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Monday, February 22, 2010Print This Page
Weaning Age Does Not Affect Lifetime Performance
AUSTRALIA - Weaning piglets at 13 or 21 days of age influenced growth immediately after weaning but it was not a major factor in lifetime performance or body composition at commercial slaughter weights, concluded University of Melbourne researchers.



C.L. Collins and colleagues at the University of Melbourne have investigated the effects of early weaning piglets on their lifetime performance and carcass composition. Their paper is published in the latest issue of Animal Production Science.

They explain that 240 pigs (120 entire boars and 120 gilts) were selected in three replicates of 40 boars and 40 gilts and housed in pens of 20 pigs of the same sex. Pigs were allocated to a 2×2 factorial experiment, with the respective factors being sex (entire male or female) and age at weaning (13 or 21 days).

Pigs within each replicate were weaned on the same day, with the pigs' farrowing date differing by about eight days for the two weaning ages. Pigs were offered ad libitum access to feed for the entire experimental period.

Eight, randomly selected pigs from each pen were tagged as focus animals. These animals underwent dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scanning six times from weaning through to slaughter to measure changes in body composition.

The animals weaned at 13 days of age were significantly lighter at weaning (4.68 ± 1.16 and 6.84 ± 1.34 kg, respectively, for the animals weaned at 13 and 21 days.

During the first four days after weaning, pigs weaned at 21 days of age consumed more feed (72.1 versus 30.9 g/day) and gained faster (+35.0 versus –63.0 g/day) than those weaned at 13 days. The pigs weaned at 13 days did, however, catch up to be the same weight as those weaned at 21 days by 53 days of age (17.4 and 17.8 kg, respectively).

Daily gain from birth to 146 days of age did not differ between treatments (610, 597, 640 and 657 g/day, respectively, for the gilts weaned at 13 days, gilts weaned at 21 days, boars weaned at 13 days and boars weaned at 21 days).

DXA analyses indicated that the animals weaned at 13 days had a greater percentage of lean tissue at 119 days of age (78.4 and 76.8 per cent, respectively) although this was not maintained through to slaughter.

There were no treatment effects on the percentage of adipose tissue from 90 to 146 days of age, although the DXA estimated adipose tissue mass was greater at 146 days of age in the animals weaned at 21 days (13.8 and 15.2 kg, respectively, for the animals weaned at 13 and 21 days of age).

These data suggest that weaning age predominately influences growth immediately after weaning, and does not have a major influence on lifetime growth performance or body composition at commercial slaughter weights, concluded Collins and co-authors.

Reference
Collins C.L., B.J. Leury and F.R. Dunshea. 2010. Early weaning has minimal effects on lifetime growth performance and body composition of pigs. Animal Production Science 50(2): 79–87. doi:10.1071/AN09059

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Brazilian Exports: Poultry Falls, Pork Rises
BRAZIL - The volume of poultry exports were 15 per cent lower in January than the same month in 2009, while pork exports were three per cent higher.



Brazil's poultry exports were 15 per cent lower last month than January 2009 – totalling 233,000 metric tons – according to the Brazilian poultry producers Association, Abef.

Progressive Farmer reports that poultry sales were down mostly due to weaker demand from neighbouring Venezuela, which purchased 77 per cent less poultry last month than in January 2009 as the country used stocks built up during the first half of last year.

Brazil's poultry exports fell 16 per cent in revenue terms last year, while volume was unchanged at 3.63 million tonnes. According to Abef, last year's performance suffered as the global financial crisis weakened demand and lowered prices. Exports also suffered due to a stronger local currency, which makes the country less competitive on the international market.

Meanwhile, pork exports were up last month, totalling 39,000 tonnes or three per cent higher than the same period last year, according to the Brazilian pork producers association, known as Abipecs. Russia was Brazil's main customer last month, importing 21,000 tonnes of pork.

Brazil hopes pork exports this year will increase by at least five per cent on last year's volume of 607,000 tonnes, which was impacted by the H1N1 virus. There is also optimism in relation to the opening of the Chinese market, announced in December. Brazilian beef and port exports to China had been blocked for a number of years due to concerns over foot and mouth disease.

However, Brazilian beef and pork producers still need to obtain individual certification from Chinese sanitation authorities before being allowed to export. China is the largest pork market in the world, responsible for around 40 per cent of demand.

