Defra launch sow infertility campaign
UK - In a bid to get to the bottom of the pig industry's current sow infertility problems, Defra are to fund a case study of ten to 20 farms.
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NPA is active on members' behalf in Brussels & White-hall, and with pro-cessors, supermarkets & caterers – fighting for the growth and pros-perity of the UK pig industry. |
The study, which will be carried out by pig veterinarians, should be complete by the end of next month and will cover the following:
- Detailed breeding records and performance.
- Feed usage.
- Husbandry systems.
- Herd disease profiles including testing for endemic and exotic disease.
- And possibly prospective cohort blood sampling.
In addition, Veterinary Laboratories Agency are preparing a questionnaire for circulation to pig veterinarians. This will be followed up by a telephone survey similar to the surveillance exercise carried out by VLA for PMWS prevalence.
The above measures to identify and quantify sow infertility were agreed at a meeting at Defra last week.
Source: National Pig Association - 12th January 2003