Prairie Livestock Expo
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 is 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.
Online registration now open. $410 regular registration (November 16th-December 20th) and $460 late registration (December 21st – January 9th).
Keynote speakers are Kristen Cumming (Cantos Performance), Angela Rasmussen (VIDO), Brett Stuart (Global AgriTrends), Jorge Corres (Canadian Meat Council) 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.
The full list of speakers for all break out sessions and 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. Maintaining the theme of Sharing Ideas and Information for Efficient Pork Production. Earlybird registration will open January 2nd until January 17th.
Some of the featured speakers are: Luc Dufresne, Willem Steyn, Paul Marchand, Kevin Brooks, Laurie Greiner, Mark Wilson, Brady O’Neal, Daryl Possberg, Max Popp, Steve Dziver, Caleb Suderman, Manuel Juarez and Jay S Johnson.
For more information contact Patti Clement MSS conference manager at 204.981.8042 or
E: info@manitobaswineseminar.com check out the Website manitobaswineseminar.com for all the latest details and online registration.•
Saskatchewan Livestock Expo
The 15th annual Saskatchewan Livestock Expo will take place Thursday February 20th, 2025 in Swift Current, SK. The one day SOLD OUT tradeshow 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.
More details on the 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 •
APC Industry Award Nominations
Now is the time to send in your nominations for the Alberta Pork Congress Industry Awards.
Lifetime Achievement Award (Honours individuals who have played an integral role in advancing the pork industry in Alberta and celebrates their long-term commitment and unwavering dedication to the industry).
Farm Team Award (Recognizes the farm unit which operates in an exemplary manner through commitment and longevity of the staff with virtues of hard work and cooperation, celebrating dedication of the team toward working together for the success of the farm).
Pork Industry Ambassador Award (Honours individuals or companies whose efforts reflect a commitment above and beyond the accepted expectation of the pork industry in Alberta. It recognizes individuals or companies whose actions have become a valuable asset to the pork industry and acknowledges those whose actions have become models for peer recognition).
Rising Star Award honours an individual who has been a part of the Alberta pork industry for less than 5 years and planning a career in the industry.
For more information or to nominate either a individual – team, please contact the Alberta Pork Congress office at 403.542.7906 or email info@albertaporkcongress.com. Deadline for nominations is March 3rd.
Awards will be presented at the Alberta Pork Congress Banquet Wednesday June 11th. Visit our website to make your nomination online albertaporkcongress.com •
Montana Livestock Expo
The Montana Livestock Expo will return to Great Falls MT Wednesday April 30th for its 5th annual. As of press time only 6 booths left.
For details and registration contact Doug Cramer at 306.520.3553. Registration is now open on website for downloadable form at www.cramereventmanagement.com •
Manitoba Pork AGM
Mark Thursday April 10th on your calendar for the Manitoba Pork 60th Annual General Meeting. The meeting will be held at the Fairmont in Winnipeg, watch your inboxes for upcoming details. •
Hog Farmers Remain Cautious
Despite good news, hog farmers remain reluctant to expand production, reports Rabobank. The good news is that pork consumption is increasing and feed and energy costs and inflation are declining
Continuing trade issues, disease outbreaks in specific markets and potential local production shortfalls in Asia, South America and northern Mexico are prompting some producers to reconsider their rebuilding plans in the fourth quarter, the report said.
With the global sow herd holding steady in the third quarter of 2024, producers are responding to disease outbreaks in the European Union, South Korea and Russia.
That factor alone limited herd rebuilding in the second half of the year despite biosecurity measures that allowed China to look forward to a return to herd growth in 2025, the report said. •
— By Jim Romahn
Swine Innovation Porc Releases Report
Swine Innovation Porc celebrates progress on pork sector priorities in 2023-24 Annual Report.
Swine Innovation Porc (SIP) is proud to present their 2023-24 Annual Report. This report provides an overview of our progress and accomplishments from the past year, highlighting our research partnerships under Swine Cluster 4 and the launch of our 5-year Strategic Plan in 2023-24.
