By René Roy

Editor’s note: René Roy is Chair, Canadian Pork Council. He can be contacted at ‘roy@cpc-ccp.com.’

When the topic of sustainability in animal agriculture is raised, very often, it’s misunderstood or misinterpreted.

Last year, the Government of Canada published a discussion paper for its ‘Sustainable Agriculture Strategy’ (SAS), which describes a proposed approach to improving agricultural practices in Canada. Unfortunately, the ambition of the strategy outweighs its ability to be practically implemented by the Canadian pork sector. In short, there simply aren’t enough available resources to drive change.

Recognizing the need to clearly articulate its response to the SAS, the Canadian Pork Council (CPC) board of directors recently unveiled our sustainability framework, including a 25-year outlook for the sector, to 2050. The framework includes environmental stewardship, animal health and care, consumer health and food safety, and economic resilience.

Taken together, CPC’s sustainability framework reflects a broader yet more refined approach that is tailored to the unique needs of Canada’s hog producers, including setting realistic short- and medium-term goals that will lay the foundation for long-term targets.

More than just paying lip service to eco-consciousness, sustainability in our sector reflects our commitment to a greener future both for the sake of the environment and for the ongoing viability of pig and pork production, which not only employs thousands of Canadians and feeds millions in Canada and around the world but also adds $24 billion to the national economy every year.

Looking at CPC’s sustainability framework and its principles through the lens of on-farm applications, we find plenty of examples showcasing the great work of producers, reflected in every major hog-producing region in the country.

Renewable energy benefits barns

John Van Engelen runs a 350-sow, farrow-to-finish operation east of Sarnia, Ontario, with help from his daughter and son-in-law – and just about every piece of state-of-the-art barn technology you can imagine.

“I’ve pretty much got everything that’s out there,” said Van Engelen. “We’re doing everything here as efficiently as possible.”

For Van Engelen, that means using modern ventilation, precision feeders and powering his farm exclusively with renewable electricity.

“We have a wind turbine, and we’re in the process of installing solar panels on the roof of our barn,” said Van Engelen. “We actually over-produce power and sell some back to the grid. The cheque I get is as big as my bill!”

Van Engelen’s innovative approach not only supports the principles of sustainability but also contributes directly to herd health and biosecurity.

“Our barn is completely Wi-Fi-linked, and I have RFID [radio-frequency identification] tags on all my animals,” said Van Engelen. “That way, I can track their individual performance and make adjustments to feed rations, as needed.”

Van Engelen’s feeders eliminate waste by automatically dispensing carefully calculated portions six times daily, with two different diets for sows and two different diets for weaners and finishers. His feeders include a Bluetooth-enabled trigger in case hungry pigs would like more feed, which allows Van Engelen to make that happen whether he’s in the barn or anywhere, from his phone.

“I might be in the barn 12 hours a day, but it monitors the barn 24/7,” said Van Engelen. “The fact we have full internet connectivity on our farm helps a lot. Not everyone has that, unfortunately.”

Keeping barns at optimal temperature in the dead of a Canadian winter is a challenge all producers can relate to. Van Engelen fights the elements with the help of an AirWorks Ventilation System heat exchanger built out of field tiles and constructed to capture and recycle heat that exits through fans.  

“When it’s minus-25 degrees-Celsius outside, I can bring that air back into my barn at zero,” said Van Engelen. “The [AirWorks] system I use means that the recycled air is exceptional quality, with no ammonia or harmful gases.”

At the heart of it all, sustainability for Van Engelen is about more than just saving energy and costs, but a decades-long legacy and the ability to be as self-sufficient as possible.

“When things break down, we like to fix them ourselves,” said Van Engelen. “We’re also in succession planning right now. My parents came to Canada more than 60 years ago, and I’ve been at this for more than 40 years. We’re happy to see the farm continuing with the next generation.”

Bang for your buck by combining energy streams

Chris Waldner is the electrician for Hartland Colony, which includes a 650-sow, farrow-to-finish operation, southeast of Edmonton. Six years ago, the farm installed a combined heat and power (CHP) unit to offset their energy usage and recover otherwise-wasted heat, which has helped power their entire colony – not only the farming side but also their homes, school, church and other common buildings. Recovered heat is used as part of the canola-crushing process to separate the canola meal from the oil, serving the farm and providing another income stream.

CHP uses a feedstock like natural gas, methane or biogas, which is efficiently combusted to power an electrical generator. While CHP is better-known for powering large commercial and industrial buildings, it’s becoming increasingly popular on farms.

“Wherever it’s possible to cut costs on the farm, it makes sense,” said Waldner. “This technology has been around in Europe for a long time, so we went over there ourselves to see if it would work for us.”

