The new Canada Food Guide - What's in it for you? - Alberta Pork
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Canadian Publication Mail No. 40062769
SPRING 2019
The new Canada
Food Guide
What’s in it for you?
™
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Canada’s pork producers’ technical
and business information resource. Canada Food Guide
4828 - 89 Street NW, Edmonton, AB T6E 5K1
Page 10
Volume 40 | Number 5
Spring 2019
Date of Issue: May 2019
Published five times annually by Alberta Pork Message from the Editor........................................................................................4
with cooperation from the British Columbia
Hog Marketing Commission, Sask Pork
and Manitoba Pork Council. Opinion
The View from Grier ...................................................................................................6
Circulation
This publication is distributed to qualified
pork producers and industry stakeholders across
Hot Issues
Canada in BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Canada Food Guide isn’t bringing home the bacon.......................................10
Ontario, Quebec, and Atlantic Canada. African Swine Fever - can it be stopped?..........................................................16
Subscriptions
For new subscriptions, change of address or Health and Wellness
other subscription queries, please contact: Research on pig health is irresistible...................................................................18
Charlotte Shipp, c/o Alberta Pork
4828 - 89 Street NW
Edmonton, Alberta T6E 5K1 Research and Innovation
Phone: (780) 491-3528 Mitigation of accelerated deterioration of pig buildings............................ 20
Fax: (780) 479-5128 Smart systems in pig production..........................................................................26
charlotte.shipp@albertapork.com
Feeding Brassica juncea canola cake to weaned pigs.................................. 33
Publications Mail Agreement
No. 40062769
Return Undeliverable Pork Culture and Trends
Canadian Addresses to: Your Daily Bacon.........................................................................................................36
Circulation Department Greta’s Grubs.............................................................................................................. 38
4828 - 89 Street NW
Edmonton, Alberta T6E 5K1
Ad Index.............................................................................................................................42
Advertising
Please direct advertising and marketing
inquiries to Sheri Monk.
Phone: 403-627-9108
Email: sherimonk@gmail.com
Publisher
Darcy Fitzgerald, Alberta Pork
Business Manager & Editorial Director
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Cover Photo
The plate of food has long been the symbol for
the Canada Food Guide, but where’s the meat?
Canadian Hog Journal | Spring 2019 | 3
Save money Message
and protect your from the
operation editor
Hello, and welcome to Spring! Both the season and the mag-
azine were a little late this year, so I apologize on behalf of
Mother Nature and of course, myself.
You will notice that one of our stories is on the updates to the
REGISTER FOR THE PRODUCTION Canada Food Guide. I am sure most of you noticed or heard
INNER CIRCLE SWINE REWARDS about it, mostly because of the switch to a more plant-based
diet, and because industry wasn’t allowed an opportunity to
PROGRAM AND GET:
comment and affect the development of recommendations.
The guide asks Canadians to choose more plant-based pro-
teins, but doesn’t specifically say how much meat to eat.
• $0.20/dose* on However, the plate photo that represents the guide is pretty
Circumvent® PCV-M G2 telling – it’s hard to even find the meat in the picture.
and Circumvent® PCV G2 Will that change again in future years as we learn more
about nutrition, and more research is done? Probably. And
• $0.05/dose* on Circumvent® PCV that’s the important consideration – nutritional science
doesn’t change on a whim – it is changed by science. And
science is ever-changing… that’s just the nature of the beast.
When you think about what we know now compared to 100
years ago, when you think about cancer treatments, life
expectancy, infant mortality rates… the researchers get it
right, through trial and error. There is no other way.
Personally, I’m ok that they didn’t consult with industry. I
mean, would we have wanted them to consult with Pepsi? Or
the leading potato chip manufacturer? I think it’s important
to take a step back and think about the implications of in-
dustry influence on policy. In the meantime, we can funnel
our disappointment into more research on human nutrition
and what we can do as an industry to make our own product
as nutritious as possible.
Speaking of science – our next issue is dedicated to it! So be
sure to send in your research articles, or even your own story
REGISTER NOW AT about how research and science in agriculture has changed
www.innercirclerewards.ca your life. And please don’t forget to start taking photos for
our front page contests! There are prizes to be won, but only
if we receive multiple entries.
Stay safe out there, and as always, thank you for your con-
tinued support, and for reading. n
sherimonk@gmail.com
* 1 dose = 2 mL
MERCK® is a registered trademark of Merck Canada Inc.
CIRCUMVENT is a registered trademark of Intervet International B.V. Used under license.
Sheri Monk
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© 2019 Intervet Canada Corp. All rights reserved.
Editor, business manager
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OPINION The View from Grier
Slaughter Round-up With regard to Quebec, given the slowdowns and challenges
at that Olymel plant noted above, total provincial kills in the
Federally inspected slaughter in Canada totaled about 5.3 first quarter were running lower by about three per cent or
million head in the first quarter this year. That compares about 60-63,000 head this year compared to last. The second
to 5.2 million the first 13 weeks last quarter will be more reflective of the overall supply situation
year for an increase of 56,000 head in Quebec. I expect to see kills down in the second quarter
or one per cent. The increase in the by about one per cent or less. That is due to modestly lower
inventory numbers in the province.
total slaughter in Canada is com-
prised of a wide array of results Another province that saw a big gain in the first quarter
across the different provinces and was Manitoba. I estimate that market hog numbers were up
packers. In Ontario for example, fed- about 80-85,000 head year over year in the first quarter. That
eral slaughter of market hogs is up amounts to an increase of about 5-7 per cent year-over-year.
by an estimated 7-10 per cent. Part of A large part of the reason for the increase is the fact that last
the reason for the increase was due year in Q1, the province’s packers were dealing with reduced
to the back up in kills at one par- volumes due to the previous summer’s PED. Weanling losses
ticular Olymel plant in Quebec. That in the summer and early fall 2017 meant fewer market hogs
By Kevin Grier in Q1 of 2018.
