World Hog news:

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Thursday, May 01, 2008Print This Page
Cholera Adds to PRRS Woes
VIET NAM - Animals at the porcine research center attached to the National Institute of Animal Husbandry in Hanoi have been infected by the hog cholera virus, an official said Tuesday.


Hog cholera virus has hit the Thuy Phuong Pig Research Center Animals at the research center attached to the National Institute of Animal Husbandry in Hanoi.

The herd has already culled around 200 animals and tests on 52 samples of the culled pigs have confirmed positive pathology for hog cholera. Three others tested positive for Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS) virus, which is currently ravaging through Viet Nam's pig populations in central and northern provinces.

Deputy head of the Animal Health Department, Hoang Van Nam, said the three pigs with PRRS had not developed symptoms.

The Animal Health Department released statistics this week that showed more than 21,800 pigs were detected with the PRRS virus in 10 provinces from April 21 to 28.

The department had previously reported that more than 222,000 pigs in these provinces had been infected since March.

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Thursday, May 01, 2008Print This Page
Burke’s Silence Will Kill off Pig Industry
AUSTRALIA - Opposition agricultural spokesman Nigel Scullion says that productivity commission's report on the inquiry into safeguards into the import of pig meat has left Australian pork producers in a precarious position.


The report, released on 4 April, has been sitting on Minister Burke's desk for a month while the industry is in danger of "collapsing", says Mr Scullion in a report for Farmonline's Stock & Land.

"Australian pork producers are a resilient lot but they need urgent help," he added.

"The Productivity Commission found that it was higher feed and industry input costs and not cheap imports that were threatening the industry and accordingly recommended against safeguard action.

Scullion says that this ignores the fact that it is the price of imports that sets the price of pork products in the supermarket.

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Thursday, May 01, 2008Print This Page
Scottish Assurance: a Shining Example
UK - A new report has specifically picked out Scotland's Quality Assurance scheme as a prime example of good animal welfare methods and traceability throughout the world.



Recently published by the Food Standards Agency, the Review of uptake of FSA Food Assurance Scheme Guidance by UK Scheme Operators is an overview of development of the UK’s various assurance schemes since the previous review in 2002.

The report notes that the red meat assurance scheme in Scotland, managed by industry body Quality Meat Scotland, has developed significantly since 2002. One major area where the scheme is leading the way is in animal welfare.


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"QMS may well be the first scheme to apply this output related work." 
Extraxt from a review of uptake of FSA Food Assurance Scheme Guidance by UK Scheme Operators
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The Scottish SPCA, which operates its livestock animal welfare policy mainly through the assurance scheme, contributed to the report and believes the hands on approach by QMS “has done more for animal welfare in Scotland than any other organisation.”

This is borne out by Scottish SPCA figures, which show that while animal welfare prosecutions have gone up, the on-farm prosecutions have dropped from 33.9% in 2002 to 8.5% in 2006.

Unique Methods
It also highlighted work between QMS, Scottish Agricultural College and Scottish SPCA in developing a pilot welfare outcomes scheme, which uses a unique method of measuring welfare through animal behaviour, condition and signs of pain, injury or disease.

The report reads: “QMS may well be the first scheme to apply this output related work. This is an important welfare development and once it is fully worked out, Red Tractor Livestock schemes and the Lion Egg scheme should consider whether this pilot scheme approach might be applied to them.”

Achieving assurance from birth was another area identified where Scotland is leading the way, and the report recommends that retailers should ‘Increase the pressure to have whole life assurance across the remaining livestock schemes’.

QMS Chairman, Donald Biggar, said: “This report underlines the continuing work of Scottish farmers to ensure that beef, lamb and pork produced here have the guarantee of the highest welfare and traceability standards.

“Our high assurance standards are a reflection of everyday modern livestock farming in Scotland, and emphasises the commitment to quality stockmanship that is at the heart of our industry.

