Swine AI now and in the future

Posted in: Pork Insight Articles, Production by admin on May 9, 2017 | No Comments

There are plenty of opportunities available to reduce the number of insemination’s per heat cycle and the number of cells per dose. At the same time the sperm output per boar can be improved by managing the boars and the semen collection and processing professionally. Some systems in North America have chosen to use these opportunities. They pay extra for high index boars, have them screened for fertility by preforming a single sire insemination until the boar is evaluated for fertility. Then the PCAI technique is used to reduce the number of cells per dose and make even more use of the high indexed fertility boars.

In general this will require investment in people, people’s skills, boar housing, hygienic conditions in AI laboratories and improving heat detection and timing of insemination on farm level. As a consequence high quality insemination doses will cost more in the future, however that will easily be compensated with the added value per dose and it will benefit the profitability of the industry.

Swine AI Now and in the future

Human-Animal Relationship and its implication for welfare and productivity

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Human-animal interactions can have profound effects on the behaviour, productivity and welfare of commercial pigs. As a result of a chronic stress response, high levels of fear of humans can depress both welfare and performance of pigs. Furthermore, in situations is which animals are fearful of humans and thus the attitude and behaviour of the stockperson towards the animals are likely to be negative, the stockpersons commitment to the surveillance of and the attendance to the production and welfare issues can be questioned. Training procedures which target the attitude and behaviour of stockpeople currently offer considerable opportunity to improve both pig productivity and welfare.

Human-Animal Relationship and its implication for welfare and productivity

Editing the genome for PRRSV resistance -Banff 2017

Posted in: Pork Insight Articles, Production by admin on May 8, 2017 | No Comments

Dr.Randall Prathar identified a molecule on the surface of white blood cells called CD163 that allowed for PRRSV to enter the white blood cells. Pigs that had this DNA sequence removed were not effected by PRRSV and appeared to grow at usual rates, reproduce normally and be no more susceptible to other infections than regular pigs.

Editing the genome for PRRSV resistance

Application of sexed sperm in pig production -Banff 2017

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The application of sex sorted sperm in the swine industry must overcome some hurdles before the technology can be commercially viable. Right now 1 AI dose would require 100 hours of sorting time. New AI depositing techniques are coming into play to reduce the amount of sperm needed and make sex sorted sperm more realistic. Laproscopic insemination is one plausible alternative especially in regards to nucleus or multiplier herds. Deep uterine insemination (DUI) is another option that would be more viable for a commercial herd. These two techniques would reduce the amount of sperm needed by one boar and thus allow one boar to cover many more females.

Sexed sperm part 1Sexed sperm part 2

Current strategies and technologies for reproductive management of gilts and sows -Banff 2017

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Estrus synchronization by controlling the luteal phase of the estrous cycle

• Accurate daily dosing of altrenogest  with gilts receiving 15mg/day and sows 20mg/day for 18-20 days
• inaccurate administration leads to an increase in follicular cysts

Stimulation or controlling follicular development 

• Pregnant mare serum gonadatropin (PMSG) contains the appropriate FSH/LH ratios to stimulate follicular growth
• Dosing ranges from 500-100 IU

Induction of puberty in gilts

• PMSG induces estrus in 50-90% of prepubertal and peripubertal gilts within five days
• The best response occurs when gilts are within 20-30 days of natural puberty
• 30% do not display signs but do ovulate
• 30% of those exhibiting estrus have irregular return to a subsequent estrus

Follicle stimulation after estrus synchronization with altrenogest in gilts

• Altrenogest 14 days followed by a follicle stimulator 24 hours after the last feeding of Altrenogest synchronizes estrus in gilts

Follicle stimulation in weaned sows

• Triggering follicular growth with PMSG at weaning results in a more uniform population of follicles and increases the percentages of sows in estrus within 5 days

Induction of ovulation

• Mature follicles are simultaneously induced to ovulate with a gonadotropin of predominantly LH activity

Control of farrowing

• Successful induction require treatment within 2 days of normal expected farrowing date

Current strategies and technologies for reproductive management of gilts and sows -Banff 2017

Sow Productivity, Determinants of lactation success in primiparous sows -Banff 2017

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Preparing a gilt for a successful first lactation will benefit lactation performance in subsequent parities and thus the producers bottom line. Nathalie Trottier discussed several determinants of a successful first lactation.

