Swine Disease Matrix Now On-Line

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INTRODUCTION
• The VIDO Swine Technical Group (VSTG) is comprised of people with expertise in many aspects of pork production. The group has previously published numerous practical production publications and has now developed an on-line database of information that focuses on economically important swine diseases.
• The ability to access new information is a key determinant in a successful business.
• This new internet-based information tool provides detailed information from credible sources including scientific journals, proceedings, and technical papers.
• Topics you will find in the DISEASE MATRIX include economically important diseases to the industry with six major areas of concern including understanding the disease, environmental controls, nutrition, pig management, prevention & treatment, and economics.
• Attendees at the Banff Pork Seminar 2006 will receive the first public access to this new information tool that can improve the speed and accuracy of pertinent information whether you are developing your disease management strategy, or dealing with a crisis when access to facts is critically important.

VISION
Linking knowledge to practical solutions

PURPOSE
• The purpose of the “Information and Technology Transfer Platform” is to provide a practical resource to the pork production industry to assist in identifying and implementing treatment, prevention, control of disease; improving productivity and managing health.
• This website is intended for use by primary producers. The presentation style, ease of understanding, low-jargon level all recognize the variation in disease experience that the pork producer, feed reps, genetics reps, pharmaceutical reps, veterinarians and veterinary students may have with regards to economically important swine diseases.
• The content will be a science-based information source of how to control swine disease by providing data, peer-reviewed articles, and photos of practical application, discussion and opinions of experts.
• This will translate science into practical management and demonstrate the inter-relation of a variety of aspects of disease control.
• VSTG will add to the value of the data by “vetting for relevance” and making comments about the application of the information to swine producers in Canada.
• This ‘one-stop shop’ for practical disease information can also serve as a link to health products suppliers by offering to host scientific information available from their research and development. This is an opportunity to provide links to others who provide similar relevant swine production information – with an appropriate fee.
• Web-based presentation only, no printed document will be produced at this time.

METHODOLOGY
• Information (data, peer-reviewed articles, photos of practical application, discussion and opinions of experts) will be critically evaluated for relevance prior to posting

FUNDING

• Alberta Funding Consortium
• Human Resources Development Canada

Using Alternative Ingredients: Lentils and Flaxseed

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The pork industry is continually seeking alternative ingredients for use in pig diets, either as a means of diversifying rations -and thus reducing cost- or to achieve a final pork product that meets certain specifications. Lentils and flaxseeds are among these ingredients.

Lentils are grown primarily in Western Canada for export and for human consumption. Each year, however, part of the production does not meet the grade for export and is used by the feed industry. The latter is attracted by the low price of the product. Lentils belong to the pulse crop family and have a chemical composition quite similar to that of peas, widely used in swine nutrition.

Flaxseed, for its part, possesses properties that make it unique as a feed ingredient, not the least of which is a highly desirable fatty acid profile in the lipid fraction. Possible future uses for flax include the production of omega-3 fatty acid-enriched pork, the development of alternatives to antimicrobial growth promoters and the enrichment of sow diets for essential fatty acids.

Since the use of these unconventional ingredients in swine nutrition is poorly documented, the Prairie Swine Centre carried out a series of experiments in order to determine the composition and nutritional value of lentils in pigs and to study the inclusion of flaxseed in the rations of growing pigs.

Lentils

Two lentil samples were considered for the study: a blend of brown, yellow and red lentils and frozen lentils. The two samples had a quite similar composition, with an average of 27 % of crude protein, 18% of total dietary fibre and more than 40% of starch. On the contrary, the ash and fat contents were very low, accounting for only 3 and 1 % of the dry matter, respectively. The composition is comparable to that of peas, except that the crude protein content is higher than that of peas (22%) and the starch content lower (50% for peas). The amino acid profile is also typical of pulses with a high level in lysine (6.2% of the protein) and a low level in sulphur-containing amino acids (methionine and cysteine: 2%). The lysine level is lower than that of peas (7.3%).

The digestible energy value reached 3,715 kcal DE/kg DM in both cases, which is slightly lower than the value obtained for peas (3,850 kcal/kg DM) but comparable to that of faba beans (3,750 kcal). The digestibility of the protein, measured at the end of the small intestine (ileum) reached 62% on average, which is in agreement with other studies carried out on pulses. For the frozen lentils, no definitive value of protein digestibility could be obtained, for problems encountered during the study but, according to our observations, the value was markedly lower than that obtained for the blend of lentils, which indicates that freezing conditions affect the digestibility of the proteins.

