Gregg Bisset

In Australia the major retailers know as much about the cost of producing pork as some of the more astute farmers. However this is the reality of doing business with them. Couple this with the knowing through contracting and other information exact numbers in the system allows them to maximise profitability. There is no point them paying farmers any more as this will not make more pigs in the s ...

I would agree with Dr Mauricio and add that oxytocin has a "feel good effect" (not that sows would feel to good when giving birth!) and has milk letdown impacts. A smaller dose more often would mimick the natural release patterns. I have found that oxytocin without first ensuring sow has not got one stuck can be a real problem as she can start to pack the birth canal with piglets leading to larg ...

(1) Ensure sows are not too fat (2) Monitor birth rates as while too low can be a problem so can too high. Monitor still births. (3) Feed pre farrowing supplement to ensure sows mobilise calcium from the bone to aid smooth muscle contractions (3) Monitor births intervence if longer than 30 - 40 minutes (monitor still births) (4) Have a goal of sow farrowing in 4 hours. Shorter the time taken ...

Excellent article. We do not castrate in Australia generally although immunocastration does take place our farm is unable to use the product due to our contract arrangements where the supermarket chain has specified it cannot be used (however accepts pigs from other sources which have been treated). We cut teeth as I concure grinding is awful process. Cutting however must be carried out by well ...