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3 The Trusted Source for Canada’s Pork Producers Better Pork | August 2024 Better Pork is published six times a year by AgMedia Inc. 1-888-248-4893 ext 281 Subscriptions@BetterFarming.com ISSN 1497-2271 (Printed) Canadian one-year subscriptions: $22 (six issues; includes $2.53 HST). Two-year: $40 (12 issues; includes $4.60 HST). Single-copy back issues are $12 (including $1.38 HST). U.S. subscriptions: $39.30 annually. International: $66. GST Registration #868959347RT0001 POSTMASTER: Send address changes to AgMedia Inc. 90 Woodlawn Road West, Guelph, ON N1H 1B2 Publications Mail Registration No. 1156 Publications Mail Agreement No. 40037298 Copyright © 2024 by AgMedia Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any content without written permission of the publisher is strictly forbidden. Acceptance of advertising does not constitute endorsement of the advertiser, its products or services, nor do Better Pork, AgMedia or Farms.com endorse any advertiser claims. The publisher shall have no liability for the omission of any scheduled advertising. 1-888-248-4893 90 Woodlawn Road West Guelph, ON N1H 1B2 PUBLISHER & EDITORIAL DIRECTOR PAUL NOLAN ext 202 Paul.Nolan@Farms.com ASSISTANT TO THE PUBLISHER & EDITORIAL DIRECTOR LESLIE STEWART ext 265 Leslie.Stewart@Farms.com EDITORIAL TEAM EMILY CROFT GEOFF GEDDES CONTRIBUTORS TO THIS EDITION MOE AGOSTINO ABHINESH GOPAL MATT JONES JEANINE MOYER AUSTIN PUTZ FIONA TANSIL ADVERTISING TEAM GLENN RUEGG JENNY LONGSTREET DESIGN & PRODUCTION TEAM TANYA MYERS GREG MARLOW SHAUN CLARK ANDREA WILLIAMS www.BetterFarming.com LETTER FROM THE EDITOR BIOSECURITY & H5N1; CPC CALLS ON FEDS This edition of Better Pork is packed with information and insight, and something you should not miss is our update on H5N1 and what’s being done to protect our industry against highly contagious influenza viruses. In our Swine Health Ontario department on Page 27, Jeanine Moyer interviews Dr. Christa Arsenault, lead veterinarian in the Animal Health & Welfare Department for the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness. “While we are all learning from this new H5N1 confirmation in livestock, the importance of preventing transmission and infection isn’t new. Biosecurity is more important than ever, especially as H5N1 is detected in wild bird populations across North America,” explains Arsenault. The article provides biosecurity steps producers can take to prevent H5N1, including limiting exposure to wild birds. (Something as simple as tracking fecal matter from birds into a barn can increase the risk. That’s why it’s important to discourage the attraction of birds around barns by cleaning up any feed spills or preventing birds from nesting in areas within close proximity to barns. It lists seven protocols you can introduce and enforce immediately. The Canadian Pork Council (CPC), the Canadian Meat Council, and two cattle associations are urging the federal government to reinstate the Temporary Foreign Worker Program’s Workforce Solution Roadmap. This initiative, introduced two years ago, was designed to tackle labour shortages in the meat processing and livestock farming sectors. According to the CPC, reducing the allowable proportion of temporary foreign workers from 30 per cent to a new cap of 20 per cent has the opposite impact the government says it wants on food affordability. “We understand the federal government’s concerns about the housing shortage, but temporary foreign workers are not the issue,” stated the CPC These workers are typically provided housing by employers, either through existing accommodations on farms or at processing plants. Cover: Dyck Family photo, Jodie Aldred photo We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada. INSIGHT FROM THE INSIDE INSIGHT FROM THE INSIDE INSIGHT FROM THE INSIDE INSIGHT FROM THE INSIDE INSIGHT FROM THE INSIDE INSIGHT FROM THE INSIDE “If you want to wash, disinfect and dry your transports, that will add another dollar per pig to your expenses. To only wash and dry, it might be 70 cents per pig, or 20 cents to just flush the trailer. As your cost goes down, however, so does your protection.” - Dr. Egan Brockhoff, Page 8 “I love taking care of animals; that is my passion. I also find it satisfying to produce a healthy protein for the world and empower others to do their work. Our farm is a very positive place where people enjoy coming to work and care about the results.” - Sheldon Dyck, Page 21 “While we are all learning from this new H5N1 confirmation in livestock, the importance of preventing transmission and infection isn’t new. Biosecurity is more important than ever, especially as H5N1 is detected in wild bird populations across North America.” - Dr. Christa Arsenault, Page 28
4 The Business of Canadian Hog Farming Better Pork | August 2024 national pork HEADLINES CPC RECEIVES FUNDING FOR NEW ASF TOOL The Canadian Pork Council (CPC) was recently selected for funding to develop improved pen-side testing for African swine fever (ASF). The CPC received the news in May that their project titled ‘Development of a low-cost pen-side assay for rapid detection of African swine fever virus' was selected as part of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s (AAFC) African swine fever Industry Preparedness Program (ASFIPP). The goal of the project is to improve the Canadian pork industry’s emergency preparedness and to ensure pork producers are ready to manage the threat of ASF. To accomplish this, CPC will collaborate with McMaster University to develop an ASFMeter, which will be portable and low-cost to allow producers to diagnose ASF on-farm. “The support from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada is instrumental in advancing our efforts to combat ASF,” said CPC chair René Roy in a recent release from the council. “Our focus on developing a lowcost pen-side assay aligns with our commitment to proactive and innovative solutions for the swine industry.” The ASFIPP program prioritizes research promoting biosecurity in the swine industry, as a joint approach between the industry and government. It will provide up to $23.4 million over three years to address gaps in ASF prevention and develop tools for emergency response to outbreaks. “Animal diseases, including ASF, are a serious threat to Canada’s pork sector, and it’s vitally important that all orders of government and