Australian Pork Newspaper

Phone: 07 4697 3344 • Fax 07 4697 3532
www.stockyardindustries.com
Vol 24. No. 6 June 2020 Australian Pork Newspaper PO Box 387 Cleveland 4163 Phone (07) 3286 1833 Fax (07) 3821 2637 Email ben@porknews.com.au
The author with some inquisitive gilts.
Are you giving your gilts the right start to a productive life?
Mixed blessings but no panic during pandemic
Point of View
by MARGO ANDRAE CEO
ONE of the many mixed blessings of COVID-19 has been the unified way Aus- tralian agriculture has worked together throughout the pan- demic.
case for the foresee- able future, even while export volumes grow, foodservice demand increases and our mar- keting campaigns in support of Australian pork sales help ease the pressure.
Australian Pork Lim- ited and state pork pro- ducer representatives, in conjunction with state farming organisations, have been participating in high-level work with the National Farmers’ Federation and Federal Government to ensure the business of farming and agricultural supply chains have not been needlessly impacted by lockdown measures.
The foodservice in- dustry’s recovery, now that dining restrictions are easing, will relieve some of the pressure on our supply chains.
We should not be complacent about the importance of this ad- vocacy work.
For APL, we’ve turned the frustration of not being able to meet with producers face-to-face into an opportunity to engage effectively with our members online.
Producers will be eager to see how grain prices are shaped by both seasonal fortunes here in Australia and export market disrup- tions overseas, but we should be heartened that indicator prices for pigs will head into June on a firmer footing.
No matter the well- meaning support of government in recent weeks, so sweeping were the restrictions in- troduced that many of the everyday necessi- ties of agriculture could have been inadvertently jeopardised.
In lieu of our sched- uled delegates’ meeting in Adelaide on May 14, APL Chair An- drew Baxter and I were pleased to host a suc- cessful online meeting, which drew strong participation from del- egates and very positive feedback.
more in the future.
Our video meetings have been a great way of keeping in touch with producers and giving them a forum to share their experiences
These factors are positives for producers, especially those who have been exposed to the worst of high feed prices and lower pig prices since Easter.
The cross-border de- livery of pigs for pro- cessing and fodder to farms, interstate move- ment of vets and trans- port of semen have been just a few of the exemp- tions we’ve negotiated in order to minimise disruptions to on-farm production and keep our supply chains op- erational.
A prominent agenda item for the delegates’ meeting was an update regarding APL’s 2020- 2025 Strategic Plan.
through COVID-19. The pandemic seems to also have provided a timely excuse for our members to check in on each other in relation to how they are faring, both in terms of their farm businesses and
APL will continue work with our producer members, state-based producer organisations, NFF and all levels of government to ensure Australia’s pork in- dustry continues to gen- erate much-needed eco- nomic activity across the country, while providing affordable, versatile pork for Aus- tralian consumers.
Yes, APL has been working hard to achieve the best outcomes for pork producers, but a great deal of work has also been undertaken by our producer members.
While travel restric- tions remain in place, further information about the Strategic Plan can be viewed via a ‘virtual roadshow’, which can be visited from australianpork. com.au
rest of 2020.
Producers are facing
From our Board direc- tors to state presidents, APL delegates and grass-roots producers, the diligent effort from across industry has
Strong producer en- gagement will continue to guide APL’s success in the future and, as such, direct communi- cation from the farm- gate is highlighted as
This will remain the
shone a light on how innovative, professional and unified Australian pork is.
one of the Strategic Plan’s highest priorities. Where distance or busy schedules have historically limited the in-person dialogue be- tween industry organi- sations and their mem- bers, recent weeks have confirmed online meet- ings should be utilised
Buttherealityisitwill take time to grow sales volumes, which is why supporting our food- service partners in re- building their businesses is a key priority for APL.
We are grateful for the support received and confident about the shared vision for our in- dustry’s future.
personal wellbeing.
It seems inevitable that the various challenges and opportunities of COVID-19 will continue to dominate the business outlook for Australia’s pork producers for the
significant issues that require ongoing support. Finding new markets
Together, we leading our industry through these extraor- dinary times and, as a result, we are well placed to strengthen our position in the post- COVID-19 market- place.
for slaughter-ready pigs where traditional supply chains have been disrupted, including smaller and niche pro- ducers, continues to be a priority.
are
THE proper preparation of the gilt is the key to her successful integra- tion in the herd for both longevity and produc- tivity.
Nordic
News
by ASHLEY NORVAL
A trend seems to be ap- pearing in Denmark that gilts are being fed ‘too well’ and subsequently going into the mating unit with too little back fat coverage and paying for it later on, with the term being they are ‘thin-fat’.
breeding supplier.
As a result, it is also
ally the opposite, costing the farm both in an ex- pensive diet for the extra protein and the drop in reproductive capacity of the gilts following their first parity.
That is, from their body condition it is assumed they are in the correct condition for mating, but are actually too heavy and too lean.
common to feed them with the same finisher diet, which is where the problem begins.
It is common in Den- mark to house young gilts as you would slaughter pigs, especially in the quarantine unit upon re- ceiving them from the
A common miscon- ception is the additional protein requirements will benefit the gilt, giving her an ‘extra’ good start to life, however, it is actu-
The DanBred genotype has been selected for lean meat deposition for many years, which is ideal for
* continued P2
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Stockyard Industries 54 King Street,
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