Pork Journal
September/October 2013 Volume 35, Number 5
Securing a sustainable future with APIQ free range accreditation Energetic approach by carbon conscious Pork CRC NSP Enzyme improves ileal digestibility of nutrients and boosts profitability of pig production
A retrospective of the Australian pig industry. Part Two
PrintPost Approved PP243096/00002 ISSN 1032 3759
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Contents 6 MAIN FEATURE Securing a sustainable future with APIQ free range accreditation One of the first APIQ FR farms to receive accreditation is Greta Valley Free Range Pork situated near the picturesque Millawa wine region of Victoria. The farm is run by Kim and Brian Smith and its free range produced pork has many devotees in the region.
Kim and Brian Smith, Greta Valley Free Range Pork.
Pork Journal September/October 2013 Volume 35, Number 5 Editorial Enquiries Peter Bedwell or Rosemary Embery 02 4323 0005 or 0419 235 288 Staff: Editor/Ad Sales: Peter Bedwell Ph: (02) 4323 0005 Mob: 0419 235 288 Production: Rosemary Embery Email: primarymedia@bigpond.com Mob: 0409 944 472 Journalist: Alex Bedwell Mob: 0478 647 798 Website: www.primarymedia.com.au PORK JOURNAL consists of a bi-monthly management magazine and an annual industry review. Published by C D Supplies Pty Ltd (ACN 091 560 557)
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12 NUTRITION FEATURE NSP Enzyme improves ileal digestibility of nutrients and boosts profitability of pig production NSP enzymes provide benefit from non-conventional raw materials in pig diets. The enzyme complex used in pig trials effectively improved diet digestibility and also helped with restoring the performance of grower and finisher pigs fed low cost (US$8-9/mt) formulation.
18 SPECIAL FEATURE A retrospective of the Australian pig industry. Part Two Jim Berting looks back at his more than 50 years involvment in the Australian pig industry. He arrived in Australia in 1966 and saw the local industry from a newcomer’s perspective. From previous experience with the UK and European pig industries over some years, he had seen how, around the world, pig producers and their pigs adapt to local circumstances of climate, food sources and consumer demand.
NEWS 4 Energetic approach by carbon conscious Pork CRC Australia’s pork industry has embraced the benefits of on-farm biogas energy. According to Rob Wilson, Leader of CRC for High Integrity Australian Pork (Pork CRC) ‘Carbon conscious nutrient inputs and outputs’ Program, biogas energy suits the Australian pork industry because pork manure offers a high yield to biogas and significant heat is needed on-farm at piggeries. 15 Danish report slight increase in pig-related MRSA in humans Last year, in 12.5% of the human MRSA cases in Denmark, the so called pig type, CC398 was involved. This is a year-on-year increase of 2.5%, states the Danish surveillance report Danmap, for 2011. 16 Groundwater supports industry worth $34 billion Australia’s reserves of groundwater help earn the nation a steady $34 billion a year from mining, food production and manufacturing, according to a new study. Many pig and poultry farmers rely on bore water as a prime source of water and ground water is also used to irrigate crops vital to intensive livestock industries.
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21 Tesco UK labels Dutch pork as British product UK supermarket giant Tesco, has apologised for the mislabelling of two pork chops as British when tests have revealed they were probably Dutch. Pork carrying the Red Tractor logo that was purchased in a Tesco store in Salford, Greater Manchester, by a BBC reporter was sent to a German laboratory for testing.
PRODUCT NEWS 12 Virkon LSP: rebranding Farm Fluid HD ROW
PORK JOURNAL, September/October 2013 3
NEWS Energetic approach by carbon conscious Pork CRC Australia’s pork industry has embraced the benefits of on-farm biogas energy. According to Rob Wilson, Leader of CRC for High Integrity Australian Pork (Pork CRC) ‘Carbon conscious nutrient inputs and outputs’ Program, biogas energy suits the Australian pork industry because pork manure offers a high yield to biogas and significant heat is needed on-farm at piggeries. Biogas is being used at Australian piggeries for direct heating via hot water, or for combined heat and power, with on-site use and/or grid exports of excess power. About 8% of Australia’s national pork production is harvesting biogas, with a further 2% or so under construction and 10% in various stages of planning and development. More than 30% are likely to be using biogas energy by 2020. According to Dr Wilson, the most popular biogas systems have been unheated conventional covered lagoons, because of their relatively low cost, simplicity and low operator input requirements. “Also, space is not so restricted, with piggeries highly dispersed and our prevailing warm climate leading to relatively modest seasonal fluctuations in biogas flow.” To drive biogas uptake at Australian and New Zealand piggeries, Pork CRC funds the Bioenergy Support Program (BSP), led by Dr Stephan Tait at the Advanced Water
Management Centre, University of Queensland. The BSP promotes biogas energy, supports pork producers with site-based biogas feasibility assessments, provides technical information and resources to streamline adoption based on case study data from demonstration sites and identifies and promotes targeted research to further benefit the pork industry. Adoption of biogas has been shown to be economically feasible at many sites, with a significant positive return on investment over 10 years. Dr Wilson said that life cycle assessments of Australian pork supply chains suggested the majority of greenhouse gas emissions for production are methane emissions from effluent treatment and capturing and using biogas on-site could reduce on-farm emissions by 60 to 80%. “This suggests the industry goal of onfarm emissions of around 1kgCo2-eq per kg pork produced is achievable and that the Australian pork industry has the potential to have the lowest global warming potential of pork production worldwide. “The future of biogas energy at Australian piggeries looks bright and with the ongoing support of the Bioenergy Support Program through Pork CRC and APL, opportunities are becoming realities across Australia,” Dr Wilson said.
Mundubbera piggery goes up in flames More than 20 firefighters from Mundubbera, Eidsvold, Gayndah and Biggenden joined forces to battle the blaze just off Mundubbera-Durong Rd as the Mundubbera piggery in Queensland burnt down on October 17. Multiple emergency calls were made around 11am with crews containing the fire around 2pm and not leaving the scene until 6pm. Queensland Fire and Rescue Service North Coast Region Zone Commander Adam Gwin had nothing but praise for the fire fighters and members of the community and said they did a magnificent job. “They all just dug in and made a fantastic effort, all the fire crews,” Mr Gwin said. “The support which rallied very quickly
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PORK JOURNAL, September/October 2013
from within the community was fantastic. “It certainly didn’t take long for refreshments to arrive to keep the crews working.” The loss of livestock, structures and equipment will be a blow for a business that suffered a huge setback during the January floods. “It’s an absolute tragedy when these things happen to any business, especially out in rural communities,” Mr Gwin said. “Certainly from a fire service perspective, and from my own perspective, we would hope that their recovery efforts are speedy and hopefully they get the best result that they can possibly get.” Despite the mild winds, plumes of thick black smoke could be seen from the centre of Mundubbera CBD.
