As the pig industry contracted over the last 4 to 5 years the farm businesses that remained in pig production have become more demanding on the level and type of service they require from all suppliers, rightly so.
At Garth we have been conscious of being able to provide our farm clients with a full service. With this in mind we have formed a number of strategic alliances which we hope will progress our business but more importantly yours.
Pork Chain Solutions (PCS)
This well known group of independent pig consultants (Gerry Brent, Paul Smith, Mick Evans and Nick White) currently provide a wide range of services to UK producers.
The initial synergy came about through our requirement for an accurate monitoring scheme that would give us access to farm output records prior to and during farm visits, thus better utilising our time spent on client units.
PCS had similar requirements so we joined with them to further develop what we now call FOCUS.
We also see the association working by using the PCS knowledge base to plug gaps in our own when a more specialist input is needed on issues such as building design, training etc. We can now join with PCS to provide a more complete management service to our farms.
5M Enterprises
Is the name of the company that runs ThePigSite.com. The company was founded by the late Mike Muirhead and is now run by his son Jim. 5M have carried out most of the development work on our new website, which can be found at www.garthvet.co.uk or through the link at ThePigSite.
It is our intention to give clients access through a members area on the site to:-
- Farm Reports
- Veterinary Health Plans
- Standard Advice Sheets
- Vaccine Protocols
- Laboratory Reports
- And other client specific information
We need to establish the requirement for web based information and would welcome your feedback, so please let us know.
East Riding Farm Services Ltd
This well known merchant outlet has joined with us as agents for our pharmacy business, Garth Pharmacy Ltd.
Our pharmacy gives us the ability to remain competitive, in our clients interests, by increasing our medicine sales. Any overall improvements in buying terms will be seen by our clients in the form of reduced prices.
East Riding's regular farm calling presence will identify opportunities for us nationally to supply medicines to more farms. As part of the collaboration we would hope you would support East Riding where you can with their product range.
If you require any further explanation or information about these collaborations please contact me on 07711 824659, we see them as progression and hope you do too. I welcome your comments.
Your help is required
A DEFRA funded project to look at factors affecting pre-weaning mortality on commercial farms is planned.
One hundred and fifty farms operating both indoor and outdoor farrowing systems are required to visit in order to gather data. The visit will be on a one off basis lasting between half a day to one day.
Data is needed from farms with all levels of mortality to give a good spread of data.
This important study will be conducted with respect and regard for your confidentiality and farm health.
If you are willing to participate further details can be obtained by contacting the practice. It is in all our interests to keep research and development funding being directed at the pig industry.
Trials
Due to our position as the only UK specialist pig practice we are regularly approached by the pharmaceutical companies to run trial programmes and projects for new and existing medicines. We welcome these approaches as it allows us to keep at the forefront of product research and development, find out what works and what doesn't, and pass this knowledge onto our farm clients, often before the general market is aware.
Because we have numerous approaches all farm types are required. Trials often scare people away as they tend to envisage huge amounts of extra work, some do but mostly trials fit nicely with a commercial farm set up, they have to!
Please consider your unit for trial work and let me know if you would like to get involved, its interesting work and suitable compensation for the extra work is provided. Ring Ian Carroll on 07711824659.
Pig Salmonella and PMWS Project
The Veterinary Laboratories Agency (VLA) have given updates relating to these ongoing projects, Here are some of the observations:-
Salmonella
- Home mill and mix producers have generally lower Salmonella levels
- Levels vary throughout the UK
- Farms with higher Salmonella levels have a higher post-weaning mortality
- Lower Salmonella levels were generally found on farms which used bootdips
- Farm vicinity may effect Salmonella levels e.g. the presence of other pig farms or water courses.
PMWS
- PMWS problems vary regionally
- Specialist finishers were more likely to have PMWS problems than breeder finishers
- Farms with higher Salmonella levels are more likely to have PMWS/PDNS
- Over 90% of the farmers who thought their units had PMWS were PCV-2 positive
- About half the farmers who thought their units had PMWS had post-weaning mortality = 10%.
Please bear in mind these are preliminary observations at this stage and need to be assessed further before the findings become valid, but they are interesting none the less.
Standard Advice Sheet
Please find attached an advice sheet regarding Salmonella - Health Precautions
On farm AI - semen quality - do you know what is in the bag?
Results from on farm AI can be exceptionally good but vary and some units have suffered from poor fertility in which semen quality is identified as major factor. Semen processing is best kept simple on farm with ample safety factors in routines. Over work of boars or excess dilution will reduce semen quality but also some boars will have poor fertility. Simple rules are:
- Boar workload - basically no more than once per week in all but very fertile mature boars when maximum 2 in 3 weeks with minimum 4 days interval can be achieved.