“It’s testament to the work of the Scottish industry that while many assurance schemes have been launched, the Scottish scheme is still a world leader and is now backed by our Protected Geographical Indication status within the European Union.

“Work such as the pilot welfare outcomes scheme show that instead of resting on our laurels when it comes to animal welfare we are constantly looking at innovative ways at ensuring contented animals and a great product for those that choose Scotch.”
 

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Thursday, May 01, 2008Print This Page
More Profit Through Innovative Farm Equipment
MOSCOW - In the pig breeding industry profitability gain is only possible provided productivity increases. Along with other critical indices are the following: fertility and sows insemination efficiency, neonatal and natal piglet mortality.



More profit, through innovative farm equipment will be the basis of a presentation by Vladimir Getman from Nedap Agri in The Netherlands at this year's VIV Europe trade fair in Moscow on 28 May.

Based on calculations made for two identical pig complexes (for example, both have 1000 sows) the influence of above indexes on farm profit is following: difference in conception rate 0.65 and 0.87 results in $81,000 extra profit per year, average fertility 10 and 12 piglets gives extra $212,000, losses of piglets within first 2 months 22 per cent and 15 per cent give additional $123,000.

Thus, a total difference makes more than $400,000 per year. All these figures first of all depend on housing technology and proper feeding of sows.

Traditional housing technologies do not provide individual approach to every animal.

Group and small group housing has some disadvantages, like aggression among sows, poor control of consumed feed quantity, personnel mistakes, while traumas of iliac and inguinal area made by extremities of nearby sows, physical inactivity of animal with leg problems, personnel mistakes in determining correct feed portions, frequent overcooling because of East Europe climate, high cost of equipment are typical features of housing sows in individual crates.

Successful Installation in Ukraine
Since 2001 Nedap technology of group housing and individual feeding of gestating sows has being successfully implemented in Ukraine.

Every sow has its own ear tag identified by the reader that enables individual approach.

The feeding station provides every sow with optimum amount of feed, the separation unit carefully separates those sows in need of vaccination, pregnancy check, extra insemination etc, the heat detector automatically determines empty sows.

All above equipment, Nedap Agri says, is combined in one system operated by the software with user friendly interface. Thereby modern technologies ensure efficient housing of gestating sows 24 hours a day.

The awarding ceremony on the most efficient and profitable business project was held by Privatbank in the national press-centre UNIAN (Kiev) on 4 October 2006. Nedap Agri's project of implementing NEDAP VELOS technology with 1 year pay-off period won first place among 350 loan projects granted during a year in different industries.

All new large pig complexes in Ukraine started its operation in 2007 use VELOS technology for housing gestating sows. Nedap Agri said that first results are impressive. For example, Agroindustrial company (Melitopol', Zaporozhskaya region) has about 7000 sows in 12 sections. Average feed consumption is 3.5-3.7 kg per sow per day. About 1000 sows are housed due to VELOS technology with average feed consumption 2.7-2.8 kg per sow per day. If 1 kg of feed costs $0.3, non-productive feed expenses in those sections without VELOS technology make: 0.9kg x $0.3 x 6000sows x 365days= $591,300 per year.

VELOS technology is consistent with internet-technologies and allows the authorized user to get current information on farm at any time from every spot on the globe. Service and start-up technical support can be carried out on-line as well that gives Nedap specialists in the Netherlands or dealer's specialists in Russia or Ukraine the opportunity to fix technical issues immediately.

[mikey]

Friday, May 02, 2008Print This Page
Ozzie Opinions Urged on Transport Welfare
AUSTRALIA - The Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries (DPI&F) is urging North Queenslanders to have their say on proposed Australian Standards and Guidelines for the Welfare of Animals for the Land Transport of Livestock.



Local transport operators, livestock industry organisations, veterinarians, animal welfare organisations, saleyard agents, stock managers, railway officials and members of the public are encouraged to have their say on the new standards, which are undergoing consultation until Tuesday, May 27, 2008.


