Red Deer Swine Technology Workshop October 19, 2016

Posted in: Pork Insight Articles, Prairie Swine Centre, Press Releases by admin on September 28, 2016 | No Comments

Assessing daily exposure risk of pig barn workers to airborne contaminants

Posted in: Pork Insight Articles, Prairie Swine Centre by admin on August 11, 2016 | No Comments

Authors: Alvin Alvarado and Bernardo Predicala

Reference: Centered on Swine Fall 2014

The goals of this study were to assess the occupational exposure risk of barn workers to dust and gasses while performing their assigned daily tasks in the barn, and to identify specific activities in the barn that pose high occupational exposure risk to workers. Subjects were outfitted with monitoring equipment throughout the day during their various tasks.

The occupational exposure of barn workers to respirate dust, ammonia and hydrogen sulphide while performing their assigned daily tasks in the barn was generally below the respective time-weighted average (TWA) exposure limits for each parameter. The variation in the time-weighted average of the airborne contaminants was dependent on the tasks the workers performed during any specific workday. Activities like feeding, weighing pigs, and draining manure pits, have a higher likelihood to result in exposures that exceed the 15-min threshold limit value and this, pose greater occupational exposure risk to barn workers.

assessing risk of airborne contaminants Alvarado

Single kernel seed sorter (BoMill TriQ) and its potential effect on processing and in vitro digestibility

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Authors: Khalil Sahtout and Denise Beaulieu

Reference: Western Hog Journal Summer 2016

BoMill TriQ is a seed sorter that sorts individual kernels of wheat, barley or durum based on crude protein levels by use of near infrared transmittance. This can help producers to create samples with less variance of crude protein.

The first experiment tested to see if sorted kernels were different in physical characteristics or colour. Kernel fractions obtained did have different average colour, but physical characteristics were unaffected, negating the possibility of having to use different milling techniques.

The second experiment took five sources of wheat and barley, fractionalized them with the BoMill TriQ and the fractions were ground with either a hammer mill or a roller mill set to produce four different particle sizes. An in vitro digestibility system was used to estimate if the rate of digestion of the fractions differed between grinders and degree of grinding. Laboratory analysis of these samples is ongoing.

Single kernel feed mill Sahtout

Reducing temperature requirements for group-housed sows to reduce cost

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Author: Ken Engele

Reference: Western Hog Journal Summer 2016

While industry is moving to group housing for sows, research is being done into ways to take advantage of this movement. Work done at the Prairie Swine Centre indicates that if sows are housed in groups, the room temperatures can be decreased from 15°C to between 9 to 10°C, reducing energy costs by approximately 78%.

When sows are housed in groups, they can better interact and control their immediate environment. One way they regulate temperature is to huddle. Allowing sows to huddle can keep sows warm while allowing the temperature of the barn to drop. There are however problems associated with group housing including aggression. This aggression can be increased when sows are placed on a restricted feeding regime, which is common. Sows can be fed a high fiber diet which increases satiety and thereby reduces aggression. Dietary fiber also increases heat production without increasing digestible energy. Therefore, increasing fiber in diets could allow barn temperatures to be lowered.

This study contained two phases. Phase one consisted of an environmental chamber with operant controls. Sows who were fed a high energy, low crude protein diet activated supplemental heat at considerably lower temperatures (10.5°C) than sows fed a low energy, high crude protein diet. Sows fed low energy, high crude protein had average daily gains of -0.5 kg/day as compared to 0.2 kg/day of sow fed high energy, low crude protein.

Phase two configured two barn rooms to group housing. One room was operated at a temperature set point (16.5°C) and one room had an operant mechanism allowing sows to control the temperature. Preliminary results show that sows can tolerate lower temperatures than that of the set point when housed in groups. This lower heating cost can save approximately $5/pig in cost during the heating season.

group housed temperature requirements Engele

Improving biosecurity in swine transport

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Author: Sarah Ethier

Reference: Western Hog Journal Summer 2016

While on farm biosecurity measures are increasingly stringent, a major gap that can allow for transmission of disease is biosecurity in transport. As such, new cleaning procedures for trailers  must be developed to make sanitizing trailers easy and effective. Problems associated with cleaning trailers include the low number of trailers available, downtime required between loads, limited washing capacity, and trailer designs that make cleaning difficult.

