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Newsletter of the Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia (DAFWA) Pig tales Issue number: 92 Contents 1. Heat stress: A warning and what we can do 2. Our staff Recent publications 3. Heat stress: A warning and what we can do... continued 5. Lifespan of shelter tarps the Medina experience 6. Water: the forgotten nutrient 8. Western Australian flavour amongst APSA award winners 9. Recognition of contribution to the WA pig industry 10. Managing trespassers Useful resources from Australian Pork Limited 11. Update: grower house refurbishment For further information contact: Megan Trezona Research officer Pork innovation group Livestock industries Phone +61 (0)8 9368 3606 [email protected] u Supporting your success As summer is fast approaching we would like to discuss some recent publications that examined the physiological mechanisms behind poor performance when pigs are exposed to heat stress. Today’s modern pig genotypes produce considerably more heat than their predecessors. A review of pig heat and moisture production by Brown-Brandl et al. (2003) suggested that new genetic lines of pigs produce nearly 20% more heat than their counterparts in the early 1980s. This trend is likely to have continued in the 10 years since this review was conducted and heat production could be a further 10% higher again. In this article we share some useful tools to determine when pigs become heat stressed and also provide recommendations to minimise production losses as a result of heat stress. Why are pigs so sensitive to heat stress? Most animals can transfer internal heat to the outside of the body by sweating and panting, the two most important tools for the maintenance of body temperature (their inbuilt evaporative cooling system). However, pigs do not sweat and have relatively small lungs. Due to these physiological limitations and relatively thick subcutaneous fat, pigs are prone to heat stress. The two obvious symptoms observed when pigs are exposed to heat stress are: 1) increased respiration rate and 2) loss of appetite. The latter reduces internal heat production. If heat stress continues pigs start to drink excessive amounts of water (increasing loss of electrolyte) and accumulate acids produced within the body (causing a loss of acid/base balance).This may eventually result in diarrhoea or death in severe cases. Continued p3 Heat stress: a warning from an American study and what we can do to minimise it By Jae Kim and Hugh Payne, DAFWA, Ph: +61 (0)8 9368 3322 Date: December 2013

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Page 1: Pig tales - agric.wa.gov.au V92 Dec 20… · (the hottest period of the day). Supplement electrolytes and antioxidants through the water supply. Increase dietary energy density. Minimise

Newsletter of the Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia (DAFWA)

Pig tales

Issue number: 92

Contents

1. Heat stress: A warning and what we can do

2. Our staff

Recent publications

3. Heat stress: A warning and what we can do... continued

5. Lifespan of shelter tarps – the Medina experience

6. Water: the forgotten nutrient

8. Western Australian flavour amongst APSA award winners

9. Recognition of contribution to the WA pig industry

10. Managing trespassers

Useful resources from Australian Pork Limited

11. Update: grower house refurbishment

For further information contact:

Megan Trezona

Research officer

Pork innovation group

Livestock industries

Phone +61 (0)8 9368 3606

[email protected]

Supporting your success

As summer is fast approaching we would like to discuss some recent publications that examined the physiological mechanisms behind poor performance when pigs are exposed to heat stress. Today’s modern pig genotypes produce considerably more heat than their predecessors. A review of pig heat and moisture production by Brown-Brandl et al. (2003) suggested that new genetic lines of pigs produce nearly 20% more heat than their counterparts in the early 1980s. This trend is likely to have continued in the 10 years since this review was conducted and heat production could be a further 10% higher again. In this article we share some useful tools to determine when pigs become heat stressed and also provide recommendations to minimise production losses as a result of heat stress. Why are pigs so sensitive to heat stress? Most animals can transfer internal heat to the outside of the body by sweating and panting,

the two most important tools for the maintenance of body temperature (their inbuilt evaporative cooling system). However, pigs do not sweat and have relatively small lungs. Due to these physiological limitations and relatively thick subcutaneous fat, pigs are prone to heat stress. The two obvious symptoms observed when pigs are exposed to heat stress are: 1) increased respiration rate and 2) loss of appetite. The latter reduces internal heat production. If heat stress continues pigs start to drink excessive amounts of water (increasing loss of electrolyte) and accumulate acids produced within the body (causing a loss of acid/base balance).This may eventually result in diarrhoea or death in severe cases.

