1

toPigsIssue 9 Summer 2018/2019 Research and Innovation

AUSTRALIAN PORK LIMITED | www.australianpork.com.au | research@australianpork.com.au | Toll Free 1800 789 099

The Summer 2018/19 edition of Pigs to Pork covers insights from the Aussie Pork Pioneers’ tour to Denmark, the highlights from the Australian Pig Veterinarians

annual conference, a summary of the RnD4Profit Waste to Revenue program, and findings from a project investigating the effect of fatty acids in sow diets.

Inside this issue:

APL MembershipFor information call Rachel Blake on 02 6270 8807 or visit the APL website at www.australianpork.

com.au/members.

RnD4Profit – Waste to Revenue – novel fertilisers and feeds

– page 4 –

Increasing fatty acid levels in sow

lactation diets improves reduces still births

– page 6 –

Australian Pig Veterinarians

annual conference– page 3 –

Aussie Pork Pioneers spread their wings

– page 2 –

AUSTRALIAN PORK LIMITED | www.australianpork.com.au | research@australianpork.com.au | Toll Free 1800 789 0992 AUSTRALIAN PORK LIMITED | www.australianpork.com.au | research@australianpork.com.au | Toll Free 1800 789 099 3

Issue 9 Summer 2018/2019Pigs to Pork

Aussie Pork Pioneers spread their wingsAs a part of the Australian Pork Industry Leadership program that has been developed and managed by APL, the Aussie Pork Pioneers group embarked on an immersion tour in Denmark for their second workshop in mid October.

The group visited various farms, production types, processing operations, training sites and industry events to enable them to build their industry networks and learn pragmatic leadership skills for their business and broader industry.

Currently, Denmark is experiencing low pig prices due to oversupply and high grain prices (resulting from the European summer drought conditions) - a somewhat similar situation to that which many Australian producers are experiencing.

To summarise Denmark’s pig production system - there are approximately 3 300 pig farmers, 5 000 farming sites with a collective 1 million sow herd. The majority of piggeries are run as family farms, with the average farm size being 770 sows. They produce 28 million pigs per year, with the majority being exported as 30kg pigs to Germany and Eastern Europe to grow out sites. High performing farms are weaning 35 pigs per sow per year, however with the increased live born numbers also comes increased pre-wean mortality. It is important to note that the Danish genetics program has invested highly in born alive numbers, with not as much focus placed on the slaughter pig carcase (this is changing).

So what were some of the key learnings that each of the group members brought back?

Training and management of staff:

It was generally felt that the successful farms had motivated and well-trained staff. Some of the Danish producers also mentioned that equipment and resources will not add any benefit to your business unless your staff have the right behaviour and thinking. Businesses must invest in teams and training to encourage new staff and reduce staff turnover.

There is a strong link between production figures and team cultures on farms. In each break room, notice boards are updated every week with the KPI’s for the farm.

This not only illustrates how staff can have an impact on their area, it is also motivates them through recognition of the role they play on-farm. Interestingly, the subject of staff training and motivation came up in many presentations at the Kongress when producers were explaining their high performing figures.

The issues we face are international

Importantly, it doesn’t matter where you are in the world, pork industries are faced with the same challenges. One of Denmark’s leading challenges (and indeed ours) is the high cost of labour, coupled with issues sourcing and retaining skilled workers. This applies to both production and processing sites. Succession planning is also a major issue. It is very difficult to encourage young farmers into the industry, let alone keep them.

Consumer issues and trends also remain widely the same as in Australia. The Danish pork industry encounters issues with activists and continues to educate consumers about pig production. The industry has multiple programs that aim to create greater social acceptance of pig farming by being open and transparent (in a similar fashion to what we do in Australia). The Danish pig industry has some new initiatives where participating farms are opened one day per year for visitors. Whilst this is a big undertaking, particularly in relation to the biosecurity management in the pig industry, farmers have reported there are certainly some local benefits to the program. However, it is too early to evaluate if it the idea has had significant impact.

Australian Pig Veterinarians annual conference

Feeding of lactating sows

Ensuring that sows are fed correctly to maximise feed efficiency and produce high milk yield requires information about P2 fat depth and feeding 3-5 times daily.

