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EU PiG – Health management
The producers are EU PiG ambassadors and winners of the annual EU PiG Grand Prix, who have focused on one of the specific health management challenges chosen by the industry each year.
A network of experts forming the EU PiG Health Management Thematic Group consolidates existing industry knowledge and validates the best practice identified through the EU PiG Grand Prix.
This theme is about improving the health of the European pig herd to increase farming efficiency. Browse the pig producer case studies and technical reports below, which share best practice in health management.
Top ten best practices in the Grand Prix 2020
Use of slaughter data to develop dashboard system to improve pig herd health
Production data exists in different ‘boxes’ or databases, from breeding to slaughter. The movement of this data from one box to another was done by farmers when they had time.
Ambassador: Patrick Ryan, Ireland
Publication date: July 2020 | Theme: Health management
Challenges: Use of slaughter data to improve health outcomes
DrySist: Truck dry disinfection
The challenge was to improve the biosecurity against ASF and other pathogens (PRRS, salmonella, E.coli and swine dysentery) at the moment of animal transportation.
Ambassador: Spain
System: DrySist
Developing company: Techtrans System SL (OPP Group)
Company using the system: Piensos Costa S.A.
Publication date: July 2020 | Theme: Health management
Challenges: African swine fever (ASF) biosecurity measures
Pig temperature app for early disease detection
An app that monitors pig temperature is helping with the early detection of hyperthermia, enabling this Spanish farm to manage disease outbreaks, provide treatments more effectively, reduce mortality and improve pig welfare.
Ambassador: Pep Peraire, Spain
Publication date: February 2020 | Theme: Health management
Challenges: Early warning of diseases and production errors
Fermenting liquid feed, an alternative to zinc oxide
A fermented liquid feed system provides an alternative to zinc for integrated Dutch producer, the Van Asten Group. The fermented feed works as a probiotic and lowers the pH to reduce the risk of bacteria.
Ambassador: Marco van Asten, Netherlands
Publication date: February 2020 | Theme: Health management
Challenges: Influence of gut health on disease and production
Cross-company approach to PRRS
A group of 13 pig farms in the same region have reduced PRRS problems by 30% in three years by working together and learning from each other to help tackle the problem.
Ambassador: Tom Mertens, Belgium
Publication date: June 2019 | Theme: Health management
Challenges: Optimal vaccination strategies
Different feeds as zinc oxide alternatives
Kris Gios’ farrow-to-finish unit has trialled feeding herbs in piglet diets instead of including zinc oxide and has reduced production costs by 2.4%. The average daily gain and feed conversion rate have improved, and the weaner mortality rate has been reduced.
Ambassador: Kris Gios, Belgium
Publication date: June 2019 | Theme: Health management
Challenges: Reducing zinc oxide
Reduction of antimicrobial medication
Dutch farmer Kees van der Meijden has achieved the enviable goal of reducing antibiotic use to almost zero while, at the same time, improving pig performance; the farm is producing 33 piglets per sow per year.
Ambassador: Kees van der Meijden, Netherlands
Publication date: May 2018 | Theme: Health management
Challenges: Reduction of antimicrobial medication
Adoption of biosecurity tool
Producer Eugene Sheehan from Ireland has reduced pig production costs per kg slaughter weight by 9.3% and lowered antibiotic use by 90%, having been the first to use a new biosecurity scoring tool, Biocheck.UGent®.
Ambassador: Eugene Sheehan, Ireland
Publication date: May 2018 | Theme: Health management
Challenges: Biosecurity
Technical reports
Contact
For more information contact EUPig@ahdb.org.uk