Pigs in Space
Space allowance can impact many areas of pork production including social interaction, behaviour, stress and productivity. Often weaner pigs are given less space allowance due to their size but this may not be adequate. Crowding occurs near the end of...
Code-Related Research an Enriching Experience
Sows often have increased aggression due to restricted feeding or low space allowances. It may also be increased in a competitive feeding system. Moving to group sow housing makes aggression more dangerous to the animals and implementing enrichment in the...
Sow Housing Strategies: Mixing Well With Others
Sow mixing strategies can affect reproductive performance, sow well-being and the economics of the operation. Mixing sows is a critical aspect of group housing so it needs to be better understood. The three time points that mixing can occur are...
Welfare Assessment Systems: What are the Differences
Food quality not includes the environmental impact, local economy, health, safety along with nutritional value, so animal welfare is increasingly becoming and important attribute to food quality. Various standards for welfare have been developed and a third party is needed...
New Measures in Assessing Sow Lameness
Animal well-being and economic viability depend on being able to identify risk factors affecting sow longevity and welfare. New technologies to measure lameness are being developed, along with assessment tools for figuring out temperament traits are being researched. These can...
Euthanasia Alternatives
Several advantages can be found when implementing timely and well-planned euthanasia’s. Unnecessary suffering and costs are both reduced and welfare is improved due to a higher chance of survival of the other piglets. The most common euthanasia method in Canada...
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...
Better Pork August 2020
Articles in the August 2020 Better Pork Include: Beyond the Barn: Stricter U.S. Ruling Needed for Cull Sow Movement, Mysterious Rash Appears on Sows, Swine Researchers Battle S. Suis Stricter rules are needed on how long cull sows can remain...
Better Pork June 2020
Articles in the June 2020 Better Pork Include: Beyond the Barn: Scientists Aim to Boost Piglet Performance, Risk Management Pilot Underway, Preparing Pork this BBQ Season Micronutrient supplementation may help improve piglet growth and development. Oral supplements to the sow...
Better Pork February 2020
Articles in the February 2020 Better Pork Include: Beyond the Barn: USMCA: Much Ado About Something for Producers, Ontario Updates Animal Welfare Bill, Stakeholders Brace for Risk of ASF The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement has been signed. Canadian pork farmers are...
Better Pork December 2019
Articles in the December 2019 Better Pork Include: Beyond the Barn: Seneca Valley Virus Rears Its Ugly Head, U.S. Updates Slaughter Inspections, A New Approach to Vaccination Seneca Valley Virus has clinical signs similar to reportable vesicular foreign animal disease...
Better Pork October 2019
Articles in the October 2019 Better Pork Include: Beyond the Barn: Video Games Test Swine Disease Control Efforts, Keeping ASF Out of Canada, Producers See Red Over Markets Farmers’ risk attitudes are studied through a video game and how they...