Welcome to July s Newsletter Ciarán Carroll

Transcription

1 August 2015 Editor: Amy Quinn Welcome to July s Newsletter Ciarán Carroll Welcome to the August edition of our monthly newsletter. This month the long awaited TAMS Pig & Poultry scheme was announced. Unfortunately not everything that was expected has been included in the scheme however there are a number of options for pig producers to consider. There s 40% grant aid available with the maximum investment ceiling set at 80,000. The good news for the Northern part of the country is that we have set about recruiting a new Specialist Pig Development Officer, to be based at Ballyhaise. The post has been advertised and interviews will be held shortly. Preparation is underway for the Teagasc Pig Farmers Conference The conference will take place on the 20 th of October in the Cavan Crystal Hotel and on the 21 st of October in the Horse and Jockey Hotel. Please make sure to put these dates in your diary as it is shaping up to be another great event with several speakers covering a broad array of topics. We are also currently preparing for the national Ploughing Championship where we will be based in the Teagasc tent for the three day event. If you are attending any of the days please make sure to come and visit us. We look forward to seeing many of you there again this year. In this issue: TAMS II Update Barley Is six better than two? Home millers - Are you losing FCE with soya? National Pig Research Centre- Update Gas euthanasia of pigs Energy supplementation for the modern sow

2 TAMS II Update: Launch of Pig and Poultry Investment Scheme Amy Quinn Simon Coveney, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, announced the Pig and Poultry Investment Scheme in mid-august. At the announcement Minister Coveney said, I am delighted to launch the new Pig and Poultry Investment Scheme. This investment of 17m reflects my Department s on-going commitment to the growth potential of this important sector and to the modernisation of farming in Ireland. I hope that pig and poultry farmers will look very seriously at the opportunities offered by this new scheme. In total 395m has been made available for all of the TAMS II schemes over the course of the rural development programme period, with 17m of these funds set aside for the pig and poultry sector under this scheme, with additional funding available under some of the other TAMS II schemes. What is eligible? The areas of investment made available in this scheme include: medicine dispenser units, water meters, solar panels, heat recovery units/heat pumps, energy efficient boilers, feed system upgrades (for medication reduction and energy efficiency), energy efficient upgrading for farrowing, weaner and fattener housing (covering; lighting, insulation, ventilation, heat pads, creep covers). What level of grant aid is available in this scheme? The scheme is open to all farmers who meet the eligibility criteria, offering a standard rate of 40% grant aid available up to an investment ceiling of 80,000 (i.e. 40% of 80,000) or a ceiling of 160,000 in the case of a joint application by two eligible applicants. When is the closing date? The first tranche/round of applications will run initially for three months, closing at the end of October and the following Tranche will commence after that. The overall closing date for all schemes is 31st December What is a tranche? Each scheme is made up of tranches which is essentially a round of applications. A tranche is usually 3 months long and is a way of allocating expenditure over the RDP period Within each Tranche all applications received in that period will be assessed and ranked to keep the expenditure within budget. The highest ranked applications are sent for potential approval for the relevant scheme. Applications which are unsuccessful in any tranche period will automatically carried over to the next tranche period, until the time comes that the entire scheme closes for applications. The tranche closing date should not be confused with the scheme closing date. Where do I apply? Unlike the TAMS I scheme all TAMS II schemes applications must be made online, either by the farmer themselves or an authorised adviser acting on their behalf. Applications can be made under agfood.ie however you firstly must be a registered user of the Department s website. Applications made by post, fax, , etc will not be accepted. Full details of the Pig and Poultry Investment Scheme can be found at: armingschemesandpayments/farmbuildings/tams iisupportdocs/pigandpoultryinvestmentscheme/p igpoultistsandcs pdf.