Pork and poultry production and exports have a strong impact on the local corn and soybean markets. Brazil produced a record winter corn crop last season and is on track to repeat that again this season, according to Progressive Farmer. Sluggish local demand and high carry over stocks, however, means prices are currently below the cost of production in most regions of the country.

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Pork demand grows in Cambodia
[25 February 2010] Pork shortage is likely to grow Cambodia if the domestic pig production cannot keep up with growing demand for pork in the country. Mong Reththy, Predient of the pig breeding firm Mong Reththy Group said demand for pork in Cambodia's capital of Phnom Penh grew 20% in 2009 to 1600 pigs/day last year. This year, he said, Phnom Penh would require 730,000 pigs worth USD 182.5 million.  If the  domestic pig production is not developed fast enough, shortage of pigs is likely to occur in the city and other parts of the country soon.

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Indonesia lifts ban on pig and pork imports
[24 February 2010] Indonesia's trade ministry has lifted a year long ban on imports of pigs, pork and its derivatives. The ban was imposed in may last year following concerns over the A(H1N1) virus. Imports are now allowed as there has been no cases of swine flu spreading from pigs or pork to humans. Mangku Sitepoe, a senior veterinary expert from the Bogor Institute of Agriculture, said the import ban should not have been applied in the first place because it had been scientifically proven that the virus cannot spread from swine to humans.

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Denmark, UK Lead EU Pig Sector Recovery
GLOBAL - Denmark and UK are leading the revival in the EU pig sector, while Russia and China are aiming at self-sufficiency.



Denmark and the UK will lead a recovery in Europe's pig sector, which last year saw piglet production fall to its lowest level since the 1990s as economic downturn pushed many operators into liquidation, according to AgriMoney.

EU piglet output will rise by 1.5 million animals to 256.0 million head in 2010, the first rise in three years, to feed a rebound in demand for pork from Chinese and Russian importers.

The increase will be led by Denmark – which, unlike some other EU states, already exports pork directly to China – and the UK, which was shielded from the worst of last year's downturn by the weakness of the pound.

"The low sterling-euro exchange rate benefited profitability to which [UK] farmers responded by increasing sow stocks," a report from the US Department of Agriculture's European staff said.

Poland and Spain had felt the brunt of the slump, accounting between them for nearly half Europe's piglet output cutbacks.

The sector has been in distress since mid-2007, hit first by high feed prices before the global economic recession dented demand for pork, of which EU exports tumbled 18.2 per cent to 1.41 million tonnes last year.

However, pork exports to Russia look likely to be supported by, besides economic revival, a dearth of alternative suppliers after Moscow tightened hygiene standards, limiting trade with many countries.

"The supply of competitive pork exporters to the Russian market has been cut off," the report said.

According to AgriMoney, Russia is attempting to become self sufficient in pork by 2012 as part of a plan to reduce its huge levels of meat imports. The country is the world's second biggest importer of pork – and the biggest, on a net basis, of both beef and poultry.

While China is also aiming to meet its own needs, it will rely increasingly on imports for pork by-products nonetheless, providing an opportunity for European producers, the briefing added.

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Outlook '10: Promising Future for Aussie Pig Meat
AUSTRALIA - Australian pig meat production will increase slightly over the next five years in response to better prices and more palatable feed grain costs.



But that's just as well, with a forecast rise in imports over the same period.

According to the ABARE commodities report, domestic pig production is forecast to remain largely unchanged at 329,000 tonnes in 2010-2011.

That figure will increase to 338,000 tonnes by 2014-15, according to Stock Journal.

ABARE says feed costs account for about 55 per cent of total production costs and the pig to feed grain ratio is not expected to change in the foreseeable future.

Imports will rise by about four per cent this year to 148,000 tonnes thanks to the high value of the Australian dollar, and imports are expected to hit 151,000 tonnes by 2014-14.

Australian pig meat exports will remain stable at around 27,500 tonnes.

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EU Pig Prices: Ranging from Steady to Falling
EU - The prices in this week’s slaughter pig market prove to range from steady to falling throughout Europe.

 

Compared with the previous week’s clear price declines, the German, Dutch, Danish, Belgian and Austrian quotations remain unchanged this week. The French and Spanish quotations fell by one corrected cent, and in Sweden the price went down by four corrected cents. Again, the decreasing of the corrected price in Great Britain was attributed to currency shifts.

