Better Pork - June 2006What happens when grower-finisher pigs are formed into larger groups?
In this study, researchers found that the feeding behaviours of pigs was disturbed immediately following re-grouping into larger groups and that they took longer to adapt
by THUSITH S. SAMARAKONE and HAROLD W. GONYOU
Most studies into feeding and social behaviours of pigs have been limited to relatively small group sizes of less than 40 pigs per group. However, these group sizes are much smaller than some now used in commercial operations in North America and elsewhere
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The social dynamics of feeding and other behaviours of pigs in large social groups is not well understood, but it could be argued that the pigs may adapt themselves differently in larger groups compared to those in smaller social groups. Any adverse changes to feeding and social behaviours of pigs in larger groups may directly impair overall productivity and therefore welfare of animals.In our study, the main objective was to gain an insight into the feeding and social behaviours of grower-finisher pigs, which are formed into larger social groups. Two blocks, each comprising four pens of 18 pigs (SG) and two pens of 108 pigs (LG) on fully slatted floors (0.76 square metres per pig) were used in the experiment. The initial body weights of pigs averaged 34.6 ± 4.1 kilograms. An equal numbers of barrows and gilts were used in each pen. Pigs were fed from multi-space wet/dry feeders, with a pig to feeder space ratio of 9:1.
The individual pig feeding behaviour and group feeding patterns were studied during weeks one, five, seven and 10 of the grower-finisher cycle. In addition, other behavioural activities such as percentage of time spent on eating and drinking, resting and standing or walking and diurnal patterns of these activities of pigs in both large and small groups were studied during weeks two, five and 10 following re-grouping.
We found that the pigs in LG had more feeding bouts (35 vs. 25, P<0.05) and the bouts were shorter in duration (232 vs. 301 sec, P<0.05) during day three following re-grouping. No differences in feeding bouts and bout lengths were found during weeks five, seven and 10.
More importantly, we found that the percentage of pigs queuing at the feeders to be higher in LG than SG during day three (0.90 vs. 0.59, P<0.05). There was also a trend for the percentage of pigs queuing at feeders to be higher in LG than SG during day six.
There were similar 24-hour group feeding patterns in pigs of both SG and LG during weeks one, five, seven and 10.
The average times spent on eating and drinking (5.2 vs. 5.2 per cent, for SG and LG), standing or walking (5.1 vs. 5.4 per cent, for SG and LG) and resting (89.6 vs. 89.3 per cent, for SG and LG) did not differ between the two group sizes. Furthermore, the diurnal patterns of these activities were also not affected by group size.
Figure 1. Daily feeding pattern of pigs at day three following group formations.
Figure 2. Daily feeding pattern of pigs during week 10 following group formations.
Our conclusion was that the feeding behaviours of pigs was disturbed immediately following re-grouping into larger groups. Pigs in larger groups seemed to take additional time to adapt to their feeding behaviours, as indicated by the similar patterns observed later in their grower-finisher cycle. Management of feeding behaviour in terms of accessing feeders may be critical immediately following formation of pigs into larger groups.
We would like to acknowledge the strategic program funding provided by Sask Pork, Alberta Pork, Manitoba Pork, the Saskatchewan Agriculture Development Fund, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.BP
S. Samarakone and Harold W. Gonyou are researchers at the Prairie Swine Centre in Saskatoon.
© copyright 2006 AgMedia Inc..
back How aware are you of the dangers of manure gas?
Hydrogen sulphide gases are lethal and, if not dealt with properly, can cause serious injury and death. Test your awareness level with this quick quiz
by DOUG RICHARDS and RON MACDONALDWe’ve all heard stories about everyday life on the farm going astray. In reality, though, these things are only funny when told later by those involved -- when all can see the humour in the happy ending.
I wish we could say the same for manure gas stories but, sadly, the near misses we do hear about are stories from which we should take a lesson and recognize that they could so easily have ended in tragedy. There are just no humorous stories to tell about manure gas. It is lethal and, if not dealt with properly, it can cause serious injury and death, all in the short time it took to read this paragraph.
