A Survey of Best Management Practices of Swine Farms Across Canada – Part 2

Sep 30, 2024

This article will continue to focus on the adoption of best management practices; and how we are doing as an industry. Two projects funded by Swine Innovation Porc and carried out by Prairie Swine Centre (PSC) and Centre de développement du porc du Québec (CDPQ) focused on best management practices looking at biosecurity/herd health, feed/feeder management, and personal protection, water use/management, in addition to each phase of production (breeding, gestation, farrowing, nursery, and grow-finish.

Audit results indicate that dust masks, hearing protection and hydrogen sulphide (H2S) monitors are being used to varying degrees in on farms across Canada. Approximately 90% of farms indicate that they provide creep feed. Results from the audit indicate that approximately half of participating farms sort pigs when transferred into the finishing barn. A majority of respondents (66%) indicate we adjust feeders as required. Just over 50% of measured feeders achieved an ideal feeder adjustment while 30% and 14% of feeders were over or under adjusted respectively. Based on some of the results we can see that little changes can make a big impact on the overall profitability of your operation. Currently there seems to be a margin for improvement as we achieve a 40-50% of measured and surveyed best management practices.

Source : Swine Web

Video: Cold Weather Farming: Tough Week On The Farm!

Cold weather has officially arrived at Ewetopia Farms, and this week gave us everything November in Canada can throw at a sheep farm! In today’s episode, Cold Weather Farming, we take you through a full week of real, raw, and unpredictable conditions that define life on a Canadian sheep farm this time of year.

From pouring rain to heavy winds, mud, freezing temperatures, and finally snow, we experienced just about every type of weather Mother Nature could deliver in a matter of days. With winter arriving early, it's all hands on deck to keep the farm running smoothly and to make sure our Suffolk and Poll Dorset sheep stay warm, dry, and comfortable.