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:
Containing Feed Cost Using Biofuel Co-products
Posted in: Production by admin on January 1, 2007 | No Comments
2007 was one of the most difficult years for swine producers in western Canada. Grain prices were record high and feed remains the single, most important cost of hog production. This paper briefly summarizes some recent research findings and reviews some feeding strategies to optimize the inclusion and utilization of biofuel co-products in Prairie hog diets. The primary feed issue with DDGS is what “truly” its dietary energy value is. The grain stock used to ferment has the greatest impact on the dietary energy value of DDGS. If a hog diet has a higher crude protein because that’s what has been least-cost formulated on using a DDGS mix, the nutritionist may not have a proper estimate of dietary energy. The only manner in which a nutritionist can predict animal growth when juggling such wide variation in ingredient nutrient provision is by utilizing the net energy system. Major contributors to DDGS variability are the amount of concentrated solubles added back and the drying process. Adding back the solubles creates lumps when a viscous liquid comes in contact with the drying, mash distillers’ grain. A way to dissolve the lumpiness of DDGS and prevent caking in storage bins thereafter is overdrying. The intensity of heat, the duration of heating, the speed of heating, and the equipment used for drying can cause amino acid (building blocks of protein) damage (i.e. reduced bioavailability); however, overheating at drying will increase the phosphorus availability (Batal 2006). Thus, the larger the inclusion level of DDGS in the diet, the lower the consequential need to supply phosphorus from inorganic sources (e.g., mono/dicalcium phosphate), resulting in feed cost savings. Assuming no detrimental effect on feed intake, the next concern with high inclusions of DDGS is the effect on carcass and pork quality. Feeding DDGS resulted in a marginal decrease in carcass dressing percent (Thacker 2006). Regarding pork quality, high corn DDGS inclusions are a greater concern than high wheat DDGS inclusions would be because corn DDGS contains nearly twice the fat content. Feeding unsaturated fats to hogs is known to cause soft or “fluffy” bellies. Bacon slabs don’t slide well and bacon strips tend to stick together at cooking. The taste and texture of lean pork become oily and mushy at chewing. Sausage quality is compromised, increasing the oily sweat off and reducing wiener firmness. Feeding decreasing levels of DDGS as hogs approach market weight is a strategy that should reduce feed cost and mitigate the negative effects on pork quality. Almost no research results are available yet for feeding canola press cake. It is an even more novel biofuel co-product in comparison to DDGS. The main issue with this co-product will be the variability in residual oil content after pressing. If cost were low, as per the DDGS trend, the two main issues restricting canola press cake inclusion rates in hog diets would be palatability (feed intake) and the effect on carcass and pork quality. We view the feeding of biofuel co-products as the way of the future as we enhance the food, feed and bio-industrial multi-use of raw agricultural commodities. The issues surrounding the nutrient variability of DDGS are a barrier to reliably predicting animal performance. Knowing the main grain stock, some processing details, adopting rapid scanning (NIRS) technology and formulating hog diets using the net energy system, should go a long way to containing feed cost for hog producers. But as the availability increases and co-product cost decreases, pork quality -if not voluntary feed intake first-, may be what will ultimately determine the highest levels of dietary inclusion of biofuel co-products.
Colostrum – the piglet’s first key line of defence
Posted in: Production by admin on | No Comments
Farmers should ensure that all newly born piglets in a litter get some of their sow’s first-milk, called colostrum, within the first 24 hours after birth. This ensures that the piglets receive protective antibodies to fight off diseases and is particularly important for weaker ones that may
not otherwise get a chance to suckle. “You always have some piglets that are so strong that they get more than they need,” explains Associate Prof. Min Fan at the University of Guelph’s Department of
Animal and Poultry Science. “They’re always suckling and then some of the weak ones don’t get a chance.” During the first three weeks of life, piglets’ intestinal tracts are immature. Their intestinal tract is the biggest immune response system in their bodies. But, with an immature system,
their intestinal tissue cells aren’t ready to produce a lot of protective immune cells and antibodies.