After inventory of currently available trailers is taken and graded on ease of cleaning and ease of animal handling, automated systems will be developed to assist in cleaning the trailers.

The three main trailer companies supplying stock trailers to Canada are Wilson Trailer Company, Eby Trailers, and Merritt Equipment. Each of these trailers has both pros and cons. However, small changes such as capped end-plates and changes in crossbar shape can go a long way in making cleaning easier.

An up and coming trailer style is hydraulic. These trailers contain multiple flat decks that are filled with livestock and then hydraulically raised into place. This allows ease of pig movements and ease of cleaning. However, it is not known if these systems will withstand the harsh winters in Western Canada.

Transport biosecurity Ethier

Enrichment for sows

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Author: Victoria Kyeiwaa

Reference: Western Hog Journal Summer 2016

Enrichments are known to be beneficial to piglets and young pigs, reducing aggression, fear, behavioural vices and increasing growth. However, it is not known if this data can translate to sows because older pigs show different behaviours. This study aims to discover the most effective type of enrichment for gestating sows.

Four treatments will be provided: rope, small amounts of straw, wood on chains, and a control where no enrichment is provided. Because pigs are social animals and their social status can influence enrichment use, the effects of social status will also be examined. Social status is determined in a feed competition trial whereby six focal sows – three dominants and three subordinates – are selected for additional data collection. Mostly, in a social environment, subordinate animals are being bullied and driven away from available resources by dominant ones. Dominant and subordinate sows are selected in this study to determine if all sows, irrespective of social status, will benefit from enrichment use. Sows can lose interest in enrichments over time. Rotations of enrichments will be done to determine if this can generate more interest as opposed to a constant enrichment.

Cameras are mounted over the pens and time lapse photos taken on selected days to determine the level of enrichment use, and the activities and postures of sows. Stereotypic behaviours are recorded by live observation of sows, and levels of aggression are determined using skin lesion scores, ranging from 0 (no injury) to 3 (severe injury) on both sides of the body. Accelerometers are used as automated measuring tools to record the mobility of animals, similar to pedometers used to record fitness activities in people. Accelerometers are being used in this research to compare the activity levels of dominant and subordinate sows. Saliva samples are also taken in early, mid- and end of each trial to determine cortisol levels as a measure of stress.

Sow enrichment Kyeiwaa

Treating Swine and Municipal Wastewater with Microbial Fuel Cell Technology

Posted in: Pork Insight Articles, Prairie Swine Centre by admin on August 9, 2016 | No Comments

Authors: B.Z. Predicala, M Nemati, L.D. Moreno

Reference: Prairie Swine Centre Annual Research Report 2014-15

Wastewater generated in the agriculture sector contain organic and nitrogenous compounds which represent a valuable source of energy that could be harnessed to offset the energy required for wastewater treatment. The potential use of microbial fuel cell (MFC) technology for treatment of agricultural wastewater was evaluated.
Using model compounds (i.e., lactate, acetate, phenol), it was shown that treatment of organic and nitrogenous compounds with concomitant generation of energy can be achieved successfully in microbial fuel cells, with biodegradation rates in continuous mode MFCs significantly higher than in batch systems. Biodegradability of the organic compounds influenced the open circuit potential (OCP), electrical current and power generation, which were higher in continuously operated MFCs. The possibility of biological removal of ammonia and nitrite (nitrification and nitritation processes) in the MFC systems was also demonstrated.

