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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:
Production VS profit- balancing income and expenses
Posted in: Economics, Pork Insight Articles, Prairie Swine Centre by admin on July 31, 2017 | No Comments
Balancing income and expenses
Time line for implementation
• Short term versus long term
Managment and labour requirments
• High versus low labour requirments
• High versus low management requirements
Financial implications
• New capital investment or not
• Increased operating cost or not
• Speed of return on Investment of capital and/or operating dollars
Risk versus reward
• High risk versus low risk
• High reward versus low reward
• Security versus flexibility
ACTION 1- Reformulate diets as required
ACTION 2- Optimize dietary energy level to maximize net income
ACTION 3- Exploit the full diversity of available ingredients
ACTION 4- Gradually convert DE/ME to NE
ACTION 5- Track the implementation of feed budget
ACTION 6- Increase growth through management and capital investment
ACTION 7- Regularly review shipping weights to ensure they optimize net income
ACTION 8- Minimize sort losses but avoid overdoing it
ACTION 9- Optimize sow herd productivity
ACTION 10- Trim inorganic phosphate in the diet and utilize phytase
Examining energy usage in swine facilities
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Presentation overview
• Global energy outlook
– Energy demand trends
– Price/cost projections
– Current consumption patterns
• Swine barn utilities project
– Background, Goals
– Benchmarking
– Energy conservation measures
-Next steps
• Take home message
Better Understanding the Pig’s Perception of Space
Posted in: Economics, Pork Insight Articles, Production, Welfare by admin on July 13, 2017 | No Comments
This presentation describes the decision basis for floor space allowance in terms of behaviour, production and economics. There must be enough space to prevent stress from overcrowding (a subjective issue) as well as enough space to maintain maximum growth while still striving for the greatest production per unit of area. This presentation also discusses different guidelines for space including stall size and eating spaces.
How do I Maximize my Returns by Incorporating Field Peas and Pulses into my Diets ?
Posted in: Economics, Nutrition, Pork Insight Articles by admin on | No Comments
The conclusions from the studies discussed in this presentation found that:
- Pulses are a good protein complement for wheat and barley, not for com
- The net energy value or the pulses is
• lower than that of wheat
• higher than that of soybean meal - The level of nntinutritional factors in pulses is genernlly too low to affect significnntly the perfonnnnces of the pig
- The availability of the amino acids of pulses for the pig might be lower than that predicted by their digestibility
- Pulses can account for 30 to 40 % of the diet of growing pig as long as the diets ore correctly balanced, namely in Tryptophan and methionine
How do I Maximize my returns by incorporating field pease and pulses into my diets
New approaches for controlling PMWS and PCV2 associated diseases
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PCV2 is a global phenomenon, this presentation outlines several methods of preventing infection and suppressing the disease in pigs. Controlling immune stimulation and vaccination with a subclinical infection may enhance systemic dissemination while at the point of this presentation (2006) there were 4 vaccines under development and 2 registered for emergency use. There are currently (2006) no drugs specifically effective for treating the disease and so as usual with these types of cofactor diseases good management practices and limiting the environmental strain on pigs is the most effective form of prevention.
New approaches for controlling PMWS and PCV2 associated diseases
PCV2 in Swine Herds – New Trends
Posted in: Economics, Pork Insight Articles, Production by admin on | No Comments
PCV2 is economically important with an estimated 3% of mortality being attributed to PCV2 in farrow to finish operations.
- In an average market of $1.45/kg OW, 1 extra%mortality costs $34.87 per sow per year
- In a high market of $1.75/kg OW, 1 extra% mortality costs $44.79 per sow per year
- In a low market of $1.15/kg OW, 1 extra% mortality costs $24.80 per sow per year
This presentation outlines the clinical manifestations of PCV2 and methods for prevention.
The Real Value of Manure
Posted in: Economics, Pork Insight Articles by admin on July 12, 2017 | No Comments
This presentation outlines the use of pig manure as fertilizer and an estimation of value.
Driving the Bus • Canadian Swine Identification and Traceability
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In the face of a disease outbreak, the Canadian Swine industry, in conjunction with government and other vested-interest parties, must be able to trace live animal movements and identify the associated premises, destinations, and transport vectors. Canada must be zoned in a way that allows areas not affected by a disease outbreak to continue to trade. An interim measure proposed is to divide the country into two zones at West Hawk Lake, Manitoba. Further thought must be given to additional zones in Canada. Consequently, the Canadian Pork Council and its affiliated provincial associations, boards and commissions are developing a pragmatic and effective nation-wide identification and traceability system.
Driving the Bus • Canadian Swine identification and traceability
Another Look at the Nursery: Financial Considerations
Posted in: Economics, Nutrition, Pork Insight Articles, Prairie Swine Centre, Production by admin on July 10, 2017 | No Comments
Farms differ in many ways, but the author suspects that the goals of the nursery are common throughout all commercial units and discusses how best to improve upon each goal:
• Maximize nursery exist weights, as a solid platform for the move to the grow out barn
• Minimize mortality
• Minimize the need for medical treatment
• Minimize feed costs, calculated as feed cost per kg gain and feed cost per pig
• Maximize uniformity
Sometimes, financial value can be assigned to a feeder pig leaving a nursery, even if it is not sold. A model of economic value for the feeder pig, within the context of the full production system, would be highly beneficial, because profits can clearly be made or lost within the nursery.
Surviving the Tough Times
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This lecture offers a variety of methods for reducing cost of operation and increasing revenue.
A feed budget: Provides a foundation of expected performance. Actual measures of
performance can be measured and compared with the expectations. If there is a shortfall in performance, corrective action can be taken.
Seasonal diets: When seasons change, nutrient specifics should be reexamined, as hot weather diets are typically quite different from cold weather diets.
Split-sex feeding: Is not frequently practiced due to the practical challenge of delivering different diets. The savings are worth the effort. Barrows grow 8-10% faster than gilts. Gilts require diets 7-10% higher amino acid levels over barrows. Previous research at PSC shows that split sex and phase feeding combined increases net income by about $4.50 per pig.
Reformulating diets during volatile times in the market: Much of the benefit of phase feeding will be lost however if diets are not regularly reformulated to reflect current ingredient markets.
Hitting the core: A simple method developed at the Centre involves weighing all pigs at the first shipping day. All pigs in the correct weight are shipped that day, but by knowing the typical ADG, you can project forward one week and mark those pigs with a distinct colour that will be ready next week, and different from the colour markings on the pigs to be shipped this week. There are herds that have improved their ability to market only 70% in the core and increase this to 90%+ using this method.
Wet/dry feeders: Address the water wastage concern by incorporating a nipple drinker in the feed bowl as the only source of water, reducing water use by 30%, and slurry volume by 20-40%.