Precision is the future of all food production including pork and prevention is the foundation of precision. In this series of articles, Dr. DiPietre will look at different aspects related with pig production and precision agriculture and what economic impact could they have in our farms.
Consumers, food and restaurant companies, WHO and various governments are requiring livestock farmers to produce meat raised with lower use of antimicrobial drugs. The discussion has moved on from analysing the potential risks that the use of antimicrobials in livestock can have on society to managing the new situation where pork producers will have to raise pigs using less, or even without, antibiotics. This is of course at the same time as a predicted increase in demand for protein, unprecedented restrictions on land and water use and rising input costs. What should producers do?
For the fifth time, the European PCV2 Research Award sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim funds research projects related to Porcine Circovirus Type 2 (PCV2) infection and associated diseases. Nine high quality research proposals were submitted from seven different countries (UK, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Denmark, Estonia, and France).
US - Controlling swine diseases such as Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS), Porcine Circovirus Associated Disease (PCV2) and Mycoplasma pneumonia (M. hyo) is one of the the key challenges for producers and veterinarians. During the 2012 World Pork Expo, swine experts discussed the impacts of these diseases, the latest research and effective ways to manage respiratory diseases on modern production farms.
Newborn piglets lack brown adipose (fat) tissue which is available to many other mammals as an energy source at birth and thereby they are more sensitive to cold stress when compared to other mammals. They are at greatest risk of hypothermia immediately after birth with a lowering of body-temperature of up to 5°C possible. Through shivering piglets try to maintain body temperature but as a result lose valuable energy reserves!
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