Better Pork - August 2003
DENMARK: Breeding for disease resistance
by NORMAN DUNN
A Danish program to identify genes that could lead to disease resistance conferred by high performance boars has completed a first step towards this goal. Results from a 10,000-hog trial indicate significant differences in natural resistance to pneumonia amongst the offspring of 14 top Duroc boars. The same terminal sires, which were crossed with standard hybrid sows in the trial, also seemed to confer increased resistance to pulmonary adhesive pleurisy as well as to diseases in general.The pigs tested were randomly selected from 1,126 litters last year on three different commercial farms. The selected farms were all known as units where pneumonia was prevalent among young hogs.
The next step in the program, set up by the Danish National Committee for Pig Production (NCPP), is to use increasing knowledge of the pig genome to localize the responsible genes or genome areas in the boars whose offspring had the most disease resistance.
This winter, the NCPP researchers announced that the difference in disease frequency found in the first trial indicates that it should be possible to use techniques such as marker genes to breed for increased resistance against respiratory disorders.
Duroc boars were chosen for this initial program because recent tests have underlined the breed's superiority as terminal sire in Danish hog production programs. Matched against Hampshire sires in a nationwide performance test, national herd Duroc boars produced offspring which gained an average 39g more per day in liveweight and finished three days earlier for slaughter compared to the Hampshire average. BP
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GERMANY:Swine space mania in Europe
by Norman Dunn
For years, in most parts of Europe, the accepted per hog space requirement for feeders in slatted pens has been 0.75 square metres based on 110 kg liveweight animals coming up to slaughter. Now, an EU directive will require that this individual hog space be increased by 25 per cent.
But the German Ministry of Agriculture, which is headed by Renate Künast, a member of the "Green" party and dedicated advocate of extensive farming methods, wants to go one better and introduce legislation that will guarantee feeder hogs up to 1.2 square metres space apiece. And in the Netherlands, the government wants up to 10 per cent more space for Dutch pigs than even the German legislators.
The 25 per cent increase planned in Germany will result in building costs increasing from the present average of $622 Cdn/feeder place to around $720 Cdn. But what has really got hog farmers up in arms is that these changes are being introduced with absolutely no scientific backing that pigs will be more comfortable or that they will perform better in the extra space. In fact, trials have confirmed that, while performance in terms of feed conversion and daily weight gain from 30 kg to 110 kg does include a minimal improvement when space is increased to 0.9 m2 per feeder, there's no increase in performance when more space than this is offered.
Researchers from the University of Giessen have also proved that the current law of a minimum 0.75 square metres per feeding pig actually gives each animal more than one square metre apiece at the end of the feeding period. The reason is that there are always plenty of faster growing hogs on commercial units being taken out of the pens sometimes a few weeks before the main body are ready for slaughter. Going by German figures from commercial farms, the Giessen scientists reckon that around 30 per cent of the pen members are generally shipped out early.
But whatever the arguments, animal welfare is now definitely king in Germany and, despite all protests, it is reckoned that the proposed legislation for up to 1.2 square metres space per feeder hog at finish will be introduced this summer.
Cocktail time in the hog barn
Canapés are being served to loose-housed sows in Germany to avoid aggression and injuries at the feeding points. This canapé system, developed by hog equipment producers Eichholz, is based on issuing very small portions each time a sow visits the feeder.The feeder computer can be programmed to divide the pen feed equally over 24 hours if required. And, where sows are fitted with transponders, the canapé system can be used to give individual sows the small canapé portions within a planned individual ration. The German manufacturer claim that the system reduces aggression to such an extent that expensive steel mesh around the rationing point to protect sows from pen mates when feeding is no longer required. BP
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DENMARK:Creep heat sensor management tool cuts electricity consumption
According to its Danish inventor, savings of up to $57 Cdn per litter have been achieved through turning down the heating lamp when warmth is not requiredby Norman Dunn
High-precision infrared heat sensors reading the skin temperatures of young piglets in the creep area of each farrowing pen represent a new management tool for reducing electricity consumption and monitoring sow performance.
The system, developed recently by Danish engineer Niels Veng, links the precise temperature sensors with a small computer which controls the heating lamp in the creep and at the same time documents all piglet movements based on temperature variations.
First of all, the sensors immediately note the fall in temperature when the litter leaves the creep for feeding or other reasons. The controlling computer then turns down the heating lamp output until the piglets return. This alone has cut energy consumption by 40 to 50 per cent and increased lamp lifetime by about 500 per cent in Danish on-farm trials, according to Veng. He adds that at the Danish power price equivalent to six Canadian cents/kWh, electricity savings of up to $57 Cdn/litter have been achieved through turning down the heating lamp when warmth is not required.
