Swine

Understanding the relationship between PRRS, gut function and piglet resilience in challenged production systems

Weaning marks a critical and often stressful phase for piglets, involving separation from their mother, a new environment and a shift to solid feed. This transition can result in the notorious ‘post-weaning lag,’ characterised by reduced feed intake, dehydration, weight loss and heightened vulnerability to disease . Tonisity PxW offers a practical and effective solution, designed to support piglets during this challenging period by promoting water consumption and enhancing g

Tonisity has developed comprehensive piglet care protocols aimed at improving piglet health and performance during critical stages of growth. These protocols offer tailored solutions for managing piglets through the pre-weaning, weaning and post-weaning phases. Backed by scientific research, they are specifically formulated to boost growth, reduce mortality and improve overall piglet health. Recommendations for Producers Producers are encouraged to carefully follow Tonisity's

Weaning is a highly stressful period for piglets, marked by significant dietary changes and separation from the sow. A thesis from Choudhury (2021) emphasises the fact that after weaning, piglets must abruptly adjust from their mother’s milk to a less digestible, plant-based solid diet rich in complex proteins and carbohydrates. This sudden dietary change often results in a significant drop in feed intake immediately after weaning, with some piglets not consuming feed for up

In the ever-evolving world of agriculture, innovations in animal care are critical for improving productivity and profitability. A recent study, conducted on a commercial pig farm in Belgium, examines: Tonisity PxM, a highly-palatable isotonic milk replacer additive, helps piglets overcome key productivity hurdles. This article delves into the findings of this study, which assessed the effects of Tonisity PxM on reducing fall-behinds at weaning and lowering pre-weaning mort

Water is a unique nutrient. Even though it is essential to maintaining life, it is difficult to determine water intake requirements since it can’t be studied like other nutrients. Due to its chemical makeup and overwhelming presence in the body, water is the key to successful bodily function. To best optimise water’s benefits, it must be ensured that the supplied water source is of adequate quality for pigs to have a good foundation for growth. What determines water quality?

Colostrum contains essential maternal antibodies (immunoglobulins) that can eliminate bacteria and viruses, providing passive immunity to the piglets. This is crucial because piglets are born without immune protection, and it takes time for them to develop their own active immunity. Colostrum also supplies energy and highly digestible nutrients essential for the piglets, enabling them to start suckling and grow faster. Colostrum is produced by the sow just after the birth of

In the dynamic landscape of agriculture, finding innovative solutions that not only improve productivity but also contribute to environmental sustainability is paramount. One such ground-breaking product making waves in the pig farming industry is Tonisity Px, the first isotonic drink for piglets, which supplies rapid energy for the enterocytes (the intestinal cells responsible for absorption of nutrients) and promotes a healthy microbiome. This disruptive solution is not jus

While last February we were estimating that the total sow population in China was somewhere between 35 to 40 million heads, right now that figure is (officially) around 45 million sows. Two production models coexist: large, integrated farms and family farms. The top 50 pig producing enterprises have a total output of about 250 million pigs, and, from January to September, 13 enterprises slaughtered a bit more than 100 million pigs (see Figure 1). The top 3 (Muyuan, Wens and N

Feeding pigs is one of the most critical tasks in a commercial pig farm. The success and profitability of the farm depend on how well the pigs are fed. Traditional feeding systems have been in use for decades, but with the advancement of technology, innovative feeding systems have emerged to improve pig feeding efficiency and reduce labour costs. These systems not only optimise feed usage but also improve pig welfare and reduce the environmental footprint of pig farming. Some

Taiwan, with a population of about 23.4 million, is a relatively small island nation located close to China’s east coast. While Taiwan has been successful economically, its agriculture represents only 1.5% of its GDP. That doesn’t prevent the country from having one of the highest rankings in terms of meat consumption: 43kg of poultry meat per person and per year (50% of the total) and about 35kg of pork. Data on swine production supplied by the Council of Agriculture shows t

In the last 30 years, Vietnam has transformed from one of Asia’s poorest countries to an “emerging economy” and during that time food consumption, including that of meat, has grown significantly. While the typical Vietnamese meal used to be based on rice and vegetables and meat was only consumed on special occasions, it is now normal to have meat in every meal. Vietnamese now eat four times more meat than 30 years ago. In 2021, the pork consumption per capita in Vietnam amoun