The CHP unit – manufactured by TEDOM, in Czechia – initially cost more than $600,000 all-in, from purchase to delivery to installation. In just over three years of operation, the capital cost was considered completely recovered, slightly quicker than anticipated, and well before the machine’s useful life expires. It is estimated to be running for another decade, at the bare minimum.

Initially, Hartland’s unit was operating at around 85 per cent capacity, based on need, but starting in mid-2020, the colony was offered a new contract by its utility supplier to be credited for unused electricity.

“At this point, the machine has more than paid for itself,” said Waldner. “We’re running at 100 per cent capacity, all day, all night, and we’re now even putting excess electricity back into the grid.”

The success of Hartland’s first unit prompted them to purchase another nearly two years ago. They opted to go with a $750,000 unit manufactured by Missouri-based Martin Energy Group. Like the first unit, that initial investment is expected to be recovered in a fraction of the time compared to the technology’s lifespan. So far, the newer unit is about half paid-off.

“You’re going to spend a lot for electricity one way or the other,” said Waldner. “Why not invest in the equipment instead?”

Having two units functioning simultaneously has worked excellently for Hartland. In January 2024 alone, the farm earned more than $50,000 selling electricity back to the grid while providing for all of its own needs. Hartland’s success has resonated with neighbouring farms, and so far, more than 10 others are actively investigating or purchasing their own CHP units.

But electricity is not the only form of energy that’s being recycled on Canadian hog farms. Manure represents one of the most widely available and useful products that is fuelling crop growth and reducing the need for chemical fertilizers and related nitrous oxide emissions – another climate-related target for our federal government.

Manure provides valuable nutrients to crops

Peter Gross is the hog barn manager for Sunnydale Colony’s 1,000-sow, farrow-to-finish operation, west of Saskatoon. Three years ago, he began using a device – the John Deere HarvestLab 3000 – that would prove to be a game-changer for precision manure application.

“Before using it, we didn’t realize how much of our manure we were wasting,” said Gross. “If you have a wet or dry year, your field will have different nutritional needs when you go to spread manure in the fall, but applying the right amount in the right places is crucial.”

Because hog manure is incredibly variable in terms of its nutrient profile, lab testing is a necessary but time-consuming first step to being able to use it.

“I used to sample our manure pit at different intervals over several days, then send that out for testing, which took time and money,” said Gross. “Once we started using the new device, we took a sample to validate the levels it was dispensing, and it was very accurate. It does what it claims to.”

The HarvestLab 3000, which retails for around $65,000, measures nutrient levels and makes real-time adjustments to tractor speed based off of the data it contains.

“It’ll speed the tractor up if the nitrogen level is stronger, and it’ll slow the tractor down if it’s weaker,” said Gross. “Last year, we were able to do double the number of acres compared to two years before, and our crop was better compared to when we weren’t using the device.”

Incorporating the technology into Sunnydale’s operation is part of a full-scale transformation.

“You can’t get any better than high-quality, rich, organic manure,” said Gross. “We’ve actually converted entirely to sustainable farming. We try to avoid using any chemical inputs anymore, not only because it’s less environmentally friendly and costs more, but because we’re getting better performance this way.”

According to Gross, some of the grains grown as part of Sunnydale’s crop production are used in their hog rations. Gross believes Sunnydale’s manure-fertilized barley has provided additional gut health benefits compared to conventional barley that’s been desiccated prior to harvest.

“We’ve proven that you don’t need to run the sprayer through the crop before harvest,” said Gross. “The more years we go without using chemicals on our land, the better our land gets.”

Looking at manure differently

When Sylvain Bouffard wanted to expand his 550-sow, farrow-to-finish operation into a 1,500-sow operation two years ago, manure management became important to consider. Whereas many commercial hog farms use manure pits and lagoons to store waste for long periods of time, Bouffard wanted to explore his options. With no crops of his own to fertilize, he began looking for novel opportunities.

“Our industry faces a lot of pressure to do better,” said Bouffard. “For me, looking for alternatives to traditional manure storage makes sense for everyone, including the public and the environment.”

Bouffard’s farm, located in the Beauce region, southeast of Quebec City, is found in one of Canada’s most densely concentrated spots for intensive hog production, placing it in a position of frequent scrutiny. It’s for that reason Solugen Global – a supplier of nitrogen-based fertilizer made from livestock waste – purchased its processing facility in nearby Lévis. After two years and more than $20 million of renovations later, earlier this year, the company commercialized its flagship product, called ‘Azogen.’

“In recent years, the concept of a circular economy has gained traction across various industries as a sustainable alternative to the traditional linear economic model of ‘take, make, dispose,’” said André Beaulieu Blanchette, President & CEO, Solugen. “Azogen exemplifies the application of circular economy principles in agriculture by reducing greenhouse gases that commonly result from conventional manure storage and surface application to crop fields.”

