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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:
Consequences of Federal Manure Management Proposals: Cost to Swine Operations from Land Applying Manure
Posted in: Production by admin on January 1, 2002 | No Comments
Genetic Parameters and Their Use in Swine Breeding
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The importance of decreasing costs of production increases as the swine industry becomes more competitive. Costs of production can be decreased through an organized selection program focused on
genetic improvement in economic traits. The most competitive producers will use a swine-breeding program, which minimizes cost of production and maximizes return on investment. A clear understanding of genetic principles will aid producers in making selection decisions. This publication provides information about breeding values, heritabilities, and genetic correlations and how to use them in genetic improvement programs.
Livestock Operations Face Greater Restriction
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Take an AFO, concentrate it to make a CAFO, mix in some NPDES and TMDL, and you have a brew that more livestock and poultry producers may have to imbibe in the near future. These terms are defined in current and proposed regulations, and their related requirements can affect an operation’s facilities, practices, and costs. Behind the terms is an increasing public interest and government effort to reduce actual and potential pollution from animal manure.
Seeking Alternatives to Growth Promoting Antibiotics
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The growing public concern of antibiotics warrants research to find alternatives. There are several concerns involving this elimination of antibiotics, which include poor performance, increased scours (which was already seen in Europe), and an increase in therapeutic antibiotics. Although proposed antibiotic alternatives will likely not work via the same mechanism, some show promise by way of a different mechanism.
Acidifiers work by increasing the acidity of the stomach, which is proven to be a barrier to harmful bacteria, including Salmonella and E. coli. Addition of components such as organic acids will increase the production of fatty acids in the stomach, therefore increasing the stomach acidity.
Work can be done to increase the fermentation of feeds in the gut. This produces volatile fatty acids (VFAs) that are important in ruminants, and current research is discovering it may be beneficial to pigs as well. These VFAs also provide a readily available source of energy and metabolites for the gut.
Components can be added to the diet to promote the growth of beneficial bacteria in the gut such as Lactobacilli. This bacteria is involved in competitive exclusion, which means that it will win a spot in the gut over bad bacteria such as E. coli. Dietary components can also be added to improve the intestinal mucin barrier, which protects the gut from colonization of harmful bacteria.
Other possible alternatives to antibiotics include increasing immunity by way of enhanced vaccination protocols, improved genetics, and improved production practices.
Non-Surgical Embryo Transfer (ns-ET) in Pigs
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There has been a recent development of a non-surgical embryo transfer. The advantage to embryo transfer is it allows new genetics while maintaining a high health status, possibly upgrade the health status, allows national and international exchange of genetics, environmental adaptation, less intensive medication and vaccination, and more. Non-surgical also answers the potential question of animal welfare in regards to the surgical methods. However, further research is needed in the areas of making the system pathogen-free, better preservation techniques (cryo-preservation isn’t quite adequate), embryo sexing, and embryo collection (as of now slaughter is the only method, which is unacceptable). Collective research aims to get ns-ET into a usable form for a breeding system. Today it is targeted for complete genetic packages for the nucleus or sub-nucleus level.
Part II: Reference of Swine Health and Health Management in the United Stated, 2000
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As part of the National Animal Health Monitoring System (NAHMS), the USDA:APHIS:Veterinary Services (VS) conducted its first national study of the swine industry with the 1990 National Swine Survey. Study results provided an overview of swine health, productivity, and management for 95% of the US swine herd, the population represented by the 1,661 participating producers. The National Swine Survey focused on farrowing sows and preweaning piglets.
NAHMS’ second national swine study, Swine ’95, was designed to provide both participants and the industry with information on over 90% of the US swine herd.
PartII: Reference of Swine Health and Health Management in the US, 2000 is the second of a series of reports from NAHMS’ Swine 2000 study. Data were collected from 895 swine production sites by Federal and STate Veterinary Medical Officers (VMOs) and Animal Health Technicians (AHTs) from Aug. 21, 2000, through Nov. 2, 2000. (Data for the upcoming Part III were collected from December1, 2000, through February 28, 2001). This second phase of data collection included those sites that responded to NASS enumerators in phase one and agreed to continue participating.
ESTRUS DETECTION WITH A PROGESTERONE BIOSENSOR
Posted in: Production by admin on January 1, 2001 | No Comments
Application of Selection Concepts for Genetic Improvement
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Correct use of selection concepts is essential if genetic improvement is to proceed at a rapid rate. Therefore, seedstock breeders and commercial pork producers need to fully understand the principles of selection which directly influence the amount of genetic improvement made per year. This fact sheet
explains the primary concepts necessary to gain an understanding of genetic improvement. Then it discusses the effect of applying selection concepts on genetic improvement.