Dr Rob Wilson, Leader, Pork CRC Program Four, ‘Carbon conscious nutrient inputs and outputs’.
“That indicator of smoke is common with any structural fire,” Mr Gwin said. “There’s toxicity in any smoke and it’s important for people not to be in the smoke plume, regardless of what sort of fire it is.”
The Mundubbera piggery which suffered in the January floods has now been burnt down.
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Pig Health. Performance. Growth. www.p www .p fizeranimal f izeranimal health.com.au Pfizer P fizer Australia Australia Pty Pt y Ltd. Ltd. 38–42 38 – 42 Wharf Whar f Road, Road, West West Ryde Ryde NSW NSW 2114. 2114. ABN ABN 50 50 008 008 422 422 348. 348. ŽRegistered Ž Registered trademark trademark of of PPfizer fizer Australia. Australia. PPAL0680/PJ AL0680 / PJ References: 1.. Ross Aust 3.. Kielstein Clin Microbiol 1992; References: 1 Ross Bowles Bowles – DPI DPI pegpen, pegpen, 2002. 2002. 2. Rafiee Rafiee M, M, Blackall Blackall PJ. PJ. A ust Vet Ve Vet J 2000; 2000; 78: 78: 172–174. 172–174. 3 Kielstein P, P, Rapp-Gabrielson Rapp-Gabrielson VJ. VJ. J Cli Cl in Mi Microbiol 19 92; Vet 6.. RespiSure HPS Aust Ve Vet J 2010; 2010; 88: 88: 255–259. 255–259. 5. Cargill Cargill C, C, eett al al AAPV AAPV proceedings proceedings 2002; 2002; 29-33 29-33 6 RespiSure H PS Product Product Information. Information. 30:862–865. 30:862–865. 4. Turni Turni C, C, Blackall Blackall PJ. PJ. Aust
Hoop shelter has been adapted as a walk through shelter for growers on the Greta Valley free range farm.
Securing a sustainable future with APIQ free range accreditation
By PETER BEDWELL
O
n March 9, 2012 after consulting widely with industry customer supply chain and environmental experts, Australian Pork Limited announced its APIQ Free Range Accreditation Scheme which states that: “Free Range (FR) means that pigs are
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PORK JOURNAL, September/October 2013
kept permanently outdoors for their entire life with shelter from the elements provided, furnished with bedding. “FR pork production consists of outdoor paddocks, which include rooting and/or foraging areas, wallows (where state regulations and seasonal climates permit) and kennels/huts for shelter. “The huts allow the animals to seek shelter from environmental extremes. “They also provide additional protection for the piglets when very young. The weaners, growers, and sows from which they have been bred have access to paddocks at all times for their entire life. “Shelter, food and water must be provided and all pigs must be able to move freely in and out of the shelter and move freely around the paddocks, unless required to be confined for short amounts of time for routine husbandry or diagnostic procedures to be conducted. “All pigs raised under FR conditions
must comply with the Model Code of Practice for the Welfare of Animals – Pigs (3rd edition, 2007) to show compliance with state animal welfare regulations and use good land management practices as per the National Environmental Guidelines for Piggeries (2nd Edition Revised, 2010) (NEGP). “Shelters or sheds with verandas or small pens attached – are NOT considered FR as they do not comply with the APIQ FR Standards. “A producer with this setup does not qualify for FR or Conditional FR Certification. Under the NEGP they would be considered as a ‘Feedlot Outdoor’, the code explains. That there is a need for an industry derived code and audit process for free range pig producers is beyond dispute. There are clearly a proportion of consumers prepared to pay a premium for what they regards as ‘welfare friendly’ pork w
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v and of course the retail sector needs to be able to supply what they perceive as customer preference. Apart from animal welfare groups, consumer and social action organisations have put pressure on both governments and regulators to be more clear on food labeling issues. Finally there are environmental issues specific to free range pig rearing that need to be addressed to ensure sustainable farming practices. The APIQ Free Range (FR) code is just one of three new codes established last year and includes Gestation Stall Free (GSF) and Outdoor Bred (OB). The standards are monitored by a team of auditors, who are all experts in their fields and have considerable experience in the industry. A panel of experts helped to design and define the codes and include veterinary, producer expertise as well as consumer interest representation. Current members of the panel are Eric Thornton, Sharon Starick, Helen Fletcher, Ian Parish and Coles meat quality manager Jackie Healing. One of the first APIQ FR farms to receive accreditation is Greta Valley Free Range Pork situated near the picturesque Millawa wine region of Victoria. The farm is run by Kim and Brian Smith and its free range produced pork has many devotees in the region as well as Melbourne. Not only are the pigs on Brian and Kim’s farm free range reared, they are the famous heritage Berkshire breed delivering added niche market consumer appeal. The farm is 125 hectares and before pigs were introduced in 2010, the lush paddocks supported cattle. Brian owned a dairy farm for a long period before he and Kim took on their Berkshire pigs. Kim had long been a devotee of miniature Shetland ponies and they still keep some on the property today – their little stallion is not only cute but a show champion. With a combined affinity for animals and farm life, the pair became interested in the possibility of free range pig farming. Kim did plenty of research before giving up a 9 to 5 administrative job in of all things, a company manufacturing sausage casings, and in April 2010 they acquired four gilts and a boar and got the business started. They gradually built up the herd, and just as importantly, developed a marketing plan to sell their pork. Today they run 48 sows (which includes replacements) putting them at the upper end of the AQIP definition of a small
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PORK JOURNAL, September/October 2013
Above: Dr Trish Holyoake, Senior Veterinary Officer DPI helped with the accreditation process. Left: Dr Sarah De Greef from Chris Richards & Associates. Below: Bershires are ideal for outdoor free range farm.
farm (up to 50 sows). Four boars are housed on the property. When the APIQ FR code was introduced Kim and Brian decided that they would go for accreditation under that scheme. In the years before turning to raising pigs, Brian had regularly fertilised the paddocks while raising cattle so they were in pretty good shape to accommodate a herd of Berkshires. Dr Trish Holyoake, Senior Veterinary Officer – pigs DPI, Bendigo who is an APIQ auditor, helped Brian and Kim through the accreditation process. Greta Valley Free Range Pork achieved its accreditation with some inevitable ups and downs. “It really is a huge commitment on the part of farmers like Kim and Brian – a 24/7 effort in fact,” Dr Holyoake said. “Critical to the success of a free range pig farming operation like Greta Valley, apart from getting the rearing process running smoothly, is developing the market for the end product and fully sorting the supply chain,” she added. Brian acquired some small huts that had previously been used by a layer farmer but now he reckons it’s probably better to make purpose built items that are more pig durable.
