By Bruce Cochrane.
A program being offered by the Governments of Canada and Saskatchewan in partnership with Sask Pork is helping the province's pork producers access equipment which will help them comply with new animal welfare requirements under Canada's Pig Code of Practice.
The Saskatchewan Pork Development Board, in partnership with the Governments of Canada and Saskatchewan through Growing Forward 2, is offering up to 4,000 dollars through the Saskatchewan Swine Welfare Program to assist in the purchase of needle-free injection equipment or euthanasia equipment.
The two year program is scheduled to run until the end of February 2018.
Harvey Wagner, the Manager of Producer Services with Sask Pork, says Sask Pork cover 20 percent of the cost of the equipment, Growing forward 2 will cover 60 percent and the producer is responsible for 20 percent.
Harvey Wagner-Saskatchewan Pork Development Board:
Needle-free is quite complicated.
It's a high degree of technology and very fine tolerances and so the equipment is fairly expensive.
It's in the 4,000 dollar range and that's one of the reasons why the limits are where they are on this program.
Euthanasia equipment can vary anywhere from a few hundred dollars up to 4,000 dollars as well if producers get the complete kits of euthanasia equipment with captive bolts with all the fittings to take care of all classes of animals.
This equipment is not inexpensive but it's high quality and it lasts for a long period of time.
With proper maintenance, it'll last the life of the barn pretty much.
Wagner notes any CQA registered farm is eligible so that means all of the commercial farms in Saskatchewan qualify.
He says the larger operations tend to be using the program to access needle-free injection equipment while the smaller farms, typically those under 400 sows, are more interested in the euthanasia equipment.
Source: Farmscape