Pig Progress 10: Health & diseases lead the focus
Health, diseases and nutrition are imperative to pig producers the world over, therefore the last issue of Pig Progress for this calendar year paid particular attention to these issues.
In terms of health, there’s one disease that has particularly concerned producers this year and that is African swine fever. Pig Progress spoke with German specialists on the subject, Dr Sandra Blome and Dr Klaus Depner of the Friedrich-Loeffler-Insititut. In the article “African swine fever is a man-made disease” they explain their thought-processes behind this statement.
On farm disease transmission
Continuing on the disease theme, John Gadd in his column explores methods for keeping disease out of the farm. This time focusing on transmission of disease via vehicles. What advice does he have?
In terms of nutrition, this issue’s Research item explores the concept of giving sows more liberty before weaning. Would this lead to a higher cost of production? Researchers at Wageningen University investigated the positive and negative aspects of a multi-litter approach compared with single-letter housing.
Managing hyperprolific sows
Hyperprolific sows are more sensitive to stress and trauma and have a tendency to develop problems with their legs. In the article “Improving bone health of hyperprolific sows”, the benefits are examined from supplementing feed with an alternative for vitamin D for gilts from very early on in life.
Furthermore an article explores the hidden dangers of lipopolysaccharides and offers tips to help limit their negative impacts.
Other articles include:
• An analysis of the state of pig farming in Australia – page 12;
• The farm visits focuses on a Danish farm which is renewing its focus on finishers – page 20;
• An opinion piece on the way Xylanase is utilised in Latin American pig diets – page 34;
For these articles and more check out Pig Progress digital magazine.
Join 18,000+ subscribers
Subscribe to our newsletter to stay updated about all the need-to-know content in the pigsector, three times a week.
Beheer
WP Admin 
Bewerk bericht