IPVS Congress releases preliminary program

The preliminary program for the 24th International Pig Veterinary Society (IPVS) Congress and 8th European Symposium of Porcine Health Management (ESPHM) has been released. The jointly-held event will take place June 7-10 in Dublin, Ireland.
The event will include a number of presentations by leading industry keynote speakers and roundtable discussions.
Topics to be discussed include:

• Bacteriology and bacterial diseases
• Herd health management
• Immunology and vaccination
• Parasitology and parasitic diseases
• Reproduction
• Veterinary public health and food safety
• Virology and viral diseases
• Welfare and nutrition

Scheduled speakers include:

• Gary Althouse DVM, MS, PhD, Dipl. ACT, Chairman, Department of Clinical Studies, New Bolton Center
• Sandra Edwards, Professor, UK Agricultural Development and Advisory Service
• David Francis, Emeritus professor,South Dakota State University
• Dr. Peter Geldhof, Professor, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at Ghent University
• Dr. Bruno Goddeeris, Chairman of the Scientific Council, VAR-CODA-CERVA (Centre for Veterinary and Agrochemical Research) of Belgium
• Dr. Carl Andreas Groentvedt DVM, Dipl. ECPHM, Swine health expert and researcher, Norwegian Veterinary Institute, Oslo
• Prof. Anja Joachim, Professor, Institute of Parasitology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna
• Dr. Yuzo Koketsu, Professor, School of Agriculture Meiji University, Japan
• Dr. Andrea Luppi, Brescia and Reggio Emilia Laboratory (IZSLER)
• Dr. John Mabry, Director, Iowa Pork Industry Center, ISU
• Fernando A. Osorio DVM, PhD DACVM, Professor, Nebraska Center for Virology and School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
• Gerald Reiner, Professor, Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Clinic for Swine, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen
• Dr. Nicolas Rose DVM, PhD, Director, Swine Epidemiology and Welfare research unit
• Prof. Jonathan Rushton, President, International Society for Economics and Social Science of Animal Health
• Peter Stevenson, author of comprehensive legal analyses of EU legislation on farm animals and of the impact of the WTO rules on animal welfare and lead author of the recent study by the FAO reviewing animal welfare legislation in the beef, pork and poultry industries

Abstracts being accepted until January 8

The deadline to submit abstracts for the IPVS Congress and ESPHM is January 8, 2016. This is an opportunity for people in the swine health field to advance their careers, advance their departments and make industry connections.
Potential abstract topics include:

• Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS)
• Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDv)
• Classical swine fever or African swine fever
• Viral and viral diseases
• Porcine circovirus type 2 (PVC2)
• Swine influenza virus (SIV)
• Herd health management and economy
• Welfare and nutrition
• Reproduction
• Lawsonia
• Brachyspira
• Salmonella
• H. Parasuis
• S.suis
• Parasitic diseases
• Vaccinology and immunology
• Antimicrobial
• Mycoplasma
• Actinobacillus
• Clostridia
• E Coli
• Bacteriology and bacterial diseases
• Veterinary public health (food safety)
• Miscellaneous

Abstracts can be submitted online.

Federal order on swine enteric coronavirus updated

The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) on January 4 issued an updated federal order related to swine enteric coronavirus diseases (SECD), including porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) virus and swine delta coronavirus. The order is effective immediately.
The updated order will do several things, including changing how emergency funding APHIS received in 2014 will be used. APHIS has reprioritized its needs going forward and will focus all remaining SECD funds towards diagnostic testing. With this modification, the funds should last long enough to cover diagnostic testing through this winter season.
The revised federal order will also eliminate the herd plan requirement, as well as reimbursement to veterinarians for completing those plans. And, it will also eliminate reimbursement for biosecurity actions, like truck washing.
In response to a large number of SECD cases that were causing significant hardship for the U.S. swine industry, APHIS issued a federal order in June 2014 making SECD a reportable disease. At the same time, USDA made funds available to cover specific costs associated with the disease. SECD remains a reportable disease, which means that producers, veterinarians, and diagnostic laboratories are required to report all cases of SECD to USDA or state animal health officials. The reporting criteria are unchanged in the updated federal order.
USDA is receiving more accurate and timely information about SECD affected herds and their locations, which allows animal health officials to better understand how the disease spreads and what measures are most effective in containing it. The outbreak peaked between January and March 2015. In the last 5 months, the weekly average of new confirmed positive premises has dropped 90 percent when compared to the average number of weekly cases during the peak of the outbreak.  