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"The standards and guidelines will cover the transport of cattle, sheep, horses, goats, deer, alpacas, pigs, camels, buffalo, poultry and ratites" 
DPI&F regional project leader Ian Rodger
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DPI&F regional project leader Ian Rodger said the standards and guidelines will replace the multiple existing national model codes of practice for transport.

"The standards and guidelines will cover the transport of cattle, sheep, horses, goats, deer, alpacas, pigs, camels, buffalo, poultry and ratites (emus and ostriches)," Mr Rodger said.

"Animal Health Australia, the organisation conducting the consultation, is seeking comments on how well people believe the new standards provide the necessary specifications for the protection of livestock during land transport, and I encourage everyone in the north to have their say.

"They want to know if the associated regulatory impact statement demonstrates the need for the new standards and identifies the key costs and benefits to industry, government and the community.

"If you have questions, or want to discuss the new standards with a DPI&F animal welfare officer, I encourage you to please contact me, or your local officer by calling 13 25 23," he said.

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Friday, May 02, 2008Print This Page
Testing System Builds-in Big Feed Savings
UK - With sustained high feed prices continuing to put producers under pressure, pig-breeding company ACMC will be demonstrating at the British Pig and Poultry Fair how the use of genetically-superior stock can reduce production costs.

 

The company claims to be unique in the way it tests its pigs, individually testing both sire and dam lines - rather than simply the male side - using the sophisticated FIRE (Feed Intake Recording Equipment) system.

"Although expensive, this system has a considerable impact on the speed of genetic improvement," commented Ed Sutcliffe, ACMC's technical director. "This selection method of incorporating feed recording can improve overall accuracy of selection by 10 per cent, but when you look at the response of individual traits, it can increase the rate of improvement of FCR by as much as 60 per cent."

Taking into account the improvement seen in both sire and dam lines, over 10 years this has led to a 0.293 improvement in feed conversion ratio resulting in the average slaughter pig consuming more than 25 kg less feed to 94 kg liveweight.

Using figures from the BPEX 2007 Yearbook and adding 50 per cent to the cost of feed to give a price of £197.33 per tonne, to reflect current levels, Mr Sutcliffe has calculated that the value of this improvement is £4.99 per pig.

Again using the BPEX Yearbook figures, for an average size sow herd of 437 selling 19.71 pigs annually, this adds up to a feed saving of no less that £42,955.51 - an average improvement of £4,295.55 per year over the 10-year period.

The savings in the individual lines are even greater, he points out. For instance, feed conversion of the Vantage boar, which accounts for 50 per cent of the genetic make-up of the slaughter pig - has improved by 50 per cent, or 0.393, equivalent to £6.72 per pig.

These figures take account of the reduced feed needed for maintenance, but not the simultaneous improvement in growth rate, which allows for increased piggery throughput, also cutting costs.

"The significance of genetic improvements is that they are 'locked in' to the breeding stock's make-up so producers can continue to benefit from them," said Mr Sutcliffe. "Recording feed on dam lines is as important as doing so on sire lines as they contribute just as much to the makeup of the slaughter pig. With high feed prices it is no longer sufficient for dam lines to simply rear high numbers, they must also be efficient pigs to finish," he added.

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Friday, May 02, 2008Print This Page
Infectious Disease Control at VIV Europe
MOSCOW - A product range for swine at the forefront of infectious disease control will be the themes for a presentation by Dr Stéphane Imbert at this year's VIV Europe trade fair in Moscow.

 

Dr Imbert from the animal health group Merial will be discussing methods of battling Porcine Circovirus Associated Diseases and on-farm vaccination programmes.

 
Dr Stéphane Imbert
"Merial has always been at the forefront of the control and prevention of emerging and re-emerging swine infectious diseases," said Dr Imbert.

"Merial has a long tradition of innovation starting 30 years ago with research into swine parvovirosis and the development of the first-ever vaccine against swine parvovirus, to the recent launch of the first-ever vaccine against the devastating Porcine Circovirus - Associated Diseases.

