Welfare Issues Impact Swine Production
US - The use of individual gestation accommodations (IGAs) for dry sows in commercial pork production is an issue that has raised much debate.
Public perceptions and misconceptions of welfare issues have the potential to dramatically impact swine production.
The nine-member international Task Force of this new Issue Paper critically evaluates the scientific evidence of IGAs for sows, including considerations for behaviour, nutrition and feeding, reproduction, clinical examination and health, manure management, worker safety, and system design.
The authors indicate that no compelling evidence exists from scientific evaluations and comparisons of dry-sow keeping systems that, overall, either individual or group accommodation is more appropriate than the other.
Further Reading
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- | You can view the paper by clicking here. |
The impact of mycotoxins — through losses in commodity quality and livestock health — exceeds $1.4 billion in the United States alone, according to the Council for Agricultural Science and Technology. This guide includes:
- An overview of different types of mycotoxins
- Understanding of the effects of mycotoxicoses in swine
- Instructions on how to analyze mycotoxin content in commodities and feeds
- Innovative ways of combatting mycotoxins and their effects