Engineering pigs to beat virus

A research team at the Roslin Institute is using advanced genetic techniques to engineer pigs that are more resilient to deadly virus infections. The study at the University of Edinburgh is aimed at assessing whether changing the pigs’ genetic code at a precise point in their DNA affects their susceptibility to African Swine Fever. The next step will be to test how altering the pigs’ genes affects transmission of the virus and whether the animals fare better after infection than standard farmed pigs.
The animals have been created using an advanced genetic technique called “gene editing” to modify individual letters of the pigs’ genetic code. The change is designed to dampen the immune system’s overreaction to the virus, which is responsible for the devastating effects of the disease.
African Swine Fever is spread by ticks. When standard farmed pigs are infected, they become ill very quickly and die. In contrast, warthogs and bush pigs show no disease symptoms when infected. One of the pig genes associated with African Swine Fever Virus infection is called RELA. The role of this gene is to activate the immune response.
Warthogs and bush pigs carry a different version (or allele) of the RELA gene to that found in domestic pigs. This difference may make them resilient to African Swine Fever. The gene differs from that carried by domestic pigs that you would find on a farm by only a few letters of the genetic code. However, this may have a huge impact on the outcome of infection.
Roslin scientists have produced pigs which have a single letter of their genetic code altered. These animals produce a shorter version of RELA, which lacks a domain involved in the immune response. The team had created a separate group of pigs that have changes at several sites in their RELA gene, to make it the identical to the version that is found in the warthog.
All of the changes that have been introduced could have occurred spontaneously in nature. Researchers hope that the genetic changes will make the animals more resilient to infection with African Swine Fever Virus, but they still need to test this in controlled trials.
There has never been an outbreak of African Swine Fever in the UK, yet the virus has recently started spreading throughout Eastern Europe. There are fears that it could reach British farms.
The team plans to use the same gene-editing techniques to produce cattle, chickens and sheep that are resistant to infections; however, this research is at a much earlier stage.
Professor Bruce Whitelaw, head of Developmental Biology at the University of Edinburgh’s Roslin Institute, said, “We have used a gene-editing technique to change individual letters in the pigs’ genetic code, to speed up a process that occurs spontaneously in nature.
“Our goal is to improve the welfare of farmed pigs around the world, making them healthier and more productive for farmers.”

Guide to antibiotic usage on pig farms

A review containing guidance to help pig producers cut their use of antimicrobials was published recently. It was produced jointly by the Pig Health and Welfare Council (PHWC) Antimicrobial Sub-group and the Pig Veterinary Society.

John FitzGerald, Sub-group chairman, said, “The PHWC supports the responsible use of antibiotics. This means minimizing the need to use antibiotics by managing the farm to reduce the risk of disease and using them properly to maintain animal health and welfare.
“We are delighted to launch this guidance, which will help vets and farmers to review their antibiotic use regularly and to consider ways in which this could be optimized without harming the pigs.”
Grace Webster, PVS representative on the Sub-Group, said, “We acknowledge that many vets and farmers are already applying these best practice guidelines in their review of antibiotic usage. This is an integral part of their ongoing efforts to use antibiotics ‘as little as possible and as much as necessary’ to safeguard the health and welfare of the pigs under their care and encourage all of our members to consider whether they can improve their current approach.”
To review the report, click here. For general information about the PHWC follow this link.

European Commission approves MSD’s Procilis PCV ID

The European Commission has approved MSD Animal Health’s Porcilis PCV ID, an intradermal vaccine against porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) that is administered with the needle-free IDAL vaccine delivery system.
With this addition to the company’s line of intradermal vaccines, swine producers will now have access to intradermal needle-free protection against PCV2, Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae (M. hyo) and porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSv), the three major swine diseases affecting pig operations worldwide.
“The skin is a natural defense barrier, containing many essential immune cells and thus making it a very suitable and effective route of vaccine administration,” explains Dr. Ruud Segers, MSD Animal Health Research & Development. “We are focusing our R&D efforts on the development of vaccines that would benefit from being administered intradermally.”
“Animal well-being is important to us. Needle-free vaccination is not only more convenient for producers, but is also less invasive for the animals and prevents accidental spread of disease caused by reusing needles. In addition, the risk of breaking needles is also eliminated,” said Narciso Bento, head of the Global Swine Business Unit. “We are pleased to introduce the first intradermal vaccine against porcine circovirus type 2, and to expand our line of swine vaccines that can be conveniently administered with the IDAL needle-free device.”
PorcilisPCV ID protects piglets starting two weeks after vaccination and offers 23 weeks of protection, the longest duration of immunity of any porcine circovirus vaccine in the EU market. The vaccine is approved for concurrent use with MSD Animal Health’s PorcilisM Hyo ID ONCE, which protects piglets against M. hyo infections. Because concurrent infection with PCV2 and M. hyo is present in the vast majority of swine operations worldwide and together they are responsible for severe respiratory disease and production losses, vaccination against both pathogens/diseases is recommended to minimize economic losses.
Results from field studies demonstrate that vaccinating piglets intradermally with Porcilis PCV ID results in uninterrupted growth during the nursery period, and improve the daily weight gain and mortality associated with PCV2 infection during the fattening period. When applied concurrently with Porcilis M Hyo ID ONCE, a further increase in ADWG as well as a reduction of M. hyo-like lung lesion scores at slaughter have been demonstrated.