Solugen Global started its journey with Bouffard as its first client and has since recruited other hog producers in the Beauce region, from whom the company collects manure every day, Monday through Friday. For producers, it eliminates the need to store the manure and reduces odours by around 90 per cent – a major benefit to the surrounding community.

“We are able to process up to 150,000 tonnes of manure a year, which represents about 150,000 finishing pigs’ worth,” said Blanchette. “Our goal is not just to take the manure and transform it for our own purposes but to establish long-term partnerships with our producers who supply it.”

Solugen Global subjects the collected manure to a screw press system to separate the liquid and solid components. Following separation, liquid components are heated through a propriety process that generates several sub-products, including clean water and a nutrient-rich solution. The water is filtered and returned to the local municipal system, while the organic solution is turned into Azogen.

Azogen is endorsed by the Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI) as an authorized product for use in organic production in the U.S.; however, at present, the product is not yet authorized for use in organic agriculture in Canada. Nevertheless, Azogen is registered as a fertilizer by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and can still be used in conventional agriculture. Currently, all sales of Azogen are to U.S.-based distributors for organic and regenerative agriculture. While sales are strong, Blanchette looks forward to advancing the organic approval process in Canada.

“Ultimately, we have a disagreement over product claims,” said Blanchette. “We’re excited to build our brand in Canada and hope that we can overcome this regulatory hurdle.”

Sustainability fatigue isn’t hard to come by in agriculture, on account of costs and barriers like red tape, in Solugen Global’s case. For most hog producers, financing is the single biggest challenge to overcome. 

Investment is key to implementation

Kevin Kurbis is the Director of Hog Solutions for AgriHub: a group of brands working together to serve livestock sectors in Manitoba and across western Canada. In his experience with hog producers, Kurbis has noticed a lot of common challenges and potential solutions, both short- and long-term.

“Over the last while, the mentality has been, ‘fix what you have to,’” said Kurbis. “For example, if you spend $50,000 up front to purchase some new equipment, and the energy savings make it pay for itself in two years, producers understand the math, but the cash just isn’t there for a lot of them.”

Echoing many across the industry, Kurbis believes a combination of unfortunate market forces and unfavourable investment is making it difficult for producers to make efficiency improvements.

“The solution isn’t necessarily more government money but more secured access to capital,” said Kurbis. “Even as interest rates cool, costs aren’t. The new reality of inputs is that everything is higher. The only way it can be sustainable is if the market changes.”

Despite costs, Kurbis believes that ingenuity can continue to play a role.

“Not all savings are obvious. There’s the hidden expense of feed conversion that is often overlooked,” said Kurbis. “If a producer can improve that, it’s actually going to have a higher payback than saving a bit of electricity. It’s just hard to quantify.”

During this year’s MAGAPOR International Technical Meeting, in Spain, Kurbis was invited to speak to the environmental impact of sows.

“Heating and ventilation are obviously needed in a country like Canada, but cooling isn’t something we talk a lot about, for instance,” said Kurbis. “Some of the technologies being developed like cooling pads are showing some pretty impressive health impacts, which can make sows less energy-dependent, reducing their need for feed.”

Altogether, Kurbis is hopeful that producers are able to realize the potential within their operations and work toward solutions that lower their environmental footprint while saving them money.

“All efficiency improvements are based on your starting point,” said Kurbis. “The more room you have to improve, the more attractive it might be for you to start making changes.”

And while hog producers across Canada range in terms of their ability to become more sustainable, there are several commonalities working against them: the federal government’s lofty climate goals, lack of access to applicable financial support and a carbon tax that is driving up costs and making Canadian pork less competitive relative to other jurisdictions.

Producers are committed but need support

Above all, sustainability improvements in the Canadian pork sector have not been achieved overnight; they’ve taken decades of research, development, testing and appropriate financing to see great ideas turned into practical solutions – and they still have a long way to go.

While Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (SCAP) funding programs can support the transition toward the use of clean technologies in agriculture, inconsistency in their delivery and criteria make them difficult to access.

Moreover, the annually increasing carbon tax continues to threaten many operations that are already facing pressures beyond their control. Heating barns promotes a high standard of animal welfare, but producers today have few viable options except to use natural gas or propane for this purpose.

Despite the best efforts of producers, and despite government funding to match capital investments into technology, the bridge to net-zero agricultural emissions by 2050 – a federal government commitment made in 2021 – still appears well out-of-reach.

At the most basic level, Canada’s hog producers are often fighting a losing battle against political pressures that are making sustainability a monumental task. Unless policy-makers can meet the sector halfway and recognize the work already done, along with providing adequate support for work in the future, it’s unlikely we will get there.

