Bernie Peet

Banff speaker Outlines key factors which he believes make the biggest contribution to the number of quality pigs weaned per sow

Reading Time: 3 minutes There are literally dozens of different swine herd-recording programs. Most producers use a computer-based system to monitor performance, but do producers extract maximum value from their data? Ron Ketchem, a partner in Swine Management Services of Fremont, Nebraska, thinks not. Speaking at the Banff Pork Seminar, he described how his company analyzes data from more […] Read more

Repeat Poor performance in the second litter tends 
to continue for the rest of the sow’s lifetime

Reading Time: 4 minutes The occurrence of “second-litter syndrome” in sows is an important measure of reproductive function in pig herds and a good indicator of likely lifetime performance, says Dr. Nicoline Soede from Wageningen University in the Netherlands. Speaking at the recent Banff Pork Seminar, she said that the syndrome is characterized by an increased weaning-to-estrus interval, a […] Read more

Peet on Pigs Machine allows feeder to check against nutrient content provided by the supplier

Reading Time: 3 minutes In the current high feed-price climate, knowing the nutritional value of an ingredient can make a big difference to the cost of feeding a pig. It also allows more accurate formulation so that the pig’s nutritional requirements can be met more accurately, and performance targets met. In recent years, the use of Near Infrared Reflectance […] Read more

Reading Time: 4 minutes How do you get a group of hog producers, industry representatives, researchers and people from humane societies to agree on standards for pig welfare? As you might expect, the process involves reviewing a lot of scientific information, considerable deliberation and compromise between groups with different views. It is hardly surprising, then, that the revision of […] Read more

PEET ON PIGS This relatively new problem has been increasing at some plants, and doesn’t appear to occur until physical trauma takes place

Reading Time: 3 minutes The incidence of hog carcass contamination and trimming related to spine fractures is increasing at Olymel’s Red Deer processing plant and possibly at other plants, according to Eduardo Beltranena, monogastrics research scientist with Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development. While the incidence is not widespread, for some farms this problem is up to six times more […] Read more

added value More of the retail dollar must be passed 
back if the industry is to remain sustainable

Reading Time: 4 minutes There is no doubt that, whichever way you look at it, Western Canada is a good place to raise pigs. The combination of abundant space and locally grown feed ingredients provides key elements that are missing in some important pig-producing countries such as Denmark, where manure disposal is a challenge, and China, where a lot […] Read more

PEET ON PIGS Danish producers have found that reducing the 
number of suckling piglets is actually counterproductive

Reading Time: 3 minutes Before the advent of highly prolific breeding stock, it was common practice to let first-litter sows suckle a maximum of 10 piglets in order to minimize their weight loss during lactation. With a lower feed intake compared to older sows, gilts are vulnerable to excessive weight loss, leading to an extended wean-to-estrus period and lower […] Read more

Reading Time: 4 minutes There is always a tendency to be lenient with sows, and especially gilts, that exhibit some type of breeding problem, usually failure to show estrus. This is particularly true when profitability is low and the cost of culling an animal prematurely weighs on the mind. But hanging on to sub-fertile sows and gilts adds to […] Read more

PEET ON PIGS Minimizing water wastage and finding practical ways to 
reduce stress and loading times are two examples of the centre’s work

Reading Time: 3 minutes As it enters its 20th year of operation, the Prairie Swine Centre continues to help find solutions to industry challenges, particularly in its key areas of expertise — engineering, manure management, ethology (animal behaviour) and nutrition. As the industry provides both board members and significant funding, the centre responds to the needs of the producers, […] Read more

Squeezed With feed prices high for at least a year, small improvements
can add up impact on performance and profitability

Reading Time: 3 minutes The rapid increase in both cereal and protein prices over the last few months has pushed up the cost of producing a market hog dramatically. The cost of feed per market hog, using Alberta ingredient prices, reached $127 for July and will be higher for August, according to Neil Campbell, with Gowans Feed Consulting. “That […] Read more