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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:
Effect of a Bacillus-based direct-fed microbial feed supplement on growth performance and pen cleaning characteristics of growing-finishing pigs
Posted in: Production by admin on January 1, 2008 | No Comments
A direct-fed microbial (DFM) based on a combination of Bacillus organisms specifically selected to increase the manure decomposition process was evaluated to determine its efficacy for improving growth performance and manure dissolution time. It was found that the Bacillus based DFM improved ADG and reduced mortality of pigs during the growing-finishing period.
Factors affecting the variability in ileal amino acid digestibility in corn distillers dried grains with solubles fed to growing pigs
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This study was conducted to compare to compare ileal digestiblity of amino acid in distiller dried grains solubles(DDGS) from ethanol production and DDGS from beverage production. The results confirm that the digestiblity of lysine is more variable among sources of DDGS than the digestibility of other amino acids. However, the standardized ileal digestibility (SID) of amino acids among DDGS sources vary within the regions tested. It was also concluded that the amino acids in DDGS from beverages may be just as digestible as DDGS from ethanol production.
Isoleucine and valine supplementation of a low-protein corn-wheat-soybean meal-based diet for piglets: Growth performance and nitrogen balance
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This study determined the effects of growth performance when piglets were fed an Ile and Val supplementation of a low-CP, corn-wheat-soybean meal. Also studied was the nitrogen balance as well as the incidence of diarrhea. The results indicate that supplementation of Val alone, or in combindation with Ile, is necessary to achieve maximum performance in pigs consuming this diet.
The nutritional value of zero-tannin faba bean for grower-finisher pigs
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The nutrient profile of zero-tannin faba bean and its effects on performance and
carcass characteristics of grower-finisher pigs was investigated. In exp. 1, chemical characteristics were analyzed. Faba
bean contained (as fed) 27.5% crude protein (CP), 1.75% lysine, 0.88% threonine, and 0.21% methionine. Twelve 55-kg
barrows were fitted with an ileal cannula and fed twice daily at 3maintenance either a 96% faba bean diet or a 62% faba
bean diet containing cornstarch to measure apparent total tract energy and ileal amino acid (AA) digestibility, respectively,
and calculate standardized ileal digestible (SID) AA and net energy (NE) content. After a 6-d acclimation, faeces were
collected for 2 d and ileal digesta for 2 d. Apparent total tract energy digestibility, and digestible energy and NE content
were 88.5%, and 3.47 and 2.27 Mcal kg-1 (as fed), respectively. Apparent ileal digestibility was 85.9, 76.1, and 74.1%, and
SID AA content was 1.54, 0.70, and 0.16% (as fed), for lysine, threonine, and methionine, respectively. In exp. 2, 100
grower pigs in 20 pens were fed either a soybean or faba bean-based diet regimen from 35 to 115 kg. Diets were formulated
to equal NE and SID [Grower (35 to 60 kg), 2.40/3.95; Finisher 1 (60 to 90 kg), gilts 2.38/3.15, barrows 2.38/2.76; Finisher
2 (90 to 115 kg), gilts 2.38/2.92, barrows 2.35/2.55; Mcal kg-1 NE/g SID lysine Mcal-1 NE, respectively] using determined
NE and SID values for faba bean. Pigs were weighed, feed intake was measured, and carcass measurements were obtained.
From 35 to 115 kg, average daily feed intake (ADFI; 2.58 and 2.56 kg d-1, respectively) and gain (0.96 and 0.98 kg d-1)
did not differ between faba bean and soybean meal. Feed efficiency was 0.02 higher for soybean meal than for faba bean in
the Grower phase (P<0.05). At slaughter, back fat thickness did not differ; however, loin depth was 4.0 mm thicker for
soybean meal than for faba bean (P<0.05). In summary, zero-tannin faba bean has an attractive nutrient profile and does
not alter ADFI or average daily gain (ADG) of grower-finisher pigs at inclusion rates up to 30%. The reduced feed
efficiency in the Grower phase and reduced lean thickness for pigs fed faba bean indicate that dietary AA supply might
have been limiting for the faba bean diets early in the study. In conclusion, the zero-tannin faba bean is a worthwhile
energy and protein feedstuff to consider in swine feed formulation.
