Identifying the routes of PRRS virus transmission
Hands or boots from farm personnel, livestock vehicles, aerosol transmission and even mosquitoes or houseflies – contamination with PRRS virus can occur rapidly and through many different channels. Researchers at the University of Minnesota set out to find a way how to prevent the spread of PRRS virus through consistent and high-level biosecurity. The first results are very promising.

World Nutrition Forum: the future starts now
Achieving peak performance was the theme of this year’s World Nutrition Forum, an event that brought emerging topics and international feed professionals together in Mayrhofen, Austria. The fresh mountain air encouraged discussions on how higher and healthier performance can be achieved over the next 25 years.

New standards for Salmonella
Salmonella infections have always been a problem for pig producers. As from 2010, standards for Salmonella control in Europe will increase. Pig producers in Europe must be aware of, and manage, their obligations in respect of increasing food safety legislation cost-effectively and safely.

China: large food companies step into pig production
The Chinese pork market may be the world’s largest, but a crisis like last year’s showed that China still has quite some steps to take to lift its level of food safety and hygiene. For that reason, large food companies have begun to move into the pig production chain. The Yurun Group is one of the biggest to do so.

Heating the swimming pool with pig manure
Especially in pig dense areas of Western Europe, dealing with manure can be a costly business. For that reason, many German farms have already switched to biogas production – and their numbers keep increasing.

Trace minerals in pig nutrition
Part 5. The big three issues from weaning to slaughter: production, health and environment
As opposed to using inorganic minerals, the inclusion of organic minerals in pig and sow diets bring productive and environmental advantages to all stages of production. Performance is maintained and net margin is increased because of better nutrient utilisation.

GlobalGap: bridging the gaps in certification
To facilitate good agricultural production, there has been a growing need for uniform, recognisable and clear standards around the world. Pig production standards are amongst them, which could be noted at this year’s GlobalGap congress in Cologne, Germany, in October.
 
Pig transports trapped in issues of time and space
Events like transport stress have been shown to cause a number of physical changes in the flavour and quality of pigmeat. Therefore, proper animal welfare standards during transporting are important to both animals and the processing industry.

Epidemiological measures to aid African pig industry
The inclusion of pigs in future research of the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) Epidemiology and Veterinary Public Health is expected to enhance production and marketing of the animals in the sub-region.

Space 2008: new AI products
With EuroTier in Germany looming at the end of this year, the French agricultural show in Brittany still attracted large amounts of people. This September a number of artificial insemination novelties could be found.