Big Bug Day Provides Relevant and Important Information on Swine Health

Dec 18, 2023

ELORA - Nearly 150 representatives from across the pork industry took part in the annual Big Bug Day hosted by Swine Health Ontario.

This gathering of industry experts addresses topics and issues that impact the pork sector including biosecurity, research outcomes, disease surveillance along with other important updates.

New this year was a presentation from Tyler Jutzi of Brussels Transport and the Canadian Livestock Transporters Alliance who shared suggestions for enhancing working relationships between producers and livestock transporters and practical recommendations for improving biosecurity on the farm and processing facilities.

Dr. Ed Metzger of Southwest Vets presented several well researched health strategies to navigate today’s challenging economy. His presentation focused on practical economic considerations for herd health, and several key areas producers can focus on to maximize the return on investment.

Other health and disease topics included an update on sow mortality in Ontario herds, the latest information on influenza surveillance and emerging strains to watch for in Ontario, and an update on Porcine Reproductive Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS).

Source : Ontario Pork

Video: WARNING! Rough Start To Breeding Season!!

WARNING! Sheep Breeding Season Begins With A Bang! Breeding season is officially underway at Ewetopia Farms, but it didn’t exactly start the way we planned!

This vlog begins with us sorting through our rams to find the perfect match for a customer’s breeding program. What should have been routine quickly turned dangerous when one of our more nervous rams panicked. In seconds, Arnie’s knee was injured, and then I was slammed hard onto the concrete floor — both of us taken down by one ram!

Thankfully, it was just bruises, but it’s a reminder of how unpredictable and powerful mature rams can be. Once we recovered, it was time to get back to the real work — the start of breeding season.

We sorted the ewes into four breeding groups (two Suffolk and two Dorset), checking parentage as they ran through the chute, deworming those that needed it, and setting aside thinner ewes for session two of breeding season in a month’s time.This staggered approach keeps lambing organized and prevents overcrowding in the barns.

From rogue rams to the excitement of new breeding groups, this episode is full of action. Stay tuned for the next vlog, where we’ll share how we chose the rams for each group!