Explore all the information onSwine management
Pig production is the systematic rearing of pig breeds on scientifically based management principles for economic benefit. The main objectives of pig production are to provide consumers with pig meat and related products and to generate income for farmers.
Pig production plays a significant role in the livestock industry, providing an important source of protein and other valuable products. The systematic approach to pig rearing ensures that the pigs are healthy and well-cared for, which in turn leads to better quality products and higher yields. The focus on scientific principles and efficient management helps to reduce waste and increase profitability for farmers.
A swine producer who masters the art of good management has excellent profit opportunities. This is especially true with disease prevention and control. A healthy herd of good-growing, quality breeding animals — adequately fed and housed — provides maximum profit opportunities for the owner who does not over-spend for facilities and/or feed.
Despite huge advances in technology in the last 15 years, stockmen and women still have the most influence in determining the success or failure of ventilation systems in piggeries, Hugh Crabtree, managing director of Berkshire-based Farmex told a meeting of the Pig Veterinary Society at Newcastle Upon Tyne.
As an example, he showed the differences in energy use between four batches of pigs in a brand-new nursery house...
ABSTRACT
The most economically stable swine producers today have implemented management practices that directly impact the profitability of their enterprise. They commit to clear expectations and protocols which allow people to meet their goals. They use objective measurements to monitor progress. Management through farm level employees is part of continual evaluation of the system and is...
DNA analysis has evolved in roles such as forensic medicine, and paternity genetics in the past years and more recently its capabilities have been challenged as a traceback mechanism within the meat production industry. In Ireland IdentiGEN's DNA TraceBack TM technology was able to detect wrongly-advertised South American beef product as Irish beef, and some non-beef products as beef 1 . The European Union enacted legislation in 2000 as an...
Abstract This paper will attempt to demonstrate the current status and direction of traceability systems in the pork production industry in Canada, with particular emphasis on what it will mean for Canadian pork producers. Traceability by definition is the ability to trace pork through the production chain. Traceability gives the production chain transparency, and transparency allows customers to understand and trust the product they are buying....
In recent years, the use of in-feed growth promoting antibiotics has come under some criticism because of the potential risk of bacteria acquiring resistance to specific antibiotics and the detrimental effects that this may have on human health. This has led to the banning of the use of some antibiotics for swine by the European Union (EU). This leads one wonder if similar bans could be imposed in Canada and the United States. There is some concern...
INTRODUCTION The projected increase in water demand by the world's livestock for the year 2025 is 71% and much of this will occur in developing countries (Bruinsmaa, 2003, Delgado et al. 1999). The relation between water and pig production is an issue that must be addressed immediately and in a systemic approach. Pig production is a constant threat to quantity and quality of water sources. Palhares & Calijuri...
At all times prior to slaughter pigs may experience stress from a range of handling practices, such as fasting, loading and transport, mixing and interaction with humans. Preslaughter stress is both an animal welfare and a meat quality issue. On one hand, behavioural and physiological studies revealed that poor handling practices at the farm, during transport and at the slaughter plant are aversive to pigs and may result in loss of profits due to animal...
Jan Jourquin, International Technical Service Manager for Janssen Animal Health, talked to Engormix.com about his presentation: "Economic benefits of stress control at farrowing" at Pig Focus Asia 2010, Bangkok, Thailand. ...
Livestock producers are going through much criticism for creating pollution and diseases problems. In the meantime farmers are having production problems, such as costly manure removal, energy consumption, medicine cost and most important the barn is not a safe working place. One of the long-standing and costly problems of handling manure has been the absence of simple, reliable, accurate and a long-lasting system of manure collection and transportation out of...
Dr. John Patience, from the Department of Animal Science of Iowa State University of Science and Technology, talks about "New tools to control the variability in the pork production chain". The interview was recorded at the 15th edition of ABRAVES (Brazilian Society of Swine Veterinarians), held at Uberlandia, from the 26th to the 29th of...
Dr. Sylviane Boulot, from LÍFIP- Institut du Porc, talks about "High Involvement Management: Relief of the colateral effects for the survival of swine" and hes current researchs at the institute. The interview was recorded at the 15th edition of ABRAVES (Brazilian Society of Swine Veterinarians), held at Uberlandia, from the 26th to the 29th...
Sylviane Boulot from the L´IFIP - Institut du Porc, talks to Engormix.com about high prolificacy in french herds and the possibility to alliviate the side effect on piglet survival. ...
John Patience, professor at Iowa State University, talks to Engormix.com about new Tools to Manage Variability Throughout the Pork Production System at Abraves 2009, Brazil. ...
Castration of pigs without anaesthetic will not be banned in the EU in the foreseeable future. However, more animal welfare-friendly alternatives will be seen further down the road and then castration will in all likelihood be forbidden in all EU countries. Castration of male pigs will not be banned in all EU countries in the near future. That is the overall conclusion of the EU project PIGCAS that has investigated attitudes to castrating pigs without anaesthetic...
Loading and unloading pigs for transport is stressful, since this may be a novel situation for the pig (Grandin 1997). Pigs have evolved to treat novel situations as dangerous (Grandin 1997). Their reaction will also be influenced by previous experience and genetics (Grandin 1997). If pigs have not been exposed to regular human contact, attempts to load them will be met with resistance. The way to overcome this, is to gradually introduce pigs to the idea of being loaded and unloaded through...
A well respected trade publication with heavy emphasis on animal agriculture recently ran opposing articles debating certain aspects of the animal rights movement and animal welfare issues (Feedstuffs, April 20, 2009 issue). At the risk of oversimplifying, one article takes the position that those in commercial animal agriculture misunderstand the basis of public concern about animal welfare and over emphasize the value of science in arriving at animal welfare practices and policy (Rollin,...
The purpose of the study was to understand the factors associated with in-transit losses in finisher pigs in Ontario. It looked at transport losses in finisher pigs between the time they leave the farm to the time they are stunned at the abattoir. In this study, in-transit loss refers to death loss only and did not include those pigs that were fatigued and resulted in lower carcass quality.
Records from Ontario Pork, abattoirs and environmental temperature and humidity were collected...
The use of individual gestation accommodations (IGAs) for dry sows in commercial pork production is an issue that has raised much debate. Public perceptions and misconceptions of welfare issues have the potential to dramatically impact swine production. In an effort to provide objective, scientific information on the subject, the Council for Agricultural Science and Technology is releasing a new Issue Paper, Scientific Assessment of the Welfare of Dry Sows Kept in Individual...
Tail biting is one of the most frequent problems in weaner and finisher units. We are trying to pinpoint the causes of tail biting with a view to eliminate the problem. There is constant focus on labour-saving pen types and feeding systems that at the same time increase the economic profit of each pig.
Tail biting may be caused by few or many inappropriate conditions. Sometimes, the causes are found in the housing section where the tail biting occurs, and other times in a previous...
When handled through the same facilities, pigs from large and small groups required similar levels of force during handling. However, pigs from large groups tended to load more quickly. Pigs from the two treatments had similar physiological responses to handling. When given adequate lairage time to recover from handling and transportation, meat quality was similar between group size treatments.
Introduction
We have...