The Annual Report highlights the impact of research investments for producers and industry, and showcases the efforts of our research partners to shape the future of pork production in Canada and beyond. From advancements in animal health to environmental stewardship, these projects reflect our sector’s commitment to leading through innovation.
We invite you to explore the 2023-2024 Annual Report. Key highlights at your fingertips include:
- Swine Cluster 4 Launch
- SIP 2023-28 Strategic Plan
- Progress video
- Overview of Swine Cluster 4 research projects
- Board member listing
- Messages from SIP’s Chair and GM
- Producer and industry benefits •
CPC Programs 20+ Years
CPC has been operating the PigSAFE and PigCARE programs for over two decades.
The objectives of these programs are to:
- Promote food safety and ensure the proper use of veterinary products to prevent drug residue in pork.
- Encourage the responsible use of antimicrobials to reduce the development of antimicrobial resistance, which could pose a risk to human and animal health.
- Demonstrate that Canadian pork producers are committed to antimicrobial stewardship and the sustainable use of antimicrobials. •
Hypor and Danish Genetics Merge to Form a Strategic Alliance
The global multispecies genetics company Hendrix Genetics is excited to announce the signing of an agreement to merge its swine division, Hypor, with Danish Genetics and partners. This significant milestone marks the establishment of a strategic partnership aimed at enhancing their collective presence in the global swine genetics market and unlocking new opportunities. Following the merger, Hendrix Genetics will hold a majority stake and Danish Genetics and partners will hold a significant part of the newly formed entity.
This merger represents a powerful collaboration between the swine divisions of Hendrix Genetics and Danish Genetics, designed to create a strong partnership that expands their current product portfolios, leverages cutting-edge technologies, and enhances their global distribution networks. Danish Genetics, recognized for its expertise in highly efficient sustainable swine genetics, aligns perfectly with Hypor’s mission to provide sustainable, high-quality solutions to pig producers worldwide.
Parties anticipate closing the transaction in early 2025. Both Hypor and Danish Genetics are dedicated to ensuring a seamless transition for all stakeholders and building a lasting, prosperous partnership. •
World Food Prices Rise
Despite lower pork prices, the United Nations reports that world food prices rose in October to an 18-month high.
Palm oil led vegetable oils prices which was a category with the greatest increases.
The U.N. index increased to 127.4 points last month, up two per cent from a revised 124.9 points in September and five per cent higher than a year ago.
Overall meat prices edged down by three-tenths of a per cent. Pork registered the sharpest decline and poultry also declined, but beef went up. •
— By Jim Romahn
Animal Health Canada Expanding Planning and Preparedness Model to Support all Foreign Animal Disease Outbreaks
Animal Health Canada (AHC) announced recently an important expansion of our collaborative model to encompass the planning and preparedness for all foreign animal diseases. This shift reinforces our commitment to protecting Canada’s farmed animal health and welfare under the guiding principles of One Health and One Welfare.
The structure of AHC was to create greater synergies between industry and federal, provincial and territorial government partners to solve challenges and meet opportunities that would guide a cohesive, functional, and responsive farmed animal health and welfare system in Canada.This collaborative model has been piloted successfully through the tangible work that is taking place to enhance African swine fever prevention and response planning and preparedness.
The model has helped prioritize activities through over 15 working groups filled with key stakeholders under four strategic pillars:
Pillar 1: Enhanced biosecurity planning
Pillar 2: Preparedness planning
Pillar 3: Ensure business continuity
Pillar 4: Coordinated risk communications.
We know we have a robust template that can be adapted to accommodate other foreign animal diseases and stakeholders.
We will be taking the lessons learned from the African Swine Fever model to structure the planning and preparedness for foot and mouth disease (FMD), the continued work under highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), and to have on hand to use more broadly for other emerging foreign animal health diseases.
