RDSTW
The 25th Red Deer Swine Technology Workshop will be held on Wednesday, October 9, 2024 at Westerner Park. Swine Tech is Alberta’s biggest technical seminar specifically aimed at furthering the practical, hands-on knowledge of producers and barn workers. Some of the topics included are: Weaning Age Impact; Water Line Disinfection; Advantages and Disadvantages on Different Group Sow Housing; Challenges of the TFWP; Advancing Swine Welfare Practices to Empower your Industry in addition a producer panel – The Good -the Bad and the Ugly of Renovations and much more.
Booth and attendee registrations NOW OPEN, link on Alberta Pork website at
albertapork.com.
Registration $110 each. We hope to see you there!
For more details contact Rawya Selby at Alberta Pork at 780.474.8288 or email Rawya.Selby@albertapork.com •
Alberta Pork Congress AGM
Alberta Pork Congress Annual General Meeting will take place prior to the start of Red Deer Swine Technology Workshop Wednesday October 9th. Registration and breakfast at 7:30am meeting at 8am. First opportunity to book your booth at the 2025 Alberta Pork Congress.
Contact Kate Kelly for more information at 403.542.7901 or email
kate@albertaporkcongress.com . •
Alberta Livestock Expo
Keep October 16th and 17th open for the Alberta Livestock Expo in Lethbridge. As of press time only couple booth spots remaining.
Show hours Wednesday October 16th noon – 5pm and Thursday October17th 10am – 4-m. The Alberta Livestock Expo Pork Quality Competition begins at 4pm Thursday. All proceeds being donated to Ronald McDonald House Charities. Plus Pork, Dairy & Poultry session series on both days.
Check out albertalivestockexpo.com for more details and sponsorship opportunities contact Chris at 204.509.4941 or email
chris@albertalivestockexpo.com
The 2024 Alberta Livestock Expo will feature the Pork Quality Competition,
Chris has arranged a group rate at both the Holiday Inn Express SE and the Best Western Plus Service Inn & Suites. Contact the hotel direct to book, HI at 403.942.5856 or BW at 403.329.6844 ask for the Alberta Livestock Expo block group code “ALE” confirmation #255088 •
Aherne Awards
Do you know of an innovator who should be recognized? Someone who has developed an original solution to answer a pork production challenge? Or found a creative use of a known technology?
The Banff Pork Seminar is proud to offer a chance for you to “strut your stuff” as a technology innovator and show the rest of us how to put it into practice!
The Dr. FX Aherne Prize for Innovative Pork Production recognizes innovators involved in the pork industry who are making a difference by applying new technologies or management techniques.
Innovators can win valuable prizes and free registration to the 2025 Banff Pork Seminar, January 7-9; you’ll be recognized by your peers and the pork industry and have a chance to present your solution at the 2025 Banff Pork Seminar.
Please nominate yourself, or apply on behalf of an innovator that deserves to be recognized. Help us to find these innovators and encourage them to apply for the Dr. FX Aherne Prize for Innovative Pork Production.
Specifically, we are looking for innovators who are capable of taking a new research concept, a technology, or even a management concept and apply it successfully in the production of pork. Innovations may be related to, but are not limited to, one of the following areas: Productivity, Profitability, Working Conditions, Animal Well Being, Reduced Environmental Impact, Pork Quality and Safety.
Anyone who has developed a solution to a pork production challenge may enter. Innovations must be relevant to North American pork production but do not necessarily have to be currently in use in Canada at the time of application.
Application and more information will be available online at www.banffpork.ca. Applications must be received by October 31, 2024. Apply today! Please contact Conference Coordinator Ashely Steeple at
pork@ualberta.ca with questions. •
H@ms Fall Marketing Meetings
H@ms will be hosting their fall marketing meetings in three various locations in October and November.
Wednesday October 23rd, at the Coast Hotel in Swift Current, starting at noon with hot lunch served.