The Veng sensor-computer is also self-regulating according to an optimum creep temperature keyed-in by the farmer or herd manager. When the piglets pile up inside the creep, the temperature quickly rises and the system then cuts back the power to keep the litter members comfortable. On the other hand, with piglets out of the creep for longer periods, the computer reacts by raising the lamp temperature slightly to attract the youngsters back into the creep and thereby reduce risk of crushing losses.
Through the associated temperature drops, the sensors automatically document the periods throughout the day and night when the litter leave the creep.
"Repeated regular absences, for example, can be an indication that the sow is not letting her litter suckle or hasn't much milk so that the piglets have to try repeatedly to suckle," explains Veng. "The computer documents this piglet movement in graph form, so there is always a record which the unit manager can use as a management tool in monitoring sow performance in each farrowing pen."BP
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Holland: Signing-in is now a requirement of the Dutch hog quality assurance program
by Norman DunnAnyone visiting a Dutch hog unit from now on must give full details of name, address, length of stay and any direct contact with pigs to the unit manager or farmer. These details must be entered in an official unit record book and shown to quality control or veterinary authorities on demand.
This is just one of a series of new regulations to be applied under the revamped national quality assurance scheme for pork production (IKB). The program is still voluntary, but some 80 per cent of Dutch hog producers supplying nearly 90 per cent of the country's slaughter hogs are already signed-up.
The same book must also contain up-to-date information on all cleaning and disinfecting operations carried out in the unit with equipment and materials used. Other mandatory entries: veterinary problems, vet visits and medicines used, deaths and details of carcass disposal or collection and identity numbers of live animals entering or leaving the unit.
Just as much information has also to be collected on the feed used on each of Holland's 16,000 IKB hog farms. The rules require that that each farmer keep records of which mills deliver the feed and details of any quality controls carried out. There are also plans to introduce on-farm spot checks on feed quality and hygiene with officials coming unannounced to take samples from the troughs at feeding time.
The IKB program requires annual salmonella screenings on farms with 36 blood samples to be collected from randomly chosen hogs and sent for testing. Once a year, samples of hog drinking water have to be collected and sent to a laboratory. Inspectors may also carry out regular spot-checks on all ventilation and heating systems on units.
Also announced among the IKB regulation changes: big cuts in the number of veterinary medicines permitted for use on farms. There are already complaints that these reductions mean that some diseases may be much more difficult to medicate for now.
"These requirements mean more work for farmers, of course, but it is our experience that the emphasis on good unit management and intense control actually pays dividends for each business, perhaps even balancing the costs," explains Apha Walters, a spokesperson for the program with the Dutch meat poultry and egg production organisation (PVVE).
"We have also found that the trade and consumers really appreciate the extra care that is being taken in producing their pork and show this in their buying patterns. Industry image has been helped and butchers tell us that products labelled as coming from IKB farms meet a stronger demand." BP
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Using misting during hot weather can help improve feed intake
Research from Nebraska has demonstrated that high temperatures can hurt feed intake and that misting prior to a meal can make a significant differenceby JANICE MURPHY
When hot weather hits, eating a big meal is the last thing on anyone's mind. Likewise, with temperatures in the 30s and 40s, pigs are probably too busy dreaming of a distant mud puddle to worry about their next meal.
All animals have a thermoneutral zone, the range of temperatures at which they are most comfortable and their body temperature remains constant. Summer temperatures in Ontario often exceed the thermoneutral zone for pigs. Since air conditioning is much too expensive, spraying pigs with water is one option that can help reduce stress.
Heat stress occurs when an animal is unable to remove enough heat from its body. All animals produce heat from digestion. Excess heat production must be lost to the outside environment in order to maintain normal body temperature. Pigs are especially susceptible to heat stress, since their sweat glands do not function and they can only dissipate heat by panting or evaporative cooling through the skin. Dissipating heat consumes energy, so taking energy away from growth. To complicate matters, pigs that are heat stressed often eat less, making even fewer nutrients available.
Research has shown that high environmental temperatures (>25°C) adversely affect feed intake and subsequent performance. As temperatures rise, physiological changes in the pig also occur, including increases in rectal temperatures, respiration rates and pulse rates. Understanding the physiological response of pigs to high temperatures provides additional insight into ways to minimize misting, and therefore water usage. Researchers theorize that misting may only be necessary during those events that are most likely to raise the pig's body temperature, such as during a meal.