Continued p3

Heat stress: a warning from an American study and what we can do to minimise it

By Jae Kim and Hugh Payne, DAFWA, Ph: +61 (0)8 9368 3322

Date: December 2013

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DAFWAs Pork Innovation group would like to wish everyone a safe and enjoyable festive season.

All the best for 2014

Our Staff

At the annual industry dinner for the Western Australian Pork Producers Association (WAPPA) Hugh Payne, Development Officer, was awarded WAPPA life membership in acknowledgement of his service to industry. Congratulations to Hugh who is extremely deserving of this award. See page 9 for more on Hugh!

Congratulations to Bruce Mullan, Director Livestock Innovation, who was awarded the Australasian Pig Science Association (APSA) Fellow at the recent pig science conference. This prestigious award is in recognition of past and present members who have made an outstanding contribution to APSA, research in pig science and the wider Australian pig industry.

Bruce Mullan celebrating his recognition as an APSA Fellow with his wife Annie.

Cameron Jose, Research Officer and Postdoctoral Research Fellow, recently won the Award for best poster presentation at the APSA conference held in Melbourne. The best poster award went to the person whose poster was best able to catch the eye of the reader, make a statement, provide evidence to support the scientific statements and stimulate overall discussion with the audience. Cam was up against tough competition with more than 40 entrants (including posters presented by very well established national and international scientists). Cam’s poster presented results from a Murdoch/DAFWA research project that investigated the effect of feeding pigs variable levels of dietary iron on muscle and liver iron content. Well done Cam!

Congratulations to Joshua Sweeney, Research Officer, who was recently married. Wishing Josh and Tamara all the best in this new chapter of their life!

Recent publications

Kim, JC., Payne, HG., Langridge, MD., Sweeny, JPA., Mullan, BP. and Pluske, JR. (2013). Dietary vitamin E and aspirin supplementation influence the performance and incidence of post-weaning colibacillosis in pigs experimentally infected with an enterotoxigenic strain of Eschericia coli. In “Manipulating Pig Production XIV” p.112. ed. JR Pluske and JM Pluske. APSA, Werribee, Victoria.

Sweeny, JPA., van Burgel, AJ., Langridge, MD., Kim, JC., Moore, KL., Mullan, BP. and Trezona, M. (2013). Lupins reduce carcass yield and increase the PUFA:SFA ratio in loin, ham and belly fat tissue of finisher pigs. In “Manipulating Pig Production XIV” p.236. ed. JR Pluske and JM Pluske. APSA, Werribee, Victoria. Jose, CG., Trezona M., Channon, HA. and D’Souza, DN. (2013). Eating quality linked to ultimate pH and tenderness in Australian fresh pork. In “Manipulating Pig Production XIV” p.34. ed. JR Pluske and JM Pluske. APSA, Werribee, Victoria. Contact Megan for further information: +61 (0)8 9368 3606 or [email protected].

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Heat stress continued…..

What does current research say about heat stress? A recent publication by Pearce et al (2013) examined what happened to the intestinal structure when pigs were exposed to heat stress. The research showed that exposure to 35°C for 24 hours significantly damaged the intestinal defence function and also increased plasma endotoxin levels. The authors explained that when pigs are exposed to heat stress (even for as little as 2-6 hours) their intestinal defence systems are significantly compromised and this provides opportunity for infection (as pathogenic bacteria can invade the body more easily). Therefore, heat stress can create secondary infection if sanitary conditions are poor.

Consequences of heat stress on the performance of pigs Bigger pigs are more prone to heat stress and the reduction in growth performance is greater than for smaller pigs. Figure 1 shows the magnitude of performance loss in 25, 50 and 75kg pigs when ambient temperature was increased from 14°C to 35°C. Average daily gain (ADG) starts decreasing when 75kg pigs were exposed to temperatures above 23°C, while for 25kg pigs ADG starts to decrease when exposed to temperatures above 27°C. Figure 2 shows critical temperatures at various body weights, this information can be used as an index for the temperature management of different sheds housing varying age groups of pigs.

