Washpower robot washers are in more than 1,000 barns around the world, including American barns seen in these promotional photos.

Automated washer a possible biosecurity, labour boon

Understaffing and outbreaks of PED have been linked

Glacier FarmMedia – A hog farm in southeastern Manitoba is taking a crack at automating its barn washing process with help from a Danish robot. “It definitely creates labour efficiencies,” said Dickson Gould, president of the Progressive Group. It is testing a Washpower robotic pressure washer in a batch farrowing barn. Why it matters: Labour […] Read more

“This system enables farm managers to lower the risk of diseases entering barns by proactively controlling the people entry points.”

New biosecurity management system uses facial recognition technology

Controlled access of livestock barns can now be realized using facial recognition technology with a new management tool called Protocol. This biosecurity management system, designed for North American pork and poultry producers, is the result of the merger between Ontario-based Farm Health Guardian Ltd. and U.S.-based NoveTechnologies, LLC (NoveTech). “Together our companies are stronger, and […] Read more

Tara Terpstra, an Ontario Pork board member, left, presents Sharon and Ron Douglas, far right, of Huron County, with the 2023 Ontario Pork Recognition Award during the OP annual general meeting.

Innovative pig mobile recognized by Ontario Pork

Organization honours Douglas family and Marion Myers with Recognition Awards

Ron and Sharon Douglas of Huron County received the 2023 Ontario Pork Recognition Award and their pig mobile. “It’s been a very interesting trip for us, but we haven’t done anything that anybody in this room couldn’t do,” said Ron Douglas during the Ontario Pork (OP) annual general meeting. “It’s very important to promote the […] Read more

The pork industry is told it must focus on the “characteristics of better eating attributes,” including marbling, colour, higher water-holding capacity and tenderness.

Improved flavour called key to pork’s revival

U.S. pork consumption declined to 51.7 pounds per capita in 2020 from 59.1 lb. in 1960; Canada expected to be similar

Glacier FarmMedia – Pig producers need to improve the taste of the pork they raise if they want to combat long-term declines in consumption and market share, said an expert. “If we’re going to drive demand, we’ve got to deliver a better eating experience to our customers,” said Jim Long, president and chief executive officer […] Read more

Researchers in a second study also evaluated if the high oleic soybean diets affected high-value cuts.

High oleic soybean oil works well in pig diets

Science Notes: Study also focused on carcass characteristics

Adding a fat source to the traditional corn-soy swine diet is common practice, but the type of fat can make a difference for growing pigs and carcass quality.  Polyunsaturated fats, the primary type in distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS), can reduce fat quality and complicate processing of pork bellies and bacon. High oleic soybeans, […] Read more


California’s Proposition 12 aims to establish new minimum requirements on farmers to provide more space for egg-laying hens, breeding pigs, and calves raised for veal.

Editorial: Animal welfare legal tactics

The biggest pork market in the U.S. could no longer be accessible to Canadian pork producers if a ballot initiative, known as Proposition 12, becomes law.  Proposition 12 was part of the state of California’s general election ballot in 2018. Also known as the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, it aims to establish new […] Read more

JBS CEO Gilberto Tomazoni.

Asian demand for beef to remain strong: JBS CEO

While per-capita consumption is still low, world’s largest meatpacker sees opportunity in region

Reuters – JBS SA, the world’s largest meatpacker, is bullish on the outlook for beef sales to Asian countries, mainly China, as per-capita beef consumption in the region remains low. Speaking on a conference call to discuss second-quarter results, CEO Gilberto Tomazoni said JBS, with its many export platforms, was in a good position to […] Read more

Asserva’s Selfifeeder GFI system was one of the double gold star winners at the recent Innov’SPACE competition. The precision feeding system allows for individual management of feeding pigs.

Innovative tech solutions for livestock win at international competition

Automated feeding, drug administration are among the winning entries

Innovations focused on automation and artificial intelligence accounted for half of the double gold star winners at a leading international event for animal breeding this year. Organizers of SPACE, an annual livestock and poultry trade show held in France, have announced the winners of their Innov’SPACE innovation competition ahead of the three-day event’s opening day […] Read more


The next phase of the CanSpot ASF surveillance program involves monitoring for the virus at processing plants.

CanSpot ASF testing to expand to provincial processing plants

Early based detection aimed at limiting disease transmission

As the threat of African swine fever (ASF) creeps closer to North America, CanSpot ASF is ramping up its programming. CanSpot ASF is a risk-based early detection program aimed at limiting ASF transmission, and reducing its spread.  “Canadian and provincial governments, along with members of the pork industry, have made significant investments to reduce the […] Read more

close up of pig

Winnipeg lab designated for African swine fever

World Organization for Animal Health designates CFIA facility as a reference laboratory to deal with the disease if it appears

Glacier FarmMedia – Canada now has a laboratory officially recognized as a world leader in African swine fever (ASF). The World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) said last month that the National Centre for Foreign Animal Disease in Winnipeg will be a reference laboratory to deal with ASF. “(Reference laboratories) are internationally recognized centres of […] Read more