Meta-analysis: weight determines ileal protein digestibility in pigs

A recent meta-analysis, by Drs. J. A. Almeida and Hans H. Stein from the University of Illinois and Dr. Carsten Pedersen from Hamlet Protein, has resulted in the abstract “Effect of weight on standardized ileal digestibility of protein and amino acids in pigs.” In short, the abstract highlights that ileal digestibility of crude protein (CP) and amino acids (AA) in piglets (<20kg) is lower than in growing (20 to 50kg) and finishing (50 to 110kg) pigs. Results also indicated that differences among weight groups of pigs most likely are feedstuff specific.
As an example, the digestibility of CP and AA in HP 300 has been determined only in piglets, whereas digestibility values for CP and AA in de-hulled soybean meal (48% CP) have been generated from all weight groups of pigs. The average standardized ileal digestibility (SID) for CP in HP 300 is 89.5%, whereas the SID for CP in soybean meal is 85.5%. However, the average SID for CP in SBM if determined in piglets (<20kg) is only 81.0%. Therefore, it may be concluded that using values across all weight categories of pigs may not always provide a true picture of the differences in SID of CP and AA among feed ingredients fed to piglets.
The practical implication of this report is that most current formulation practices using digestibility values based on growing and finishing pigs inherently over-estimate the true digestibility of the raw materials for the weaned piglet. It is unknown at this time if there is a consistent age related change across raw materials. If the digestibility change is not consistent, the typical formulation approach using growing and finishing pig digestibility values will rank raw materials incorrectly for the young pig.
Dr. Stein says, “We have tried to summarize all of our data on soy products in pig feed by combining data from all peer-reviewed publications on the nutritional value of soy products for pigs. This has resulted in a complete overview of the nutritional values of all soy products. We have also divided the results by pig weight at the time of the trials and we conclude that smaller pigs have a lower digestibility of amino acids than older pigs.”
Dr. Pedersen adds, “Our findings correspond to a newly published study from University of Alberta, Canada. “Amino acid digestibility determined in growing-finishing pigs may not be applicable for weaned piglets” (Dr. Soenke Moehn, 2015).
The study compared SID of CP and AA in soybean meal and canola meal in piglets (8.1kg) and growing-finishing pigs (59.1kg). Dr. Moehn said, “The large differences, and inconsistency across feedstuffs, indicate that the SID of AA should be directly determined in piglets instead of being extrapolated from growing or finishing pigs.”
The paper by Drs. J. A. Almeida, Hans H. Stein and Carsten Pedersen was first presented at the Digestive Physiology of Pigs meeting in Kliczkow, Poland, in May 2015.

Boycott on man-made dwarfism in pigs

Britain’s National Pig Association (NPA) has added its voice to the chorus of criticism of a Chinese firm’s plans to produce gene-edited micro-pigs and sell them for around GBP1,000 (US$1,534).

NPA is urging showbiz personalities in Britain to set an example of good animal welfare by boycotting the market in micro-pigs, regardless of whether these so-called “tea-cup” pigs have been created by genetic engineering or selective breeding.
“The current trend for keeping micro-pigs as fashion accessories could be perpetuating serious animal welfare problems,” said Dr. Crayford. “Some miniature pig lines were originally developed for medical research and can carry genetic mutations responsible for deformities linked to animal dwarfism, such as deformed skulls and weak limbs.” 
Other lines of micro-pig have been developed by successively breeding from litter runts, which can lead to expensive veterinary bills caused by genetic weaknesses and susceptibilities, including walking difficulties and obesity.
Continued breeding of micro-pigs may compromise animal welfare and should not be encouraged, says NPA. Pigs generally do not make good house pets because they are programmed to root and chew, so they can be destructive if kept in a house or small town garden. 
A further problem for dilettante pig-keepers is ensuring the animals are fed properly, says NPA chairman Richard Lister, a North Yorkshire professional pig producer. “Because of the risk of spreading disease, it is illegal to feed pigs raw or cooked catering waste, and that includes all waste from household kitchens — and the penalty is a fine or prison sentence of up to two years.” 
Micro-pigs pose a risk to the nation’s food supply, NPA contends, as they can catch and spread diseases such as foot-and-mouth but they are harder to trace as some owners are not be aware of the legal requirement to register them.
Another risk for unsuspecting buyers is that they may be sold as what appears to be a micro-pig but is in fact just a small pig, which in time will grow to 150-200 kilos.

Innovative test designed to detect swine flu virus subtypes

Pork producers now have access to a comprehensive diagnostic kit designed to test production animals for swine influenza virus (SIV) subtypes with the launch of the VetMAX™-Gold SIV Subtyping Kit, the industry’s only USDA-approved, real-time PCR test of its kind.

