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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:
A Swine Integrator's Perspective on Nutrient Management Procedures
Posted in: Environment by admin on January 1, 1999 | No Comments
The hog industry faces many important issues in today’s social-economic environment. Most pork producers work in a sustainable manner which includes environmental soundness, scoial acceptability and profitability. In recent years gains have been experienced in the reduction of nutrients per hog, however ecconomic forces have created concentrated areas of production which create new problems and opportunites in nutrient management.
Manure management plans incorporate the knowledge of nutrient content of soils, crop uptake of nutrients and crop removal plans to help prevent runoff or accumalation of nutrients within the soil. Existing nutrient management systems are adequate however require effective management, me cases may be not incorporated into older operations. Many of the solution to nutrient management, manure management and odour control have come from private industry as opposed to the private sector, and cost effective methods need to be developed in order to address these concerns. Advancement in nutrient management plans will aid in accelerating ongoing changes within the hog industry.
The Determination of Aereal Extent of Odour Plumes from Large Hog Facilities in Manitoba
Posted in: Environment by admin on | No Comments
The study proposed to document, under various weather conditions (wind direction, velocity, temperature and humidity) and times of the year, at what distances odours from six existing larges hog operations are detectable. In addition, it was our intent to delineate the odour plume so as to provide useful information in locating future hog facilities; in providing scientific evidience to refute unsubstantiated odour complaints; and, to evaluate odour controlling effectiveness of various types of manure storages; wind screens (trees or wind break(s) or terrian features. Six (6) large facilities within the hog producing area of southern Manitoba were included in the study; two in relatively flat terrian with few or no trees; two in relatively flat terrian with considerable bush; and, two in relatively rolling terrian preferably one with few or no trees and one with considerable bush. Because olfactory senses are possibly still the best and most oftern used indicator of the relative strength of odours, we coose to use a two-person ‘odour-panel” to rate the relative strength of a particular odour on a scale of zero to ten. Public roads and municipal maps were useful in siting studies for lareg hog operations. Unfortunately, winds in Manitoba and for that matter most places can be experienced out of any direction; and, as a result odours from a large hog facility might be experienced at various strengths anywhere 360 degrees of the facility. With this in mind, however, these data combined with wind data for a particular location should be useful in explaining theprobability and frequency that neighbours might anticipate odours from a planned hog facility
Novel Technology for Hog Manure Odour Control/Remediation
Posted in: Environment by admin on | No Comments
The project explores application of crystal engineering principles to establish the ability of organic clays and metal-organic coordination polymers to retain odour-causing molecules through sorption or adsorption as an odour control and remediation process. The sorption capability of each material was compared with activated charcoal. The study suggests the two materials could be incorporated into a design for a sensor to identify odour problems related to manure storage or transportation and that the adsorption capacity of the synthetic materials exceeds current industry standards.
Survival Strategies Checklist
Posted in: Prairie Swine Centre by admin on | No Comments
Poor immunity from a strep. Suis autogenous bacterin
Posted in: Prairie Swine Centre by admin on | No Comments
Streptococcus suis is a major cause of death and disease losses, especially among recently weaned pigs. While it may respond to antibiotics, it remains difficult to control since there are many strains that cause sickness. This study was conducted to measure the amount and variation in the antibody response of pigs vaccinated. Vaccination can be very cost effective if the vaccine is designed to control the type of bacteria causing disease. A custom-made vaccine called an autogenous bacterin can be produced from bacteria that are isolated from an untreated sick pig. In this situation the protection from disease depends on the presence of antibody in the serum of vaccinated pigs. This study was conducted in a herd experienced to disease due to S. suis. The difficulty was that the S. suis causing disease in the herd were resistant to penicillin. An autogenous bacterin was developed and pigs were vaccinated at weaning. The autogenous bacterin failed to increase antibody levels in vaccinated pigs and was not economically justified.
Behaviour of stabled horses provided continuous or intermittent access to drinking water.
Posted in: Welfare by admin on | No Comments
Controlled atmosphere stunning of poultry.
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Alternative housing for sows and litters: 2. Effects of a communal piglet area on pre- and post-weaning behaviour and performance.
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The focus of this study was to determine the effects that a communal piglet area had on pre- and post-weaning behaviour and performance of piglets. Three litters were combined to from a cohort, with 10 experimental and 10 control cohorts examined. In the experimental treatment, two central crates were left empty and became the communal area, which consisted of six creep feeders, a covered area, and PVC pipe and cotton rope for enrichment. The controls left the two central crates empty, but the litters remained isolated from one another. The piglets were allowed access to the communal area from11 days of age until they were weaned at 28 days of age. At weaning, the cohorts either remained unmixed or three piglets were mixed with another three piglets from different cohort. Throughout the study, piglets and feeders were weighed, as well as, video recordings were taken to document various behaviours before and after weaning. Experimental pigs, when compared to the controls, spent considerably more time away from the sow, which resulted in a reduced nursing frequency. This reduction did not coincide with a significant increase in creep feed intake, however the experimental piglets ate 86% more creep feed than control piglets. There was not a difference in weight gain between experimental or control piglets prior to weaning. Aggression was minimal when the piglets were allowed access to the communal area, as well; cross-suckling aggression from the sows was also rare. A reduced amount of aggression was also seen weaning. After weaning, the experimental piglets ate more and tended to gain more weight than the control piglets. Piglets that were mixed at weaning ate less feed and had lower weight gains than cohorts that remained intact.