A hoop shelter they purchased earlier has some advantages but also disadvantages when it is utilised as a free range walk through shelter because under APIQ FR regulations, pigs must have access to paddocks on a full time basis. Straw based shelters for farrowing sows works well but require regular replenishment with fresh straw. “Paddocks must be rotated every three years and regularly monitored for both nutrient levels, nutrient type and any erosion – this involves using qualified agronomists and therefore financial outlay,” Brian warned. “Though sow performance with a traditional breed and in an outdoor setting may not compare with an intensive indoor piggery using modern genetics, the results are good,” said Kim. “We get about 8.3 piglets weaned per litter but if it were not for just a couple of sows delivering poor performance we would have achieved 9 plus piglets weaned per litter. The pigs are usually grown out to between 65 to 73 kg in around 21 weeks,” she explained. “Keeping an eye on the health of sows piglets, weaners and growers in the split paddocks keeps us busy but we feel we have Early adopters, Kim and Brian Smith with their AQIP Free Range to really look after sick or challenged pigs. “We have adapted shelters and pens in w accreditation certificate.
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PORK JOURNAL, September/October 2013 9
v which to house, treat and recover these pigs and we lose remarkably few animals. “Choosing Berkshires has proved to be a good move as they are great mothers and ideally suited to an outdoor environment. They also produce pork products that our customers like,” Kim said. “One thing we have learnt is that managing our nutrition for outdoor pigs and balancing diets for each age group is vital. “Lisa Nietschke from Lienerts has been of great assistance in getting our nutrition right for our animals and farming methods – you can’t produce good pork with poor diets,” Kim said. The farm uses Big Wheel portable feeders which are a multi-purpose design in that they can be used in or outdoors. “They are durable enough to withstand the rigours of being located in the paddock,” siad Mike Anderson of Mundigo which supplied the feeders. While Trish Holyoake got the farm started along the APIQ FR accreditation process, current veterinary services are provided by Dr Sarah De Greef from Chris Richards & Associates. Dr De Greef is also an APIQ auditor as is Dr Bernie Gleeson from the same organisation. Pork Journal visited Greta Valley Free Range on a shining spring morning and it is not hard to see the visual appeal to consumers as the Berkshire sows and their piglets roam around the lush green paddocks. Obviously Brian and Kim’s environmental management strategies are working as the only discernable odour in the area was from the hot bitumen that road crews were using to patch the road near the property. But, as Dr Trish Holyoake pointed out, building up and running a free range pig farm to APIQ FR accreditation standards is indeed a big commitment and labour intensive. While the consumer appeal derives from perceived ‘better animal welfare’ in an extensive environment, the requirement to keep these farms sustainable is just as important. While managing the housing, general feed and watering requirements can be achieved with relatively low cost solutions, dealing with predators (foxes), potential paddock degradation, run-off and nutrient load, require careful managements involving significant investment. Kim and Brian Smith have taken on that challenge and taken the further step of improving the value of their business as well as securing an environmentally sustainable future by gaining APIQ FR accreditation.
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PORK JOURNAL, September/October 2013
1
2
3 4
5
1. Regular replacement of straw for nests is essential. 2. “I’ll make my own nest if it’s all the same to you!” 3. Cute minature Shetland pony. 4. Recovery pen for challenged piglets. 5. Big Wheel portable feeders supplied by Mundigo.
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NUTRITION FEATURE
NSP Enzyme improves ileal digestibility of nutrients and boosts profitability of pig production By JAVED HAYAT, Technical Services & Business Development Manager, Adisseo Asia Pacific Pte Ltd.
N
SP enzymes provide benefit from non-conventional raw materials in pig diets. The enzyme complex used in pig trials effectively improved diet digestibility and also helped with restoring the performance of grower and finisher pigs fed low cost (US$8-9/mt) formulation. Introduction The swine industry has recognized evolution of feed enzyme technology and use of enzymes in pig starter diets has gained popularity. On the other hand, the effectiveness of non-starch polysaccharides degrading enzymes for grower and finisher pigs has not been well established due to numerous inconclusive study reports. Enzymes in swine feed have been used in an attempt to increase nutrient digestibility (Bedford and Schulze, 1998). Consistent increase in the raw material price triggered the need of using non-conventional feed ingredients such as distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) and grain by-products which may contain higher percentage of non-starch polysaccharides. The apparent metabolizable energy of the grain is correlated with its NSP content (Annison and Chot 1991). Enzymes have been shown to improve performance and nutrient digestibility when added to poultry diets containing wheat (Fengler et al. 1988; Friesen et al. 1992; Marquardt et al. 1994) and grain by-products (Yin et al., 2004). Enzyme supplementation may also allow the cost effective and environmentally friendly formulation for pigs (Omogbenigun et al. 2004). The objective of this report is to evaluate the effects of a commercially available enzyme complex with a wide range of enzyme activity on ileal digestibility of raw materials and growth performance of pigs fed low cost wheat and corn-soybean-byproducts based diet.
12
Enzyme preparation A commercially available enzyme, Rovabio Excel, was used in the trials. This is a natural feed enzyme preparation extracted from fermentation of a nonGMO fungus Penicillium funiculosum. The preparation contains ß-xylanase, ß-glucanase and cellulase as main activities with total 19 enzyme activities targeting nonstarch polysaccharides present in all feed ingredients of plant origin. Enzyme supplementation and ileal digestibilities of varied raw materials for pigs Various raw materials such as wheat, barley, oats, rye, and their by-products contain large amounts of nonstarch polysaccharides (NSP) which may affect nutrient utilization by young pigs (Hesselman and Aman 1986; Li et al., 1996). It has been suggested that with appropriate enzyme preparations the nutritional value of such feedstuffs can be potentially improved for young pigs (Simons et al., 1990; Li et al., 1996). A trial was conducted in an experimental station in France to evaluate the effect of a commercially available enzyme preparation (Rovabio Excel AP) on ileal digestibility of five raw materials on growing pigs.
