Latest edition of Pig Progress explores new heights

Colleague Kees van Dooren travelled to China to discover more about the ambitious building project of Yangxiang, near Guigang in southern China. This company embarked on building sow facilities of 7 floors and is currently building sow farms with 9 floors.

According to the owners of the project, the multi-storey farm houses offer many advantages, like e.g. a better animal health situation as well as a more efficient use of human labour. We present how this all works in an exclusive and extra large feature on pages 22-27.

Pig welfare in China

There’s more to discover on developments in China in this 44-page edition, like where exactly does the country stand with regards to pig welfare? Dr Irene Camerlink, associated with the University of Veterinary Medicine in Vienna, Austria, travels to China from time to time to learn about the developments. Standards are currently being set, as she reports on pages 28-29.

Pig developments in Uganda

Travelling around the world, this month we take a look at how the pig business is developing in the heart of Africa – in Uganda. In May 2018 it is the venue for the Pork Expo Africa 2018, this is why it was a good occasion to zoom in on the country a little bit deeper. There is a world of opportunities in Uganda – so much is clear, see more on pages 10-11.

Aiming high: The 7-floor multi-storey pig houses have already been put into use. Photo: Henk Riswick

Gut health in pigs

The theme ‘gut health’ receives ample attention in this edition, with e.g. an article focusing on how to reduce antibiotics – 8 great Danish tips help farmers on their way, writes swine nutritionist Kristian Juul Volshøj on pages 16-17.

In addition, Irish veterinarian Dr Allison Kirwan, Boehringer Ingelheim, published an interesting article in which she talks about salmonellosis and ileitis. The health problems often occur simultaneously, which leads her to the conclusion that if one is tackled, perhaps the other is also addressed. Read more on pages 19-20.

Other articles on gut health touch on the banning of zinc oxide in the European Union – and why that isn’t such a bad idea; and give a roadmap for a better gut health in 3 steps. And of course there are lots more…