Even so, Canada’s hog producers are leading the way as defenders of food safety, food security, food affordability and food sustainability. The CPC’s sustainability framework serves as a roadmap to long-term success by providing opportunities to explore innovations and efficiencies in hog production, enhancing the Canadian pork sector’s competitiveness and leadership in the global marketplace.

By Arno Schober

Editor’s note: Arno Schober is Chair, Swine Innovation Porc (SIP). For more information, contact ‘mmcmullen@swineinnovationporc.ca.’

The ever-changing nature of the Canadian pork sector is something that producers across our country need to consider and adapt to. Research and innovation provide us with important insights to make informed decisions on our farms as well as down the value chain to support continued growth and advancement. Investment in research and innovation has paved the way for sustainable practices, enhanced productivity and elevated us to the third-largest exporter of pork products globally.

Future challenges and opportunities to create real value for Canadian pork producers and the broader industry rely on our collective ability to foster research and innovation. By working together across producer organizations, research institutions, industry and government, we can unlock exciting research advancements that will have a significant and lasting impact on the resilience of our sector.

I have seen first-hand the positive impact of coordinated and collaborative research through my involvement with Swine Innovation Porc (SIP). Since 2010, SIP has provided effective oversight of three successful research clusters, and now with the launch of Swine Cluster 4 in February 2024, we are spearheading innovation that will drive further progress within the Canadian pork industry.

These successes have given us a strong foundation to build from. With continued organizational development and partnership with our members, we can enhance efforts to deliver meaningful results for the benefit of the sector.

On the road to 2028

Last year, SIP completed a strategic planning exercise to build a roadmap taking us to 2028. This consultation process was focused on gaining knowledge and feedback from our key stakeholders including provincial pork producer organizations, researchers and industry partners to ensure a collaborative and inclusive approach.

Through this process, the transformative strength of collaboration and partnership has shaped our strategic plan. These principles are not only integral to achieving our priorities but also in driving the continuous advancement to build a strong and sustainable future for the Canadian pork industry.

Based on the insights shared during the consultations, our strategic plan focuses on four key priorities: partnerships, communication, funding and excellence.

Guided by our new strategic plan, SIP is supporting the sector to tackle national strategic priorities, such as disease management, feed efficiency and environmental sustainability, while sharing knowledge and expertise with producers and industry.

Swine Cluster 4 has successfully secured a joint government-industry investment of $20.1 million over five years. This funding will bolster 18 comprehensive research and knowledge transfer initiatives, engaging more than 50 researchers across 13 institutions. Furthermore, the recent support from the Pork Promotion and Research Agency (PPRA) promises to serve as a catalyst for collaborative research, driving forward our sector’s key priorities.

With industry, government and academia united around shared priorities in Swine Cluster 4, targeted research is underway to help move our sector forward. Research activities in the cluster are investigating the development of new vaccines and antimicrobial alternatives, sustainable management practices, productivity-enhancing feed strategies, enhanced genetics, improved meat quality and much more.

As we move into year two of Swine Cluster 4, our team is focused on getting research updates, findings and practical applications in the hands of pork producers and the broader industry. We are committed to working closely with provincial pork producer organizations and industry partners to ensure you receive the information and research insights you need to make decisions on your farm through timely and efficient communications channels.

We understand that much of the research projects in our past Swine Cluster programs have laid foundational groundwork, with practical applications yet to fully materialize. However, it’s essential to recognize that the outcomes from these projects serve as building blocks for future innovative solutions. Our hope is that in the not-too-distant future, these advancements will directly impact your farm operations and enable our industry to navigate challenges more effectively, ultimately ensuring the efficient delivery of our nutritious, high-quality pork products to markets here at home and around the world.

Keep up with the latest

Stay tuned! We are looking forward to sharing more exciting updates, findings and practical applications from the research projects in Swine Cluster 4, from past cluster research and through the support provided by PPRA.

To learn more about SIP, we invite you to visit our website, ‘swineinnovationporc.ca.’ To keep informed on the latest research outcomes and insights, follow us on Facebook (@SwineInnovationPorc), X (@SwineInnovation) and LinkedIn.

By Joey Dearborn

Editor’s note: Joey Dearborn is Communications and Website Coordinator, Manitoba Pork. He can be contacted at ‘jdearborn@manitobapork.com.’

Earning public trust in food and farming is a hallmark for commodity organizations like Manitoba Pork. Having the social license to operate allows producers and the entire industry to continue to grow our sector and build livelihoods for people across our province. In Manitoba alone, 55 per cent of all full-time jobs in agriculture and food manufacturing come from pork, equating to around 22,000 people working in the hog sector across the province.