- Be cautious on dilution e.g. 1 in 4 to 1:7
- Using semen when fresh (up to 36 hours old).
- Storing semen correctly - monitoring temperatures in store (max-min thermometer).
- Keep everything clean and wear different clothing and boots in processing laboratory.
- Keep processing area at sensible temperature 18 - 24oC.
- Monitor water quality very carefully. Test regularly.
- Check semen viability at each stage (after collection, after dilution, after storage).
In addition to your own checks it is very worthwhile having regular external checks on semen quality, numbers and viability after storage. Samples of diluted semen can be submitted fresh to Salus (can be arranged for delivery van to collect) for testing. We advise testing of all new boars and random sampling monthly of other collections.
Farm Fires
On farm euthanasia is a required task on any unit. Injuries and sick animals that are unlikely to recover at least in a satisfactory time period from the point of view of welfare as well as economics are bound to occur. The problem has been magnified in recent years with the presence of PMWS. These facts coupled with economic realities of modern pig farming mean that it is unrealistic for veterinary visits every time euthanasia of an animal is required although by definition this is an emergency. In view of pig unit health, pressures on efficient use of veterinary man power in a modern practice and farm economics, it is a common practice and best for welfare that euthanasia is carried out by trained farm staff. All units are advised to have at least one (and preferably more) trained staff capable of euthanasing pigs humanely. Units are also advised to have an on farm means of euthanasia, including pithing rods, if using captive bolts.
Since all animals on farm are destined for slaughter eventually one constantly has to review welfare in terms of how long an animal can be justifiably ill or under treatment before opting for euthanasia. This is particularly the case following farm fires in which animals have had smoke damage or similar. Normal advice is that units should be well insured for the possibility of farm fires and that any damaged animals should be euthanased. In these circumstances veterinary involvement may be helpful but is not essential in the immediate event of a fire and in many incidences access to pigs and buildings is not allowed by fire officers for some considerable time. However veterinary visits can be helpful both to ensure satisfactory euthanasia of any doubtful pigs, to boost staff morale and for insurance claim purposes. It is not however always essential. In the event of a farm fire and a veterinary visit being required we would endeavour to be there the same day and certainly within 24 hours and more usually within only a couple of hours. This will often be before access to fire damaged housing is permissible.
Product News
In some cases the freeze-dried component in Porcilis PRRS vials may differ from that previously seen. The freeze-dried material may range in appearance from a distinct solid pellet through to a granular material.
Intervet International and Intervet UK are aware of this situation.
Assessments have shown that these changes are purely cosmetic and do not affect the virus level within vials, and therefore the efficacy of the product.
Rigorous quality control procedures are performed on each production batch and these results are sent to the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) prior to release. These procedures ensure the quality, safety and efficacy of each batch.
All users are assured that, irrespective of the cosmetic appearance of the pellet, all released batches of Porcilis PRRS contain the correct amount of virus.
Snippets
- Farm workers work an average of 39 hours per week of which 27 hours are spent in pig buildings (this includes part-time staff)
- Nearly 90% of farms use disinfectant bootdips, however just over half know the dilution rate used, and only a third use wheeldips or sprays
- About ? of farms require visitors to be free from contact with pigs for at least a day, and about 1 in 20 require visitors to shower on arrival
- About 70% of farms have at least one other pig farm within three miles of their unit
- Nearly 20% of farms reported that they administer organic acid products to their pigs
- And interestingly farms considered vets to be the most trusted source of advice on Salmonella
Herbal Pig Block
One of the most horrific sights on a pig farm is cannibalism - particularly tail biting but also ear and flank biting and general aggression.
It has been estimated that over 4% of UK pigs suffer some form of tail biting, even though over 80% of these pigs have their tails docked (trimmed at birth).
As well as ethically unacceptable, this vice also causes depressed growth, infections requiring medication and partial, or even complete, carcass condemnation. In extreme cases mortality may result. It has been calculated that 14% of the total loss by condemnation of carcasses is due to tail biting.
It has been suggested that the biting of tails may reflect an inherent search for minerals. A mineralised herbal slat lick which has been shown to be extremely successful at reducing tail biting and other behavioural vices in pigs, has been developed.
This block also contains herbs known to have sedative properties (particularly White Peany Root) conducive to reducing stress in pigs.
The level of 96% salt ensures the block is hard enough not be too readily consumed, however still allows the animal to consume sufficient nutritional and behavioural reward to help keep pigs calm and reduce aggression.
This product is suitable for all ages of pig and can either be place on the floor or suspended in the pen and a chain (the block has a 1" hole through the centre).
If you require any further information on reducing tail biting in pigs contact the practice.