increased availability of hogs in On-
tario and both Conestoga in Breslau and Sofina in Burling- Another part of the reason for the slaughter increase in Mani-
ton put on extra shifts on Saturdays. In addition, last year toba is the increased capacity at HyLife in Neepawa. They
in the first quarter, Conestoga was working through 6,500 started last year at 6,800 per day compared to the current
per day compared to the 7,200 this year. 7,500. I expect to see the year over year increases in Mani-
Looking to the second quarter, that big year-over-year in- toba start to wane in the coming months. The PED impact will
crease in Ontario is not going to be repeated. First, supplies not be applicable much going forward. Furthermore, the over-
all inventory rates on the prairies do not suggest much room
have been reduced or slowed early in the quarter due to
for Maple Leaf to grow. There will still be some year over year
production issues associated with vomitoxin in corn. The
gains at HyLife, however, as they did not get to their current
numbers will catch up, but early this quarter volumes have
7,500 rate until the summer of 2018.
tightened. Another more positive reason is that the situation
at Olymel in Quebec is back to normal. Numbers flowing In Saskatchewan, the one federal plant in Moose Jaw — Thun-
from Ontario to Quebec are getting back to the 25-30,000 der Creek — is likely working through just under 1,200 per
head per week norm. day. That is up a little from last year and right around the
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OPINION The View from Grier
plant’s capacity. In Alberta, slaughter is Meats, Trochu. Canadian Pork Council Given the reported large increase in
down by a stark 5-8 per cent this first estimated weekly slaughter capacity for relative returns generated by the first
quarter compared to last. Weekly kills the three plants is 45,000, 7,500 and RFQ sale, there is a great deal of added
are probably just around 45-46,000 this 3,500 respectively. producer interest. There are now new
year compared to 48-50,000 last year. WHE shareholders that have come on
As noted above, weekly hog slaughter so
I expect the Olymel Red Deer plant is board. Some of these are past Alberta
far this year has been averaging about
running about 2-3,000 head per week members that had left. Others are from
45,000 head per week on non-holiday
lighter than last year. Saskatchewan that are interested in tak-
weeks. So far this year, Alberta hog
ing part. The WHE is now dealing with
In B.C., Thunder Creek’s sister plant, slaughter is averaging about 3,500-
more shareholders and hog volumes.
Britco in Langley is probably running 4,000 head per week fewer than last
down by about 3-5 per cent this year year. Not surprisingly, almost all the The WHE has been able to leverage
versus last. Britco’s challenges come decrease is due to reductions at Olymel. that growth into one-on-one individ-
from both B.C. and Alberta. B.C.-based I estimate that Olymel has been slaugh- ual meetings with all the packers. The
hog slaughter is down by about 3-4,000 tering just 6,400-7,000 hogs per day in WHE purpose of these meetings is not
head in total during the first quarter the 9,000 per day capacity plant. Of that so much about pricing and grid. Instead,
compared to last year. Meanwhile, the total, it is likely that about 55-60 per their focus is on bigger picture industry
numbers coming from Alberta into B.C. cent are Olymel integrated hogs. supply and demand. That is, the focus is
are down about 5,000 head this year on what is necessary to grow the indus-
Based on the StatsCan January 1 inven-
compared to last in the first quarter. try in the west. The WHE view is that
tory report, the Alberta sow herd has in-
tweaking a pricing formula is not going
The bottom line is that Canadian hog creased two per cent over the five years
to lead to new barns.
slaughter has stagnated or fluctu- from 2013 to 2019. That increase, which
amounts to 3,100 head, is the smallest of In other words, the WHE is taking a
ated around the 21 million head mark
the hog producing provinces of Canada. two-pronged approach to marketing. It
for about 10 years. Last year’s kill was
It compares to 16 per cent growth in On- is strategically marketing hogs to gen-
about 21.4 million and I expect to see
tario and three per cent in Manitoba. erate the highest return as hogs come
less than 22 million this year.
available. Perhaps more importantly,
It is against this backdrop of decline or
it is attempting to facilitate an envi-
The new WHE stagnation that the Western Hog Ex-
ronment where packers and produc-
There are three federally inspected hog change (WHE) continues to evolve into
ers can work together to see if there is
slaughter plants in Alberta: Olymel, Red its new role as a marketer of hogs. The
growth potential.
Deer; Maple Leaf, Lethbridge; Trochu WHE is a non-profit hog marketing
organization owned by hog producer The first part makes perfect sense and is
shareholders and directors. It markets long overdue. The second part is neces-
hogs for producers that chose to use its sary given the state of stagnation in the
services. Until recently, I viewed the Alberta and western industry.
WHE as providing a procurement func-
tion for the Olymel plant in Red Deer. Growth in Ontario
All hogs that moved through the WHE The StatsCan January 1 inventory re-
™ went to Red Deer. That has changed. port showed that the Ontario sow herd
was up less than one percent or 2,100
As noted here previously, the WHE now
head year over year. That compared to
sees itself as a hog marketer offering hogs
a Canadian sow herd that was virtually
to all potential buyers. The new WHE
unchanged and a Quebec decline of one
has been putting out a Request for Quote
per cent.