As a conclusion, lentils constitute an appreciable ingredient for the pig, with a nutritional value slightly lower than that of peas, which means that the rate of inclusion in the diet of growing-finishing pigs will probably not exceed 20% of the total.

Flaxseed

Flaxseed is a grain with high levels of oil (35%) and crude protein (25%). The high oil content makes flaxseed a major energy source for the pig (4,650 kcal/kg DM). However, the main interest lies in the oil composition. The oil is mainly composed of linolenic acid, which belongs to the omega-3 group. Pork producers want to know if it is possible to produce omega-3 enriched pork by supplementing the diets with flaxseed. Before any conclusion could be drawn on the quality of the end-product, it was necessary to evaluate the response of pigs to flax in their diet, to confirm the nutrient profile previously developed and to determine if the feeding of relatively high levels of flaxseed causes changes in performance not predicted by the nutrient profile.

Therefore, a growth experiment was carried out with growing pigs fed with diets containing 0, 5, 10, 15 or 20% of flaxseed, at the expense of a control diet composed of barley, wheat and soybean meal. In order to distinguish between the effect of flaxseed and that of the oil level in the diet, four other diets were supplemented with canola oil, in order to match the amounts of oil in the flaxseed diets. The diets contained, respectively 2.2% oil (control diet), 3.5%, 5.0%, 6.7% and 8.5 oil.

There was no adverse impact of flaxseed inclusion on average daily gain, up to 15% inclusion. The highest level of flaxseed inclusion tended to reduce growth rate, something also observed at the highest canola oil inclusion. The highest level of canola oil inclusion significantly reduced daily feed intake; this was probably due to the fact that the canola oil was not completely absorbed from the diet. Intake of the high flax diet was greater than that on the high canola oil diet. There tended to be an increase in feed efficiency at the lower levels of oil inclusion, whether from flaxseed or canola oil; however, only the canola oil diets sustained this improvement at the highest levels of inclusion.

No relationship (r = 0.03) was found between digestible energy intake and average daily gain (Figure 1). This illustrates the fact that the inclusion of up to 15 % flaxseed in the diet does not affect the pig’s performances.

It can be concluded that balanced diets containing up to 15 % flaxseed will not adversely affect the average daily gain, feed intake or feed efficiency of growing pigs and that growing pigs tolerate high levels (~ 7 %) of fat in the form of flaxseed better than equivalent levels of canola oil

The Impact of Prod Use on the Incidence of Highly Stressed Pigs

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Summary

We subjected pigs to three different handling treatments as we moved them through a 300 m handling course. Despite traveling the same distance as the other pigs, pigs moved at a moderate pace with only a board, quiet voice and gentle slaps, were essentially unstressed by the procedure. Pigs handled aggressively, at a fast pace, with shouting and slapping, but without use of electric prods had a higher incidence of stress, but none showed extremes that might lead to animal losses. Use of the electric prod resulted in a large proportion of the pigs showing both behavioural and physiological signs of stress, with some being extreme to the point of stumbling and falling. We should minimize the use of the electric prod by changing our handling techniques and/or modifying our loadout facilities.

Introduction

The shipping of finishing pigs is a stressful time for the animals, and each year several thousand pigs die or are euthanized in Canada during this process. Although the percentage of animals that are lost is quite low, at less than half of a percent, these animals represent a considerable financial loss to the industry and are a major welfare concern. Although many factors such as temperature and genotype likely contribute to these losses, the data strongly suggest that poor handling is a major cause. We were involved in a study to develop an experimental protocol to study stress induced losses of finishing pigs. The protocol has since been used to study the physiological responses of pigs to handling. As part of our study we examined the role of prod use during handling on the incidence of highly-stressed pigs.

