ThePigSite Newsletter - 11 January 2010

Monday 11th January 2010

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Welcome to this week's newsletter

Editorial - New Year Brings New UK Food Strategy

The New Year saw the unveiling of the UK government's food strategy for the next 20 years. At the Oxford Farming Conference, environment secretary, Hilary Benn, outlined the government's strategy for the future.

Mr Benn said: "Food security is as important to this country's future well-being – and the world's – as energy security. We need to produce more food. We need to do it sustainably. And we need to make sure that what we eat safeguards our health.

"We know that the consequences of the way we produce and consume our food are unsustainable to our planet and to ourselves. There are challenges for everyone involved in the food system, from production right through to managing food waste."

In terms of global trade, the US Meat Export Federation (USMEF) is leading efforts towards restoring access to the Russian market for US pork. Over the past 14 months, Russia has been effectively closing its doors to US pork by de-listing nearly 30 processing plants, says USMEF.

Paul Clayton, USMEF senior vice president for export services, says the Federation is working with pork industry organisations and several agencies of the US government to restore access to Russia for US pork, and that the issue is considered a top priority by all parties involved.

And on the disease front, the influenza A H1N1 virus has been found in pigs in Denmark and the US state of Illinois.

Jackie Linden

This Week's Book Focus - Special Offer

Pig Signals Look, Think and Act
Veterinary surgeons and pig enthusiasts Jan Hulsen and Kees Scheepens wrote Pig Signals based on their expertise and extensive experience with farmers and their pigs. They created this richly illustrated book as an ideal practical guide and essential reference book. It is important not to jump to conclusions, but to keep asking yourself three questions: What do I see? Why has this happened? What does this mean?

This Week's Feature Articles

We have 6 new features this week:

Key to Low Carbon Emission Pig Meat Production
A healthy diet and reduced consumption would reduce carbon emissions, writes ThePigSite senior editor, Chris Harris.

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.

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.

Hog Inventories Decline But at Slower-Than-Expected Pace
US - John D. Lawrence, Extension Livestock Economist at Iowa State University comments on the latest USDA Quarterly Hogs and Pigs report.

NADIS BPEX Commentary – December 2009 - PRRS
In his latest Commentary, pig veterinarian, Mark White looks at the factors affecting the incidence of the porcine reproductive respiratory syndrome (PRRS), as revealed by the NADIS surveillance programme for PRRS in selected pig herds in the UK.

Australia - Livestock and Products Annual 2009
The prospects for the Australian pig industry are better for 2010 than in recent years, according to Mike Darby, Agricultural Specialist, in the latest GAIN report from the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service.

Aurofac / Aureomycin - Justified, Reliable

Company News

China Approves Novel Vaccine PCVD
CHINA - Ingelvac CircoFLEX from Boehringer Ingelheim Vedmedica is the first vaccine to be approved in China against Porcine Circovirus Disease (PCVD).

Ag Students Bring Agriculture to Life
US - University of Missouri students have won the second annual video contest sponsored by Alpharma.

Keeping Pigs the Dutch Way in Russia
NETHERLANDS - Over the past two weeks, Russian pig farmer, Anastasia Kuzmicheva, has visited the Netherlands to learn about pig production there and to see Nedap Velos sow feeding stations in operation.

VIV India: Providing Knowledge, Sharing Visions
INDIA - The theme of the opening conference of VIV India 2010 will be 'Food security'. VIV India takes place in Bangalore on 1 to 3 February 2010.

Global Pig Industry News