THE TOTAL PACKAGE (RFQ) on hogs that it is marketing. The
RFQ has gone to all packers in the west, It is likely that the StatsCan estimate of
not just in Alberta and, most importantly, the Ontario increase, which brings the
not just Olymel. Based on WHE estimates, herd to 322,000 sows, is an understate-
the hogs offered on its first completed ment of the actual number. Industry
RFQ returned far more per hog than suppliers across a wide range of services
www.genesus.com would otherwise have been the case if and products assert that there has been
they had not been offered for bid. numerous expansions and new facili-
8 | Canadian Hog Journal | Spring 2019
ties that would more than offset closures put that off in anticipation of one more
or retrenchments. Those individual ad- round of solid returns this year.
ditions typically range anywhere from
It is interesting to note that more young-
200 head to 2,500 head. The likely in-
er people have been taking the reins in
crease in sow numbers is probably closer
the last 3-5 years than there has been in
to 4,000 during 2018 in Ontario.
the previous 10-15 in Ontario. They are
Of course, there have been contractions not only taking over the family opera-
for the usual reasons. Older hog farmers tion, but they are expanding or building
with family members that are not inter- new operations.
ested in taking over are typical exam-
As noted here previously, there is also
ples. These are often smaller operations
robust demand for finishing space. Of
of less than 500 sows. In some cases, a
course, there is a big difference between
retired sow barn has been converted to a
demand for space and actual supply
grow-finish operation.
or new facilities. In addition, there are
Regarding expansion, however, there thousands of spaces that need work or
are several operations that are in the that need to be retired. One big challenge
process of or are planning on expand- is the lack of construction capacity. Con-
ing in 2019. Some producers that are struction operators and services are out-
renovating for the new pig code are stripped by demand for those services.
also adding sow capacity as part of That is especially the case after such a
the job. There are notable examples of long period of docile demand from the
farmers that have decided to retire old mid-2000s to the mid-2010s due to the
barns and have built brand new facili- financial stress. The infrastructure of QUALITY & SAFETY:
ties. Instead of having an old 1,200 sow builders is a key limiting factor on fin-
barn they are building a new 2,500 ishing spaces in Ontario. With that said,
IT’S ALL BY DESIGN.
head barn. If they have made the de- there may have been up to 50,000 spaces Kemin knows chromium.
cision to re-invest, they are not re-in- added over the past year or two. Stress has a tremendous
vesting in small numbers. Next year at impact on the performance
this time, the StatsCan data is likely to Regarding finishing spaces in 2019, as
of pigs. When pigs
show a 7,000-10,000 head increase in noted above, there is an argument to be experience stress
its Ontario sow inventory. made that the industry has maxed out its conditions, cortisol is
construction capacity. Of course, the sit- released, often resulting
Another part of the reason for the ex- uation as it relates to construction costs in a negative impact on
pansions in Ontario has been the pricing is obvious given supply and demand. performance.1, 2, 3 Chromium
experienced by the Conestoga sharehold- has been shown to reduce
ers. There would have been many pro- The main point is that there will the levels of cortisol,
ducers across Canada that were deciding be expansion of both sows and fin- thereby reducing the
to throw in the towel during last sum- ishing spaces in Ontario this year and negative impacts of stress.4
mer’s collapse. Last summer may have likely for the following two years. The
been the last straw for many producers optimism regarding the Chinese situa- KEMIN.COM/KTCHROMIUM
frustrated with pricing, especially in the tion as well as the circumstances with
West. The Conestoga growers would not the Conestoga growers is the basis for
have experienced that challenge, given that statement. n
the ownership structure.
Kevin Grier Market Analysis and Con-
This year there are likely to be fewer re- sulting provides industry market re-
trenchments than usual given the Chi- ports and analysis, as well as consulting
nese African Swine Fever driven market. services and public event speaking. You 1. Klemcke, H.G. 1995. Biology of Reprod. 53:1293-1301.
2. Einarsson et al. 2008. Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica 50:48.
As usual, there are plenty of examples can reach him at kevin@kevingrier.com 3. Mohling et al. 2018. National hog farmer May, 2018.
4. Leury et al.. 2014. Tropical Animal Health and Production
of older farmers or older operations that to comment or to request a free two- 46:1483-1489.
© Kemin Industries, Inc. and its group of companies 2019. All rights reserved. ® TM
were considering leaving. This year, month trial of the Canadian Pork Mar- Trademarks of Kemin Industries, Inc. U.S.A.
however, these operators are likely to ket Review.
Canadian Hog Journal | Spring 2019 | 9
HOT ISSUES
Canada Food Guide update isn’t bringing home
the bacon
Pork industry associations weigh in on the new guide’s emphasis on plant-based protein
By Treena Hein
Unless you were on another planet for the past year, you included researchers, policy experts, registered dietitians and
couldn’t have missed the fact that many headlines in 2018 communications specialists, but both the process and the new
and early 2019 focussed on the impending update and subse- content have frustrated Canadian livestock commodity groups.
quent release of the new Canada Food Guide. The revision was
In the past, any industry stakeholder had the opportunity to
completed by a multidisciplinary team at Health Canada that
comment on planned revisions, but that changed during the
preparation and research phase of the most recent edition.
“Officials from Health Canada’s office of nutrition policy and
promotion did not meet with representatives from the food
and beverage industry,” explained Health Canada spokesper-
son Geoffrey Legault-Thivierge, because “it was important
to ensure that the development of dietary guidance was free
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with ALTRA-SEAL PANEL SYSTEMS
Various Colours Available Let’s not fool another generation in the
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is good protein as well.
Optional Thermal Window Darcy Fitzgerald, Alberta Pork
In terms of the eventual release of the new Guide in January
2019, various commodity groups were not pleased with some
major changes. Since 1977, there had been four food groups
in the Guide – milk and milk products, meat and alternatives,
grain products, and fruits and vegetables – that has now been
Airtight Seal reduced to three. The ‘milk and milk products’ category is
gone, as is the ‘meat and alternates’ group, and both have now
been combined into one larger category called ‘protein.’
