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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:
Water: Getting the Deliveries Right
Posted in: Pork Insight Articles, Production by admin on July 6, 2017 | No Comments
This presentation outlines concerns regarding water wastage on farms and the different methods of delivering water to pigs on farm as well as different pressure and flow rates.
Overview of Risk Management for Swine Facilities
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This presentation is an overview of the risk assessment services provided by Aon Risk Solutions.
INTERACTIONS BETWEEN PATHOGENS AND SWINE MANURE
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Although studies are limited, with the exception of penicillin, there is little evidence to support the use of antibiotics added to animal feeds can affected the number of pathogens in pigs or poultry. There are few studies that indicate that short-term antibiotic use in animals contributes to the development of antibiotic resistant bacteria in manure. It has been established that the use of antibiotics will select for
antimicrobial resistant microorganisms in the feces of animals but the microbial ecology of fecal microorganisms is rapidly restored once the antibiotic use is terminated. There is some evidence that antibiotic use on the farm can lead to colonization of humans with antimicrobial resistant pathogens. Antimicrobial resistant Salmonella in humans has been tmced to farms and contaminated manure is potentially the source of infection. Vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) are emerging as a global threat to public health and VRE’s have been isolated from poultry and swine. Transmission of VRE’s form animals to humans has not been documented. Indeed, the transmission of antibiotic resistant
pathogens from animal manure to humans is a major pubic heath concern but there is yet little information to support or refute these concerns.
HANDLING AND LAND APPLICATION SYSTEMS FOR SOLID AND SEMI-SOLID MANURE
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The application of manure nutrients to cropland in an environmentally acceptable manner is an essential component of future agricultuml production worldwide. Manure nutrients applied at rates that match crop nutrient requirements are the basis of manure management programs, which maximize nutrient uptake
and minimize the potential for ground and surface water pollution. To achieve this requires knowledge of the nutrient content of the manure and the ability to apply manure accurately at rates that meet but do not exceed crop needs. In addition to the nutrient content of manure, the physical and flow properties of the material can help predict material-machine interactions, affecting the performance and efficiency of the equipment. Improved handling and land application technologies will make the management of different forms of solid and semi-solid manure in large quantities a more technologically and economically interesting alternative for both livestock and field crop producers.
AIRBORNE DUST, ENDOTOXIN AND DNA DOWNWIND FROM SWINE BARNS
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Total dust (Figure I; P<O.OO I) and endotoxin (Figure 2; P<O.OOt) concentrations declined significantly at a distance from the bam. Comparison of mean ranks indicated that at both study sites there was no significant difference between the dust and endotoxin concentrations 600m downwind compared to
2400m upwind but the concentrations at the outlet were significantly higher than the upwind and downwind locations. Location did not have a significant effect on DNA concentrations (P=0.0733; Figure 3) around the swine barns. Season did not have an impact on total dust (P=0.3496), endotoxin (P=0.3982) or DNA (P=0.8117) concentrations downwind from swine barns. The results support the hypothesis that the concentration of total dust and endotoxin 600m downwind
from the barns is not statistically different from the “fresh air” upwind from the barn. However, neither distance from the barn nor season had a statistical impact on DNA. Microorganisms are ubiquitous, therefore more detailed research is required to attribute the endotoxin and DNA found in the air downwind from the barns to the swine operation. The data shows that contaminants expelled from the two Saskatchewan swine barns, are diluted to that of background levels 600m downwind from the bam. It may be suggested that airborne contaminants downwind from swine operations are not necessarily a direct result of the swine facility itself, especially in agriculturally active areas. In addition, many
environmental factors may have an impact on the distribution of the airborne contaminants. For the purposes of this study it was assumed that the activity within the barn was consistent and would not have an impact on the output of contaminants from the barn, however the activities within the barn could in fact have an impact on the types of contaminants and the amount of contaminants exiting the barn.