Wednesday October 30th, at Starbuck Community Hall, Starbuck MB. Starting at 3pm with a BBQ to follow.
Tuesday November 12th, at the Coast Hotel in Lethbridge, starting at noon with hot lunch served.
Plus Wednesday November 13th, at the Holiday Inn & Suites on Gasoline Alley in Red Deer, starting at noon with hot lunch served.
For more details or to preregister (RSVP by October 11th) for the meetings please contact Paisley Alford. 204.235.2221 or E: paisley@hams.ca •
Saskatchewan Pork Symposium
The two day Saskatchewan Pork Industry Symposium is planned for November 5th & 6th.
Registration is open online at saskpork.com
Interested in sponsorship opportunities or an exhibitor booth at Saskatchewan Pork Industry Symposium? For more details contact Steve Seto at steve@saskpork.com .
A block of rooms will be reserved at the Saskatoon Inn & Conference Centre at 2002 Airport Drive. Call 1.800.667.8789 or book directly with the hotel at 306.242.1440.
Manitoba Pork Fall Meetings
Manitoba Pork will hold their fall producer meetings in November. Wednesday November 13th at the Niverville Heritage Centre and Thursday November 14th in Portage la Prairie at the Canad Inns.
Details will be available once closer. •
Alberta Pork AGM
Save the date, the Alberta Pork Annual General Meeting will take place Thursday November 28th in Calgary at the Marriott airport hotel. Details will be available once closer. •
Prairie Livestock Expo
Save the date, Prairie Livestock Expo will be held Wednesday December 11th at the Victoria Inn & Conference Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The one trade show will be open from 9am-6pm and will once again include a Pork Quality Competition.
On line registration now open. For information or more details contact Dallas Ballance at 204.782.0272 email
info@prairielivestockexpo.ca or check the website at prairielivestockexpo.ca
For details and information on or about the Pork Quality Competition contact Dennis Stevenson PH: 204.712.7133 or Email:
Dstevenson@PremierSHP.ca •
Banff Pork Seminar
Banff Pork Seminar will return to the Castle in the Rockies January 7th – 9th, 2025.
The committee is working hard on finalizing the agendas of breakouts sessions and keynote speakers.
Online registration now open. $360 early registration (before November15th), $410 regular registration (November 16th-December 20th) and $460 late registration (December 21st – January 9th).
A block of rooms are available at the Banff Springs Hotel for BPS2025 starting at $245/night plus taxes and fees for single occupancy. Space is limited so book early. Must book by December 1, 2024 to receive the special conference rates (while space is available). Reservations can be made through the Banff Pork Seminar website.
Some keynote speakers are Angela Rasmussen (VIDO), Brett Stuart (Global AgriTrends) and Tyler Smith (Humboldt Broncos Survivor).
Breakout session topics include: Grow-Finish Management, Survivability, Swine Health, Innovators (Wednesday only), Feed & Nutrition, Sow Management, Nursery Management and Welfare.
Latest updates are found on the website, banffpork.ca
For more information contact Ashley Steeple, Conference Coordinator, PH: 780.492.3651 or Email: pork@ualberta.ca •
Manitoba Swine Seminar
Save the date, the Manitoba Swine Seminar will be held February 5th & 6th 2025. More details will be available in the next edition. For more information contact Patti Clement at 204.981.8042 or
E: info@manitobaswineseminar.om
W: manitobaswineseminar.com •
Saskatchewan Livestock Expo
The 15th annual Saskatchewan Livestock Expo will take place Thursday February 20th, 2025 in Swift Current, SK. The one day show will be held at the Kinetic Exhibition Park, featuring a trade show, door prizes, Sale of Champions auction and of course the Cramer Cup series.
Registration now open, applications available on website. cramereventmanagement.com
A block of rooms are held at Days Inn, 306.773.4660 let hotel know you are part of Saskatchewan Livestock Expo.