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There is also a much greater emphasis in the new guide on
consuming plant-based protein. Even the main visual itself,
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the plate of food that every Canadian recognizes as being
Tel: (519) 527-2470
the symbol of the guide, hardly shows any meat. Legault-
sunnorth.com
Thivierge says Canadians are now being encouraged to eat
CONTINUED ON PAGE 12
10 | Canadian Hog Journal | Spring 2019THE BEST ALL AROUND FEMALE FAST GENETICS’ FEMALES OUTPERFORM COMPETITORS ON KEY PRODUCTION METRICS. WE CAN PROVE IT. fastgenetics.com
HOT ISSUES
plant-based proteins (such as beans, legumes, rice, quinoa,
soybeans and nuts) “because eating more nuts or soy protein
is linked to improved blood lipid levels, and the higher fibre
intake of plant-rich diets is linked to improved blood lipid
levels and a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, colon can-
Eat a variety of healthy foods each day
cer, and type two diabetes.” He adds that “processed meat
has been linked to colorectal cancer, and foods that contain Have plenty Eat protein
mostly saturated fat are linked to unfavourable blood lipid of vegetables foods
and fruits
levels and a higher risk of type two diabetes.”
Reaction Make water
your drink
of choice
The reaction to this emphasis on
getting more protein from plant-
based sources has not been re-
PDF Cat.: H164-257/1-2019E-PDF ISBN: 978-0-660-28757-7 Pub.: 180594
ceived favourably by the meat
industry. For example, Rick
Bergmann, chair of the board at
Canada Pork, stated in a news
© Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of Health, 2019
story that he’s concerned Cana-
dians might interpret the new Choose
version as a recommendation to
Print Cat.: H164-257/1-2019E ISBN: 978-0-660-28758-4
whole grain
foods
Mary Ann Binnie, Canadian reduce meat consumption in fa-
Pork Council says lean meats vour of plant-based proteins.
are still a foundation food. Discover your food guide at
Photo courtesy Canadian “It would be unfortunate if Ca- Canada.ca/FoodGuide
Pork Council nadians interpret this bias to-
ward plant-based proteins as a
signal to remove red meat from their diets,” read a statement Canada’s new food guide raised the eyebrows of the meat and livestock
from the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association. sector across the country.
Mary Ann Binnie, manager of nutrition and industry rela- shown in the protein group, but there wasn’t a piece of pork
tions at the Canadian Pork Council, agrees. She notes off the in the last version, released in 2007,” she explains. “In terms
top that the new plate graphic isn’t very much different com- of animal protein, the previous version had illustrations of
pared to those of previous versions of the guide. a roast, eggs, a whole fish. Animal and plant proteins have
always been in the same food group.”
“Healthy eating remains a balance and variety of lean meats,
plenty of vegetables and fruits and whole grains. We would As to the name change of the ‘meat and alternates’ category to
have obviously preferred to have pork included as a protein ‘protein,’ Binnie believes it highlights the fact that Canadians are
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12 | Canadian Hog Journal | Spring 2019HOT ISSUES
looking for more protein in their diets, and that it also helps clarify for them
what protein includes. “It sounds strange, but there are some people out there
who don’t realize that meat is a protein source, so in that light, the category
name change is positive,” she observes. “There has been so much buzz around
Healthy eating is more than the foods you eat protein shakes and protein bars that some people have been misinformed.”
Officials from Health Canada’s Office of Nutrition
Policy and Promotion did not meet with representatives
Be mindful of your eating habits Cook more often from the food and beverage industry because it was
important to ensure that the development of dietary
guidance was free from conflict of interest.
Geoffrey Legault-Thivierge, Health Canada
Enjoy your food Eat meals with others
Another big misperception out there about our diets, adds Binnie, is that
we eat too much meat. She warns that if groups such as young women
interpret the guide’s emphasis on eating more plant-based protein as a
Use food labels
Limit foods high in sodium,
Be aware of food marketing
directive to reduce meat consumption, there may be serious health conse-
sugars or saturated fat
quences for them from Vitamin B12, iron deficiency and more.
Discover your food guide at
Canada.ca/FoodGuide Indeed, Binnie believes any discussion of eating less of certain foods to ac-
commodate the consumption of more plant-based protein should focus on
Health Canada didn’t consult with the meat and
livestock sector because the agency wanted to stick to eating fewer low-nutrition convenience food products, commonly known as
the science of the matter. Other than the reduction in junk food or empty calories. “Chips and cookies and other highly-processed
animal-based protein, the meat industry isn’t taking food products should be the focus as to what should come out of the diet,”
issue with the other messaging. she says. “It shouldn’t be lean pork.”
CONTINUED ON PAGE 14
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Canadian Hog Journal | Spring 2019 | 13HOT ISSUES
In her submission to HESA during the
consultations before the guide was re-
leased, Dr. Sangita Sharma, professor
in Indigenous and global health re-
search at University of Alberta, echoed
the concerns.
“Some of the recommendations…focus
on promoting plant-based protein foods
and recommend reducing Canadians’
overall consumption of animal-based
protein foods, particularly red meat. Giv-
en current research from both my group
and others, this is extremely concerning
and we believe this could result in some
negative heath impacts, including nutri-
ent inadequacies and deficiencies. Plant-
based sources of protein do not provide
anywhere near the nutrients as provided
by animal-based proteins and certainly
do not provide the nutrients we know
many Canadians are lacking.” Consumers are getting creative with their meat consumption, using it sparingly and pairing it
with a diverse assortment of veggies and whole grains. Photo courtesy Canadian Pork Council
We are relying on dieticians always been, a foundational food in the For his part, Darcy Fitzgerald, executive
and other health professionals diet. We are, in collaboration Canada director at Alberta Pork, notes that in
to convey to Canadians that Beef and the Canadian Meat Coun- the past, consumers were told animal
cil, having an exhibit and offering
lean meats are, and have fats, butter and eggs were bad for them
resources at the Dieticians of Canada – but that things certainly do change.
always been, a foundational Conference in June.”
food in the diet. “Only to discover that eggs are truly a
The Canadian Pork Council is also de-
Mary Ann Binnie, superfood and those plant-based trans
veloping a new strategic plan based on
Canadian Pork Council fats and sugars that replaced healthy
updated Guide, and it’s going to conduct
animal fats have plagued a generation
some surveys of dieticians across the
Will the new guide actually affect and or two with significant health problems,”
country to determine their level of knowl-
lower pork consumption long-term? he said, questioning when modera-
edge about protein, the value of lean meat
“We are hoping not,” said Binnie. “We and so on, and to discover the questions tion, balance and omnivore became bad
are relying on dieticians and other that dieticians might have about the same words. “Let’s not fool another generation
health professionals to convey to Ca- topics. They are then going to develop in the process to understand that animal
nadians that lean meats are, and have more resources accordingly. protein is good protein as well.” n
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Swine Specialist or call us directly at the
number below.
