ThePigSite Newsletter - 31 October 2011

Welcome to this week's newsletter

Editorial – US Conference Tackles Antibiotic Use

The issue of antibiotic use in food animals and its effect on antibiotic resistance in humans were discussed at a two-day conference in Chicago, attended by Chris Wright, senior editor of ThePigSite.

The symposium, 'Antibiotic Use in Food Animals: A Dialogue for a Common Purpose', was organised by the National Institute for Animal Agriculture.

Dr Scott Hurd from Iowa State University set the stage by saying that the presence of a hazard creates concern but concern is not the same as risk. Human health risk requires sufficient exposure that will result in actual harm.

Dr Hurd concluded that alternative risk of sub-optimal animal health may be higher than the risk of on-farm antibiotic use.

Dr Mike Lormore, Director of Dairy Veterinary Operations for Pfizer Animal Health, summed up the meeting by addressing the issue of consumer perceptions. It is clear that the American public is against the use of antibiotics use as growth promoters, he said.

He added that communicating with consumers about our common values is more important than communicating scientific understanding. "People need to know that you care before they care that you know," he said.

In the UK, as in many EU countries, there is some upward movement in pig prices, at last. However, in his weekly Traffic Lights column, Peter Crichton warns that there are signs of cereal prices on the rise again too.

Also in the UK, the National Pig Association (NPA) says it has been a source of some irritation recently that green, welfare, vegetarian, vegan and organic groups are increasingly opposing planning applications for new intensive livestock units on the grounds that larger-scale farming must equal poorer welfare.

The 'large-is-bad; small-is-good' syndrome is not confined to Britain. In the Lower Saxony region of Germany, the Green Party is demanding a limit on large-scale production, reports NPA.

Interestingly, the UK's Environment Agency withdrew its objections to a proposed large-scale pig farm in Foston, Derbyshire, last week. Perhaps the message from the NPA is getting through, after all.

And finally, the veterinary authority in Lithuania says classical swine fever (CSF) has been eradicated in the country as there has been no sign of the virus since July. One CSF outbreak in Russia in July has been reported recently, as have two new outbreaks of African swine fever (ASF) in the Black Sea region of the Russian Federation.

Jackie Linden

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This Week's Feature Articles

We have 8 new features this week:

EU Changes its Approach to Pig Welfare
The future EU strategy on animal welfare in the pig meat sector needs to be based on a global multi-stakeholder approach, writes ThePigSite Editor in Chief, Chris Harris.

Danish Pig Research Centre: Annual Report 2010: 'Solid Floor, No Mess' Project
The 2010 annual report from the Danish Pig Research Centre describes an investigation into techniques to reduce manure on solid-floored finisher pens.

Record Global Pork Production Volume Forecast
Global pork production is forecast two per cent higher to a record 103.4 million tons in 2012, with most of the growth likely in China and South Korea as they recover from major disease challenges this year, according to the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service in its six-monthly Livestock and Poultry: World Markets and Trade report.

Pork CRC Research Highlights Ways to Reduce Production Costs
One of the major outcomes for Australia's Pork CRC for an internationally competitive pork industry was reduced production costs for high quality pork through more reliable and consistent protein and energy supplies via innovative grain production, co-product utilisation and quality assessment.

Probing Genetic Control of Swine Responses to PRRS Virus Infection
The PRRS Host Genetics Consortium (PHGC) project will enable researchers to discover and verify important genotypes and phenotypes that predict resistance/susceptibility to porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) virus infection, say US researchers involved in the project.

Genetic Characterisation of Swine Influenza Viruses Isolated from Minnesota
H3N2 influenza strains circulating in North America share the same genetic constellation, according to researchers in Virginia, who investigated viruses isolated from Minnesota in 2006-2007.

High Frequency of Multiresistant Coagulase-Positive Staphylococcus aureus Found in Slaughter Pigs in Uruguay
Although no methicillin-resistant S. aureus were detected, all the coagulase-positive S. aureus found in slaughter pigs in Uruguay were resistant to three or more classes of antimicrobials, say researchers based in Germany and Finland, which they linked to the over-use of antimicrobials in pig production.

Importance of Post-Weaning Feeding to Reach Market Weight in an Adequate Time–Frame
Post-weaning feeding is critical for pigs to reach market weight quickly, according to Biomin as the company launched Biotronic Top3.

MSD Animal Health - It's a New Day for Animal Health

Company News

Annual Advancement in PRRS Research Award
US - Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc. (BIVI) is inviting proposals for the annual Boehringer Ingelheim Advancement in PRRS Research Award Program.

BPEX Funds Project to Predict Lameness
UK - BPEX has funded a project to develop objective methods of assessing locomotion in pigs.

Development Post for Derek Armstrong
UK - Derek Armstrong has been confirmed as the new head of Research and Development for BPEX.

Genesus Sets up Nucleus & Multiplication Systems
RUSSIA - Genesus is pleased to announce that Paul Flint and Susan Wulf of Ames, Iowa will be moving near Krasnodar, Russia to manage the company's new registered purebred Nucleus and Multiplication system (6,200 sows) with other responsibilities including sales and marketing.

Pfizer Takes up 'Love that Pork' Challenge
US - Pfizer Animal Health Team Pork has initiated a challenge, 'Love that Pork', to educate building staff and consumers about pork preparation while increasing pork consumption in the facilities' cafeterias. 'Love that Pork' will conclude at the end of October, which is National Pork Month.

Merck Announces EU Approval for M-Hyo Vaccine
EU - Merck Animal Health has announced it has received European Union approval for Porcilis M Hyo ID ONCE swine vaccine, the first single-shot Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae vaccine for intradermal administration.

Novus's 20th Anniversary: New Research Centre
SPAIN - In Tarragona on 18 and 19 October, Novus International, Inc. hosted more than 100 leaders in the feed and food sectors from more than 30 countries for the celebration of Novus's 20th anniversary in the region of Europe, Middle East and Africa.

Biomin Asia Nutrition Forum Takes Centre Stage
ASIA - Biomin again hosted the biennial event, Biomin Asia Nutrition Forum, this month.

Dry Feeding and Liquid Feeding in Pig Rearing
GERMANY - Housing and feed are important elements during weaning but feeding young piglets requires specific pig feeding systems and management strategies, according to Dr Anne Elkmann and Norbert Bärlein of Big Dutchman. Modern feeding systems support the farmer to better control post-weaning stress and loss in daily gain.