| June 2005,
Vol. 8, No. 6 PEAK OF PERFORMANCE NEWS |
In the meantime, producers will be asked to provide hogs that meet every criterion for that slaughter plant’s needs. Genetics, nutrition and management will impact on the carcass quality and meat quality of delivered hogs. Assuring these appropriate management routines and techniques will be a new demand on barn managers.
More and more PEAK Swine Genetics herds are contracting with OLYMEL at Red Deer, especially on the heavier carcass grid. These herds are sending hogs that meet some general requirements and the farms will work toward meeting the more specific requirements for leanness and loin size. These herds are receiving replacement boars with large loins and low backfat to ensure the genetic component is being met.
Trailblazer® and Pathfinder Duroc boars, along with Yorkshire and Landrace boars probed at Five Lakes Farms in March showed the excellent performance in the table below:
| Breed |
No. |
Average Backfat |
Age to 100 kg live weight |
Loin Depth |
Est. Lean Yield |
| Trailblazer® |
35 |
10.3mm |
165 days |
64.4 mm |
63.5% |
| Pathfinder |
6 |
10.9 mm |
183 days |
67.4 mm |
63.4% |
| Landrace boars |
2 |
8.9 mm |
160 days |
61.4 mm |
64.2% |
| Yorkshire boars |
10 |
10.5 mm |
163 days |
62.2 mm |
63.4% |
Thank you all for joining us as PEAK clients!
When Bench Colony weaned its weekly allotment of 10 litters in the week of April 11, there were 11.7 piglets weaned in each. Large litter size born live from good genetics and excellent management results in big litters weaned.
37 doses of extended semen is the average production per collection for both a Trailblazer® boar and a Landrace boar in the month of April. These boars are currently standing at stud at Magnum Swine Genetics.
Dr. Frank Aherne, Pig Industry Consultant
- Low cost of production (not a guarantee for herd survival)
- Quality and safety of pork products
- Efficient hog production
Competitiveness in the primary production area will obviously play an important part in determining success in the export market. A recent survey by the Danish Bacon and Meat Council (2002) showed that Canada has relatively low cost of production but is less competitive in sow reproductive efficiency. As can be seen in Figure 1, Canada has the lowest cost of production per kg carcass of all the countries in the survey. The competitive advantage comes from lower feed costs, low hourly wages, low building costs, low interest rates, economy of unit size and adoption of new technologies.
Figure 1. Production costs per kg carcass, 2002 (Danish Kroner comparison)
Figure 2. Number of liveborn piglets, 2002
Figure 3. Overall mortality, % 2002
- Disease levels and stocking density in some hog producing areas could make the prevalence of diseases such as PRRS more problematic in Canada.
- Earlier weaning age (20.6 days in Canada, and 21 or more days in Europe).
- Larger unit size, fewer "family farms".
- Low unemployment levels. Low employee wages and availability of alternative employment reduces the availability of a skilled, knowledgeable and motivated labor force.
- Reduced profit margins in recent years may also have led to higher stocking densities and reduced labor
input per animal, which may also have resulted in poorer sow performance.- It is also possible that our low production costs in Canada reduces our competitive edge and leads to complacency and inefficiency.
Our next article will discuss the role of sow nutrition in breeding herd efficiency.
| Manager | Territory | Cell Telephone | |
| Les Robinson | Southern & Central Alberta | (250) 833-6196 | |
| Paul Klingeman | Pacific Northwest | (509) 989-1347 | |
| Mike Miller | Saskatchewan and Montana | (403) 317-0543 |
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