Figure 1 Effect of ambient temperature on average daily gain of grower/finisher pigs. Renaudeau et al., (2011).

At what temperature and humidity do pigs get heat stressed? Ambient temperature (as well as humidity) contributes to heat stress and pigs generally develop heat stress at much lower temperatures when the humidity is high. Iowa State University recently released a heat stress index chart (Figure 3) which can be used as a decision tool for implementation of management strategies to reduce heat stress. The chart shows that an average humidity of 30% coupled with temperatures higher than 28°C will significantly affect intestinal health

and performance of grower-finisher pigs (conditions regularly experienced during a WA summer). The temperature tolerance is lower for breeding herds.

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Figure 2 Effect of pig body weight on the critical temperature for average daily feed intake (ADFI) and average daily gain (ADG). Renaudeau et al. (2011).

Tools to reduce heat stress Recommended management tools are:

Increase ventilation and airflow and regularly

check cooling system is in good working order

(e.g. spray cooling).

Reduce stocking density if possible.

Maintain drinking water temperature as low as

possible (around 10°C is ideal but difficult to

achieve).

Avoid feeding between 10.00am and 4.00pm

(the hottest period of the day).

Supplement electrolytes and antioxidants

through the water supply.

Increase dietary energy density.

Minimise excess non-essential amino acids

and fibre (minimising intestinal fermentation

and therefore heat production)

Increase availability of antioxidants through

the diet such as vitamin E and betaine.

Figure 3 Heat stress index chart for grower-finisher pigs (Iowa State University).

References Brown-Brandl, T.M., Nienaber, J.A., Xin, H. and Gates, R.S. (2003). A literature review of swine heat and

moisture production. In Swine Housing II – Conference Proceedings, October 2003, North Carolina, USA: ed. L.D. Jacobson. ASAE Publication Number 701P1303.

Renaudeau, D., Gourdine, J.L., St-Pierre, N.R. (2011). A meta-analysis of the effects of high ambient temperature on growth performance of growing-finishing pigs. Journal of Animal Science 89:2220-2230.

Pearce, S.C., Mani, V., Weber, T.E, Rhoads, R.P., Patience, J.F., Baumgard, L.H., Gabler, N.K. (2013). Heat stress and reduced plane of nutrition decreases intestinal integrity and function. Journal of Animal Science 91:5183-5193.

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Hugh Payne, DAFWA, +61 (0)8 9368 3576

The first two shelters were built in WA over 18 years ago (early 1995) at the Department of Agriculture and Food’s Medina research station. At the time, the lifespan of the tarps was unknown and there was much debate about the best fabric to use. Samples of the three most commonly used fabrics (Silver/green Canvacon 5000, white Canvacon 7000, and Landmark TS) were submitted to the textile testing division of Australian Wool Testing Authority Ltd (AWTA) Textile Testing for laboratory-based accelerated testing as part of an Australian Pork Limited (APL) Group Demonstration Award project conducted jointly by DAFWA and the Wandalup Growers Group.

Test results showed that Landmark TS had greater tensile strength than Canvacon 7000 which was stronger again than Canvacon 5000 when the fabrics were new and after prolonged exposure to UV light.

It was not possible to relate UV exposure in the laboratory directly to tarpaulin life in the field. Other factors such as the vulnerability of a material to flexing and friction damage, heat from contact with support frames and chemical degradation from gases produced in the shelters also affect fabric longevity. However, it was estimated that the laboratory exposure to UV light

was equivalent to 10 15 years in the field, suggesting a lifespan within or exceeding this range for the three fabrics tested.

The ClearSpan shelter at Medina is now on its third tarp. The first, imported from Canada, lasted only five years. Its replacement, made of silver/green Canvacon 5000, was damaged by fire in 2009 and replaced immediately with a similar tarp. This tarp is still going strong after four years.

