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Better Pork Featured Articles

Better Pork magazine is published bimonthly. After each edition is published, we share featured articles online.


A long ride is less stressful

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Shorter truck trips are more stressful to market hogs than longer truck rides, according to a study recently published in the Journal of Animal Science.

The reason? Pigs need time to recover from the stress of loading before they get stressed again when they disembark, says Prof. Michael Ellis, at the University of Illinois's Urbana-Champaign campus.

Another stress factor is floor space. Overcrowding is stressful, but pigs that have too much space are thrown around as the livestock truck moves. University researchers found that U.S. market pigs on average require five square feet each.

Co-author of the study with Ellis was Bradley Wolter, chief operating officer of the Maschhoffs packing company in Carlyle, Ill. Wolter says working with Ellis allowed the company to reduce pig losses due to transportation and handling by more than one percentage point in a system that was already well managed and where less than half a per cent of pigs died because of movement and handling. BP

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Ag mentioned in Manitoba throne speech

Friday, November 22, 2024

Manitoba’s ag sector received multiple mentions during the Nov. 19 throne speech. During Lieutenant Governor Anita Neville’s remarks, she highlighted the government’s plans for Winnipeg. “Our new vision for downtown Winnipeg includes Manitoba’s agricultural sector,” she said. “The new... Read this article online

IGTC appoints a new Canadian VP

Thursday, November 21, 2024

The International Grain Trade Coalition (IGTC) recently held its annual General Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland, gathering international members both in person and virtually to chart a strategic course for the years ahead. The event’s agenda covered critical issues in the global grain... Read this article online

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