EGF helps piglets get growing

Posted in: Pork Insight Articles, Production, Swine Innovation by student on June 11, 2018 | No Comments

Author: Swine Innovation Porc. Canadian Hog Journal Spring 2018.

“We now have the ability to boost the growth of early weaned pigs and decrease the chance of infection while reducing the use of antibiotics and blood plasma”. – Dr. Li

Summary:  Naturally produced in the sows milk is EGF or epidermal growth factor which supports the development of the piglet’s intestine. Piglets are being weaned around 21 days which results in a decrease in milk consumption, as well as EGF. This decreased milk consumption can slow their growth and development. Through the use of a three week trial researchers were able to demonstrate the benefits of EGF supplementation of intestinal development. EGF supplementation enhanced piglet growth, body weight gain, and gain to feed ratio.

EGF Helps Piglets Get Growing

A revolution in feed management is coming to your operations!

Posted in: Pork Insight Articles, Production, Swine Innovation by admin on August 1, 2012 | No Comments

Candido Pomar, a researcher for Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada in Sherbrooke, Quebec, together with his brother, Jesus Pomar at the University of Lleida, Spain (and several teams of researchers from other universities and five countries) are behind what promises to be the next opportunity in swine feeding; one that has the potential to transform how we feed pigs within the next five years. This team of researchers is striving to develop technology for feeding pigs individually, on a daily basis, rather than using a phase feeding program targeting the average pig in a pen.

Swine Innovation. What Does It Mean for Producers?

Posted in: Pork Insight Articles, Prairie Swine Centre, Swine Innovation by admin on April 18, 2012 | No Comments

The pork industry is no stranger to change. While the change in the industry has garnered most of the headlines in recent years, Canadian pork producers have always been on the leading edge of incorporating new technologies and management practices that enhance the competitive position of their business. One of the roles researchers play is ensuring producers have all the tools available to remain competitive.

Research is addressing some of the questions of the pork industry through the Canadian Swine Research and Development Cluster.  The Canadian Swine Research and Development Cluster rebranded as Swine Innovation Porc is a multi-year $9.6 million program established within the Growing Canadian Agri-Innovation Program – Canadian Agri-Science Initiative of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, in addition to receiving financial support from private sector and provincial government organizations.

Swine Innovation Porc objectives are to facilitate research, technology transfer and commercialization initiatives designed to enhance the competitiveness and differentiation of Canada’s pork industry.

Systematic comparison of the empirical and factorial methods used to estimate the nutrient requirements of growing pig

Posted in: Pork Insight Articles, Swine Innovation by admin on December 18, 2009 | No Comments

Empirical and factorial are two ways to determine nutritional requirements for animals. The three purposes of this study, done by L. Hauschild et al, were to estimate nutrient requirements for a pig population using empirical and factorial methods, establish a relationship between the requirements that relate the two methods, and to study the limitations of these methods when used to determine the nutrient requirements for individual pigs and groups of pigs. Empirical and factorial methods were used to estimate the ratio of lysine to Net energy (Lys:NE). Optimum ratios were then determined using a systematic analysis. Sixty-eight individual pigs were then simulated using experimental data. For the empirical method,  population responses were recorded by using 11 different Lys:NE diets. Average daily gain and feed conversion ratio were used as the performance criteria. Optimal Lys:NE requirements for growing pigs were found to be different depending on the method used. The factorial method does not allow estimates of Lys:NE that maximize the response of similar populations in a given time and weight interval. The empirical method was able to attain optimal population responses, although the estimation requirements are fixed and cannot be used for a population or a growing phase. This study shows that the two common  methods to calculate nutrient requirments have different results, and important limitations that must be considered when the goal is to optimize response in a individual or group of pigs.