3 What else is available for pig farms? The Pig and Poultry Investment Scheme deals exclusively with energy efficiency for pig farms. However the Animal Welfare, Safety and Nutrient Storage Scheme and the Young Farmers Capital Investment Scheme also contains funding for items that may be applicable for pig farmers. These include; slat replacement, rewiring of existing farm building, ancillary concrete, mass concrete tanks, unroofed enclosures (concrete floors, walls, gates and barriers). The Animal Welfare, Safety and Nutrient Storage Scheme was launched with the Low Emission Slurry Spreading Scheme in mid-july. This scheme has 40% grant aid available up to an investment ceiling of 80,000 per holding (i.e. 40% of 80,000) or a ceiling of 160,000 in the case of a joint application by two eligible applicants. Full details of this scheme, including a comprehensive list of items eligible for funding is available at: armingschemesandpayments/farmbuildings/tams iisupportdocs/awsnss/awsafetynutrientstorsche metandcs pdf. Additionally, the first tranche for the Young Farmers Capital Investment Scheme, for new buildings or upgrading of existing infrastructure, is still open. This scheme is only open to young, trained farmers (not more than 40 years of age, have a level 6 qualification in agricultural education and have commenced farming in the past 5 years) from all sectors, including pigs. The items available for grant aid are the same as those available in the Pig and Poultry scheme and the Animal Welfare, Safety and Nutrient Storage Scheme. However, there is 60% grant aid available up to an investment ceiling of 80,000 (i.e. 60% of 80,000) or a ceiling of 160,000 in the case of a registered farm partnership, where one farmer is deemed to be an eligible young trained farmer. In the case of a partnership, 60% grant aid is available for the first 80,0000 and 40% on the remaining balance up to a limit of 160,000. Full details of the scheme, including a comprehensive list of items eligible for funding is available at: armingschemesandpayments/farmbuildings/tams iisupportdocs/youngfarmercapitalinvestmentsche me/yfcapitalinvestschemetandcs pdf. If you need to buy or replace a slurry tanker the Low Emission Slurry Spreading Scheme may be of interest. The aim of this scheme is to encourage the use of environmentally-friendly slurry spreading equipment (slurry tanks with trailing shoe, shallow injection system, dribble bar and umbilical system), with 40% grant aid available up to an investment ceiling of 40,000 (i.e. 40% of 40,000) or a ceiling of 60,000 in the case of a joint application by two eligible applicants. Full details of this scheme, including a comprehensive list of items eligible for funding is available at: armingschemesandpayments/farmbuildings/tams iisupportdocs/lowemissionsslurryspreadingschem e/leslurryspreadingschemetandcs pdf.

4 Barley Is Six Better Than Two? Edgar Garcia Manzanilla As we are in the middle of harvest time homemillers are looking at options to purchase wheat and barley for the forthcoming months. Does the fact that the barley grain is from a two or six row head make any difference? In many countries the two row barley is used principally for beer fermentation (malting) because it has more starch (energy) and less protein. The difference in protein levels between 2 & 6 rows can be as high as 2% but as barley is mainly used as an energy source in pig diets this is not a huge concern. The six row barley contains lower energy and higher protein but performs better in moist soils and with low humidity and high nitrogen available, this may give an even larger protein differential. From a pig producers view point you would ideally aim to use 2 row barley because the energy levels of NE or DE are a little higher than in 6 row barley and for the pigs FCE. However in many cases the quality variability of the barley itself is as important as whether it s either 2 or 6 row. Ideally the samples should be measured by NIR technology as a standard part of the ingredient intake quality control (especially in the large mills and ingredient suppliers). This would then allow an accurate assessment of the ingredient s energy and protein for diet formulation. Home Millers - Are You Losing FCE With Soya? Gerard McCutcheon I and my colleagues have been looking at the grist size of diets and feed ingredients on pig farms using the Bygholm sieve over the past few weeks. Interestingly the soya bean meal on farms is variable with eight to over 30 per cent of the soya not passing through the 2mm sieve. For growing pigs if the grist size of the diet is above 2mm it is poorly digested. Obviously, this will hamper feed conversion efficiency and begs the question should all home compounders be grinding the soya after delivery? It is worth talking to your advisor on this if you are home milling and not grinding the soya.