Related to the very low quantities of pigs mature for slaughter on offer in Spain, it is considered at the slaughter companies there to have one day less for slaughters to be carried out every week. They intend to do so until Easter at least. Yet, the Spanish price went down by one cent, after last week’s price increase. In France, the fall in prices is said to be caused by increased quantities of pigs mature for slaughter on offer.

Trend: The development of the pig prices is not easy to predict for this week. The quantities of pigs for slaughter on offer continue to be extensive, but they are quite well sold on the market. Thus, the pig prices are expected to remain steady this week.

Week D NL DK B F PL CZ IT ESP AUT GB SWE IR
3 Week 1,246 € 1,231 € 1,161 € 1,193 € 1,185 € 1,183 € 1,302 € 1,437 € 1,349 € 1,240 € 1,530 € 1,159 € 1,176 €
4 Week 1,246 € 1,231 € 1,160 € 1,193 € 1,185 € 1,170 € 1,304 € 1,437 € 1,360 € 1,240 € 1,538 € 1,151 € 1,176 €
5 Week 1,286 € 1,260 € 1,177 € 1,230 € 1,185 € 1,151 € 1,295 € 1,430 € 1,382 € 1,290 € 1,534 € 1,148 € 1,214 €
6 Week 1,326 € 1,309 € 1,204 € 1,267 € 1,224 € 1,123 € 1,276 € 1,430 € 1,417 € 1,330 € 1,501 € 1,148 € 1,214 €
7 Week 1,326 € 1,309 € 1,231 € 1,267 € 1,269 € 1,192 € 1,296 € 1,430 € 1,468 € 1,330 € 1,507 € 1,187 € 1,214 €
8 Week 1,326 € 1,309 € 1,232 € 1,267 € 1,315 € 1,265 € 1,300 € 1,430 € 1,506 € 1,330 € 1,502 € 1,165 € 1,214 €
9 Week 1,266 € 1,251 € 1,232 € 1,205 € 1,277 € 1,246 €   1,380 € 1,525 € 1,300 € 1,500 € 1,180 € 1,214 €
10 Week 1,266 € 1,251 € 1,232 € 1,205 € 1,269 €     1,380 € 1,514 € 1,300 € 1,483 € 1,139 € 1,214 €

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Korean Judges Impressed with US Pork
SOUTH KOREA - An independent blind taste test of pork from around the world conducted recently by a leading South Korean magazine delivered some surprising results – at least for the Korean participants and the competition sponsors.

 

With the introduction of mandatory country of origin labeling for meat products in Korea, the editors of Cookand magazine – a monthly magazine focused on food, cooking, restaurants, chefs and wine that is read by housewives as well as food and restaurant critics, gourmets, cooking instructors and young chefs because of its specialized contents – speculated that consumers might be using labels to drive their purchasing decisions. To measure taste preferences without bias, Cookand conducted its test while disguising both the price and source of the pork samples.

In the end, two five-person panels consisting of food bloggers and meat industry professionals gave US pork very high marks. And several of the respondents expressed surprise when they learned that the pork samples they favored came from the United States rather than domestic sources.

“Beyond our expectations, US pork was rated highly in both the frozen and chilled categories,” wrote the editors of Cookand magazine after the meat industry professionals revealed their choices.

For the competition, Cookand editors selected collar butt and single-ribbed belly, which are the most popular pork cuts among Korean consumers, both at home and when dining out. Frozen meat samples came from Austria, Belgium, Chile and the United States. Chilled meat samples consisted of two domestic brands and US product.

The judges were meat industry professionals (two chefs, a cooking specialist, menu consultant and a meat expert) as well as the panel of power bloggers (Internet bloggers whose Web sites draw 5,000 or more visitors per day).

To ensure a fair comparison, Cookand took steps to minimize differences in freshness among the samples due to time in distribution, using only samples that were less than 20 days after importation.

Professionals want domestic pork, love US pork
The panel of meat industry professionals gave high marks to both frozen and fresh US pork, but the editors of Cookand noted a struggle between the professionals’ taste buds and their national pride.

“What is interesting was the evaluation on personal liking, which was different before and after disclosing the countries of origin,” the editors wrote. “In the case of chilled pork, US pork scored high before disclosing the countries of origin. However, once the countries of origin and prices were revealed, domestic branded pork also scored high. These findings show that the professionals have some degree of emotional preference for domestic brands.”