On June 30, 2006, Ontario’s Occupational Heath and Safety Act will apply, with certain limitations and exemptions, to all farming operations that have paid workers. One of the guidelines in the act deals with Hazardous Atmospheres and Confined Spaces. These guidelines, soon to be published, will address issues to which all hog producers should pay attention, regardless of whether they fall under the act or not.Everyone who works with liquid hog manure should be educated on the safety issues and the precautions that should be taken with manure gas. Do you or other people in the barn ever go home at the end of the day feeling a bit rough? You don’t know why and you just can’t put a finger on it? Maybe you’ve been subjected to a dose of poisonous hydrogen sulphide gases (H2S) that can be released from the manure as it is moved.
Manure gas has many properties that not only make it lethal, but allow it to collect and move around in unexpected ways. Our bodies just aren’t programmed to allow us to recognize that we are in danger and consequently, people are continually being gassed -- in some cases, fatally.To help you stay on the alert try this quiz on yourself:
- What does TWA stand for and mean?
- Is H2S heavier or lighter than air?
- How would you measure H2S levels in a barn?
- Have you ever taken a safety course?
- If you work around manure when it is being moved, to your knowledge, have you ever been gassed?
If you cannot answer any or all of these questions, then the Hydrogen Sulfide Awareness Program, sponsored by the Ontario Pork Congress and sanctioned by the Prairie Swine Center, is strongly recommended.
The Ontario Pork Congress has made the issue of manure gas education and safety part of its producers’ education program by providing partial funding for producers who attend. In the past two years, it has sponsored several Hydrogen Sulfide Awareness seminars and will be sponsoring more in the next year. Participants who take the course are registered with the Prairie Swine Center and receive a certificate of completion.
For more information on how you, your farm or county pork producer association can sign up or organize a course, please contact Katie Gibb at Agviro, Inc., 519-836-9727 Ext 4; or email general@agviro.com . For a limited time, the Ontario Pork Congress will be providing partial funding for producers taking the Hydrogen Sulfide Awareness Seminar.BP
Doug Richards is Ontario Pork’s Senior Field Representative. Ron MacDonald, P.Eng., is an agricultural engineer with Agviro Inc. in Guelph.
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Better Pork - June 2006Berkshires chosen for Ontario Breed program
The breed offers excellent carcass traits and well-marbled meat. But breeding stock is hard to come by and getting it to market may prove costlyby KATE PROCTER
Selling pork into a high-end niche market for as much as $10 a pound sounds enticing, but will Ontario producers sacrifice normal production targets in order to reach for that premium?
In response to interest expressed by the food service industry, Ontario Pork is assisting a Heritage Breed Program for Ontario producers, explains Bill Collier, manager of consumer marketing. The pilot project involves producers, processors and the high end of the food service industry and looked at several different breeds. “We chose the Berkshire breed because it had all the attributes we were looking for,” says Collier.
The breed is distinguished by excellent carcass traits and well-marbled meat. The carcasses tend to have fat interspersed throughout the lean tissue, giving flavour and holding moisture when cooked. But breeding stock is hard to come by. Rare Breeds Canada classifies Berkshires as “endangered.” There are less than 115 purebred females registered annually in Canada.
Thirty-five producers attended a general interest meeting in early April. “We explained both the upsides and the downsides,” says Collier. At the end of the meeting, organizers were overwhelmed by the number of people interested in taking the project to the next step. While the upside includes premium prices for the meat, the downside includes lower lean meat yield, average daily gain, feed efficiency, fewer pigs per sow and higher processing costs.
One enthusiastic proponent is Sebringville niche marketer Fred De Martines. “I think it is an excellent project,” says De Martines, who has been marketing his wild boar meat to local three- and four-star restaurants for 10 years and can’t meet demand.
There is an Ontario market for Berkshire pork, particularly in “the wider Greater Toronto Area,” according to a prospectus written by the Guelph’s George Morris Centre last year. Some niche markets in Ontario are buying speciality pork products for $10 a pound, or even more.
Collier explains that Ontario Pork has conducted extensive research, as well as phone and on-line surveys of retailers and restaurant operators. White tablecloth restaurateurs “were very keen on getting this product,” says Collier. They are very familiar with the Berkshire breed, largely because it has been promoted in the United States.
Retailing Berkshire pork isn’t an option in Ontario now, Collier says. Meat managers and customers aren’t familiar with Berkshire pork’s attributes and shoppers tend to eschew visible marbling.
American pork producers raised an estimated 6,000 Berkshire pigs in 2005, according to the prospectus, with nearly all of the meat going to Japan. The American Berkshire program calls for all market hogs to be the offspring of registered purebred Berks. Berk pork must be traceable to the farm where pigs were raised and growers must follow the American Pork Quality Assurance program.
