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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:
Effect of feed presentation on the feeding behaviour of grower/finisher pigs
Posted in: Prairie Swine Centre by admin on January 1, 2000 | No Comments
Past research suggests that the once standard 5 pigs/feeder space underestimates the actual carrying capacity of most modern feeder designs. Feeding behavior can be influenced by several factors such as competition, feed type, feed presentation and pig size. This study examined the effect of feed type and presentation on the eating behavior of grower finisher pigs in attempt to determine if these effects would translate into higher stocking densities of the feeder. Four treatments were used for the duration of the two experiments, dry mash (DM), wet/dry mash (WD), dry pellets (DP) and wet/dry pellets (WP) all fed from single space feeders. Pens were video taped to determine total duration of eating. Data from the first experiment was then used for the second experiment during the finisher phase. Results showed that pigs fed the DM diet spent significantly more time at the feeder than those fed WM, DP or WP. ADG was found to be lower as compared to WM or WP diets, and pigs fed the DP diets had intermediate gains. As stocking density increased, the time spent eating/pig decreased in both the grower and finisher phases, regardless of feed type or presentation. It was concluded that feed type and presentation have major effects on swine eating behavior and can influence productivity. Pigs fed a dry diet tend to spend more time eating, however this effect can be counteracted by the addition of water, such as in a wet/dry feeding system. The same does not apply to wet/dry versus dry pellets, which could be due to factors such as palatability or simple mechanics. Maximum number of pigs that could be fed from a single feeder space without significant decrease in ADG and ADFI varied among the type of feed and presentation, as well as the stage of growth.
Effects of injection position and transponder size on the performance of passive injectable transponders used for the electronic identification of cattle.
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This study examined the efficacy of electronic transponders of different size and location for losses, readability, and recovery. Transponders may be used in a variety of situations to facilitate animal management or maintain identification throughout the animal’s life. In cattle these transponders may be a means of eliminating or reducing branding. Larger transponders (32 mm) were more efficient than small ones (23 mm), although they broke more, they were more readily read and removed. Placing the transponders in the armpit reduced losses, achieved high levels of readability, but took longer to remove at slaughter. These were often removed with the hide, making carcass identification less feasible. Recovery was easiest in the lip, then the ear, and took longest in the armpit. Breakages were less than 1%; losses varied from less than 2% (armpit) to 14% (lip), readability was 95% in the armpit but fell to 60% in the lip. Recovery exceeded 96% in all cases. The armpit location was best with the exception that they were more difficult to recover.
The impact of gentle contacts on ease of handling, welfare, and growth of calves and on quality of veal meat.
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In commercial conditions, fear of people can lead to decreased welfare and productivity of animals. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of positive contacts on the welfare and productivity of calves and the quality of veal meat. 22 calves housed in individual crates were used in the experiment. Half of the calves received minimal contact from the stockperson, and the other half were stroked and allowed to suck the stockperson’s fingers after each meal during the entire fattening period of 21 weeks. Welfare of the animals was assessed thorough behavioural reactivity (reactions to handling, to surprise stimuli, and to novelty), neuroendocrine responses to stress (cortisol in response to an ACTH challenge, catecholamine-synthesizing enzymes), and health (number of medical treatments, abomasal lesions). The productivity of the calves was assessed through growth rates and meat quality. Calves that received gentle contacts were less agitated and tended to defecate less when handled in a cart on wheels than the control calves. There was no treatment effect on responses to ACTH, and catecholamine synthetic potential. Calves given gentle contacts had fewer abomasal lesions than controls. No treatment effect was found on meat pH, meat colour, or growth rates. But the calves that received gentle contacts had higher glycolytic potential (an estimation of resting glycogen level in muscle) of the semimembranosus muscle. In conclusion this study suggests that, although the neuroendocrine responses to stress and number of medical treatments were not improved, gentling veal calves around meals can improve some of their welfare by decreasing reactions to handling and by reducing the occurrence of abomasal lesions.
Behavior of White Leghorn hens after withdrawal of feed
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The feed withdraw (FW) periods imposed on hens during induced molt programs usually are at least 5 d in length, which is about the minimum required to ensure that the flock ceases production entirely, and frequently are considerably longer. This practice has led to criticism of the egg industry by animal advocacy groups, who claim that induced molt FW is tantamount to starvation. Starvation implies harm, so egg producers stand accused of deliberately causing harm to the laying hens in their care. There has been very little scientific investigation, however, of the welfare effects of induced molts on hens. To approximate a commercially induced molt, feed was withdrawn from Hy-Line W-36 hens (65 wk-old) until they lost 35% of their initial body weight. Behaviors of 36 FW hens and 36 control hens were videorecorded on Days 1 to 3, 8 to 10, and 19 to 21 of FW, when FW hens reached 15, 25, and 35% body weight loss. The FW hens then were fed a pullet grower ration until Day 28 after the start of FW, whereupon they were provided a layer ration. Second cycle production of FW hens to 40 wk postmolt initiation averaged 15.5 dozen eggs/hen housed. The FW hens manifested increased aggression on the first d of FW, perhaps indicative of frustration, and then exhibited increased standing, head movement, and nonnutritive pecking on Day 2, followed by reduction of these actions on Day 3. Resting behavior was observed 24 and 40% of the time for FW hens on Day 8 to 10 and 19 to 21 of the FW period, respectively. Nonnutritive pecking was higher for FW hens than for control hens throughout the FW period. Preening was more frequent for FW hens on Day 8 to10, probably due to skin sensitivity near the start of feather push out, which began on Day 11. Behavior during the FW period was consistent with conservation of bodily reserves, but FW hens never lost their capacity for alertness and reactivity. The FW hens had significantly lower mortality during the study than control hens (2 vs 12%, respectively).
PHOTOTROPHIC ANAEROBIC LAGOONS AS AFFECTED BY COPPER AND ZINC IN SWINE DIETS
Posted in: Environment by admin on | No Comments
Earthen Manure Storage Monitoring – PSC Elstow Research Farm
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Introduction
Rapid growth in the Saskatchewan hog industry has caused an increase in environmental awareness among the public. This had led to more
stringent environmental standards being imposed on the construction of earthen manure storages. Most storages are now required to have a minimum 600-mm thick liner made of recompacted in situ soils. More extreme cases require a geotextile liner. These recommendations have resullted in a significant improvement over the unlined and uncompacted storages constructed in the past. Unfortunately, these improved liners have done little to alleviate public concern in some areas. In answer to this concern, a program was initiated to monitor solute migration through the liners of different hog lagoon storages throughout Saskatchewan.
Objectives
The main objectives of this project are to:
1. Determine changes in groundwater chemistry with depth over time,
2. Determine effectiveness of clay liners and clarify liner requirements, and,
3. Determine safe separation distance between EMSa