Better Pork October 2020

Better Pork October 2020

Articles in the October 2020 Better Pork Include:

Beyond the Barn: Canadian Pork Industry Shares Comments on CUSMA, Colostrum Critical for Piglets, Added Tests to Monitor for ASF

• The new North American trade agreement, CUSMA, did not significantly alter Canada’s pork industry. Some benefits are noted, like no longer having to file formal complaints with the World Trade Organization which can be expensive.
• Colostrum should be fed to piglets in the first 24 hours to help boost piglet immune systems. Without it mortalities can be as high as 80% and uterine and gut development issues can occur and persist throughout life.
• A new African swine fever (ASF) monitoring tool, CanSpotASF, is being promoted to have early detection of the disease. An ASF test can be added on to samples submitted to allow for rapid identification.

Advance Your Benchmarking to the Next Level

• External and internal benchmarking can be used to monitor process and implement business changes. Automated systems can be used to collect data from the barn like temperature, humidity and more. Comparisons work best with  producers who use the same information system and the same size barn. Barriers and benefits and future advancements in benchmarking are discussed.

Plan to Dial in Your Feed Programs

• When managing feed costs, optimizing cost per kilogram of gain or kilogram of carcass gain is often a priority. Short-term strategies, longer-term solutions, who to ask for help and potential pitfalls for managing feed costs are discussed.

Up Close: Pork Bellies, Berries and Niche Markets

• Jonathan and Brandon Millen are brothers who started J and B Millen Farms. The family also has 160 acres of strawberries along with blueberries, cereal crops and rutabagas on other acreages. They have a 150-sow farrow-to-finish operation as well that is in the Rustic Farm pork program.

Herd Health: How to Identify and Manage Influenza

• A common cause of respiratory disease is influenza and it can affect pigs at any age. Symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, prevention and control are discussed. Influenza can spread between pigs, poultry and humans so precautions should be in place to avoid new influenza strains from forming.

Swine Health Ontario: Revamped Disease-Tracking System in Ontario

• The Ontario Area Regional Control and Elimination program has been updated so that users  can learn more about participating herds disease status. Porcine reproductive respiratory syndrome virus, porcine epidemic diarrhea and porcine deltacoronavirus are the diseases tracked in they program.

Swine Research: New Tech Shows How Stress Affects Pigs

• An infrared thermography system and an individual water-consumption system were observed in a grow-finish room. It was found that pigs consume more water when they are stressed.

Ventilation Design for Your Sow Barn

• When choosing a ventilation system there are lots of factors to consider. Housing type, natural light, temperature control, finances and post-sales support and service should be looked into.

The Role of Essential Oils in Gut Health

• Limiting the use of antibiotics is essential to help decrease antibiotic resistance. Gut health can be compromised and gut diseases can be increased by withdrawing antibiotics from feed. Essential oils have anti-inflammatory, antioxidative and antimicrobial properties. They can be delivered through microencapsulation and help with post-weaning diarrhea.

Pork News and Views: Continuous Corn Growers Should Check Fields for Rootworm Resistance to Bt Hybrids, CanSpotASF – Enhanced Surveillance to Protect Canada’s Pig Population from ASF, Regular Facility Maintenance is Easy – and Profitable!, Breeding Herd Management – Tips and Tricks to Improving Productivity, Fine Tuning Your Operation, Swine Budget – August 2020

• Corn rootworm is a pest in Canada that can cause high economic loss. Possible resistance may be developing by corn rootworm to some of the Bt rootworm hybrid traits. Fields may need to be managed differently to prevent the risk or spread of resistant populations.
• CanSpotASF is being launched as an African swine fever surveillance pilot project. Samples can be submitted to the lab in order for early detection of the disease to occur if it enters the country. More information about this system is provided.
• Regular maintenance on the facilities can lead to increased longevity of the buildings and production of pigs. Inspection, documentation, prioritizing and making repairs are all discussed along with what to look for and how often.
• Gilt management is an important aspect of the breeding herd as well as maintaining sow health after farrowing and weaning. A proper feeding regimen should be provided that meets all nutritional requirements during gestation and lactation. Seasonal infertility is a common problem in the summer months. Hormonal supplements and proper temperatures can help alleviate this problem.
• Production practices that can be used in commercial practice to produce savings include altering feeding programs, responding to changing market conditions, having properly performing ventilation systems, reducing water wastage and improving sow productivity.
• The swine budget for August 2020 is provided.

Moe’s Market Minute: Pork Industry Sees Recovery in Demand

• The American pork industry is strengthening in prices and demand after the difficult period of shutdown due to COVID-19. The industry is getting on top of the backlog of pigs and most consumption is through retail, not restaurants currently.

Second Look: How Observant Are You in the Pig Barn?

• Working too fast often decreases how observant workers are. Walk-throughs in the barn are important to watch for things not functioning properly, but things are often missed in this inspection. A fresh perspective may help by having someone else tag along with the walk-through.

Better Pork October 2020 (full article)