Experimental Procedures

Our study included 192 near market weight animals. These animals were taken from their finishing pen, in groups of six, and herded through a handling course. The course was approximately 300 m in length, and involved numerous turns, reversals, and partially obstructed alleys. It took approximately 10 minutes to herd the animals through the course. We imposed three handling treatments on the animals. The Gentle treatment involved herding the animals with a herding board, voice and occasional slapping, at a comfortable walking pace. No electric prod was used in the Gentle treatment. We also used an Aggressive treatment that herded pigs at a fast walk, used a louder voice and involved slapping and/or use of the electric prod. Within each group of six pigs in the Aggressive treatment we identified two animals that were not to be prodded. They were encouraged to move only with slapping by the hand and pushing. The remaining four pigs were prodded frequently.

We attempted to identify signs of stress in the animals before they reached the extreme of falling down. These signs included laboured breathing, blotchy skin, stumbling and a strained squeal. If a pig evidenced two or more of these signs it was left behind the remainder of the group and termed a highly stressed animal. Approximately 4% of the animals stumbled and fell during handling and were euthanized if they did not show immediate signs of recovery. Although this level of loss is high compared to the industry average, some commercial loads of pigs will reach similar levels. Numerous physiological measures were taken before and after the handling procedure.

Results and Discussion

Within the Gentle handling treatment only 1 of 48 pigs was considered to be highly stressed by the procedure (Table 1). The Aggressive treatment, including the use of the prod resulted in over 40% of the animals being highly stressed, including all of the pigs which actually went down and had to be euthanized. When the pigs were moved aggressively, but without the use of the electric prod, the proportion of highly stressed pigs was intermediate to the other treatments. The Gentle treatment pigs moved the same distance as the Aggressively handled animals, so the stress was not due to the exercise per se, but rather to the handling methods. The Aggressive treatment components of more rapid movement, additional shouting and slapping did increase the level of stress, but did not put the lives of the pigs in danger. Only when we used the electric prods did we see an extreme stress response in the animals. Prod use in the study would be higher than typical when loading pigs, but under commercial conditions it would be possible for individual pigs that were confused or overly hesitant to be prodded as frequently as our experimental pigs were. These are the pigs that would be susceptible to extreme stress.

The physiological measures indicated that highly stressed pigs had higher temperatures, lower blood pH, and higher blood ammonia levels than did the pigs with no overt signs of stress. Among Aggressively handled pigs, those that received the electric prod showed extremes in these measures. It is also noteworthy that although blood lactate was similar in those showing low and high levels of stress, it was considerably higher in prodded animals than in non-prodded.

Implications

Clearly we should be minimizing the use of the electric prod when handling animals. Before prodding a pig while it is being loaded the handler should consider if another means of encouraging movement could be effective, even if it took slightly longer. If one pig is repeatedly being difficult to move it should be left behind and perhaps herded separately rather than prodding it again. If a producer finds that they must use the electric prod frequently during the loadout process, they should consider changes to their loadout design and/or general handling techniques.

Acknowledgements

Program funding is provided by Sask Pork, Alberta Pork, Manitoba Pork and the Saskatchewan Agricultural Development Fund. Project funds were provided by Elanco Animal Health.

‘Clearly, we should be minimizing the use of the electric prod when handling animals.’

