Russian Federation: Livestock and Products: Annual Livestock Report 2008
USDA Foreign Agricultural Service GAIN Report by Erik Hansen, Mikhail Maksimenko and Cynthia Barmore. A link to the full report is provided. Pork production is expected to increase 7 per cent in 2009, largely due to growing investment in production, better...

Ukraine: Livestock and Products 2008
USDA Foreign Agricultural Service GAIN Report subtitled Calm Market before the Storm: Insufficient Production and Insignificant Imports by Alexander Tarassevych, Agricultural Specialist. A link to the full report is provided. A significant product...

Poland: Livestock and Products 2008
USDA Foreign Agricultural Service Report by Pawel Flakiewicz, Kacie Fritz and Piotr Rucinski, subtitled Pork Industry Continues to Suffer. A link is provided to the full report. Competition from other EU producers, inefficient production, high...

People's Republic of China: Agricultural Situation: Livestock and Products 2008
USDA Foreign Agricultural Service Report by Zhang Jianping and Chanda Beckman. A link to the full report is provided. Pork production in 2009 is forecast to reach 46.8 million metric tonnes (MMT), up five per cent over 2008, but high production costs...

People's Republic of China: Agricultural Situation 2008
USDA Foreign Agricultural Service Report by Joshua O'Rear. A link to the full report is provided. The report is subtitled China Becomes a Net Importer by Value. In the first half of 2008, China experienced a negative trade balance in agriculture...

Checklist for Fly Control in Hog Operations
Fly control is important due to the risk of disease transfer through flies and the generation of nuisance complaints from neighbours, reports the Agriculture and Rural Development department of Alberta Government. Because of the enclosed, controlled environment...

Carcass Quality: Maximize Returns, Minimize Losses
By Jaydee Smith, Swine Production Systems Program Lead at the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA). Key points to watch out for on-farm as well as pre- and post-transportation of the pigs.

Raising a Champion
Preventing and treating disease is critical when raising a champion, according to Pfizer Animal Health.

Canadian Hog Statistics Second Quarter 2008
By Statistics Canada. Compared to one year ago, there are 11.6 per cent fewer hogs on farm, and the number of pig producers is down 19 per cent.

US Pork Outlook Report - August 2008
By USDA Economic Research Service - This article is an extract from the August 2008: Livestock, Dairy and Poultry Outlook Report by Richard Stillman.

Pumping Pits - You Need a Safety Plan
Planning ahead can help save time and lives when it comes to manure pit safety, according to Ohio State University (OSU) Extension safety experts.

BPEX Export Bulletin - August 2008
The August 2008 Export Bulletin from the British Pig Executive reports the end of EU subsidies and that France Hybrides SAS has joined Hypor pig division.

US Feed Outlook
By ERS USDA. This monthly report examines supply, use, prices, and trade for feed grains, including supply and demand prospects in major importing and exporting countries. Focuses on corn; also contains information on sorghum, barley, oats and hay.

World Agricultural Production - August 2008
This report prepared by the USDA FAS International Production Assessment Branch reflects official USDA estimates released in the World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE-460) August, 2008.

Fighting Illegal Imports to Beat Disease Threat
The threat of exotic animal diseases entering a country has led to a raft of legislation from most authorities preventing the illegal import of animal products, writes ThePigSite senior editor, Chris Harris.

World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates
This report, released by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), adopts US area, yield and production forecasts for winter wheat, durum, other spring wheat, barley, oats and also livestock, poultry and dairy.

Loading and Unloading Pigs
By BPEX. Loading and unloading can be the most stressful part of the journey for pigs. Handling and moving animals appropriately will make the process easier, minimise stress levels for pigs and stockman and reduce the risk of injury.

PRRSV - The Disease That Keeps Bugging Us
A presentation by Jeff Zimmerman, DVM PhD, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University given at the London Swine Conference 2008.

UK Pig Meat Market Update - August 2008
UK pig prices continued to increase, according to the latest report from AHDB Meat Services for the British Pig Executive, produced by Tony Fowler, Senior Economic Analyst.

Pig Prices Move Up and Up and Up (August 2008)
By Chris Harris, Senior Editor, ThePigSite. Our snapshot of the ongoing global pig industry trends as reported in August 2008 Whole Hog Brief. To read the full detailed analysis including all the commentary and graphical data, subscribe to the public...

Sow Management: How Many Litters/Sow Should I be Targeting?
By Glynn T. Tonsor (Department of Agricultural, Food and Resource Economics, Michigan State University) and Kevin C. Dhuyvetter (Department of Agricultural Economics, Kansas State University) and published in the Michigan State University Pork Qu...

Selecting for Improved Weaning Capacity
By Hypor. The company's breeding programme balances the drive for high weaning weights with the need for a robust and long-lived sow.

Research Paves the Way for Improved Animal Health and Productivity
Understanding how inherited characteristics relate to specific genomes will eventually allow researchers to develop tools that can be used to guide animal breeding, selection and management decisions, writes Laura McGinnis and colleagues at the ARS.