Effect of Particle Size and Enzyme Supplementation (Poster)

Posted in: Prairie Swine Centre by admin on January 1, 1999 | No Comments

Update on PSC Elstow Research Farm Inc.

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Maximum loading density of loose horses.

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Turkeys prefer fluorescent light with supplementary ultraviolet radiation.

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Poor rearing conditions and social stress in pigs: repeated social challenge and the effect on behavioural and physiological responses to stressors.

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Rearing environment may potentially have an impact on pig’s responses to stress. To determine the effects of rearing environment on pigs, the behavioural and physiological responses to various stressors were compared between female pigs raised in a standard farrowing crate (poor) or in a group of free-ranging sows with her piglets (enriched). When the pigs reached 14-17 weeks-of-age, their behaviour was analyzed in multiple social confrontations (an intruder pig was introduced to a resident’s home pen). When the pigs reached adult age (between 38-45 weeks old) they were behaviours were analyzed when they received an electric shock, presented with a novel object and more resident/intruder tests. The level of injuries sustained and the changes in salivary cortisol were recorded before and after the resident intruder test. Salivary cortisol samples were also taken before and after the pigs underwent the electric shock test. The results found demonstrable differences in aggressive behaviour between residents and intruders, but this was only seen in pigs raised in the enriched environment. Pigs reared in the poor environment inflicted more lesions on one another in the social encounter tests. These results indicate that raising pigs in a poor environment may negatively impact the development of the pigs’ social skills, which would lead to difficulties in establishing a dominance hierarchy, as seen in this study. The negative effects of a poor rearing environment when the pigs are young lasts into adulthood based on their reactions to electric shock, a novel object and resident/intruder tests. Therefore, pigs behaviour can be shaped by the rearing environment and those raised in an enriched environment demonstrated more avoidance behaviours, which is useful in social and non-social encounters.

Monitoring Pig Growth using a Prototype Imaging System

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Treatment of Liquid Effluents from Dairy Cattle and Pigs using Reverse Osmosis

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Fecal Bacteria Contamination of Surface Waters Associated with Land Application of Animal Waste

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Effectiveness of Three Manure Pit Additives

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Pit additives on the market offer solutions for the problem of odour nuisance from pig barns. They are also intended to improve manure characteristics such as handling ease, pit gas reduction, nutrient retention ans waste strength. Most of the scientific testing in this area has been completed ina laboratory or on a bench scale. To truly evaluate the effectiveness of such products in conditions duplicating most commercial barn situations, a protocol was developed. The objective of this experiment was to evaluate the effectiveness of manure pit additives in reducing odour threshold and gas concentrations above the manure surface, in reducing solids and manure strength, and maintaining nutrient and micro-nutrient content in the manure, for commercial-scale manure pits and simulated earthen manure storages.

The Harmonizing or Rural Buildings with the Landscape: Vegetation as the Tool of Integration

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Vegetation elements or screens rae one way of improving the visual quality of any rural landscape. Coming under public scrutiny, a postive looking or creative lanscape is one way of diminishing the negative impacts of intensive livestock operations. A structured landscape aroud any unit will decrease negative association with the intensive livestock unit.