Swine Grist
A PERIODIC NEWSLETTER PRODUCED BY GRAND VALLEY FORTIFIERS LTD. VOLUME 6, ISSUE 3 | FALL 2019
Dear Friends, It’s hard to believe it is already time to once again write to you in our Fall Swine Grist. After a challenging spring in many parts of Canada, we were blessed with a beautiful summer with good amounts of heat and rain. There are still some areas with significant challenges however. Let’s hope and pray we can enjoy a second summer this fall and the harvest will be bountiful and easy to take in. We are living in very challenging times, with ag trade on hold between Canada and China, and we are all a little unsure of what the future will hold. Peter Hall has written a nice article to try and summarize our current scenario and what to watch for in the future. We are also thankful to Dr. Greg Wideman for his update on PEDv and the new Influenza A Vaccine. Arianne de Rond has crafted a practical article on feed intake and Dr. Martin Clunies has provided some information on breeding performance challenges and a few ideas on how to tackle it. Wishing you all a bountiful and safe fall harvest. Sincerely, Jim Ross, Founder & Chairman
TRADE WARS AND THE AGRICULTURE EXPORT OUTLOOK
ood is often a show-stopper in global trade negotiations. At the moment, it’s at the forefront of a key friction-point. China reacted three weeks ago to U.S. tariff escalation by slapping an outright ban on imports of American food products. Both the U.S. action and the Chinese reaction exacerbated global trade jitters, which, if anything, have worsened in the days that followed. It has also upended the agri-food industry, and led to a lot of speculation about possible fallout. What are the expected outcomes of this latest development, and are there opportunities for Canadian food exporters? Discussions of trade in food products usually begin with market entry issues. The industry has historically been plagued the world over with overt protectionism, more subtle non-tariff barriers to trade, regulations, packaging and preparation requirements, phytosanitary restrictions…the lists are endless. At the core of this activity is strategic distrust, and close to this, special interests. World Trade Organization negotiations stalled at the Doha Round, principally over disagreement on how to liberalize agricultural trade. At the same time, once market access has been achieved and a good sales record established, it’s no small thing to pack up and leave. Food is in great part a short-shelf-life industry, and in a just-in-time world, reliability is critical: slip up on a key shipment, and you are in serious trouble. On the other hand, fulfill all the requirements consistently, and the co-dependence becomes very strong—disrupting such relationships is far easier said than done. This is true for both domestic and external trade relationships, and in a globalized world, increasingly important for the latter.
If these issues are important everywhere, they are arguably much more acute in China. It has the largest number of mouths on the planet to feed. Although its population is not growing, China’s people are getting richer by the tens of millions every year, boosting the intensity and quality of their demand for food. And given limitations on China’s ability to expand domestic production, it is increasingly looking to imports from the rest of the world. According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, China’s net dependence on the rest of the world for food imports is rising dramatically. And to complicate things, China’s particularly intense appetite for pork is being compromised this year by African swine flu, which has decimated its extensive domestic swine herds. China is a heavy net importer of food, notching a USD 41 billion deficit with the rest of the world in 2017. The U.S. is China’s largest foreign supplier, at USD 26 billion in 2017, with Brazil a very close second. The next group, a cluster of countries that includes Canada, form a distant third, with exports for each in the USD 6-7 billion range. Clearly, the loss of U.S. imports would be next to impossible to replace overnight without a massive dislocation of food trade flows. Even so, China’s focus on food security will ensure rapid remedial action. The same is true on the flipside: China is America’s top food export customer, we are a close second, followed by Mexico and Japan. Although U.S. food exports are more regionally diversified, the U.S.’s loss of food product sales to China is a severe blow, and it’s almost equally hard to imagine how the U.S. could find replacement markets overnight. An additional complication is the tangle of foreign ownership. To ensure a steady global supply, Chinese firms have invested in food production facilities offshore. It has sizable investments in the U.S., entities that now fall under the new import ban. Clearly, these and their supply chains are at risk. In a world of globally integrated business, a trade action that is meant to punish another country easily becomes a self-inflicted wound.