1-877-625-4400
www.grandvalley.comHOT ISSUES
African Swine Fever — can it be stopped?
What actions are needed? What can you do
to protect your investment?
A Banff Pork Seminar 2019 presentation with Dr. Egan Brockhoff, Prairie Swine Heath Services
By Meristem
African Swine Fever (ASF) may move more slowly than other pork and the transport of frozen pig meat through Europe and
diseases in the hog industry, but it is more serious than any- the U.K. “While everyone is aware of the situation in China...this
thing Canada has dealt with in the past. At the 2019 Banff Pork virus is moving throughout Europe and in a significant way.”
Seminar, Jan. 8 to 10 in Banff, Alta., Dr. Egan Brockhoff, vet- The infection of the wild boar population in Europe, which isn’t
erinarian and pork industry analyst naturally resistant as the African boars seem to be, is another
and advisor, shared insights from core driver that keeps the virus moving through Europe.
his travel to countries currently
This raises a concern in Canada as North America has a mas-
battling the deadly disease such as
sive wild pig problem. There are three million wild pigs in
China and parts of Europe, and his
Texas alone and in Canada we have large wild boar popula-
thoughts on ways Canadian pork
tions in the prairies and further east at least as far as Quebec.
producers can mitigate the risk.
European wild boars were brought over to farm and either got
ASF was unknown outside of Af- out or were released and if these animals contracted ASF, it
rica, where the native wild pigs are would be almost impossible to eradicate.
carriers but remain largely unaf-
fected by the disease, until 1957. At Different transmission
that time the disease entered Por-
Dr. Egan Brockhoff Transmission of ASF is quite different from other diseases.
tugal on a ship through contami-
Transmission through direct contact with infected pigs, ticks
nated waste which was fed to pigs. ASF entered the population
or stable flies is a slow process, and while still deadly, there is
and circulated slowly throughout Europe from 1957 to 1986.
also a high risk of unwitting transmission before ASF is diag-
However, in 2007 a highly infectious strain showed up in nosed. Because this virus is concentrated in the meat, muscle
Georgia, in Eastern Europe. “From 2007 until 2019, ASF has and body fluids, indirect contact is the fastest transmission
spread consistently and broadly across Eastern Europe and of the disease. “When a pig dies, in the forest or a slaughter
now into Western Europe. Once again, feeding contaminated plant, all of that meat is incredibly infectious. This makes it
waste from international aircraft or ships has been identified an easy virus for humans to move - in uncooked product for
as the primary method of moving the virus along. This is a example,” says Brockhoff.
human driven disease not an animal driven disease. Humans
Even worse news is that there is no vaccine, no treatment,
are spreading this disease around the world,” says Brockhoff.
many of the symptoms are easily mistaken for other swine
And the spread continues. In the last four months, Brockhoff diseases, the highly virulent strains have 100 per cent mor-
advises that nine European countries have reported 1,000 new tality and there can be a slow incubation period, which may
cases. The primary modes of transmission are through uncooked allow further spread if undetected.
16 | Canadian Hog Journal | Spring 2019HOT ISSUES
Feed is another high-risk factor in delivering the virus to hog Brockhoff has a list for producers too. Ensure producers are
farms. “Dr. Scott Dee has identified organic soybean meal as quarantining high risk feed ingredients for the correct length
an amazingly good vector for ASF. The virus survives well in of time and at the correct temperature. Producers should be
soy products,” says Brockhoff. He goes on to add that today talking with their feed specialists, nutritionists and veteri-
Canada is importing organic soybean meal from China for narians about biosecurity and feed. Stop bringing any kind
livestock feed. If producers are still using high-risk feeds, they of pork product into a hog barn. Create biosecurity audits and
should use quarantine to minimize the chances of spreading bring the team together to discuss. Lastly, small farms must
ASF. Feed kept at 20 degrees Celsius for 20 days will likely be engaged and educated regarding the risks as well.
have killed the virus.
“Never before has the risk of transboundary and emerging
Canada has a huge backyard pig population. There are about diseases been so real,” says Brockhoff. “We live in a global-
6,500 premise IDs for commercial hog operations in Canada. ized, highly mobile world and that is moving disease ex-
But also in Canada there are about 6,500 small backyard, out- tremely effectively.” n
door hog farms. These farmers may not know
or understand the severity of AFS to the hog
industry worldwide. And should they get AFS
on their farm, it could shut down trade for
the entire Canadian hog sector.
High risk
What does all of this mean for Canadian pork
producers who may be feeling a false sense
of security, because to date there has never
been a case of AFS in Canada or the United
States? Brockhoff believes the risk is high if
Canadian producers continue to operate as
they have always done. He has worked with
the CFIA on a feed risk mitigation plan and
has an action list for the industry.
• Engage Government- Ministers, CFIA,
industry partners – build a wall around
North America.
• Voluntary ban of high risk feed ingre-
dients – the government can’t do it but
producers can make those choices.
The “A” team clean
• Feed ingredients quarantine – the ones
that are still purchased, must be quaran-
machine.
tined following proven protocols.
