Page 17 - APN September 2017

Pig Farm Perspective by Bruce the brainy pig
FARMERS and FEED MILLERS
SFMCA FeedSafe Accredited
FOR ALL YOUR REQUIREMENTS OF:
PIG environmental en- richment is fast becom- ing the catchphrase of 2017.
While the benefit of enrichment on welfare has been demonstrated, many producers have been asking: are there any real production ben- efits to enrichment that are worth the cost of im- plementing?
To start this dicussion, it is important to begin with why pigs need en- richment.
Pigs are very intel- ligent creatures, with many studies demon- strating the ability of pigs to remember how to get through mazes, recall
and find hidden objects in particular places, use simple devices for their own gain, and, for all in- tents and purposes, some ability to problem solve and plan ahead.
How then does a pig demonstrate intelli- gence?
It has been shown that pigs have the ability to individually identify and target one particular pig for up to six weeks if rewarded in some way.
This can have strong implications for how we mix gestating sows in static and dynamic group housing.
If a sow has a positive outcome from bullying
(that is, from bullying other sows she then has access to another sow’s feed), then she will likely repeat this behaviour.
So what does all this mean?
Well, pigs, like hu- mans, can become bored, which manifests in many ways including tail bit- ing, ear chewing, vulva biting, bullying, fighting and destruction of yards and equipment.
What then is the cost of tail bites?
One study estimated that each tail bitten costs producers an average of $10 per pig in trimming and production losses (reduced feed intake,
weight gain and so on). However, providing pigs with cognitive tasks (something to do) such as toys or environmen- tal enrichment has been found to significantly re- duceabnormalbehaviors including tail biting and
bullying.
Toys and enrichment
have also been found to decrease fearfulness, all of which have positive impacts on production.
Past studies have shown variable results from environmental en- richment, however, more recent studies have found increased growth rates, feed conversion ratio, feed intake and heavier
carcass weights.
So what are your op-
tions?
And what would the
pigs prefer?
In a study conducted
on 666 weaners and 666 growers, the toys most attractive to pigs were those that were odorous (smelly), deformable, not firmly fixed (loose or swinging) and chewable.
So there you have it, the use of smelly, chewy and loose or swinging toys with our pigs not only provides further en- vironmental enrichment, but can also improve production!
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Jodie Driscoll
Professional Sales Representative
Pig & Nutrition
Zoetis Australia Pty Ltd
Level 6, 5 Rider Boulevard, Rhodes NSW 2138 PO Box 6066, Silverwater NSW 2128
M 0431 075 972
F 02 8876 0444 E jodie.driscoll@zoetis.com Tech. Services 1800 814 883 W www.zoetis.com.au
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54 King St, Clifton, QLD 4361
Phone: 07 4634 2166 Email: ddt@ddt.com.au 33 Industrial Ave, Toowoomba QLD 4350
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Merideth Howard
Technical Sales Veterinarian - Pig
Zoetis Australia Pty Ltd
Level 6, 5 Rider Boulevard, Rhodes NSW 2138
PO Box 6066, Silverwater NSW 2128
M 0477 387 392
F 02 8876 0444 E merideth.howard@zoetis.com Tech. Services 1800 814 883 W www.zoetis.com.au
Bruce Hunt
Professional Sales Representative
Zoetis Australia Pty Ltd
Level 6, 5 Rider Boulevard, Rhodes NSW 2138 PO Box 6066, Silverwater NSW 2128
M 0438 352 443 E F 02 8876 0444 W
bruce.hunt@zoetis.com www.zoetis.com.au
Alan Smith
B. Ag Sci.
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Minitube Australia Pty Ltd
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P.O. Box 1
135 Brooke Street, Smythesdale Victoria 3351
Australia
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Australian Pork Newspaper, September 2017 – Page 17
SOYA FEEDSPTY LTD
Bennie St, Industrial Estate, Dalby
Ph (07) 4662 4333
A/Hrs (07) 4663 5534
We use whole soya beans not gradings to supply you with a quality meal
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Mount Gambier South Australia 5290
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