Biosecurity Pays Big Returns
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There are many very visual practices we undertake and are familiar with in the name of biosecurity such as entrance showering, downtime, and cleaning of anything brought in to the farm. However, when we are finished a cycle the idea is to clean and disinfect inside the barn to reduce the challenge for the oncoming batch. The better we clean and disinfect the barn the better it looks and the less challenging it will be for our new arrivals. Standard cleanup involves a four-step process, pre-cleaning, degreasing, pressure washing and disinfecting. This process allows the animals to utilize all of their energy on growing, instead of challenging volumes of Bacteria /Viruses.
Commercial validation of the true ileal digestible lysine requirement for eleven- to twenty-seven-kilogram pigs
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Five experiments utilizing 3,628 pigs
were conducted to determine the true ileal digestible
(TID) Lysine requirement for 11- to 27-kg pigs fed corn soybean
meal diets. Data from
all 5 experiments yielded a single-slope, broken-line
response, with requirement estimates for TID Lys of
1.33 and 1.35% for 11- to 19-kg pigs. The 5 experiments
gave requirement estimates of 1.30% TID Lys (3.80 g
of TID Lys/Mcal of ME) for 11- to 27-kg pigs, equivalent
to 19 g of TID Lys/kg of gain.
Effects of weaning age on the behavioural and neuroendocrine development of piglets
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This study investigated whether weaning, which involves maternal separation, at different ages, altered subsequent
behaviour, physiology and neuroendocrine function in young pigs. It was found that the occurrence of belly nosing in later weaned pigs also suggests that care is required when designing environments where sows and piglets are housed together beyond 28 days.
Sows having high lifetime efficiency and high longevity associated with herd productivity in commercial herds
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The objectives of this study were to characterize high lifetime efficiency and high longevity (HE–HL) sows, to investigate relationships between lifetime measurements, to determine correlations between herd productivity measurements and proportions of HE–HL sows in the herds, and to identify factors associated with HE–HL sows in commercial herds. It was found that approximately 20% HE–HL sows in commercial herds had the greatest pigs born alive (PBA) and farrowing percentage from the first parity to the end. Increasing a proportion of HE–HL sows in the herd increase herd productivity. We recommend increasing a proportion of gilts to be mated when they were 186–227 days of age. In addition, we suggest that producers carefully reconsider their culling policy for sows at low parity. Annualized lifetime PBA can be an integrated measurement for lifetime fertility, lifetime prolificacy, and sow longevity.
Postnatal changes in electromyographic signals during piglet growth, and in relation to muscle fibre types
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The present study addresses the following questions:
Can non-invasive evoked CMAP recordings be used
to follow postnatal changes in muscle development in
the pig, a new species with respect to compound muscle action potential (CMAP) measurements?,
and to what extent do CMAP signals correlate
to the actual fibre type composition of muscles at the
point where recordings are made? It was found that the CMAP signal, measured using non-invasive
surface techniques, increases during early postnatal
development in agreement with the physiological
development of muscles. It is proposed that postnatal
hypertrophy results in a CMAP signal comprised of the
sum of action potentials from fewer, yet larger and most
likely more highly coordinated fibres, with age, leading
to associated changes in CMAP parameters. Finally, in
spite of a small sample size, the correlations between
CMAP signal parameters and fibre type percentages
warrant further investigation.
Despite rising costs of production Canadian Producers can compete
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McEwan’s study followed producers in Ontario, Manitoba
and Iowa since 2002. Profitability was very dependent on
feed costs, although he found that all costs have increased
during the period. Producers need to be going through their input costs
line by line, he says. Alternative feeds, such as bakery products
and wheat shorts, may help to reduce the cost of feed.
While there may be a slight productivity trade-off, most
people are willing to sacrifice some performance to bring
the cost of feed down. Utility and labour costs are also areas
where producers may find ways to reduce costs. Perhaps the biggest impact is the depreciation of the American dollar, which has had the effect of lowering prices
for Canadian hogs by 30 to 40 per cent – a difference of
$54.17 per pig between 2002 and 2007. “That is a huge
obstacle to overcome,” says McEwan.
Nonetheless, McEwan remains optimistic about the
future of Ontario pork. “We learn how quickly these things
can change,” he notes. When all production inputs were
compared in farrow-to-wean operations between 2002 and
2006, it was estimated that Ontario producers realized a
profit of $2.66 per pig, Manitoba producers $2.90 per pig and
Iowa producers $2.16 per pig.
“When margins are that close, differences can be overcome
by improved productivity,” McEwan says.