In contrast, the original white Canvacon 7000 tarp on the Eco-Shelter survived for over 18 years before splitting along the middle during a severe storm last July. The split followed a stress line where the tarp was in contact with the shelter frame. Unlike the tarps used on the ClearSpan shelter, the Eco-Shelter tarp had no D-rings or loops stitched onto it and was attached to the frame with battens. Stitching can weaken tarps, and the absence of stitching on the Eco-Shelter tarp contributed to its longevity.

The Medina experience shows:

Some tarps can last over 18 years if firmly

attached to the frame.

Landmark TS tarps can be expected to last

longer than Canvacon 7000 tarps under

similar conditions.

Fabrication and attachment methods that do

not require stitching may extend the lifespan

of tarps.

Lifespan of shelter tarps – the Medina experience

Figure 1 View of the tarp from the north facing side of the shelter – note the clean tear that

followed the centre line of the tarp where it was in contact with the metal frame.

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Water: the forgotten nutrient

increased from 2.2L to 4.2 L/day2. This is a significant increase in the volume of water being consumed and therefore the water systems and drinkers need to be able to meet this demand. Table 1 provides a general overview of the volumes of water consumed by different classes of pigs on a daily basis. Table 1 Water quantities required for different aged pigs.1

daily water requirement

Lactating sow 24-45L/day

Dry sow & boar 12-15L/day

Finisher 9-12L/day

Grower 5-7L/day

Weaner 3-5L/day

There are a variety of drinker systems available that suit different production systems and classes of pigs. Sows benefit from high flow drinkers that produce at least 2L of water a minute, allowing sows to drink large volumes of water in shorter time periods. A lactating sow will take 12-23 minutes in total to consume her daily requirement of water from a drinker with a flow rate of 2L/minute. She will do this over several sessions. Lactating sows have a higher requirement for water because they are producing milk which is approximately 80% water. Water consumption is particularly important in the first five days after farrowing. Sows and therefore piglets, benefit from having easy access to water from a drinker that provides a flow rate that is neither too low nor too high as this will discourage the sows from drinking (Table 2).

By Susan Dawson, Portec Veterinary Services

“Water is critical for sustainable development, including environmental integrity and the alleviation of poverty and hunger, and is

indispensable for human health and well-being."

United Nations

Water (H2O) is the most important nutrient for pigs. When we think of nutrients we often only think about pig feed: carbohydrates, fats, proteins, minerals and vitamins. However, without water pigs will only survive for a short time. As we move into the warmer months of the year it’s important to ensure that your piggery’s water system is prepared for the heat of summer.

For good growth and production, pigs require access to quality drinking water. Water plays many roles in the body:

regulates body temperature

transports nutrients around the body

removes toxins and helps with filtration

aids in digestion

lubricates and protects the body’s organs

plays a role in the many chemical reactions

that occur in the body.

At birth, a piglet’s body is 80% water, compared to 50% in a finisher. Pigs need to maintain these levels by consuming water in their feed or by drinking water. It has been reported that for finisher pigs when ambient temperature increases from 10°C to 25°C water consumption is

Flow rate Maximum pressure (kPa)

Lactating sow 2 L/minute No limit (avoid wastage)

Dry sows & boars 1 L/ minute No limit (avoid wastage)

Finisher 1 L/minute 140-175

Grower 1 L/minute 140-175

Weaner 0.5 L/minute 85-105

Table 2 Recommended flow rates for nipple drinkers 1

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particular risk for surface sourced water, although ground water can also contain pathogens.

Total dissolved solids (TDS): this is a measure of the total levels of bicarbonates, chlorine, sulphate, sodium, calcium and magnesium in the water. In general TDS below 1000 is ideal for pigs, 1000-3000 is suitable for pigs, however if weaners are suddenly introduced to this water it may cause a transient diarrhoea for a few days. If there is no alternate water source, water containing 3000-5000 TDS can be used cautiously however, it is recommended that salt levels in feed should be discussed with your nutritionist or feed supplier.