The professionals gave high marks to both US and Belgian frozen collar butt and belly, while preferring US and a domestic brand when it came to chilled.

The comments from the professionals were revealing:

“I was impressed that US pork had much better color than domestic pork. It was difficult to distinguish domestic pork from imported pork when the countries of origin were not disclosed. I was amazed that my perception and notions were quite different from the facts.” – Choi Jin-heun, master chef and professor at Yuhan University


“When the countries of origin were disclosed and I checked the origin of the sample I thought tasted best, I was surprised that it was US pork. In particular, when its low price and high quality are considered, it was very satisfactory. I think it is worthwhile considering when I make a personal purchase as a consumer.” – Seong Myung-hoon, head chef of the buffet restaurant at Incheon Sheraton Walker Hill
Bloggers reinforce the findings
To balance the opinions of the meat industry professionals, Cookand assembled a five-person panel of consumers – not typical consumers but power bloggers active in cooking. While there was some variation in the favorites, US pork was still a surprisingly popular choice.

Among frozen cuts, the bloggers chose US and Austrian pork as the best in the frozen collar butt category while US and Belgian offerings led in frozen bellies. Two domestic brands were preferred in chilled collar butt while US chilled bellies tied with one domestic brand as the favorites.

“Above all, in preference relative to price, chilled US pork was the overwhelming favorite,” the editors reported. “It was highly evaluated as it was not very different from domestic pork considering its quality relative to price.”

The comments from the bloggers were effusive for US pork:

“In the past, I insisted on domestic beef and pork mainly because of perception. A predominant view was that it is better to eat a safer meat even if we have to eat slightly less of it. Of course, I never doubted that domestic meat would taste better... The outcome was really unexpected. I was amazed at how chewy and juicy US belly was.” – Yun Ji-yeon


“The US chilled belly was quite tasty…I assumed it was domestic pork. Prejudice causes fear. Going forward, I should boldly try new things. The US pork was fresher than I had expected, and it tasted quite good.” – Lee Jin-Kyung


“Tasting without indications of the country of origin or price was most impressive. When the prices and countries of origin were disclosed, my perception of US chilled and frozen meat changed. I was surprised at the superb taste and high quality relative to price.” – Lee Na-yeol

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Hot weather, drought in Thailand cut pig production
[13 May 2010] Unprecedented hot weather in many areas in Thailand, with temperatures of 43-44 degree Celsius in many places, has resulted in lower pig production as the animals are suffering heat stress and eating less and this has slowed growth. The resulting drought has caused farmers to purchase additional water and this has raised production cost. Many farmers have reduced their sow population and this has contracted the market by around 30%. Pork supply to the market is expected to be lower and while prices are likely to rise say market participants.

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Vietnamese pig farmers suffer low prices
[14 May 2010] Low pork prices in Vietnam resulting from the blue-ear pig disease outbreaks in the country’s northern region has raised concerns for hundreds of thousands of pig farms.Nguyen Huu Chi, Director of Tien Phong Pig Farming Cooperative in Ho Chi Minh City said the cooperative lost about VND 1.2 billion (USD 63,300) after pork prices decreased from VND 35,000 (USD 1. to VND 32,000/kg (USD 1.68). The cooperative sells around 400 tonnes of pork each day. Pork prices in the southern market have also dropped although the disease has yet to hit the region. High animal feed costs are also creating challenges for farmers.

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Vietnamese pig farmers suffer low prices
[14 May 2010] Low pork prices in Vietnam resulting from the blue-ear pig disease outbreaks in the country’s northern region has raised concerns for hundreds of thousands of pig farms.Nguyen Huu Chi, Director of Tien Phong Pig Farming Cooperative in Ho Chi Minh City said the cooperative lost about VND 1.2 billion (USD 63,300) after pork prices decreased from VND 35,000 (USD 1. to VND 32,000/kg (USD 1.68). The cooperative sells around 400 tonnes of pork each day. Pork prices in the southern market have also dropped although the disease has yet to hit the region. High animal feed costs are also creating challenges for farmers.

