Farmscape for November 9, 2018

The Chair of Swine Innovation Porc says research aimed at reducing antibiotic use while maintaining the health and productivity of the herd is among the organization's top priorities.
Swine Innovation Porc administers research funding provided through Canada's pork organizations, pork sector stakeholders and government.
Swine Innovation Porc Chair Stewart Cressman told Manitoba Pork's 2018 Fall Producer meetings this week one of the priorities is to provide tools that will allow reduced use of antibiotics while maintaining productivity and efficiency.

Clip-Stewart Cressman-Swine Innovation Porc:
We know we'll still have antibiotics available for the treatment of disease but there is questions about this whole idea of prevention.
There's a multi-prong effort as we look at using genetics, which is some separate initiatives, genetics and more robustness through genetics.
We're looking as well at having a lot of projects on the microbiome, which is the microorganisms in the gut and looking at ensuring that the correct ones are there because it has a big impact on the immune response of the young pig so there's a number of efforts on that.
There's some on looking at health as well.
We'll be looking at some welfare projects that relate to transportation and loose sow housing.
We're also concerned with emerging issues.
As we see African Swine Fever move across Europe and move in China the question is what can we do from a health perspective to improve biosecurity as well.

Cressman notes an agric-science project that will be totally dedicated to health is also now under development.
For Farmscape.Ca, I'm Bruce Cochrane.

       *Farmscape is a presentation of Sask Pork and Manitoba Pork