Misting has proven to be an effective way of reducing heat stress during peak summertime temperatures in swine facilities. Using misting or sprinkling to wet down pigs is a better way of improving evaporative cooling efficiency, since the process occurs at the skin's surface, than trying to cool down the pig indirectly by cooling the air. Think of how much cooler it feels when you step out of a pool on a breezy day. The same concept applies to evaporative cooling for pigs.
Researchers in Nebraska have clearly demonstrated that it is essential to consider both the physiology of the pig as well as the housing constraints when using misting as a strategy to improve performance during hot weather. They assessed the impact of synchronizing misting and meals on feed intake and meal duration.
The experiment studied 18 70-kg crossbred grower-finisher pigs (all barrows) for 30 days to observe the effect that misting, synchronized with meals, and had on performance. Three misting strategies were compared -- misting just prior to a meal, misting between meals and no misting. The air was held at 30°C and 50 per cent relative humidity. The assessment was based on two variables -- feed intake and meal duration. The results are summarized in Table 1.
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Pigs misted just prior to a meal had significantly greater feed intake (13 per cent) and ate significantly longer (19 per cent) compared to the pigs on the other treatments. The effects appear to be the result of cooling the pig and so reducing the temperature spike that normally occurs during an activity, such as a meal. This moderation of the body temperature seems to allow the pig to eat for a greater length of time before thermoregulatory controls restrict the meal duration and, as a result, the amount consumed. While the short length of the present experiment did not permit an assessment of the whole grow-finish phase, the researchers suggested that increased feed intake should benefit growth performance over the long term.BP
Table 1: Effect of misting on feed intake and meal duration of grower-finisher pigs Treatment Feed intake
(kg)Meal duration
(hours/meal)No mist 0.623 0.233 Prior to meal 0.701 0.263 Between meals 0.619 0.210 Source: Eigenberg, R.A., Niesber, J.A., Hahn, G.L., and Kachman, S.D. 2002. Swine responses to misting synchronized with meal events. Applied Engineering in Agriculture. 18(3): 347350 Janice Murphy is Swine Nutritionist with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food in Fergus. E-mail janice.murphy@omaf.gov.on.ca
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Reduce your lighting costs while still improving performance
Each level of production requires different light levels and photoperiods. Selecting your lighting equipment for both efficiency and low maintenance cost will pay offby RON MACDONALD
Lighting plays a significant role in reproductive performance and overall swine production. Though lighting costs constitute a small percentage of the total cost of production for swine, it is possible to reduce energy costs, increase lighting levels and actually improve performance with well-designed, energy-efficient lighting systems.A good light system should provide proper light levels economically with low maintenance costs. A 100W, 1,000-hour, standard-rated incandescent bulb should last 63 days in the breeding barn. Long-life incandescent bulbs at 5,000 hours rated life still only last 312 days and the actual light output is reduced by about 25 per cent over the regular 1,000-hour bulb.
Incandescent systems are the least energy efficient lighting option. Compact fluorescent lamps and ballast systems provide good energy efficiency and are easily retrofitted into incandescent fixtures. However, the shorter equipment life and higher cost to replace lamps and ballasts compared to T-8 fluorescent tube systems increase operating costs and reduce cash flow. Most compact fluorescent lamps have extremely poor power factor ratings -- as low as 0.4, up to 0.65. A power factor corrected unit is not available yet.
The new standard for barns with a ceiling height of less than 3.6 metres is the T-8 fluorescent lamp with matching electronic ballast, mounted in a weatherproof fibreglass or plastic housing with gasketted diffuser. These units are more than four times as efficient and the lamps last at least 24 times as long as a regular-life incandescent lamp. (See Table 1 for relative system efficiencies and lamp life.)
Where barn ceiling height exceeds 3.6 metres, the more efficient high intensity discharge fixtures should be considered. They are easier to install and maintain and they require fewer fixtures to provide the same level of light. Types to be considered include metal halide (which provides white light, good colour rendition and good to excellent life) and high-pressure sodium (which can be colour-corrected for good colour rendition, has excellent life and is low cost). Ceilings and walls should be white to maximize reflection and reduce the number of lighting fixtures required.
