The latest in-classroom educational resource from AgScape is “An Exploration of Pig Farming in Ontario”, a Teacher’s Guide for Grades 5-10. The resource was developed in collaboration with Ontario Pork. The 68-page resource contains an overview of pig farming and has three unique lesson plans for Grades 5-6, 7-8, and 9-10, as well as a […] Read more
Tag Archives pigs — page 5
Pig farming topic of new AgScape resource for teachers

China targets sow herd at about 43 million head until 2025
Reuters – China aims to maintain its breeding sow herd at about 43 million head during the period to 2025, the government said in early August, as it looks to put herd production on a firm footing since numbers were decimated by African swine fever. Following the onslaught of the disease first detected in China […] Read more

U.S. seeks to protect pork exports if swine fever hits territories
Policy would distinguish Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands from mainland
Chicago | Reuters — The United States said on Thursday it is seeking to avoid disruptions to pork exports if the territories of Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands detect the fatal pig disease African swine fever. The risk for infections in the territories is higher after the Dominican Republic last month confirmed the […] Read more

African swine fever puts pork producers on high alert
Deadly virus found in the Dominican Republic
The arrival of African swine fever (ASF) in the Caribbean is fuelling concern that the virus could move onto the North American mainland. The USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) confirmed that the deadly hog virus was found in samples from pigs in the Dominican Republic on July 28 as a result of […] Read more
China’s hog prices to extend rebound in near future — official
China’s hog prices will continue to rebound in the short term, an official from the country’s state planner said in late July, after a decline in the number of pigs born at the start of the year. The number of hogs slaughtered in July and August is seen declining to some extent, Wan Jinsong, the […] Read more

Dominican Republic to kill thousands of pigs over swine fever outbreak
Santo Domingo | Reuters – The Dominican Republic will slaughter tens of thousands of pigs after detecting outbreaks of African swine fever in 11 of the country’s 32 provinces, authorities said on Monday. Fernando Duran, administrator of the state-run Banco Agricola, told a news conference the government will pay pig farmers the market price of each animal […] Read more

Dominican Republic restricts pig shipments after ASF confirmed
Reuters – The Dominican Republic is restricting pig shipments and mobilizing the military to contain the spread of African swine fever (ASF), the agriculture ministry said July 29, as the United States and Mexico tightened border checks to avoid infections. In an official statement July 29, Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) also said it was […] Read more

African swine fever confirmed in Dominican Republic pigs: USDA
Chicago | Reuters – The U.S. Department of Agriculture confirmed the deadly hog virus African swine fever in samples from pigs in the Dominican Republic, the agency said on Wednesday, fuelling concerns about the disease creeping closer to the United States. The positive tests represent the first detection of the disease in the Americas in about 40 […] Read more

German hog market shrugs off swine fever discovery on farms
Hamburg | Reuters — German pig prices were unchanged this week despite the discovery of the disease African swine fever in farm animals, German animal farmers’ association VEZG said on Wednesday. German pig prices were the same as last week at 1.42 euros (C$2.10) per kilogram slaughter weight, the VEZG said. A third case of […] Read more

Male piglets less resilient to stress
When sows have significant illnesses during key stages of pregnancy, their immune response may negatively affect developing piglets, making them less productive on the farm. New research from the University of Illinois shows that when those piglets, especially males, experience a second stressor in early life, they are at higher risk of neurodevelopmental and other […] Read more