EU Study Does Not Recommend End to Castration in the Short Term
A report for the European Commission's DG SANCO concludes that there should be no ban on pig castration in the EU in the short-term but that a combination of different strategies is required to find a solution to balance aspects of animal welfare with...

Research Helps to Understand Variation between Pigs
The variable weight of pigs creates a major challenge for pig producers and research continues to investigate ways to both reduce and manage this variation, writes Elizabeth Magowan of AFBI Hillsborough.

Developing an Emergency Response Plan for Your Livestock Facility
The best strategy for minimising the impact of emergencies may be prevention, according to Tom Guthrie (extension educator, Pork Team in Jackson, Michigan), writing in MSU Quarterly Pork Quarterly.

Risk Management for Pork Producers
Risk management is a structured approach to managing uncertainty, writes ThePigSite LatinAmerica Editor, Chris Wright.

Benchmarking: The Right Tool for the Times
Lee Whittington, president of the Prairie Swine Research Centre, explains the benenfits of benchmarking for the pig industry in the latest issue of the Centre's Centred on Swine.

Kansas Researchers Seek Best Option for Topping
Topping is the removal and marketing of the heaviest animals from a pen of finishing pigs. The practice improves growth performance of the remaining pigs, and topping two pigs once is the best option, according to a paper by Jacela and others presented...

Pig Farm Practices Survey 2009 - England
The main points of the latest Defra survey of pig farms in England are summarised by Jackie Linden, editor of ThePigSite.

Meat Quality Issues Discussed at Kansas Conference
Needle-free jet injection systems may increase the occurrence of injection site abscesses in pork carcasses that will need to be trimmed in pork processing plants, according to one paper presented at Kansas Swine Day 2009, and another revealed that glycerol...

Ractopamine Hydrochloride and the Environmental Sustainability of Pork Production
It is proven that Paylean can reduce the environmental impact of pork production because of the improvement in nitrogen and water utilisation, according to K.A. Ross and oc-authors in the 2008 Annual Research Report from the Prairie Swine Centre. ...

The Future of Staffing for the Pig Industry
Staff are the single most important asset to a pig business, and the UK industry is well placed to offer attractive employment, according to Richard Hooper. Jackie Linden, editor of ThePigSite, summarises his recent talk at the BPEX KT Event 2010.

Effects of Docked Tail Length and Nursery Space Allowance
Stocking density and tail length have some influence on tail biting, according to K. Bovey and colleagues at the University of Guelph. Penny Lawlis of the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) has set out the highlights of their...

Using Existing Knowledge on Tail Biting to Prevent Future Outbreaks
Key points to control tail-biting are to identify and reduce risk, monitor carefully and react fast. This is the advice to emerge from a project by the University of Bristol, University of Newcastle, RSPCA, BPEX and pig producers between 2006 and 200...

Ractopamine Increases Protein Deposition in the Carcass
Inclusion of 5mg/kg of ractopamine hydrochloride improved protein deposition, according to K.A. Ross and co-authors in the 2008 Annual Research Report from the Prairie Swine Centre.

Gilt Management
Gilt management from selection to puberty is the topic of this practical guide from BPEX (Action for Productivity No. 27).

Action for Productivity Publications
A series of guides on practical topics from BPEX.

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...

On-Farm Care of the Show Pig
Tips on the purchase, husbandry and preparation of pigs for the show ring by Dr Mark Crenshaw, extension swine specialist with Mississippi State University.

Preparing Swine Barns to Sit Empty
Dr Mark Whitney, Associate Professor at the University of Minnesota Extension provides tips on how to have barns sit empty for an extended period of time.

Production Efficiency of Specialised Swine Producers
Whatever their type of enterprise, US producers should aim to maximise their output saleable pigs, according to Dr Glynn Tonsor at Michigan State University's Department of Agricultural, Food and Resource Economics. This is more important to the bottom...

Improving Key Performance Indicators: Rearing Herd
BPEX offers advice on ensuring pigs utilise feed efficiently and grow quickly through the weaner and finisher stages in number 25 in its series Action for Productivity.

Maximising Weaning Weight
Hypor females have the potential for high milk production and large litter size, resulting in large numbers of heavy piglets at weaning. Attention to these factors that influence weaning weight will help to maximise weaning capacity.

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.

Improving Key Performance Indicators: Pre-Weaning
Increasing the number of pigs born alive and piglet survival rate through to weaning have a significant impact on profitability. BPEX offers advice on improving those key performance indicators in number 24 in its series 'Action for Productivity'.