Swine have a unique role in the transmission of influenza viruses among species. They are the only animal raised in abundance that can both be infected by and transmit virus to other pigs. When housed in close contact, the pig can serve as a biological mixing vessel, where influenza genes from any susceptible species can combine and undergo re-assortment within the animal to emerge as a new subtype. The complexity of swine influenza diagnostics requires a robust molecular subtyping solution for reliable differentiation of the swine H and N subtypes, providing information used to monitor and control the disease.

When used in combination with MagMAX™ Pathogen RNA/DNA Kit and VetMAX-Gold SIV Detection Kit, the VetMAX-Gold SIV Subtyping Kit provides veterinary diagnostic laboratories with a complete screening and subtyping solution that is both rapid and cost-effective. The SIV Detection Kit provides a detection rate of more than 95 percent in positive samples, and can return results in less than a day.

Counted among the top three respiratory health challenges in production animals, SIV is highly contagious, causing fever, lethargy and significant weight loss, resulting in economic loss to producers. Hog production companies have previously estimated the cost of the disease to range from $3.23¹ to $10.31² per pig as a result of reduced performance or mortality.

Thermo Fisher now offers five USDA-licensed molecular diagnostic tests for customers, more than any other company in the animal health space. Sold under the VetMAX™-Gold name, they include: BVDV PI Detection Kit, SIV Detection Kit, SIV Subtyping Kit, Trich Detection Kit and the AIV Detection Kit.

¹ Dykhuis Haden C., T. Painter, T. Fangman, and D. Holtkamp. Assessing production parameters and economic impact of swine influenza, PRRS and Mycoplasma hyopneimoniae on finishing pigs in a large production system. Proceedings 2012 AASV Annual Meeting. 75-76.
² Donovan, T.S. Influenza isolate selection methodology for timely autogenous vaccine use. Proceedings 2008 Amer Assoc Swine Vet Conf. 557-561.

AB Neo and Bristol University research pig accelerator

AB Neo has embarked on a research project with Bristol University to confirm the mode of action of Axcelera-P, its accelerator for pigs. Axcelera-P is proven to deliver lifetime performance in pigs when offered to piglets from day four to weaning.
Paul Toplis, AB Neo's Technical Director (Swine) said, "Although feed intakes are not significantly different compared to the top-selling successful creep feeds, the effects of Axcelera-P are profound in delivering lifetime performance through every stage from nursery to finisher and by reducing pre-weaning mortality. These two commercially relevant factors and their significantly positive effects on ROI have made the new accelerator technology of worldwide interest to pig farmers."
Consistent performance has been seen in ongoing AB Neo research through academic and farm trials confirm that Axcelera-P is a significant breakthrough in pig performance. Consequently, AB Neo knows, through repeated trials and over three years commercial sales in the UK, what the repeatable and predictable effect is on pigs and how to achieve it, but it is unclear exactly why Axcelera-P works as it does.
Because of its step-change in performance (not the incremental improvement seen in nutritional improvement trials) and how it appears to switch on a pig at such an early age, AB Neo doesn't expect to find a conventional mode of action (such as is seen when simply offering more or improved nutrition). However, it is clear that the significant positive change is happening in the neonatal pig.
Studies in humans and in laboratory rodents have suggested that early-life events can have long-term effects on intestinal microbiota (gut micro-organisms), their interaction with the animal's metabolism and the expression of the appropriate immune response in protecting the animal and relating to food tolerances. AB Neo believes this is also true of neonatal pigs. The idea that dietary manipulation of the neonatal intestinal environment has such long-term programming effects is the basis for the accelerator category.
To identify its mode of action, AB Neo is working closely with Bristol University, whose world-leading expertise focuses on answering interesting scientific questions relating to gut microbiota and performance.
The collaborative research is focusing on three areas
Microbiota. Investigating the extent to which the early diet in piglets programs long-term changes in composition and function of intestinal microbiota. Specifically, to what extent does early-life diet influence the succession (rather than short-term composition) of microbial communities.
Metabolomics. Investigating the extent to which the diet and microbiota program long-term effects on the developing metabolic system of the piglets. Specifically, are these also only manipulable early in life, or can they be manipulated later? To what extent are pathways involving breakdown, absorption and energy/protein/lipid metabolism affected? By comparing metabolomics in accelerated and unaccelerated (control) piglets we will be able to find any causal links on performance.
Immune System. Investigating the extent to which diet, microbiota and metabolism program long-term effects on the piglet immune system. Specifically, do they change the cost-benefit ratio for expression of immune responses to acute, clinical pathogens; to subclinical infections; and to harmless commensal bacteria and diet. One view is that there may be an effect on a pig's immune response to specific ingredients in a starter feed, which then affects the way they respond the first time they are encountered by the pig after weaning. By reducing unnecessary, intolerance-related immune response the pig has more available energy for growth, and nutrient partitioning may be favourably influenced towards production.
Toplis continued, "Our work with Bristol University is very exciting and we are confident that, by working with pigs whose performance has been accelerated, we have a strong probability of identifying the specific mode of action. We can then improve the mode of action further, seek more efficient and cost effective ways to create the accelerator effect, and start work on accelerating other species."

