US Feed Outlook
A fall in US feed grain production this month largely caused by dry weather has only partially been offset by increases in foreign production, according to the US Feed Outlook by the Economic Research Service of the USDA.

World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates
US red meat production is expected to continue to be strong in 2008 and together with broiler meat production is expected to rise next year according to the World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates from the USDA.

World Agricultural Production - September 2008
European corn production has dropped this year compared to last, but China is set for a record harvest according to the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service World Agricultural Production Report. At the same time Australia's harvest has been hit by drought,...

Canada: Livestock and Products: Livestock Report 2008
USDA Foreign Agricultural Service Report by George Myles. A link to the full report is provided. Hog inventories showed a significant decline of 11.6 per cent at mid-2008 compared to a year earlier. A cost-price squeeze is adversely impacted profitability,...

People's Republic of China: Agricultural Situation: Livestock and Products 2008
USDA Foreign Agricultural Service GAIN 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 - 5 per cent higher than 2008. High production costs will...

What’s New With Swine Flu?
By Michael Kuhn, DVM, Pfizer Animal Health.

The Effect of Biofilms in Pig Production
From DuPont Animal Health Solutions. Jake Waddilove, MA, VetMB, MRCVS, explains why the removal of biofilms is a vital stage in biosecurity for healthy pigs.

UK Pig Disease Surveillance Report (July 2008)
The latest UK Veterinary Laboratories Agency (VLA) Surveillance Report for Pigs. Highlights include three reports of swine influenza due to different virus strains, indicating a changing seasonality for this pathogen; swine dysentery; rotavirus; meningitis...

High-Oil Oat Groats for Weaned Pigs
Report of a study by Pascal Leterme, Brian Rossnagel and John F. Patience (Prairie Swine Centre, Canada).

New Protection Against Mycoplasma
Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae continues to affect pigs worldwide, writes JoAnn Alumbaugh of Farms.Com, but control has been made easier with a new vaccine from Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica Inc.

Ageing and the Impact on Meat Quality
From BPEX Pork Chain Unit. Ageing is the natural process of meat tenderisation after rigor mortis. This is due to the action of muscle enzymes which break down some of the protein structures that 'hold the meat together'. Ageing has been demonstrated...

Feeding Mycotoxin-Infected Wheat
By Greg Simpson - Swine Nutritionist at Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA).

United Kingdom Pig Meat Market Update - September 2008
The upward trend followed by the UK pig prices stalled in August, according to the latest report from AHDB Meat Services for the British Pig Executive, produced by Tony Fowler, Senior Economic Analyst.

Brazil: Livestock and Products: Annual Livestock Report 2008
USDA Foreign Agricultural Service GAIN Report by Joao F. Silva, Agricultural Specialist. A link to the full report is provided. Pork production is expected to increase in 2009 as the sector will likely benefit from higher exports and stable domestic demand....

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.