PORK JOURNAL, September/October 2013
T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T6 T7 T8 T9 T10 T11 T12
Male (large white* Landrace) pigs of about 40kg body weight were offered six diets using five raw material with and without enzyme supplementation. Diets were tested with four pigs per experimental treatment for eight successive periods divided into two phases, a 4-day adaptation period prior to a 3-day collection period. Feed was provided to pigs as mash twice a day and water was provided ad libitum. The dietary treatments were as seen below. During the 3-day collection pigs were weighed at the beginning and the end of the period and feed intake was recorded. Ileal digesta were collected and ileal digestibility of raw materials with or without enzyme was evaluated using a covariance (Van Milgen et al., 2001). The ileal diet digestibility of nutrients was improved with enzyme addition. The digestibility of gross energy, dry matter (DM) and nitrogen were improved by 1.7%, 3.5% and 1.8% respectively (Figure 1). For each raw material the addition of Rovabio improved the coefficient of digestibility. The improvement of energy value of wheat, corn, barley, wheat bran and soybean meal was 0.50, 0.20, 0.52, 0.34 and 0.28 MJ/kg DM respectively (Figure 2).
Wheat 10%, corn 41%, barley 5%, wheat bran 19%, soybean meal 19% Wheat 19%, corn 24%, barley 17%, wheat bran 10%, soybean meal 24% Wheat 29%, corn 41%, barley 10%, soybean meal 14% Wheat 39%, corn 7%, barley 24%, wheat bran 14%, soybean meal 10% Wheat 14%, corn 19%, barley 29%, wheat bran 24%, soybean meal 7% Corn 29%, barley 43%, soybean meal 21% T1 + Rovabio Excel AP T2 + Rovabio Excel AP T3 + Rovabio Excel AP T4 + Rovabio Excel AP T5 + Rovabio Excel AP T6 + Rovabio Excel AP
NUTRITION FEATURE +3.5%
Energy digestibility MJ/kg DM
Energy digestibility MJ/kg DM
Digestibility %
70 Performance of growing-finishing pigs +1.8% with enzyme supplementation 68 There is evidence available that supple+1.7% mentation of enzymes offered cost-effective 66 Without Rovabio and environmentally friendly formulations With Rovabio for pigs. Omogbenigun et al., (2004) in 64 two trials observed higher average daily gains, better gain to feed ratio and better 62 ileal digestibility of DM, GE, CP, starch, NSP and phytate for pigs with enzyme 60 complex supplemented diets compared to Nitrgoen Dry matter Gross energy the pigs fed the control diet. Recently a trial confirmed the enzyme Figure 1: Effect of Rovabio Excel AP on nitrogen and energy digestibility at ileal level complex effectively restored the perfor+0.34% mance of growing-finishing pigs fed low 9.0 +0.20% cost formulation. A total of 54 crossbred 8.5 barrows of 70 days of age with an average 15.5 +0.50% +0.20% initial body weight (BW) of 25.59±1.59 kg, 15.0 8.0 +0.52% were selected for this trial. The pigs were 14.5 kept in a conventional pig house with W/o Rovabio 7.5 14.0 With Rovabio cement flooring. 7.0 13.5 Each experimental pen of three pigs 13.0 had a cement trough feeder and a nipple 6.5 drinker. Six replicates were randomly 12.5 assigned to following three dietary treat6.0 12.0 Wheat bran Soybean meal Barley Wheat Corn ments. D1: Positive Control (local industry w Figure 1: Effect of Rovabio Excel AP on ileal digestible energy of raw materials
PORK JOURNAL, September/October 2013 13
NUTRITION FEATURE
Fig 4: FCR starter Phase 3 2.5
v nutrient specifications) D2: Negative Control - (reduced ME 65 kcal/kg and DAA 1.5%) down specified formulation D3: D2 + 500 grams per ton of feed Rovabio Excel AP10 The diets were corn-soy-rice branDDGS based formulated to meet NRC (1998) recommendation. The trial was divided into three phases: Starter: 0 - 30 days, Grower: 30 – 60 days and Finisher: 60 – 82 days. Formulation costs are shown in Table 1 below. The pigs fed diet with reduced ME 65 kcal/kg and DAA of 1.5% containing Rovabio Excel AP10 had higher (P<0.05) gain in weight and better FCR than the pigs fed either positive control or negative control diet during the starter period (Figures 3 and 4). For overall trial period (Figures 5 and 6) Rovabio supplemented diet consistently performed numerically better than the other groups. Weight gain differences from 68.57 to 70.55 kg for overall trial period between positive control and supplemented groups respectively can significantly affect the economic output. These figures suggest that a 100 kg target
weight for pigs with Rovabio Excel supplementation is achievable 2 days earlier than un-supplemented pigs.
2
Cost of feed for body weight gain The cost per kg gain in weight of the pigs is presented in Figures 7 and 8. The cost savings were evident in every rearing phase when compared the positive control and Rovabio Excel AP10 supplemented groups. Pigs fed Rovabio Excel AP10 supplemented diet gained weight at 11.06% and 7.50% lower cost during the starter and overall trial periods respectively compared to pigs fed positive control diet. A 15.20% and 1.2% reduction was observed during grower and finisher periods respectively.
