LABOUR CHALLENGES WITH PIGLET SURVIVABILITY

Posted in: Pork Insight Articles, Production by admin on May 11, 2017 | No Comments

Some people are better at improving piglet survivability than others. Here is the list of features that makes the best candidates:
1. Motivated and positive
2. Good observation skills
3. Good Judgment
4. Quick to intervene
5. Decision makers
6. Always want to improve/be competitive
7. Attention to detail
8. Question themselves
9. Honest
10. Proud
11. Passionate

ELECTRONIC SOWFEEDING (ESF) CONSIDERATIONS

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We have identified several opportunities associated with the implementation of electronic sow feeding for the improvement of sow herd nutrition and management. This includes improved feed utilization by the reduction of feed needed to maintain individual animal body condition, better matching of feed delivered to changing nutritional needs of sow during gestation through the use of software controlled feeding curves, automated control of gilt estrus via the delivery of Matrix to selected individual animals feeding in the ESF station, and a practical
solution to regulating the amount and timing of a feedback program in pen gestation to stimulate immunization against autogenous pathogens. The electronic identification of the sows via an RFID tag also opens the door for additional digital management of the herd such as spray marking of animals requiring vaccination or selection of animals to move to farrowing. However, these advantages of ESF cannot be captured without some forethought on how the barn will be staffed, how these people will be trained, and gilts will enter the herd both at start-up and for the rest of the life of the ESF facility.

PEDV AND THE FEED SUPPLY CHAIN – RISK AND BIOSECURITY

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The role of contaminated feed in the transmission of Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus (PEDV) has been the trigger for several research projects and industry wide speculation since its emergence in the USA in April 2013. The emergence of the PEDV in Canada, in January 2014, intensified the focus upon ingredients of porcine origin as a contaminant that could transform swine feed and the components of swine feed (e.g. basemix) into a fomite that might facilitate the transmission of infectious pathogens into non-positive swine herds (i.e. naïve and negative).

PED – A CANADIAN UPDATE

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Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea (PED) was first identified in Canada January 22, 2014. Since that first case, two strains of PEDv and Porcine Delta Coronavirus (PDCoV) have been identified. Four provinces, Ontario, Quebec, PEI and Manitoba have had cases on farms. The following information is an update, describing the PED and associated coronavirus situation in Canada as of March 2015.

So far the Canadian PED story is a good news story. The epidemic has not mirrored the one in the United States. It is estimated that over 50% of the U.S. sow herd has been exposed while less than 1% of the Canadian sow herd has been exposed. There are some explanations. Canada has focused control, containment and elimination efforts on all phases of pork production while the US focus was primarily on sow herds. The feed risk was identified very early in the Canadian epidemic and measures were taken to reduce this risk. High risk points of contact have been contained more effectively and because growing pig sites have been identified packing plant contamination has been more manageable. Finally, the Canadian industry had almost a year to prepare after the disease had entered the U.S.

ADVANTAGES, DISADVANTAGES AND ECONOMICS IMPACTS OF BATCH FARROWING

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Traditionally, pig producers have used a continuous flow production method, which
usually involves weekly mating, farrowing and weaning. As a result, a farrowing room may house piglets ranging from newborn to weaning age, while grower sheds may house pigs with an age spread from 10 weeks to slaughter weight. In America, most growing/ finishing swine facilities have been operated on a continuous basis; barns always contain pigs of different ages and weight. Due to the fact that pigs are always present, it is impossible to thoroughly clean, disinfect, or fumigate the environment. It is generally assumed that the common air space shared by pigs of various age groups allows for both clinical and subclinical diseases to be more prevalent and be transmitted easily in these types of facilities. Indeed, this mixing of age groups maximize the spread of disease and increases the reliance of medication in order to control disease which further adds to the cost of production.

RETROFITTING FOR LOOSE HOUSING

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Planning for group housing is perhaps the most important step in the conversion process. Regardless of the system implemented, the transition to groups requires a significant investment of time and money. Understanding what the options are, and imagining how these options fit within the long term goals of the operation, are critical steps in making the right choice. Good planning is also important to help maintain herd flow and generally ease the transition for barn staff and animals. This talk presents three main areas to be addressed when considering the transition to group gestation. First of all the type of construction project needs to be considered: will it be a renovation of current facilities; an addition to an existing building (e.g. providing space for loose housing or an increase in overall herd size); or is it a new build? The second question addressed is; what feeding system will be implemented? Unlike stall housing, where feeding and management options are limited, group housing includes a large number of options. Becoming knowledgeable about feeding options, including their strengths and weaknesses in terms of cost, barn layout, technical requirements and daily management inputs going forward, is crucial when selecting the right system for your operation. The third area to be considered is how the transition will take place. This will vary depending on the availability offsite barns, parity distribution and disease status, among other factors. Some options include keeping the existing herd intact; making a temporary reduction in the herd size; or doing a complete repopulation.Making decisions around barn renovations can be difficult but are extremely important. There are significant capital expenses and management changes- which will potentially impact farm production efficiency and economics for years to come. It is a good idea to consider this change as an opportunity to invest in the future, and to improve or properly size your business.