• More border enforcement – Canada cur-
rently has 17 sniffer dogs at airports
across the country. Due to the high risk
of infected meat products being brought The “A” clean team maintains high
into Canada, many more of these dogs health and biosecurity standards as we
are required. work with world-class veterinarians and
the CFIA. We are continually monitoring
• More traveler awareness – airlines and
and testing our herd to protect the
ships, should play a role in informing herds of our customers as well as
passengers. our own. This is how we do our part
to protect the swine industry. Trusted genetics. Count on us.
• CPC working with Animal Health Canada www.alliancegenetics.com
– an organization that will work across Trust your success to the “A” team.
1-877-462-1177
Canada to prepare for animal health cri-
ses, similar to Swine Health Ontario.
• Communication Cooperation Collabora-
tion – the industry must work together. info@alliancegeneticscanada.ca Terminal & Maternal semen available at OSI.
AG2261_Biosecurity_Ad_WHJ_1-2Pg_4.625x7.25_E.indd 1
Canadian Hog Journal | Spring 2016-04-25
2019 | 179:26 AMHealth
Research on pig health is irresistible
Submitted by Swine Innovation Porc
No pork producer wants to handle a entist, as long as you have experience nitely a genetic component. For breed-
300 lb pig with a fever. It’s not a pretty with sickness. ing companies, though, it can be hard
picture, and neither is the bottom line to get a hold of that variation as we try
“We see in humans that some people get
for the producer when the herd is sick. and keep the nucleus herds that produce
the flu, go to bed and drink fluids and
That may be why the industry is excited genetic improvements as healthy as pos-
are back to work in one or two days.
about the potential of a research proj- sible. In part, this is because we want to
At the same time, others with the ex-
ect for harnessing genomics to improve export our genetics around the world,
act same condition may be laid low for and we can’t do that if they take disease
disease resilience and sustainability in
weeks before they recover. For the pur- with them. Also, because we are gener-
Canadian pork production.
poses of this project, we are interested ally selecting for genetic potential, we
If an animal is not in good health, in pigs that take a break when they’re keep disease away so we can select the
there’s no chance for it to express its ge- sick, but then are up and active again best animals with the best potential.”
netic potential. And, due to the low her- quite quickly.”
itability of health traits, it was always The conflict arises as you go down the
thought that genetics couldn’t contrib- Pig disease can plague the production pyramid – you have more
pigs, more farms and more pathogens,
ute to disease prevention. bottom line and it becomes harder to maintain bios-
That thinking changed with the advent As fascinating as the phenomenon of ecurity. As well, some clinical diseases
of genomics and research efforts like resilience is to researchers, it’s equally tend to be more severe on the lower
the application of genomics to improve interesting for pork producers, and for rungs of the pyramid.
disease resilience and sustainability in good reason – animal disease represents
“For those reasons, we are trying to dis-
pork production project. a sizable expense to the pork industry.
cover with this project how to develop
Though feed costs get most of the atten-
“All animals are susceptible to disease, new tools to identify the genetic poten-
tion these days, the economic impact of
but those with resilience will recover tial of animals in those high health en-
health issues in terms of treatment and
faster and have less effect on produc- vironments, while also predicting the
mortality is often underestimated.
tion,” said Dr. Graham Plastow, professor performance of their offspring in com-
and CEO at the Livestock Gentec Centre, Fortunately, researchers appreciate the mercial herds where disease challenges
agricultural life and environmental sci- toll that a disease challenge can take on are greater. That is a unique element
ences, agricultural food and nutritional a farm, and are determined to harness here, and it’s why a key component of
science at the University of Alberta. the power of genomics in addressing the our research is creating new tests to
problem; to accomplish that, however, assess the strength of an animal’s im-
Bracing for impact they face challenges of their own. mune response. These are animals that
are not exposed in the nucleus herd,
Dr. Plastow defines resilience as the
Exporting genetics, but we look at what we can do through
ability of an animal to respond to any introducing disease to explore their
disease challenge in a way that mini- not disease
potential immune response when they
mizes its impact. It’s a concept that’s “When we look for variation in resilience are challenged.”
easy to grasp even if you’re not a sci- or susceptibility to disease, there is defi-
When it comes to enhancing disease
resilience through genomics, research
Naturally its A.I. doesn’t yet have all the answers. But
by asking the proper questions, they’re
. . . . for the availability of it moving in the right direction, towards
. . . . for the security of it healthier pigs and a more robust bottom
. . . . for the convenience of it line for producers. n
For more information on this project,
ALBERTA SWINE GENETICS CORPORATION please contact:
Dr. Graham Plastow
The A.I. Place Phone: (780) 986-1250
Toll Free: 1-800-691-3060
Email: plastow@ualberta.ca
18 | Canadian Hog Journal | Spring 2019RESEARCH AND INNOVATION
Mitigation of accelerated deterioration of pig buildings
B. Predicala1,2, J. Cabahug1,2, A. Alvarado1, R. Baah1
1Prairie Swine Centre Inc., PO Box 21057, 2105 – 8th Street East, Saskatoon, SK, S7H 5N9
2Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK
Introduction
When we look across the Canadian pork industry it becomes
apparent that due to the age of most facilities a large per-
centage will need to be replaced or renovated over the next
few years. Most buildings average between 20-30 years old.
The majority of hog barns are completely enclosed utilizing This project set out to determine Canadian specific strategies
a negative pressure ventilation system to maintain pig com- for decreasing the current pace of barn deterioration. With
the overall focus of this project being to combat the rate of
fort. In order to reduce heating costs during winter months
deterioration of swine facilities a critical literature review was
ventilation is generally turned down to a minimum venti-
under taken that identified solutions that were applicable to
lation rate. The combination of minimum ventilation and,
Canadian pig barns. The second phase of the project included
in some areas high winds, causes exhaust air to recirculate
a survey which was presented to various stakeholder groups
within the facility leading to poor air quality. This in turn
across Canada. The survey included producers, builders, ma-
increases deterioration due to increased exposure to mois- terial and equipment suppliers and academic and research
ture and corrosive gases. and development organizations. The survey revealed that ap-
proximately 60 per cent of producers struggle with rapid de-
terioration. Specifically, the structural components that they
had issues with were roofing (50 per cent of respondents),
penning/ stalls (50 per cent), exterior walls (40 per cent), ceil-
ings, trusses and/or attic, and feeding and drinking system
(30 per cent). No significant issues with accelerated deterio-
ration have been identified in partition walls between two
rooms, manure and drainage system, and barn foundations.
