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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:
Perceived welfare issues in dairy cattle, with special emphasis on metabolic stress.
Posted in: Welfare by admin on January 1, 1999 | No Comments
Segregated early weaning and welfare of piglets.
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Space use and agonistic behaviour in relation to sex composition in large flocks of laying hens
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In a natural habit, feral fowl and red jungle fowl form groups and stay within a certain area. When domestic fowl are forced to live together in large flocks, some studies have found indications that birds form subgroups within the main large group, although some have not found this phenomenon. The objective of this experiment was to test the hypothesis that hens in large flocks have home ranges in parts of the pen and that they form subgroups. Furthermore the influence of males on formation of subgroups was tested in this study. Eight flocks of 568 A
The Economic Impact of Genetic Improvement
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If the pork industry in the United States is to prosper, it is imperative that production efficiency of lean, quality, consumer-oriented pork products improve. The pork industry is one of several industries competing for a share of consumer market demand. Consumers, both domestic and international, have the option of purchasing numerous pork substitutes.
Due to rapid improvements in production efficiency, the retail prices of broilers and turkeys have risen less than pork prices. As a result, pork, the medium priced meat, lost sales to poultry in the more price sensitive markets and is competing with beef in less price sensitive markets.
As the pork industry matures, the most efficient producers continue to expand. The expansion of the more efficient producers causes profit margins to decrease. Thus, it is increasingly important that each pork producer carefully consider genetic options. Only progressive pork producers utilizing
seedstock with superior genetic potential arising from strategic selection practices remain competitive. Pork producers must exploit the power of genetic improvement programs in order to improve their production efficiency. While most commercial producers are aware of the dollar returns
associated with investments in improved management, the majority fail to realize the substantial economic impact of genetic improvement. Selection based upon performance data can be highly profitable for pork producers. Using proven selection techniques, it is possible to genetically
improve economically important traits at the rate of about 2 to 3% per year.
Improved efficiency of pork production results not only from genetic progress, but from advances in all areas of swine production: genetics, nutrition, physiology, management, and health. Longterm
improvement of a commercial producera
Experiences with Biofilter on a Slatted Floor Hog Barn
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This tudy examined th use of a biofilter for removing odourous gases from exhaust air from a slatted floor pit manure storage swine finishing facility. The objectives of the study were to determine the amount of surface area of biofilter is required for hog space, what the effective residence time of the biofilter is, how much odour can be removed from the air and optimal conditions that promote bacterial growth.
CoveredLaggon System for Swine Waste Treatment and Energy Recovery
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A covered anaerobic lagoon was studied and evaluated its impact on water quality, flow rate measurements, pathogens, odour and biogas production. A two lagoon series was used for waste management, a covered anaerobic lagoon as primary treatment and a traditional lagoon as storage. To monitor performance of the lagoon water quality samples were taken from raw manure and from the covered lagoon. Total phosphorus (TP), ortho-phopsphorus (OP), chemical oxygen demand (COD), total organic carbon (TOC), total solids (TS) and volatile solids (VS) were reduced by 74%, 58%, 94%, 93%, 75% and 87% respectively in the covered lagoon system. When pit management included discharging pit every eight days these levels decreased by 62%, 58%, 28%, 18%, 23% and 27% respectively. When pit discharge was moved from 8 to 4 days a significant loading of TKN, NH3-N, TP, OP, COS, TS and VS was observed. Methane production in the anaerobic lagoon was affecrted by discharge frequency and temperature. Significant pathogen reduction was observed. Total coliforms were reduced by three magnitudes in the covered lagoon and one magnitude in the storage lagoon. E. Coli were reduced by 2.5 magnitudes in the covered lagoon and 70% in the storage lagoon. Finally, odour intensity, irriation intensity and unplesantness were reduced by 24%, 37% and 16% respectively in the covered lagoon and 68%, 83% and 33% respectively in the storage lagoon.
Evaluating the Use of Straw and Other Floating Materials to Control Odor Gases from Pig Manure Storage Units
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This study demonstrated that straw applied to outdoor manure storage and other floating covers can effective reduce odour and H2S emissions from these units. These covers are cost effective, ranging in price from $0.08 per square foot for straw cover or $0.40 per square foot for a more premanenet geotextile cover. However, these covers are not without there challenges. The length of time the straw covers stayed afloat varied accordingly to factors like rainfall, depth of manure storage, surface area and manure characteristics. As well, larger manure storage units increase the difficulty in applying the straw in a evenly distributed pattern. During the manure removal process, additional agitation may be required in order to incorporate the straw in the manure.
IMPROVING THERMOPHILIC ANAEROBIC DIGESTION OF SWINE MANURE
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