SEARCH
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:
European Interlaboratory Comparaison Olfactometry – Experiences and Results of a Participating Laboratory
Posted in: Environment by admin on January 1, 1997 | No Comments
In 1992, at the demand of the European Committee for Standardization (Comite europeen de normalisation CEN) a working group was formed to develop a standard method to determine odour concentrations using dynamic olfactometry. Two years later a draft CEN Standard was presented and in 1995 the working group decided to validate these Standard by an international ringtest. In the summer 1996, 19 European participants realized olfactometry tests using the developed CEN Standard . The procedures of the ringtest are presented in the proceeding and n-butanol was used as odour source as its concentration can be measured and identical samples could be sent to the participant laboratories. The CEN Standard as the guideline VDI 3881 (Germany) provides precise description of the common olfactometric methods but it also gives quality requirements. Testing of all the elements of the Standard (dilution equipment calibration, panel selection and odour threshold measurement) was done in the “European Interlaboratory Comparison Olfactometry”.
Panel selection is an important part in the CEN Standard as it has an important impact in the results obtained.
Olfactometry is an important tool in the determination of odour intensity of a specific source particularly when the emissions are constituted of many different compounds which can’t be chemically analyzed as a whole and as the determination of the concentration of one or two components can’t give significant information of the odour level of the mix. However olfactometry is a complicated process and the results depend greatly in the respect of specific procedures. The CEN Standard were developed so the used of a standard method could allow comparisons between laboratories and in time. This method could then be used to compare or develop odour control methods, products or policies through out Europe and elsewhere if the Standard is used.
Pathogens Found in Water Contaminated by Manure
Posted in: Environment by admin on | No Comments
As water is a necessity for both human and livestock, when contaminated water can have severe effects on the health of both. Important quantities of water can be contaminated as ill animals and humans can excrete large numbers of oocysts, bacteria or viruses. Different manure treatments can control and lower the pathogen load. Monitoring the water routinely on farms could help prevent disease transmission and all measures that prevent manure from contaminating water sources have to be taken.
This article is very general and unfortunately doesn’t make any links between swine production and specific water contamination cases or disease outbreak. The risks coming from swine production are real but this article doesn’t help evaluate them.
Body composition in growing and finishing pigs
Posted in: Prairie Swine Centre by admin on | No Comments
The assessment of changes in body protein content over time allows us to estimate amino acid requirements much more precisely. Assessment of energy requirements similarly will be based on carcass lipid and muscle content. The body is not composed solely of protein and lipid, but also includes the gain of water and ash, as well as gut fill. The objective of this study was to determine the changing proportions of body weight composition as the pigs grew from 24 to 120 kg. A series of mathematical models were developed which allowed us to characterize the deposition of protein, lipid, water, ash and gut fill. The portion of body lipid (fat) almost tripled, increasing from 10% at 24 kg to 28% at 120 kg. Over the same weight range, protein was much more constant, 17 % at 24 kg and 15% at 12 kg. Increased information on body composition will form the basis for diet formulation in the future. Basic knowledge of how modern commercial genotypes grow will be essential, as diet formulation becomes more precies, allowing for maximum carcass quality at the lowest possible cost.
Buller steer syndrome review.
Posted in: Welfare by admin on | No Comments
Ammonia volatilization and dust concentration as affected by ventilation systems in houses for fattening pigs.
Posted in: Environment by admin on | No Comments
One way to improve air quality inside houses for fattening pigs is to locate the air inlet near the breathing zones of pigs and the stockman and the outlet near the main source of contaminants, i.e. the slatted floor and slurry pit. This may increase the total emission of ammonia by speeding up the airflow above the emitting area. To investigate this, a ventilation system with the inlet in the feeding passage and the outlet just above the slatted floor (system F) was compared with a system common in the Netherlands having a high, diffuse inlet and a high outlet (system C). The two ventilation systems were installed in each of two rooms in an experimental house. A layer of oil was used on the slurry to decrease the volatilization of ammonia from the pit. Continuous measurements were made of the ventilation rate and of the ammonia concentrations in the air inlet and outlet, in the slurry pit, and at animal level on the solid and slatted floors. Dust concentrations were measured 1.5 m above the floor in the feeding passage. The urine-wetted area of the solid floor was recorded. In comparison with system C, system F gave significantly lower values for dust concentration in the feeding passage (P<0.001) and for ammonia concentration at animal level on the solid and slatted floors (P<0.05). There was no difference between ventilation systems with regard to ammonia emission or the urine-wetted area of the solid floor. It is concluded that air quality in houses for fattening pigs can be improved by a low air inlet in the floor of the feeding passage and a low outlet just above the slatted floor and slurry pit, instead of a high diffuse inlet and a high outlet; these locations do not affect the total emission of ammonia to the environment.
Measuring Emission Rates of Ammonia, Methane and Nitrous Oxide from Full-Sized Slurry and Manure Stores
Posted in: Environment by admin on | No Comments
Improvements in the sampling methods for nitrous oxide and methane have to done to help doing measurements on site.
Reducing Ammonia Emission from Composting Swine Feces Using Microorganisms
Posted in: Environment by admin on | No Comments
The results showed that the use of bacteria at high temperature of the manure (50-55 C) can assimilate ammonium and reduce ammonia emissions by a composting process. The assimilation mechanism involved will have to be investigated further. The experiment was realized in laboratory in very controlled condition. The assimilation of the bacteria would need to be investigated in real scale situation. The cost of such a treatment is not presented.
Accelerated lung function decline in swine confinement workers
Posted in: Environment by admin on | No Comments