Focus on piglet health in latest issue of Pig Progress

That the theme of piglet health exceeds health products or in-feed solutions is clear when zooming in on biosecurity. Increasingly cleaning products from probiotic origin have entered the market, a reason for researchers Kaat Luyckx, Koen De Reu and their colleagues at the Flemish Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Research (ILVO) to test the efficacy of one of them. Results can be found on page 8.

More piglet health: Insects and mycotoxins

That insects might be a future protein source for pigs has been more often suggested. Emmy Koeleman, editor for All About Feed, was interested to hear more about a novelty in this field: a feed product for piglets containing insect oil. First research outcomes indicate positive effects on piglet health. Page 15

More piglet health in an article by Gill De Clerq, Nuscience, on elimination of oxidative stress, caused by the mycotoxin deoxynivalenol, also known as DON. The company’s mycotoxin binder range has a solution for this problem, as is illustrated as from page 24.

Helping the pig liver

Speaking of mycotoxins – at Pancosma, the mycotoxin strategy focuses not only on binding the mycotoxins, but also on helping the pigs’ liver to better be able to deal with the challenges coming their way. The company’s Clémentine Oguey and Sandrine Durox explain how this works for piglets and sows. Read more on page 26.

Sows in Europe and pigs in Denmark

This month also two highly interesting market related articles. The European Union will not look back to 2016 as being the year of profits. Pig production economist Robert Hoste, associated with the Wageningen Economic Research, therefore has been wondering what is the cause of the low prices? Russia’s trade ban – or does the continent simply have too many sows? His interesting and intriguing suggestions can be read as from page 29.

The country of focus this month is Denmark. We often report about research or farms from this thriving and progressive nation but let’s take a look at the basis: how is the country’s pig industry organised and is money being made? Dr John Strak of Porkinfo.com tells it all on page 12 and further.

Farm visit to Beijing, China

Pig Progress editors Vincent ter Beek and Rosie Burgin travelled to China to take a look at the pig farm of Tai Xin Fu Min. They were just in time – the farm is about to relocate further away from Beijing. How and why is explained on page 20.

Columns on colostrum and American football

This month’s column by John Gadd deals once more with colostrum – after having spent attention on hand management he now turns to the immunogens, see page 10. Additionally, Casey Bradley, AB Vista, makes a connection between American football and animal nutrition. How? Read it all on page 34.

John Gadd.