Benefits of Extra Late Gestation Feed Only Found for Gilts
At Kansas Swine Day 2009, N.W. Shelton reported no effects of giving extra feed to sows in late pregnancy in terms of subsequent litter size although the same treatment for gilts resulted in some beneficial effects on reproductive performance in the second...

Examining Costs of Production
Software modelling tool, AusPig, was used to model the effects of live weight and carcass weight on Cost of Production (COP), using the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and costs recently released for 2008/09 from the Pork CRC’s Benchmarking Project...

World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates - March 2010
The forecast from US pork production has been lowered, according to the USDA World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates for March 2010.

Corn, Oil and the Future of the Livestock Sector
Kevin Grier and Steve Meyer predicted a crisis in the North American livestock sector at the 2010 Banff Pork Seminar.

A Natural Alternative to Antibiotics in Animal Feed
Binding molecules from seaweed extracts within the molecular layers of natural clays makes the clay ten times more efficient at adsorbing the harmful fungal toxins which are commonly found in animal feed. The resulting new hybrid product has a huge potential...

Lysine Requirements Studied in Pigs 20 to 100kg
Studies reveal that lysine requirements of pigs depend on weight and gender, according to this report from the latest Australian Pork CRC Specials newsletter.

Feeding Flood-Damaged or Sprouted Crops to Livestock
A guide to feeding damaged and/or sprouted maize, sorghum, soybeans and cottonseed to cattle and pigs from Mississippi State University. The article advises caution and a full analysis.

Reduce Feed Waste
Use this guide to walk your system and reduce the risk of waste, says BPEX. It also recommends working with your feed supplier and delivery driver.

World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates - February 2010
Pork production has gone down as slaughter has been lower than expected, according to the USDA World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates for February 2010.

Use of Crude Glycerol in Diets for Sows
Including up to nine per cent crude glycerol in diets for lactating sows has no effect on sow performance compared with a typical corn-soybean meal diet, according to Lee Johnston and co-authors associated with the University on Minnesota Swine Exten...

Boost for Biological Lysine Synthesis Project
A researcher with Norwegian organisation, SINTEF, has been awarded 11 million kroner (NOK) for a three-year international project that aims to develop an improved production process for lysine.

Low Test Weight Corn For Swine
Dr Lee J. Johnston, animal scientist at West Central Research and Outreach Center from University of Minnesota, writes about how to achieve as good results with feeding a higher protein, lower energy grain as corn of normal test weight.

Improving Carbon Footprint of Pig Meat Production
There are many different drivers that affect meat production ranging from government policies through to oil and commodity prices and food security as well as consumer demands, writes ThePigSite senior editor, Chris Harris.

World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates - December 2009
US pig slaughter numbers have been reduced due to lower-than-expected imports from Canada, while forecasts for pork exports and prices have been increased, according to the latest World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates from the USDA.

Improving Key Performance Indicators: Breeding Herd
Farrowing rate, farrowing index and non-productive days are interconnected and important key performance indicators for the breeding herd. BPEX explains why in number 26 in its series Action for Productivity.

Environmental Impact of Improvements in Genetics and Nutrition over 25 Years
The environmental impact of improvements in genetics and feeding programmes for pigs over 25 years has been studied at North Carolina State University (NCSU), reported by Eric van Heugten and published in the University's Swine News.

The GM Debate and the Irish Pig Meat Sector
Peadar Lawlor and Maria Walsh, Principal Research Officer and Research Officer in the Pig Development Unit based at Moorepark Research Centre, explore the viability of the Irish pig industry in the presence of a GM feed ban.

Probiotics in Poultry and Pig Nutrition: Basics and Benefits
An introduction to the topic by Dr Tobias Steiner of Biomin Holding GmbH, including mode of action and examples of how probiotics can affect poultry and pig performance.

World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates - November 2009
According to the latest World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates from the USDA's World Agricultural Outlook Board (WOAB), red meat and poultry exports forecasts for 2009 and 2010 have been raised.

Tendering Feed Ingredients
Producers can reduce feed costs by taking various other factors into consideration, according to Greg Simpson, swine nutritionist at the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA).

Advantages of Organic Acids for Feed and Feed Raw Materials
Renata Urbaityte, Technical Manager for Biomin Holding, explains how a blend of organic acids can affect diet pH and its buffering capacity to maintain the health and improve the performance of pigs.

Pork CRC Looks to Make Pork Even Healthier
Pork may be a way to boost the intake of thiamine, selenium and iron in humans, according to research published in the Annual Report 08-09 from Australia's Pork CRC.

Swine Dysentery – a Question of Nutrition?
Veterinary treatment, disinfection and fly and rodent control, feed formulation and feed additives all play a significant role in the control of swine dysnetery, according to Franz Waxenecker, Director Product Development for Biomin GmbH.