Reading Time: 4 minutes There are few pig production skills that are as fundamental as the ability to recognize a sick, injured or disadvantaged pig so that action can be taken to treat it, euthanize it or remove it from the group. Yet it’s clear from my experience visiting many farms that this skill is not universal and that […] Read more
Recognizing Sick Pigs Requires Skill
Feed Requirements Vary During Sow Lactation
Reading Time: 4 minutes Current nutritional recommendations for gestating sows are out of date because today’s genotypes are so much leaner and more productive, says Dr. Ron Ball at the University of Alberta. Ball says the nutrient requirements of modern sows, and the availability of dietary nutrients for sows, are very poorly known in comparison to our knowledge of […] Read more
Carcass Demerits Are An Overlooked Cost
Reading Time: 4 minutes “The results showed that approximately 10 to 20 per cent of all hogs delivered had some form of a demerit valued at $0.60-$1.20/hog.” Bernie Peet is president of Pork Chain Consulting Ltd. of Lacombe, Alberta, and editor of Western Hog Journal. Carcass demerits are rarely under the pig producer’s spotlight and yet they can represent […] Read more
Putting Staff First Is The Key To Retention
Reading Time: 3 minutes “We offer clear goals and acknowledge success. We do not take their accomplishments for granted.” Employers that put their staff first, treat them with respect and allow them to take responsibility for their work will be more successful at recruiting and retaining employees, says Carol Martens, manager of human resources for Manitoba-based Hytek Ltd. Speaking […] Read more
Air Filtration Keeps Disease At Bay
Reading Time: 4 minutes Diseases such as PRRS, swine influenza and mycoplasma cost the North American pork industry hundreds of millions each year. For producers of swine genetics, including boar stud operators, the threat of infection with these diseases is ever-present. Over the last few years, air filtration has been tried as a means of reducing aerosol transmission of […] Read more
High feed intake essential in lactation
Reading Time: 3 minutes Anything that reduces the palatability of the feed will reduce intake. Peet on Pigs First of two articles on nutrition during lactation The nutritional demands on the sow during lactation have increased in recent years because litter size has gone up due to genetic improvement. At the same time, sows have become leaner so they […] Read more
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