Welcome to this week's newsletter

Editorial – Looking for the Good News

Pig producers across the globe seem to be having a hard time, according to a series of recent reports.

In the US, pork production on July totalled 1.64 billion pounds, which is four per cent less than last year. The number of hogs slaughter was 8.16 million head, also four per cent fewer than July 2010. The average live weight was down one pound from the previous year, at 268 pounds.

Dutch pig producers seem to be in dire straits. Rising feed prices have meant farmers are unable to make the substantial investments needed to meet stricter European environmental and animal welfare regulations. Farmers have been unable to pass on their rising costs to slaughterhouses because there are still too many pigs on the market.

Each year, about five per cent of pig farms close down but the sector organisation says the number for this year could be as high as 10 per cent.

In the UK, processors are dropping the prices they offer to slaughter pig producers.

On the bright side, improved pig health and welfare could easily be worth as much as £25 million a year to the British industry, according to BPEX. An extra 50g weight gain per day as a result of improved health would return between £2.00 and £3.50 per pig or between between £15 and £25 million a year.

BPEX has just produced a new health and welfare strategy with support from across the industry. It was launched by the country's Chief Veterinary Officer at a press conference in London last week.

20:20 Pig Health and Welfare builds on the success of the first strategy launched at the end of 2003.

It aims to change completely the way endemic pig diseases are managed, mitigated and controlled across the country.

BPEX Chairman, Stewart Houston, commented: "Improving the health and welfare of pigs is of paramount importance to all of those involved in the industry in England.

"It affects our cost of production, our ability to compete in a highly competitive EU market, our impact on the environment, the safety of the food we produce, our responsibility to the animals in our care, our reputation as a producer of high welfare pork, bacon, ham and other pork products and ultimately our ability to produce a secure supply of food in an increasingly volatile world.

"Despite the progress we have already made we remain behind many of our immediate competitors on key measures of efficiency. Improving pig health is key to closing this competitiveness gap," said Mr Houston.

BPEX Interim Head of Research and Development, Derek Armstrong, put his finger on the key to the future success of the strategy. He said: "The really encouraging part is that there are a lot of organisations committed to working together to deliver a coherent vision of health and welfare."

Jackie Linden

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This Week's Feature Articles

Company News

DeLuca Appointed President of Merck Animal Health
US - Merck has appointed Richard R. DeLuca Jr. as President, Merck Animal Health.

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Economics of Sow Lifetime Productivity
US - Even the best genetic solutions are enhanced by improving overall productivity starting with the breeding herd. While pigs weaned per sow per year (PSY) has been the primary efficiency measuring stick in sow farms, there's additional value to be obtained by examining productivity on the lifetime basis of the sow.

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Big Dutchman Opens New Facility in Araraquara
BRAZIL - Big Dutchman recently inaugurated its new Brazilian facility in the city of Araraquara, state of Sao Paulo. Nearly BRR30 million (€13 million) were invested in a property of 10 hectares (25 acres) on which nearly 16,000 square metres (172,000 square feet) were built.

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TOPIGS Around the World
GLOBAL - TOPIGS breeds pigs by deploying the best breeding tools on a global scale, says the company, presenting results from its top-performing clients in the Netherlands, Canada, Russia and Brazil.

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Grand Opening for BIVI Sioux Center Vaccine Facility
US – Governor Terry E. Branstad travelled to Sioux Center last week to attend the grand opening for one of three Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc. (BIVI) specialised vaccine research facilities.

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Cablevey Offers Free Registration to Pack Expo
US - Cablevey Conveyors is exhibiting in booth number S-6520 at Pack Expo Las Vegas 2011.

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Global Pig Industry News

China

 » Compulsory Vaccination Boosts Vaccine Production
 » China Arrests over 900 in Tainted Pork Crackdown

New Zealand

 » New Zealand Pork Appoints New Chairman
 » NZ Pork Challenges MAF Import Standards
 » New Zealand Pork Farmers Want Tougher Rules
 » NZ Pork Board Criticises Agricultural Officials

General

 » North American Hog Inventory up One Per Cent
 » Pork Producers Advised to Secure Feed Supplies
 » BBSRC Awards to Help Tackle Global Diseases
 » Chinese Seek Deal for British Pigs
 » US Vets Study Antibiotic Use in Denmark
 » Pork Commentary: Road Trip to Thailand & India

United States

 » Pork Producers' Ability to Pay for Corn
 » Market Preview: Domestic Pork Demand Holds Strong
 » CME: More Meat in Storage than Last Year
 » Weekly Roberts Market Report
 » Utilising Tools to Evaluate Biosecurity Practices
 » How to Improve Breeding Herd Retention
 » CME: Price Concern as Hog Futures Drifting Lower
 » Annual Disease Conference for Practioners in Iowa
 » Danish Crown Invests in Plumrose Plant
 » Solid Third-Quarter Results for Hormel
 » Licence Agreement to Speed up Genetic Progress
 » US Pork Production Down in July
 » July Retail Pork Prices Lower
 » Smithfield Reports Minor Damage in Hurricane
 » Market Preview: Corn Yield Predictions Dip
 » Early Price Peak For Corn & Soybeans?

European Union

 » EU Pig Prices: Steady Almost Throughout Europe
 » EU Pig Prices: Slaughter Pigs on Offer

United Kingdom

 » BPEX Organises 'Walk the Line' Abattoir Visit
 » Specially Selected Pork Takes Centre Stage
 » Stud Offers High-Calibre Viking Blood to Pig Farmers
 » NPA: Superiority of British Higher Welfare Pork
 » UK Slaughter Statistics - August 2011
 » Vision for Future of the UK Pig Industry
 » Half of Producers Plan to Expand
 » Difficult, Challenging and Depressing Day for Sellers

Russian Federation

 » Russia Reports Eighth Outbreak of CSF

Canada

 » Profitable Pork Prices in Manitoba and Saskatchewan
 » CME: Hog Inventories Continue to Decline
 » Hot July-August Weather Helps Crops Catch Up
 » Global Market Report – Canada
 » Applications Invited for Payment Programme
 » Alternative Heating/Ventilation Systems
 » Alternative to Physical Castration of Pigs

Cambodia

 » Fifth Feed Mill Inaugurated in Cambodia

Netherlands

 » Dutch Pig Producers in Dire Straits

That's all for this week!

Ed.