European Union - Trade of live pigs
The intra-EU exchanges (Comext) of pigs less than 50 kg amounted to around 200 000 tonnes in 2008. Assuming an average weight of 25 kg, this is equivalent to 8 million young pigs.
Page 36 of articles about piglet
Effects of creep diet complexity on individual consumption characteristics and growth performance of neonatal and weanling pigs
The use of a complex creep diet may improve piglet performance during lactation and the number of pigs that consume creep feed
Dimension and design of the farrowing unit
The Danish pig producers’ research organisation has tested a number of different designs. They recommend pen dimensions of 2.7x1.8 m to accommodate modern prolific breeds.
Netherlands - More pigs from Denmark
The majority of imported pigs in Holland come from Denmark. During 2009, Holland imported three times as many piglets, with imports from Denmark being nearly five times higher than the year before.
Hormone management (II)
When the sow is pregnant, the corpus luteum remains and continues to produce progesterone. While the levels of progesterone are high the sow does not become in heat and maintains gestation.
Feed management after weaning
Without a doubt weaning is the most stressful process suffered by a pig, or at least it is up until that moment in its life.
Piglet colostrum intake
Colostrum offers 3 essential properties to the piglet: very useful energy source (vital for generating movement and avoiding temperature loss), immune supply (protects against germs that the piglet begins to come into contact with) and natural growth factors (complete the maturity of the piglet).
The importance of the first hours of life
Piglets are born with very limited energy reserves: compared to other newborn mammals, they have much less energy stored per kg liveweight.
Preparing gruel
The use of pulped food incites consumption and allows a smoother transition from milk to feed.
History and controversy of disease
Joaquim Segalés, professor at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona and researcher at the Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA) (research centre for animal health), was one of the first researchers to discover PMWS and PDNS in Spain. He will be in charge of this section where every month articles will be published on the latest themes, especially from a practical point of view. These themes will include etiology, patogenicity, epidemiology, diagnostic, treatment and prevention of porcine circovirus-associated diseases. A possible hypothesis will also be presented on the emergence of porcine circovirus on a worldwide level.