Table 1. GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF LIGHT SOURCES USED FOR INDOOR LIGHTING OF LIVESTOCK FACILITIES Lamp Type Lamp Size
(W)CRI
(Colour Rendition Index)Efficiency
(Lumens/W)Typical Lamp Life
(hr)Incandescent 34-200 100 11-20 750-2,000 Halogen 50-150 100 18-25 2,000-3,000 Fluorescent 32-100 70-95 75-98 15,000-20,000 Compact Fluorescent 5-50 80-90 50-80 10,000 Metal Halide 70-400 60-80 60-94 7,500-10,000 High Pressure Sodium 35-400 20-80 63-125 15,000-24,000
Table 2: Recommended light levels and photoperiods for swine housing Type of housing Light levels Photoperiod Comments Breeding/gilts >10 f.c. 14-16 h/d - necessary for estrus cycling Gestation >5 f.c. 14-16 h/d - to assist missed cycles, bring estrus on again Farrowing 5-10 f.c. 8 h/d - if no heat lamps, some light in room 24 h/d Nursery 5 f.c. 8 h/d - some light in room 24 h/d Grower-finisher 5 f.c. 8 h/d - most producers only turn on lights during feeding/inspection Sources: Allmond, 1986; Brandt et. al., 1990; Claus et. al., 1985; Evans et. al., 1996; Feddes et. al., 1988; Hoagland et. al., 1981; Mutton, 1987; Ntunde et. al., 1979; Perara et. al., 1984; Petchey, 1987; Stevenson et. al., 1983; Wheelhouse, 1982
Each level of production requires different light levels and photoperiods (see Table 2.). The 1993 Recommended Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Farm Animals -- Pigs (Publication 1898/E, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada) recommends at least eight hours of light per day, at a level adequate to observe pigs. Five foot-candles are adequate and will offer at least twice as much light as is typically found in many older swine barns. Design is critical to maximize light efficiency and minimize overlit or underlit areas.Breeding/gestation barns require lighting photoperiods of from 14 to16 hours per day, to bring estrus on more quickly and extend breeding sow estrus. Nursery pigs, particularly those in segregated early weaning should have 24 hours of light at low levels and higher levels for daytime feeding and inspection. Farrowing rooms also should have 24 hours of light per day, particularly where heat lamps are not used. Again, it can be low level at night. BP
Ron MacDonald P. Eng., is an agricultural engineer with Agviro Inc. in Guelph.
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Lysine price fixing case settles
by Don Stoneman
Middlesex pork producer Rein Minnema can't help but feel some vindication. In 1999 he launched a class action lawsuit against the multi-national feed companies convicted of conspiring to fix the price of a key feed ingredient during the 1990s. The payback comes this year."It was so unethical, what happened. There are really no words for it," says Minnema of the price-fixing. "Those things happen."
Minnema was the first Canadian farmer to jump on the class action band wagon by launching a claim against the defendants for $35 million in damages. The lawsuit followed a dramatic court case in the United States featuring a feed company executive turned FBI informant who produced audio tapes that alleged that the feed companies conspired to fix the price of lysine at double its value.
Pig farmers across Canada will be the major beneficiaries of compensation from the class action law suit against lysine price fixers, eligible to share between $1.2 million and $1.563 million. Along with distributors, feedmill operators, poultry farmers, consumers and "intermediaries" they will be drawing from a settlement pool of $4.725 million, far less than the $35 million that Minnema was seeking and the $5 million that price-fixing was thought to have cost the Ontario pork industry at the time the action was started.
Producers will have to dig out their old paperwork to make a claim. They must prove that they purchased feeds containing lysine between June 1, 1992 and June 27, 1995 and submit a claim to an administrator in London before Sept. 6. The administrator will charge the claimant $20 to send out the necessary paperwork.
The plaintiffs in Ontario are represented by the law firms of Siskind, Cromarty, Ivey and DowlerLLP and Oatley, Vigmond. The notice of certification and settlement Agreement Approval distributed by the law firm representing the plaintiffs in Ontario says pig farmers Canada-wide will share between $1.2 million and $1.563 million. Feed mills will split $1,184,000 and distributors are eligible for up to $185,000 in compensation. Chicken farmers will get between $600,000 and $875,000.
The settlement monies will be distributed based on the presumption of a lysine content of two per cent in hog feeds and one per cent in chicken feed. The defendants in the case were Sewon America Inc. Archer Daniels Midland company, Ajinomoto Heartland Inc., Kyowa Hakko Kogyo Company Ltd., and Biokyowa Inc.
According to the notice of settlement agreement approval, Sewon America Inc cooperated with the plaintiffs in the case, settled under a separate agreement and will pay no monetary benefits. An application to opt out of the Sewon agreement had to be filed by July 23.
Charles Wright, a lawyer with Siskind, in London, says it will take several months to review claims and settle disputes. There may be cheques in the mail for Christmas, he told Better Pork. BP
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