Pigs don’t sweat. Their lack of functional sweat glands can be dangerous or even fatal during transport, and it prompted a study on the impact of ventilation in warm weather for pigs prior to unloading at the plant.

Both literally and financially, it’s not a pretty picture, as gut issues cost pork producers time, money and lost production. In any battle, the key to victory is knowledge of your opponent, and that was a focal point for the information session held by Swine Innovation Porc prior to the 2020 Banff Pork Seminar.

There are many conditions from which sows can recover, but death isn't one of them. Apart from the psychological toll that sow losses place on workers, they can be deadly to your bottom line. Researchers understand this all too well, and are seeking to address the issue, along with other sow challenges, in the project "Optimizing sow productivity and management: Impact of grouping practices on sow reproductive performance and piglet development and identification of risk factors for sow mortality".

As a marketing slogan, “quality is overrated” never caught on, and for good reason. To pork consumers and producers, quality is king. As science applies the latest technology to predict, measure and enhance pork quality, using everything from bruises to pig ears, industry is eying the results with interest.

Like humans, pigs are complex creatures. The more we understand our animals, the better we can support them, and healthier pigs mean healthier profits. Fair to say, then, that taking a few hours to hear three experts talk about the role of the microbiome (the genetic material of all the microbes - bacteria, fungi, protozoa and viruses - that live on and inside the body) in human and pig health is time well spent.

One area that is gaining more attention these days is the gut microbiome (the genetic material of all the microbes - bacteria, fungi, protozoa and viruses - that live on and inside the body) and its implications for both human and pig health.

While economics are a limiting factor when it comes to pig housing, science is focused on balancing comfort and affordability. As part of that effort, researchers took a closer look at space allowance for nursery pigs and producer options for converting to group sow housing.

Despite awareness-raising efforts, even today, many producers enter confined spaces without taking the necessary protective measures. They convince themselves that it is not necessary to set up the entire entry procedure, because they are only going in for a minute, they have already come down several times, and nothing happened ... MISTAKE! Whatever the reason, you should never go down into the pre-tank without putting in place the necessary safety measures.
(Document in French only)

Why fast pigs? What are the advantages? And for whom? Full stomachs cause problems and financial loss for producers, transporters and processors alike.
(Document in French only)

As feed costs eat up an ever greater portion of producer budgets, finding ways to reduce that expense can help trim losses and shift the ink color from red to black.