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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:
Calving pens- Individual vs. Group
Posted in: Pork Insight Articles, Research Watch by admin on November 2, 2011 | No Comments
This article discusses the pros and cons of different calving pens. Different solutions are required for different farm types including large or small farms, where a feeder or feild is located, and how attentive employees can be to the herd.
Welfare and modern veal production
Posted in: Pork Insight Articles, Research Watch by admin on November 1, 2011 | No Comments
This article discusses some of the challenges faced in veal production. Veal production uses a lot of whey protein and therefore a price change in whey causes veal production costs to change as well. In response to consumer demand veal production is shifting to group housing systems despite lacking scientific evidence that group housing improves animal welfare. ‘Bob’ dairy calves, which have a high chance of testing positive for antibiotic residue, are not, but often considered veal calves. The veal industry suffers from reports of animals testing positive for antibiotic residue simply from name confusion.
Economic and Welfare Impact of Lameness in Sows in England
Posted in: Pork Insight Articles, Research Watch by admin on October 28, 2011 | No Comments
In England about 4% of sows showed some sign of lameness. This was discovered to cost between £19 to £266, depending on if the sow was treated or euthanized. It was found when measures were taken to offset lameness, the results were significant. Higher producing sows, and having more sows in the same pen, were situations that saw an increase in lame sows.
Relationship Between the Incidence of Ascites and Ventilation in Broiler
Posted in: Pork Insight Articles, Research Watch by admin on October 27, 2011 | No Comments
A study was done to find a relationship between ventilation and ascites syndrome in broiler chickens. By improving ventilation in poultry houses researchers were able to reduce the cases of ascites syndrome from 4-7% to 1-1.5%. The researches concluded that improving ventilation can improve the ascites syndrome levels in poultry houses.
Biomarkers Predict Optimal Resting Time for Pigs before Slaughter
Posted in: Pork Insight Articles, Research Watch by admin on | No Comments
A study was done to find the optimal slaughter time for pigs which would result in the best meat quality. Pigs were required to run around to simulate stress and given different resting times before they were slaughtered. By examining metabolic proteome it was found that exercise increased muscle stress (making the meat tougher) but the effects could be reversed by resting. It was also found that to much rest had a negative effect on meat quality.
Transport effects and shrink
Posted in: Pork Insight Articles, Research Watch by admin on October 25, 2011 | No Comments
Karen Schwartzkopf-Genswein and others carried out a study of 6000 long haul cattle trucks to find out the effects time-on-truck has on cattle. They found an average time-on-truck of 16 hours, and an average shrink of 5.3%. Fat cattle were less effected by time-on-truck compared to feeders, calves and cull cows. The study also shows the econmic loss from shrink using a temperature-humidity-index.
Pre-fresh, maternity and post-fresh space: Getting the numbers right
Posted in: Pork Insight Articles, Research Watch by admin on October 19, 2011 | No Comments
This article discusses the proper handling techniques a diary cow should receive leading up to, during and after giving birth to a calf. The article talks about the proper stall size the cow should be housed in during each stage of pregnancy. Also the article discusses the pros and cons of different housing methods.
Housing plays a critical role in calf welfare
Posted in: Pork Insight Articles, Research Watch by admin on October 18, 2011 | No Comments
Young dairy calves have underdeveloped immune systems which makes them vulnerable to diseases. Using proper housing techniques can reduce the risk of illness and improve calf welfare. Air quality, ventilation, pen design, and bedding are all areas of housing that can cause illness in a calf if not dealt with properly.
Making the most of weaning
Posted in: Pork Insight Articles, Research Watch by admin on October 14, 2011 | No Comments
This article discusses the importance of weaning techniques in cattle. 30-45 days after being weaned a calf endures a lot of stress and is vuneralble to things like respiratory diseases which can result in death or a lower valued carcass. A new diet for weaned calves should be phased in gradually to allow the calve’s stomach to adapt to new feedstuffs. The article also provides a management checklist for making weaning less stressful.
Intensity of Oestrus Signalling Is the Most Relevant Indicator for Animal Well-Being in High-Producing Dairy Cows
Posted in: Pork Insight Articles, Research Watch by admin on October 12, 2011 | No Comments
This article provides a link and introduction to a research article that found negative effects in cows who were forced to increase their production to keep up with demand. Higher producing cows were found to have slower herd reproduction rates.