Discussing oxidative stress with European pig producers

In early June, Lallemand Animal Nutrition was proud to take part in the European Pig Producers (EPP) Annual Congress in Bruges, Belgium, both as a sponsor and technical contributor. David Saornil, Swine Product Manager, was invited to give a talk about "Oxidative Stress in Swine," an important issue of modern pig production, particularly at critical steps of the swine cycle. The Congress was attended by around 300 of the biggest pig producers around Europe, particularly from key markets such as Belgium, The Netherlands, Germany and Denmark.
The production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), such as free radicals, is a normal physiological process. However, when their production exceeds their consumption or transformation by the animal’s antioxidant defences, oxidative stress occurs. Modern livestock breeding conditions are important sources of oxidative stress, which finally leads to loss of performance, health and reproduction issues. Early gestation in sow or weaning in piglet are key sources of oxidative stress in pig production. Dr. Saornil showed how these two cornerstones of pig production can be enhanced with specific antioxidant supplementation combining primary and secondary antioxidants. He showed results with a blend of melon superoxide dismutase (SOD) MELOFEED^, and organic selenium yeast ALKOSEL.
2015 marked the 25th Anniversary of EPP, dedicated to exchange of experiences in European pig production. This edition, beneath a deep insight into Belgian pig production, offered technical knowledge and exchange of ideas around feed, feeding and health issues.

Breaking new ground in oxidative stress and gut microflora in swine

Lallemand Animal Nutrition R&D team recently participated in the 13^th Digestive Physiology of Pigs (DDP) Congress, in Kliczków, Poland. Around 400 people, mostly international researchers, attended this highly-regarded scientific event. This was the opportunity for Lallemand Animal Nutrition to establish its position in swine nutrition and confirm the company’s commitment to drive animal research forward. Two studies, conducted in partnership with IFIP (French Swine Institute) were presented during poster sessions. These studies bring tools and answers to the field of pig nutrition and help better understand and back up the role and effects of our antioxidant and probiotic solutions.
The first study focuses on building an effective model of oxidative stress in weaned piglet, since weaning is a key stressful period in swine production. This model was then validated with an antioxidant supplementation: vitamin E, organic selenium ALKOSEL^® and superoxide dismutase (SOD)-rich melon pulp concentrate MELOFEED^®. It was shown that heat stress and vaccination, used as stress triggers, were associated to different specific biomarkers of oxidative stress. Both were linked to reduced zootechnical performance. The antioxidant combination supplementation had a positive effect on stress biomarkers and performance. This oxidative stress model received much interest from participants at the symposium and will certainly prove useful in the future to evaluate nutritional strategies to prevent or limit oxidative stress. The study also further confirms the interest of appropriate antioxidant strategies during stress periods.
The second study is aimed at better describing the sow’s digestive microflora. While increasing data suggest that rearing practices and feed composition have a strong impact on sow and piglet productivity and welfare through modulation of the sow’s gut microbial populations, the sow microbiota structure and functions are still poorly known. This study presents the first description of both bacterial and archaeal taxonomic composition along the sow gastrointestinal tract (GIT). Lallemand Animal Nutrition microbiology experts applied high throughput DNA sequencing techniques in order to assess the abundance, diversity and richness of bacteria and archaea populations in the different compartments of the sow GIT. It was concluded that repartition of bacteria and archaea differed along the sow GIT, probably linked with substrate availability and physico-chemical conditions. More needs to be elucidated, in particular through functional studies of the various microbial populations and the impact of dietary and physiological factors. However, this study already suggests that, contrarily to what is often admitted, fecal microflora may be not so representative of microbial ecosystem in the colon. This kind of studies will also be very valuable to better understand the effects and modes of action of probiotics solutions.
Organized every third year since 1979, DDP symposium presents the most cutting-edge research in digestive physiology of the pig as well as some very applied research efforts related to proper research methodologies, intestinal health, and nutrient digestion/absorption.

Using viruses to treat bacterial infections in pigs?