industry take steps to prevent and prepare,” said MacAulay, federal minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food. “These projects are a key part of Canada’s efforts to prevent an ASF outbreak while ensuring our pork sector is ready to respond.” BP Researchers at the University of Saskatchewan are exploring how pigs can play a role in the future of xenotransplantation. The transplantation of organs from one species to another, xenotransplantation, has previously been challenging due to the risk of rejection. The development of transgenic pigs could offer a solution that produces more suitable organs. “We are at the verge of a major change with how medicine is dealing with organ failure,” said Dr. Ali Honaramooz with the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) at USask in a recent release from the university. “USask has the perfect combination of having the College of Medicine with an organ transplant program, WCVM has expertise in creating transgenic pigs in a new way that gives us an advantage ... and VIDO is one of the few institutions in North America that can house large animals at containment Level 3. We have the right combination of expertise.” The release states that the research uses gene-editing tools such as CRISPR-Cas9 to address two major biomedical challenges that have prevented successful xenotransplantation. These challenges are a carbohydrate in pig cells that does not exist in human organs, and the presence of retroviruses in pig cells. Honaramooz explained that public perception is another challenge that researchers will have to address. Many government agencies have regulated or restricted xenotransplantation, but after two successful pig-to-human transplants, the research team expects perspectives to change. “Public perception was hindering research,” he said. “Now we are seeing people walk out of the hospital with a pig kidney – now the public is going to think that could be a possibility to save the life of a loved one down the road.” The project is funded by the Government of Canada’s New Frontiers in Research Fund (NFRF) Exploration program, which is designed to support ‘high risk, high reward’ research. BP - Emily Croft PIGS MAY AID ORGAN TRANSPLANTS Jodie Alred photo
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6 Story Idea? Contact Paul.Nolan@Farms.com Better Pork | August 2024 EXPERT ROUNDTABLE The only thing worse than knowing nothing is thinking you know it all. Success in the pork business today requires a broad base of knowledge on a range of topics, from production to politics to pig health. Even for the savvy, well-rounded producer, it can be tough to keep up. Given that challenge, when experts on risk management, succession and biosecurity sit down to talk, it might pay off to listen. A rewarding look at risk Whether it’s production or market risks, guarding against trouble is good for your peace of mind and bottom line. “Risk management is a huge part of managing a business,” says Cam Dahl, general manager of Manitoba Pork. “Everyone does it directly in some manner, such as producers who choose to self-insure (putting some money aside in case of an unexpected loss), but having access to various tools for mitigating risk is vital. This may be especially true for the pork industry, as the cycles tend to be shorter than for other livestock sectors.” Particularly on the production side, however, pork producers don’t have access to the same caliber of risk management tools as farmers who grow grains, oilseeds and specialty crops. According to Dahl, the missing element is affordability. “Whether it is livestock price insurance or failed attempts at risk management like the Hog Price Insurance Program (HPIP), the tool must be practical from a price standpoint,” says Dahl. “For pork, we haven’t hit that sweet spot yet. In part, it’s a matter of government support for other insurance programs and premiums that have never applied to the livestock sector. HPIP was ineffective because the risk mitigation wasn’t enough to warrant the premiums, and that’s something that must be addressed.” On the marketing side, producers can limit risk in a variety of ways, such as forward contracting. This involves a contract between a buyer (normally a meat packer or a marketing agent) and a seller (normally a producer), where the producer agrees to sell, at a future date, a number of hogs to a buyer for a certain price. Another option is hedging, where producers lock in a price for their pigs regardless of whether the market goes up or down. Risk management for production, however, remains a challenge. “Given the dearth of programs, it comes down to preventing loss through managing disease risk,” says Dahl. “This is achieved largely through Cam Dahl STRAIGHT TALK FROM A ROUNDTABLE. EXPERT ADVICE AT A MODERATE PRICE (FREE!) By GEOFF GEDDES Parichat - stock.adobe.com
7 Story Idea? Contact Paul.Nolan@Farms.com Better Pork | August 2024 EXPERT ROUNDTABLE biosecurity as a means of excluding disease from the barn.” Even the most stringent measures can fail to stave off pathogens, as evidenced by the impact of Porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) in Canada. In response, the federal government provided $482,158 in funding in 2020 for a two-year risk management pilot project run by the Manitoba Pork Council. It was aimed at helping pork producers recover from the damage wreaked by disease outbreaks such as PED. “We have gone through the development phase on this, which involved a lot of statistics and mathematics to assess risks and design a program in response,” says Dahl. “We now have a package that could be commercialized for producers, so it comes down to whether we can roll it out in an affordable manner. That question is still open at this point, but we’re hopeful.” Addressing bio-insecurity As Dahl noted, biosecurity is the ultimate means of reducing risk, and swine veterinarians would agree. “Biosecurity remains the most powerful vaccine we have,” says Dr. Egan Brockhoff, veterinary counselor for the Canadian Pork Council (CPC). “We have updated the national biosecurity standards in Canada to reflect new knowledge and understanding of pig disease. Science continues to evolve in its grasp of how pathogens emerge or reemerge. Viruses rarely sit still, as they are constantly changing, and those changes bring new insights into contamination and risk pathways.” Today, ever-evolving technology is making biosecurity more effective than ever. “The most advanced option we have today is probably Farm Health Guardian,” says Brockhoff. “It is a biosecurity software system – developed in Canada – that protects against diseases like PRRS (Porcine Respiratory and Reproductive Syndrome). The system allows farmers to monitor their transportation routes and movement of people on and off the premises in a precise manner.” Then there is facial recognition software that controls entry to restricted access zones of pig barns. Especially at larger operations that employ hundreds of workers, it can minimize the risk of people breaching the wrong area by mistake. 