Effects of Alum and Aluminum Chloride on Phosphorus Runoff from Swine Manure

Posted in: Environment by admin on January 1, 2001 | No Comments

Liquid Swine Manure as a Fertilizer Source for Annual and Perennial Grass Forage

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Manure application during the mid-summer months is a problem on many farms. Corn or soybeans occupy most of the crop acres. Producers inquire as to the advisability of applying liquid swine manure to established bromegrass or an annual forage grass crop. A series of studies was initiated in 1998 at the Northern Iowa Research Farm to investigate the suitability of liquid swine pit manure as a
fertilizer source for annual and perennial grass forage crops.

On-Farm Feed Milling: Gearing up for the 21st Century

Posted in: Prairie Swine Centre by admin on | No Comments

Research Profits Everyone

Posted in: Prairie Swine Centre by admin on | No Comments

The effect of ergot on the performance of weanling pigs

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Ergot contains numerous poisonous substances (alkaloids), which upon ingestion by animals may lead to poor growth rate, decreased feed consumption and poor feed efficiency. The effect will depend on the age or physiological stage of the animal, and the amount consumed. Results obtained in this study indicated that the consumption of diets containing more than 0.10% high alkaloid ergot by weanling pigs severely reduces growth rate, and feed consumption and efficiency.

A note on the effect of isolation during testing and length of previous confinement on locomotor behaviour furing open-field test in dairy calves.

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Open-field test is used to measure the effect of housing and handling on emotional reactivity. This study investigated firstly if confined calves perform more locomotor behaviour when open-field tested in pairs than when tested individually, and secondly if length of confinement affects the build-up of motivation to perform locomotor behaviour. In the first experiment, 14 calves were open-field tested on two successive days either individually or as a pair. Calves walked more and performed more locomotor play when tested in pairs, suggesting that it may be appropriate to avoid isolation when aiming to measure the effects of confinement on locomotor behaviour. In the second experiment, in each of three successive weeks, 24 calves had access to an exercise arena for 45 min daily on three successive days either: 1) the first 3 days, 2) the third, fourth and fifth day, or 3) the fourth, fifth and sixth day. On the seventh day the calves were released into the arena for 10 min of open-field test. Calves performed more locomotor play, and they trotted more after 3 days without access to the arena than after 1 or 0 days, suggesting that in calves the motivation to perform locomotor play and trotting increases with length of confinement.

Solving return-to-sensibility problems after electrical stunning in commercial pork slaughter plants.

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Case studies of six federally inspected pork slaughter plants were conducted to determine the causes and solutions for problems with return-to-sensibility in pigs after electrical stunning. Pigs were held in a V-shaped restrainer conveyor and stunned with a manually applied head-to-body electrical stunner. Within each plant, 100-200 pigs were scored based on stunner positioning, squealing when stunner was applied, and signs of insensibility. Spontaneous eye blinking after stunning (which indicates the pig is beginning to return to sensibility or that insufficient amperage was used) ranged from 0.5 to 7 percent. Signs of possible return-to-sensibility disappeared before bleeding pigs reached the scalding tub. Eye blinking was eliminated by improving bleeding practices, redesigning the stunner operator’s work station to facilitate proper placement of the stunner, redesigning the head electrode to improve proper placement, reducing line speed, improving initial contact of the stunner, and increasing amperage (that was too low for sows). Correct electrode placement, appropriate amperage, and bleeding procedures need to be monitored to ensure the pig is rendered insensible. It is possible to correct problems with electrical stunning, but the procedures need to be monitored. Spontaneous eye blinking (without touching the eye) is recommended for evaluating return-to-sensibility problems under field conditions.

The influence of farmers' behaviour on calves' reactions to transport and quality of veal meat.

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Based on preliminary observations in various veal units, 20 units were selected for this study. The units were selected based on how the farmer was observed to interact with the calves. In half the units the farmers had predominantly positive interactions with the calves, whereas in the other units the farmers had predominantly negative interactions with the calves. The units that had ‘positive farmers’ produced calves that were less fearful of people within the veal unit, were easier to load and unload onto the truck, had lower heart rates during loading and unloading and had fewer accidents (falling down, hits against structures, slips) while at the slaughterhouse compared to calves that came from units with ‘negative farmers’. Calves that had experienced positive interactions had carcasses that were paler, lower in pH, moisture, and redness than the carcasses from calves that had experienced negative interactions. The farmers’ behaviour was found to have a significant effect on the emotional responses of the veal calves in this study. Positive behaviour towards the calves was found to result in less emotional reactivity during stressful events, which improved ease of handling, meat quality and decreased accidents.

Cow behaviour on a new grooved floor in comparison with a slatted floor, taking claw health and floor properties into account.

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This study examined the behaviour and claw health of dairy cows on two floor types: slatted and grooved concrete. Two groups of 12 cows were switched between floors after three weeks for a second three week period. Observations were conducted during the third week on each floor. There were no differences in the behaviour of the cows on each floor type, with the exception that cows on the grooved floors stood less with all four feet inside the cubicles. Claw health was also similar between floor types. Both floors were scrapped automatically, and cows were observed to stumble over the scrapper blade and developed foot lesions suggestive of trauma from the blade. The two floors types were both considered suitable for dairy cows, but the scrapping system which is essential to the grooved system, needs improvement.

The pig as an intermediate host for influenza A viruses between birds and humans

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