Swine Industry Meets In Winnipeg

Feb 03, 2017

The province's hog industry gathered in Winnipeg this week for the annual Manitoba Swine Seminar.

One of the topics discussed was batch farrowing, which means grouping sows together to farrow in a tight period to create a large group of pigs the same age to help facilitate management afterwards.

Mario Lapierre, director of supply and sales for PIC Canada, said the pigs are easier to take care of if they are the same age when it comes to things like nutrition, rather than shooting for the average with a group that is at various stages of development.

He said while the concept is beneficial, it can create challenges for staff.

“It creates some very heavy loaded weeks for work, so you have to work with your staff to get some adjustments with hours,” he commented.

Source : Portageonline

Video: Sweetener Effects on Gut Health - Dr. Kwangwook Kim

In this episode of The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Kwangwook Kim, Assistant Professor at Michigan State University, discusses the use of non-nutritive sweeteners in nursery pig diets. He explains how sucralose and neotame influence feed intake, gut health, metabolism, and the frequency of diarrhea compared to antibiotics. The conversation highlights mechanisms beyond palatability, including hormone signaling and nutrient transport. Listen now on all major platforms!

“Receptors responsible for sweet taste are present not only in the mouth but also along the intestinal tract.”

Meet the guest: Dr. Kwangwook Kim / kwangwook-kim is an Assistant Professor at Michigan State University, specializing in swine nutrition and feed additives under disease challenge models. He earned his M.S. and Ph.D. in Animal Sciences from the University of California, Davis, where he focused on intestinal health and metabolic responses in pigs. His research evaluates alternatives to antibiotics, targeting gut health and performance in nursery pigs.