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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:
Is There a Market for Selenium-Enriched Pork?
Posted in: Production by admin on January 1, 2003 | No Comments
Selenium is an essential trace mineral that is required in very minute amounts by all
animals, including pigs. Certain soils in the U.S. and Canada are low in selenium,
including the north central and eastern regions of Canada and the northeastern, Pacific,
southwestern, and extreme southeastern regions of the U.S (see figure). The consumption of selenium-enriched meat could have direct health implications for
humans. In research conducted at the University of Arizona, a large group of men were
given a pill containing either organic selenium or a placebo for an extended period of
time. For the group that was given a daily supplement of organic selenium, there was a
63% decrease in prostate cancer, a 58% decrease in colon and rectal cancers, and a 45%
decrease in lung cancer. In addition, the overall cancer death rate in this group was
reduced by 50%. Other researchers have reported benefits of adequate selenium nutrition
on Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, immunity, fertility, and heart disease.
Time will tell whether or not selenium-enriched pork will catch on as a “health food”.
The meat industry has been touting meat’s virtues as a superior source of nutrients,
compared to food of plant origin, for many years. It looks like, with regards to selenium,
the meat industry may have the upper hand.
Prediction of Pork Prices and Production
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The increasing integration between Canada and the US’s pork industries present opportunities and challenges. Producers are beginning to make some money after losing a lot in 1998/1999. Industry changes begin to see effects in about 15 months. A smaller breeding herd does not mean less pork produced because pork production per sow has increased rapidly in the past decade or so. A peak in sow productivity would bring about price consistency. US pork export has been increasing a very large amount in the past 10 years. 2002 appears that it may be the 11th consecutive record setting year. The new US farm bill includes a provision mandating country of origin labelling. This only applies to raw pork products (non-restaurant retail sales). This label must include where the animal was raised and where the processing has occurred.
Building the Barn to Fit the Gilt
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Due to dramatic improvement in average daily gain, Big Sky Farms decided to improve and expand its gilt development and stimulation programs. The development of their 5600-sow barn saw a new gilt development area. Gilts are purchased at 150 days and intensely stimulated (twice a day) after arrival (housed in groups of 10). 50 gilts are bred per week out of 100 being purchased with no royalties to the breeding company for culled gilts. Gilts are fed on a high quality gilt breeder diet and moved into a breeding stall at first estrus until breeding at second estrus. At weaning, first parities are moved back to the gilt breeding stalls designed with capacity for a 10-day wean-to-service interval. 60 ft2 pens were also constructed in order to house cull sows and gilts. The feed system disperses 4 unique diets for gilt development and breeding, gilt gestation, sow gestation, and lactation.
Incidence of Belly Nosing in S.E.W. Pigs
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Previous studies have demonstrated that as weaning age in piglets decreases, the frequency of belly-nosing and bellysucking increases. The objectives of this study were to determine whether Duroc and Yorkshire genotypes differed in the percent of time spent belly-nosing, bellysucking, and other nosing and sucking. In addition, the effects of number of days (7 vs. 14) spent on a liquid diet, gender, and pen enrichment (nippled troughs, innertubes, and control) were investigated to determine whether specific management practices affected the incidence of these behaviours. By studying how breed differences (Duroc versus Yorkshire) affect the amount of time spent nosing and sucking, it may be possible to select genotypes better suited to the S.E.W. environment. Although Segregated Early Weaning (S.E.W.) was initially employed as a means of eradicating disease in swine operations, little is known about how management factors affect the incidence of belly nosing and belly sucking in early weaned pigs. A study was designed to investigate the effects of genotype, diet form and pen enrichment on the incidence of these behaviours in piglets weaned at 7 days of age. In the Control (barren environment) treatment, Yorkshires engaged in more belly sucking, total sucking, and belly directed behaviour than did Duroc piglets (see figures 1 and 2). The Nipple, and to a lesser degree the Tube, treatment reduced the incidence of belly sucking and total sucking within the Yorkshire piglets, but had little effect on the Durocs, which were already at low levels. Thus, there was a significant genotype/environmental enrichment interaction. For the genotype with high levels of belly directed and sucking behaviours, environmental enrichment was effective in lowering the incidence of these behaviours to that of the low incident genotype.
