Can odours be used to reduce aggression in pigs

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Two studies were conducted with growing a

An Ergonomic Evaluation of Feeder Design

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5 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 22 to 96 kgs. Stepping into the the feeder was more common as feeder depth was increased, but was dependent on the size of the pig. Grower pigs stepped into a feeder with a depth of 20 cm, but large pigs didn’t step into the feeder until the depth was 30 cm or more. Lip height only had a minor influence on stepping-in. The appropriate feeder depth for each weight group of pig could be approximated by the distance from the toe of a pig to its snout without a feeder lip. The feeder lip restricts access to the front feeding zone, particularly for small pigs. Pigs prefer to stand at an angle of 30degrees to the feed access, but in restrictive feeders will turn their heads to obtain the an angled approach. Pigs also rotate their heads 45-55 degrees while eating to improve access to feed.

GnRH vaccination of intact male pigs

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The objective of this trial was to determine the pattern of declined of fat androstenone, the main causative chemical of boar taint, in tact male pigs after vaccination with a recombinant GnRH protein. Four groups of pigs were used. The primary vaccination was given as the pigs reached 100 kg. Weight gain, fat androstenone and blood samples assayed for testosterone and anti-GnRH antibodies were collected pre-second immunization and weekly thereafter until slaughter. All pigs were slaughtered 42 days after the second immunization and testicular weight, bulbourethral gland length, carcass weight and back fat depth were measured. There was no difference in carcass weights although live weights prior to slaughter were different between treatment groups. The immunocastrates, late castrates and boars had less backfat than barrows. As expected, mean testicular weight and bulbourethral glands length of boars at slaughter were greater than those of immunocastrates. GnRH titers were detected in all immunized animals 28 days after primary immunization. Within seven days after the second immunization or surgical castration, the mean serum testosterone concentrations of both the immunocastrates and the late castrates were significantly lower than those of boars. By Day 14, there was no difference between immunocastrates, late castrates and barrows. Serum testosterone concentrations remained suppressed until slaughter. Within seven days after surgical castration, mean fat androstenone concentrations in late castrates had dropped below the olfactory detection level for boar taint (0.5A

Evaluation of Feeders for Grower Finisher Pigs

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Injecting liquid hog manure for improving crop yields

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The application of hog manure resulted in significant increases in soil fertility, soil structure and crop production; and when applied at a rate of 8,000 gallons per acre , these effects lasted into the second year. The inclusion of elemental sulphur resulted in the greatest increase in crop production on a sulphur-deficient soil at Star City. However, at the other sites the sulphur appeared to decrease the effectiveness of the hog manure. Our research indicates that the acidification process of S-mineralization may negatively affect N-mineralization.

Finding the Optimum Shipping Weight

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Temperature requirements for pigs

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Pigs, like all animals, have an ability to live in a variety of thermal environments. Although pigs can adapt so some degree to different thermal environments, there is a cost to production associated with keeping them outside their comfort zone. During cold stress, pigs consume more feed to maintain their core body temperature (the temperature of their vital internal organs). The extra feed consumed is not used for body weight gain. On the other end of the scale, heat stress will reduce feed intake in the pig; production is reduced in the case of the lactating sow because of the reduction in milk production. It is also observed that pigs heat stressed in the growing phase are fatter. There are many factors, which influence the thermal environment of the pig. Some of the more obvious are the temperature outside the barn and artificial heating in the barn. Others that are less obvious include stocking density in the pen, type of flooring and feed intake; however, there are many more. Most of these factors can be manipulated in some way by the producer or by the pig itself to reduce the effects of thermal stress. Although there are values in books, which indicate the optimal temperature ranges for pigs of different body weights and production phases, being able to recognize signs of cold or heat stress in your pigs is the best way to adjust the set point temperature and ventilation rate in your barn rooms.

The Impact of Low Weight Barley

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Odour Management Technologies for Swine Facilities

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Protein Deposition in Growing and Finishing Pigs

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Commercial diets could be formulated more accurately if, first, we knew the rate at which the pig deposits protein and energy in the carcass and second, we linked energy and amino acid levels in the diet to requirements based on lean and lipid rates of gain. This would result in the most efficient feeding programs, producing pork of high quality at the lowest possible price. This experiment was carried out to define the lean tissue and lipid growth curves of a common commercial genotype.

Peak protein deposition was found in barrows to be 150 g/d and occurred when the pig was between 43 and 52 kg bodyweight. In gilts, maximum protein deposition of 133 g/d occurred between 68 and 74 kg bodyweight. Barrows deposited protein at a greater rate than gilts until 87 kg bodyweight.