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20 | Canadian Hog Journal | Spring 2019RESEARCH AND INNOVATION
Results Issues
Table 1 summarizes the issues encountered by producers and Structural encountered
Mitigation strategies
builders related to barn deterioration and their recommenda- components (% of respondents
tions for mitigation. The most common issue was corrosion/ reporting the issue)
rusting of barn roof, penning/ stalls, exterior walls, ceiling, 2. Penning/stalls - corrosion/ - stronger support, use of
trusses, and feeding and drinking system. Some respondents rusting (86%) heavier anchors (1/2” rather
have pointed out issues related to moisture decay in trusses, - cracks (29%) than 3/8”)
and cracks in penning/stalls, and feeding and drinking system. - use of solid rod; avoid welds in
wet areas
- use of stainless steel for first
Table 1. Summary of responses from producers, builders and 6” of post or anything that
equipment supplier on current status of pig barns in terms of has contact with manure or
barn degradation and their recommendations to mitigate them. the floor
- use of plastic (if not costly)
Issues instead of concrete or steel
Structural encountered
Mitigation strategies 3. Exterior walls - corrosion/ - plastic walls filled with
components (% of respondents
reporting the issue) rusting (100%) concrete
- thicker tin
1. Roofing - corrosion/ - use of a thicker gauge of tin - concrete construction
rusting (100%) - better screws - better exhaust fans; proper
- application of paint on both ventilation
sides of tin 4. Ceiling - corrosion/ - use of screws, not nails
- modification of ventilation rusting (60%) - application of paint
system so that barn air does
not get in contact with the roof - use of plastic or fiberglass
products
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Canadian Hog Journal | Spring 2019 | 21RESEARCH AND INNOVATION
easiest to adopt by producers. However, few consider mainte-
Issues nance improvement as the best option to improve building life
Structural encountered
Mitigation strategies span. If the cost would not be considered as a decision parame-
components (% of respondents
reporting the issue) ter, new building material and ventilation system improvement
should be the priorities. For producers, when the cost of the
5. Trusses - corrosion/ - installation of ridge ventilation technology is not considered, an adequate ventilation system,
rusting (80%) - use of galvanized or stainless sufficient insulation and high durability wall materials are the
- moisture decay steel, protective coatings and most attractive solutions to improve building life span.
(60%) insulation
- better ventilation to avoid back
drafting Table 2. Summary list of potential solutions to rapid barn
deterioration and their applicability to Canadian swine barns
6. Feeding and - corrosion/ - thicker PVC for drinking based on literature review and survey.
drinking rusting (40%) system
system - cracks (40%) - use of steel feeders Category/
Description Applicability
- use of plastics above pig level Potential Solution
and steel at pig level
- all intake hoppers and drive A. Building Design
units should be stainless steel 1. Wood
Durable design - use of timber with bigger Applicable
Mitigation Strategies dimensions, well-seasoned
Among the solutions to improve the building life span such and with good detailing
as surface treatments, new material, ventilation system, control
and maintenance (guide information), the latest has been point- 2. Metal
ed out by the participants as the least expensive one and theRESEARCH AND INNOVATION
Category/ Category/
Description Applicability Description Applicability
Potential Solution Potential Solution
Durable design - rigid or batt insulation (e.g. Applicable - extension of insulation and
4-6 mil polyethylene) plus vapour barrier from inside
vapour barrier especially on the building to underside of
truss assembly vented overhangs
- appropriate design gap - chimneys installed
between insulation and intermittently between
wall or ceiling for moisture trusses for ridge ventilation
drying in the event of - separate ventilation for barn
penetration interior and the attic
- good vapour barrier on
areas in close proximity to B. Building Material Selection and Treatments
fasteners
1. Wood - use of naturally durable
wood
3. Ventilation - use of stacks or discharge Applicable; Chemical - oil-based preservatives Applicable
(in general) tubes to release exhaust extent of current preservation (Creosote oil)
air away from the animal application
building in Canadian - fixed water soluble
swine/livestock preservatives
buildings not - organic solvent
confirmed preservatives
CONTINUED ON PAGE 24RESEARCH AND INNOVATION
Category/ Category/
Description Applicability Description Applicability
Potential Solution Potential Solution
Impregnation of - improve the physical and Applicable; G90 hot-dip - treated with zinc phosphate Applicable
wood with polymers mechanical properties of Further galvanized (G90 - recommended by U.S Steel
low grade wood species investigation of HDG) for metal connectors in
- use of copolymer derived effectiveness animal housing, G90 zinc
from allyl alcohol and against coating are typically used in
methyl methacrylate deterioration Canada (G60 for US)
(optimum compatibility needed
and compressive strength Duplex System - e.g. G90 Duplex = G90 Applicable
perpendicular to fiber connector + paint and
increased by approximately G185 Duplex = G185
100 times while water connector + paint
absorption was reduced by
50%; biodegradation did - G90 duplex or G185
not occur) connectors with vapour
barrier and separate
Bio-control - wood treated with urea and Further ventilation for attic space
ureolytic bacteria (Proteus investigation of is recommended in animal
sp. and Bacillus sp.) effectiveness buildings
- combination of Proteus sp. needed Avoidance of - e.g. using stainless steel Applicable
and Trichoderma viride to galvanic corrosion nails for stainless steel
inhibit growth and kill fungi hangers and galvanized
Titanium dioxide - used to prevent fungal Further nails for galvanized hangers
nanoparticles Hypocrea lixii (white-rot) investigation Use of other Applicable
and Mucor circinelloides of applicability/ materials such as
(brown-rot)) growth in wood feasibility for ceramic materials
- applied on surfaces by use in livestock and polymers
spraying or simple brushing buildings needed Galvanizing - zinc layer application on Applicable
2. Metal steel and iron structures
Stainless steel - known resistance to Applicable Coatings - epoxy coating that is Applicable