What would an Ontario program look like? That remains to be seen. De Martines stresses that the project will be driven by what the consumer wants. If consumers want pork from pigs with access to pasture or raised on straw bedding, that is what the group will provide. Demand will determine how much Berkshire genetics go into the pork by looking at the carcasses and meat quality.
Collier stresses that Ontario Pork is assisting with the project, but is not investing in it and producers will decide what direction the project takes. The group plans to determine a cost of production (which will depend on the specifications consumers want), add a percentage and come up with a list of products and prices.
“If we can’t get that from the marketplace, this project is not going to fly,” says de Martines. “Whatever we do is going to be for a profit because we are sick and tired of producing pork for nothing.” The whole secret to success in this venture is to maintain control over production, de Martines adds.Based upon the experience in the United States, getting Berkshire pork to market will be costly, according to the George Morris Centre. According to one American processor, it costs 25-35 per cent more to raise a Berk pig than a commodity pig.
Commodity pigs produce 53-55 per cent lean meat, and Berkshire pigs six to seven per cent less. Berkshire’s feed conversion is 20 per cent lower than that of commodity pigs. On top of that, Berk sows produce 14-15 pigs year compared to 22-26 with commodity pork sows.
One of the difficulties in niche marketing is that the producer has to do everything and often runs out of time, explains de Martines. Working with a group helps spread the workload and allows producers to help each other.
Collier is optimistic that processors will be keen to work with producers to develop this product. They hope to develop markets for ham, bacon and sausage as well. “One of the driving forces behind this is that we want to be able to sell the entire carcass, not just the loins,” he says.
Ontario Swine Improvement (OSI) recently added a Berkshire boar from breeder Malcolm Brown to its stud in response to interest that has been around for a while, says AI Unit Manager, Marlow Gingerich. Once the semen became available, they became a “lightening rod” to people interested in the breed, he says, and producers are buying the semen for a number of niche markets.
OSI general manager Richard Smelski says that it is in OSI’s mandate to serve a broader function for the good of the industry and wants to have the semen available if the breed takes off in Ontario. “There is some momentum and we want to be there at the leading edge,” says Smelski.
Brown keeps about 20 Berkshire sows near Inwood, along with Yorkshire, Large Black and Tamworth sows. He says that Berk sows produce litters of seven to 16 piglets. “There seems to be quite a variation in numbers born,” with the average being probably slightly lower than some commercial breeds, he adds. He describes the growth rate as “pretty good” and says a mature animal is about the same size as a Yorkshire.
Lee and Wayne Collingridge raise Berkshires 70 miles southwest of Winnipeg, at St. Claude, Man. They currently have about 150 sows and Wayne has bred Berkshires for around 35 years. The Collingridges provide breeding stock to producers who sell Berkshire meat exclusively to the Japanese market, explains Lee.
While most of the producers involved in the project use modern farrowing facilities, the animals must be finished on straw rather than in confined, liquid-manure systems. Lee explains that this eliminates any trace of ammonia taint in the meat, which is sold as a premium product.
In order to differentiate the product from American corn-fed Berkshires, this project forbids feeding corn in the finishing pig ration. Lee maintains that the production costs are not any different from those of any other breed. “A lot has to do with management,” she says.
Gilts average about six or seven pigs born live, but the mature sows will average 10 or 11, says Lee. Some of the producers with whom they work are achieving more than 20 pigs per sow per year born alive and weaning 18 pigs per sow per year with purebred stock.
Twenty five Leeway boars offered at an auction held on the farm this spring averaged 12.67 millimetres of back fat, 2.38 average daily gain and loin depth of 53.78 millimetres. Lee points out that they are purebreds and do not have the advantage of hybrid vigour.
The exchange rate has hurt Manitoba Berkshire producer returns in 2006. For six years, pigs sold for 70 cents a pound live weight. In February, the price dropped to 60 cents per pound due to market conditions and the change in value of the Canadian dollar.
De Martines remains unfazed by the challenges. “At today’s hog prices, it is easy to get excited about anything other than commodity hogs,” he says.BP
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back Functional pork products – an emerging niche market?