3-D cameras are another innovation that help monitor pig behavior and help with early disease recognition. “Some barns in Canada now deploy SoundTalks as well,” says Brockhoff. “It uses microphones hung throughout the barn to detect respiratory disease much earlier than traditional methods.” In some ways, the approach to biosecurity in Canada is becoming more nuanced, with herd veterinarians counselling farms on specific measures to fight PRRS or PED, for example. At the same time, there are certain principles and ‘low hanging fruit’ that should always be top of mind. “Direct movement of animals leads to direct movement of disease, and the same applies to semen and embryos,” says Brockhoff. “The next greatest risk comes from animal transports that are improperly disinfected.” Other aspects that require vigilance include the movement of people and supplies in and out of barns, and the potential for pathogen transmission through feed and water. In spite of all the tips, warnings and technology, even the most stringent biosecurity measures will be ineffective with anything less than full compliance on-farm. Consequently, industry is focused on understanding compliance and the roadblocks involved. “The No. 1 challenge to proper biosecurity is being able to implement protocols and have everyone buy in and follow through on them,” says Brockhoff. In short, people need to focus on CRAFT, which stands for Compliance, Recommendations, Acceptance, and Succession planning allows families to create clarity for the future. Farm & Food Care photo Egan Brockhoff
8 The Trusted Source for Canada’s Pork Producers Better Pork | August 2024 Follow-through. Among the chief barriers to compliance is cost, as starting and maintaining a biosecurity program is far from cheap. “Cost has been an issue since Day 1,” says Brockhoff. “If you want to wash, disinfect and dry your transports, that will add another dollar per pig to your expenses. To only wash and dry, it might be 70 cents per pig, or 20 cents to just flush the trailer. As your cost goes down, however, so does your protection.” Expense also varies widely when it comes to managing the flow of people at your barn. Do you just lock the door? Have a full Danish entry? Use a Danish entry and shower? What about adding facial recognition? As long as cost remains a barrier, so too will compliance. Though dollars and cents are critical to optimal biosecurity, so too is attitude. “We noticed some biosecurity fatigue during the PED crisis,” says Brockhoff. “Some workers got tired of following all the rules, and we know they are impacted greatly by social cues from barn managers, production managers and owners. If the owner only comes to the barn twice a week for 15 minutes and feels they don’t need to go through the Danish entry process, it may cause others to let down their guard as well.” Sowing the seeds of succession One reason to keep risk low and herd health high is to benefit the next generation on your farm. Forging a plan for passing the business to new hands is crucial, complex and contentious, but it can be done. “Succession planning comes down to two aspects: Family and business,” says Andrea De Groot, agricultural transition specialist at Farm Credit Canada in Perth, Ont. “The family part is about creating clarity for the future. The senior generation is wondering what the next phase of their life – we’re not using the ‘R’ word here – will look like.” Meanwhile, the junior generation is wondering if they have a place in the operation and, if so, what exactly it will be. The plan gives them confidence to move the business forward. On the business side, a plan allows for shared decision-making based on a solid knowledge of what’s to come. Should we proceed with those bigger capital investments? Do we build that new barn for $1 million? Overall, De Groot sees four pillars as key to a solid plan. “It starts with deciding where everyone will live – something that sounds easy but is pretty important,” says De Groot. “We then look at business continuity and how to keep the operation profitable for the new ownEXPERT ROUNDTABLE PigCHAMP Online brings you all the features of PigCHAMP without the need for software installation or updates. Your entire database is securely stored and remains accessible via remote connection, allowing you the flexibility to manage your operation from anywhere you can connect to the internet. Andrea De Groot
9 The Trusted Source for Canada’s Pork Producers Better Pork | August 2024 ers. It’s important here to drill down and put actual numbers in the plan.” Then, as one of the two certainties in life, it’s time to talk about taxes. Since there are usually significant sums involved, the parties need a tax plan to efficiently move business assets from one generation to the next. The fourth pillar is one that contributes in large part to the success of the other three: Communication. “Here is our general idea … this is what we know and don’t know … these are the people we want at the table,” says De Groot. “You want to create a dialogue so that those who are directly impacted by the plan, as well as other family members, know exactly what is happening. Also, set aside specific times to talk so the subject doesn’t always take a back seat to operational topics like pig flow and shipping dates.” In forging a plan, it can help to build a team of experts, which could include your accountant, lawyer and financial planner. Producers are also wise to set specific dates as deadlines to get things done, rather than just talking about timelines. “I have families who have had a ‘three-year’ timeline in place for the last nine years,” says De Groot. “Including concrete dates will motivate behaviour and keep you on track.” Experts