dry corrosion (oxidation) lead and chromate-free
and attack of acidic recommended for metal
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24 | Canadian Hog Journal | Spring 2019RESEARCH AND INNOVATION
Category/ Category/
Description Applicability Description Applicability
Potential Solution Potential Solution
Repair of corrosion- - cleaning as a de-rusting Applicable - periodic inspection for
attacked metals method remains the leaks through vapour
advised method over use of barriers and corrosion on
rust converters connectors and fasteners
3. Concrete - removal of corrosive
agents from the attic
Concrete mix - vuse of sulphate-resistant Applicable; and additional protective
composition binder-like type 50 Portland feasibility and coatings must be provided
cement (equivalent to CEM cost analysis to connectors
IIIB concrete based on CSA needed for
A3000, 1998) as most application Feeding method - wet feeding method can Applicable
effective among 8 concrete in livestock make the degradation
treatments buildings problem on barn floors
worse
- use of other supplementary
cementing materials such - greater feeder-drinker
as slag, fly ash and silica distance to minimize lactic
fume to minimize tricalcium and acetic acid attack on
aluminate (C3A) content of concrete by the feed-water
concrete mix mix
- use of additives for concrete Others - putting concrete or brick Applicable
top layers (e.g. product “S” bin underneath nipple
based on ground tuff) to drinkers
increase life of concrete - protection of concrete floor
compared to regular sand- itself by fibre cement-
cement mix for top layer of board, metal plate, rubber
animal housing flooring sheet, or a top layer
- also applies for protection of “product S”
steel reinforcements
Conclusion:
C. Building Management/Production Practices When considering all the potential strategies to mitigate
Interior cleanliness - proper cleaning and Applicable building deterioration, it was apparent that considering ap-
and maintenance disinfection; high pressure propriate ventilation, environmental control and air treat-
washing and use of ments, improvement of corrosion protection efficiency of
cleaners to effectively building materials, and adequate building maintenance
remove aggressive would have the greatest impact within Canadian swine fa-
residues and manure on cilities. These strategies still need to be evaluated in a barn
surfaces
to determine their full potential in increasing the lifespan of
Canadian swine facilities. n
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Canadian Hog Journal | Spring 2019 | 25RESEARCH AND INNOVATION
Smart systems in pig production
A presentation from Banff Pork Seminar 2019
By Bryan Passifiume
“Big Data” is more than a catch-phrase – it’s a methodology of using powerful computers to analyze, compute and,
in some cases, make decisions on enormous amounts of information. It’s revolutionizing how producers control
and organize their production, with current advances suggesting a powerful future where every aspect of farm
operations can be controlled and accessed at any time, and anywhere.
Part one: Smart Systems in Pig Production “Producers will want to have a single system that can connect
to or integrate with these new technologies,” he said.
Tom Stein, DVM, Senior Strategic
Advisor, Maximus Systems He describes what he calls a ‘smart barn control system’ – a sort
Advancements in the art and sci- of ‘brain-in-the-barn’ that acts as this single management and
ence of pork production means control platform for integrating associated technologies.
producers need to be ahead of the He suggests asking questions of control, management, net-
curve when it comes to technology. working, integration and servicing when it comes to wir-
Even production methods of only ing-up their operations – particularly with some of the new
technologies looming on the horizon for today’s farmers.
a few decades ago seem antiquated
compared to the modern marvels Planning ahead and ensuring a single, integrated control sys-
available to today’s farmers – from tem, he said, will ensure the ‘farm of the future’ will be both
recordkeeping to genetics. effective, easy to control, and a sound return on investment.
Tom Stein, senior strategic advisor for Maximus Systems in “Brains in the barn will communicate in real-time and in both
Quebec, said producers should be making these important tech- directions with brains in the office to spearhead the next evo-
nology systems now in order to “future-proof” their operations. lution in pork production management,” he explained.
And that starts with a smart control system.
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“Modern, intelligent barn controllers fully integrate the func-
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tion of all components of climate control into a single unit,
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& DRINKING eliminating the need to program and coordinate several
BOWLS smaller controls,” he said.
��������
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��� ���� ������ “With this ability, tighter temperature bands can be main-
tained, with some controls able to regulate the temperature
��������� �������
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with a band of plus-or-minus one degree Celsius.”
����� ��
���������� ���� This control system seamlessly ties in actuators for ventila-
��� ��������� MANAGEMENT
SYSTEM tion systems, from a broad view down to precise control of
inlets, fans, static pressure, et cetera — and allow producers
to accurately log and record temperature, humidity and air
quality data from numerous points.
����������
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Aside from the economic benefits of such precise ventilation
Contact �� ��� ���� control, it allows operators to immediately pinpoint and di-
������� ������! agnose faults, which could lead to hazardous and often fatal
Phone: 800-568-4205 atmospheric conditions within the production floor.
“The data-tracking and alarm systems give equipment and
Or Visit Our Website service providers a direct line to your controller from a remote
���.pigequipment.com location and provide you with premium technical service,
even if they can’t be there immediately,” he said.
“Software links you to your sites and barns 24-hours a day —
info@pigequipment.com
you can check on the situation in the barn, no matter where
you are in the world.”
CONTINUED ON PAGE 28
26 | Canadian Hog Journal | Spring 2019You can also read
