SHIC Calls for Research Proposals for Improving Biosecurity, Biocontainment and Transport Biosecurity

Oct 25, 2022

The Swine Health Information Center has issued a call for research proposals aimed at developing new tools, techniques and technologies for preventing the introduction of diseases to swine farms, preventing spread from farm to farm and preventing movement from concentration points to back to the farm.

The Swine Health Information Center, the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research and Pork Checkoff are calling for proposals to investigate cost-effective, innovative technologies, protocols or ideas to implement biosecurity during the wean-to-harvest phase of pork production.

SHIC Associate Director Dr. Megan Niederwerder says the focus is bioexclusion for preventing disease introduction on the farm, biocontainment for preventing disease spread from the farm and transportation biosecurity for preventing disease movement from markets and concentration points back to the farm.

Clip-Dr. Megan Niederwerder-Swine Health Information Center:

We just released the request for proposals last week and would like to broadly advertise that research program as an opportunity to develop novel tools and technologies specifically for the wean to harvest phases with regards to bioexclusion, biocontainment as well as transport biosecurity.

There's a pool of 2.3 million dollars for projects.Projects are capped at approximately 200 thousand dollars per project and the proposals are due December 16th of this year. Really outside the box, away from traditional biosecurity.

We know there's biosecurity fatigue and so how can we develop new tools, technology, engineering to make biosecurity more easy to implement and more consistent across the industry.

Dr. Niederwerder notes the request for proposals can be accessed through the Swine Health Information Center web site at swinehealth.org.

Source : Farmscape.ca

Video: FLEECED! Sheep Shearer Hands Over Clippers!

It's sheep shearing day at Ewetopia Farms! ?? Our Dorset lambs and ewes are getting fleeced — and for the first time, our shearer hands over his clippers to a beginner. We finish shearing the last of our adult ewes and this year’s Dorset ewe lambs.

From moving the sheep between barns, loading them into chutes, and watching the wool come off, this is always one of the most satisfying days on the farm. But this video has a twist — we welcomed a new helper, Gian, who’s not only lending a hand but also learning how to shear! With guidance from our experienced shearer, he got a crash course in sheep shearing and even tried his hand at shearing a couple of lambs himself.

You’ll see firsthand how both teacher and student handled this unique challenge. Shearing is more than just removing wool — it’s about sheep health, comfort, and giving us a closer look at the flock. It’s always amazing to see the transformation from woolly sheep to freshly shorn ewes and lambs.