Swine genetics company Topigs Norsvin cut the ribbon on its $15-million Delta Canada facility in Woodlands, Man., June 27.

Manitoba cuts the ribbon on blueblood boar genetics

Pork genetics company Topigs Norsvin has officially opened its doors in Manitoba

Manitoba’s hog sector is adding to its pedigree. Global swine genetics company Topigs Norsvin has officially opened the doors to Delta Canada, a boar genetics and research facility located northwest of Winnipeg near Woodlands. The company, which markets itself as the second-largest swine genetic company globally, opened the $15-million facility June 27 and aims to

Manitoba Pork and the Chief Veterinary Office have recommended heightened biosecurity measures for hog barns in a large portion of southeastern Manitoba.

New case of PEDv confirmed May 15

Heightened biosecurity essential for large area in southeast

A new case of PEDv confirmed in a finisher barn May 15 in southeastern Manitoba once again has the hog sector on high alert. Biocontainment procedures were immediately put on the site where the virus was detected, while Manitoba Pork and the Chief Veterinary Office recommended all premises heighten biosecurity in a large swath of


Guy Baudry, (l to r) HyLife Foods division chief operating officer, HyLife executive chief operating officer Denis Vielfaure, local MP Robert Sopuck, Manitoba Agriculture Minister Ralph Eichler, HyLife president Claude Vielfaure, Neepawa Mayor Adrian de Groot, company board chair Don Janzen and CEO Grant Lazaruk cut the ribbon at the newly expanded HyLife Foods plant in Neepawa.

HyLife Foods wraps expansion

It’s been two years coming, but the new cut floor is ready to go at HyLife Foods in Neepawa

More pork will be running through HyLife Foods in Neepawa in the near future. The company has completed two years’ worth of upgrades, HyLife announced April 3, a move that HyLife president Claude Vielfaure says will lengthen their product’s shelf life and quality as well as doubling space on the cut floor. “An example of

“If they get less money, there’s disruption in the marketplace, our producers will automatically get less money.” – Andrew Dickson, Manitoba Pork Council general manager.

Manitoba Pork worries after Chinese tariffs against U.S.

Canadian pork will not suffer the same Chinese tariff hikes as the U.S., but those tariffs will still be felt locally, experts warn

Manitoba’s pork producers may not know the exact impact from China’s tariffs against the United States, but they know it’s coming. The U.S. pork sector has been caught up in the latest round of trade volleys between the United States and China. The Chinese government announced a sweep of tariffs April 1, blaming new U.S. tariffs against


Representatives from Plainview Colony accept the reserve champion award from Ron Kristjansson (r), Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba general manager, during the 2018 Royal Manitoba Winter Fair pork quality competition. The colony took both first and second in this year’s competition.

Plainview Colony brings home the bacon from Royal Manitoba Winter Fair

Organizers say the annual competition was smaller than normal, 
but judges had nothing but good feedback for the entries that were there

Quantity may have been lacking, but there was no shortage of quality on display at the 2018 Royal Manitoba Winter Fair pork quality competition. Judge Jason Care said the smaller-than-average show was one of the few he has seen where every entry earned warm carcass points. “Most of the shows that I do, I have



Pork sector mixed victories and challenges in 2017

Pork sector mixed victories and challenges in 2017

Policy changes positive war with the worst PEDv outbreak on record and renewed criticism from Hog Watch as pork producers look back on 2017

Manitoba’s pork sector has racked up victories on paper, but challenges on the ground during 2017. In perhaps one of the biggest wins for the industry, 2017 ended the freeze on new barns, something industry has fought for since a rule requiring anaerobic digesters in new barns was first introduced in 2006 and expanded province-wide

Manitoba Pork swine health programs manager Jenelle Hamblin.

Pork sector learns biosecurity lessons from PEDv

2017 was by far the worst PEDv year on record, but it also forced a hard look at biosecurity and those lessons may lay the groundwork against future pig diseases

The summer’s PEDv outbreak has been a hard teacher on biosecurity issues, but the Manitoba Pork Council says those lessons will help fight future diseases like PRRS (porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome). The pork sector was rocked in the east this year, with 80 barns testing positive for PEDv, including the first cases west of


Dr. Egan Brockhoff, veterinary counsellor for the Canadian Pork Council, 
gives Manitoba pork producers the basics on high-path PRRS during a November membership meeting.

Pork industry watching PRRS in wake of PEDv

PEDv has been on every pork producer’s mind this summer, but the sector hasn’t forgotten about PRRS

Manitoba’s worst PEDv year on record may be drawing to a close, but the pork sector already has a wary eye on what might be the next big disease threat. In 2016, veterinarians identified a new, aggressive strain of PRRS (porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome) in Manitoba. A total 15 sites have been impacted so far,

pigs feeding

Precision pig feeder faces market delays

The system promises to cut down on feed cost and extra manure, but there’s no word yet on when 
the equipment will be ready for market

The science of precision pig feeding has come along nicely, but the manufacturing industry has been slow to climb on board, according to the project’s lead researcher. Candido Pomar, of Agri­culture and Agri-Food Canada, was set to bring his pig-specific feeder to commercial trials in 2016 at Prairie Swine Centre, the Manitoba Co-operator reported in mid-2015. Since