often refer to succession plans as “living documents” that must evolve with the times, and the new rules around capital gains are a prime example. As of June 25 this year, 66.7 per cent of capital gains realized on or after that date were to be included in income for tax purposes, up from the previous 50 per cent. “The news is mixed, as there is an exemption for qualified farms and farm corporations on capital gains up to $250,000,” says De Groot. “Specifically in succession, there are a few different tax policies that can work together to minimize tax impacts. This specific tax impact (the increase from 50 to 66.7 per cent) is felt more when selling assets outside of succession, though not always. “At the end of the day, speaking with an accountant is key, as tax planning is more crucial now than ever.” In the wake of the announced changes, De Groot is seeing a flurry of activity and interest around succession planning, which, as she points out, is “not necessarily a bad thing.” Making those plans, and keeping them up to date, may be particularly needed in the pork sector, given the pace of change in that industry. As De Groot points out, “you only make a succession plan once in your life, so you need to get it right.” BP Specialty pellets designed with your pigs and bottom line in mind! Available Sizes • Mini • Regular • Crumbles Quality • Very Few Fines • Piglets Love Them! Price • Very Competitive Baby Pig Pellets CONTACT KENPAL TODAY! Kenpal Farm Products Inc., 69819 London Rd, RR #1 Centralia, ON, N0M 1K0 Tel: 519-228-6444 • Toll Free: 1-800-265-2904 • Fax: 519-228-6560 kpalen@kenpal.on.ca • www.kenpal.on.ca Mini Pellets Regular Pellets EXPERT ROUNDTABLE GEOFF GEDDES Geoff is a freelance writer and editor specializing in agriculture. He is based in Edmonton and has written for farm magazines, blogs, websites and social media.
10 The Business of Canadian Hog Farming Better Pork | August 2024 'PRODUCT OF USA' LABELS The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently announced a rule change regarding the voluntary ‘Product of USA’ or ‘Made in the USA’ labels on meat, poultry and egg products. The rule change will come into effect in 2026, but in the meantime, pork producers on both sides of the border have expressed concerns that the regulations could disrupt supply chains and negatively impact businesses in the sector. The new rules state that to use one of the labels in question, all products contained therein must be derived from animals that are born, raised, slaughtered and processed in the U.S. On the surface that seems simple enough, however, concerned parties have noted that the pork sectors of the U.S. and Canada are highly integrated, with feeder animals and weanlings often being supplied to U.S. operators by Canadian producers. Under the rules as they currently stand, the ‘Product of USA’ label can be used as long as the “last major transformation” of the product occurred in the U.S. – for example, a pig raised on a Canadian farm and processed in the U.S. can be identified as a ‘Product of USA.’ “You could go into a Costco store pretty much anywhere in Canada and if you look at their pork products, they’re all ‘Product of USA,’ and that isn’t discriminating against the Canadian live shipments of pigs into the U.S.,” says Cam Dahl, general manager at Manitoba Pork. “Because if you ship a weanling to the U.S. and it’s raised in the U.S., that is still eligible. In Manitoba alone, we ship three million weanlings into the U.S. every year. And when the new rule comes into effect, they are going to be discriminated against.” Ostensibly, the rule change is intended to protect U.S. products and consumer confidence, but Dahl notes that such “protectionist” measures could hurt both sides with few benefits. For one thing, even with agreements such as the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) easing the process of crossing the border, if U.S. producers are sourcing their weanlings from Canada rather than a domestic source, they are obviously doing so for a reason. “Pork producers in both Canada and the U.S. benefit from an integrated market,” says Dahl. “That means that consumers on both sides of the border benefit from an integrated market as well.” Executive director of Alberta Pork, Darcy Fitzgerald, adds that it is not solely Canadian producers who are concerned. “Pork producers, retailers and processors in the U.S. weren’t asking for this for the pork industry,” says Fitzgerald. “This is not our issue; we’re so integrated in what we do. It’s one of those things that just becomes a hin- ‘PORK PRODUCERS, RETAILERS & PROCESSORS IN THE U.S. WEREN’T ASKING FOR THIS.’ INDUSTRY REACTS TO NEW USDA ‘PRODUCT OF USA’ RULES By MATT JONES luoman E+ photo
11 The Business of Canadian Hog Farming Better Pork | August 2024 drance for the industry. And it’ll be a cost onto the consumer as well.” From Fitzgerald’s perspective, the label makes little difference. When Canadian and U.S. products are sold side-by-side, the consumer is concerned with price and quality of the product. “In North America, we do have this integration between our three countries, with free-trade agreements,” says Fitzgerald. “We’re pretty unique in the world in what we do and how we work together. And when we delve into the subject, we see that there really is no problem in the industry. Retail, processing, producers are all working together trying to provide an affordable product that’s sustainable.” Dahl notes that while the rule won’t come into effect for another year and a half, his producers are already getting indications from U.S. processors that they don’t want to take pigs that were born in Canada. “It’s two years away, but we’re already getting those indications that it’s going to be a problem,” says Dahl. The concern over the changes is not limited to the northern side of the border. The U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) stated, in comments to the USDA attributed to president and CEO Dan Halstrom, that they are concerned that the changes would negatively impact the U.S. industry on several fronts. Under the proposed rule, “packers would then be required to sort specifically for Product of USA, requiring only domestic livestock for the product that will circulate in the domestic market but might be bound for export,” reads their statement. “The intent of the rule was to not impact exports, but the opposite