Dr. Samuel Waititu, Monogastric Nutritionist AB / SK: 1-866-610-5770 MB: 1-866-626-3933 www.fortifiednutritionltd.com
Ian Ross, President & CEO | Jim Ross, Chairman Clarke Walker, VP & COO Dr. Martin Clunies, Senior Monogastric Nutritionist David Ross/Mike Peckover, Publishers
by: PETER G HALL Vice President and Chief Economist, Export Development Canada (EDC)
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There are no easy solutions. The U.S. is the world’s largest food exporter and China is its largest importer. Of the largest food exporters, many—especially the European countries—import almost as much as they ship out; there’s little capacity to absorb huge new demands. There are very few heavy net exporters the size of Brazil who could at least theoretically step into the gap. Most others, like Canada, are much smaller players. To quote Gilbert & Sullivan, “a nice dilemma we have here, that calls for all our wits”. Resolution implies a monstrous (and unnecessary) game of whack-a-mole. However unsettling, current conditions do raise opportunities. Even the threat of food supply disruption provokes an instant, urgent need for diversification of sources. Panicked buyers seek and form new relationships. Suppliers that respond quickly and reliably face new, permanent and lucrative opportunities. Among other things, this would likely require sharply higher production. And the pork industry has a front-row seat in the current action. The bottom line? China’s ban on imports of U.S. food products, however temporary it proves to be, will have immediate and permanent effects on the marketplace. For Canadian food producers, and pork producers in particular, this is a moment to pay rapt attention to every development, and leverage every opportunity. n
FEED INTAKE AND FARROWING ROOM MANAGEMENT
by: ARIANNE DE ROND Field Support, Grand Valley Fortifiers
colostrum profile for piglets. Beside that, there are numerous published studies highlighted the benefits of low-dose phytonutrient supplementation to modulate the immune system. The resulting enriched colostrum provides piglets with an immune-boost from their first day of life that will guarantee a smooth transition to their next productive phase.
How Can We Help Sows Make More Milk?
Udder development is very important for the colostrum and milk for their whole life. Mammary development starts in puberty as a gilt. Gilts who are fed on a low protein, low lysine diet right up to farrowing may experience failure of mammary tissue development. Feeding mold affected feed should be avoided at all times as this has negative effects to the mammary growth as well. Another significant factor in the udder development is the third part of the pregnancy, where feed strategy can support the tissue forming in the udder. For example; feeding 10% flax seed as a dietary supplement in the last part of the pregnancy until weaning has beneficial effects to mammary development especially for gilts. During lactation, the development occurs by milk production or suckling. Weak or inadequate numbers of piglets can provide insufficient stimulus for milk letdown. Pain and discomfort at farrowing and teat damage from piglet’s teeth may also play a part. When a nipple isn’t used for 36 hours, it will only give 50% of the actual production and after 72 hours there is NO milk production anymore. When nipples are not used in one lactation, they will produce less milk in the following lactations.
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t is crucial for every farmer to have sows with the ability to milk and rear a litter. Whereas the larger producers can resort to cross fostering, every piglet should drink from its own mother at least for the colostrum stage. There is no transfer of immunity prior to birth and the newborn piglet is totally dependent upon early intake of colostrum. Failure to supply colostrum is, therefore, often fatal to newborn piglets. The average sow produces 3-4 kg of colostrum, but this varies a lot between 0.5 and 8 kg. The colostrum production is normally the highest during a sow’s second and third parity. Besides that, the composition of the colostrum varies with the litter amount. Research shows that about 30% of the sows don’t have enough colostrum to take care of their own piglets, if all the piglets have the opportunity to get the same amount. Birthing order and vitality of the piglets are a big key in getting the right amount of colostrum from the sow as well. With every additional piglet born to a highly productive sow, there is immediately 20-40g less colostrum available per piglet. Colostrum contains a battery of defence cells to help the piglet survive. The level of immunoglobulins in the colostrum is 60 times higher than in the regular milk. Around 65-90% of these immunoglobulins consist of the IgG type, which provides systemic protection. The absorption of these IgG immunoglobulins by piglets is not selective; they are present in the plasma 2 hours after colostrum ingestion and peak at 12 hours. The immunoglobulin profile of colostrum is dependent on the antigens that the mother is exposed to. Increasing the number of plasma antibodies in the sow’s blood and transmitting them to the colostrum is vital. The level of antibodies in the piglet is proportionate to the level in the colostrum, and the survival of the piglet is directly related to it. This is the only way to maximise the protection of the animal when it is exposed to pathogens. Vaccination strategies to acclimatise sows to the bio-system of the farm have already demonstrated beneficial effects on improving the
Water Supply
Water is an important element as it is used to excrete metabolism wastage via urine and it is needed for growth, digestion and milk production, as it is the major component of milk! Water intake increases gradually to reach 20-35 liters per day during lactation. Increased water intake can reduce relative body weight loss of sows and is positively correlated with the weaning weight of piglets. Acidifying water can help with water intake, but we must remember to start with a good volume of clean water.
