News - Prairie Swine Centre

The President and CEO of the Saskatoon based Prairie Swine Centre suggests, by focusing on feed, labor and utility costs, pork producers have an opportunity to improve the profitability of their operations.

Pork Producers attending the 2012 Banff Pork Centre will have the opportunity to learn more about some of the work being coordinated by the Canadian Swine Research and Development Cluster.

A swine nutritionist with the Prairie Swine Centre is advising pork producers who feed their pigs dried distillers grains with solubles to ensure they account for the variations in nutritional profiles of the products when formulating rations.

Researchers with the Prairie Swine Centre hope to reduce the typcial growth lag that occurs in newly weaned piglets by altering the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids in their diets.

Research being conducted on behalf of the Canadian Swine Research and Development Cluster as part of Swine Innovation is expected to be of benefit to pork producers across Canada.

Research conducted by the Prairie Swine Centre indicates the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids in the diet is of greater significance in influencing the reproductive performance of the sow than the actual amounts of the compounds.

Research conducted by the Prairie Swine Centre indicates altering the omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acid content in the diet of the sow will influence the ability of her piglets to deal with stress at weaning.

A swine nutritionist with the Prairie Swine Centre is encouraging pork producers to be aware of the potential for ergot in cereal grains this year and avoid feeding contaminated grain to pigs that will become part of the breeding herd.

A research scientist with the Prairie Swine Centre has been inducted as an Honorary Fellow of the International Society for Applied Ethology.

Research conducted by the Prairie Swine Centre shows pork producers can save anywhere from 39 to 52 percent on energy costs by using alternative heating and ventilation systems.