"With Vacciplan, Merial offers an innovative range of vaccines and a complete vaccination program adapted to the different needs of swine farming."

Dr Imbert is a graduate of the Toulouse Vet School and also a graduate of Clinical Virology from the Pasteur Institute. He was a field practitioner for six years before joining the industry in 1992.

He has been with Merial for 16 years and heads up the swine and cattle activities for the company in Central and Eastern Europe.

Other presentations form speakers from Merial at the VIV Europe Exhibition will be from Dr. Bruno Cluzel and Dr Andreas Hermann on a new approach to the control of Marek's disease and IBD infection and the safe and efficient control of Newcastle disease and a joint seminar organised with the EU Framework 6 Specific Support Action (SSA) on PCVD. Dr. Gordon Allan, Dr. Steve Krakowka and Dr. John Ellis will discuss porcine circovirus disease: Pathogenesis, diagnostic and control.

VIV Europe takes place from 27-29 May.

 

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Friday, May 02, 2008Print This Page
Grain Drain: A Chinese Affair with Meat
CHINA - A change in Chinese meat consumption habits since 1995 is diverting eight billion bushels of grain per year to livestock feed and could empty global grain stocks by September 2010, according to a new study from Biofuels Digest.



The study, "Meat vs Fuel: Grain use in the U.S. and China, 1995-2008," concluded that a complete shutdown of the U.S. ethanol industry would extend the deadline only until 2013.

"It's not food, it's not fuel, it's China," said Jim Lane, editor of Biofuels Digest and author of the report.

The study determined that China's meat consumption since 1995 has increased by 112 percent to 53 kilograms per person per year.


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"It's not food, it's not fuel, it's China" 
Jim Lane, editor of Biofuels Digest
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"If the Chinese people had consumed the same amount of meat, per person, in 2007 as in 1995, there would have been enough grain left over to support 927 million people with food for an entire year," said Lane.

The study found that the U.S. increased corn production by 157 million tonnes of corn since 1995. 31 million net tonnes of grain went to support U.S. ethanol production, and 27 million tonnes supported a 15 percent increase in U.S. population during the period. By contrast, the study projected that livestock grain demand to supply Chinese meat consumption increased by 199 million tonnes between 1995 and 2007.

"Given that the U.S. population grew 15 percent, the 82 percent increase in U.S. corn production left plenty for people, plenty for livestock, and plenty for ethanol," said Lane. "The bad news is that we have a global fuel and food crisis of the first magnitude. The only good news is that it's easier to find a steak in Beijing."

The study tracks the meteoric growth in Chinese meat consumption since 1983, a trend spotted early by commentator Lester Brown in his prescient article "Who Will Feed China?" In 1995, meat consumption was 25 kilograms per person, reaching 31 kilograms by 1999, 50 kilograms by 2000, and is 53 kilograms per person today.

"Chinese meat consumption is still 45 percent less than the average consumption in the U.S.," Lane warned. "An additional 277 million tonnes of grain would be needed to support China at parity with the U.S. That would take 68 million acres to grow. There isn't that kind of arable land available anywhere is the world, whether we use grains for renewable energy or not."

The study is available for free download at www.biofuelsdigest.com.

Biofuels Digest is the world's most widely read biofuels daily, providing a free daily summary of biofuels news via web, email and RSS to subscribers at more than 1500 organizations.

[mikey]

Friday, May 02, 2008Print This Page
Long-Term, Returns will Improve says NZ Pork Chief
NEW ZEALAND - Further to comments made earlier this week that low NZ pork prices would bolster consumption, Sam McIvor, chief executive of New Zealand Pork says that producers will have to bide their time until the benefits from cheap pork reach them.



Pork may be the cheapest meat in retail cabinets, but it will be consumers, not farmers, who capitalise, at least for the next six months, he said in a report for The Press.