“They are very vulnerable to infection,” says Fan, who has been studying piglets’ intestinal tract development. Piglets don’t receive any protective immunoglobulin against diseases from their sows during gestation. (Immunoglobulins are plasma proteins that immune cells produce to fight against infectious diseases.) But, during the one or two days after birth, by drinking the colostrum, they
get a “passive immunity” to fight against infectious disease and toxins from infectious bacteria. This passive immunity stays in the piglets’ bodies for two or more weeks. Two days after farrowing or birth, the sow’s colostrum production stops. By then, a piglet’s intestinal tract has changed
and it can’t absorb immunoglobulin to obtain the passive immunity from the sow. Starting suckling piglets on a creep diet helps their intestinal system to develop starch digestive capacity. The creep feed should include some starch ingredients, such as finely processed corn meal, Fan says.
He recommends starting creep feed as early as possible. These diets are expensive, but the piglets don’t eat a lot. “All they need is a little bit of it to induce gut adaptation,” Fan adds. “Maybe a simple way a farmer can do it is to add some finely ground corn meal or corn starch.”
These starchy carbohydrates help induce the piglets’ starch-digestion enzymes. It also assists the enzyme system in developing more quickly. And feeding creep feed helps piglets adapt to solid diets when they’re weaned. Farmers usually use antibiotics to curb pathogenic bacteria existence and growth. But, with the growing concerns about anti-microbial resistance, this approach has been
challenged. “Alternative ways are being explored,” Fan says. There are other strategies farmers can use, such as using lactic acid, prebiotics and probiotics to prevent the development of pathogenic bacteria in piglets during the transition from suckling sow’s milk to weaning diets.
ERS Bioenergy Information and Research
Posted in: Production by admin on | No Comments
The Economic Research Service (ERS) is a primary source of economic
information and research in the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The
agency’s research program is aimed at the information needs of USDA,
other public policy officials, and the research community. ERS information
and analysis is also used by the media, trade associations, public
interest groups, and the general public.
ERS has a broad range of research on how agricultural markets and
natural resources might be affected by the increased demand for bioenergy.
ERS research on bioenergy encompasses all aspects of the ERS
research mission, including economic and policy issues involving food,
farming, natural resources, and rural development. The ERS Bioenergy
Briefing Room [http://www.ers.usda.gov/Briefing/Bioenergy/] disseminates
existing research and information sources and incorporates new
research results as they emerge. Ongoing bioenergy research focuses
on domestic and global agricultural markets; economywide, regional,
and household effects; natural resource, environmental, and rural community
impacts; and implications for food prices. Current research
areas include:
Mapping technology drives new knowledge of wildlife habitat
Posted in: Production by admin on | No Comments
Developments in mapping technology offer producers a more precise and bigger picture
of how wildlife habitat adds value to their land. Harry Stelfox, a biologist and habitat classification specialist with 35 years experience
studying this dynamic interaction between species and their habitats, has a word for it:
connectivity. It’s a concept that has been brought into more practical application by
technological advances in the field of habitat mapping and assessment, with the evolution
of Geographical Information Systems (GIS) technology a prominent example.
“This is a field of science that has rapidly grown from one that measured a small set of
basic components to one with almost limitless opportunities to study how wildlife, insects
and micro-organisms, vegetation, water, soil and a number of other factors interact with
each other,” says Stelfox. “In the process, it is offering producers more opportunity than
ever to understand their habitat assets and the long-term contribution they make towards
their farming operations.”