Maximizing feed intake during lactation

• Setting body condition scores for gilts entering the breeding herd and monitoring body condition during gestation
• Feeding multiple times a day during gestation to encourage them to stand

Increasing fiber intake during gestation

• Improves gut fill and satiety during a time where gilts should be feed restricted on a calorie basis
• reduces risk of endotoxin build up whioch inhibits the secretion of prolactin

Increasing feed frequency during lactation

• 3-4 times per day

Increasing the length of the lactation period

Maximizing mammary glad use

• Nursing all of the available glands is crucial during the first lactation
• Cross fostering if needed to meet each teat
• Shown to improve teat function in future lactations

Selection for udder conformation

• 14-16 well defined functional teats

Preventing teat injury

Stimulating mammary cellular activity and growth

Dealing with contamination

• Gilts are more sensitive to ergot contamination

Sow productivity banff 

Sow Productivity, Farrowing room managment -Banff 2017

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Dr. Egan Brockhoff,

Before farrowing

• Sanitation
  • Proper selection of detergents and degreasers
  • Focus on fully drying the room

Farrowing, Fostering and Day 1 Critical Care

• First 4 days are the highest risk period for mortality
• Colostrum from piglets own mother is critical for the first day
• Intense observation of climate
• Quickly identify piglets at risk of falling back
• Warming and drying piglets is the first priority then minimizing time to the first suckle
• If the birth interval is any longer than 30 mins piglets should be closely observed
• Foster litters should be established within the first 3 days

Nursing, Rapid growth and Weaning

• Success during lactation starts at the selection of quality replacement gilts
  • Body conformation and the number of functional teats are key
    • 14 teats minimum
  • 300lb minimum at second heat to increase litter weaning weights
• Creep feeding does not improve growth pre-weaning but improves post-weaning performance

Sow Productivity, Farrowing room managment -Banff 2017

Preparedness for a foreign animal disease & Modeling the transboundary survival of foreign animal disease pathogens in contaminated feed ingredients -Banff 2017

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Dr.Chris Byra of Byra consulting gave a speech about foreign animal disease (FAD). FAD can cost industry billions of dollars as demonstrated by the UK’s outbreak of FMD, Byra used this as a basis for his talk.

Components of FAD preparedness

1. Prevention
2. Early Detection
3. Response to a Positive FAD case
   • Critical Areas to focus on when mounting a response
     1. Producers
     2. Processors
     3. Governments
     4. Recovery to Resume Trade

A study was preformed by Scott Dee and his colleagues of FAD  contaminated feeds being transported from China. The focus of the study was to determine if PEDV in imported ingredients would remain viable  during a trans-pacific shipment. At the conclusion of the 37 day shipment PEDV was detected in soybean meal, Vit D, Lysine hydrochloride and choline chloride, however PEDV was not detected in any samples treated with one of the 2 chemical mitigants. This study concluded that certain FAD’s are transboundary risk factors.

Preparedness for a foreign animal disease

Immunity & Vaccination – PIG TALES Health From A Pig’s Point of View – Talk

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This talk followed 3 main subjects

Vaccination

1.The pig’s immune system

• Innate and Adaptive Immunity
  • Innate: Present at birth with the same response everytime
  • Adaptive: Developed after birth with a specific memory
• Vaccines & Immunity
  • Adaptive Immunity triggered in 2 ways:1.Exposure to pathogen

    2.Vaccination

    Either will provide long-term protection against future infection by the same pathogen

2.Getting the most out of Vaccines

• Timing/Doses
  • 1.Vaccination should be given ahead of challenge–Pig needs 10-14 days to respond to vaccine

    2.Maternal antibodies can interfere with vaccines

    –Depends on maternal Ab level and the vaccine

    3.Flexi Dose vaccines can help

  • Two Doses Can Help If:1.High level of maternal antibodies are interfering with Dose 1

    2.High level of pathogen challenge in the barn

    –Clinical disease with diagnostic confirmation

    3.Pigs were sick/stressed when given Dose 1

    4.Ensures that all pigs received vaccine (2nd chance)

• Diagnostics
  • Identifying the pathogen in the pig1.PCR Tests

    2.IHC Tests

  • Measure the pig’s response to the pathogen1.Antibody Titer

    2.CMI Response

3.Pigs, People and Vaccinating

PIG TALES_APR 11 2017 – Merged

Evaluation of the optimal space allowance for nursery pigs

Posted in: Pork Insight Articles, Prairie Swine Centre, Production, Welfare by admin on May 5, 2017 | No Comments

2 studies were preformed to determine the effects of space allowance and group size on:

• Piglet growth and feed efficiency
• Behaviour and welfare

2.Compare the effects of controlled studies (Phase 1) and commercial trials (Phase 2)

• In grow-finish pigs a k value (space allowance coefficient) of 0.0335 is recommended below which productivity (ADG) decreases
• Relatively little is known about the effects of space allowance in nursery pigs

PHASE 1

-Lower space allowances resulted in pigs feeding more frequently and for a shorter duration, but did not have an obvious impact on growth or welfare

-Pigs at higher space allowances had higher cortisol levels, possibly as a result of higher activity levels

-Overlying was greatest at nursery entry and reduced over time

–No clear effect of density on growth

–Seasonal effects

-limited effects found in PSC trials

–Some effects of space on behaviour

–Effects of group size on behaviour

PHASE 2

• Commercial trials show density effects on growth and behaviour
• General agreement with Code values
• ADG reduced at lower space allowances

2017 Strathmore RK-April 12