Interest is growing in foods that offer potential health benefits to consumers beyond the food’s basic nutritional attributes. Omega-3 pork is one of them, and a Winnipeg producer is already showing the way
by JANICE MURPHY and RON LACKEY
It is no secret that Canadians are becoming increasingly health-conscious. According to a recent Ipsos Reid survey, “Canadians are among the world leaders in the trend to consume nutritionally enhanced food.”
It has been estimated that the functional food and nutraceutical market in Canada is worth approximately $1 billion per year. This trend represents an opportunity for the livestock industry to capitalize on a growing domestic and world market.
Functional foods sometimes referred to as nutraceuticals, are term used for foods, or components of foods, that offer potential health benefits to consumers beyond the food’s basic nutritional attributes. Current research is highlighting the functional or health attributes of many traditional foods, while new food products with enhanced health attributes are also being researched, developed and marketed to the consumer.
As consumer awareness and education about functional foods expands, more and more shoppers are looking for foods that are not only tasty, convenient and safe, but offer health benefits as well. Healthy foods are increasingly seen by health professionals and governments as an integral part of a wellness strategy that includes a balanced diet and physical activity. It is hoped this strategy will result in healthier food choices that will reduce ever-increasing health care costs and open up new and competitive markets for the agri-food industry.
Foods of animal origin such as meat, milk and eggs are natural sources of a high quality, complete protein and many other essential nutrients. Examples of functional foods of animal origin currently being sold in the marketplace include eggs, milk and pork enriched with omega-3, fermented dairy products such as yogurt, and grass-fed beef with elevated levels of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA).
Still other foods are being developed, including lutein-enriched eggs, CLA-enriched meat and milk, and vitamin-enriched meat and eggs. Many of the beneficial components present in foods of animal origin can be enhanced by feeding livestock predetermined levels of specific, researched and approved feed ingredients. An advantage for those consuming meat, milk and eggs is that many of the nutrients present in these foods are more digestible than those available from alternative sources.
Prairie Orchard Farms in Winnipeg has been the first out of the blocks with an omega-3 pork product. According to company president Willy Hoffman, Prairie Orchard’s goal is simple: to produce delicious and nutritious pork for a healthy and wholesome lifestyle. Its pigs are fed a specific ration formulated with vitamins, organic minerals and flax to produce a certified omega-3 pork product that is being sold through restaurants and grocery stores.
Prairie Orchard received its certification from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency in April 2005 and has recently been focusing its efforts on gaining access to the U.S. and Japanese markets. The company currently produces approximately 60,000 pounds of pork each week and has a waiting list of producers ready to come on board as the market expands.
What’s more, there may be beneficial side effects for pork producers who feed high levels of omega-3 fatty acids on the production side of the equation. Researchers in Manitoba added five per cent flax to gestation and lactation diets, replacing some of the soybean meal and tallow in the rations. Sows that ate flax had higher progesterone levels, resulting in improved survival of embryos in the uterus.
On a commercial farm, sows that were fed the five per cent flax ration delivered one more piglet per litter compared to the control group and produced heavier piglets at birth. The milk from the sows fed flax had a higher level of unsaturated fatty acids, resulting in heavier weaning weights. In addition, sows fed flax lost less weight and maintained more backfat during lactation than sows fed standard rations. As a result, weaning-to-breeding interval decreased by three days for sows fed flax compared to the control group.
An upcoming conference will offer Ontario producers and industry stakeholders an opportunity to build awareness of functional foods as an emerging niche market, to get updated on world-wide livestock research in this field and to develop potential alliances in the areas of research and marketing. The conference, “Functional Foods: Emerging Markets for Livestock,” will be held on June 27-28 at the Arden Park Hotel in Stratford.
The first day will feature expert speakers in the areas of research, consumer trends and human nutrition. Product development will be explored, using a case study of an existing success story. The second day will offer specific commodity breakout sessions (ruminant meats, dairy, pork and poultry), featuring animal scientists with experience in developing livestock-based functional foods and producers reporting on their experiences with production of these products.
For more information, refer to the conference website at: http://www.functionalfoodofanimalorigin.ca/ and the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs website at http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca. Or call OMAFRA’s Agricultural Information Contact Centre at 1-877-424-1300 or 519-826-4047. BP
The pork breakout session will explore what functional niche markets are emerging for the Ontario pork industry and how producers can capture these opportunities. A key speaker will be Prairie Orchard’s Willy Hoffman, who will share his experiences in producing and marketing omega-3 pork.
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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