In the coming months, you will see working groups being struck to start FMD work, which will focus on areas like industry-government roles and responsibilities, biosecurity, depopulation and disposal. FMD planning and preparedness will require a broader subject matter expertise and inclusion of commodities beyond the Animal Health Canada membership, but we have the structure in place to pull in the right groups together at the right time.
Significant efforts are being made to understand and prevent the incursion of HPAI in cattle and AHC has collaborated with a working group comprising of provincial chief veterinary officers, industry representatives, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, and the Public Health Agency of Canada to develop guidance documents aimed at assisting event organizers and exhibitors in mitigating the risks of HPAI transmission to cattle.
Furthermore, AHC is in the process of establishing an Expert Review Panel in conjunction with national poultry organizations, including the Canadian Poultry and Egg Processors, Canadian Hatching Egg Producers, Egg Farmers of Canada, Turkey Farmers of Canada, and the Chicken Farmers of Canada.
This panel will consist of third-party experts who will evaluate humane whole barn depopulation methods for poultry that are not currently approved, in alignment with the World Organization for Animal Health’s (WOAH) guidelines. This initiative is a critical component of the overall objective to develop a Canadian Poultry Depopulation Methods Reference Document. The review of the terms of reference for this project is currently underway, and the Expert Review Panel is expected to be established in the coming months.
This comprehensive foreign animal disease preparedness model not only strengthens external stakeholders, but it also solidifies a coordinated, cross-divisional approach within Animal Health Canada.
The work of the Canadian Animal Health Surveillance System division to promote data sharing, emerging issues monitoring, and early warning systems strengthens Canada’s ability to respond to animal health emergencies. This, in turn, supports the Emergency Management division’s planning and preparedness while the National Farm Animal Care Council promotes sustainable animal welfare practices overall.
With this development, Animal Health Canada continues to solidify its mission to provide leadership in building a collaborative, multi-partner model that clarifies the respective roles, responsibilities and accountabilities of each partner implementing an animal health strategy for Canada, beginning with emergency management. •
CPC & CMC Amplify Pork Sector’s Key Priorities in Ottawa
In Early November Canadian Pork Council & Canadian Meat Council gathered with Parliamentarians, government officials, and industry partners in Ottawa to discuss some key points.
African Swine Fever (ASF) Preparedness: The CPC and CMC emphasized the importance of establishing an ASF trade recovery program to quickly restore market access and stabilize the pork sector in the event of an outbreak.
Trade Access: Improved trade access remains a priority to expand opportunities for Canadian pork producers in international markets.
Labor and Immigration Programs: The councils highlighted the need for a reliable, year-round agricultural workforce and urged the government to prioritize solutions to address labor shortages affecting the industry.
The event concluded with the annual PorkFest reception, attended by government officials and industry representatives, including the Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, and John Barlow, Shadow Minister for the Official Opposition. The reception celebrated the dedication of Canadian pork producers and fostered further discussions on industry priorities. •
Pork Deemed Excellent Protein
Research supported by hog producers has found that all pork is an excellent source of protein for people of all ages..
The study has been accepted and published by the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture (JFSA) Reports.
“With the exception of chorizo for children less than three years old, all pork products have ‘excellent’ protein quality for individuals older than six months of age, with DIAAS (Digestible Indispensable Amino Acid Score) greater than 100,” the study said.
A team from the University of Illinois studied store-bought pork made from nine pork products — back ribs, tenderloin and shoulder butt, Coppa, prosciutto and speck Italian hams, and chorizo, Italian, and bratwurst sausages.
“Pork proteins can complement proteins with low quality to produce a meal that is adequate in all amino acids,” the report said.
Chorizo fell slightly below the 100 standard sulfur amino acid digestibility for children ages six to 36 months.Among the nine tested products, prosciutto had the highest score for all ages, while tenderloin and Coppa ham ranked above back ribs, shoulder butt, chorizo, and bratwurst.