Water pH: the measure of the acidity or alkalinity of water. Most water sources will be 6.5-8.5pH. It is important to know the pH of your water in case you ever need to water medicate as pH affects the dissolvability of medications.

Hardness: this is the level of calcium and magnesium in the water. It does not affect the animals but it can lead to an accumulation of scale in water delivery, treatment and cooling equipment, causing nipple drinkers and filters to block up. Very hard water measures greater than 180mg/L and soft water is less than 60 mg/L.

Hot pigs need cooling

Cooling should be done when ambient temperatures are above the optimal temperature for the pig (see Table 3). Water is an essential part of many cooling systems. Ambient temperatures above the optimal temperature range can compromise the pigs and they can quickly overheat if unable to expel their excess heat. Pigs don’t sweat and so rely on the addition of water (spray/drip cooling) and air movement (wind/fans) to allow evaporative cooling.

This will only be as effective as the surface area of skin that is wetted (i.e. spray cooling is more effective than drip cooling). Table 3 Ideal ambient temperature ranges for pigs 1

Lactating Sows 18-22°C

Dry Sows & Boars 18-24°C

Finisher 22-24°C

Grower 22-24°C

Weaner 22-30°C

Suckers 32-38°C

As ambient temperatures increase sows feel the heat and newly farrowed sows can become lazy and forget or refuse to stand and drink. Sows that don’t drink will have a reduced feed intake, lose body condition and produce less milk for the piglets. During warm days ‘lazy’ sows should be encouraged to stand up and drink. It is also important to ensure that the temperature of the water coming out of the drinkers is suitable as pigs don’t like to drink water that is above 20°C.

The height of drinkers is also important and should be about 50mm above the shoulder of the smallest pig in the pen. Ideally, this means that drinkers should be at about snout level or just above the backline of the pig. This is important to ensure that all pigs have access to the drinkers, while not being too low to the ground to avoid breakage of facilities.

Water quality, what should it be?

The source of water will often determine its quality and suitability for pigs. Scheme water, dam water or bore water all have different benefits.

Annual water test

It is recommended to test the quality of your water annually. Knowing what’s in your water is important in case you need to medicate your water supply. Regular testing will also alert you if any changes occur to your water quality or suitability. The best time to test is before the break of season, when water concentrates are at their highest level.

Turbidity: this is the cloudiness of the water. It is often due to silt or clay being suspended in the water and is usually not a problem to pigs. However, water that scores greater than five nephelometric turbidity units (NTU) should have additional chemical and microbiological (bacterial) analysis.

Colour: tinting of the water is usually due to the particles in the water, in WA this is often related to iron oxide. This is usually not a concern as other parameters give a better assessment of water quality. High levels of iron in the water can reduce the effectiveness of the water soluble antibiotic Apramycin. Therefore if this is a medication you may be required to use, then it may be important to test the iron concentration in the water on your farm.

Odour: should not be present with water. If there is an odour it may indicate the presence of bacterial contamination or organic compounds, like sulphur. The bacterial content of water can be a source of disease to your herd. This is a

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It’s getting hot, now what? Checklist Pre-summer maintenance of all the cooling

systems on the farm. Replace broken

sprinklers, repair any leaks and ensure hoses

are flushed of any dirt or foreign material.

Repair any broken drinkers and ensure that

there are enough drinkers for the number of

pigs per pen. Heat stressed pigs place an

increased demand on drinkers, increasing the

likelihood of damage and breakage.

Make sure that all tanks that store water are

secure and sealed from contamination by

rodents and birds. They can be a source of

bacterial contamination, or worse, a breach of

your farm biosecurity (don’t risk introducing

influenza into your herd).

Ensure that drinker flow rates are appropriate

for the age of the pigs (see Table 2). This

should be checked and maintained on a

weekly basis. Use a 500ml container and

measure the volume of water collected from a

drinker in 30 seconds.

Clean out trough and bowl drinkers on a

regular basis (at least weekly).