A world glut of imported pork had helped to put pork in the unenviable position of being the cheapest meat in New Zealand and although this was a good deal for consumers at a time when people were watching their budgets, it's not so good for producers.

"New Zealand producers might be losing $30 to $50 a pig, but we are not unique and basically the world over is losing money as a result of the big liquidity of herds,"  said Mr McIvor.

He said cheaper prices would eventually drive greater demand to raise returns for producers.
A survey by the pork organisation last month found pork prices were, overall, cheaper than beef, lamb or chicken across 28 cuts of meat in 12 stores in the Auckland and the Waikato areas.

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Friday, May 02, 2008Print This Page
Waikato Piggery Plans May go to Appeal
NEW ZEALAND - A Waikato pig farmer is considering an appeal against a decision to reject expansion plans that would take his business 1,100 to 22,000 pigs.



The proposed pig production site, at Kereone, near Morrinsville, would cover an area of 42,000 square metres. It also includes a 300 tonne per day organic waste digester to process the pig slurry and organic waste and produce biogas.

The owners, the McIntyre family, say the total development would have cost between $30 million and $60 million.

Owner Ken McIntyre says the biogas plant would also benefit the local community, because it would have given businesses a place to send their organic waste, as well as providing electricity that would have been fed back into the national grid.

[mikey]

Monday, May 05, 2008Print This Page
Chinese Pork Exports Halved in First Two Months
CHINA - China Customs figures show that pork exports have reduced by half in the first two months as compared to the same time last year.



China exported 12,000 tonnes of fresh and frozen pork in January and February, down 55.2 percent from the same period last year. Export value declined 16.8 percent to $37.62 million.

Pork export began to slow down in June last year and recovered in September, but it went down again from the beginning of this year, according to China Customs.

Pork price went up to $3,284 per tonne in February, a record since January 2007.

Analysts say narrowing gap between domestic and international prices made companies more reluctant to export. Robust domestic sales during the Spring Festival in February, when Chinese people buy more food to prepare feasts during the traditional holiday, also diverted part of the pork supply.

Severe winter weather in southern China this year had disrupted transportation and caused delivery delay of many overseas orders, analysts say, adding that the freezing havoc had also hurt pig husbandry and tightened supply.

[mikey]

Monday, May 05, 2008Print This Page
EU's Plan for Pig Remains Causes Rage
IRELAND - While the EU's plan to permit pig remains to be used as poultry feed could save farmers millions, animal rights activists and certain religious sects are enraged by this plan.



According to the Irish Examiner, seventy million chickens are produced in Ireland annually, but the price of cereal feed has soared.

The use of animal protein in animal feeds was banned in Europe after the BSE (mad cow disease) crisis more than a decade ago.

Suggestions from EU officials in Brussels of a return to the use of animal remains in farm feeds have angered animal rights campaigners and Muslim organisations.

Objectors claim the move would put families at risk, offend religious sensibilities and spark a consumer backlash. Muslims are among the fastest-growing ethnic groups in Ireland with a population of 32,539, according to the 2006 census.

An EU project looking at testing methods is due for completion in 2009.

At the height of the BSE crisis in 1994, the EU banned the use of animal remains for farm feed-stuffs, but, under technical recommendations published in 2005, outlined proposals that in future some bans might be relaxed.

Since then costs of cereals have risen dramatically and the EU proposal is linked to these price rises.

Only poultry feed would be exempt from the current ban on the use of animal remains. The practice of feeding the remains of ruminants, mostly cows and sheep, to other ruminants — a process linked to the spread of BSE — would still be outlawed.

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Monday, May 05, 2008Print This Page
PRRS: Vietnam Sees Signs of Encouragement
VIET NAM - According to Thanhnien News, there have been no new sightings of blue ear disease in the last three days, which is a positive sign, particularly for Thanh Hoa, one of the more hard-hit areas in Viet Nam.


 
The spread of blue ear pig disease, which has ravaged herds in 10 provinces, has slowed but the risk of recurrence remains high, officials have said.