5 National Pig Research Centre-Update Tomás Ryan In March of this year ground works began on the site of the old Pig Research Unit at Moorepark. This location will house the brand new state of the art 200 sow fully integrated Pig Research Centre. The centre will comprise of two new buildings as well as two smaller buildings retained from the old facility which were built in the mid-nineties and were recently refurbished. The first of the new buildings is a 2,500 square metre structure which will house the breeding stock as well as weaners. It will have 62 farrowing places (6 of which are suitable for loose farrowing research) and house 180 dry sows and gilts on 3 Electronic Sow Feeding stations. There will be 3 weaner rooms each holding 360 weaners. As well as this we will also have some bespoke accommodation for specific research work like a metabolism room for digestibility studies, sow care room and group feed intake recording equipment (F.I.R.E stations). Parallel to this building is our 2,000 square metre finisher building. This building will hold over 1300 finishers divided into 4 rooms of 330 pigs. There will also be some individual pens for Fig.1 View of Finisher building research work as well as an indoor lairage area, feed distribution room and finisher F.I.R.E accommodation. Currently the building works are on or ahead of schedule and thus far the finisher building tank is poured, walled, slatted and has the steel superstructure erected. Internal walls have just started being laid with the roof structure following on in a number of weeks. The breeding building already has the base of the 2,500 square metre tank poured with walls, slats and steel super-structure to follow in the next number of weeks. Planned completion date for works is late April Fig. 2 Panoramic view of the entire site comprising of new finisher building in the centre background. The two buildings being retained in the left background and the future location of the New Breeding building centre foreground.

6 Gas euthanasia of pigs Laura Boyle Euthanasia - the act or practice of killing or permitting the death of hopelessly sick or injured individuals in a relatively painless way for reasons of mercy (Merrium-Webster Dictionary, 2013) The identification of suffering or hopelessly sick or injured animals for euthanasia, was discussed in the June newsletter. In accordance with the definition above it was emphasised that the goal must be to minimise pain and distress in the process of euthanasia. Currently in the pig industry, the search for more refined methods of euthanasia is driven by the need for humane ways of euthanising large numbers of weak, ill or injured neonatal piglets (< 3 days old). High numbers of low birth weight piglets represent the downside of selection for increased prolificacy in sows and are a highly vulnerable subpopulation of animals on the farm. They not only pose serious concerns for pig producers and stockpersons in terms of management but also serious ethical concerns for society. On many farms the main way of euthanising such animals is by blunt force trauma. This does not fit well with the definition of euthanasia above. Recently, many pig producers in the USA moved to gas euthanasia of such pigs. This is not for reasons related to animal welfare but because stockpeople find it physically and psychologically difficult to perform blunt trauma especially where large numbers of animals are involved as in the case of a PED outbreak. Additionally, the industry there feels under growing pressure from society to discontinue the use of blunt force trauma which is seen as a primitive/inhumane method of euthanasia. CO 2 euthanasia and pig welfare Carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) is the most common gas used to euthanise young pigs. Indeed it is the only gas currently listed for use in the National Pork Boards On-Farm Euthanasia of Swine guide. It is identified as an acceptable inhalant method of euthanasia for pigs because it is a rapid depressant with established analgesic and anaesthetic properties. High concentrations of CO 2 cause central nervous system depression leading to loss of consciousness and subsequent death. However CO 2 does not provide instantaneous loss of consciousness and being mildly acidic irritates the mucus membranes. Therefore it causes aversion and discomfort in animals (and humans). In behavioural tests pigs strongly disliked being exposed to even low concentrations of CO 2. They showed increases in vocalisations, agitation, and made repeated attempts to escape from the CO 2 chamber. They also had elevated cortisol (stress hormone) levels. Euthanasia of social animals such as pigs in small groups could provide a calming effect and prevent the isolation distress which they are susceptible to. However there is wide variation between individuals in the time to loss of

