Relationship of Tissue Dimension and Captive Bolt Placement on Mature Swine – 2021 Badger Swine Symposium

Dec 30, 2021

By Lyssa Seefeldt

A penetrating captive bolt is a method of euthanasia that’s approved for use in swine by the American Veterinary Medical Association, as well as the National Pork Board. This method is approved with a common frontal placement by both organizations. Two alternative placements of interest have been identified to complete euthanasia in swine: temporal placement, and placement behind the ear directed towards the opposite eye. There has been little published research on the captive bolt euthanasia of swine. Most of the published research is on market weight (or smaller) pigs. While used in the industry with success, the captive bolt euthanasia of swine larger than 120 kilograms (265 pounds) has not been validated as an effective method, specifically for swine over 200 kilograms (440 pounds).

Learn more about the first steps of research to scientifically validate the temporal and behind the ear placements of a captive bolt for the euthanasia of large sows and boars. This study determined the tissue depth, cross sectional brain area and brain damage for the frontal, temporal, and behind the ear placements for the euthanasia of swine via the penetrating captive bolt on sow and boar cadaver heads.

Source : wisc.edu

Video: Methionine Requirements for Lactating Sows - Cierra Kozole

In this episode of The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, Cierra Kozole, PhD candidate in Swine Nutrition at the University of Guelph, explains how methionine supports lactating sows beyond milk protein synthesis. She discusses updated requirement estimates, source comparisons, methylation demand, and why modern sow genetics may require more precise amino acid strategies. Listen now on all major platforms!

"Methionine supports protein synthesis while also serving critical functions through methylation pathways that influence multiple biological processes."

Meet the guest: Cierra Kozole / cierra-kozole-772b64253 is a PhD candidate in Swine Nutrition at the University of Guelph in Canada. Her doctoral research focuses on refining estimates of methionine requirements for primiparous lactating sows, including evaluating methionine sources, nutrient partitioning, methylation reactions, and the links among amino acid supply, milk production, and sow protein retention. Learn more from Cierra Kozole on The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, available on all major platforms.