Finnor Asia: Disease-free and expanding

Finnor Asia Co Ltd is the first farm in Thailand to receive a certificate from the Department of Livestock Development that guarantees the farm is free of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome. NITSARA SRIHANAM explores how competent farm management and stringent biosecurity helped Finnor Asia achieve this objective.

Wellisa Farms and ACMC: Partners for success

When they decided to venture into breeder operations in 2004, the owners of Wellisa Farms intended production for internal purposes. But overestimation led to a blessing in disguise, both for Wellisa and its chosen genetic partner, ACMC. ISA Q TAN reports that Wellisa has since become a contract nucleus breeder for ACMC and that together are they are ready to take on the challenges in a very competitive market.

Dong Hiep boosts productivity with vitamin D

Vietnam’s Dong Hiep Pig Enterprise sees a significant reduction in the number of culled gilts after feeding them feeds supplemented with a vitamin D product, reports Chakrit Ridmontri.

Genetics + management reap benefit 

Beijing Lu Kang (Green Health) Swine Breeding Co Ltd has earned popularity thanks to its continued effort in introducing high performance breeds from the US. The increasing demand has prompted the company to double capacity reports Wang Zheng.

Weaning capacity for optimum productivity
Most pig farmers tend to look at pigs/per sow/year as the benchmark of their productivity. Some have put too much pressure on their breeders to increase litter size and number of pigs weaned, resulting in some negative effects. This article points out that rather than focus on just the number of weaners, producers should concentrate on the quality of piglets weaned.

Controlling Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae infections in pigs

The use of vaccines and vaccination strategies to control of mycoplasmal pneumonia should be tailor made to suit the epidemiology of the disease such as the dynamics of the infection and the production system in the individual herds.  It is important to avoid the “one-size-fits-all” programs, warns HENRY TOO.

2nd Asian PRRSpective Symposium

Over the next three issues we will publish interviews by Asian Pork China Correspondent, WANG ZHENG, with key speakers at the 2nd Asian PRRSpective Symposium. In this issue: porcine circovirus associated diseases and pig high fever disease, held recently in Macau.

Yeast extract improves performance and immunity of piglets

Trial work at Chulalongkorn University has shown that modified yeast cell walls improved the growth performance of piglets especially weight gain and FCR, and also markedly increased serum interleukin-6 level, a cytokine of cell-mediated immunity.

Using NIR to assess DDGS

Research in Thailand by NUNTAWADEE SRIPERM and ZHIRONG JIANG using rapid estimation of amino acid content and digestibility of DDGS provides practical information on nutritional values for DDGS.

Are we underestimating the impact of PCV2

DAVID BURCH discusses the role of porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) in Asian pork production.

Feeding pearl millet to growing pigs

Australian researchers ESALA TELENI, DANNY N. SINGH and ROBERT VAN BARNEVELD demonstrate high energy and amino acid digestibility for pearl millet.