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Maternal effects can be defined as all conditions that relate to how a dam’s genetics and life history influences how her progenies perform.

Preventing fomites from carrying pathogens into hog farms is a daily biosecurity priority. Decontamination rooms where aerosolized disinfectants are applied to incoming supplies are an increasingly common practice, espec…

Five areas are pivotal to achieving good farrowing rates: heat detection, the insemination process, semen management, feed management/body condition, and choosing the right females.

Can African swine fever in West Africa be vaccinated against or cured? Currently, the answer is no, but current research holds great hope for future treatments.

Is it time to start sourcing alternative products that have a smaller environmental impact, that meet every requirement of the pig, that are also economically viable?

Rotavirus infections in pigs have been around for decades. But in the last several years, the virus has re-appeared, causing diarrhoea in neonatal and post-weaned pigs that impedes their growth for life.

In part 3 of ffinlo Costain’s interviews with food relief organisations, he speaks to Mark Game, founder of The Bread and Butter Thing, about innovative approaches to food aid and how to use food surpluses to our advantage.…

In part 2 of ffinlo Costain’s interviews with food relief organisations, he speaks with Greg Silverman of the Westside Campaign Against Hunger about how their daily operations have changed due to COVID-19.

Pigs are polytochous animals, which means they produce multiple piglets in one farrowing. This evolutionary strategy is called “parental optimism” and it allows the dam to produce more offspring than what is required for…

When it comes to porcine reproductive and respiratory virus (PRRSv) it’s important for the veterinarian and farm personnel to know the health status of a herd or barn.

According to the latest data from China’s National Bureau of Statistics, the total revenue of the catering industry decreased by 44.3 percent to CNY602.6 billion in the first quarter of this 2020. But is the industry showing signs of recovery?…

As social safety nets contend with increased claims, food banks and community kitchens are stepping in to provide vital relief to people who are food insecure.

Pig farmers globally are suffering the impacts of the current COVID-19 pandemic. In India, a shortage of feed, a lack of transportation for live animals, and nowhere to sell pigs could push the industry towards disaster.…

Identifying risk events, preventing cross-contamination of equipment and effectively controlling the movement of staff and visitors on your farm are just some of the basics to consider when preventing any disease from entering or leaving your pig unit.…

Swine veterinarians and producers may feel déjà vu when they hear about the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic in the US. Seven years ago, they battled a different coronavirus - porcine epidemic diarrhoea (PED). Just like COVID-19, it spread quickly.…

In 2016, the EU programme, COST, funded an initiative to collaborate across Europe with the aim of reducing damaging behaviour in group housed pigs and poultry. The resulting COST Action, “GroupHouseNet”, has worked over the last four years to reach that aim.…

Cautious times call for cautious measures and that’s never been more apparent than now, with the COVID-19 coronavirus impacting people around the globe. Although there is no evidence that COVID-19 coronavirus can infect …

Farm Gate host ffinlo Costain sits down with Roland Bonney of FAI Farms and Jo White of Behaviour Change for Animals to discuss the psychology of panic buying and how our food system can adjust to the new normal.

Despite obstacles and economic uncertainty, US pork exports posted the third largest month on record in February 2020 while Asia's food service sector makes a gradual recovery from lockdown.

Bruce Derksen investigates what sustainability means to US pork producers and how the pig industry does - and will continue to - play a large part in building "sustainable" food production systems.