is true because the proposed rule contradicts current Product of USA labelling that is mandatory for export, which would lead to the need for product segregation. At the time of production, it is often unknown whether product will be sold on the domestic or international market. It is therefore not feasible to have different labelling schemes for domestic and export boxes.” A representative for USMEF further explained that the impacts on individual pork producers in the U.S. would likely depend on how their processor chooses to deal with the labelling requirements. “Because Product of USA is a voluntary labelling claim, some processors may see value in documenting the fact that all animals were born/raised/ slaughtered in the United States,” said USMEF vice-president of Communications Joe Schuele. “Others may decide that the labelling claim does not justify the additional costs, and therefore continue their current practices for sourcing animals. So, it is difficult to make any general statements about the impact on producers, because each situation is different.” A spokesperson for the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service respondFor more information or to contact your local sales representative, scan the QR code or call us toll-free 1-833-578-2740. hypor.com MOST EFFICIENT SOW HIGHEST QUALITY PIGLETS VALUABLE FINISHERS Hypor Libra 'PRODUCT OF USA' LABELS
12 Story Idea? Contact Paul.Nolan@Farms.com Better Pork | August 2024 ed to an inquiry noting that the proposed rule prevents misleading labelling but does not restrict them from any other type of labelling if it is truthful. They also noted that approximately 12 per cent of all meat, poultry and egg products have a U.S. origin claim, meaning that a significant majority of products would not be impacted by the rule change. “USDA has a strong commitment to our USMCA partners and to keeping trade open in North America,” reads the statement. “USDA will continue to engage with our trading partners on our international trade obligations and work cooperatively with trading partners to address any questions or concerns they might have.” BP trouwnutrition.ca Every ingredient counts – that's why we're redefining the boundaries of feed formulation for all our swine feeds. Kinetio technology accounts for the kinetics of nutrient degradation. This enables precision and flexibility in feed formulation, leading to optimized and consistent animal performance. REINVENTING SWINE FEED FORMULATION P WERED BY KINETIO 'PRODUCT OF USA' LABELS When buying pork, consumers are concerned with price and product quality. Leslie Stewart photo MATT JONES Matt Jones is a freelance writer with a specialization in trade publications. He lives in Fredericton, NB, with a cat named Bowie.
13 Story Idea? Contact Paul.Nolan@Farms.com Better Pork | August 2024 Focusing on preweaning survival more than initial litter size has a direct impact on animal welfare as well as economic returns for the producer. Animal breeding literature supports this decision, from historical selection experiments illustrating that increases in total born do not necessarily increase the number weaned. We can also improve piglet quality through an increase in piglet birth weight, reduction in birth weight variation, and reduction in runt piglets. Introduction Litter size is an important part of the maternal objective of pig breeding companies. Pigs weaned/mated female/year (PSY) is the main KPI that defines maternal efficiency for sow farms. Unfortunately, PSY is not a measurable trait on individuals. The main decision for breeding companies is deciding which trait(s) should be used to increase maternal efficiency. In the very early days (1970s), it was questioned if selection for litter size was possible due to the very low heritability of these traits. Keep in mind this was prior to the powerful BLUP statistical methodology and genomic selection we utilize today. Most litter size traits have a heritability BALANCING LITTER SIZE BALANCING LITTER SIZE WITH PREWEANING SURVIVAL STRATEGIES IN BREEDING By AUSTIN PUTZ Hypor photo
14 The Trusted Source for Canada’s Pork Producers Better Pork | August 2024 below 0.15, indicating that less than 15 per cent of the variation we observe is due to genetics. To test if litter size would respond to selection, an experiment was designed and carried out at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) by Dr. Rodger Johnson. Johnson initially set up a line with the goal of indirectly increasing total born, through an index of ovulation rate and embryonic survival (later switching to total born directly). Figure 1 shows the results of this experiment. The selection program was successful at increasing ovulation rate along with total born, followed by the number born alive (NBA). However, there were unintended consequences that led to a higher number of stillbirths, mummified piglets, and pre-weaning mortality (PWM). This ultimately led to the selected line and the control line weaning a similar number of piglets per litter year over year. In real breeding programs, similar outcomes were observed. With total born per litter as the sole objective, there was an increase in stillbirths and pre-weaning mortality, leading to little or no increase in piglets weaned. Due to Johnson’s results along with evidence from active breeding programs, many maternal selection objectives shifted in the early 2000s away from total born as the sole objective. Hsu and Johnson later presented the complete results from this longterm selection experiment at UNL for litter size. Their research reported the genetic correlation between total born and number weaned between -0.53 and 0.04 (three estimates). Genetic correlations can be interpreted as the correlation between breeding (genetic) values, helping us understand how selection on one trait may drive other trait means over time. A negative or zero correlation between the total number of piglets born and the number of weaned piglets indicates that, at best, there will be no change in the number of piglets weaned with selection based on the total number of piglets born. At worst, the number of weaned could be reduced by selecting on total born by itself. Other estimates have shown low to moderate positive genetic correlations, but they are still far from one. Differences in estimates may be highly influenced by cross-fostering strategies, which are often