7 consciousness from CO 2 inhalation. This means there is potential for conscious pigs to be exposed to violent convulsions and distress vocalisations of other pigs becoming unconscious in the chamber with them. Another concern is that this could lead to piling of pigs in the chamber such that some pigs die of asphyxiation (smothering) without the anaesthetic benefits of carbon dioxide narcosis. In general however, very young (i.e. neonatal) pigs succumb very quickly to the effects of CO 2 euthanasia and display few signs of distress compared to slightly older piglets. These issues have led to questions about whether CO 2 is a humane option for pig anaesthesia and euthanasia. Indeed alternatives to CO 2 for stunning slaughter pigs are also under investigation. All gas mixtures are aversive compared with air, to various degrees. However, a noble gas such as Argon (Ar) being unreactive throughout the physiological systems is potentially a better alternative to CO 2. Nevertheless researchers in the Iowa State University found that 100% CO 2 relative to a 50:50 CO 2 :Ar gas mixture, and faster flow rates relative to slow (20%), were advantageous for pig welfare and efficacy when euthanising both neonate and weaned pigs. The authors emphasised that farmers know the flow rate of their systems and avoid designing euthanasia procedures solely on timing. Nitrous oxide (NO 2 ), (commonly referred to as laughing gas) is another proposed alternative. It is used in human surgery and dental offices for its pain-relieving, sedative, and anxiolytic effects. It is cheap, non-flammable and non-explosive. Therefore, its use as an anaesthetic/euthanasia agent may prove to be affordable, feasible, and more humane than other alternatives. Research shows that exposure to a mixture of N 2 O and O 2 before using CO 2 may be a more humane method of euthanasia than exposure to CO 2 alone as pigs exposed to N 2 O and O 2 enter a state of anaesthesia. CO 2 chambers for euthanising pigs CO 2 chambers can be purchased online (Ex. and The PigSite offers instructions on how to construct your own one although this is directed towards US producers. CO 2 is heavier than air so the container does not need a tight seal. Nevertheless, the cover should be secured so that the pig is not able to lift the lid and try to escape. It s also important to remember that incomplete filling of a chamber may permit animals to climb or raise their heads above the higher concentrations and avoid exposure. Once the carbon dioxide is released to the container, it will stay contained until the space is disturbed. Apparently heavy plastic tote boxes or plastic rubbish bins make excellent containers. In brief, one hole is cut in the lid as an inlet for the hose carrying the carbon dioxide, then two small holes are cut out on the opposite end as an outlet. Flow to the container must be controlled by a carbon dioxide control valve. A heavy rubber hose is used to transfer the CO 2 from the tank to the box. For nursing pigs, the recommended CO 2 concentration for euthanasia is 60 to 70 per cent with a five-minute exposure time. The suggested optimal inflow rate is 20 per cent of the container volume per minute. The container design should allow for it to be pre-charged with CO 2. Pigs

8 should be unconscious within 45 seconds and experience respiratory arrest within five minutes. Using CO 2 is considered relatively employee-safe. However, caution needs to be taken if the euthanasia box is located in a small enclosed work room. CO 2 detectors, similar to smoke detectors, are available and should be installed if the unit is located in a tight space. Dead animals should be emptied from the container rather than picked out by the worker to avoid breathing in the carbon dioxide. Energy Supplementation for the Modern Sow Anna Lavery Due to the ever increasing prolificacy of the modern sow (28.6 pigs/sow/year, epm Top 10% 2014), a major focus of research is now targeting low-birth-weight, weak and unviable piglets, that result in additional management problems and financial loss. It is well known that to achieve the best start in life, piglets need to suckle within the first few hours after birth. They receive maternal immunoglobulins and essential metabolites in the colostrum, required to successfully survive in the extra-uterine environment. In response to this new demand of milk to feed the litter, a sows energy requirement increases substantially between days 2 and 10 post farrowing to approximately 84 MJ DE, half of which (42.8 MJ/day) is needed for milk production. To limit weight loss and stress on the sow, energy supplementation is potentially a valuable tool. Lactose Lactose is a sugar found in milk, which provides piglets with energy, aids in the digestion of nutrients and acts like a pre-biotic, ensuring less digestive upsets. For the sow, lactose concentration in milk continues to rise throughout lactation until weaning. Supplementation of lactose in sow diets is an understudied area, but it could potentially increase lactation intake due to its palatability, thereby improving overall sow condition and increase lactose concentration in the milk with a resultant increase in piglet weight gain. Dextrose Dextrose is also a sugar made up of two molecules of glucose. It works by increasing insulin levels and in turn a hormone known as Insulin-like growth factor 1. This is important in the early development of the fetus as it can increase follicle size and as a result larger, more viable embryos form. Trials with sows fed diets high in dextrose had shorter wean to service intervals and lower within-litter variation in birth weight. During late gestation and lactation sows that had feed top-dressed with 25g/kg dextrose and 25g/kg lactose a day had an increased number of piglets born alive and increased piglet birth weight. Treated sows also had larger litters and lower within-litter variation in birth weight in their subsequent farrowing. Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids (PUFA s) are essential in swine diets as pigs are unable to