Quantitative Selection for Piglet Survival as A Safe Way to Reduce the Cost of Weaners
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Improving piglet survival has three reasons, including general success in selection for increased litter size; larger litters increase the necessity of fostering, and concern for animal welfare. Losses in litter size occur in the uterus, farrowing, and pre-weaning. The survivability depends on the piglet’s genes, the maternal genes, and the milking sows genes (if fostered). Simultaneous selection for litter size and birth weight will increase birth weight dramatically, but will not increase survival nor increase litter size. Eight years of selection for litter size and piglet survival can increase litter size and survivability. Almost all economically important traits can be improved genetically. Even for a trait with a very low heritability (such as piglet survival) genetic progress can still be made. Some work being done is on survival and birth weight, survival and fatness, survival and feed intake, and survival and mothering ability.
Science, values, and common ground
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The goal of this paper is to explore the idea that animal scientists strive to improve the areas in animal production that opponents of animal production criticize. The four main areas that animal scientist strive to improve include: product quality, quality of life for food producers, fair treatment of human resources, and humane treatment of animals. It is also argued that there are differences between profit-motivated improvements and those motivated by ethical values. Some positive moral changes are revolutionary, most, however, result from the promotion of positive incremental changes, and being aware of the effects on deeds and attitudes. Positive change can result by becoming more aware of the objectives of scientific research. More critics of animal production should become aware that the welfare of animals is considered very important, and it is the objective of on-going research.
The Impact of Feeder Adjustment and Group Size/ Density on Weanling Pig Performance
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Crowding and/or reduced floor space allowance negatively affects nursery performance and exacerbates social vices such as tail biting, side nudging and ear chewing. Feeder adjustment impacts feed intake and can alter feeder capacity. Since some of the detrimental effects of crowding are due to decreased feed intake, adequate floor space and proper feeder adjustment may act in a synergistic fashion to improve pig performance. Seven hundred and sixteen pigs weaned at an average of 18.2 days of age were assigned to: 1) 24 pigs per pen, 2.5 ft2 per pig; 2) 20 pigs per pen, 3.0 ft2 per pig [approximates commercial conditions]; and 3) 16 pigs per pen, 3.75 ft2 per pig [approximates the Canadian Code of Practice] for a 42 day trial. Eight days later feeders were adjusted to provide gap openings of 9.2, 11.8, 17.9, 24.8 and 31.5 mm (see Figures 1 to 3). Only a small bead of feed was available with an opening of 9.2 mm while the entire trough was covered with an opening of 31.5 mm. Feeding behaviour was videotaped on days 3 to 6 and on days 39 to 42. On day 42, each pig was scored for incidence and severity of tail biting, side nudging and ear chewing. Providing more floor space resulted in increased body weight at 10 weeks of age. Performance was maximized when the feeder gap allowed for 40% of the trough to be covered with feed. Moreover, proper adjustment of the feeder reduced the time spent eating and thus increased feeder capacity.
The effect of breed on the development of adverse social behaviours in pigs.
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Harmful social behaviour, particularly tail-biting, has been and continues to be a common problem on pig farms. While there have been many studies into external factors that may lead to the development of tail-biting, there has been very little research into the influence of the genetic makeup of the pig in the development of tail-biting. The aim of the current experiment was to investigate the effect of breeds to perform harmful social behaviour, in particular tail-biting. Observations were made on three breeds (Large White (LW), Land Race (LR) and Duroc (DR) with 100 pigs per breed. DR pigs tended to direct more total harmful social behaviour towards pen mates than the other breeds. In particular, DR were observed in more total pig-directed biting of pen mates than LR and LW. LR pigs bit the ears of pen mates less often than LW and DR. Overall, the significant breed differences in this experiment indicate some genetic contribution to expression of harmful social behaviour. This is being examined in more detail in a current long-term heritability study.