Sow Management and Maximising Longevity
It is critical for commercial pork producers to identify methods that will result in improved sow productive lifetime of females in the breeding herd, according to Dr K. Stalder, Locke Karriker, DVM, and Dr A. Johnson of Iowa State University in their...

Tiamulin by Injection – PK/PD Relationships with M. hyorhinis and M. hyopneumoniae
A report of a study into the pharmaocokinetic and pharmacodynamic relationship between tiamulin (Denagard) given by injection and Mycoplasma hyorhinis and M. hyopneumoniae, presented by M. Makhanon (Novartis (Thailand) Ltd), D.G.S. Burch...

PK/PD Integration of Tiamulin by Injection against Mycoplasmal Infections of Lung and Joints
A report of a study into the pharmaocokinetic and pharmacodynamic integration of tiamulin (Denagard®) by injection against mycoplasmal infections of the lung and joints, presented by D.G.S. Burch (Octagon Services Ltd, UK) and U. Klein (Novartis Animal...

Uncertain Times Ahead for Producers
The world's biggest pork exporters are likely to be vulnerable to trade disruption as the result of disease, and increasing regulations in the EU and US will push up the costs of pig and poultry production. These are Rabobank's predictions for the next...

Foot and Mouth Disease – Asia's Fastest Growing Challenge?
"FMD control has been an enduring priority globally and today presents the fastest growing challenge facing Asia," stated Dr Sacha Seneque of Merial Australia, at the 5th Asian Pig Veterinary Society Congress, held last month in Pattaya, Thailand, writes...

Protecting UK Livestock from the Threat of Viral Disease
The successes in disease control and future challenges were discussed at a meeting organised by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and Institute for Animal Health (IAH) in London on 17 March, writes Jackie Linden, Senior...

Tough Years in Pork Business Show Benefits of Benchmarking & Record-Keeping
It might be called the benchmarking bonus, delegates to the 2011 Banff Pork Seminar heard. Records from two large benchmarking and record-keeping databases of North American pork producers show that the best of those producers significantly outperformed...

Centralia Swine Research Update 2011
The 30th Centralia Swine Research Update was held at Kirkton-Woodham Community Centre in Canada on 26 January 2011.

Guelph Trial Reveals Benefits of Two-Dose PCV2 Vaccination
A two-date vaccination protocol against porcine circovirus 2 (PCV2) resulted in higher average daily gains, more pork sold and more money to the producer, according to Professor Cate Dewey of the University of Guelph. Jackie Linden, Senior Editor of The...

Managing Social Media to Influence Public Opinion
There are big opportunities to use social media to influence public opinion, but like any other opportunity it works best if it is managed properly. That was the core message that Lilian Schaer of Agri-Food Projects Services had for a breakout session...

Centralia Swine Research Update - A Look Back
The Canadian swine industry has experienced dramatic changes in the past few decades Bob Friendship, Professor at the Department of Population Medicine in the University of Guelph told the 30th Centralia Swine Research Update.

Chef's Key Strategies to Capture Consumer Mind-Set
Brad Smoliak gave delegates to the 2011 Banff Pork Seminar a taste of his energetic, fun and passionate outlook, and what the industry can do to capture the consumer mind-set in a presentation entitled 'Getting Pork on the Consumer's Plate'.

France Predicts Fewer Pig Holdings This Spring
"There will be 10 to 15 per cent fewer pig holdings in France by the end of March," predicts the president of the French pig producers' federation the Fédération Nationale Porcine (FNP), Jean-Michel Serres, reports Peter Crosskey.

US Farm Economy in 2011: What's in Store?
Prospects for the US farm economy appear bright, but a sharp rise in crop prices has created some anxiety Dr Joseph W. Glauber, Chief Economist of the US Department of Agriculture told the 2011 Agricultural Outlook Forum, writes Rachel Ralte, Junior Editor...

Iowa State University - Animal Industry Report 2011
The Annual Industry Report 2011 from Iowa State University includes a range of reports on swine.

Checklist of Value-Added Opportunities for Pork Products
Value-added strategies of leading retail, food service and meat industry entities will dominate the animal protein market for years to come. With a shift from a commodity driven market to a consumer driven one, it will become more important to understand...

Winning Marketing Strategies and the 'Stigma Effect'
Does labelling some pork devalue the pork next to it? What are the big drivers in pork purchase? How segmented are the meat markets? These were a few among many questions tackled by panelists at the end of a Banff Pork Seminar 2011 break-out section on...

Stomach Lesions Slightly Reduced by Feeding Cracked Corn
Feeding finishing pigs with cracked maize at a level of up to 40 per cent had no effect of growth rate but worsened feed conversion and dressing percentage without significantly reducing stomach lesions, according to research presented at last...

Antibiotics Improve Nursery Pig Performance and Profit
Adding antibiotics to the nursery diet improved pig performance and economic return, according to research presented at last year's Kansas Swine Day.

Precision Pork Farming, Advocacy to Drive New Generation Pork Industry
The big market factors may be largely beyond their control, but pork producers can apply fresh thinking to build a stronger economic future. New precision farming approaches, using advocacy more effectively and dramatically modifying financing approaches...

Iodine Value and its Impact on Pork Quality
Joel DeRouchey, Mike Tokach, Steve Dritz, Bob Goodband and Jim Nelssen of Kansas State University explain how 'pork quality' may be quantified in terms of the iodine value of carcass fat. Their paper was presented at the Swine Profitability Conference...

Swine Profitability Conference 2010
Proceedings of the Swine Profitability Conference 2010, held in Manhattan, Kansas in February 2010.

Optimising Returns on Animal By-Products
Protein meal should be allowed back into animal feeds to improve the financial returns on animal by-products in the UK, writes ThePigSite senior editor, Chris Harris.