Feed Strategy & Body Condition Relating to Colostrum
Feed strategy and body condition will influence the colostrum production and composition right away. As we don’t like to have a lower feed intake at the beginning of lactation, a lot of our sows will get less feed in the week before farrowing. Is this the right strategy? Research shows there is no negative effect to feed sows the same all the way till farrowing. The sows don’t lose as much of their body condition during lactation and the piglets grow even better. In addition to that, the sows with a higher feed intake the week before farrowing gave more colostrum (± 500 g) than the lower feed intake sows. They relate this to the energy metabolism of the sow that is more balanced. The sow doesn’t need to use any of her own fat and protein storage and no ketones are formed in her body. High body condition sows have less colostrum in total and a lower amount of colostrum per born alive, this shows again how important the right body condition of the sow is. n
Swine Grist SAFEGUARD YOUR BREED BACKS WHEN WORKING WITH MYCOTOXINS IN SWINE FEEDS
by: DR. MARTIN CLUNIES PhD., Monogastric Nutritionist, Grand Valley Fortifiers Ltd.
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s the summer progresses through to fall, an increasing number of pork producers have reported disruptions in the breeding performance of their sows and gilts. This is occurring at a time when the price of pigs is at historic highs (and long-term high pricing likely) and increased pig market weights. For pork producers, pig output/throughput is now paramount. The FNL Nutrition Team has formulated a Breeder Booster Premix specifically to address the challenge of slow/reduced breeding in gilts and weaned sows as a result of feeding mycotoxin contaminated feed. Fed for 5-10 days to breeding gilts or as a first feed following weaning, pork producers report an increase in percentage of gilts bred and increase breed back in 7 days of weaned sows. FNL Breeder Booster Premix is a combination of increased vitamins and minerals, which boosts the nutrition plane of the diets for a short feeding period. FNL Breeder Booster can also be fed to growing finishing pigs providing a boost in nutrients for pigs with low feed intake as a result of consuming mycotoxin contaminated feed. In addition to introducing FNL Breeder Booster Premix, reviewing the levels of mycotoxin additives being used in your feeds with a Fortified Swine Specialist or Nutritionist, would be prudent to avoiding a disruption in production during this time of great prices. Speak with your FNL Swine Specialist or call Samuel Waititu directly at 1-866-626-3933, we are happy to review the options with you. n
PEDv UPDATE: A CROSS-CANADA OUTLOOK
by: DR. GREG WIDEMAN, Veterinarian, Southwest Ontario Veterinary Services
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n 2019 Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus (PED) has been a significant challenge in Manitoba. Manitoba has reported 60 cases of PED this year, making it the second highest year for cases after 2017. Most have occurred since the start of May; as well, there are new cases not reported yet, since July 22. There are over 80,000 sows infected in Manitoba now, over 20% of all sows in the province. For comparison, Ontario has had nine cases of PED in 2019, and none reported since April 4. There have been four cases in Alberta in 2019, and no new cases since April. Quebec has reported a single case of PED in 2019. The Maritime Provinces, BC and Saskatchewan remain free of PED. For four years now, the seasonal pattern has been more-or-less the same in Manitoba: the peak incidence of new cases in the late spring/ early summer. This is different than Ontario, where the peak incidence is late winter. Many experts are trying to understand this pattern and the springtime event that seems most likely to be correlated is storage, agitation, and spreading of swine manure from outdoor lagoons. There are many anecdotes about new infection occurring just after, or just downwind, of manure agitation and spreading. We know that PED virus can survive for months in lagoons after the infection is eliminated from the pigs. Although the virus is constantly dying in the lagoon, in theory it is possible that the lagoon is serving as a source of re-infection for previously infected farms, or neighbouring farms. Because of differ-
