Circovirus, in conjunction with PRRS, Swine Influenza Virus and Mycoplasma, is causing high incidence of PMWS (post-weaning multisystemic wasting syndrome) and thereby post-weaning mortalities between 20%-40% in some herds. No vaccine exists in Canada as yet against Circovirus, although there are efforts in Europe to vaccinate against this type of circovirus.

Talks took place in Ontario between veterinarians and producers, to try to isolate farms by region so that herd depopulations and their subsequent repopulation might be effective. These repops would expect to remove PRRS, SIV and Mh from the disease mix to keep the herds in a high health status. There may be opportunity in Alberta to consider a similar program where an isolated area might be localized for the benefit.

There appears to be sufficient moisture in the fields at this time to assure germination for seeding barley, wheat and canola. Good crops would benefit pig producers to keep production costs down during the anticipated low hog prices.

Boars and gilts probed at Five Lakes Farms in March continue to show terrific improvement in loin size. Biggest loin probed at 100 kg liveweight for Trailblazer boars was 67.8 mm; on Pathfinder Durocs was 64.9 mm; Yorkshire boars was 66.4 mm and in Landrace gilts was 69.7 mm.

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Significant improvements for traits evaluated by the Canadian Centre for Swine Improvement (CCSI) program have been achieved in 2005, following on the trend in previous years.

The table below shows improvements for the last year compared to the average of the previous five years. This marks the third consecutive year where the improvement has been greater than the five-year average – showing that breeders on the Swine Improvement Program are using the program appropriately.

Market hogs in commercial herds are therefore expected to have even faster growth rates, better feed efficiencies and higher lean yields than pigs even a year ago, let alone five years ago. Significant progress has been made in loin eye area during the last year, as breeders select more specifically for pigs with large loins.

Table 1. Annualized genetic improvement in herds participating on the national Swine Improvement Program.

The genetic improvements in litter size have continued at an even faster pace. Commercial herds can take advantage of these improvements in genetics by replacing older sows with new Yorkshire-Landrace crosses (Summit gilts).

 New Research Projects

Research projects at CCSI supported by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada are well underway. Two batches of purebred pigs (including boars, barrows and gilts from Western Canada) have gone through the Deschambeault test station in Quebec to evaluate the effect of heavier carcass weights on various performance and carcass traits.

The initial results suggest that as the live weight increases from 107 kg to 125 kg, there is an increase in:

• Backfat 11%
• Lean depth 5%
• Marbling 10%
• Feed intake 32%
• Feed conversion efficiency declines in the growth period 107 to 125 kg liveweight.

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