not reported in literature and not well recorded on farm. Balanced selection practices Due to the lack of evidence that increasing initial litter size (total born or born alive) will increase the number of weaned piglets, Hypor decided to utilize three separate traits to increase weaned numbers. Starting in the early 2000s Hypor chose 1) total born, 2) percent born alive, and 3) percent weaned all on a litter basis (Figure 2). Total born is simply the count of pigs born at birth (dead + alive). Percent born alive is the ratio of born alive to total born (expressed as a percentage), often referred to as farrowing survival. Percent weaned is the ratio of the number of weaned pigs divided by the sum of those born alive and fostered onto (or off of) the litter (expressed as a percentage), often referred to as Stillborn 3 2 1 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 Ovulation Rate 20.0 17.5 15.0 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 Total Born 14 13 12 11 10 9 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 Mummi ed 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 2.5 2.0 1.5 1.0 0.5 0.0 Born Alive 11 10 9 8 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 Weaned 9.5 9.0 8.5 8.0 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 VALUE GENERATION PHENOTYPIC MEANS ACROSS GENERATION Johnson1999 Results Index Control BALANCING LITTER SIZE Figure 1. Phenotypic trends across generations from the Johnson 1992 selection experiment aimed at increasing total number born. Courtesy of Hypor
15 The Trusted Source for Canada’s Pork Producers Better Pork | August 2024 preweaning survival in production. The perceived downside of this strategy is that genetic improvement on initial litter size has been slower than direct selection on total born or born alive. This is due to the antagonistic (unfavourable) genetic relationship between initial litter size and piglet survival. Therefore, to make more progress in number weaned, Hypor chose to improve all three traits simultaneously and more gradually, versus making progress in one trait quickly at the detriment of other important traits. Without balanced selection, overall maternal efficiency would have changed much slower. What about piglet quality? We cannot discuss litter size without a discussion on piglet quality. The prevailing thought is that as litter size increased, piglet quality deteriorated and directly caused the reduced survivability of piglets. As a result, many producers have shifted their focus to individual birth weights of piglets. Selection for litter size over the years has reduced the size of piglets at birth in many genetic lines. So why not put a lot of pressure on birth weights in place of selection for piglet survival? For many years, the strong phenotypic relationship between individual birth weight and piglet survival has been well established, with emphasis on the phenotypic. This is true – we know from data that small piglets will be at a disadvantage to compete and therefore, more likely to die in farrowing. This however ignores the fundamental fact that ‘small’ and ‘large’ are relative terms. Selection for individual birth weights would shift the entire distribution a small amount, say by adding 50 g (~0.1 lb) to every piglet born. Yet the issue of competition in very large litters remains. Smaller piglets, no matter their absolute weight, will be at a major disadvantage relative to heavier litter mates. This is an explanation as to why we see similar survival curves with any age of pig (e.g. weaning weights into nursery). The absolute value is much higher, yet we often still observe low weaning weight pigs perform worse in wean-to-finish compared to heavier contemporaries. The main problem is researchers and producers alike interpreting the well-known phenotypic correlation as a genetic correlation (i.e. correlation of breeding values). Some genetic correlations have shown to be as low as 0.14 between birth weight and piglet survival. This concept was first articulated 40 years ago by English and Morrison. “Attempts to improve piglet survival by achieving slight improvements in BALANCING LITTER SIZE Courtesy of Hypor % WEANED % BORN ALIVE TOTAL BORN BIRTH WEIGHT VARIATION IN BIRTH WEIGHT RUNT PIGLETS WEANED PIGS Figure 2. Hypor’s maternal selection strategy is to increase the number of weaned pigs.
16 The Business of Canadian Hog Farming Better Pork | August 2024 BALANCING LITTER SIZE mean piglet birth weight are likely to prove disappointing since variation in piglet birth weight within litters has a much greater influence on piglet mortality than mean piglet birth weight per se. Variation in birth weight within litters certainly does not decrease as mean birth weight is improved and so the problem of smaller piglets competing within litters with larger littermates for sucking positions and for nutrition remains. It is this very competitive situation which prevails within litters for nutrition which puts the smaller piglet at such a distinct disadvantage relative to its larger littermate.” Although PWM and birth weight are not strongly associated genetically, there is still a low genetic correlation between birth weight and survival. Birth weight is also genetically associated with other important traits such as weaning weight and later growth rate. As mentioned above, variation in birth weight is more strongly associated genetically with piglet survival. Therefore, Hypor's breeding program includes both mean and variation in birth weight traits along with a runt piglet trait (< 800 g) in the maternal objective as auxiliary traits to the primary traits of total born and piglet survival. Our goal is to increase individual birth weight, reduce variation in birth weight, and reduce the number of runt piglets. Producers may be tempted to increase average piglet birth weight through management interventions, mimicking selection for mean birth weight. However, to our knowledge, no large reductions in PWM have been observed with an intervention such as bump feeding late in gestation. Several studies have shown bump feeding will only increase birth weight in first parity sows. This is analogous to the low genetic correlation between these traits; adding a small amount to every piglet does little to eliminate the problem of competition from larger litter mates. Producers would be better off focusing their time, money, and energy on other