Pig producers could soon be using viruses to treat bacterial infections. Professor Martha Clokie, University of Leicester, is going to be leading research into certain types of viruses that could be used to treat Brachyspira and Salmonella in pigs.
Speaking at the BPEX Innovation Conference, Clokie said that viruses behave as selective parasites of bacteria. Therefore, “friendly” viruses, known as bacteriophages, can be used as specific and targeted treatments for certain bacteria.
“In our work in humans we’ve been able to use certain viruses to treat the gut bacterium Clostridium difficile,” she said. “Plus, because of the phages’ specificity, they can also be used to diagnose which bacteria are causing active infection.
“Phages have been used to treat bacteria in this way for 100 years but interest in this area has been revived recently because of the rise in resistance to antibiotics. Originally, the specificity of bacteriophages was seen as a challenge and the broad spectrum of antibiotics made them the favoured option when they were discovered, she said.
“However, bacteriophages are highly specific to their host and only bind to and infect those bacteria. Because of this, they won’t damage the whole flora of the gut which makes them a valuable alternative option to antibiotics.”
Clokie mentioned that, in future, they could be used at farm level or even in the abattoir to reduce contamination of carcasses. 

5 ways to keep your pigs from sizzling this summer

The heat is almost on. What can pig producers do now to prepare their barn?
Heat can cause significant stress for pigs, often causing agitation and affecting their eating habits. When pigs eat less, they convert less feed into muscle thus reducing their average daily gain, increasing their days to market and ultimately putting a damper on the producer’s pocket book. Stress also opens doors to many other possibilities such as health challenges.
“You have to take into account the heat outside in addition to the heat that the pigs are producing from eating and moving around in the barn. Respiratory rates begin to increase around 70 degrees Fahrenheit, and with high humidity, it becomes difficult for pigs to find relief from the heat on their own,” said Russell Gilliam, U.S. swine business manager for Alltech.
Pigs cannot cool themselves off as well as other animals. Gilliam suggests five key management areas for beating the heat this summer:
Control the temperature. This is especially important in early and latesummer as wide variations between night and day temperatures can compoundstress levels that the animals are experiencing. Avoid temperature shiftsof a few degrees or more. Monitoring equipment such as computers, sensors andthermometers are essential. 
Increase ventilation and ensureadequate space. Since pigs can generatelarge amounts of heat, focus on practices that produce less. Ensure eachpig has enough space and ventilation. Keep motion minimal and do notdisturb the animals during peak temperature times of the day. Check allfans and vents to ensure they are clean and running properly.
Focus on water quality and access. It is very important to make sure pigs haveunlimited access to fresh and cool drinking water, as drinking levels canalso have an effect on feed intake. Taking water samples at the beginningand end of the water lines can help confirm water is the best qualitypossible.
Power your nutrition program. Data has shown that offering pigs a combination of organic acids, electrolytes, enzymes and probiotics can support young animals during times of stress. Organic acids support probiotic growth in the gut and enzymes can help enhance intake and digestibility. Electrolytes make sure the animal stays hydrated, especially in times of heat stress. Combination technologies work quickly by lowering the pH of the water. Depending on the type of water and the target level for pH, these technologies can work on their own or with a combination of other ingredients to help optimize the gut environment. 
Monitor your pigs. Even if you think it might not be too hot, pigscan still be affected by the additional heat they are creating. Watch forsigns that your pigs are overheating: faster breathing, fluctuations infeed and water intake levels, reduced activity and lying stretched on thefloor, often separated from others.
"Being prepared for heat stress challenges can lead to healthier animals and healthier profits. Addressing the summer challenges that arise as quickly as possible can have a major impact on the overall value of your pigs when you take them to market,” Gilliam said. “To keep your animals prepared, it is essential you keep their nutrition equipped with technologies that build their natural immunity.”

Danisco’s Enviva EO shown to resolve challenges in swine

New research shows the benefits of Danisco Animal Nutrition’s essential oil product Enviva EO in swine.
The research, carried out in conjunction with the China Agricultural University, shows that that Enviva EO -- a product containing carefully balanced, high-concentration blends of thymol and cinnamaldehyde in nature-identical form -- is a solution for resolving common production challenges in swine, including:
*Improving bodyweight gain in piglets suffering from production stress, with feed intake increasing by up to 19 percent, resulting in a net profit improvement of $25.96/ton and net profit saving of more than 19 percent (which is comparable to savings offered through Antibiotic Growth Promoter application).
*The development of a positive gut microbiota in newly weaned pigs, which results in digestibility benefits and helps to control populations of certain bacteria that may have a negative impact on production.
*Supporting food safety through reduced occurrence of diarrhea and decreased E. coli counts in feces, which can, in turn, resolve issues with carcass contamination.
Free-flowing, dust and odor free, Enviva EO’s, active components are protected by patented “encapsulation” process making them heat stable up to 85C , improving production efficiency in poultry and swine production.
“Our local research shows that the use of essential oils and other feed additives can increase profitability and reduce the impact of high feed costs. Our essential oils offering can also help our customers improve food safety and quality with reduced use of antibiotics,” said Liza Fan, regional industry leader for China at Danisco Animal Nutrition.

