Yet Another First for the Pig industry!
The world is a small place and thanks to new technology, it is getting smaller! This applies to pig production as much as anything else. Recently this technology was put to the test when a group of producers met to discuss pig production with one of the worlds leading pig vets, Dr John Carr. The difference with this seminar was that the producers met at Greenmount Campus, Antrim whereas John was in Perth, Australia!
Distance no object!
Video conferencing equipment at Greenmount allowed producers to watch John on the screen. Although there was over seven hours time difference between the two locations, there was almost no time delay between asking a question and getting the answer.
John Carr is no stranger to Northern Ireland, having spoken to pig producers a number of times when working as a pig veterinary consultant in England. After working in America for a few years, he now works in the Department of Production, Animal Health and Medicine at Murdock University, Australia.
Issues of interest
John focused on many basic aspects of pig production and his discussion was very thought provoking. Issues discussed included the following:
Feed factors
- Feed grind size should be regularly checked and rectified immediately where problems with digestion or gut health occur.
- Use of cereals for ethanol production is set to rise dramatically in the next few years. Can farmers react quickly enough or are cereal prices set to escalate?
- Access to genetically modified feed is essential if pig industries are to compete on the world stage.
Veterinary variables
- As a rat eats 15g/day, rodent control is essential.
- Managers must dispose of “terminally ill” pigs at the earliest opportunity as these are a large drain on feed usage.
- Vaccines are an excellent way of combating disease, but only when stored and administered correctly.
Building on success
John's talk was well received and as the seminar was recorded, a DVD of the proceedings can be obtained by contacting Mark Hawe (028944 26768) or Liz Donnelly (028944 26767) at Greenmount Campus.
This meeting clearly showed that access to the best advice in the world can be obtained through the use of modern technology. It is hoped to build on the success of this seminar by arranging for other world experts in pig production to share their experiences with the pig farmers here via the internet!
Mike Bell, Mark Hawe and Stephen Hall talk “real time” to Dr John Carr (on screen) in Australia via video conferencing technology at Greenmount Campus.