The report was made by Mai Van Ninh (Local People's Committee Chairman) on Sunday at a government meeting.

Ha Tinh, where the first recurrence of the disease was reported this year, recorded no new outbreaks in 46 out of 77 affected communes, provincial leader Tran Minh Ky said.

However, “the development of the disease is still very complicated,” Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Cao Duc Phat told the meeting, which was broadcast live on a state television channel.

“All localities must be extremely watchful to prevent the disease from spreading,” Phat said.

Blue ear disease, also known as Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS), is highly fatal in pigs and has killed or led to the culling of more than 254,000 pigs since the first outbreak of the year was reported in late March.

Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai promised the government would support pig farmers by extending current loan terms and providing more loans.

Hai asked administrations of provinces and cities nationwide to carry out necessary measures to contain and prevent the disease.

In the long term, he said, animal breeding should follow a concentrated “semi-industrial farming” model to ensure “sustainable development.”

Vietnam has battled blue ear pig disease on and off throughout the north, south and central regions over the past two years.

The agricultural ministry plans to conduct testing of imported PRRS vaccines in several provinces.

View the ThanhNien News

[mikey]

Monday, May 05, 2008Print This Page
Tesco Opts for Pork from Bowes of Norfolk
UK - Outdoor-reared Norfolk pork will be going into every Tesco store across East Anglia from today, writes Michael Pollitt (EDP Rural Affairs editor).



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"East Anglia has always been synonymous with pork and it is with great pride that we have introduced regional pork into stores for our customers." 
Sam Nundy, Tesco's regional buying manager
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According to him, Bowes of Norfolk, which breeds and rears outdoor pigs on 4,000 acres of Breckland, will be supplying “Finest Norfolk” pork to the country's biggest food retailer.

“We're delighted that Tesco has selected our pigs,” said Adrian Dowling, chief executive of the Watton-based company, which is the town's largest employer with about 700 staff.

“This is good news for local production because it will reduce food miles and has animal welfare benefits because our pigs are traditionally-reared outdoors,” he added.

He said the Finest Norfolk Pork range would also be sold in stores in other counties.

“We have, of course, been the sole supplier of the Finest fresh pork to Tesco for some time now. This is an extension of our activity and the initiative is to launch Norfolk in the first instance into the region. We will be closely moitoring the performance of this.”

Richard Meeds, business development manager of Bowes, said: “Finest is the UK's leading premium brand and we are pleased to have a wide choice of pork products available within the range.”

Bowes also breeds its own pigs, which are allowed to run freely across the fields. The pigs are reared according to the RSPCA's Freedom Food standards.

Bowes, which won the enterprise category of the EDP Business Awards last year, also announced plans last month to put the whole processing operation on one site at Brandon Road.

[mikey]

Monday, May 05, 2008Print This Page
French Abatoirs Deemed Scandalous
FRANCE - It has been reported that almost half of the slaughterhouses in France fail to conform to European standards of hygiene, as per a memorandum from the Directorate General of Food (DGAL).



According to the document French magazine Le Point was able to access, almost half of the slaughterhouses for poultry and rabbits and 42 per cent for pig, cattle and calves are outlawed due to their unhygienic ways.

The magazine goes on to say: "The situation in the slaughterhouses can sometimes be called apocalyptic."

DGAL, however, denies these claims, saying that they are untrue and that out of the 333 abattoirs, only 19 (responsible for processing 1 per cent of the total meat) are of inferior quality due to hygiene issues. "The veterinary services only research the animals upon arrival in the slaughterhouses and check the carcasses' veterinary quality upon departure," vice-director Monique Eloit said.

However, DGAL stressed on the fact that 59 French abattoirs have been closed down within the last half decade for economic and hygienic reasons. This is due to the checks made by the regional directors. The European Union demands a certain level of hygiene and these slaughterhouses have failed thus.

The European agency for animal health is seeing to it that the situation in France is remedied.