Keeping the tails of pigs whole is still a challenge in 2021. How do we adress the challenge of tail biting in pig production amidst rising animal welfare concerns and...

Increasingly, influenza in pigs is getting more complex. The virus is also behaving more whimsical than 10 years ago. That is why it is good to focus on the pathogen’s...

Making livestock farming more sustainable starts with a critical look at the feed and management choices made. A life cycle assessment can help to predict how sustainable these choices on...

Advancements in fibre analysis have enabled nutritionists to effectively incorporate high-fibre ingredients into monogastric diets to improve or maintain production performance. What is fibre and where does it come from?...

A pig is much more than a creature that needs a roof, feeding and a good health. After all, everything always influences the other. Good nutrition can be a prerequisite...

Oxidative stress is a major and still underestimated issue in pig farming. Body cells are damaged or even destroyed, causing significant energy losses in vivo, undermining the pig’s genetic potential...

With sows increasingly being kept loose during gestation, and farrowing crates likely to disappear, claw quality and integrity are becoming much more important. How can nutrition help improve claw quality...

A new high-oil corn product offers greater amino acid and energy digestibility in growing pigs, according to new research from the University of Illinois. “This corn has a higher oil...

Food prices climbed 4.5% last month, the sixth consecutive month of increases, according to the Consumer Price Index for Food. The increase was led by the meat sector, with the...

For the first time, a pig kidney has been transplanted into a human without triggering immediate rejection by the recipient's immune system, a potentially major advance that could eventually help...

Collaborative research in the Netherlands has shown that more piglets can start eating prior to weaning, they can grow faster and display better behaviour when they are supplied according to...

Could sow lameness have an impact on piglet survival? That question was asked in a recent study. Swine health and welfare expert Dr Monique Pairis-Garcia highlights the potential longer-term effects...

This is the fourth in the series of the top 5 most-promising soybean meal alternatives, which we will share over the next couple of weeks, in terms of protein profile,...

African Swine Fever virus (ASFv) has been found in a wild boar carcass that was found 60km away from earlier cases in Saxony state. The carcass was found near the...

New data by livestock management company Nedap show that gilts that gain decent amounts of weight during gestation, will eventually produce a litter with more piglets born alive. Breeding gilts...

These days, it is difficult to find and retain qualified farm staff. Automation could be part of the solution – one that could also bring a positive contribution to farm...

Findings in alternative home-grown protein sources could help the UK pig sector move away from unsustainable soya imports. At a time when global supplies of soy are looking increasingly fragile,...

Does keeping pigs in mobile, self-driving animal houses sound futuristic? Not according to a recent Canadian initiative. Canadian farmer and technologist Daniel Badiou of Ukko Robotics designed an outdoor mobile...

This article aims to highlight why oxidation in feed can become a big concern for swine producers, what the problems resulting from oxidation in pig feed are, and present practical...

Feeding sows during the lactation period is a particular challenge due to the high nutrient requirements. The NSP enzyme Natugrain TS from BASF can contribute to a better supply and...

Haiti reported an outbreak of African swine fever (ASF) to the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) on Sept. 20. This is the first case of ASF virus reported in...

Do you know the signs of African swine fever (ASF)? Whether it’s China, the Dominican Republic or elsewhere, ASF doesn’t always present itself with clear symptoms. According to Patrick Webb,...

Foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) can be introduced to pigs through the importation of contaminated feed products, confirms a new study performed by researchers from USDA ‘s Agricultural Research Service at...

Lameness is now the leading cause of mortality in mid- to late-finishing pigs. How did lameness develop into such a big problem? Mike Eisenmenger, DVM, Swine Vet Center, and Kathleen...

Monarch Bioenergy, a joint venture between Smithfield Foods, Inc. and Roeslein Alternative Energy (RAE), recently finished installing manure-to-energy technology on nearly all of Smithfield’s Northern Missouri hog finishing farms. The...

Values for the apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) and the standardized total tract digestibility (STTD) of Phosphorus (P) and Calcium (Ca) have been measured in most feed ingredients. In almost...

Efforts to control the feral pig population in Oklahoma are ahead of last year, USDA reports. USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) created the National Feral Swine Damage...

Swine producers in Ukraine are considering plans to produce premium pork without the use of antibiotics, even though opinion polls show the local population is not bothered about antibiotic resistance...

The black soldier fly (BSFL) offers a range of opportunities for pigs, not only as a feed ingredient, but also as edible enrichment. Providing small daily portions of live BSFL...

As an often overlooked subpopulation on farm, boars are a critical component in the success and productivity of a sow farm. What can be done to ensure optimal health and...

As for many ingredients, a proper balance is necessary when supplying iron to newly weaned piglets. Iron is essential for piglets at this stage of life, yet too much of...

Reston virus should be considered a livestock pathogen with zoonotic potential. That was the outcome of a US study in pigs, who found that piglets experimentally infected with the virus...

Researchers in China set out to evaluate the effect of flavoured feed on reproductive performance and faecal microbiota of sows during late gestation and lactation. An overall positive effect on...

Now Germany had to face the first outbreaks of African Swine Fever virus in domestic pigs, the million dollar question more than ever is whether the country can get the...

Danish researchers put ventilation to the test in an attempt to see if methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) could also spread outside pig houses. The airborne spread of livestock-associated MRSA (LA-MRSA)...

Pig and poultry producers in Brazil have been buying wheat in the futures market instead of corn in order to avoid higher feeding costs. The reason is the very high...

For the Philippines, the African Swine Fever outbreaks in recent years have led to a significant decline in pork production, pushing pork imports to a record high. Meanwhile, the Philippines...

The pig industry is facing new challenges when lactating sows are to be loose housed. How to identify sows with potential health issues for instance? After all, measuring rectal temperature...

Sulphur-containing compounds are essential elements for pigs. However, there is a rising concern about the excess of sulphur sources in the diet, as sulphates could serve as a substrate for...

South Africa’s swine sector has not been spared from the protest action, looting, and vandalism that recently took place in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng provinces. Pig farms, slaughterhouses and animal feed...