Danish pig producers recognise that knowing the condition of the sow on entry to the farrowing house by back fat testing could significantly improve the feed efficiency of the sow and hence milk yield, by knowing how much to feed that sow. Whilst some farms are doing this in Australia, it is common place in Denmark. They are making sure the sow has a P2 of 17-19 mm on entry into the farrowing house. Sows are fed a maintenance feed for the first 5 days (2.5-2.8 kg) and they are stepped up so they are eating their full allocation by day 10 of lactation. It is important to remember that due to the high use of nurse sows, the average lactation length is over 30 days. Feed is allocated depending on body condition and how many piglets they are nursing. Feed is delivered up to 5 times a day as it is believed that this improves the energy status of the sow. It is also worth noting that when the sow is farrowing, all feed is shut off to discourage her from standing during the farrowing process.

On farm technology adoption

There are no new messages here except that pig farmers need to embrace new technologies and share ideas. The exposure to the very open and candid Danish pig farming culture was refreshing for the group. The Danish farmers are very willing, and open, to learning and sharing ideas and figures to help everyone improve and progress towards a better future. This has resulted in a creative, rather than competitive, culture.

The learnings from the trip are currently being compiled by the Aussie Pork Pioneers and this publication will be available for producers shortly.

If you would like any further information on APL’s Leadership program or anything discussed in this article, please contact Ashley Norval at ashley.norval@australianpork.com.au or 0437 177 527. Applications to participate in the second Leadership Course will open shortly.

The Aussie Pork Pioneers visit Denmark in October

The Australian Pig Veterinarians conference was well attended in Adelaide in October, with almost 100 participants, including over 25 speakers, veterinarians and animal health professionls servicing our industry. Key note speaker was Professor Kent Schwartz from Iowa State University. Professor Schwartz is a clinical professor with appointments at both the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory and the Department of Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine at Iowa State. Professor Schwartz’s enthusiastic approach and interesting case studies provided a great learning opportunity for all present.

Dr Lechelle van Breda (Manager, Production Stewardship) presented an update to the conference on APL’s recent activities in biosecurity R&D, including African swine fever, disease surveillance and antimicrobial stewardship.

Highlights from the conference for Australian pork producers included:

• The Australian Chief Veterinary Officer, Dr Mark Schipp’s presentation on the challenges associated with sustaining the effective life of antimicrobials and the importance of all livestock industries developing antimicrobial stewardship programs.

• Dr Ross Cutler’s introduction to the new Australian Veterinary Association Antimicrobial Prescribing Guidelines for Pigs, which are scheduled for release in December 2018. Australian pig farmers may notice a change in their veterinarian’s prescribing of antibiotics once these new guidelines are released.

• A presentation by Dr Louise Edwards on the impact water quality can have on the delivery of water-soluble antimicrobials. When did you last have your farm water quality tested?

• A presentation by Professor Vijay Dhanasekaran from Monash University on the origins of influenza in Australian pigs. His work has revealed that influenza derived from several human influenza lineages has been occurring sporadically in Australia for some time. The H3N2/1968 pandemic-like genes have circulated undetected for 44 years in Australian pigs. This highlights the importance of farm biosecurity and that piggery workers should be asked to stay away from work when they have respiratory illness.

If you have any questions about the conference, please contact Lechelle van Breda at lechelle.vanbreda@australianpork.com.au or on 02 6270 8816 or Dr Regina Fogarty, APV Secretary at rfogarty@rivalea.com.au or 03 5440 1521

AUSTRALIAN PORK LIMITED | www.australianpork.com.au | research@australianpork.com.au | Toll Free 1800 789 0994 AUSTRALIAN PORK LIMITED | www.australianpork.com.au | research@australianpork.com.au | Toll Free 1800 789 099 5

Issue 9 Summer 2018/2019

Livestock produce large volumes of waste containing valuable nutrients, including carbon, nitrogen, phosphorous, but this waste doesn’t have the right nutrient balance to be directly used as a crop fertiliser.

