The imbalance between production and processing was a hot topic at the March 23 Ontario Pork meeting. “This is a critical time for our industry,” said John de Bruyn, Ontario Pork chair. “Sustainable growth of Ontario pork production is contingent on further investment in processing capacity close to home.” To assist processors in overcoming the […] Read more
Tag Archives pigs — page 4
More pork processing capacity needed to bring home the bacon
Ontario Pork is in conversation with processors to find solution to lack of capacity
Addressing the potential impact of ASF
Progress being made on how the Canadian pork industry will handle the disease if it is found here
With African Swine Fever a step away from the North American doorstep, the Canadian Pork Council (CPC) launched a proactive initiative. Rene Roy, CPC’s first vice-chair, shared the four pillars of action within the year-old African Swine Fever Executive Management Board (ASF EMB) and the goals it hopes to achieve by 2023 at Ontario Pork’s […] Read more
Preparing for African swine fever
Canada is developing a plan and producers urged to tighten biosecurity
African swine fever (ASF) has now been reported in 24 countries since first found in several Chinese locations in 2018. “This is very alarming,” Christa Arsenault, national ASF coordinator with Animal Health Canada, told delegates at the Banff Pork Seminar last month. “ASF was considered to be a relatively stable disease up until that point […] Read more
Invention improves blood collection in pigs
‘Backspacer Device’ allows blood samples to be drawn from pigs safely and without undue stress to animals
Veterinarian Jewel White and her colleagues are the winners of this year’s F. X. Aherne Prize for Innovative Pork Production for creating something they call the “Backspacer Device.” The invention is simple but significantly improves animal care and worker safety in pork barns during blood sampling. White is the herd veterinarian for Maple Leaf Agri-Farms […] Read more
In PED biosecurity, barns are ‘vacuum cleaners’: vet
The goal is to reduce the contaminated dirt that barns pull in
Glacier FarmMedia – Hog barns’ loadout docks are key entry points for PED-carrying dust, and they require close attention, says a Manitoba veterinarian. “All of our hog barns are essentially gigantic vacuum cleaners, and the warmer the conditions outside, of course, the greater the suction of our vacuum cleaners,” said Dr. Tony Nikkel, director of […] Read more
Maryland man recovering after ‘breakthrough’ pig-heart transplant
Hog's genes edited to reduce rejection risk
Chicago | Reuters — A U.S. man with terminal heart disease was implanted with a genetically modified pig heart in a first-of-its-kind surgery, and three days later the patient is doing well, his doctors reported on Monday. The surgery, performed by a team at the University of Maryland Medicine, is among the first to demonstrate […] Read more
Data collection in the barn can help farmers make better decisions
Well-managed animals can reduce GHG emissions by 30 per cent, says researcher
Better livestock health through more precise management represents a significant greenhouse gas reduction opportunity for livestock farmers, says a senior executive with an animal health multinational. Innovation is a major way to accomplish that goal, Jamie Brannan told participants at the recent European Animal AgTech Summit. Brannan is a Zoetis vice-president and cluster lead for […] Read more
High-oil corn packs punch for pigs
Science Notes: Nutrients and energy in high-oil corn shown more digestible
A new high-oil corn product offers greater amino acid and energy digestibility in growing pigs, according to new research from the University of Illinois. “This corn has a higher oil concentration – almost nine per cent – and more protein, a little bit more fibre and a little bit more phosphorus. We know the concentrations […] Read more
Funding available for African swine fever prevention
Nearly $3 million in funding for three new initiatives to enhance biosecurity and support the provincial pork sector’s African swine fever (ASF) prevention and emergency preparedness efforts is being made available under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership (the Partnership). Starting Nov. 5, a new targeted intake will provide funding to Ontario pork producers, processors and other […] Read more
U.S. surgeons successfully test pig kidney transplant in human patient
New York | Reuters — For the first time, a pig kidney has been transplanted into a human without triggering immediate rejection by the recipient’s immune system, a potentially major advance that could eventually help alleviate a dire shortage of human organs for transplant. The procedure done at NYU Langone Health in New York City […] Read more
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