Through this idea, the Pork Proud Ambassador Program was born. Pork Proud is designed to help empower producers and those who work in the industry with the tools to communicate with the public, including consumers and students who may not have the whole story as to where their food comes from.

“Manitoba Pork created this program with the idea to multiply the number of voices who share good news about our sector and also help build educators who can in turn create more public trust,” said Kristen Matwychuk, Community Engagement Coordinator, Manitoba Pork. “Farmers continue to be the most credible source of information when it comes to our food, and we know that with more Canadians being concerned about the food production and costs, we want to be able to share the great story about Manitoba’s hog sector with as many people as we can.”

Recent data compiled by the Canadian Centre for Food Integrity (CCFI) shows that farmers are considered the most trusted authorities on food, ranking higher than scientists, the Canadian agriculture sector overall, government agencies, processors and manufacturers. This inherent trust is a key foundation of the Pork Proud program, positioning pork producers and industry experts to provide positive and accurate information about our dynamic industry, while at the same time building public trust. The same CCFI data showed that Canadians are sensitive to misinformation about how food is produced in Canada, which is why they are open to hearing the facts about what they decide to feed their families.

“We want ambassadors to be comfortable with answering questions and debunking misinformation,” said Matwychuk. “We know that in the social media age, there are a lot of mistruths out there about how animals are cared for and about how we protect the environment, so we want to be able to convey information in an easily understood way and provide consumers with a holistic understanding of our sector.”

To become a Pork Proud ambassador, the first step is an in-person introductory course. Training sessions that follow include a mix of required and optional workshops in a variety of subject areas, including answering tough questions, storytelling through social media, written communications, communicating with decision makers like politicians and media training. Ambassadors also receive a robust information kit with fact sheets, Q&As, relevant training documents and branded items that readily identify their roles.

The first training session was held in March at the Bruce D. Campbell Farm and Food Discovery Centre in Winnipeg. The location is Manitoba’s premier agriculture education facility and allowed participants the ability to practice their skills in an environment frequently used for events with the public.

“Having the ability to showcase the inside of a real working Manitoba hog barn is one of the key pieces of the Farm and Food Discovery Centre,” said Matwychuk. “Every year, we host events there with other commodities, so we were able to practice some of the questions our staff get at each event and work through some of the best practices for answering those.”

Manitoba Pork takes part in a variety of events throughout the year, including the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair, Discover Ag in the City, Discover the Farm and other community events that allow for in-depth conversations about the hog sector, swapping recipes and cooking tips, as well as handing out fun promotional items like squishy pigs. These opportunities also allow the public to engage one-on-one with a farmer and ask all about life on a Manitoba hog farm.

“I took the Pork Proud training to gain more confidence in dealing with the public at community events and on social media platforms,” said Sheldon Dyck, a hog farmer from southeastern Manitoba and a new Pork Proud ambassador. “As hog farmers, we understand the daily routines of what happens on the farm, but it’s often hard to communicate that to someone who doesn’t have a full understanding of agriculture. I am looking forward to taking more training and developing new skills.”

As the program continues to grow, Manitoba Pork hopes to attract new ambassadors from across the value chain, which could allow the organization to broaden the number of community events they participate in each year.

“Everyone who works in agriculture has a story to tell about why they love working in our sector, and empowering people to share that story is why this program is so exciting,” said Matwychuk. “Hearing those stories allows people to connect deeply with where their food comes from and that couldn’t be a better advertisement for our sector’s positive impact in Manitoba.”

By Maude Richer-Lanciault

Editor’s note: Maude Richer-Lanciault is Monogastric Nutrition Manager, Trouw Nutrition. For more information, contact ‘lauren.dawson@trouwnutrition.com.’

With earlier and warmer temperatures during the summer, heat stress is a concern across Canada. Warm and humid weather can create sow performance issues in barns. With modern hyperprolific sows, this can be a real puzzle to solve. Weather cannot be controlled, but there are some solutions to help manage the impact of heat stress in sows.

Why are pigs sensitive to heat stress?

Pigs are particularly sensitive to heat stress because they do not sweat. To lower their body temperature, pigs will send more blood from the intestines to the skin surface to dissipate heat out to the environment. This can cause damage to intestinal cells due to a lack of oxygen. Thus, nutrient absorption decreases and the pig becomes more susceptible to pathogens, known as ‘leaky gut syndrome.’ With this, their feed intake and performance will decrease (Figure 1).

The genetics and physiological composition of domesticated pigs has changed considerably in recent years, and we have seen a significant decrease in fat deposition. From 1991 to 2001, the body lean tissue rate increased by 1.55 per cent. This increase of lean muscle increased metabolic heat production by 14.6 per cent. In turn, the increase in body heat production requires an adjustment to barn ventilation to remove this extra heat.