Bury any exposed water pipes under at least

600mm of soil. Pipes heat up quickly in

summer and hot water will stop the pigs

drinking.

Organise to have your water tested for pH,

total dissolved solids and bacteria annually

(you will need to use a special sample bottle

with a preservative for bacterial culture (talk to

your vet about effectively collecting suitable

samples).

Service your water pumps (and don’t forget

your backup pump & generator; make sure

they are ready for any emergencies).

Key points to remember:

Minimum of two drinkers per pen with a

recommended one drinker per 10-15 pigs.

If a pig drinks less than it needs, it will also

eat less and grow more slowly as a result.

If a pig or group of pigs are not eating

much, check that the water is on and the

flow rate is within guidelines.

Pigs can’t sweat. Assist pigs to stay cool

by using cooling or sprinkler systems.

Lastly… If you discover that the water supply has been turned off or the pigs have run out of water, talk to your vet immediately. They will assist you in treating and managing pigs that have had water deprivation or develop salt toxicity. References:

1. Australian Pork Limited (2013), Preparing

for the Summer Months, Seasonal

Infertility and Beyond

2. Patience J (2012), Water in Swine

Nutrition,

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/

9781118491454.ch1/summary

Water: the forgotten nutrient continued…

In addition to Dr Cameron Jose winning the APSA Poster Award and Dr Bruce Mullan becoming an APSA fellow, the recipients of the prestigious APSA medal and Batterham memorial award also had a Western Australian link.

Diana Turpin from Murdoch University received the prestigious APSA medal. This award is for the best presentation from a student at their first APSA conference. The award recognises excellence in science and the student’s ability to convey the

scientific outcomes to the audience. Diana presented her findings with the use of intermittent suckling regimes prior to weaning piglets.

Another WA trained scientist, Dr Rob Smits, Research and Innovation (meat and processing) Manager at Rivalea NSW was the recipient of the Batterham memorial award. The Award is made to a young scientist within 10 years of graduation and is conferred with the aim to stimulate and develop innovation in the pig industry. Rob began his research career in WA BSc (Ag) (Honours) with Dr Ian Williams at the University of Western Australia. Since then has achieved an MSc (University of Melbourne) and a PhD (University of Adelaide).

West Australian flavour amongst APSA award winners

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Recognition of contribution to the WA pig industry

Department of Agriculture and Food Development Officer, Hugh Payne, has been recognised for his significant contribution to the Western Australian pork industry. Hugh was awarded life membership of the WA Pork Producers Association (WAPPA) in acknowledgement of his service to industry, including breakthrough research in straw-based housing systems for pigs.

DAFWA Livestock Innovation Director Dr Bruce Mullan said thanks to Hugh’s work, WA had developed a reputation throughout Australia and New Zealand for his applied research. “Hugh has certainly been a leader in his field for many years,” Dr Mullan said. “Hugh has made significant contributions to the pork industry and we are very pleased to see he has been acknowledged for that work.”

Hugh started with the Department in 1967 at the dairy research station in Margaret River. This was followed by a short period of working in the Great Southern region doing soil conservation work. In the early 1970s Hugh and family moved to Perth and he joined the Department’s pig section with the likes of Norm Godfrey, Pat McNamara and Brian Goss.

Hugh has been involved in a range of significant pig production developments over his career. These have revolved around pork production systems, shed and penning design, climate control methods, manure management processes, effluent treatment and recycling systems leading to sustainable environmental

practices.

Fellow WAPPA life member Dr Rob Wilson said that Hugh had been responsible for a range of developments in various pork production areas. These include: Controlling the environment for farrowing sows; the design, development, construction and operation of straw based eco-sheds; assisting many producers with the planning and implementation of effluent treatment systems; and pioneering the capture and utilisation of biogas from covered anaerobic effluent ponds.

“Hugh’s contributions to the economic success of the pork industry in WA have been immense,” Dr Wilson said. “His practical approach to pig production, intuitive adoption of research findings and his calm, friendly and unassuming manner has influenced all areas of the industry from the largest of intensive units to the smallest family operator across the state”.