factors known to reduce PWM directly. These include reducing drafts and altering ventilation, checking heat lamps/mats, and CaCl before farrowing, and more frequent feedings to reduce stillborns. Teat count Finally, we cannot avoid discussing another limiting factor in weaning pigs: Teat counts. Hypor has put considerable pressure on functional teat counts for many years (Figure 3). Gilts need to start with enough teats as we know sows lose functional teats as they age and throughout a lactation. Wiegert and Knauer have shown that piglet survival can be as low as 75 per cent for sows with 14 or fewer teats, while sows with 17 teats can on average wean 90 per cent of their piglets. Genetics or management? Feedback from producers indicate that many of them attribute initial litter size (e.g. total born) to their genetic supplier along with birth weight, while PWM is viewed as something that can be changed with management. While there are many interventions producers can implement to improve both total born and PWM, both are under considerable genetic control and therefore can be selected in a balanced breeding program. Although heritability estimates are low (often below 0.15), genetic progress is cumulative and should be in the economically desired direction (i.e. weaned pigs). In conclusion The economic value for total born or live born piglets is $0. Only weaned pigs should have an economic value in combination with wean-to-finish traits. For producers to wean more pigs, their genetic supplier must put enough emphasis on piglet survival traits directly and not indirectly through either selection for initial litter size or individual piglet birth weight. Hypor has been directly selecting for piglet survival for many years to increase the number of pigs weaned. Not only is this important for the health of the piglets we care for, but it also has a direct impact on the sustainability of the entire industry. BP Figure 3. Hypor’s bar chart showing the proportion of each teat count over time (2003 to 2023). AUSTIN PUTZ Austin Putz is a geneticist with Hypor in the United States. He is based in Iowa. Courtesy of Hypor
NUTRIENT KINETICS EXPANDING THE BOUNDARIES OF FEED FORMULATION PROTEIN AND FIBER KINETICS By FIONA TANSIL Jodie Aldred photo
18 Story Idea? Contact Paul.Nolan@Farms.com Better Pork | August 2024 Protein and fibre are two of the key nutrients that swine nutritionists consider when designing diets. Traditionally, the focus has been primarily on crude protein levels, standardized ileal digestible amino acids, and functional or structural fibres. However, we are now taking our understanding of fibre and protein to the next level. This article explores the new field of protein and fiber kinetics in swine nutrition. Kinetio leverages the protein and fiber degradation kinetics of various ingredients, representing a significant advancement in swine nutrition. The rate of reaction – how fast or slow a nutrient is digested by the animal over a period of time and whether the reaction rate is static or dynamic. With nutrient kinetics technology, we can classify fibre and protein nutrients as fast, slow, or resistant, providing a more comprehensive and dynamic approach to optimizing swine diets. A laboratory method has been developed and validated to analyze nutrient kinetics in feed ingredients, which has allowed the formation of a nutrient kinetic library. Currently, we know the nutrient kinetic values of over 300 feed ingredients. By measuring the proportion of fast, slow, and resistant protein and fibre in feed ingredients, nutritionists can better understand how ingredients degrade in the animal’s digestive tract. This insight allows for the use of unique alternative ingredients, offering flexibility and efficiency to producers, and maximizing the use of locally available ingredients. Some nursery programs have already incorporated nutrient kinetic technology to enhance efficiency and health during the post-weaning period. Research studies have also shown that pigs that are fed diets formulated with nutrient kinetic technology have improved performance and a lower incidence of post-weaning diarrhea. These benefits are also observed in nursery pigs fed low zinc diets. In a research trial conducted in Quebec, involving approximately 1,100 piglets, formulating low-zinc (150 ppm) nursery diets while considering fibre and protein kinetics resulted in a significant improvement in performance, compared to both the high-zinc positive control (2,500 ppm) and the low-zinc negative control diets. Additionally, the incidence of diarrhea at 14-days post weaning was reduced by incorporating Kinetio technology into the diet formulation. Additionally, a recent research study, conducted in the Netherlands, explored the effects of protein digestion kinetics in lactating sows (Ye et al., 2022). The study found that feeding lactating sows a higher percentage of slow-digesting protein led to increased litter weight gain (Table 1). Also, sows fed a diet with higher levels of slow protein had lower loin muscle loss and overall lower maternal body weight loss compared to those on the control diet. Additionally, amino acid utilization was improved with higher levels of slow protein. The high level of slow protein likely reduced amino acid oxidation, as evidenced by lower plasma urea levels throughout lactation, thereby increasing the available substrate for milk protein synthesis (Ye et al., 2022). In another sow trial at the Centre de développement du porc du Québec (CDPQ), three levels of protein kinetics were evaluated in lactating sows. We found improvements in litter gain Nutrient Kinetics Table 2: Effect of inclusion level of slow protein on lactating sow performance in Quebec. Table 1: Effect of inclusion level of slow protein on lactating sow performance in a research study conducted in the Netherlands. PROTEIN FIBER FAST SLOW RESISTANT Degradation happens in the stomach Quickly fermented, which leads to increased short chain fatty acid production and reduced pH of intestinal contents Degradation happens in the further parts of the small intestine Slowly fermented throughout the large intestine Hardly degraded in the stomach or small intestine Resistant to fermentation, and helps optimize intestinal motility, laxation, osmotic balance and stool quality Sows (n) Litter size (n) Sow body weight, kg Loin muscle loss, mm Litter gain, kg Milk protein, % 17 13 249.2 4.9 x 52.2 3.6 19 13 251.9 1.7 y 53.5 3.8 Day 21 post-farrowing Low slow protein % High slow protein % Sows (n) Litter size (n) Sow body weight loss, kg Litter gain, kg 115 13.1 5.7 59.0 Day 21 post-farrowing Low slow protein % Medium slow protein % 119 13.3 1.4 61.7 High slow protein % 120 13.4 1.0 60.1 P<0.05
