Glacier FarmMedia – Their names are Rudiger, Dietmar and Cindy, and they have a lot to teach about wild pig movement patterns. The three eastern German wild boar were tracked far from where they were first spotted and tagged. None were fazed by natural barriers that would put off other animals. Dietmar, for example, tended
Where the wild pigs roam
German wild pig study shows how far they travel and the lengths they go to keep moving
Wild pig control gains momentum on the Prairies
Eradication efforts face obstacles, and experts disagree over the extent of the problem, but progress has been made
Glacier FarmMedia – Canadian wild pigs are furtive and rugged, and its uncertain how many of them roam across Western Canada. Understanding and eradicating them is now a nation-wide crusade, the first Canadian Wild Pig Summit revealed. The multi-day event was held in Brandon April 22-24. Why it matters: Invasive wild pigs are noted for
Hog sector sums up 2023
From wild pigs and disease to price trends and market concerns, here’s what was on the pork sector’s mind in 2023
Glacier FarmMedia – Hog producers are hunkered down for a tough year as reduced margins combine with trade chaos to create a cloudy outlook. Yet beneath those stormy skies, hog farms continue to invest in open housing systems. They are building new barns, successfully tackling tough disease issues and setting bold targets for further improvements. That was the message
Opinion: Agri-culture embraced at Royal Manitoba Winter Fair
Events like the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair help ag connect with urban consumers, but how much difference does it actually make?
Visitors to the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair in Brandon at the end of March were entertained by an aggressively hungry ewe. They also saw newborn chicks flopping and flipping a few minutes after cracking their eggs. Horses clopped down the alleys, hefty-muscled and throwing off anxious-for-the-ring energy. There was straw, boots, company-branded gear, ropes, helmets,
University of Manitoba student lays international path
Work involves examination of Prairie berry components to help boost sector
Glacier FarmMedia – Some researchers prefer to stay in laboratories and behind academic papers rather than deal with a lot of people. Chamali Kodikara isn’t suited for that sort of introverted life. “I really like to do the other stuff as well,” said Kodikara, after learning she had been elected vice-president of competitions for the
Opinion: Someone needs to talk tough on trade. Canada, anyone?
More Canada may be just what the moribund global trade scene needs
Glacier FarmMedia – Canada is good at building coalitions and consensus. Maybe it’s time to get tougher. “Why are you so concerned about upsetting people?” asked CropLife International President Emily Rees at the Canadian Crops Convention. Canada could benefit from being “a little less sorry and not having the same fear of upsetting trade partners
Barn temperature for hogs about more than just air
Contact surfaces also impact pig thermal condition
To a pig, heat is about more than air temperature. Unfortunately, many hog producers don’t realize that. “We have to think about all the other surfaces in the barn that the pig can be in contact with for conduction, or just exposed to,” said North Carolina State University swine specialist Suzanne Leonard. For instance, barns might need
Detective work solves swine sickness mystery
Maple Leaf official recounts challenges faced while trying to put a stop to a Streptococcus zooepidemicus outbreak
Glacier FarmMedia – When a multiplication pig barn came down with a Streptococcus zooepidemicus outbreak in March 2019, Maple Leaf Foods staff scrambled to figure out what it was and how to treat it. At first, they dealt with it as suggested by worldwide veterinary authorities. Believing the gilts were over the illness, they were sent into four sow
Smart tech tool helps identify sick pigs
More advanced camera systems could help farm workers keep watch on animal wellness, even if the sick pigs don’t look sick
Glacier FarmMedia – A sick pig doesn’t want anyone to know it’s not well, and that can stop even the best barn staff from intervening before the animal’s condition worsens. With smart technology and artificial intelligence, it should be possible to flag illness long before humans can identify it, Tami Brown-Brandl of the University of Nebraska said during
Public wants ‘green’ farming, but wallets remain closed
Consumers care about the climate, but not enough to pay extra in the grocery store
Glacier FarmMedia – Canadians say they care about climate change, but they aren’t willing to pay to address it. Canada’s food, agriculture and farming industries need to accept that failure as their own, according to the executive chair of Maple Leaf Foods. “They care, but they’re not motivated by it,” said Michael McCain, whose company
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