Hugh has also been in demand for his contribution to many expert working groups and industry strategic research and development committees, to guide and focus the industry in the most appropriate and cost effective research, development and extension of research findings. His knowledge and experience across many areas of the production cycle has earned him a reputation of providing sound and practical advice. Hugh has shared his research and knowledge in pig production not only with Australia and New Zealand but also North America, Europe and the Ukraine.

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Managing trespassers

The threat of trespassers on farm is very real, particularly in intensive livestock industries. Situations can be very daunting and knowing what we are legally able to do at the time of and following an incident can be unclear. Australian Pork Limited (APL) has prepared a brochure to help pig producers protect their properties and rights if targeted by trespassers such as extremist animal rights groups.

The brochure suggests ways in which farms can be prepared so if targeted by trespassers, they are in the best position possible to defend any claims that may be made against the farm.

Ensuring that you have met your animal welfare obligations by meeting the standards of the latest Model Code of Practice for the welfare of animals: Pigs 3rd Edition is a good place to start. The code of practice is available online at publish.csiro.au/pid/5698.htm.

Ensure that on-farm security and biosecurity procedures are strengthened and this may include erecting signage and securing premises when unoccupied by staff.

If trespassers are encountered the first thing to do is call 131 444 for police assistance or

attendance.

APL can offer further advice regarding this issue and can be contacted on 1800 789 099 or via australianpork.com.au.

You can request a copy of the brochure directly from APL or email [email protected]

Seasonal infertility manual Summer has arrived! With the heat comes extra stress for our sows. The seasonal infertility manual is now available to provide producers with information to prepare for what is shaping up to be a long, hot summer and reduce the negative effects of seasonal infertility. Reduction of the impacts requires a concentrated across-the-board response which is outlined within the manual. For more information see the manual or contact Dr Pat Mitchell; email: [email protected], phone: +61 (0)3 54882306 or +61 (0) 402 794 912. PigBal model 2 available The PigBal model has been a hugely popular tool assisting producers to estimate waste output in the design and evaluation of piggery management systems and estimating the output of greenhouse gases. The PigBal 1 model has now been revised to include an

expanded feed ingredient list and results of metabolic crate studies. The revised model enables greenhouse gases to be estimated to assist producers in making more accurate predictions of volatile solids, methane potential and nutrients. The PigBal 2 model is accepted by the Commonwealth for use with carbon farming initiative methodologies for piggeries. Take the guess work out of waste management and access the newly revised and improved PigBal 2 model and user manual or contact Janine Price; email: [email protected], or phone: +61 (0)2 6270 8827.

Useful resources from Australian Pork Limited

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Update: grower house refurbishment

The first batch of pigs have arrived!

The pens in grower house 2 are now complete and fitted out with adjustable swing drinkers and a self- feeder. The feed logic system has been reprogrammed and is ready to go. Grower house 2 now contains 74 equal sized pens, with 72 of them being serviced by the Feedlogic system.

The pens will house 12 pigs up to 70kg live weight (porkers) and eight pigs up to 110 kg live weight (finishers).

The final task is to complete the custom weighing and drafting area (currently under construction).

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If unclaimed, please return to:

The Department of Agriculture and Food WA

Pork Innovation Group - Bin 34

Locked Bag No. 4

BENTLEY DELIVERY CENTRE WA 6983

Copyright © Western Australian Agriculture Authority, 2013

Western Australian Government materials, including website pages, documents, images and recordings are protected by copyright law. Copyright of materials created by or for the Department of Agriculture and Food resides with the Western Australian Agriculture Authority established under the Biosecurity and Agriculture Management Act 2007. Apart from any fair dealing for the purposes of private study, research, criticism or review, as permitted under the provisions of the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced or reused for any commercial purposes whatsoever without prior written permission of the Western Australian Agriculture Authority.

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Important disclaimer

The Chief Executive Officer of the Department of Agriculture and Food and the State of Western Australia accept no liability whatsoever by reason of negligence or otherwise arising from the use or release of this information or any part of it.

ISSN: 1035-4409