Manure Scraper System Reduces Hydrogen Sulphide Levels in Swine Barns

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Summary
The effectiveness of a manure scraper system for reducing the risk of barn worker and animal exposure to hydrogen sulphide (H2S) was evaluated by comparing gas levels in two identical grow-finish rooms, one with manure scraper system installed (Scraper) and the other was a typical swine room (Control) with conventional manure pit-plug system. The H2S concentrations in the Scraper room were significantly lower by 90% compared to the Control room (p<0.05). Ammonia emission was not significantly affected by the manure removal system, but tended to increase over the 4-5 monitored weeks during each trial. Given the highly variable nature of H2S production and movement within a room, care should always be taken when emptying manure pits. Introduction A previous PSCI study found swine barn workers can be at risk of H2S exposure while performing manure management tasks, such as pulling pit-drain plugs to clear manure out of swine production rooms. Occupational regulations stipulate that worker exposure to H2S should not exceed an 8-h time-weighted average (TWA) of 10 ppm, or a 15-min short-term exposure limit (STEL) of 15 ppm. Out of 119 plug-pulling events monitored in different sections of various barns, 29% generated peak H2S values higher than 100 ppm, and 48% generated 15-min TWA values higher than the 15 ppm STEL value at the worker level. Because extended manure storage times can contribute to anaerobic degradation processes that give rise to H2S gas, an in-barn manure handling system that allows more frequent and complete removal of manure from production rooms has the potential to reduce H2S production. Hence, the goal of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a manure scraper system to reduce the risk of exposure of swine barn workers and animals to H2S gas. Experimental procedures Two identical grower-finisher rooms at PSCI were used for this experiment. A total of 70 pigs per room were used at a starting weight of about 21.5 kg and remained in the rooms for 12 weeks for each trial. A manure scraper system (Fig. 1) was installed in one room (Scraper). The other room (Control) was operated normally, i.e., manure was allowed to accumulate in the pits, and was drained on a predetermined schedule by pulling the pit-drain plugs. The room air quality and H2S concentrations in both rooms were monitored over four production cycles (trials). Two H2S monitors (Model Pac III, with XS EC 1000 ppm H2S sensor, Draeger, Lübeck, Germany) were installed in each room: one over the middle of the pit (middle pen) and another directly above the plug, both at about 1 m off the floor. Ammonia concentrations were measured at the inlet and outlet of both rooms using an ammonia analyser (Model Chillgard RT, MSA Canada, Edmonton, AB). Results and Discussion Based on the average readings from both measuring locations, the Scraper room had significantly lower peak H2S concentration levels than the Control room (p<0.05), equivalent to an average reduction of 90% (Table 1). Similarly, the scraper system significantly lowered the TWA H2S concentrations (p<0.05) by an average of about 96%. More frequent manure removal using the scraper system did not affect the ammonia concentration measured at the outlet of the rooms (p>0.10) (Fig. 2). On average, 35.6% more ammonia was emitted from the Scraper room compared to the Control room, indicating that the manure removal system tended to increase room emission (p<0.10). Weekly average ammonia emissions also increased significantly (p<0.001) as each trial progressed, mainly due to increased manure production and ventilation rates required to account for increased heat and moisture production. Conclusions Overall, the results demonstrated the effectiveness of the scraper system in reducing H2S exposure of swine barn workers, with marginal impact on ammonia production. Based on the installation and operating costs associated with this study, the estimated cost to construct and operate a similar scraper system in a new or existing facility is about $2 to $3 per pig sold, respectively. However, this cost does not take into account the benefits of improved worker safety. Acknowledgements Strategic funding provided by Sask Pork, Alberta Pork, Manitoba Pork Council, and Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food Agricultural Development Fund. Technical support was provided by Shala Christianson, Robert Fengler and Karen Stewart.

Larger Groups for Grower-Finisher Pigs: Feeding and Social Behaviours and Impacts on Social Stress

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Most studies on feeding and social behaviours of pigs have been conducted on groups of fewer than 40 pigs/group. However, these group sizes are much smaller than some that are now used in some commercial operations (100-1000 pigs/group) in North America and elsewhere. The social dynamics of feeding and other behavioural activities of pigs in large social groups are not well understood and the competition for and the utilization of important resources such as feeders by pigs in larger social groups is therefore unclear. The present study was conducted to gain a better understanding of feeding and other behavioural activities and the impacts of larger social groups on social stress in grower-finisher pigs.

To address this question, two blocks, which consisted two group-size treatments, 18 (Small Group) and 108 (Large Group) grower-finisher pigs per pen, were carried out. Each block, which lasted 10 weeks in duration, consisted of two pens of Large Group and four pens of Small Group size. A total of five hundred seventy six barrows and gilts (Pig Improvement Canada) were used in the experiment at the PSC Elstow facility. The animals were weaned at approximately 18-day of age, were then held in nurseries for eight weeks, before being used in the experiment. The ratio of barrows to gilts was kept constant (1:1) between the two group sizes and the average starting weight of pigs was 34.6 kg ± 4.1 kg (S.D). Pigs were housed on fully-slatted floors with floor space allowance per pig of 0.76m 2.

Wet/dry feeders supplied feed and water to the animals, with a pig to feeder space ratio of 9 to 1. Feeders were spread equidistantly along the central line in large groups with four feeder holes per feeder location. This maintained an equal distribution of feeders within the large group, giving an equal opportunity for all the pigs to access the feeders without any difficulty. The individual pig feeding behaviour and group feeding patterns were studied during weeks 1, 5, 7 and 10 of the grower-finisher cycle. In addition, other behavioural activities such as percentage of time spent on eating/drinking, resting (lying) and standing/walking and diurnal patterns of these activities of pigs in both large and small groups were studied during weeks 2, 5 and 10 following re-grouping.