ent feedstuffs (wheat/barley vs. corn), agitation in outdoor lagoons in Manitoba is frequently done with ‘boats’ to break the crust, and this process may aerosolize PED virus. In addition, the nature of the equipment used, combined with the urgency to get manure from many farms spread in spring, may increase risk for farm-to-farm transmission as well. How can producers respond to this risk if infection? There is a lack of science here so we can support and advocate for field research to fill in some gaps. As well, working closely with manure contractors to control risk of introduction of disease from another swine farm is very important. Beyond this, transport continues to play a role in some PED infections in Manitoba, and globally is likely the most important risk factor for this disease. Trailers that have carried scouring, shedding pigs are very difficult to clean and disinfect. The power unit that has hauled such pigs is also very likely contaminated and needs to be cleaned effectively as well. A truck wash that has washed such a truck is at high risk for contamination that could include other trucks washed there. All these factors come into play for both commercial haulers and on-farm trucks and truck washes. With heavily contaminated infrastructure, there is an uphill battle to eliminate PED from the province now. Collaborative multi-stakeholder groups are essential to combine the strengths of producers, government, academics, and veterinarians to effectively respond to the PED threat. n
INFLUENZA A VACCINE
by: DR. GREG WIDEMAN, Veterinarian, Southwest Ontario Veterinary Services
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nfluenza A virus affects many species of animals, including pigs and humans. When we talk about flu in pigs we often use the terms ‘swine flu’ or SIV. Influenza A infection is not a new pig disease in Ontario, but it continues to evolve and increase in virulence and severity, especially over the last 5 years. Over time our preventative strategies for influenza have become less effective. Commercial vaccines that were launched in the mid 2000’s have provided increasingly poor control in herds as the flu virus adapts, mutates and new viruses emerge. This results in more chronic positive herds with sick pigs, higher mortality, and more antibiotic intervention to control secondary infections. Veterinarians have relied on autogenous vaccines to provide relief from newer influenza strains but many producers have experienced the frustration of eliminating a strain of flu with a custom-made autogenous vaccine… only to have a new strain arrive at the farm! In 2016 South West Vets developed an internal surveillance program and database of strains to better track viral change and introduction. We now have hundreds of viruses isolated and continue to refine our knowledge and understanding of this virus. Armed with this surveillance program, we developed a regional vaccine approach, working with Gallant Custom Laboratories, to prevent influenza. The process of licensing and manufacturing a regional vaccine has been lengthy with many regulatory hurdles. However, we are excited to announce we now have the new South West Regional Influenza Vaccine in stock in preparation for the typical “flu season” starting in fall. Looking further ahead, we will also have the ability to change and adapt the strains rapidly to reflect the changing dynamic of flu in Ontario, and are now ready to deliver a new strategy to help you address flu challenges. Since the sow herd is the heart of a pig production system, keeping this component of the production system healthy is key. Vaccinating sows and gilts directly impacts the health of their off-
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spring and provides downstream protection as well. To provide maximum coverage in at risk herds, or herds with current flu challenges, we recommend using this vaccine on sows on a three times per year basis (Aug, Dec and March) with two doses of vaccine applied to the full sow herd with first vaccination. As with many other vaccines, it is important that gilts are vaccinated twice prior to entry into sow herd. Please discuss with your veterinarian to find out how this will apply to your herd. This is an exciting season as we look forward with a new strategy and tool to control the impact of this virus in the Canadian swine industry during the coming months. n
WHAT IS A “NEW BARN EFFECT?”
by: ARIAN DE BEKKER Business Development Manager, Farmers Farmacy®
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he first time a new barn is occupied and as long as the animals are healthy, there is very little risk of bacterial infections, simply because these bacteria are not (yet) present in the barn. Over time bacteria will build up in the warm and damp environment and they thrive in organic matter and biofilm. Each time we empty the barn’s rooms or pens we should clean and disinfect it thoroughly. In this way we bring the bacterial presence down to almost that “new barn” level between repopulations of rooms by sows, between milking on a dairy farm, or when new flocks of birds come into a broiler barn. If you’re only disinfecting and not cleaning with an effective soap/degreaser, you’re missing the opportunity to significantly reduce pathogen loads.
