Vaccination is often presented by the media as a silver bullet to an incredible viral threat, a perception heightened since the COVID pandemic.

 

Prior to that disease, African swine fever (ASF) and bird flu had left damaging marks on livestock farms worldwide, and their outbreaks continue to happen. We have heard of the ongoing progress of getting an actual ASF vaccine to market; for now, perhaps sooner than we think, the light at the end of the proverbial tunnel appears to be showing itself in this area (pages 4-5).

 

Outside the glare of mainstream media, there are challenges in pig farming less conspicuous to the public eye (because nothing rouses more headlines than a deadly virus).

 

Thus, in this issue of Livestock & Feed Business, Evonik sets its sights on mitigating post-weaning diarrhoea, a serious problem for nursery pigs - and which its GutPlus® probiotic can offer a solution against (pages 8-9). Angel Yeast answers the need for better quality feed diets for piglets with the yeast hydrolysate-based GroPro, which can boost feed intake and growth performance (pages 10-11). Lastly, Phytobiotics seeks to satisfy the demand for diet palatability with its Bigarol® Cremarom PE vanilla flavour product; as it explains: "…adding flavours and sweeteners stimulates salivary gland activity and appetite, ultimately leading to higher feed intake for optimal growth." (pages 12-13).

 

The challenges in pig production are not all gloom and doom under the persisting spectre of ASF. Some farms are better protected from the disease than others, having their own set of difficulties that may be more easily overcome.

 

Unless ASF strikes, pig producers can still achieve improved profitability and sustainability with solutions already available in the market.

 

The full article is published on the June 2024 issue of LIVESTOCK & FEED Business. To read the full report, please email to inquiry@efeedlink.com to request for a complimentary copy of the magazine, indicating your name, mailing address and title of the report.