Top Pig Herds Can Still Compete
UK - While the average performance of finishing pigs on farms in Britain does not match EU competitors, the top herds can take on the best 10 per cent of units in Denmark, John Richardson of Intervet/Schering...

Walk the Pens Virtually with a New Simulator
US -Pfizer Animal Health is launching a new on-line educational simulation that can be played from any standard computer, "Virtual Walking the Pens," to help demonstrate the importance of Individual Pig...

WPE REPORT: Certification in PQA Plus Called for
US - The US National Pork Board is calling on pork producers to become certified in the in the Pork Quality Assurance Plus programme, writes ThePigSite senior editor Chris Harris.

Role of Pork Checkoff in Today's Industry
US - The Pork Checkoff is helping US pork producers as they work to earn the trust of their customers by demonstrating accountability and social responsibility in all they do.

Expertise Provided to Chinese Swine Managers
US - The US Grains Council's Chinese Swine Management Team traveled to Kansas State University (KSU) on Monday and yesterday for a two-day course on swine health and disease management as well as US pork...

Castration and Age of Pig
US - Although castration of pigs is stressful, the stress associated with handling appears to increase with the age of the pig.

85th OIE Anniversary Marked with New Transparency
GLOBAL - The Delegates of OIE Members marked the 85th anniversary of the creation of the OIE by renewing and strengthening their commitments, especially as regards transparency.

Pig Campaign Wins Major International Awards
UK - The Pigs Are Worth It! campaign has come out with a top award in the European PR Oscars.

European Commission Proposes New Labelling Rules
EU - Action is needed to improve communication about the qualities of agricultural products — to help reconnect farmers with consumers. Quality labelling schemes must also be easier for people to use and...

Climate Change Brings Heightened Disease Risk
GLOBAL - The impact of climate change on the emergence and re-emergence of animal diseases has been confirmed by a majority of World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) member countries in a worldwide...

Pork Checkoff Presents PORK Academy at Expo
US - The Pork Checkoff is sponsoring Producers Opportunity for Revenue and Knowledge (PORK) Academy Wednesday, 3 June through Friday, 5 June during World Pork Expo at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des...

PM Needs to be Prime Mover on Sow Welfare
NEW ZEALAND - The Green Party is calling on the Prime Minister John Key to intervene on the issue of sow crates.

FAO: Animal Welfare Web Portal Launched
GLOBAL - A new internet portal has been launched today by FAO that will serve as a one-stop-shop for individuals and organisations searching for the latest information about the welfare of livestock. ...

OIE: Global Standards for Humane Killing of Animals
GLOBAL - The OIE already strongly advised on the pointless culling of pigs in relation with the recent outbreaks of novel A/H1N1 influenza.

Pork Producers Support Animal ID System
US - The US pork industry strongly supports a mandatory national animal identification system, said David Kempen, a pork producer from Poteet, Texas, at a US Department of Agriculture listening session...

Free Range Pig Farmers Deserve COOL Support
NEW ZEALAND - New Zealand pig farmers that are practising humane free-range animal management practices deserve the benefit of Mandatory Country of Origin Labelling (M-COOL), and inhumane farmers need...

Greens Say Pork Labelling Urgently Needed
NEW ZEALAND - The Prime Minister needs to step in and requite the clear labelling of pork products so consumers can act in good conscience and buy humanely reared pork, Green Animal Welfare Spokesperson...

Minister Urges Top Priority for Pig Code Review
NEW ZEALAND - Agriculture Minister David Carter has asked the review of the 2005 Code of Welfare for pigs to be a top priority for the National Animal Welfare Advisory Committee.

No Plan to Develop Free-range Brand for Pork
NEW ZEALAND - The Pork Industry Board does not plan to use free-range branding for pork, despite public concern over meat sources.

WSPA Calls on Egyptian PM to Stop Pig Cull
EGYPT - The World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) has written to the Prime Minister of Egypt calling for an immediate end to the brutal handling and slaughter of pigs in Egypt.

Maine Bans Gestation Crates
MAINE, US - Maine has become the sixth US state to ban extreme confinement. Gestation crates for sows and crates for veal calves will be prohibited from January 2011.

Industry Supports Investigation of TV Pig Farm
NEW ZEALAND - A TV programme aired yesterday showing sows in stalls has caused a great deal of controversy.

France Plans National Research Consortium
FRANCE - French farm and fisheries minister Michel Barnier and research minister Valerie Pecresse have announced a plan to create a national research consortium to manage the country's food, farming and...

ARM Buildings Running Flat Out to Meet Demand
UK - ARM Buildings, the Staffordshire-based pig and poultry buildings specialist, reports that it has been running flat out with 24-hour shifts having been introduced at its Rugeley factory to keep up...

LEGS: New Guidelines for Livestock Emergencies
GLOBAL - Following the disastrous 2005 earthquake in Pakistan, several humanitarian organizations came forward to help households who had lost their livestock to rebuild herds and flocks by providing replacement...