19 Story Idea? Contact Paul.Nolan@Farms.com Better Pork | August 2024 (P < 0.05) and lower maternal body weight loss (P < 0.05; Table 2) in sows fed a diet with a higher inclusion of slow protein. These results were consistent with the results of the trial conducted in the Netherlands. Understanding protein and fibre kinetics advances nutritional knowledge and is a valuable formulation asset that can support swine nutritionists in creating precise diets for all phases of pig production. Incorporating this knowledge provides flexibility in feed formulation, leading to optimized and consistent animal performance. As such, incorporating nutrient kinetics into swine diet formulation is a valuable tool for the future of the swine industry. BP FOR SALE 600 sow Farrow to Finish hog farm with feed mill near Eatonia, Saskatchewan. Price $2,750,000 plus stock. For viewing contact: David Resch 306-967-2308 or email chesterfield@sasktel.net Nutrient Kinetics Sows fed a diet with higher protein showed improvements in litter gain and lower maternal body loss. Jodie Aldred photo FIONA TANSIL, MSC Fiona Tansil, MSc, is a swine nutirtionist with Trouw Nutrition Canada, based in Ontario. WEEKLY ELECTRONIC NEWSLETTER Farms.com/newsletters SwineNL@Farms.com 888-248-4893 x281 www.Farms.com @FarmsSwine SUBSCRIBE ONLINE: SUBSCRIBE BY EMAIL:
20 The Trusted Source for Canada’s Pork Producers Better Pork | August 2024 UP CLOSE While reaching his goals is important for Sheldon Dyck, helping others do the same is his top priority. His quest to succeed in the pork sector began at his father’s side while growing up, leading to his first industry job in Grade 10. In 2000, he signed on with Porcherie Gauthier near Steinbach, Man. as a technician and never looked back. From there, he transferred to Super Gro Gilts in 2004 and has worked his way up to senior manager and part owner. Today, he watches over three sites, including a 1,500-sow farrow-to-early wean operation, a 1,350-sow multiplier for Topigs Norsvin, and a nursery gilt grow-out. Fittingly for Prairie producers, hockey brought Sheldon and his wife Candy together. They met as young teens and were friends while pursuing the sport, with him playing the ice version and her engaged in ringette. Following their hockey days, they began dating, and are now celebrating their 25th anniversary with son Jadden and his wife Morgen. What is your role on the farm? It’s hard to think of what I don’t do. I oversee all three farms, taking care of employee issues, hiring, wages, billing, reporting, repairs and maintenance, sourcing equipment, supervising capital projects and troubleshooting with our three site managers on a weekly basis. I also coordinated our conversion to loose housing in 2017 and renovation of our farrowing rooms with new flooring and more square footage. How many people do you employ? We currently have 18 employees across the three sites. Describe your office or workshop. It’s actually my son’s old bedroom, equipped with a desk, computer and filing cabinet. TOP-NOTCH STAFF BOOSTS BOTTOM LINE Pork farmer playing to win-win. By Geoff Geddes Sheldon Dyck of Steinbach, Man. in the barn with his father. Sheldon Dyck photo
21 The Trusted Source for Canada’s Pork Producers Better Pork | August 2024 What items are on your desk? My laptop is always open and present, along with three or four pens and something to fidget with. Messy or neat? I would say in between. It is organized enough that I can see it, and I know where things are. What’s your favourite thing about working with pigs? I love taking care of animals; that is my passion. I also find it satisfying to produce a healthy protein for the world and empower others to do their work. Our farm is a very positive place where people enjoy coming to work and care about the results. They aren’t just here for a paycheque, and that shows in their performance. The hardest part about farming? The hardest thing for me is the human resources side and dealing with staffing issues. During the pandemic, we often had several employees home sick. They wanted to come to work as they knew they were key to the operation, but we had to follow the letter of the law in terms of isolating. At one point, we had a PEDv (porcine epidemic diarrhea virus) outbreak and only three people present to assist, so that was tough. What do you do to protect your herd’s health? We are stringent on our biosecurity protocols. I start off each week visiting the multiplier site, as that is the highest health location in our group. I then go to the gilt/grower site and finish off at the commercial farm. That way, I start at the top and work my way down. When I begin my visits, I ensure my truck is clean by washing it every week and spraying it down with Lysol. I also wear clean, laundered clothing and booties to the farms, so I’m not tracking anything from place to place. One thing we do that’s novel is to put calcium on the driveways in the spring to prevent dust from coming into the farms, as it can carry PEDv. How do you keep your records? We follow the CPE (Canadian Pork Excellence) program (a national platform that covers three major components of on-farm programs: Traceability, food safety and animal care), and comply with all export requirements. Vaccinations and other procedures are recorded and kept on file in both electronic and paper form. We are part of the Progressive Group, so our prescriptions and veterinary medicines come from them. For data software, we use PigCHAMP online (swine management software for data collection, management and interpretation) at one of our sites, and Maximus at another location for managing operations and feed. What sort of livestock technology do you use in your barn? One farm has ESF (electronic sow feeding) as part of the loose housing. It reads the sow’s RFID (radio frequency identification) tag and feeds it according to parity and body condition. We also employ a Maximus controller so we may view fan speeds and the amUP CLOSE Loose housing at Super Gro Gilts. Sheldon Dyck photo
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