Independent Mara Rozitis of Tache, MB, owner of Signature Swine Solutions, who attended the Saskatchewan Pork Industry Symposium in November in Saskatoon, said it was chock full of engaging speakers, enlightening vendor booths, and delicious meals. All of this provided an ideal backdrop for learning and networking.
Rozitis said Dr. Temple Grandin was the most highly anticipated speaker. World-renowned for her research and advocacy in animal welfare, Dr. Grandin shared practical insights gained throughout her career. She shared lessons learned about breeding for prolificacy while disregarding other parameters such as conformation and survivability. Her passion was evident throughout, and she frequently called on nearby graduate students to interact with her.
“At the end of her presentation, Dr. Grandin called on us to reflect: even if we know we can do something, that doesn’t necessarily mean we should do it,” said Rozitis.
Dr. Bobbie Lundquist, acting Director of Emergency Preparedness for the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, updated attendees on the actions that the CFIA is taking to protect the Canadian pork sector from African Swine Fever (ASF) and outlined the response plans in case of an ASF break. Key management strategies include zoning and movement restrictions to isolate the disease and preserve export markets.
“It is a comfort knowing the extent of the plans that the Canadian government is undertaking to protect the swine industry,” Rozitis said.
The 2024 Symposium featured approximately 20 vendor booths and over 300 attendees. The engagement was overwhelming at the Signature Swine booth, where Rozitis introduced Ignites Incinerators. Farms are looking for alternatives to manage their dead stock disposal. Issues range from biosecurity concerns with hauling companies to odour control and even preventing carcass scavenger access.
Farmers were eager to share their stories and challenges and curious to learn if incineration might be viable. With a wide range of products scalable to any size of farm and flexible fuel options, “it’s a safe bet that incineration can be the answer for farms struggling with dead stock management,” said Rozitis.
“It was well worth the trip and much better than expected. Saskatchewan allows the burial of carcasses, so I thought there might not be much interest, but I was wrong. I had lots of visitors, questions, and stories.”
Rozitis privately asked Dr. Lundquist of CFIA if there were any concrete plans for dealing with mass mortalities in case of an African Swine Fever [ASF] outbreak in Canada. She told Dr. Lundquist that while selling incinerators, it concerns her that Manitoba seems to have little of a plan.
Dr. Lundquist said the farms would be responsible for disposal but that CFIA would pay for the disposal.
“I don’t care how they dispose of carcasses, as long as there is a viable plan that will not spread disease.”
She hopes for more clarification from Manitoba Pork and Dr. Glen Duizer, Manitoba’s chief veterinarian officer.
Dr. Temple Grandin highlighted the remarkable advancements in livestock handling and animal behaviour understanding since the 1990s.
Dr. Grandin emphasized growing awareness of superior stockmanship’s benefits to animal welfare and production efficiency. “The handling of livestock and the understanding of animal behaviour have improved dramatically,” she noted, underscoring how these advancements have enhanced ethical practices and industry productivity. The symposium allowed producers to engage with innovative animal care and management approaches. •
— By Harry Siemens