Some animal welfare advocates argue that the permanent confinement of sows in farrowing crates will limit the sow’s freedom of movement and the ability to show typical species appropriate behaviour. They further argue that permanent confinement increases the risk...
Urinary tract infection (UTI) is one of the most common bacterial infections worldwide. Cystitis is an inflammation of the urinary bladder. This infection is often the result of an ascending bacterial infection. The condition is often subclinical in pigs...
Tail biting has continued to be a problem that occurs in pig production despite an increase in our knowledge of techniques that can be used to prevent tail biting. Still a major “pain in the butt” on some farms...
African Swine Fever Virus (ASFV) is most often described as being highly contagious and causing virulent disease with very high mortality. The fact of the matter is that ASFV is not highly contagious. It certainly is contagious but only...
The level of contamination with mycotoxins such as deoxynivalenol (DON, "vomitoxin") can vary from year to year depending on field management, growing conditions and grain storage. Pigs are quite sensitive to the toxicity of DON. Toxic levels of DON...
When a disease spills over from animals to humans it is called a zoonotic event. In June, 2021, the Province of Manitoba reported a zoonotic event that involved a swine host adapted influenza Virus (IAV-S) that infected humans. When...
The management of needles used for injection is an important part of controlling the spread of disease between pigs. Diseases such as PRRS can be transmitted from pig to pig via the blood that remains on the needle. Needle...
Streptococcus equi subspecies zooepidemicus (Strep zoo) is usually identified as a commensal bacterium of horses. Strep zoo was first reported as a severe clinical disease in swine in Canada in 2019. At that time it was associated with sudden...
Preventing the spread of wild pigs in Ontario is an important opportunity for Ontario. Wild pigs are considered one of the most damaging invasive species in North America and have been called
an ‘ecological train wreck’ for the sheer damage...
Jim Long, President and CEO Genesus Genetics
British Pig & Poultry Fair Report
Last week we attended the British Pig & Poultry Fair held in Stoneleigh Park, England. Our report:
This was the first Pig & Poultry Fair in four years due...