Funds from the national pork checkoff fund helped pay for the research. •
— By Jim Romahn
Teeth and Tail Clipping Pose Risks
Hog farmers need to be careful to avoid leaving cracked teeth and unprotected tails when clipping teeth and docking tails, cautions Dr. Melanie Boucher of Southwest Veterinary Service.
She bases her advice on a research study of market hogs in Portugal that identified infections that led to the condemnation of entire carcasses.
The finding about teeth is new and was discovered by examining jaw bones of carcasses condemned for osteomyelitis bacteria infection.
Her advice is:
“Teeth clipping needs to be performed with care in order to avoid cracked teeth, infection of the deeper tooth pulp and subsequent abscess formation. Further invasion into adjacent tissues such as the jaw bone can result in total carcass condemnation.
“Abscesses associated with improper teeth clipping and tail biting infections can be a source of bacteria that spread via the blood stream to vertebrae, lung and other internal organs. This again can result in total carcass condemnation.”
She also notes that slaughter inspection and monitoring could be used to point out how animal welfare management could be improved.•
— By Jim Romahn
Sterilizing Wild Pigs
Genetically engineering wild boars could render female offspring sterile and eventually wipe out the species, hopes Ray Lu of the University of Guelph.
He is adapting an idea that helped knock out malaria-carrying mosquitos.
“I do believe this is a potential solution,” said Ray Lu, associate professor in the university’s molecular and cellular biology department.
A Saskatchewan innovator Imported Eurasian wild boars in the 1980s for hunting and meat, says the Canadian Council on Invasive Species. Some of those pigs escaped or were released into the wild, where they’ve since adapted and thrived.
They now rip up fields and pose a threat to spread diseases to commercial herds. The main concern is deadly and highly-contagious African Swine Fever which infects wild pigs in Europe and Asia. •
— By Jim Romahn
Earlier Pig Pneumonia Diagnosis Now Possible
A combination of advanced diagnostics, data-based choices for treatment and information integration with existing management systems are improving early detection and treatment of Mycoplasma hypopneumoniae in pigs is helping to identify and treat the infections earlier.
Dr. John Smith, a leading swine veterinarian, said “with this innovation, producers can identify and address Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae challenges earlier and more effectively. This not only benefits animal welfare but also reduces economic losses associated with this disease.”
The Swine Health Information Center in the United States said “tools like this represent a significant step forward in achieving healthier herds and more resilient operations.” •
— By Jim Romahn
Tribute to Barb
This is personal. On September 25, I travelled to Calgary to visit a fellow reporter and mentor.
Barb Duckworth had retired in 2020 after just over three decades with the Western Producer.
She was on the front lines in 1998, when Alberta’s pork industry had fallen into a major crisis. She was there when BSE devastated Canada’s beef industry, she studied the impact of Brexit on Canada’s agricultural industry, and she travelled to Australia to write her analysis of that country’s competition with Canadian Beef.
She was a frequent visitor to Banff Pork Seminar and Red Deer Swine Technology Workshop, where we would sit at the front, close enough to chat, but with just enough distance between us to do our work. We’d go our separate ways, confident that we would cross paths again in the future.
During my visit to her home, Barb said her goal as an agricultural reporter had always been to educate people about the industry into which she had been born, 70 years earlier, in Mossbank, Sask.
She set about that task in her quiet way, sorting facts from gibberish, and then writing her stories with a master’s touch, concisely and with an easy flow. In doing so, she raised the bar for agriculture reporters across Canada and beyond.
Duckworth graduated from the journalism program at Lethbridge College and later completed a degree in communications from the University of Calgary. Her work earned numerous awards: locally, nationally and internationally.
Retirement for her was a chance to travel with her husband, Floyd Thompson, and spend more time with their three adult children. She was a gifted painter, as shown in the collection on her living room walls of hers and her daughter’s work. Her retirement dream was cut short during a workout at the gym, when she suffered an injury and was subsequently diagnosed with a rare bone cancer.
The disease took her life on October 7. •
Brenda Kossowan
