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Latest Blogs (91-100 of 248)
Free-access 'lock-in' stalls vs group yards for pregnant sows
These comments follow on from Vincent ter Beek’s blog last week on the subject. This made me look up the file notes I have on 8 farms I visited recently who had installed the former and it must be over 50 who have gone in for group yards (12 on concrete slats and 38 with some, or really deep, straw).
The return of the gestation crates?
Over the last couple of years I have seen many farms in Europe that have switched to group housing for sows. The change, however, is not everywhere going absolutely fluently.
Where pigs meet design
This will not be a blog about nutrition but about design! My apologies for all the swine nutritionists out there but I do want to share a great book with you from Dutch designer Christien Meindertsma: PIG 05049.
Additives from the future
We are all aware of the merits and benefits of traditional additives like antibiotics, zinc oxide, and organic acids. But, what about new additives that have already been developed or being developed right now?
MRSA in pigs – quo vadis?
Next month the EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) is meant to report on their EU-wide survey of pig farms to determine the extent of the MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) problem. What do we expect and what could be the ramifications for the pig industry?
Nurse Sows
Hyperprolificacy among gilts and older sows is increasing. One of the measures to take the strain off the dam having to raise perhaps 13 little monsters for 21 to 28 days is to use a nurse sow. I did this successfully myself with the occasional huge litter but the practice is also useful for a sow which for a variety of reasons is struggling to raise even a normal litter and starting to lose visible and tactile condition.
Extrusion: the good, the bad, and the ugly side
Extrusion of ingredients and complete diets is a thermal processing method that involves progressively increasing pressure, friction, and attrition as material passes through the extruder barrel.
Are we prepared for pig diseases in the future?
Over the last few decades we have had several new diseases descend on the pig world threatening its very existence. National/ Federal Governments in most countries have well laid-out plans to deal with foreign animal diseases (FADs) or the various 'listed' diseases that are a threat to the national livestock or animals within that particular country.
More global use of fermented liquid feed
Although fermented liquid feed can have benefits for pig health and performance it is not always applicable in all regions of the world. Piggeries in hot climates for example may face difficulties in managing the temperature of the liquid feed. However, new insights show that fermented liquid feed can be used very well in hot areas in the US for example.
Novel influenza virus H1N1 – what can we expect?
Predictions can be and frequently are wrong but what do we know about this new virus and can we try to guess the outcomes?