9 make enough themselves. A common PUFA is Omega 3 found in fish, fish oils and many seeds such as flaxseed and linseed. Swine diets low in PUFA s have been linked to impaired vision and reduced cognitive development of piglets. Trials using fish oils such as tuna and salmon as well as Linseed oil have seen improved development of the placenta, reduced farrowing time, increased born alive and increased viability of piglets as they suckled quicker. The piglets also had increased immunity and could therefore better adapt to the stress of weaning. Did you know? A sows milk contains around 5% lactose, similar to that of cows milk. Dextrose is commonly used to preserve food and increase shelf life. However to be used as a sweetener it has to be combined with other sugars such as fructose or sucrose, as it s sweetness does not last long enough for the human tongue to detect! Student Profile Anna Lavery Anna is a PhD student on the OPTIPIG project, investigating methods to optimise annual output per sow by increasing the number of viable piglets born alive and minimising pre-weaning piglet mortality. Anna is supervised by Dr. Peadar Lawlor of Teagasc, Dr. Elizabeth Magowan of AFBI, and Professor Helen Millar from the University of Leeds. Her project examines Identifying and Investigating factors which affect sow performance in pig herds. Location: Pig Production Department, Teagasc Moorepark Research Interests: Sow performance Contact details: anna.lavery@teagasc.ie

10 Teagasc Pig Farmers Conference 2015 The Teagasc Pig Farmers Conference for 2015 will take place on the 20 th and 21 st of October. The conference will be held in the Cavan Crystal Hotel on Tuesday the 20 th of October and on Wednesday the 21 st of October in the Horse and Jockey Hotel. This year s conference features a number of excellent presentations covering a broad array of topics. We encourage all those involved in the sector to attend the conference and not to miss the opportunity to meet fellow producers and get the latest information that the Teagasc Pig Development Department have compiled for this year s event. Discussion Groups We currently are looking to set up an additional discussion group in the Kerry-Limerick area. There are currently several groups underway throughout the country that have proved to be extremely successful, with farmers finding them very beneficial. If you are interested in joining this group please contact your local advisor. Farmer Questionnaire on Tail Biting Tail biting is a major problem in intensive husbandry systems and a recent Teagasc study found that 72.5% of pigs were observed with tail lesions. As well as being a welfare issue, it is also a huge economic problem. Despite the extent of tail biting and negative impacts it accrues, the primary cause of tail biting is unclear and it is believed to have multifactorial causes. In April 2015, a project (ENTAIL) began in Teagasc, Moorepark to investigate some of the causes of tail biting and explore whether tail biting incidences could be reduced through providing enrichment such as compressed straw and wood, which does not interfere with Irish slurry systems. As part of this research we are conducting a questionnaire in order to gain an insight into the experiences of Irish farmers of tail biting, whether it is a significant issue for Irish pig farmers and opinions on its main causes. As part of this survey, in the next few weeks we will be contacting farmers by phone in order to request assistance in completing a short survey. The survey should take no longer than 5-10 minutes. We would greatly appreciate your feedback and look forward to hearing your views on the issue of tail biting. PIGWELFIND Seeking Volunteer Farms The Teagasc PIGWELFIND project is looking for farmers willing to participate in a study where we try to relate the general health and welfare of pigs on the farm to the tail lesions on the carcass. We are looking for integrated pig farms keeping PigSys records that could accommodate a one day visit (Sept Nov) and send pigs to one of the participating factories. If you would be interested in participating please contact the PhD student on the project Nienke van Staaveren at (Nienke.vanstaaveren@teagac.ie).