Saskatchewan Pork Producers Urged to Implement On-Farm Emergency Response Plans

Feb 17, 2025

Saskatchewan’s pork industry is taking proactive steps to prepare for potential animal health emergencies by encouraging producers to develop site-specific on-farm emergency response plans. The initiative aims to ensure preparedness in the event of a foreign animal disease outbreak that could require herd depopulation.

A Strategic Approach to Biosecurity

To support producers in this effort, the Saskatchewan Pork Development Board, in collaboration with the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture and the Animal Health Emergency Management project, has released a Mass Euthanasia and Disposal Producer Guide. Additionally, an online workshop is scheduled for February 27th to provide further guidance on implementing effective emergency plans.

Key Steps for Producers

Karolina Steinerova, Producer Services Manager at Sask Pork, emphasized the importance of having a structured plan in place:

Click here to see more...

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.