The thermoneutrality zone is the temperature zone in which pigs perform best. The ideal temperature for sows is 18 degrees-Celsius. At temperatures above 23 degrees-Celsius, sows begin to experience heat stress and their feed intake will start to be affected. Between 20 degrees-Celsius and 30 degrees-Celsius, feed intake will be reduced by 23 per cent. Ambient temperature is not the only factor that causes heat stress; humidity also plays a role. Depending on relative humidity, the apparent temperature may be different and is what the sow will feel. For example, a barn with high humidity of 80 per cent will be in heat stress danger at 26 degrees-Celsius, whereas another barn with similar temperature and 70 per cent humidity will be on heat stress alert (Figure 2). It is important to control the environment in your barn.

What can we do to support our sows during a heat stress period?

To support sows experiencing heat stress, the environmentin the barn should be monitored and adjusted appropriately, with consideration given to ventilation, cooling systems and heat pads for piglets. Drip cooling, by applying water on the pig’s skin, can have a cooling effect, potentially in combination with higher air speeds. Air movement is essential with this cooling technique due to the increase of moisture in the room. It is important to keep the sows and piglets comfortable. Care should be taken to avoid a draft on piglets, since newborn piglets have higher thermoneutrality than sows. Air quality should be assessed for the welfare of both animals and workers.

The quality and quantity of wateris extremely important for sows; it should always be readily available and be of good quality. Water quality assessments to determine mineral composition and microbiology should be performed before the summer. Water flow at multiple points should be verified. The barn should have enough water drinkers for the sows in the group housing section. Cool water will help the sows to better manage a high temperature.

If you see a change in the sows’ feeding patterns, match this pattern to your feed allocation program. Lactation feed should be available during cooler periods of the day, during early morning and late night, and feed should be kept fresh and clean to stimulate intake.

Using nutrition to combat heat stress

As heat stress reduces a sow’s feed intake, it can subsequently depress milk production, leading to reduced piglet body weight gain. Your nutritionist can work with you to find the best strategy for summer management in your barn. Many options are available, including solutions like adjusting the feeding program, the use of specific additives or changes in diet formulations.

Many tools can be used to adjust your feeding program during heat stress. For example, Trouw Nutrition’s NutriOpt Sow Model can determine the target feed intake according to different temperatures and evaluate the best density for your feed and customize the program according to your environment, genetics, performance and management.

An adjustment of the density of the feed can also support a lower feed intake during summer. For instance, a specific adjustment of amino acid ratios with energy, protein level, fibre and other nutrients can keep the feed balanced with higher density. Altogether, the goal should be to support sows’ needs and create less heat during the digestive process. It is also important to keep the feed very palatable to stimulate feed intake, as sows have excellent taste perception.

Oxidative stress impacts high-producing animals, especially under challenging conditions like heat stress. Antioxidants reduce the damaging effects of oxidative stress. The addition of an antioxidant package to the feed can support your sows during the heat stress period.

In a research trial, the addition of a mix of polyphenols – Trouw Nutrition’s Selko POmix flavour blend – increased sows’ reproductive performance, compared with a control group that only received Vitamin E. Polyphenols reduce lipid peroxidation before and during heat stress by decreasing malondialdehyde (MDA) production (Table 1). The addition of the flavour blend containing polyphenols increased lactation feed intake, increased the number of piglets weaned and increased litter weaning weight. Therefore, based on the results of this study, the use of polyphenols may increase the antioxidant capacity in sow diets to improve piglet performance while maintaining cost per piglet produced.

Several other additives are available on the market. For example, for leaky gut syndrome, adding antioxidants and osmoregulatory compounds, such as betaine, helps prevent the negative effects of heat stress in pigs. It is better to select the additive that will have the best return on investment and fit with your needs.

Heat stress impacts performance on multiple levels and can have large impacts on sow farms. It is best to adopt multiple strategies to reduce its negative effects. Farm strategies include ensuring water quality and availability for all pigs and adjusting the environment for the correct temperature and humidity in the barn. Feeding strategies include keeping your feed palatable and fresh, adding an antioxidant package or other additives, and adjusting the feed density. Your nutritionist can help evaluate these factors and recommend strategies to reduce the impacts of heat stress on your farm.

By Andrew Heck

Unlike counting sheep, counting wild boar won’t lull anyone to sleep. It’s a tedious job, and locating these elusive creatures is often best done at night, when they’re most active.