It is typically diluted with moisture, making transportation and reuse off-farm impractical and unfeasible. Food crops don’t use the nitrogen in fertilisers very efficiently. Much of the carbon and almost all nitrogen and phosphorus is lost in emissions or waste streams.

This project, funded through the Australian Government’s Rural R&D for Profit (RR&D4P) program and led by APL, aimed to convert agricultural waste and wastewater into novel feeds and fertilisers to reduce farming inputs and decrease production costs.

The objectives were to: • develop new waste treatment technologies using

algae and purple phototrophic bacteria (PPB) to recapture nutrients in wastewater to produce feed and fertiliser products;

• evaluate the nutritive, economic and agronomic value (e.g. soil biology and quality, crop productivity, fertiliser use efficiency) of new waste-derived products against alternatives; and

• overcome some of the key barriers to adoption by involving primary producers and regulators during field trials to assist with early adoption.

RnD4Profit – Waste to Revenue – novel fertilisers and feeds

Outputs

The project developed technologies for treating and reusing agricultural waste:

• Novel waste processing technology – New wastewater treatment technologies were developed and tested using photobioreactors to treat wastewater whilst producing high-value microbial biomass. The treatment of wastewaters from livestock with the purple phototropic bacteria (PPB) continuous wastewater treatment system and photobioreactor technology may have commercial and revenue opportunities.

• Novel feed – Microbial biomass produced from synthetic wastewater was tested using bacterial reactors. The biomass was used as a bulk fishmeal replacement in feed trials with barramundi. This project tested the bulk replacement of fishmeal with PPB biomass, specifically for barramundi. When savings on wastewater treatment by instead treating with PPB were considered, up to 1400 USD tonne-1 PPB product could be saved. This resulted in a net production cost of 200 USD tonne-1 PPB. However, this needs to be confirmed in a demonstration plant.

• Novel fertilizers – The biological, economic and agronomic value of alternative fertilizer products derived from wastes was tested and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and stable fly emergence (pest fly species) were quantified. A number of novel fertiliser products were developed and tested, with three of them, specifically Black Stable Fly (BSF) frass, microalgae and advanced compost, performing as well as synthetic fertiliser in pot trials. A three-year field trial showed there were financial gains in terms of increased productivity and reduced input costs by applying beef compost with synthetic fertiliser at the reduced rate of 60%, without affecting crop yield.

• Applying compost to dairy pastures in WA led to improved shoot growth and phosphorous uptake in pasture soils under water stressed conditions and was more effective than clay additions. Currently, the average cost of soil amelioration practices such as clay and lime amendments are about $41/ha and $124/ha/year (annualised value). Applying compost was estimated to have a benefit: cost ratio of 3:1 and a net benefit of about $83/ha/year.

• Applying chicken compost to soils raised soil pH, and improved biological function, nutrient retention and nutrient availability in field trials. This could partially overcome current constraints of grain production in WA.

Benefits to producers• Some waste-derived by-products can be used

as partial fertilisers, reducing the input costs and increasing fertiliser use efficiency by up to 40%. Other by-products could be used as soil conditioners to ameliorate the soil constraints on yield through increased pH, C and N retention in soils, resilience to water and heat stress reducing the need for soil amelioration practices (such as liming or adding clay) that can cost approximately $124/ha/year.

• Amendments to the Biosecurity & Agricultural Management Act 2007 that now permits WA farmers to apply poultry litter/compost in broad acre agriculture in previously banned Shires. This is a major cost saving to WA producers ($4 million/yr.) - industry currently loses up to $8/m3 in removal costs.

• Overall, semi-arid soils of WA amended with manures and composts are low emitters of nitrous oxide (N2O) and a significant methane (CH4) sink when amended with manures. Methane uptake was greatest in soils amended with composted manures (pig, beef and dairy) with the exception of chicken manure that performed better when untreated. Methane uptake could lead to significant reduction in GHG emissions by negating on-farm N2O and CH4 emissions. This mitigation methodology could be included as Australian carbon credit units (ACCUs) issued under the Emissions Reduction Fund, currently trading at between $13-15 per tCO2-e of emissions abated.