The Optimal Cleaning Process
If there is a significant build-up of manure, first clear these large solid lumps of manure from the room or pen using a shovel or a scraper. Some producers will spend precious minutes and gallons of water to pressurewash the solids away, but it is faster to first walk around and quickly remove the solid lumps. Should we pre-soak or not? In large barn settings it makes sense to pre-soak if you have the opportunity and time to do so, especially if there is a significant buildup of manure. When using Topfoam LC Alk, the MS Schippers alkaline foam detergent, you certainly can do so with or without pre-soaking the room. Topfoam can be applied on a dry surface and the real advantage is that it allows Topfoam to nicely stick to the surface. It will not run off, even on a vertical surface. It is crucially important to allow Topfoam to sit on the surface for at least 35 to 40 minutes. This is not a waste of time. Often, by the time you are done applying the Topfoam, the surface where you started applying Topfoam has already been in contact with Topfoam for that half an hour. Topfoam has been specifically designed to allow the dynamic of foam to work into the surface. The bubbles burst open and form a thin layer behind the foam, slowly moving down the surface, all the while penetrating, loosening and scraping off the dirt. Pre-cleaning with robotic pressure washer.
Surfactants improve the penetrating effect of water in dirt and fatty surfaces by reducing or lowering the surface tension. It allows water to penetrate easily into dirt and fat and transport the cleaning agents into the deepest pores of the surface. The effect of surfactants is not only the reduction of the surface tension, but also the lifting up and dispersing of dirt in the solution. The molecules of the surfactant gather around the dirt and create a bridge between dirt and water. Because Topfoam “crawls and creeps” between dirt and surface, it loosens the dirt and lifts it up and off the surface. This is called emulsifying or dispersing and it is the Sodium Hydroxide (lye) ingredient in Topfoam that results in the dissolving of fat and proteins. It is a very important characteristic preventing the dirt from easily settling on the surface again. After applying the Topfoam I recommend a fan-shaped nozzle be used on the pressure washer to rinse off the Topfoam and manure. It is easier to control and allows you to almost “slide off” all the dirt from the surface. A rotory nozzle, or turbo nozzle is not necessary and too powerful. I have seen barns where the door frames and wall sections were completely damaged (creating even greater opportunities for dirt and bacteria to build up the next time around) due to exaggerated use of rotary nozzles. This excessive force is not needed when using Topfoam. When using Topfoam you will be able to have excellent cleaning results without damaging your building. Often producers who use Top Foam for the first time, experience an easier way of cleaning. It is not uncommon to receive positive feedback from Topfoam users telling U.S. that cleaning used to be a chore they did not enjoy, but now with Topfoam it has become fun again. The “fun” factor is important, meaning that when you enjoy cleaning you will likely do a better job, but the most important part of cleaning is the thoroughness of what you do. Topfoam is a “visual” foam detergent; you can really see where the foam has been applied and that gives confidence in doing your cleaning job well. LC Fresh
LC ALK
LC Acid
Removes Fatty Residues
+++
+++
0
Removes Protein
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+++
0
MS Topfoam Type
Removes Organic Matter
++
++
0
Removes Lime
0
0
++
Removes Iron Deposits
0
0
++
+++
0
0
Concrete, plastics, galvanized steel
Concrete, plastics, galvanized steel
Plastics, stainless steel
Fresh Scent Suitable for use on
Recently Schippers has introduced a new addition to the Topfoam line, MS Topfoam LC Fresh. This new Topfoam has this great fresh scent and yet it is the same powerful foam detergent with its strong surface contact adherence as Topfoam Alk. Even the price is the same as MS Topfoam LC Alk. This chart above clearly indicates the differences between the three types of Topfoam available from Farmers Farmacy®. These products offer a unique way of cleaning and disinfecting today’s modern and successful livestock operations. They are proven to be effective against all current pathogenic (disease carrying) bacteria. They are available in drums or barrels. Clean well and use Topfoam, it just makes sense. n
Thought for the Day “Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God.” - Heb. 6:7