Eurasian wild boar were introduced into Canada in the 1980s as a livestock diversification strategy; however, obvious drawbacks quickly outweighed intended benefits. As these resilient animals escaped or were deliberately released from farms and controlled hunting sites, they quickly became established as an invasive, highly destructive population in local ecosystems. Their ongoing presence jeopardizes crops, livestock and the environment, drawing keen interest from diverse stakeholders.

For hog producers, the primary concern is that wild boar could potentially transmit diseases like African Swine Fever (ASF) and Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD), which, if discovered in Canada, would likely close most foreign markets to trade in Canadian pork, worth more than $5 billion every year. FMD would impact not only pigs but other ruminants, like cattle, affecting beef trade. Valued partners are counting on the Canadian pork industry to fend off these diseases, and as a result, support for wild boar control continues to grow, as public awareness increases.

In early 2023, Alberta Pork approached Results Driven Agriculture Research (RDAR) – the Government of Alberta’s non-profit agricultural research funding organization – to support a wild boar monitoring project with the University of Calgary. With assistance from Alberta Pork and Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation, researchers and producers across the province have been working together to find out where wild boar are concentrated, how they’re interacting with wild and domestic animals, and what kinds of diseases they might be spreading.

While the project is still ongoing, researchers and their partners are eager to share more about the work, why it matters, and what producers, the agriculture industry and the public can do to help.

Wild boar home range likely larger in Alberta

Getting an accurate tally of wild boar on Alberta’s vast landscape is no easy task, but through the use of strategically placed wildlife cameras, researchers are able to get a 24/7 view of crop fields, pastures and bush across many of the province’s rural municipalities.

Mathieu Pruvot is an Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Calgary. Working with graduate students Devin Fitzpatrick, Oshin Ley and Luis Salazar, the group has undertaken various components of research, covering the ecology of wild boar to surveillance and testing for pathogens, which requires collecting and analyzing large volumes of information.

“We’re going to learn a lot from the data we gather, in terms of where to look and what to look for,” said Pruvot. “There has been a lot of discussion and coordination between the partners on this work, and we’re trying to figure out how to sustain this long-term to support the bigger goals, like potential eradication.”

Eradication efforts in the province, directed by Alberta Pork and Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation, have been underway for several years, but to optimize those efforts, emphasis on specific areas is expected to help.

“The more you understand about movements, the more targeted you can be with trap placements,” said Fitzpatrick. “What we’re doing is trying to get information to help make decisions down the line.”

Last year, Fitzpatrick used wild boar sighting data to identify areas containing suspected populations, then placed wildlife cameras in those general locations by randomly selecting spots using GIS software. In total, she has 84 cameras spread across 14 clusters, with six cameras each. They’re divided between Woodlands County, Lac Ste. Anne County and Yellowhead County, west of Edmonton, and the County of Two Hills, County of St. Paul and Vermilion River County, east of Edmonton. The cameras are located on a mix of private and public land, in different kinds of habitats.

Now that the cameras have been in place for roughly one year, memory cards are in the process of being collected for analysis, while continuing to monitor for another year with fresh cards. As no wild boar density estimates for Alberta currently exist, the researchers are aiming to establish an approximation, followed by ‘home range’ measurements for the groups, called ‘sounders.’

Data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) suggests feral swine in the southern U.S. have a home range of less than eight square kilometres, but the researchers are working to establish parameters for Alberta’s wild boar population. Further work with GPS-collared wild boar males and females can also shed light on information such as contact within and between sounders, which informs potential disease transmission rates.

When wild boar sounders are captured through eradication efforts, carcasses are sent to a provincial government necropsy lab, then made available as part of this research.

Rooting out the source of disease

Aside from trying to gauge the spread and density of wild boar populations, understanding which diseases they carry has generated valuable insight into the risks they pose to livestock.

Tests performed on samples gathered from wild boar carcasses suggest the same strains of Porcine Circovirus 2 & 3 (PCV2 & PCV3) commonly found in domestic pig production are being discovered in wild boar.

“It’s one of the important diseases that’s challenging the pork sector and economy,” said Ley.

In addition to PCV2 & PCV3, Ley’s work involves performing serological tests to determine the strains of Influenza A, Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS), Mycoplasma and Erisypelas found in samples.

Following serological testing, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing of wild boar tissues and sequencing is helping to characterize pathogens, to determine whether transmission is occurring frequently between wild boar and domestic pigs or whether the pathogens are largely spreading within wild boar, in isolation. Wild boar scat, on the other hand, is being analyzed for genetic markers of antimicrobial resistance and whether those genes are being exchanged between wild boar and domestic pigs.

Lab results have also shown the presence of viruses that are suspected to have been contracted from other wildlife species. As opportunistic omnivores, it’s speculated that consumption of infected carcasses may be the culprit.

