Better Pork is published bimonthly. After each edition is published, we share two feature articles online. Each magazine includes much more content. If you enjoy reading the Better Pork articles below, be sure to subscribe to the magazine!
By Geoff Geddes
Wild pigs are no laughing matter.
They threaten the environment, destroy pastures, eat crops, and, oh yes, they could also be carrying a fatal pig disease.
Since spreading from Europe and Asia to North America, wild pigs have been wreaking havoc across Canada. While the problem is a source of pain for farmers, the nationwide response should be a source of pride.
By Lilian Schaer, For Livestock Research Innovation Corporation
Over three decades ago, Dr. Anne Deckert first started working at the Ontario Veterinary College as a summer student for Dr. Bob Friendship.
This past February, following his retirement, she returned full-time to OVC when she became an assistant professor and the third swine-focused faculty member alongside Dr. Zvonimir Poljak and Dr. Terri O’Sullivan.
By Atta Kofi Agyekum, PHD
Heat stress is no longer an issue limited to tropical regions; countries in temperate regions are also experiencing hotter than usual summer months.
In Canada, the warm summer months increase the ambient temperature inside pig barns. When the ambient temperature within pig barns rises above 25 C, pigs will start to experience heat stress (Figure 1).
By Lilian Schaer, for Livestock Research Innovation Corporation
It’s been more than five years since African Swine Fever (ASF) first broke out in China. Since then, hog farmers around the world have been on high alert and the world has watched with bated breath as the virus continues its relentless spread across Asia, into Europe and in the Caribbean.
By Geoff Geddes
If you thought three letters couldn’t do much damage, you’ve never dealt with the CRA. From PRRS to PED, the pork sector in Canada is full of scary acronyms, and one that recently caught the attention of the industry is JEV (Japanese Encephalitis Virus).
By Brent Devries & Afton Sawyer, for Hypor
Genetic improvement for sow prolificacy has been very successful. Unfortunately, sow survivability has inadvertently been decreasing. This has become a growing challenge in the global swine industry. Not only are there large economic impacts related to the loss of a productive sow, but herd performance, staff morale, animal welfare, and resources used for production are also negatively affected.
By Gavin Boerboom, PhD, Program Manager, Trace Minerals, Trouw Nutrition
The grow-finishing period in commercial swine production represents the phase of production with the longest time frame (ranging from 80 to 180 days) and therefore the greatest opportunity to improve pig health and welfare, as they are tightly correlated.
By Emily Croft
Farms, like every other business, are at risk of being targeted by scammers. It can feel challenging to determine what is safe, as more business transactions move to a remote platform – over the phone or the internet.
The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC) stated that losses from reported frauds increased from $165 million in 2020 to $379 million in 2021. These numbers don’t include losses from the many instances of fraud which weren’t reported.
By Lilian Schaer, for Livestock Research Innovation Corporation
Dr. Lee-Anne Huber’s goal for her swine research program at the University of Guelph is simple: To answer nutrition-related questions and solve real-world challenges producers face.
As an associate professor in swine nutrition, Huber sees her position as a service role to the pork industry – and her research focus has evolved to concentrate on sow nutrition.
By Mohsen Abedin, PHD.
The post-weaning period is a critical and often stressful phase in a young pig's life, drawing significant attention to optimizing the gastrointestinal tract for improved lifetime production and overall health.
Newly weaned piglets experience a substantial shift in their dietary composition, transitioning from a liquid milk, rich in highly digestible nutrients, to a dry, plant-based diet.