FARMER AND PIG EXPOSURE TO AERIAL CONTAMINANTS IN A PIG CONFINEMENT BUILDING
Posted in: Production by admin on | No Comments
Impact of feeding fermentable proteins and carbohydrates on growth performance, gut health and gastrointestinal function of newly weaned pigs
Posted in: Production by admin on | No Comments
Feeding fermentable carbohydrates (FC) to weanling pigs may reduce the negative impact of
proteolytic fermentation on gastrointestinal health and function. A total of 144 newly weaned pigs [6.23 kg body weight
(BW); six pens per treatment; six pigs per pen) were used to determine the interactive effects of feeding additional
fermentable protein (FP) and FC on growth performance, gastrointestinal function and intestinal health. Dietary
treatments, based on a 2×2 factorial arrangement, were: (1) basal diet (control); (2) control +10% poultry meal (PM) as
FP source; (3) control +5% beet pulp (BP) as FC source; and (4) control +10% PM and 5% BP. Diets were formulated to
be similar in digestible energy (DE) and digestible amino acid contents. In general, no interactive effects of FC and FP were
observed (P>0.10). During the 3-wk post-weaning period, feeding FP reduced average daily gain (ADG) (242 vs. 269 g
d-1; PB0.05), while FC increased ADG (269 vs. 243 g d-1; PB0.05). Overall, feed intake did not differ between
treatments (P>0.10). On days 14 and 28 post-weaning, Clostridia spp. counts in colon contents, counts of white cells and
segmented neutrophils in blood were lowered (P<0.05) by feeding FC. Blood urea nitrogen was increased by feeding FP
(9.5 vs. 6.5 mg dL-1; P<0.05), while ammonia concentration in colon contents was lowered by FC (154 vs. 193 mg mL-1)
(P=0.06). Among biogenic amines, levels of tyramine (140 vs. 304 nmol g-1 DM) and spermidine (174 vs. 219 nmol g-1
DM) in colon contents were lowered (P<0.05) by FC. Acetic, proprionic and butyric acid contents in colon contents were
increased by feeding FC, while valeric and caproic acid content decreased by feeding FP (P<0.05). Feeding FC and FP
had no effect (P>0.10) on colon histology, pH, fecal consistency score and organ weights. Results suggest that FP and FC
have independent effects on newly weaned pigs, while effects appear partly related to changes in gut microbiota.
Attracting and Keeping Immigrant Labour
Posted in: Production by admin on | No Comments
With the ever-increasing demand on labour in Alberta due to the “hot” economy and fewer people wanting to join the primary agriculture sector, this has created challenges to staffing requirements, both at a skilled and unskilled level. The unemployment rate across Canada is at an all time low of 6.1% with Alberta being the lowest at 3.8%. Once the unemployment rate gets below 5% the demand out strips supply. The first part in recruiting foreign labour is obtaining an LMO (labour market opinions) from Service Canada. The employer sends the information about the job to Service Canada and they poll the market place to see if there is a need for the type of worker you want to hire, you are paying them fairly and equivalent to a Canadian and they meet the skill requirements. It is all assessed on the NOC (National Occupation code) matrix. Once the employer has met the requirements and has received positive confirmation this can then be sent to the applicant overseas. The applicant will then take/mail this with a job offer from the employer to the Canadian Embassy in their country to apply for a work permit. There are a few challenges with new workers from a different culture and not speaking much English and there is quite a bit of preparation that had to be done prior to arrival, such as accommodation, bedding, cooking utensils, bank account, social insurance number, health care insurance, mail, transportation, drivers license, etc. Further acclimation into the community and Canada is an on-going process. Depending on the language skill of the foreign workers you may need to setup for some ESL (English as Second Language) classes. Once they get the basic principles they seem to be able to grasp more of the daily language in the workplace. They may even start looking at staying for the long term. For the ones that would like to stay permanently, the employer can sponsor them through the Provincial Nomination Program. The employees are usually skilled livestock workers who want to start a life in Canada; some have a spouse and children at home that want to eventually come and live in Canada. The initial application does take some effort and time, but once you have an allocation it is relatively simple to identify candidates. Once this is approved the candidate must apply for nomination. Once they receive their nomination they then apply to Citizenship & Immigration Canada for Permanent Residency. Foreign workers are not a quick or “easy fix” for labour shortages, as they require a greater effort by management. Not only do they require the same on-farm management as Canadian employees but also they come with all the additional things noted above, which have additional costs associated with them. Labour challenges are not only going to continue for the foreseeable future but the cost associated with recruiting and retaining foreign workers is continuing to push up total labour cost on the farm. It is definitely a challenge to start with, but the effort put in is definitely been worthwhile. The foreign employees are worth their weight in gold. If it was not for them some companies would not be able to make it through the times of labour shortages.