Investing In Welfare Investing In Welfare During the 2025 Banff Pork Seminar in January, Dr. Yolande Seddon was again named the University of Saskatchewan’s research chair in swine welfare.
Gene Editing Gene Editing The interest in the possibilities offered by gene editing is growing – in both human medicine and in the livestock world.
Canadian Pork In Asia Canadian Pork In Asia There have been a handful of stories in recent months on Canadian pork and its presence in Asia.
Animal Welfare Animal Welfare Animal welfare is defined as “the physical and mental state of an animal in relation to the conditions in which it lives and dies.”
Using Models to Enhance Sow Productivity Using Models to Enhance Sow Productivity Modern swine production demands precision in feeding high-prolific sows to ensure both longevity and optimal performance.
The More You Know, The More You Grow The More You Know, The More You Grow They may not bring an apple for the teacher anymore, but education is still a core value for producers.
How much methane are swine barns actually producing? … and how can that be reduced? How much methane are swine barns actually producing? … and how can that be reduced? The good news is that manure storage is a prime opportunity for emissions reduction that can be achieved in the short term.
Backgrounder: Looking Into the Jellied Pork Recall Backgrounder: Looking Into the Jellied Pork Recall On Oct. 16, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) issued a food recall warning for Wagener’s brand ham in jelly due to listeria.
Pork Research: The More You Learn, The More You Earn Pork Research: The More You Learn, The More You Earn Today, science is tasked with making pork production faster, easier, cheaper and greener – so, no pressure!
Maple Leaf to Separate Pork Business Maple Leaf to Separate Pork Business Maple Leaf Foods announced in July that it would spin off its pork business into a separate independent company.
Engineering A Better Farm Engineering A Better Farm There are many big issues facing the livestock industry, from climate change and emerging diseases to changing societal expectations and an evolving regulatory environment.
Advancing Sustainable Pork Production Advancing Sustainable Pork Production As the world’s population grows, there is an increasing need to produce more food.
Expert Advice at a Moderate Price (Free!) Expert Advice at a Moderate Price (Free!) Even for the savvy, well-rounded producer, it can be tough to keep up.
Industry reacts to new USDA ‘Product of USA’ rules Industry reacts to new USDA ‘Product of USA’ rules The rule change will come into effect in 2026, but in the meantime, pork producers on both sides of the border have expressed concerns.
Strategies In Breeding Strategies In Breeding Animal breeding literature supports this decision, from historical selection experiments illustrating that increases in total born do not necessarily increase the number weaned.
Protein And Fiber Kinetics Protein And Fiber Kinetics Protein and fibre are two of the key nutrients that swine nutritionists consider when designing diets.
A Team Approach To Combat Wild Pigs A Team Approach To Combat Wild Pigs 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.
Deckert Joins Swine Faculty at OVC Deckert Joins Swine Faculty at OVC Over three decades ago, Dr. Anne Deckert first started working at the Ontario Veterinary College as a summer student for Dr. Bob Friendship.
Coping with Heat Stress Coping with Heat Stress 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.
Stopping ASF spread by wild boars Stopping ASF spread by wild boars It's been more than five years since African Swine Fever (ASF) first broke out in China.
Could JEV Leave the Pork Sector DOA? Could JEV Leave the Pork Sector DOA? If you thought three letters couldn't do much damage, you've never dealt with the CRA.
Understanding & Addressing Sow Mortality Understanding & Addressing Sow Mortality Genetic improvement for sow prolificacy has been very successful. Unfortunately, sow survivability has inadvertently been decreasing.
Trace Mineral Nutrition Trace Mineral Nutrition The grow-finishing period in commercial swine production represents the phase of production with the longest time frame.
Avoiding Scammers Avoiding Scammers Education is the best way to keep your farm business safe. Farms, like every other business, are at risk of being targeted by scammers.
Research solves practical swine industry problems Research solves practical swine industry problems Dr. Lee-Anne Huber's goal for her swine research program at the University of Guelph is simple.
Acid binding capacity-4: A key parameter in weaned pig diet formulation. Acid binding capacity-4: A key parameter in weaned pig diet formulation. 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.
Applying Imaging Technologies Applying Imaging Technologies Pork producers select pigs for slaughter based on the evaluation of live pig conformation and weight, which are labour-intensive and stressful for the pigs.
'Disinfection Is Critical to Our Industry' 'Disinfection Is Critical to Our Industry' A Reminder to Review Your Procedures & Keep Your Stock on Track.
Value of Validation Value of Validation Swine producers often require real-world proof to be convinced of the efficacy of new innovations before implementing them on their farms.
How dietary zinc & copper ratios impact metabolic balance in weaned pigs How dietary zinc & copper ratios impact metabolic balance in weaned pigs The National Research Council [1] recommends 80 to 100 mg/kg of dietary zinc (Zn) and 5 to 6 mg/kg of copper (Cu) for 7 to 25 kg piglets.