0.5
1.5 1 Pos.Control (D1)
Neg.Control (D2)
AP10 (D3) D2+Rovabio
Treatments
Fig 5: Weight gain (Kg) during overall period 75
70
65
60 Pos.Control (D1)
Neg.Control (D2)
AP10 (D3) D2+Rovabio
Treatments
Fig 6: FCR during overall period
Fig 3: Weight gain (Kg) starter Phase 30
3 2.5
28 2 26 1.5
24
1
22
Pos.Control (D1)
20 AP10 (D3) Pos.Control (D1)
Neg.Control (D2)
Neg.Control (D2)
0.5
AP10 (D3) D2+Rovabio
Treatments
D2+Rovabio
Treatments
Fig 7: Savings with Rovabio during starter 1.5
Table 1: Cost comparison of each formulation (U$/mt) P. Control 533.0 499.0 450.0
Starter Grower Finisher
N. Control 519.0 486.0 438.0
N.C. + Rovabio 524.0 490.0 442.0
1
0.5 AP10 (D3) Pos.Control (D1)
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Neg.Control (D2)
D2+Rovabio
Fig 8: Savings with Rovabio during overall 1.5
1
0.5 AP10 (D3) Pos.Control (D1)
Neg.Control (D2)
D2+Rovabio
Conclusion In conclusion, the Rovabio® supplemented diets had the highest digestibility coefficients and the addition of enzyme to low nutrient density diet restored the losses. These trials findings clearly demonstrated the addition of a non-GMO fungal application containing various enzyme activities can ensure better profitability for swine production. References can be obtained from Author
NEWS Danish report slight increase in pig-related MRSA in humans Last year, in 12.5% of the human MRSA cases in Denmark, the so called pig type, CC398 was involved. This is a year-on-year increase of 2.5%, states the Danish surveillance report Danmap, for 2011. The number of people infected with S. aureus CC398 grew from 109 to 164 – most of the time these people did work in swine production. The total amount of MRSA cases in humans grew to 1,292 - an 18% year-on-year increase. The total is the highest in more than 25 years. As a consequence of the increasing occurrence of MRSA CC398 contact with live pigs is now included as a risk factor in the revised MRSA guideline for healthcare professionals which will be published this autumn. “The continued increase of community acquired MRSA and the increasing occurrence in agriculture should be taken seriously and combated as it could otherwise lead to increased hospital incidence. The fact that contact with live pigs is added as a risk factor in the revised MRSA guideline and is an important step in the right direction,” said Robert Skov, consultant at Statens Serum Institut. Apart from these figures, a total of 80 swine farms were tested for MRSA as well as 800 pigs in slaughterhouses. Infection levels in swine farms (16% positive) did not grow. In slaughterhouses, however, 44% proved to be positive – this is more than in 2009, when a similar research was conducted for the last time. This suggests that there was a higher occurrence in the positive herds than previously which means that MRSA more frequently was transmitted between pigs during transport and before slaughter. MRSA was not found in cattle.
US pig industry battling spread of PEDV Porcine epidemic disease virus is posing an economic threat to the 68,300 hog farms that make up the US pig herd. Porcine epidemic disease virus (PEDV), a disease fatal to newborn piglets and unfamiliar in the United States, is spreading through the Midwest an alarming rate with 300 confirmed cases in 16 states, since its arrival in April 2013. PEDV has been in the global pig industry for decades, with reports from Great Britain in 1972 and from China in 1982. Yet, with no previous exposure in the US, PEDV poses an economic threat to the 68,300 hog farms that make up the US pig herd. PEDV affects a pig’s intestinal system prohibiting the cells from absorbing the nutrients and fluid in water and milk, thus severely dehydrating affected pigs. While older pigs tend to recover in two to four days, entire populations of neonatal piglets are being decimated.
PORK JOURNAL, September/October 2013 15
NEWS Groundwater supports industry worth $34 billion Australia’s reserves of groundwater help earn the nation a steady $34 billion a year from mining, food production and manufacturing, according to a new study. Many pig and poultry farmers rely on bore water as a prime source of water and ground water is also used to irrigate crops vital to intensive livestock industries. A report by Deloitte Access Economics, commissioned by the National Centre for Groundwater Research and Training (NCGRT) has highlighted for the first time the key role which this valuable and potentially renewable resource plays in the
nation’s economy. The Deloitte Access Economics study is the first attempt ever made to quantify the value of Australia’s groundwater. It found groundwater directly contributes an estimated at $6.8 billion a year to the Australian economy. Industries with production worth $34bn a year depend on groundwater. Current average annual groundwater use is approximately 3,500 GL, and 60% of this is used to grow food, 12% is used in mining, 17% in manufacturing and 11% is used for drinking water.
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It also supports landscapes, the forestry industry and acts as ‘water insurance’ to the nation in the event of drought. There is currently 6,544 gigalitres (GL or billion litres) under license for possible extraction from groundwater out of a total estimated sustainable reserve of 29,173 GL. “To many people, groundwater is allbut invisible, or there as a last resort when surface water runs short. In reality, it drives many of our most productive industries and if carefully managed can be maintained as a sustainable resource,” said NCGRT Director Professor Craig Simmons. “Ours is a hot, dry continent and more than 90% of our fresh water is in fact underground. “This is a resource with vast potential, however we do not as yet have a clear idea of its size or how long it takes to recharge. But in a world that is increasingly short of fresh water, it is a major strategic asset.” According to the report, groundwater represents an important input into the Australian economy, larger in direct value terms than individual sectors such as forestry, fishing, poultry, motion pictures, gambling, heritage, creative and performing arts. “Increasing surface water scarcity in Australia in recent years has seen a growing reliance on groundwater use. This is a trend that is likely to continue into the future as competition for water resources grows further,” the report said. Despite the growing importance of groundwater use, there is a lack of understanding of its economic value and how dependent our nation is on groundwater. Professor Simmons said the Deloitte Access Economics study is an invaluable insight into a resource that will carry Australia into the future. “The availability of fresh water defines all sorts of national aspirations, how large our population can be, what industries we have in this country and where and how large they can be, and how well we look after our unique landscapes, rivers and ecosystems. “Groundwater is often the missing element in all these questions. Because there is still much to learn about its rate of renewal, it is hard to have a realistic discussion of our long term prospects, for population, the economy or Australian
NEWS landscapes,” he said. Professor Simmons said that, around the world, countries have overestimated their groundwater reserves and are mining them unsustainably. Major economies including China, India, the US and Middle Eastern countries face critical groundwater scarcities which may imperil their future growth. Australia is in the fortunate position of being able to plan its increasing reliance by using groundwater sustainably. “But to do that we need the world’s best science and technology for measuring and understanding the scale of our resource, how it behaves over time, and how to manage it sustainably?” Professor Simmons said the Deloitte Access Economics report represented an important milestone in attempting to define the value of Australia’s groundwater, as a major input to developing a national strategic plan for managing it. “We know that iron and coal mines, oil and gas wells all eventually run out. Groundwater is a major national economic resource which in most cases renews itself and when managed appropriately and used within sustainable limits will often be a renewable resource. “I have no doubt groundwater will play a far larger role in the economy of 2050 than it does today, especially as our climate changes. It is currently directly valued at about $7bn a year, however it could easily contribute significantly more to the Australian economy in the future. The Deloitte Access Economics report is a key step in realising this important future source of wealth and national wellbeing.”
