Gas Emissions from Swine Facilities (EIRC)

Posted in: Prairie Swine Centre by admin on January 1, 1998 | No Comments

Sociology and Swine Facilities

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Barn management and control of odours

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Building odour emissions constitute an important contributor to the level of nuisance caused by a pig farm. Those emissions are less intense than what is produced by manure spreading, but their frequency and duration are much higher. The nature and concentration of more that 160 compounds affect odour characteristics of an air sample collected in a swine building. Considering this complex mix of substances, the human nose is still the best instrument to characterize odours. The forced choice dynamic olfactometry method is the most accepted technique used to measure odour concentration and intensity. It requires a meticulous selection of panel members, expensive equipment and an experienced panel leader. Different techniques have been discussed to reduce odour emissions from swine buildings. Even if a lot of research has been done, many questions stay unanswered. For example, more information is required on performance and impact on odour before new building designs, feed and slurry additives and biofilters can be recommended and applied on a large-scale basis. However, if the barn is kept very clean, the manure is removed as often as possible, an efficient dust control technique is implemented and multiphase feeding programs are used (to reduce nitrogen excretions), odour emissions from the building are likely to be maintained at an acceptable level for the average farm community.

Characterizing Protein Deposition Curves in Growing-Finishing Pigs of a Commercial Genotype

Posted in: Nutrition, Pork Insight Articles, Prairie Swine Centre by admin on July 28, 1997 | No Comments

Precise feeding can allow the maximum growth, without excess feed waste. However, determining the exact requirements depends on factors including environmental aspects, age, sex, and genetics of the pig. The protein deposition rate can help determine the amino acid requirements. This study aimed to determine the upper protein deposition rate (PD) limit, create PD curves, and trace the change in feed intake and efficiency in gilts and barrows grow from 24 to 120kg. Pigs were slaughtered at 24, 56, 72, 88, 104, and 120kg to analyze carcass composition. Maximum PD for barrows was 150 g/d between 43-52kg body weight, and for gilts was 133g/d between 68-74kg. PD curves were created using the Richards function, and it was found in this study that below 90kg the PD for barrows was higher, but over 90kg body weight gilt PD was higher. Understanding where the maximum protein deposition rate occurs for specific sex and genetic lines of pigs can allow the amino acid levels in feed to be manipulated, but similar studies should be continued on lean and lipid deposition to understand overall growth.

Body composition in growing and finishing pigs

Posted in: Prairie Swine Centre by admin on January 1, 1997 | 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.

Energy content of barley

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Formulation of commercial pig diets requires an increasing degree of precision, in order to minimize the cost of production, optimize performance and achieve the highest quality of carcass possible. Such precision, while necessary, is difficult to achieve, given the high degree of variation in common feed ingredients. For example, the level of digestible energy in barley can vary by as much as 8 a

Nutritional value of field peas

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Field peas are used increasingly as a source for protein and energy in swine diets in Western Canada. The variability for the every value of field peas has been described poorly. Yet, effective diet formulation requires a clear understanding of not only average nutritional value, but also its variability. The objective of the present study was to determine the range of digestible energy (DE) content in samples of 11 field pea varieties grown on a single quarter section of land. The DE ranged from 3098 to 3739 kcal/kg; thus, the difference in DE between the highest and lowest value was 20%. Despite being grown under similar conditions, energy value for sample differed greatly among samples and variation in DE was greater than expected. Due to the fact nutritionists try to formulate diets within an accuracy of 1.5%, the issue of ingredient variability represents an area of significant economic opportunity.

Behaviour of early-weaned pigs

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An experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of current early weaning practices on the behaviour of piglets in the nursery and through the grower/finisher phase. Two treatments were compared: weaning at 21 or weaning at 12 days of age. Treatments were housed in separate but identical on-site nursery rooms, and within the same grower/finisher rooms. Pigs weaned at 12 days of age were found to be slower to develop normal levels of eating behaviour than those weaned at 21 days of age, but did so by 48 h after weaning. During the subsequent 5 a

Effects of floor area allowance and group size

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Six group sizes and three levels of floor area allowance were studied in a 6 x 3 factorial arrangement. Group sizes were 3,5,6,7,10 and 15 pigs per pen. Floor area allowances were 0.030, 0.039 and 0.048 m2 x BW0.667 (body weight to the power of 2/3). Initial weights averaged 25.0 kg, and pigs remained on test for 12 wk. Pigs were weighed, feed intake determined, and size of pens increased at 2-wk intervals. Pen average daily weight gain (ADG) was reduced with increasing group size (899, 851, 868, 872, 857 and 821 g 3, 5, 6, 7, 10 and 15 pigs, respectively, P < 0.05). ADG and ADF (832 g and 2.25 kg, respectively) for the most crowded space allowance were reduced compared with more spacious allowances (ADG and ADF of 875 and 877 g, and 2.35 and 2.36 kg, for 0.039 and 0.048 m2 x BW0.667, respectively; P < 0.05). These results demonstrate that group size and space allowance act independently upon productivity.

Ergonomic evaluation of feeder design

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Five ergonomic studies were conducted using a feeder on which the lip height, feeder depth (front to back), width, and feeding shelf height could be adjusted. Pigs were tested at various weights from 22 to 96 kg. Stepping-into the feeder was more common as feeder depth was increased, but was also dependent upon the size of pig. Grower pigs stepped into a feeder with a depth of 20 cm, but large pigs did not do so until the depth was 30 cm or more. Lip height had only a minor influence of stepping-in. The appropriate feeder depth for each weight group of pig could be approximated by the distance from the toe of the pig to its snout when eating without a feeder lip. The feeder lip restricts access to the front of the feeding zone, particularly for small pigs. Pigs prefer to stand at an angle of approximately 30A?A? to the feed access, but in restrictive feeders will turn their heads to obtain an angled approach. Pigs also rotate their heads approximately 45 – 55A?A? while eating to improve access to the feed.

Ergonomic: is the study of the interaction of animals (or humans) with equipment