To evaluate the group size effect on social stress, salivary cortisol levels were measured periodically throughout the grower-finisher cycle i.e. during weeks 1, 2, 5 and 10. In addition, morphological parameters of the adrenal glands were measured at the end of grower finisher cycle to understand any effects of chronic stress on pigs that were formed into larger groups.

The pigs in large groups had more bouts of feeding (35 vs. 25, P<0.05) and the feeding bouts were shorter in duration (232 vs. 301 sec, P<0.05) during day 3 following re-grouping. However, no differences in number of feeding bouts and bout lengths were found during weeks 5, 7 and 10. More importantly, we found that the percentage of pigs queuing at the feeders to be high in larger groups than in smaller groups during day 3 (0.90 vs. 0.59, %, P <0.05). This trend of higher percentage of queuing at feeders were also apparent during day 6 following re-grouping (0.79 vs. 0.60, %, for large and small groups, P=0.08) but not thereafter. There were similar 24 hr group feeding patterns in pigs of both SG and LG during weeks 1, 5, 7 and 10 (Figure 1). Furthermore, the average percentage of feeder spaces occupied (mean day 3 and 6 and week 5, 7 and 10) was also similar between the two group sizes (55.7 vs. 56.2, %, for large and small groups). The average times spent on eating/drinking (5.2 vs. 5.2 %, for small and large groups), tanding/walking (5.1 vs. 5.4 %, for small and large groups) and resting (89.6 vs. 89.3 %, for small and large groups) did not differ between the two group sizes. Furthermore, the diurnal patterns of these activities were also not affected by the large groups. One main concern of large group sizes for pigs is the potential for increased social stressors. Interestingly however in our study, during the entire 10 wk experimental period, pigs in larger groups did not demonstrate any short-term (acute) or long-term (chronic) responses of social stress (Table 1). Therefore, it was apparent that the pigs had not gone through any adverse social stressors by living in larger groups.

Evaluation of an innovative in-barn manure handling system with a belt conveyor to separate feces and urine: impact on odour and gaseous emissions

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Effects of Housing Grow-Finish Pigs in Two Different Group Sizes and Two Different Floor Space Allocations

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Past studies on small groups (10-40) of pigs have found a negative impact of crowding on productivity and welfare. Studies examining groups of greater than 40 pigs per pen have found setbacks in the growth rate of pigs soon after mixing. Research into the effects of crowding on grow-finish pigs housed in large groups is minimal, although it has been suggested that pigs housed in large groups may be able to use space more efficiently. This study was designed to assess the space requirements of both large and small groups, and the effects of space restriction on pig performance, behaviour, physiology, health and welfare.

For this study, space allowance was expressed using an allometric approach relating body weight (BW) to floor area, as determined by the equation: k = area(m2)/BW(kg)0.667. Past research has indicated that, above k = 0.035, growth is normal. Below k = 0.035, space becomes restrictive and growth depression begins. Due to previously set animal care guidelines, the crowding treatment in the current study was terminated at k = 0.025 (approximately 94 kg BW at 0.52 m2/pig).

Eight, 8-week blocks of 288 pigs were carried out. Group sizes were small (18 pigs) or large (108 pigs) and space allowances were crowded (0.52 m2/pig) or uncrowded (0.78 m2/pig), creating four treatment groups: small uncrowded, small crowded, large uncrowded and large crowded (Figure 1 a-d, respectively). Gains, feed intake, and feed efficiency were calculated on a weekly basis. Postural and feeding behaviour were assessed on a biweekly basis, as were injuries and salivary cortisol concentrations (indicative of acute stress). Adrenal gland (indicative of chronic stress) and carcass data were collected at slaughter. Pig morbidity and mortality were determined for all eight blocks. A 1:1 ratio of barrows and gilts were used in the first two blocks, and only production, injury, health, and carcass data were collected. The remaining six blocks used barrows only, and all data listed above were collected. One wet/dry ad-libitum feeder space was provided for every nine pigs. One environmental enrichment device was provided for every 18 pigs.