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SPECIAL FEATURE A retrospective of the Australian pig industry. Part Two By JIM BERTING BSc (Agric)
Jim Berting arrived in Australia in 1966 and saw the local industry from a newcomer’s perspective. From previous experience with the UK and European pig industries over some years, he had seen how, around the world, pig producers and their pigs adapt to local circumstances of climate, food sources and consumer demand. Here, he concludes his historical overview of the Australian pig industry.
T
he pressure to reduce backfat thickness continued, however. Pigs and pig producers are both very adaptable beings and ‘progress’ was maintained. Commercial breeding companies employing skilled geneticists supplied the ‘improved’ breeding stock necessary, while some lager producers followed the same principles in-house. Geneticists bred strains of leaner pigs by selecting for better lean meat food conversion and by incorporating a rogue mutated gene linked to extra-large muscle size. Unfortunately this gene, later identified as the ‘Halgene’, carried a side effect that made the animals liable to sudden death from malignant hyperthermia or, if they survived, to poor meat quality with pale, wet muscle. The drip loss from affected carcases increased the loss in weight in the carcase chill room, losing value for the processor. Despite the availability of good stock here in Australia, as I first observed, genetic material to add to the gene pool was also imported either as strictly quarantined animals or as frozen semen. Notwithstanding the characteristics of the original Australian pig herd, it has been generally assumed to have been good for the industry. Taking into account the faster growth and lower backfat characteristics of young boars over castrates the wholesale meat trade overcame a lifetime of prejudice and took up with alacrity the acceptance of entire males for slaughter. When trading on backfat measurement was adopted, wholesale selling their extra lean carcases, while ignoring the problem of tainted meat, was much easier. Nutritional scientists went further than just preparing feeds with better available amino-acid profiles to improve pig performence. They also developed so-called “partitioning agents”, feed additive chemicals that modify the body’s utilisation of nutrients against fat formation and in favour of lean growth. And, not to finish there, a preparation of pig growth hormone for injection came on to the market. Hormone-injected pigs grow faster with lower formation of fat, the better to meet the market demand for still more leanness. (Pig growth hormone is quite different from the synthetic oestrogen once used to ‘caponise’ chickens, and banned from Australian use for over 40 years.) All this followed from the widely adopted notion that quality equates with absence of fat and that producers could, even should,
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PORK JOURNAL, September/October 2013
be penalised for having some pigs carrying a little more fat. It is interesting to reflect that although the producer was ‘penalised’ and paid less for some pigs, this did not carry through to the on-sale of the pigs by the wholesaler; they were then all one price! But maybe we should stop to consider what is really meant by ‘quality’. If it means best suited for a purpose, what is that purpose? It has come to mean meeting a processor’s requirement for trading. But is that in accord with what the consumer wants? The scramble to buy the leanest pigs, to gain the supposed trading advantage, takes no account of the consumer. The producer has to supply what is demanded by his buyer, even though he does not actually eat the pork. This was brought into focus for me when, in conversation with a well-known abattoir owner he conceded that, although killing over 6,000 of these lean pigs per week he found the pork quite unpalatable and did not like to eat any himself. Quality ‘The consumer’ is not an homogeneous description; tastes and expectations vary among individuals. For many, the cheapest item may be needed to meet a tight family budget or even a not very discerning palate. Others want something delectable and maybe memorable and are prepared to pay a premium price for it. Their notion of quality goes way beyond mere absence of fat. The demands of the wholesaler govern the income of producers. In the interest of financial return the producer has to conform to his perceived need, cut production cost and still supply what is priced most favourably. In my time as a producer the industry gravitated towards cheaper and cheaper product, bought by the processor on price, while demanding less and less fat to meet his trading objectives. Producing pigs of this description requires resort to all the new innovations referred to: partitioning chemicals in the feed, growth hormone to speed growth without fat, entire males (immuno-castrated to remove the taint) with stock bred to have little fat. The assumption is that all this can be done without any other effect on the product. “Everyone knows” that all pork is the same except for the fat and the price! That turns out not to be true. While the fat has been diminished, other unseen changes have occurred. Entire males, immuno-dedourised or not, seem to have a different muscle characteristics, making the meat tough, dry and uninteresting when cooked. Very lean females, possibly growth hormone injected, are much the same but a bit less extreme. They all look very good on the hoof, or on the processor’s rail. The consumer is not so sure; housewives avoid buying tough, dry pork. Palatability has become such a problem that drastic
SPECIAL FEATURE measures have now had to be adopted to ameliorate these untoward effects – pumping the pork carcase with brine to restore the lost juiciness. That has to be an admission of failure to produce a quality article, despite what the food magazines say. It is also the ultimate insult to the producer who has lavished his best care and attention producing what he has been led to believe is a quality carcase only to have it adulterated this way. I see that in the U.S. where moisture-infusing began, Dr. Mark Wilson has noted that carcases are now being pumped with lipids (fat) as well as brine, in attempts to restore the lost texture and flavour. What have we done to pigs for this to be necessary? Were we wrong to eliminate all that fat? The industry has become overly single minded and production-oriented while paying scant attention to the interest of discerning consumers. For those consumers who only want to spend the minimum, and who probably add sauce from a bottle at the table, that may not be a concern. Or for certain food service outlets for whom low cost is the main requirement. Growing pigs for this trade has become a race to produce the cheapest. “There is hardly anything in this world that some men cannot make a little worse and sell a little cheaper, and those who consider price alone are this man’s lawful prey.” John Ruskin (1819 – 1900) In any case when you see what happens to pigs raised for ham and bacon production, the generally accepted notion of quality is not a concern either. I am dismayed when I see what is done to perfectly good carcases before appearing on the supermarket shelf as processed ham. Just read the fine print ingredients label (preferably with an additive code book at hand, and maybe a magnifying glass). You will be amazed at what goes into some of these products. Start by checking the quoted pork content – with some of them it is a low as 55%, the rest made up of various soya protein, seaweed or gum fillers, waterretaining polyphosphates (”mineral salts” 450, 451, 452) added flavour and MSG. The resulting wet, bland product is all many people know as ham.
