The opinion of the bloggers do not necessarily reflect the opinion of PigProgress.net or Reed Business. Comments welcome.
Latest Blogs (31-40 of 249)
Announcing - IPVS 2012 in Korea
We are greatly pleased to be hosting the 22nd International Pig Veterinary Society Congress (IPVS 2012) in Korea. IPVS 2012 will be held from Sunday, June 10 through Wednesday, June 13, 2012 in Jeju, Korea under the theme of ‘Happy Pigs – Healthy People’.
Whey quality: it matters!
When prices go up, we’re all inclined to find a cheaper source for any ingredient, especially in piglet formulas where margins have become so small in the last few years. But, there is a line which we should not cross, as pigs will respond by simply refusing to eat sub-optimal diets.
Can fababeans replace soya?
The recent crisis of feedstuff prices has brought a lot of attention to otherwise obscure and neglected ingredients. I was recently contacted to offer advice concerning the use of fababeans in diets for pigs. Apparently, a low-quality lot had been offered at a very competitive price to a small
pig producer and he wanted to maximize their use to reduce feed cost as much as possible.
Buying feed in 2011 – the right way to do it
Feed is still the biggest on-cost you have to bear. When so many pig industries have their backs to the profit wall at this time, buying feed intelligently must be one of the most important management tasks you can employ.
Functional nutritients for boars
Boars, especially those employed in artificial insemination centers, must be fed to achieve the following three goals: sound development of muscles and bones, high quality and quantity of sperm, and life longevity and well-being. Certain micronutrients have been often suggested as being able to contribute towards these goals.
Creep-Feeding and Genetics
In the last couple years, I have observed a resurgence in creep feeding. Not only in smaller, family type operations, but also in larger settings where labor has always been in short supply.
Pig veterinary conferences – are they getting a little overcrowded?
There appears to be an increasing number of pig veterinary conferences on the horizon and some are overlapping. This is rather a shame as it dilutes resources and opportunities for sponsorship as well as attendees and the chances for participants to share and present new information.
Toxoplasma gondii control – an ongoing challenge
I was a bit shocked by a recent study that looked at Toxoplasma gondii prevalence in pigs. In many countries one out of six pigs carry the zoonotic parasite with them. In some Eastern European countries, the disease is even found in 25% of the pigs!
Zinc Oxide alternatives
Zinc oxide is indeed a fine ingredient. It would hardly be an overstatement to say that without zinc oxide to control post-weaning diarrheas, the recent ban on antibiotics might have not been so successful in many countries. Yet, zinc oxide is currently under severe regulation and it is practically banned in many places around the globe, with more to follow suit soon.
Does ‘topping’ help?
We all get this problem to a greater or lesser extent. Topping is the term given to removing pigs to a spare pen or even on to slaughter which are 5% to 10% ahead of the rest of their companions in a pen. Until I am persuaded otherwise, however, topping is not for me.