Contact Doug Cramer 306.520.3553 or email sklivestockexpo@gmail.com •
Canada’s Meat Industry Applauds Government Intervention in Rail Strike
The Canadian Meat Council (CMC) and the Canadian Pork Council (CPC) applaud the federal government for employing section 107 of the Canada Labour Code , as we had urged, to mitigate the unprecedented damage to industry this disruption to service was causing.
This move provided needed certainty to Canadian farmers and processors, and their customers around the world.
“Canada’s red meat processors need stable, reliable supply chains to run their businesses. The action taken by the Minister of Labour will prevent millions of dollars in losses, irreversible reputational damage, enviromental disposal challenges, and enormous waste,” said Chris White, CEO, Canadian Meat Council.”At the same time, we want to acknowledge the tremendous engagement by Minister MacAulay, who was available and accessible to hear directly from industry and convey our concerns to his colleague and the Prime Minister.”
Last summer’s Port of Vancouver strike disrupted $10.7 billion dollars’ worth of trade during the 35 days of strike action. The impacts of two Class 1 railways striking at once would have been even worse, unprecedented ramifications.
“The Canadian pork industry relies on the seamless operation of our transportation networks to feed our animals and deliver high-quality products to global markets. Ongoing transportation disruptions would threaten the livlihood of our producers, the welfare of our animals, and Canada’s reputation as a reliable trading partner,” said René Roy, Chair, Canadian Pork Council.
Roy added, “Actions like the ones the federal government just took are crucial to ensure the movement of perishable goods like pork and essential supplies like animal feed. The feed our pigs rely on to survive is shipped by rail, ans without a reliable and steady supply, their welfare would be at risk. The stakes are simply too high to allow these disruptions to go unaddressed.”
While CMC and CPC respect workers’ rights to collective bargaining and believe the best deals are reached at the table, those interests must be balanced against the public interest. We are appreciative of the federal governments actions to bring certainty to our transportation issues. More importantly we applaud the governments bigger picture view to take animal care concerns, as well as teh recognition of the enviromental impacts of a prolonged strike.
SIP Launches New Video
Swine Innovation Porc (SIP) facilitates and coordinates, on a national level, R&D and knowledge transfer for the Canadian swine sector. SIP has developed a new video named “Driving Biosecurity Forward: How Transport Technology Research Is Fueling Industry Solutions”. This is SIP’s commitment to knowledge transfer for the swine industry.
The video can be found on youtube, search “Driving Biosecutirty Forward” and a paper version titled, The “Dirt” on Cleaner Trailers from this research project can be located on their website swineinnovationporc.ca under subheading research highlights from August 2023. Science helps scrub out PED. •
Canadian Food Manufacturing Holds Food Security Opportunity
Canadian food manufacturing plays a crucial role in addressing the need to sustainably feed a growing global population according to a recent FCC Economics report.
Food is the largest manufacturing sector in Canada by both employment and sales. With abundant natural resources and a strong global reputation for safe and high-quality food, the sector is poised to be a world leader in sustainable food production.
With the world’s population expected to exceed 9 billion by 2050, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimates that agricultural production needs to increase by 60 per cent over 2005 levels. This challenge requires producing more food with the same or fewer inputs- a task that Canadian food manufacturing is well-positioned to tackle as it makes the most of the potential created through smart manufacturing and digitization.
Productivity increases when output grows faster than working hours, a trend that has been evident in Canadian food manufacturing over the past two decades. Despite challenges between 2008 and 2012, the industry has rebounded, demonstrating resilience and the ability to produce more food in less time.
By embracing new technologies and fostering cross-sector investment, the industry can continue to lead in sustainable food production, ensuring a stable food supply and contributing to the global effort to feed the world.•
Mycotoxin Solution Approved
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has granted approval to market a German-developed product that counters mycotoxins in hog and poultry rations.