No wonder they sit unsold on the supermarket shelf for weeks on end. But it doesn’t have to be so. I recalled some research conducted at Cambridge by the late Sir John Hammond many years ago. Hammond conducted a consumer taste-test with samples of consumer cuts of pork, lamb, beef and chicken from which he had dissected and completely separated
the fat from the lean A taste panel was then given samples in which the fat and lean had been recombined before cooking in every cross-match possible – the pork fat cooked with beef, lamb and chicken, lamb fat with pork, beef and chicken and chicken fat cooked with pork, beef and lamb. In every case the panellists determined w that what they had tasted was the meat
PORK JOURNAL, September/Ocotber 2013 19
SPECIAL FEATURE v from the fat-source animal, irrespective of whether the lean was the meat from pork, beef, lamb or chicken. Pork lean cooked with lamb fat tasted of lamb, etc. He had shown that the fat determines the flavour and eating quality of meat. Without the fat you have nothing special at all. “The fat keeps the juice in the meat while it cooks, and gives it flavour”. An illustration of that is in some pigs I supplied at the behest of an Italian smallgoods maker. Saying that the pork produced in Australia was inferior to his home experience, and knowing that I had had considerable experience with the pork industry in Italy, he asked if I could produce some to the same standard as we both recalled it. I ran a trial batch from among our normal home-bred production (home bred, not based on commercial hybrid stock) but fed and managed specifically to meet his requirements, as best I could in Australia. On delivery of the carcases to his plant he inspected them closely and exclaimed “that’s what I want”. This assessment was confirmed when he cooked and ate some himself. When that same quality was offered to consumers at a retail butcher taste test the comments included “I don’t normally eat pork, but this is so different”, or “I didn’t know that pork could be this good”. A sample was sent to the then
Chairman of the Pork Corporation, Trevor Herd, who affirmed that it was indeed “a superior product”. It also won the Vogue Entertaining and Travel Australian Produce Award in 2005 as the best meat submitted, beating all the other pork, lamb, beef and chicken entries. When Marketed as an identifiable product under a Registered Brand it commanded a handsome margin over the usual trade pork, carrying the margin right down to the participating producer who could be well rewarded for adopting the required production discipline. A price in excess of $1.00 kg. HSCW over the current trade price was consistently obtained from this production and marketing strategy. It illustrates what is possible by beginning with consumer preferences and then arranging the appropriate production parameters to satisfy them; an approach that is market-oriented, not production oriented. The same approach to ham production applies – ham and bacon made from this improved pork and cured to an original specification is a quite different item that sells for up to $35.00 kg to the selected market. The basic marketing maxim is: - “Who are our customers and where are they?” When that question is answered and supply of what they want arranged, there is a great deal of money to be made.
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The opportunity is there. Conclusion It was at this stage that we chose to begin an exit from the industry. The business was always to be the basis of our retirement fund and in any case it looked as though many $1,000s would soon have to be spent to meet the ever more stringent building and production regulations being mooted, with no prospect for increased return per pig to cover the added cost. We progressively wound down the production, by first selling the breeding boars, then the sows after each last weaning and finally growing out the remaining production and returning the value of the stock to cash in the bank. At the end it was an eerie, sad feeling to walk through the now empty buildings, where they used to be bustling with life, and the empty feed silos with their hollow sound. Once having had many animals under care, the sense of loss was uncomfortable. We had planned a clearing sale. Everything had to go, and it all went. Feed mill, silos, internal fittings and tools and then the buildings, constructed in 1970, were demolished. Much valuable material went for little money – there were 74 hardwood roof timbers 6” x 4” and 32 feet (10m) long, of a quality unobtainable today, that went for stockyards or firewood! But they had to go. The concrete floor and walls were broken up and used for road base for the refurbishment of the property following removal of the piggery. Now there is only the memory. But I am content to have been associated with and been part of an industry that developed so fast, guided by so many good people, through a veritable revolution. From seeing it go from 30 sow producers to 30,000 sow producers is a great leap in quite a short time. Starting as a producer, and with later association with the end-product consumer marketing, I was able to see that much of the earlier assumptions and ‘conventional wisdom’ I had at the start were not well founded. And many surprising lessons about beyond the farm gate were to be learned, some of which I prefer not to relate beyond noting ‘that is the way it works’. To be awake to these aspects is crucial to being successful. It was an exciting time to be in an industry that served me well, as I hope I also contributed in some small way.
NEWS Tesco UK labels Dutch pork as British product UK supermarket giant Tesco, has apologised for the mislabelling of two pork chops as British when tests have revealed they were probably Dutch. Pork carrying the Red Tractor logo that was purchased in a Tesco store in Salford, Greater Manchester, by a BBC reporter was sent to a German laboratory for testing. Scientists used a technique known as stable isotope ratio analysis, which checked the authenticity of the pork by comparing it to meat sourced from other parts of the country. The British Pig Executive (BPEX), which carried out the tests to ensure the provenance of goods bearing the Red Tractor logo, said the results showed a less than 1% chance that the pork came from a British farm and that it probably came from the Netherlands. Tesco said its records showed the meat was bought from Cranswick Country Foods, whose own records showed they had bought the meat from FA Gill, a family-owned meat company in Wolverhampton. The retailer added that it was ‘unclear’ why the meat had been incorrectly labelled as British and it was “investigating with its supplier” to try to understand where the breakdown occurred in the supply chain. A Tesco spokesman said: “We are extremely disappointed to discover a pork loin product probably came from a Dutch farm, not a British farm. ”When we specify that we want British pork, we expect to be supplied with British pork. We have spoken with our supplier to make clear that this mistake is unacceptable. “Further testing on more products has confirmed the country of
origin is correct in all cases. We’ve recently trialled this new isotope testing and we are talking to BPEX about how we can develop this alongside our existing tests, to bring even more rigour to our food testing programme.” A spokesman for Cranswick Country Foods said: “As one of the UK’s leading pork processors we are committed to investing in and promoting the British pork industry.” “Since this result on one of our products, we have followed BPEX guidelines and conducted a full traceability audit. ”Further tests on other pork products have all come back to show the pork is correctly labelled. “As a result of our investigations we believe this is an isolated error and we are taking steps to ensure this does not happen again.” The latest blunder is a further embarrassing setback for Tesco, which, following the recent horsemeat scandal.
