March 7, 2008

Swine specialist positive on Canadian hog industry's future
 

The future of Canada's hog industry is positive, according to Tim Blackwell, leading veterinarian for the Canadian Ministry for Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA).

In order for a pork producer to compete globally, he must have an average of 12 pigs per sow born live, market 25 pigs per year per sow, and use less than 2.8 pounds of feed per pound of grain in the finishing barn, said Blackwell.

"This is very achievable in North America, and it may be true that only the top 15 percent of farms right now are achieving this," Blackwell said.

Blackwell admitted that the hog industry has hit a rough patch recently, but suggested that situation should soon become better, as he forecast a continuing increase in global meat consumption, especially chicken and pork.

Blackwell is equally positive about PRRS (porcine reproductive respiratory syndrome), which he opined could be easily controlled in the farm. He said that producers should use the circovirus vaccine, even if their pigs do not have the disease.

A costly and underestimated problem among hogs is reproductive inefficiency, according to Blackwell.

"It is critical to get 90 percent of the sows in heat within seven days of weaning; it's the beginning of the whole reproductive process, and if your sows are not coming in heat within a week of weaning, then it's your nutritionist's fault," he said.

Blackwell added that reproductive inefficiency is costing Ontario producers as much as 25 percent of their potential production.