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Pork prices in Thailand rise on declining supply     
[21 May 2010] Pork prices in Thailand have been rising above the recommended levels set by the government as pig production has been falling significantly due to the drought and hot weather. Pork prices have been hovering around THB 120- 125/kg (USD 3.71- 3.86), up above THB 105- 110/kg (USD 3.24- 3.40) recommended by the Department of Internal Trade. Unprecedented hot weather in Thailand caused pig supply to fall as much as 30% as the animal eat less and grow slowly while areas have suffered a drop in water supply for use in farms. Moreover, supply of feed raw materials such as corn and cassava are also declining, causing prices to rise.

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Bats Found to Carry Nipah Virus
MALAYSIA - Researchers have found that Nipah disease can be spread to pigs and humans by bats.



Researchers have discovered bats as Nipah disease carriers and had been the natural reservoir hosts for the virus apart from mosquitoes and pigs, from blood samples taken from the flying mammals, reports Bernama.

Professor Tan Chong Tin, a neurologist, from the Department of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, said bats roosted in the trees within the piggeries in Malaysia, eating the fruits as oil palm fruits within the region dwindled due to El Nino and the Kalimantan bushfires back in 1998.

"The bats then dropped the remnant fruits, other than urine and faeces. What happened next was that the pig farm workers collected the half-eaten fruits and fed them to the pigs, thus transferring the virus in the bats to the pigs."

He told this to reporters after delivering a lecture on 'The Saga of Nipah Virus Encephalitis - An Update' at the International Medical University Malaysia (IMU).

Dr Tan and his 15-member team won the inaugural Merdeka Award in 2008 for their contribution under the Health, Science and Technology category.

Also present at the lecture was Merdeka Award executive director, Datuk Khalid Mohd and dean of IMU's School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Professor Peter C.K. Pook.

The Merdeka Award was established in 2007 to recognise and reward outstanding individuals and organisations whose works and achievements not only contribute to the nation's growth but also inspire Malaysians.

Bernama reports Dr Tan saying that there were also evidence to show that fruit bats coming from a vast area of the world, stretching from West Africa to Australia, were harbouring Nipah or Nipah-like viruses.

"The bats can also criss-cross this region, thus similar bats are found in neighbouring Thailand and Indonesia, after being previously found to roost in Malaysia," he explained.

He said one of his team members, Dr Chua Kaw Bing, a specialist in virology, discovered a number of new viruses in Pulau Tioman in 2000 and Melaka in 2007, indicating that "bats are an important reservoir of the deadly viruses that may infect humans".

He said the experience gained from characterising the Nipah virus, previously unknown to science, and containing the disease outbreak had been important in making Malaysia better prepared to counter virus outbreaks in future.

It had also won Malaysia international recognition in the fields of medicine and virology, he added.

Asked about the research level on the Nipah virus in Malaysia, he said there was still some ongoing work by the Veterinary Research Institute and suggested more funding on Nipah virus research.

He warned that it was possible for the virus to emerge again in this country, affecting those in the rural areas especially.

"We do not want the virus to re-emerge in Malaysia and that is why we need to do more research on the deadly virus and awareness campaigns for the safety of the public," he said.

In 1998, Bernama reports that more than 100 people affected by the virus died, while about 1,700 pigs were culled to stop the virus from spreading.

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Thai pig supply situation remains critical
[1 June 2010] The pig supply situation in Thailand remains worrisome as hot weather and lack of good-quality water continues to cripple production flow. Drought in many areas have caused pig farmers to secure water supply from external sources. In some cases the water has contained inappropriate minerals that impaired animal health. The average weight of a live pig ready for slaughter has fallen to 95 kg from 100 kg normally for 3-4 weeks . Pig production has dropped by 30% and continues to fall. Pig farmers have agreed to stay with a live pig price not exceeding the ceiling of THB 62.50/kg, but they urged the government to let the price move according to the demand-supply mechanism to help farmers pull through this difficult situation.

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Japan’s biggest pork, beef city hit by FMD
[16 June 2010] Culling is underay in the city of Miyakonojo in Japan's Miyazaki prefecture to stem the outbreak of food-and-mouth disease. The city is the country's largest production center for beef and pork. In 2007 it was home to 376,100 pigs and 67,000 beef cattle and produced around USD 247 million worth of pork and roughly USD 166 million worth of beef cattle in 2006. Authorities fear the disease could spread to nearby Kagoshima prefecture, which accounts for 14% of Japan's total hogs and 13% of its beef cattle herd as of February 2009.