EMERGING SWINE PRODUCTION DISEASES – AN INDUSTRY PERSPECTIVE AND ACTION

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The swine industry has experienced major emerging swine production diseases, including outbreaks from Influenza A Virus – swine, Porcine Circovirus and Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus (PEDV), within the last 10 to 15 years. The challenges to herd health, animal welfare and food security are costly for both producer and consumer. Developing and implementing a plan to respond to emerging and re-emerging diseases of significance is top priority. The major swine organizations within the United States, the American Association of Swine Veterinarians (AASV), the National Pork Board (NPB), the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) and Swine Health Information Center (SHIC), have worked together to develop a plan to address emerging disease.

INDSUTRY IDENTIFICATION AND RESPONSE TO EMERGING DISEASES

• Identification of Disease Threats
  • In 2015, the National Pork Board allocated funding for the development of the Swine Health Information Center (SHIC) for this purpose.
• Research
  • The research focus of the Pork Board has been on diseases that are or have become endemic within the United States but also focus on specific Foreign Animal Diseases.
• Response
  • The USDA is also finalizing an Emerging Disease Response Plan to address the many emerging diseases appearing in United States livestock production. USDA has formalized response plans for OIE listed foreign animal diseases and for other domestically regulated
    diseases (Pseudorabies and Swine Brucellosis) but no such plan has been available for
    emerging diseases.

REDUCING ANTIMICROBIALS POST-WEANING

Posted in: Nutrition, Pork Insight Articles, Production by admin on May 10, 2017 | No Comments

Antibiotics need to be used judiciously. If antibiotics are used when they are not needed, or in a way that provides no benefit, it is a waste of money. Reducing antimicrobial use may help to reduce production costs. In addition, antimicrobial resistance is an emerging problem on pig farms and the over use of antimicrobials does create selective pressure which promotes the increased prevalence of resistant pathogens making treatment of sick animals more difficult. Treatment of animals without a good response due to resistance causes economic loss because of reduced pig performance but also the expense associated with medication. Judicious use does not mean that antibiotics should never be used. Failure to treat conditions that can be readily cured with appropriate antibiotic use results in economic loss and reduced animal welfare.

The hardest problems with measuring antibiotic use are;

1. What unit do you use to describe antibiotic use?

2. How do you compare the use of one antibiotic with the use of a different antibiotic because there is a huge difference in the relative importance between certain antibiotics?

3. How do you persuade anyone to keep accurate records of their antibiotic use?

Treatment record-keeping will need to become routine and we will need to begin to create a standardized method of comparing drug use between farms such as calculating animal daily doses so that antibiotic use can be discussed in the same way as pigs/sow/year.

MENTAL WELLNESS AMONGST OUR AGRICULTURAL PRODUCERS: WHERE ARE WE, AND WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?

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Mental health needs amongst agricultural producers are being increasingly recognized, particularly in the wake of large-scale animal disease outbreaks, mass animal depopulations, and extreme weather events. Worldwide, producers experience depression, anxiety, and suicide at levels higher than the general population and report significant occupational stresses. Reluctance in help seeking amongst producers further compounds the issues and makes it difficult to effectively reach this population. In addition to the important human health element, the impacts of mental distress on producers’ animals, their welfare, and agricultural production must also be considered.

Participating Canadian producers showed high levels of anxiety, depression, and emotional exhaustion, as well as low levels of resilience. Producers expressed positive attitudes towards help-seeking, and low levels of satisfaction with current industry support. Regrettably, producers also perceived others as having stigma around mental health. Current directions for producers include development of a mental health literacy program specific for Canadian agriculture, and development of an emergency response model to facilitate quick and efficient response to producer wellbeing during times of agricultural crisis.

ECONOMICS: GRAIN AND HOG OUTLOOK

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Rapid growth in U.S. ethanol production produced very high grain prices during 2006 to 2013. This caused a great deal of financial stress for livestock and poultry producers. Slow growth in ethanol production combined with record corn harvests in 2013, 2014 and 2016 have pushed down feed prices and aided livestock profits. The death of nearly 7 million baby pigs from the PED virus reduced hog slaughter and pushed 2014 hog prices to record highs. Since then hog numbers have increased and prices decreased. The outlook for 2017 is for record hog slaughter and prices slightly below the breakeven level.

If USDA’s numbers are close to right, 2017 hog slaughter will be above 120 million head, up 3.3% from 2016, and a new record. For 2017 look for hog slaughter to be up 3.8% on a daily basis with 51-52% lean hogs averaging in the upper $40s/cwt live and Iowa hogs averaging in the low $60s/cwt on a carcass basis. We anticipate only a modest slowdown in herd growth during the second half of 2017. On average, hog slaughter drops below the year-earlier level 15 months after losses begin.

Financial losses by hog producers were modest in 2016 and are expected to be small again this year. Given corn prices under $4 per bushel there is no clear signal that producers should cut back the sow herd. USDA’s long term year forecast has U.S. farm prices for corn averaging between $3.50 and $4.00 per bushel over the next ten years.

Pork production is expected to increase at an average rate of 1.3% per year. Hog prices are expected to bottom in 2017 then steadily increase through 2026.