Canada pork producers commit funds for pig health collaboration

Canadian pork producers continue to make swine health a priority by committing producer levies to fund a national animal health initiative. The focus for the national animal health initiative will be to bring key players together to collaborate on efforts across Canada that limit the spread of viruses like porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) virus, increase communication and monitor surveillance activities.
“I am pleased with the provincial pork board’s unanimous response to CPC’s recommendation to back a national animal health initiative,” stated Canadian Pork Council Chair Jean Guy Vincent. “There is no pause in the fight to safe guard the health status of our industry.”
CPC has received support from its members to fund a National Swine Health initiative to continue to build on all of the work that has been done over the past few years. Senior staff from across Canada met before the holidays this year to strategize on next steps and how to reinforce the importance of biosecurity.
"The pork industry has worked together to improve biosecurity and taken every step possible to stop the spread of PEDv and to eliminate this virus from Canada," added Vincent. "Producers should be commended for investing in the national animal health initiative and believe this effort complements the many activities taking place at a provincial level across Canada.”
The provincial emergency response plans developed are effective and significant steps have been taken to help reduce the risk of a virus being spread in Canada. Producers are encouraged to increase their due diligence and use the tools and best information available to prevent the potential spread of the PED virus or other production diseases. The national animal health initiative was developed based on feedback from producers across Canada that met over two days in November to help shape the future of the industry and address the many challenges and opportunities for the next year.
The CPC serves as the national voice for hog producers in Canada. A federation of nine provincial pork industry associations, our organization’s purpose is to play a leadership role in achieving and maintaining a dynamic and prosperous Canadian pork sector.

Danes want to stop feeding plasma to pigs

Denmark’s pig research center VSP and national feed association Dakofo have agreed to recommend that porcine blood plasma is phased out as an ingredient in Danish pig feeds during 2015, to rule out any possibility that it could introduce porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) virus.
Their recommendation follows a report from the European Food Safety Agency on the prevalence of PED virus in the European Union and other parts of the world. According to this report, highly efficient spray drying of the blood plasma should inactivate any traces of PED virus present in it. However, the agency points to variations in the spray drying process and suggests that PED virus infection being transmitted through blood plasma cannot be excluded, even if such occurrences are extremely rare.
As from next year, say the Danes, the only use of porcine blood plasma in pig feeds should be where the farmer considers it essential for the intestinal health of his weaned pigs and where the plasma has been spray-dried in accordance with EU rules on imports from third countries -- meaning the process is carried out at a temperature of at least 80 C and there have been a minimum of six weeks of storage at no more than 8 percent humidity.

National Pork Board funds new swine health information center

The National Pork Board’s board of directors at its November meeting approved the funding of a National Swine Health Information Center. The new, autonomous venture will focus its efforts on implementing industry preparedness for disease challenges that could affect U.S. swine herds.
According to Dr. Paul Sundberg, vice president of science and technology at the National Pork Board, a $15 million investment by the Pork Checkoff would fund the center for five years. The center would be governed by a board consisting of representatives from the National Pork Board, the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC), the American Association of Swine Veterinarians (AASV) and at-large pork producers.
“It’s our intention to establish a center that can improve our preparedness for swine diseases with the combined resources of swine veterinarians, producers, researchers, diagnosticians and state and federal animal health officials,” Sundberg said. “We have learned a lot over the past year and a half from our experience with porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) virus and we want to create a unique, collaborative system that will help us achieve our overall goal of preparing for the next emerging swine disease.”
Sundberg says the proposed new center would work toward recognizing and filling the resource and knowledge gaps that currently exist in swine disease diagnostics as they relate to emerging diseases. Also, the new center would work with the Institute for Infectious Animal Diseases at Texas A&M University to help facilitate swine health data analysis.
“Although this is a one-time allocation of supplemental funds outside of our regular budget, we realize that this is an investment in the future of the U.S. pork industry,” said Dale Norton, National Pork Board president and producer from Bronson, Mich. “In the coming months, we will reach out to producers, gather their input and design a center that best meets their needs.”
Sundberg emphasized that the Swine Health Information Center would not be specifically responsible for a disease response plan nor would it duplicate current AASV, NPPC or National Pork Board efforts. The USDA will continue to oversee and manage classical foreign animal diseases, such as Foot-and-Mouth Disease, that already have a preparedness plan in place.
More information on the new center will be announced at the annual National Pork Industry Forum, which will be held March 5-7, 2015, in San Antonio, Texas.

Pork board may create National Swine Health Information Center

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  Andrea Gantz

  The National Pork Board will soon vote on a proposal to create a National Swine Health Information Center.