Barrows gained more than gilts (1.0644 vs. 1.0124 ± 0.0094 kg/d, P < 0.018) and had a higher fat depth at slaughter (20.57 vs. 18.022 ± 0.25 mm, P < 0.002). Gilts had a higher carcass index than barrows (114.01 vs. 111.95 ± 0.32, P = 0.011). There were no indications that one gender was more affected by large group housing or reduced space allowance than the other. Overall, crowded pigs had a lower growth rate and a lower final body weight than uncrowded pigs (Table 1). Growth rate was depressed by 9.8 % during the final week of the study. Pigs housed in large groups had a lower overall growth rate than pigs housed in small groups (Table 1). Among pigs housed in large groups, daily gain was most affected during the first two weeks, at which time it was depressed by 5.4 %. The difference in initial body weights (Table 1) of pigs housed in the large groups indicated that growth depression began within the first four days after group formation. The first sign of growth depression in response to crowding occurred much sooner for pigs in large groups compared with pigs in small groups. In the large groups, the critical point (k value) at which crowding and growth depression began was k = 0.042 (43 kg BW), while k = 0.035 (57 kg BW) was the critical point for pigs housed in the small groups. However, the rate of depression in gains was more gradual for pigs in large groups. Growth was depressed by 0.5 % for every 1 % reduction in space below the critical point in the small groups, but growth was only depressed by 0.2 % for every 1 % reduction in space below the critical point in the large groups. Thus, by the final week of the trial, pigs in both large and small crowded groups had similar gains. Overall, crowded pigs had a lower feed efficiency than uncrowded pigs (Table 1). Efficiency was depressed by 11 % during the final week of the study. Crowded pigs ate fewer meals and spent less time eating overall, but feed intake did not differ from that of uncrowded pigs. This suggests that they were consuming feed at a faster rate than uncrowded pigs. The level of crowding did not affect injury scores for the severity of lameness, flank bites, tail bites, or leg lesions. Similarly, it did not affect the number of animals requiring medical treatment (antibiotics) or removal from the trial, or the level of acute or chronic stress experienced by the pigs. Pigs housed in large groups ate fewer meals, but took longer to eat each meal, than pigs housed in small groups. Pigs housed in large groups also had a greater severity of lameness and leg injuries than pigs housed in small groups. Pigs housed in small groups spent more time sitting and lying on their sternum (chest), and less time lying on their side, than pigs housed in large groups. Group size did not affect stress levels, the number of animals requiring medical treatment, or the number of animals requiring removal from the trial. Pigs in uncrowded small groups had the highest carcass lean yield while pigs in uncrowded large groups had the highest fat depth. Pigs in crowded large groups had the highest lameness scores. The Bottom Line Both crowding and large group housing were found to negatively affect pig performance. Pigs housed in large groups were affected by space restriction sooner than pigs in small groups although, the depression in growth was much more gradual for pigs housed in large groups. There was limited evidence, none of which was related to productivity, that pigs in large groups were able to use space more efficiently than pigs in small groups

Using alternative ingredients: flaxseeds and lentils

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Using alternative ingredients: flaxseeds and lentils

Pascal Leterme

The pork industry is continually seeking alternative ingredients for use in pig diets, either as a means of diversifying rations -and thus reducing cost- or to achieve a final pork product that meets certain specifications. Lentils and flaxseeds are among these ingredients.
Lentils are grown primarily in Western Canada for export and for human consumption. Each year, however, part of the production does not meet the grade for export and is used by the feed industry. The latter is attracted by the low price of the product. Lentils belong to the pulse crop family and have a chemical composition quite similar to that of peas, widely used in swine nutrition.
Flaxseed, for its part, possesses properties that make it unique as a feed ingredient, not the least of which is a highly desirable fatty acid profile in the lipid fraction. Possible future uses for flax include the production of omega-3 fatty acid-enriched pork, the development of alternatives to antimicrobial growth promoters and the enrichment of sow diets for essential fatty acids.
Since the use of these unconventional ingredients in swine nutrition is poorly documented, the Prairie Swine Centre carried out a series of experiments in order to determine the composition and nutritional value of lentils in pigs and to study the inclusion of flaxseed in the rations of growing pigs.