The global, science-based company, dsm-firmenich Animal Nutrition and Health markets a novel enzyme, fumonisin esterase.
“Fumonisin esterase is for the degradation of fumonisins present in swine and poultry feed,” said Dr. Paige Gott who is dsm-firmenich’s strategic product manager.
“This approval expands dsmfirmenich’s commitment to innovation in mycotoxin risk management.”
dsm-firmenich will offer a new product which includes the fumonisin esterase called Mycofix® FUMzyme® for use in swine and poultry diets in Canada. More information will be available in the coming weeks.
“This will be the first product ever to be approved for degrading fumonisins in feed in the Canadian market,” Gott said.
“Mycotoxins can have various negative effects on swine and poultry production. Fumonisins are the second most prevalent group of mycotoxins worldwide.
Fumonisins are commonly found in livestock diets in North America and can interact with other mycotoxins and have synergistic effects that impair health and productivity of livestock and poultry. They are of increasing importance with more frequent extreme weather events in the region,” the company said. •
— By Jim Romahn
Feds Give NFU $247,487
The federal government was giving the National Farmers Union $247,487 to offer 40 farmers access to training, grants, mentorship and networking.
The program is called THE EXCHANGE.
“The NFU wants to see farmers thrive in Canada. Enhancing farmers’ opportunities to build skills for their long-term success benefits us all,” said NFU President Jennifer Pfenning of New Hamburg, Ont.
“We’re proud to be providing this program and hope to receive many applications” before the deadline of noon on Sept. 27, she said.
Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay said “agriculture is a vital part of our economy and we need folks from all walks of life to be part of it.
“This program will help the participants develop and grow the skills they need to succeed as the next generation of producers.” •
— By Jim Romahn
Inventor Recycles Hog Manure Into Feed
Steve Bulbow, a physician and inventor, has patented a technology to convert hog manure into a feed for cattle, sheep and goats.
In an article published online by Swineweb, the claims the quality of beef and other livestock products that result from using this feed is remarkable.
“While it’s not exactly Kobe beef, it comes very close in terms of taste and texture, all while being much more sustainable,” he is quoted.
“The process benefits both, the environment and the bottom line for farmers,” he said
It reminds me of the article I wrote for Maclean’s Magazine in 1965 about a beef farmer top-dressing corn silage with manure from his father’s nearby turkey farm.
It prompted an outcry by the late Ruth Jackson of Kitchener who at the time was president of the Consumers Association of Canada.
When I apologized to the farmer, he said not to worry because he switched to top-dressing with commercial urea and put the manure on his corn fields.
As for this Swineweb article, I am reminded that things that seem too good to be true often are.
Bulbow is also a hog and beef farmer in Mexico. •
— By Jim Romahn
WOAH Designates NBAF as Collaborating Centre for Genomic Monitoring of Viral Swine Diseases
The World Organization for Animal Health, or WOAH, has designated the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility, or NBAF, as the Collaborating Centre for Genomic Monitoring of Viral Swine Diseases.
NBAF is a next-generation research and diagnostic laboratory facility dedicated to protecting the U.S. from transboundary, emerging and zoonotic animal diseases. It employs world-renowned experts on livestock pathogens across all three of the facility’s research units. Leading the center is Dr. Manuel Borca, Foreign Animal Disease Research Unit microbiologist; Dr. Lisa Hensley, Zoonotic and Emerging Disease Research Unit leader; and Dr. Chad Mire, Foreign Arthropod-Borne Animal Disease Research Unit leader.
The collaborating center provides support and training to WOAH member laboratories to understand a viruses’ genome, or entire set of DNA code. By understanding the genome, scientists can better understand and potentially mitigate how a virus causes disease outbreaks in swine, particularly from African Swine Fever virus, classical swine fever virus, Japanese encephalitis virus and Nipah virus.