Overall, a range of outcomes have been generated from this project that present benefits to producers. The most promising results will be further developed in the RR&D4P Round 3 ‘’Wastes to Profit’’ project being led by MLA that APL is also investing in. APL has also recently submitted a proposal in collaboration with eight partner organisations including five RDC’s, for funding in Round 4 of the RR&D4P program. If successful, this collaborative project will investigate the use of black soldier fly technology to convert agricultural waste into high quality fertiliser and soil improvers.

For more information, contact Denise Woods, Manager Environment at denise.woods@australianpork.com.au or on 02 6270 8826.

“ Some waste-derived by-products can be used as partial fertilisers, reducing the input costs and increasing fertiliser use efficiency by up to 40%”

Purple phototrophic bacteria (PPB) grown off illuminated services

“ [The project] aimed to convert agricultural waste and wastewater into novel feeds and fertilisers to reduce farming inputs and decrease production costs.”

Pigs to Pork

AUSTRALIAN PORK LIMITED | www.australianpork.com.au | research@australianpork.com.au | Toll Free 1800 789 0996

Issue 9 Summer 2018/2019Pigs to Pork

Increasing fatty acid levels in sow lactation diets improves reduces still births

Feeding diets containing 0.13% n-3 PUFA and 2.55 – 2.70% n-6 PUFA during lactation (high n-6 diet) also tended to reduce incidences of post-implantation fetal death.

The proportion of females born in the subsequent litter was unaffected by diet. Due to the commercial nature of the study, it was not possible to replicate the high levels of n-6 PUFA that was reported to increase the proportion of females born in sheep and mice. Further research into the manipulation of litter sex bias in pigs is warranted given the benefits that it would provide to producers in contrast to the management decisions required currently for male pigs in order to manage boar taint. Overall, it was demonstrated that higher PUFA levels in sow diets can have positive effects on subsequent reproduction and that these should be optimised in sow lactation diets in order to maximise sow reproductive performance. Review of fatty acid levels in sow lactation diets may be warranted in conjunction with your nutritionist to optimise sow reproductive performance.

For more information or a copy of the final report APL project 2016/2215 please contact Dr Rebecca Athorn by email at rebecca.athorn@australianpork.com.au or on 02 6270 8827.

Two factors which continue to negatively affect the productivity and efficiency of Australian, and global, pig production are the suppression of sow fertility during summer (seasonal infertility) and boar taint.

Researchers from the University of Adelaide recently completed a project looking at the effect of differing levels of dietary n-3 and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) fed to sows during lactation on subsequent reproductive outcomes as well as the sex ratio of the subsequent litter. Altering dietary intake of PUFAs has the potential to affect reproductive processes in a number of ways, including: altered synthesis of hormones important for embryo implantation and pregnancy maintenance, as well as oocyte and embryo metabolism and growth potential.

This study was based on earlier work conducted in the USA that had shown that feeding lactating sows a diet containing 3.3% linoleic acid (n-6 PUFA) and 0.45% linolenic acid (n-3 PUFA) improved total born and farrowing rate by 0.8 piglets and 10%, respectively. Furthermore, recent studies in both sheep and mice have shown that feeding diets with high levels of n-6 PUFAs prior to mating increased the proportion of female progeny produced.

In the absence of any change in fertility or the number of progeny produced, the proportion of females born increased in sheep from 44 to 54% in one study and from 44% to 58% in another, and from 47% to 60% in mice. Based on these outcomes, it was hypothesised that that feeding lactating sows a diet containing higher levels of both n-3 and n-6 PUFAs during summer would improve subsequent reproductive performance and that increasing n-6 PUFA content in sow diets would increase the proportion of female progeny in the subsequent litter.

Feeding low n-3 (0.13%) and low n-6 (1.1 – 1.2%) PUFA diets during lactation reduced subsequent reproductive output. However, feeding diets containing 0.27% n-3 PUFA and 1.85-1.99% n-6 PUFA during lactation (the medium n-6 diet) tended to reduce incidences of post-implantation foetal death (as evidenced by reduced mummies) and significantly reduced the incidence of stillbirths produced at the subsequent litter.