Podcast: Inaugural Swine Research Day in South Africa

The Real P3 podcast series is an initiative where pork professionals from around the globe share their thoughts, insights, and solutions to their day-to-day challenges in the pig farming and production industry.

Steyn, one of the co-founders of The Real P3 Podcast, shares some insight into the background, purpose and goals of the research centre for Baynesfield, which he says offers an ideal facility for the testing of product and farm trials. Then, Pennicott, the research and piggery technical advisor at the Baynesfield Swine Research Unit, talks about managing a research programme in a commercial production facility, which she sees as an advantage.

Variations and economics

Dr Bradley asks if variation causes a lot of economic losses in the systems in South Africa, from birth to slaughter, and how this is managed. Pennicott says that variation is a significant economic factor. She shares some insight into reductions at the abattoirs for underweight and overweight pigs, and the effect of a higher fibre, bulkier diet on piglets.

Finally, what is on the horizon for the research programme, and what is the number one takeaway for producers to consider in saving diet costs?