“International collaboration and information sharing is critical for making progress against these transboundary animal diseases,” said Jeff Silverstein, deputy administrator for USDA’s Animal Production and Protection Office of National Programs. “USDA’s Agricultural Research Service’s contribution through the WOAH Collaborative Center is a great way to amplify the impacts of our research efforts.”
Initially, the center will focus its services on African swine fever virus and add similar services for additional pathogens affecting swine. Those services include:
Performing next-generation sequencing of the full-length virus genome for laboratories that lack or have limited sequencing capacity.
Providing protocols and training for sample collection, nucleic acid extraction, next-generation sequencing and sequence analysis for laboratories that are capable.
Identifying regional laboratories capable of receiving samples from other locations for genome sequencing.
Establishing reliable bioinformatic pipelines and associated tools to deliver standardized genomic data, annotation and classification for archival and new viral isolates.
Visiting sites to determine laboratory capabilities and their needs to process, analyze and interpret genomic data.
The center also will build a biorepository of well-characterized virus strains; aid in monitoring the spread of outbreaks; and provide support for vaccine matching in outbreak areas. •
Maple Leaf Foods Named Deepak Bhandari as CFO for Pork Business
Maple Leaf Foods Inc. has recently named Deepak Bhandari as chief financial officer of its pork business, which it plans to spin off as an independent, publicly traded company.
Bhandari is currently senior vice-president of strategy and corporate development at High Liner Foods Inc. and recently served as the interim chief financial officer at the seafood company.
He began the new job at Maple Leaf Foods in September. The change is a return to Maple Leaf Foods for Bhandari who spent 13 years at the company previously.
Maple Leaf Foods announced a plan in July to spin off its pork business into a new publicly traded company. The move, which is subject to shareholder approval, is expected to be completed in 2025.
Files from The Canadian Press. •
France Ponders Building a Fence
France is thinking about building a fence along its border with Germany to keep wild hogs from crossing.
Germany has had cases of African Swine Fever which devastates hog herds.
France is also increasing surveillance and culling wild boar populations near the border to minimize risk.
Belgium has adopted similar measures aimed at containing the disease.
France is also mobilizing hunters and implementing strategies that have proven effective in neighboring regions, emphasizing the importance of maintaining biosecurity to prevent ASF’s further spread into new territories. •
— By Jim Romahn
Meat Institute Protests Government “Over-reach”
The American Meat Institute, which includes Canada’s biggest meat packers, is protesting over government rule changes making it more difficult to defend against market monopoly charges.
“This position was wrong before and is wrong now,” said Mark Dopp, chief operating officer and lawyer for the Meat Institute.
The institute said the proposed rule violates the Constitution and the Administrative Procedure Act because of its breadth and vagueness.
“Changing the harm to competition standard requires Congressional action and that fact is highlighted by the Supreme Court’s decision in West Virginia vs the Environmental Protection Agency,” said Dopp.
“In addition, the proposal includes standards so vague that, if adopted, it would be impossible for a regulated entity to know how to comply.”
Dopp raised the spectre of higher meat and poultry prices and harm to farmers, and meat packers.
Meat packers and poultry processors in the United States have paid hundreds of millions of dollars to head off class-action court cases and the government Is offering subsidies to encourage the establishment of new meat-packing and poultry processing plants and competitors. •
— By Jim Romahn
Correction
Prairie Hog Country apologizes to Dr. Wayne Lees, Squeal on Pigs Manitoba and Assiniboine Community College for the printing error from the article on page 46 in the August/September edition of Prairie Hog Country. A typo gave credit to St. Louis College.
The proper statement reads: It is important to locate these pigs as they rely on public sightings, drone surveillance, and trail cameras to investigate and set up trapping locations. In areas with fewer sightings, they analyze water samples from streams to detect wild pig DNA, working with Assiniboine Community College and BDX laboratories in Winnipeg, MB, to validate the tests. These tests could be a valuable tool for detecting the presence of wild pigs in the future.
Again PHC apologizes for the error. •
