Farm-Scape is sponsored by Manitoba Pork Council and Sask Pork Play Audio Farm-Scape is a Wonderworks Canada production and is distributed courtesy of Manitoba Pork Council and Sask Pork.

Farm-Scape, Episode 1419

Manitoba Pork Council is initiating a pilot swine traceability study as part of a national effort to identify the most efficient and cost effective method of tracing swine movement in Canada.

The Swine Traceability Pilot Project is part of a Canadian Pork Council initiative designed to develop a system for tracking animal movement in Canada and it's being duplicated in Manitoba, Quebec and Prince Edward Island.

Manitoba Pork Council GIS Specialist Mike Dexter says approximately 15 Manitoba swine operations will evaluate four different identification systems.

"The CPC has initiated this pilot study to test and identify means of identification for pigs and also the tracing of pigs, animal movement.

The test is going to actually test different scenarios of identification. They're looking at individual identification, they're looking at group identification and they're looking at different types of identification.

They're using radio frequency ear tags, they're using tattoos, there's a bunch of them. They're being tested in one site farrow to finish operations, they're being tested in two site and three site operations.

You want an identification system that will work in any type of production facility or environment.

There's no point having something that works in farrow to finish but then when you get into a three site system it breaks down or doesn't work.

You need an identification and traceability system that is robust in any type of pig production scenario or environment".

Dexter says the pilot project is getting underway now and the goal is to have all of the farms ready to go over the next two months.

He expects the on farm work to take about six months.

For Farmscape.Ca, I'm Bruce Cochrane.