Treating water with microbial fuel Predicala

Getting More Piglets Interested in Creep Feed

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Authors: Yolande Seddon, Denise Beaulieu and Jennifer Brown

Reference: Centered on Swine Summer 2016

It is known that providing pre-wean piglets with creep feed can ease the transition from an all milk diet, to an all solids diet. However, research has shown that less than 50% of piglets actually consume creep feed when it is presented in its traditional form. This research was done to see if enrichments or a different creep feed tray could be used to increase the number of piglets consuming creep feed by taking advantage of piglets tenancy to explore.

Four groups of piglets were tested. Enrichments were presented 5 days post farrowing and creep feed was provided after 10 days. Group one was given a traditional feeder with no enrichment, group 2 was given a traditional feeder with enrichment, group 3 was given a flat tray as a feeder with no enrichment, and group 4 was given both the flat tray feeder and enrichment. On days 12, 19, and 25 dye was added to the creep feed. 48 hours later, anal swabs were taken to determine which piglets were eating the creep. At weaning, litters were mixed with piglets not on test and piglets that had enrichment in farrowing were given enrichment again. On the day of weaning, dye was again added to the feed to determine which piglets were eating. Piglet weights were taken on day 5, weaning and two days post weaning. Litters were observed for behaviour and periodic photos were taken.

Tray feeders were observed to be used more often. Frequency at the feeders increased with age. Litters provided with tray feeders and no enrichment had the most piglets eating creep. Feeder type or enrichment did not affect average daily gain.

Getting piglets interested in creep Seddon

Dietary ω-6 to ω-3 Fatty Acid Ratios Aff ect Protein Deposition in Nursery Pigs

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Authors: Laura Eastwood and Denise Beaulieu

Reference: Prairie Swine Centre Annual Research Report 2013-14

An experiment was conducted to determine if decreasing the dietary omega-6 (ω-6) to omega-3 (ω-3) fatty acid (FA) ratio would affect protein deposition in nursery pigs during a prolonged E. coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS) inflammatory challenge. Following a one week long challenge, six week old piglets fed a lower ω-6: ω-3 ratio had increased protein deposition rates, increased liver protein synthesis rates and increased average daily weight gains relative to those pigs consuming a diet with a higher ω-6: ω-3 FA ratio when feed intakes were similar. Protein synthesis was unaff ected by the presence of an LPS induced inflammatory challenge. Overall, reducing the ω-6:ω-3 FA ratio improves the efficiency by which piglets can utilize nutrients for growth, regardless of the presence of an inflammatory challenge.

Omega 3 and 6 protein deposition nursery Eastwood

The cost and variability of grinding wheat and barley to a particle size that optimizes feed efficiency.

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Authors: Danilo Sotto, Tom Scott and Denise Beaulieu

Reference: Western Hog Journal Summer 2016

Based on research from the Kansas State University, an average feed particle size of 700 to 800 microns is best suited to increase feed efficiency in all stage of swine production. However, this information is based on corn and soybean based diets. There is no data available for wheat and barley based diets, which are common in Western Canada.

Samples of feed from one toll mill and four on-farm mills in Western Canada were collected to determine average particle size and variability between mills. One farm used a roller mill, while the others used a hammer mill. The average particle size of wheat was 795 microns while barley was 833 microns. On average, wheat was withing acceptable limits established by the Kansas State University while barley was slightly above, but still within reason. From two farms, particle size of complete feeds was higher than recommended, indicating possible losses in feed efficiency. The diet particle size ranged from 657 to 968 microns. Variability was possibly due to the type of grain used, other ingredients used, as well as their proportions. While all farms were aware of the benefits of small particle size, none had a monitoring program in place.

The second study examined the costs associated with grinding different grains in different ways. Barley is more expensive than wheat to grind. Using a roller mill is more cost effective than a hammer mill. Flowability was negatively affected when particle size was reduced. Wheat flowed better than barley. It is estimated that by reducing the particle size of barley by 300 microns can translate to a $7.8/pig due to reduction in total feed cost.

Particle size in mills Sotto