BALANCING THE AVAILABILITY OF NUTRIENTS IN MANURED SOILS
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There is opportunity to make more effective use of manure nutrients through balancing with commercial fertilizer. Important considerations identified so far are: 1) the N:P balance with respect to compensating for low N availability in solid manures through application of supplemental fertilizer nitrogen to enhance crop response and utilization of manure P, and 2) the N:S balance with respect to potential limitations of S relative to N on swine manured soils and requirements for additional fertilizer S.
STORAGE OF EXTENDED BOAR SEMEN AT 5°C: EFFECTS OF EXTENDER, COOLING METHOD AND INCUBATION TIME
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Sperm motility was affected by the cooling rate used. Stepwise cooling to 17°C favoured total motility values during the six days of storage if the sperm were stored at 5°C without incubation at 17°C. In contrast, progressive motility values for sperm incubated at 17°C for 24 hr prior to storage at 5°C were greater when the sperm were directly cooled to 17°C.
While progressive and total motilities were superior when sperm were stored at 17°C, adequate motility values were possible when sperm were stored at 5°C but depended on a 24h incubation period at 17°C. Viability and normal morphology values for sperm stored at 5°C following 24 hr incubation at 17°C did not differ from sperm stored at 17°C.
These results indicate that extended boar semen can be stored at 5°C with acceptable values of sperm motility, viability and normal morphology over time. Progressive and total motilities were most sensitive to the decrease to 5°C. Based on these results, the optimum method is to directly cool the sperm to 17°C, followed by incubation at 17°C for 24 hr prior to lowering the temperature to 5°C. It is important to note that these are laboratory results and an insemination trial is required to confirm these laboratory findings prior to implementation in the field.
EFFECTS OF LARGE GROUP SIZES ON PERFORMANCE OF GROWER-FINISHER PIGS
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On the basis of these experiments, forming grower-finisher pigs into group sizes of up to 108 pigs/pen does not appear to have any detrimental effects on overall performances. Commonly held fears of increased levels of aggression and behavioural vices with increasing group sizes were not substantiated in our experiments. Housing pigs up to 108 pigs with adequate resources appears to have only minor effects on productivity and social behaviour of grower-finisher pigs.
HYDROGEN SULPHIDE CONCENTRATION WHILE PULLING PIT PLUGS AND POWER-WASHING ROOMS
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Four pig farms were studied to assess the barn workers’ exposure to hydrogen sulphide (H2S) while pulling pit plugs and power-washing production rooms. Results indicated that plug pulling generated high concentrations of H2S reaching 1,000 ppm in some cases. All the farms studied had plug pulling events that exceeded limits defined by the Occupational and Safety Regulations of Saskatchewan. The H2S released when a plug was pulled did not follow a predictable pattern over time and within the room space. Power washing generated lower H2S concentrations than plug pulling but workers were exposed for a longer time period. Based on this study, swine barn workers may be exposed to H2S concentrations that exceed acceptable limits when pulling pit plugs and power-washing rooms. Personal monitors should be provided to all barn workers and training and standard operating procedures are needed so workers can learn how to deal with routine operations and emergency situations when high H2S concentrations are generated .
CANADA-US TRADE: COUNTRY OF ORIGIN LABELLING AND COUNTERVAILS
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All countries interact with the global marketplace to a greater or lesser degree and many firms prosper as a result of trade, but this is not the case for all firms in a trading economy. The international marketplace is a very dynamic place and it will always be the case that some firms will find that their international competitiveness is declining.
Country of origin labelling is allowed in the WTO, but there are some constraints on its use. Article IX, Marks of Origin, of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade ( 1994) allows imported products to be labelled with specific country of origin at the time of import so long as the marking requirement does not seriously damage the imported products, materially reduce their value, or unreasonably increase their cost. It seems likely that either one or both of the italicized outcomes will be able to be strongly argued at the WTO. Unfortunately, it can only be argued after the fact – after there is evidence that value has been reduced or costs increased. As a result, much of the damage would have already been done as the costs of MCOOL are expected to be much larger for the Canadian livestock industries in the short run than in the long run. The materially reduce value and unreasonably increase their cost criteria have never been tested at the WTO so there are no precedents to assist in determining what the dispute panels would consider as materially or unreasonably. As a result, Canada could well lose the case.