Precision is the future of all food production including pork and prevention is the foundation of precision. In this series of articles, Dr. DiPietre will look at different aspects related with pig production and precision agriculture and what economic impact could they have in our farms.
Consumers, food and restaurant companies, WHO and various governments are requiring livestock farmers to produce meat raised with lower use of antimicrobial drugs. The discussion has moved on from analysing the potential risks that the use of antimicrobials in livestock can have on society to managing the new situation where pork producers will have to raise pigs using less, or even without, antibiotics. This is of course at the same time as a predicted increase in demand for protein, unprecedented restrictions on land and water use and rising input costs. What should producers do?
During the last fifty years or so, disease control in the pork industry has evolved mainly relying on antimicrobials, vaccines, elimination (depopulation, repopulation, eradication, modified early weaning), and/or regional control depending on the disease.
BECAL (The Boehringer Ingelheim Economic Calculator) was created in collaboration with industry experts to provide a convenient tool for the economic analysis of vaccination interventions. BECALsow looks at health interventions in the sow herd and evaluates preventative health measures by easily calculating the return of investment based on production data.
Milk production is at peak level on day 18 +/- 1 of lactation where up to about 16 litres/day is produced depending on:
Litter size and vitality of the suckling pigs
Genetic potential
Health status
US - At World Pork Expo, Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc. (BIVI, St. Joseph, MO) discussed the advancements made in combating PRRSV since the release of Ingelvac PRRS® MLV vaccine.
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