  From WATTAgNet:
  The National Pork Board will soon vote on a proposal to create a National Swine Health Information Center with funding from the Pork Checkoff. If realized the center would be used as a tool to implement industry preparedness for disease challenges that impact the swine industry. 
  The announcement about the proposal was made during the Iowa State University Swine Disease Conference by
  Harry Snelson, DVM, American Association of Swine Veterinarians (AASV), and Craig Rowles, DVM, Elite Pork, announced the proposed center during the Iowa State University Swine Disease Conference.
  Snelson and Rowles said that the center, if approved, would be funded over a five-year period by a $15 million to $20 million investment by the Pork Checkoff.
  “A board made up of representatives from the National Pork Board (NPB), National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) and AASV will have the responsibility for setting the executive direction of the Swine Health Information Center,” Rowles said. “AgConnect, part of the Institute for Infectious Animal Diseases at Texas A&M, will work with the new Center to put geospatial data with potential disease outbreaks.”
  Rowles said the center would be used as a tool to help implement swine industry preparedness, enhance and supplement non-regulatory disease response and improve swine health management.
  The center, according to Snelson, would focus on global production diseases and would establish a mechanism for evaluating disease implications and prioritizing threats.

Fat and oil variability creates problems for pig feed formulations

Dr. Mauro di Benedetto, senior technical service manager with Kemin, discussed the outcomes of the company’s European roadshow on the nutritional profile of feed fats and oil based on the data it gathered from European feed mills and pig farmers.
Regarding fat and oil, the main concerns of producers and feed formulators focused on three main areas: quality, variability and evaluation. In terms of quality, oxidative properties and their characteristics prove challenging. Fat and oil composition variability, linked to poor formulations and negative effects on final animal production, was another pervasive issue. Finally, the producer’s ability to evaluate the proper energy values and then search for suitable lipid alternatives concerned those surveyed.


Variability complicates formulating
Fifty years ago, formulators using soy oil and single-origin animal fats faced very low levels of nutrient variability. In contrast, blends of fatty acids and byproducts entered the market in the 2000s and are the most commonly used. This diverse variety of lipids – animal fats, vegetable oils, acid oils, blended fats and recovered vegetable oils – vary in their physical and chemical properties.
How important is oil and fat variability? Very important.
According to trial data provided by Benedetto, young pigs (between 10 and 20 kg) experience variations in digestible energy availability in these fats and oils, which affect their performance.
“The two parameters of energy calculations between free fatty acid contents from oils of different origins can vary from 1-100, which is the situation of fats on the market that feed mills use,” he says. “Unsaturated and saturated ratios are very variable as well.”


Lipid testing
Kemin’s Lipid Evaluation Test (LET) is a new tool the company offers its customers to evaluate the variability of fats and oils.
The test evaluates the oxidative status of fats and oils to assign the proper energy value to the most common lipid sources. It also allows the user to evaluate alternative sources. Ultimately, the tool can be used to reduce feed variability, improve feed optimization, and reduce feed costs.
How does it work? The test takes into account three parameters of oxidative status: the Thiobarbituric acid-anisidin value (TBA), the historic oxidation; peroxide values (PV), present oxidative action; and sensitivity to oxidation (OSI), which points to future outcome.
Then the nutrition parameters (free fatty acids and unsaturated fatty acids) and the diluting factors (MIU and NEM) are evaluated. The dietary energy is then tabulated by plugging the data into Wiseman & Blanch formula.
In the end, the user is able to determine the risk of oxidation of fats and oils as a fatty acid profile is produced. According to Benedetto, once this information is made available, one finds that “many times there are surprises.”
Finally, a calculation of energy is used to identify the diluting factors determined by nutritional parameters.
“Always calculate the diluting factors,” Benedetto advises. “If you use corn, you consider moisture, so it not logical to include diluting factors for oils as well?”
The Pig Forum stage is located in the center of Hall 9, the swine hall, at EuroTier. EuroTier 2014 runs Nov. 11-14 in Hanover, Germany.

Pig diseases can be monitored via oral fluids on cotton rope

• Giving pigs cotton ropes to chew on could be a more cost-effective and stress-free way for pig producers to monitor their herds for diseases like porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) virus and porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) virus, according to a three-year research project.
  By taking oral fluid samples from the rope, pig producers and veterinarians can assess the health status of their animal in a non-invasive way, Lorna Dawson, a PhD. student involved in a research project sponsored by the British Pig Executive (BPEX).
  “By collecting oral fluid samples I could screen more animals than was physically possible when carrying out blood sampling,” Dawson told Farmers Weekly.
  Sample collection was performed by suspending a cotton rope over a pen for the pigs to chew, using methods that were initially established at Iowa State University.
  Deposited oral fluid samples were then checked for specific disease markers such as viral RNA and antibodies, allowing the early diagnosis of specific diseases at the subclinical or clinical stage.
  “This suggests that the use of oral fluid is potentially a feasible, low cost, non-invasive way to assess the disease status in pig populations,” said Dawson.
  Dawson added that this non-invasive way of testing is better from an animal welfare perspective.