Gut Reactions: Exploring The Microbiome Gut Reactions: Exploring The Microbiome The world offers much to marvel at: Childbirth; space travel; a massive group of fungi.
Bugs On Board! Bugs On Board! Though hitchhikers with their thumbs out could pose a threat, it's those unseen stowaways that can really be a handful.
Enhancing Post-Weaning Performance with Water Acidification Enhancing Post-Weaning Performance with Water Acidification Water is often referred to as the forgotten nutrient, yet it plays a vital role in the overall health and performance of pigs.
Aerosol Transmission of Infectious Viral Diseases in Swine Aerosol Transmission of Infectious Viral Diseases in Swine Infectious Pig Diseases are a Problem for Both Producers & Consumers.
ESF Training: Are You On The Right Track? ESF Training: Are You On The Right Track? Though the lack of opposable thumbs keeps them from cracking a textbook, pigs are fast learners.
When Sweating Isn't an Option When Sweating Isn't an Option For many of us, the hot days of summer are a welcomed change from our long Canadian winters.
Resiliency in Meat Demand Resiliency in Meat Demand The cost of living has been increasing and many Canadians are concerned about the rising cost of groceries.
The Impact of Weaning Age on Farrow-to-Finish Production Parameters The Impact of Weaning Age on Farrow-to-Finish Production Parameters Some might wean at an earlier age depending on the number of sows farrowing each week or due to limitation in the farrowing capacity.
Understanding Performance Over Cost Understanding Performance Over Cost As both the hog and commodity markets continue to show great volatility and variability, feed budgeting is extremely important.
Boosting Your Herd Boosting Your Herd As many producers face problematic labour shortages, much emphasis has been placed on working with pigs which require less labour time.
New Monounsaturated Soybean Oil Works Well in Pig Diets New Monounsaturated Soybean Oil Works Well in Pig Diets 'Improving the thickness of bellies, without compromising lean percentage.'
High Hopes for Hi-Tech High Hopes for Hi-Tech Everywhere you turn, technology has been changing our world for the better: desktop computers, smartphones, beer hats.
Where are gilts going? Where are gilts going? Data can be used to determine where to look for the causes of animal losses.
Taking sustainability from concept to calculation Taking sustainability from concept to calculation New terms have entered the lexicon of pork production in the past decade, and the newest and arguably most important one is sustainability.
ASF Spreads Destruction, Dismay ASF Spreads Destruction, Dismay While the pork sector has clearly had its fill of African swine fever (ASF), the feeling is far from mutual.
Research, Review, Repeat Research, Review, Repeat Just as a shark must keep moving to survive, the pork sector must evolve to stay afloat.
Emergency Planning: Ready ... or Not? Emergency Planning: Ready ... or Not? "Out of sight, out of mind" can be a sound philosophy, until it isn't. Pork producers may do everything else right, but if they're unprepared, it can all go wrong in a heartbeat.
Dietary Yeast as an Alternative for Nursery Pigs Dietary Yeast as an Alternative for Nursery Pigs As the world moves away from pharmacological zinc oxide, do we have other options?
Honouring their Heritage Honouring their Heritage In today's fast paced innovative world, sometimes the slower paced ways can be brushed to the side.
The Value of Off-Farm Income The Value of Off-Farm Income Whether you call it moonlighting, a side gig, or bonafide employment, many pork producers are known for more than their farm and take on extra work to pay the bills.
Triple collaboration provides rice breeding innovation Friday, June 6, 2025 Loveland Products, Inc. (LPI) and Dyna-Gro Seed, Nutrien Ag Solutions’ proprietary products businesses, have announced the success of their ongoing collaboration with the Louisiana State University (LSU) AgCenter through the —a targeted initiative accelerating innovation in rice breeding... Read this article online
Ontario Promotes Local Food to Boost Economy and Jobs Thursday, June 5, 2025 Ontario is celebrating Local Food Week from June 2–8, 2025, honoring the people behind the province’s strong and self-sufficient food supply. From farmers and food processors to retailers and restauranteurs, these individuals contribute to the economy and food security. The agriculture... Read this article online
New report highlights Cdn. farmer sentiment on tariffs Thursday, June 5, 2025 Canadian farmers are worried about trade and tariffs. That’s part of what a new report from Stratus Ag Research shows. The research firm polled 1,000 Canadian farmers beginning in January about how concerned they are about 21 challenges including rising costs of production, commodity... Read this article online
Warburtons invests in Gate project Thursday, June 5, 2025 A British company is investing in a Canadian ag project. Warburtons, the largest bakery brand in England which includes bread, bagels, and pitas, is contributing $650,000 to the Global Agriculture Technology Exchange (Gate) project in Winnipeg, Man. “This contribution represents a... Read this article online
Scientists at Guelph Target Avian Threat Thursday, June 5, 2025 The University of Guelph (U of G) is activeey engaged against the spread of avian flu. Experts from a variety of departments, including virology, engineering, veterinary medicine, and computer science, are working together to stop this growing threat. “This is not just a crisis for the... Read this article online