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PRODUCT NEWS Virkon LSP: rebranding Farm Fluid HD ROW Reflecting the product’s excellent on-farm biocidal activity, DuPont Disinfectants is re-branding Farm Fluid HD ROW to bring the company’s popular multipurpose disinfectant into the ‘Virkon family’. “Named Virkon LSP, the new brand name highlights the powerful concentrated performance of the disinfectant which remains identical in every way to Farm Fluid HD ROW, except for the new name,” said Andy Hughes, Sales Manager EMEA. “Virkon LSP is designed to handle all ‘real farm’ biosecurity disinfection tasks. “The innovative liquid synthetic phenol formulation delivers biocidal activity against a wide range of diseasecausing pathogens that affect poultry, pig, sheep and other livestock, including the
biggest challenge for British cattle farmers, tuberculosis. “With multiple disinfection applications, Virkon LSP can be used in farm buildings, animal housing and hard surfaces such as paths, road and concrete. “It can also be used for the routine disinfection of movable equipment, tools, feed troughs and buckets. “The product’s robust broad spectrum activity remains effective for seven days, at in-use dilutions, making Virkon LSP ideal for use in disinfectant footdips. “Speaking at the launch of Virkon LSP, Mr Hughes explained, “We are pleased to announce the re-branding of Farm Fluid HD ROW – its performance ensures that it deserves its place in the Virkon family. Virkon LSP offers UK farmers an innova-
tive formulation specifically engineered to be highly effective in low temperatures and in the presence of organic challenge – two of the leading problem areas for other disinfectants. “The 1L, 5L and popular 20L pack sizes will remain the same as before and for more information on all the products in the Virkon range, please log on to www.virkons.com.”
APSA Biennial Conference to be held in Melbourne The 14th Biennial 2013 Australian Pig Science Association conference will be held at the Grand Hyatt Hotel located on Collins Street, in the heart of Melbourne, Victoria between November 24 to 27. “The conference will again provide a forum for excellence in pig science and provide ample opportunity for networking across the four days,” said APSA President David Cadogan. “The conference is now widely regarded as one of the most important international gatherings to present and publish recent advances in pig science,” he said. “The program, which includes a list of international and local speakers, is designed to present world class pig science, teach new ways of manipulating pig production, support past findings and some may challenge current beliefs. “APSA has always had a strong relationship with Australian Pork Limited and the Pork CRC, and it is most pleasing to see both combine their support as Principal Sponsors again for the 2013 meeting.” This year’s Dunkin Lecture, presented by Dr Paul Hemswoth is ‘The role of science in establishing animal welfare recommendations and standards’. The animal welfare movement is increasingly influencing views on animal use and the acceptability of various animal management options. While consumer and
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PORK JOURNAL, September/October 2013
public attitudes to animal welfare are likely to be influential in determining society’s use of domestic animals, science has a critical role in underpinning governments’ decisions, on behalf of the community, on animal use and the attendant conditions and compromises. This presentation considers recent achievements as well as challenges in improving pig welfare with an emphasis on the role of science in genuinely improving animal welfare. At Symposium One the speakers are Dr Adam Moeser (North Carolina State University) and Dr Jae Kim (DAFWA) The topic is ‘Barrier function and systemic response of the gastrointestinal tract to the aspects of management and nutrition. Gastrointestinal barrier function can be significantly compromised at all stages of the production cycle due to subclinical infection and/or physiological and psychological stressors that exist in most commercial pig production facilities. The Symposium Two speakers are Dr Geroge Foxcroft (University of Alberta) and Dr Ron Ball (University of Alberta) and the topic is ‘Maximising productivity in the modern sow: Constraints to realising the genetic potential of the breeding herd and targeting nutrition for optimal productivity’.
Maximising productivity of the sow herd is a critical driver in commercial pork production. Genetic selection has driven significant improvements in sow prolificacy and productivity over the years with further gains possible through the use of targeted selection pressures and nutritional programs. First Review speakers are Dr Jeff Zimmerman (Iowa State University) and Dr Peter Scott (Scolexia Animal and Avian Health Consultancy) discussing ‘Monitoring herd heath and immunity’. Second Review speakers are Dr Sasha Jenkins and Dr Damien Batstone on ‘Genomic approaches for characterising and quantifying microbial communities to the benefit of the pig industry – an environmental perspective’. Opinion speakers are Dr David Pethick (Murdoch University) and Prof Robert van Barneveld (Barneveld Nutrition Pty Ltd) who are speaking on the topic of ‘Delivering Science for maximum industry benefit’. “There is a need for today’s scientist to work closely with industry to ensure that we, the R&D community, are addressing industry issues and ensuring that research outcomes and technologies are appropriately transferred and adopted by industry.” For more information or to register for the conference go to www.apsa.asn.au
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Porcilis APPvac The broadest pleuropneumonia protection available in Australia, Porcilis APPvac will aid in the control of pleuropneumonia caused by Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae infection in grower pigs1.
M+PAC
PLEvac
ECOvac
ECOvacLE
A technologically advanced vaccine with high efficacy, high antibody titres, a decrease in lung lesion scores and coughing2, M+PAC offers fast acting, long lasting protection against M. hyopneumoniae 3,4, and the choice of a one or two dose regime.
Convenient and effective, PLEvac is the only 3-in-1 vaccine to protect pigs against Erysipelas and Leptospira pomona infections, and aid in the control of parvovirus.
An inactivated vaccine for sows and gilts, ECOvac protects against E. coli scours in neonatal piglets.
ECOvacLE is a 3-in-1 vaccine for sows and gilts that provides protection against E. coli scours in neonatal piglets, and Erysipelas and Leptospira pomona infections in sows and gilts.
REPRODUCTIVE SOLUTIONS
RESPIRATORY DISEASE SOLUTIONS
The MSD range of reproduction pharmaceuticals will plan, organise and control your herdâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s breeding cycle, to time and adapt production to suit your needs.*
Through a combination of vaccinations and injectable or in-feed antimicrobial medication, MSD Animal Health will assist in the control and management of Swine Respiratory disease.*
Breathe Better. Grow Better.
1. Data on file. 2. Eileen L. Thacker, DVM, PhD; Brad J. Thacker, DVM, PhD; Tamara B. Boettcher, DVM; H. Jayappa, MVSc, PhD. Comparison of antibody production, lymphocyte stimulation, and protection induced by four commercial Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae bacterins. Swine Health and Production. 1998: 6(3): 107-112. 3. Davis RG et al. Onset and Duration of Immunity of a single dose of M+PAC. Proc. Leman Swine Conference 2003. 4. Jayappa H et al. Evaluation of Stability and Duration of Immunity of Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae bacterin. Proc. IPVS 2000: 165.
MSD Animal Health 91-105 Harpin Street, Bendigo East VIC 3550 Free Call: 1800 033 461 www.msd-animal-health.com.au
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* Please seek veterinary advice for your optimal herd health program.