FEATURE Left: Belinda Halliwell with the gilts in the new straw based shelter. The local purebred industry got behind the ‘Pig Club’ and provided 13 grower gilts for the show team, representing Large White, Landrace, Duroc, Hampshire and Berkshire breeds. The gilts will be looked after by the students until after the Royal Adelaide Show.
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Large White, Landrace, Duroc, Hampshire and Berkshire breeds. “We have had great support from Tony Richardson (from Yelmah, Hamley Bridge), Michael Blenkiron (from Gumshire Piggery, Keyneton) and Daniel Schuster and Daniel Amery (from ShuAm Pork at Freeling) with their pigs donated to the ‘Pig Club’ for us to look after until the Show,” said Belinda. Roseworthy students interested in participating in extra-curriculum livestock related activities can join the University’s Production Animal Special Interest Group (PASIG). Once becoming a financial member of PASIG, students can select which livestock species they wish to become more involved with. To date, 48 students (mainly first years) have enrolled in the new ‘Pig Club’. “Our idea is to expose our ‘Pig Club’ students to pigs by getting them to handle our show team and hopefully become more passionate about the pig industry,” said Belinda. “We have a student roster drawn-up which ensures our pigs are inspected twice daily, with first years supervised by senior students. They complete a daily checklist that monitors feed and water, health of the pigs and general condition of the bedding. “We are strict on biosecurity at the facility with locked gates, pig-free periods, boots and overall changes, signage and a footbath before entry, and the site comes under the main
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piggery’s APIQ certification standards. All these things are covered to show the students and the University that we are serious about the health and welfare of our ‘Pig Club’ pigs,” said Belinda. “Leading up to the show, we will have rostered training sessions held out the front of the shelter where students can gain confidence in handling and moving our pigs. “To add to their pig industry knowledge, we will also be holding extra-curriculum sessions where industry experts will be invited to address us on aspects of pig behaviour, breeding and genetics, nutrition and health both before and after the pigs have left for the show,” Belinda added. The first of these sessions was held on July 30, when retired Large White breeder Lindsay Baker, Mallbrae Stud, Wild Horse Plains and Nuriootpa-based consultant Graeme Pope addressed ‘Pig Club’ members on aspects of pig conformation and structure, genetics
and breeding and some practical tips on parading live pigs. In officially opening the ‘Pig Club’ shelter, Dr Wayne Hein congratulated Belinda and her fellow student organisers in bringing this project to fruition. “This project parallels what is being achieved with cattle on this campus,” he said. “It provides valuable interaction between pigs and people, which is something than can be lost in modern production systems where we talk a lot about the business, rather than the animal’s husbandry or management. “This initiative redresses this and provides for human-animal interaction. It also encourages teamwork within students and provides opportunities for leadership and interaction between students, University staff and industry. I’m sure your sponsors realise the potential value in what has been created here,” he added.
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