3 The Trusted Source for Canada’s Pork Producers Better Pork | October 2024 LETTER FROM THE EDITOR PAY ATTENTION TO ‘THE LITTLE THINGS’ Feed costs get lots of attention, and rightly so. However, we should not lose focus on those things that we do on-farm daily to ensure we are optimizing each phase of our farm operations. That was the reasoning provided by Ken Engele of the Prairie Swine Centre in his recent Centred on Swine article that looks at best-management practices, and how we are doing as an industry. “Day-to-day activities can be lost in all the noise of everything going on in the barn,” writes Engele. “Ensuring we are doing all the little things right everyday add up to bigger savings than you might think possible.” As reported in Better Pork last year, Swine Innovation Porc funded a recent Canada-wide survey that was managed by the PSC and the Centre de développement du porc du Québec, which looked at biosecurity/ herd health, feed/feeder management, and personal protection, water use/management, in addition to each phase of production (breeding, gestation, farrowing, nursery, and grow-finish. According to Engele, “audit results indicate that dust masks, hearing protection and hydrogen sulphide (H2S) monitors are being used to varying degrees in on farms across Canada. “Approximately 90 per cent of farms indicate that they provide creep feed.” Results from the audit indicate that about half of farms sort pigs when transferred into the finishing barn. And some 66 per cent of producers adjust feeders as required. “Just over 50 per cent of measured feeders achieved an ideal feeder adjustment, while 30 per cent and 14 per cent of feeders were over or under adjusted respectively.” As Engele says, “based on some of the results we can see that little changes can make a big impact on the overall profitability of your operation. “Currently there seems to be a margin for improvement as we achieve a 40 to 50 per cent of measured and surveyed best management practices.” INSIGHT FROM THE INSIDE INSIGHT FROM THE INSIDE INSIGHT FROM THE INSIDE INSIGHT FROM THE INSIDE INSIGHT FROM THE INSIDE INSIGHT FROM THE INSIDE “With the unprecedented challenges that have faced the pork industry, and market conditions starting to normalize, now is the time to unleash the pork business.” - Dennis Organ, Page 10 “While the management of manure can be demanding and expensive for swine operations, it may also be viewed as an opportunity for GHG mitigation, as manure storage is an emission source built and managed by swine producers.” - Dr. Rajinikanth Rajagopal, Page 8 “Approach all situations with empathy. It’s okay to have expectations, but understand that some days are better than others, and everyone has something different on their plate for that day. It’s about improving and growing together.” - Jessica Bickle, Page 21 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 MARY LOGGAN GEOFF GEDDES CONTRIBUTORS TO THIS EDITION MOE AGOSTINO ABHINESH GOPAL MATT JONES JEANINE MOYER LAURENCE NANTEL LILIAN SCHAER HOOMAN DERAKHSHANI ADVERTISING TEAM GLENN RUEGG JENNY LONGSTREET DESIGN & PRODUCTION TEAM TANYA MYERS GREG MARLOW SHAUN CLARK ANDREA WILLIAMS www.BetterFarming.com We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada. Cover: Bickle Family photo, Jodie Aldred photo
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