them
(for example water and air quality).
As mentioned, conflict can also exist between the municipality and ratepayers. Conflict may
arise from concern over municipal action or inaction, staff dealings with public, concern over
council-related issues, concern over taxes or concerns over any number of a wide range of
municipal services. In many rural municipalities across the country, the issue of agricultural
intensification has put many conflicts squarely on the Council table. In Ontario,
municipalities have been lobbied to stop the construction of new livestock facilities. In
Manitoba and Alberta tense public meetings have accompanied proposals for the construction
of new barns.
While conflict can not always be resolved to everyone’s satisfaction, it is desirable to try to
resolve or manage it. Individuals and organizations are recognizing that by increasing their
understanding of the negotiating process and by using specific skills, they can achieve
enhanced outcomes for themselves and others.
Economics of Beef Feedlot Manure Management From a Whole-Farm Planning Perspective
Posted in: Environment by admin on | No Comments
Manure management is a priority concern of the beef feedlot industry. Specialized livestock production often separates manure from the cropland it has been traditionally associated with. Therefore, manure management is often considered in this same context. Manure management, however, need not be discussed exclusively in the context of a feedlot operation. A whole farm planning approach offers significant potential for manure management when the production of beef feedlot cattle and crops occurs at the same site. Integration of crop and livestock production offers benefits to the operation that are not readily available to specialized operations producing strictly crops or livestock. Cropland can provide feed to the livestock portion of the enterprise and a place to apply the manure produced by the cattle. Manure supplies nutrients to cropland that would otherwise have to be purchased from off-farm sources. Therefore, what would be a cost of disposal to an operation producing strictly livestock may become an economical way to supply nutrients to crop production on an integrated crop-livestock operation. Manure management and utilization can be addressed at several stages of agricultural production from livestock ration decisions through to land application and crop choice. Dietary manipulation and composting offer potential to reduce the amount and constituents of manure. Growing crops with high nutrient demands allows more nutrients to be recycled on a fixed amount of cropland. Wang and Sparling (1995) demonstrated that it was possible for irrigated land producing hay, grain corn and silage corn within a 10 mile radius of an area
of highly concentrated feedlots to absorb more than twice the manure produced by feedlots when the manure was applied at agronomic rates. Growing crops such as potatoes, sugar beets, or other crops to be exported out of a region presents yet another opportunity for longterm manure management. These crops grown for export break the cycle of applying manure to cropland, feeding the crop to livestock, and applying the subsequent manure on the same land.
Design and Performance of a High-Rise: Hog Facility Manure Drying Bed
Posted in: Environment by admin on | No Comments
Characterization of Odor Components from Swine Housing Dust Using Gas Chromatography
Posted in: Environment by admin on | No Comments