Lentils
Two lentil samples were considered for the study: a blend of brown, yellow and red lentils and frozen lentils. The two samples had a quite similar composition, with an average of 27 % of crude protein, 18% of total dietary fibre and more than 40% of starch. On the contrary, the ash and fat contents were very low, accounting for only 3 and 1 % of the dry matter, respectively. The composition is comparable to that of peas, except that the crude protein content is higher than that of peas (22%) and the starch content lower (50% for peas). The amino acid profile is also typical of pulses with a high level in lysine (6.2% of the protein) and a low level in sulphur-containing amino acids (methionine and cysteine: 2%). The lysine level is lower than that of peas (7.3%).
The digestible energy value reached 3,715 kcal DE/kg DM in both cases, which is slightly lower than the value obtained for peas (3,850 kcal/kg DM) but comparable to that of faba beans (3,750 kcal). The digestibility of the protein, measured at the end of the small intestine (ileum) reached 62% on average, which is in agreement with other studies carried out on pulses. For the frozen lentils, no definitive value of protein digestibility could be obtained, for problems encountered during the study but, according to our observations, the value was markedly lower than that obtained for the blend of lentils, which indicates that freezing conditions affect the digestibility of the proteins.

As a conclusion, lentils constitute an appreciable ingredient for the pig, with a nutritional value slightly lower than that of peas, which means that the rate of inclusion in the diet of growing-finishing pigs will probably not exceed 20% of the total.

Flaxseed
Flaxseed is a grain with high levels of oil (35%) and crude protein (25%). The high oil content makes flaxseed a major energy source for the pig (4,650 kcal/kg DM). However, the main interest lies in the oil composition. The oil is mainly composed of linolenic acid, which belongs to the omega-3 group. Pork producers want to know if it is possible to produce omega-3 enriched pork by supplementing the diets with flaxseed. Before any conclusion could be drawn on the quality of the end-product, it was necessary to evaluate the response of pigs to flax in their diet, to confirm the nutrient profile previously developed and to determine if the feeding of relatively high levels of flaxseed causes changes in performance not predicted by the nutrient profile.
Therefore, a growth experiment was carried out with growing pigs fed with diets containing 0, 5, 10, 15 or 20% of flaxseed, at the expense of a control diet composed of barley, wheat and soybean meal. In order to distinguish between the effect of flaxseed and that of the oil level in the diet, four other diets were supplemented with canola oil, in order to match the amounts of oil in the flaxseed diets. The diets contained, respectively 2.2% oil (control diet), 3.5%, 5.0%, 6.7% and 8.5 oil.

There was no adverse impact of flaxseed inclusion on average daily gain, up to 15% inclusion. The highest level of flaxseed inclusion tended to reduce growth rate, something also observed at the highest canola oil inclusion. The highest level of canola oil inclusion significantly reduced daily feed intake; this was probably due to the fact that the canola oil was not completely absorbed from the diet. Intake of the high flax diet was greater than that on the high canola oil diet. There tended to be an increase in feed efficiency at the lower levels of oil inclusion, whether from flaxseed or canola oil; however, only the canola oil diets sustained this improvement at the highest levels of inclusion.
No relationship (r = 0.03) was found between digestible energy intake and average daily gain (Figure 1). This illustrates the fact that the inclusion of up to 15 % flaxseed in the diet does not affect the pig’s performances.
It can be concluded that balanced diets containing up to 15 % flaxseed will not adversely affect the average daily gain, feed intake or feed efficiency of growing pigs and that growing pigs tolerate high levels (~ 7 %) of fat in the form of flaxseed better than equivalent levels of canola oil

Switch Over Complete – Sask Pork to Manage Pork Interpretive Gallery

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pork production, education, pork interpretive gallery, P.I.G, prairie swine centre center

The Effects of Crowding on the Performance of Grower and Finisher Pigs on Fully and Partially Slatted Floors.

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Summary

Crowding affects the productivity of grow/finish pigs and it is generally believed that floor types differ in required space. This study was designed to determine if there is a significant interaction between the two factors. Crowding resulted in a reduction in ADG, but the type of flooring did not make a difference.

Introduction

Floor space allowance remains one of the more contentious issues in the debate on modern farm practices and animal welfare. It is generally believed that space requirements for maximum growth will vary with housing conditions. The Code of Practice recommends that pigs on partially slatted floors be provided with more total floor area than those on fully slatted floors. However, some research has suggested that there are no differences in the effect of crowding on these two floor types. This study was conducted to gain a better understanding of space required for pigs housed on either fully or partially slatted floors.