Giving the Best Start in Life
A field study on the effects of feeding Orego-Stim to sows from one week before farrowing and during lactation on the number and weight of piglets born and weaned from Meriden Animal Health.

Summer Breeding Tips
Pig breeding company PIC offers tips on how to be cool by being prepared for high summer temperatures.

Sawdust is Suitable Bedding Material for Farrowing Sows
Sawdust is a suitable nesting material for farrowing sows when straw is not available, according to new research published from Prague University.

Advantages of Covered Creep Areas
There are a number of advantages of covering creep areas, some of which are highlighted in Knowledge Transfer Bulletin No. 11 from BPEX.

Gilt and First Litter Sow Management
Tips on housing and feeding young sows for a long productive life from Ed Barrie, Sow Weaner Pig Specialist with the Ontario ministry of agriculture in the latest issue of Pork News and Views from OMAFRA.

Identification of Factors Linked to Age at First Farrowing
Selection of gilts based on a few selected characteristics would increase the proportion of gilts that farrow and reduce age at first farrowing, according to researchers from North Carolina State University and Newsham Choice Genetics.

Management Influences on Birth Weight, Phase 2
This is a report based on the field survey which has been performed on farms. This is not a scientific report in the sense that all kinds of literature has been included and so conclusions should be drawn with care, write Chris T. Opschoor, Saskia Bloemhof,...

Keep It Calm in the AI Area
BPEX offers tips on the design and management of the artificial insemination area in the latest publication in its Two-Tonne Sow (2TS) campaign.

TOPIGS Research: Flushing Sows Gives Higher Piglet Birthweight
In an extensive study on pig farms, TOPIGS investigated the most important management factors influencing piglet birthweight.

Analgesics in Farrowing and Castration
Preliminary data indicate no economic benefit from providing analgesia to sows at farrowing or to piglets at castration, writes Ed Barrie, Sow Weaner Pig Specialist at Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA), reviewing research...

Effects of Environmental Enrichment and Loose Housing of Lactating Sows on Piglet Performance
Enrichment of the pre- and post-weaning environment improves performance and health of newly weaned pigs, according to researchers in the Netherlands.

Important Roles for L-Glutamine Revealed in Pig Nutrition
New research at Texas A&M University indicates that L-glutamine is an essential nutrient for pigs and that growth, development and production performance in pregnant and lactating gilts and sows and in weaned piglets can be improved by supplementing the...

Pork CRC Roadshow Reviews Weaning Meanings
Presentations with a 'weaning meaning' by Megan Edwards and Dr Jeff Downing were highlights of the Pork CRC/APL Roadshow at Technology Park, Western Australia in November, according to the Pork CRC Specials newsletter.

Kansas Swine Day 2010
Proceedings of the Kansas Swine Day 2010 conference, which focused on the nutrition and nursery pigs and finishers as well as feed management.

Genetic Basis for Dietary Phosphorus Requirement
Data developed at North Carolina State University may help to develop management strategies based on the interaction of a particular gene polymorphism and diet to improve sow longevity and gilt development.

Bungee Serving
The use of the 'bungee system' can save up to four hours labour a week in a loose-housed serving environment, according to this Farm Case Study from BPEX.

Genetic Improvement of Behavioural Indicators of Oestrus
Length of oestrus and/or age at puberty were found by researchers at North Carolina State University to be the most promising traits to incorporate into selection schemes to increase the strength of oestrus behaviour and thus improve the reproductive...

Group Sow Housing Focus Groups – Initial Results
Initial results of a project to uncover what pork producers need to be able to comply with this new law requiring sows to be kept in group housing during most of their pregnancy. The article appears in the latest MSU Pork Quarterly and is written...

Managing Boar Taint: Focus on Genetic Markers
E.J. Squires and F.S. Schenkel of the University of Guelph explain that significant progress has been made towards a genetic solution to boar taint in a paper presented at the London Swine Conference 2010.

Extremes of Dietary Protein in Pregnancy Adversely Affect Litter
Feeding either very low or excessive protein (at constant carbohydrate content) to gilts during pregnancy adversely affected the growth of the total litter and piglet birth weights, according to new research.

Breeding for Target 2TS
Breeding is the focus of the latest newsletter in the BPEX Target 2TS (two tonne sow) campaign, with advice on maintaining sow health and boar libido in the autumn as well as the importance of parity profiling.

How Geneticists Will Help Feed Nine Billion People
The theme of the 21st JSR Genetics Technical Conference earlier this month was Science – the Key to Feeding the World. Jackie Linden, editor of ThePigSite, reports on some of the event highlights, focussing in this article on the contribution...

Advances in Sow and Gilt Management
Rudolf Wiedmann of the Centre for Education and Knowledge in Boxberg, Germany, describes the changes that can be made in feeding and husbandry to improve sow and gilt welfare and to reduce losses in a paper presented at this year's London Swine Confe...