“This isn’t very surprising itself,” said Pruvot. “There’s been a lot of transmission of viruses between wild and domestic animals in the past couple of years in Canada. But this is significant, as it suggests that wild boar are picking up pathogens that commonly spread in other hosts, including livestock. This should not be ignored.”

When it comes to concerns over the potential to spread ASF specifically, the team is developing a model to understand how the virus might spread if it were to enter the wild boar population. That information could prove vital in the event it’s needed.

Producer support integral to efforts

For producers like Jurgen Preugschas, being involved with wild boar surveillance was a no-brainer.

“It’s always been worrisome to me, especially when I was a purebred breeder, since health is so important,” said Preugschas. “We’ve been fortunate to experience only limited damage over the years, but we continue to see them.”

Preugschas currently operates a medium-sized wean-to-finish operation near Mayerthorpe, in an area where wild boar have long been sighted and are being targeted for eradication.

“Being that nothing was done to control the situation starting in the 1980s, it’s developed into a pretty widespread problem in our area,” said Preugschas. “Eliminating wild boar from certain areas is going to be really hard. It’s going to require government commitment and support from industry.”

While the problem is clear to commercial producers like Preugschas, he’s concerned that alarm bells may not be ringing for some producers.

“The challenge for small-scale producers is to understand that they are part of a connected industry. It may not be a big-ticket item to them, but it can have a massive impact overall,” said Preugschas. “Not only diseases like ASF and FMD, but trichinosis could also be a concerned for producers with outdoor pigs.”

James Tschetter runs a 24,000-head finishing operation near Wanham. He recently completed disinfecting his barn, as a biosecurity measure – a practice used by producers to uphold animal welfare and food safety standards. He has also joined the research project, along with two of his neighbours.

“We’ve got a lot of wildlife up here, so I think it’s important we know where wild boar are,” said Tschetter. “It’s a big biosecurity issue for us. From my understanding, wild boar are in the county to our south.”

Tschetter’s eagerness for the project is reflected by Alberta Pork’s dedication to addressing the problem.

“They’re putting their money where their mouth is,” said Tschetter. “It’s good to know they’re on top of this, making a great team effort.”

Small-scale producer engagement needed

As the work continues, the team is eager to spread the word about the project and recruit new producers to participate.

“A lot of this project hinges on collaboration with producers,” said Pruvot. “This includes generating observations and reports of wild boar, and most specifically documenting occurrences on farms through the survey we’re conducting.”

Pruvot reiterated that camera tracking and reported sightings by members of the public are not mutually exclusive; sightings help identify areas to target, which makes the best use of the resources at their disposal and provides greater focus.

The project so far has seen positive support from many of the commercial producers approached; however, opportunity and motivation exist to involve more small-scale producers, especially outdoor productions. Though many of these individuals may consider themselves to be outside of the industry, the need for their participation cannot be under-stated.

“They may not have seen wild boar personally, so they think it has nothing to do with them,” said Salazar. “But some of their farms are in the core areas, where most of the sightings are coming from. We want to hear from them, as they’re really our eyes in rural areas.”

For producers who have experienced repeated encounters with wild boar, a more detailed sub-study is taking place to understand interactions with livestock on those farms. Creating this understanding for Alberta matters, as the province’s wild boar population is distinct from those in the southern U.S., along with Europe, where Eurasian wild boar are native.

While a full summary of results is not yet available, Pruvot is confident that the project is moving in the right direction. Rather than approaching the efforts as a one-off to satisfy the ends of the project, Pruvot recognizes the need for continued and increased stakeholder engagement, to achieve mutual goals.

“It’s starting to tell us the story of what’s happening,” said Pruvot. “I think we’re going to learn quite a bit from this, and we are doing our best to generate information that is directly relevant to the pork industry and our partners in the provincial and federal governments.”

In addition to camera installations, the team is actively running a survey for all hog producers in Alberta – no matter the production size or type, and regardless of whether they have personally seen wild boar on their properties – which comes with the chance to win a gift card, as a little incentive. Producers interested in taking part can access the survey using the QR code found in this article.

Keeping the momentum going

Across North America, concern for the wild boar problem, and the recommended management strategies, differ; however, when it comes to Alberta’s efforts, partnerships between producers, researchers, government and industry have been integral to gaining a handle on the issue.

“We’ve been satisfied with the research so far, and we hope everyone will see the value in it,” said Javier Bahamon, Quality Assurance and Production Manager, Alberta Pork. “We encourage all producers who are interested to help out the researchers.”

Alberta Pork and its partners remain committed to the cause, supporting healthy livestock and ecosystems, and creating assurances among global partners that the pork industry is doing everything it can to protect pigs that are transformed into the high-quality pork on their customers’ plates.