Welcome to this week's newsletter

Editorial: US Pig Producers Set to Expand

USDA’s September Hogs and Pigs report has shown that producers are in a mood to expand.

The breeding herd was 0.6 per cent larger than a year ago and the market hog inventory was up one per cent compared to 1 September 2010.

The desire to expand has been pushed further by the record hog prices this summer.

The Hogs and Pigs report shows that litters farrowed during June-August were down, but because pigs per litter were up, the summer pig crop also rose.

The USDA is predicting the number of sows to farrow in the autumn will be down but it also predicts that the December-February farrowings will be higher than a year earlier.

If the number of sows that farrow this winter is above the year-ago level, it will be the first time since March-May 2008.

In the UK, electronic recording of pig movements was written into legislation at the weekend.

However, there is a transitional period of six months for the phasing out of the paper-based forms and adjustment to online eAML2 forms.

Following a recent consultation, the Department of Environment Food and Rural Affairs intends to amend the existing Pigs, Records, Identification and Movements Order (PRIMO) 2007 to reflect the requirement of pre-notification of movements.

Following the recent scandals in China involving the use of clenbuterol in pig meat production and the arrest of more than 900 people, China has now banned the production, sale and use of clenbuterol tablets.

The tablets are often illegally added to pig feed and the State Food and Drug Administration (SFDA) said the decision was made after considering the risks and potential danger of the drug's excessive use.

In the EU, European Commission has called on Spain to take action to address deficiencies in the implementation of EU legislation on the welfare of animals at the time of slaughter.

The Commission said that Spain did not fulfil the obligations of the directive on the protection of animals at the time of slaughter or killing, and of the regulation on the verification of compliance with feed and food law, animal health and animal welfare rules.

The Commission is giving Spain two months to comply with its obligations. If Spain fails to fulfil its legal obligations, the Commission may refer the case to the EU Court of Justice.

Following several audits carried out by the Commission's Food and Veterinary Office (FVO) in Spain, continuous severe deficiencies were noted.

Particularly the FVO noticed a persistent ineffective implementation of requirements in relation to restraining and stunning of animals, the equipment used, requirements for inspection, as well as the corrective measures to be taken, and sanctions imposed, where shortcomings are identified.

Chris Harris

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This Week's Feature Articles

Company News

Campaign Informs Sow Farmers About Feeding Stations
EU - From 1 January 2013, all sow farmers in the EU will have to house pregnant sows in a group. In order to give a clear and complete picture of the options relating to group housing using pig feeding stations, the information campaign Welcome to 2013 will be launched in September.

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KenoTsan: Deep Cleaning and Strong Adherence Power
BELGIUM - KenoTsan combines a deep cleaning and extremely strong adherence power at very low concentrations! The new and unique technology ensures an unprecedented cleaning in all circumstances.

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Royal Veterinary College Launches Emergency Appeal to Help Drought-Ravaged Kenya
KENYA - The worst drought in living memory in the Horn of Africa has forced over one million cattle and small stock south into the Tana Delta district of Kenya in search of grazing.

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Interest Builds in Alternative to Castration of Boars
CANADA - Pfizer Animal Health says interest is building in a product newly registered in Canada as an alternative to physical castration of boars, according to Bruce Cochrane.

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Gordon Spronk Honoured with Allen D. Leman Science
US - Gordon Spronk, DVM, is the recipient of the 2011 Allen D. Leman Science in Practice Award. The award was presented at the Allen D. Leman Swine Conference, 17-20 September 2011, in St. Paul, Minnesota, by Pfizer Animal Health and the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine.

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Global Pig Industry News

Korea, South

 » FMD NEWS: FMD Prompts Korean Pork Imports

European Union

 » EU Pig Prices: Steady Price Level for Tenth Time
 » MEPs Commit to Agricultural R&D

United States

 » Market Preview: Solid Footing for Pork Demand?
 » The Search for 'America's Next Pork Crock-Stars'
 » Soybean Production & Consumption Uncertainty
 » Livestock ID/Traceability Economic Assessment
 » CME: Hog Inventories Expected to Rise 0.5 Per Cent
 » US Swine Economics Report
 » CME: Range & Pasture Conditions Improve
 » Weekly Roberts Market Report
 » CME: Key Numbers Larger than Hog Report Estimates
 » Drop in US Meat and Poultry Production Predicted
 » Hogs & Pigs Report Slightly Bearish
 » September Quarterly Hogs & Pigs Report Analysis
 » Flu Vaccination Advised for Producers & Workers
 » CME: Hogs Futures Rallied
 » Hog Producers in Expansionary Mood
 » FDA Announces Retail Food Safety Action Plan
 » NFU: Senate Must Pass Bill to Make FTAs More Fair

Viet Nam

 » Small-Scale Farmers Remain Crucial to Pork Industry

United Kingdom

 » UK Pig Production Cost Lags Behind
 » Kendall Tells Labour to Make Food a Cornerstone
 » Company Wins £1M Grant to Tackle Manure Problem
 » Mull Abattoir Open for Business Again
 » VION Invests in Learning
 » UK Wins Food Fight
 » 2011 Wheat Harvest Down; Not as Bad as Feared
 » Electronic Pig Movements Written into Legislation
 » Rugby Ace Fronts Schools' Healthy Eating Campaign

Canada

 » Pork Commentary: Corn Price Down Hard
 » Canadian Pork Producers Embrace Biosecurity
 » Science Behind Food Production Displayed
 » Canadian Swine Exporters Pleased by Rate Extension
 » Ergot Infection in Saskatchewan Cereal Grains
 » Fee Cap for Livestock & Embryo Industries
 » Pork Producers Urged to Be Aware of Ergot Infection

Argentina

 » Argentina Runs FMD Control Measures

Russian Federation

 » Residue Inspections not Equivalent in Russia
 » One More Outbreak of CSF in Russia

China

 » 12th Five-year Plan for 'Shopping Basket' Project
 » Zhongpin Starts Trial Pork Production in Tianjin
 » China Bans Clenbuterol Tablets

Mexico

 » Mexico Hog Markets

Poland

 » 13,700 Sq Metres of Extra Slicing Capacity in Poland

Spain

 » Spain Ordered to Correct Animal Welfare Lapses
 » Livestock Sector Important Industry for Spain

Armenia

 » Armenia Reports Eleven New Outbreaks of ASF



That's all for this week!

Ed.