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GroupSowHousing.com Launched
Posted in: Pork Insight Articles, Prairie Swine Centre, Press Releases by admin on January 8, 2016
GroupSowHousing.com Launched
Saskatoon, SK, January 8, 2016. Providing pork producers with the latest information on different types of group sow housing systems, a new website groupsowhousing.com has been launched with the goal of assisting the swine industry in the transition from stalls to groups. With recent changes to Canada’s Pig Code of Practice all barns newly built or renovated to house gestating sows must utilize group housing, and all producers are encouraged to move to group housing by 2024. According to Dr. Jennifer Brown the transition to group sow housing needs to be well thought out in advance in order to minimize costs, maintain production and ensure the best possible system is in place for the sows. “It’s not a one size fits all approach, the website is intended to provide information and increase knowledge and confidence in the swine industry as people look towards making the change to group sow housing and away from stalls.”
Groupsowhousing.com sets out to compile the best science on how to manage sows in groups. In addition it provides real world examples of producers who have successfully made the transition to group sow housing. This includes documenting their rationale for the transition to groups, management of the new system, design and construction of group housing, and the costs involved. According to Dr. Jennifer Brown “the producer experience is a key component of the website, as it gives other producers a clear idea of what’s involved in the transition.”
Producers looking for more information on transitioning to group sow housing will find resources dedicated to different feeding systems (competitive and non-competitive), grouping strategies, and training and management of gilts and sows under group systems.
GroupSowHousing.com is part of the National Sow Housing Conversion Project, funded in part through Swine Innovation Porc, much of the information being available in both official languages. This project is funded by Swine Innovation Porc within the Swine Cluster 2: Driving Results Through Innovation research program. Funding is provided by Agriculture and Agri‐Food Canada through the AgriInnovation Program, provincial producer organizations and industry partners.
Prairie Swine Centre Inc., located near Saskatoon, is a non-profit research corporation affiliated with the University of Saskatchewan, and is recognized globally for its contributions to practical, applied science in pork production in the disciplines of nutrition, engineering and applied animal behaviour.
For pdf version please click here National Sow Housing Website Launch- January 2016
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For more information, contact:
Dr. Jennifer Brown,
Research Scientist, Ethology
Prairie Swine Centre Inc
Phone: 306-667-7442
Fax: 306-955-2510
E-mail: jennifer.brown@usask.ca