Articles

Among the elements that are often overlooked is the microbiota, a true "invisible organ" that plays a key role in the health, immunity, and productivity of pigs. Understanding its dynamics and how it becomes imbalanced is increasingly essential for the success of health and nutrition programs.

Initial injuries at the tip of the ear are usually due to chewing behavior, while injuries at the base of the ear appear to be influenced by feeder-related bites.

To complement the necropsy course, we have produced a series of videos of different processes in pigs.

The speed at which events have unfolded makes one want to get off this rollercoaster ride of a year, but the world doesn’t stop.

The flu is very much in the media spotlight, so we wanted to find out how much our users know about influenza's role in pigs and humans. To do this, we conducted a mini survey among our users.

The market is gradually working its way out of a phase of tension.

Prices were expected to be significantly better than what ultimately materialized in the hog markets.

The withdrawal of ZnO in the EU and the UK, and the pressure to reduce the use of antibiotics, has accelerated the shift to implement alternatives to protect postweaning gut health.

If we want greater economic resilience in the face of hard times, our focus should shift from cutting costs to outproducing the challenges ahead.

Making the right choice is not just a matter of cost, but also of strategic vision and risk management.

In addition to its role in protein synthesis, tryptophan contributes to the production of serotonin, a molecule that influences appetite and immune system regulation, and niacin production.

Effective PRDC control isn’t a single protocol — it’s a system. Success depends on accurate diagnosis, tailored vaccination, strong biosecurity, smart production flow, and, above all, consistent implementation. As Cano said, “Execution is everything. The best protocol won’t work if no one’s watching the barn.”

Spain has flooded the EU with cheap pork. Low pork prices dragged down prices in some countries.

Intestinal immunity is a complex system composed of physical barriers, immune cells, receptors, and microbiota.

An updated summary regarding the African swine fever outbreak situation in Spain.

Farms that fail to manage intergenerational integration run risks that directly affect their productivity and sustainability.

In this second instalment, Cano and Segalés talk about tools for detecting PRDC on farms, the factors influencing its development, and vaccination.

The key takeaways highlight that environmental microbiomes matter—installing a positive biofilm on surfaces in farm buildings helps maintain a favorable microbial environment in the nursery—while animal gut resilience is equally essential and requires supporting microbial balance, immunity, and the management of oxidative stress to optimize their post-weaning performance.

The German pig market ended December with a deceptive sense of calm, yet beneath this veneer, the situation remained tense.

Intrauterine growth restriction is a complex condition with long-lasting effects that compromise both productivity and fertility in pigs.

Jean Paul Cano, a veterinarian with extensive field experience in US and now in Spain, provided practical field insights into managing PRDC in production settings. Joaquim Segalés, UAB professor and CReSA researcher, offered an academic perspective and share the latest findings on PRDC pathogenesis.

Tryptophan (Trp) is an essential amino acid that pigs must obtain from their diet. It is involved in protein synthesis and serotonin production, which regulates appetite. It also contributes to the formation of niacin (vitamin B3) and has antioxidant effects, promoting intestinal health and microbiota. In addition, it helps maintain mucosal integrity and regulates the immune system.

Spanish farmers are losing over €47 million per week total, and pig prices are not expected to rise until February...

Reducing sow mortality takes time, and it is therefore necessary that the owner or manager is committed and leads the project. Throughout the process, you will need to draw a line and start doing things differently to achieve significant results.

Tonsil scrubbing using sponge catheters demonstrates a greater capacity for virus detection compared to sera from infected sows.

We answer frequently asked questions from the public regarding the recent measures implemented to control the outbreak of African swine fever detected in wild boars in Barcelona, ​​Spain.

The month was shaped by a seasonally unusual price decline and left the sector wavering between routine daily business and sudden uncertainty.

Construction costs in France stabilize: up 0.7% in a year, following several years of continuous increases.

The best DanBred sow farms in Denmark have sow mortality as low as 5%, showing that management, including feeding strategies, is the key.

We are in a critical market situation throughout the EU. It does not look like things will change until February next year.

Should we review the iron requirements of piglets?

Fats and oils are among the most energy-dense and expensive components in pig diets, yet their digestion and utilization remain complex and often under-optimized.

Considering the spread of African swine fever (ASF) globally in recent years, are we prepared for this increased risk?

In the short term, the outlook remains subdued; in the medium term, smaller live supplies could allow prices to at least hold steady.

The grain and oilseed market has taken an unexpected turn in the last 15 days, with volatility and rising prices taking center stage.

There is plenty of evidence that the weight and backfat level of the gilt at first mating is strongly related to her productive life and longevity.

The livestock farms associated with the project evaluate and verify the improvement measures proposed in the plans based on the ClassyFarm self-assessment questionnaires.

Despite the global dynamics of a growing sector, pig farming faces difficulties in attracting and retaining young talent.

How is vitamin quantity expressed? How are vitamin requirements and safety margins estimated in pigs? Can the stability of vitamin activity be compromised?

ASF has never spread so widely across the globe. The question is not if it will arrive, but when. The latest outbreaks detected in Europe may provide valuable information as the wolf lurks.

The Chamber of Agriculture of Brittany suggests using cameras to analyze the behavior of our pigs and to correct the factors that limit their performance.

Increased productivity has not come without consequences. Sows face greater physiological demands, which translates into a higher metabolic load, increased nutritional requirements, and, in many cases, increased mortality on farms. This phenomenon is of particular concern in Spain.

The choice of cut-off point influences sensitivity, specificity, and the occurrence of false positives or negatives. We explain why the timing of collection and the purpose of the test make a difference in interpreting the results.

Boosting key performance indicators in swine production requires addressing viral pathogens, which remain a major challenge for swine health, performance, and farm profitability. Emerging strains, such as H1N2#E and devastating diseases like ASF, highlight the urgency for innovative control strategies. C12 monoglycerides represent a promising approach to enhance pigs’ immune defenses and mitigate viral impact.

High sensitivity, specificity, and an affordable cost make ELISA an indispensable tool in laboratory routines. This infographic explains the mechanisms, components, and main variations of this assay in a visual and objective way.

China has been Spain's largest market for many years, and with an additional 20% penalty, exports to China will decline significantly.

Vitamins are essential for proper growth and also for ensuring proper function of the nervous system, immune system, reproductive system, bone development, and cell repair. They do not provide energy, and each vitamin performs particular functions that none of the other vitamins can.

When losses and costs from poor health threaten the current and future farm profitability, perhaps a “clean slate” should be considered.

Oral vaccination in pigs, previously limited to enteric pathogens, is emerging as an innovative strategy against respiratory diseases. By building on the potential of the Common Mucosal Immune System (CMIS), new formulations can trigger immune responses in distant mucosal sites starting from the gut.

August brought a welcome breather to the German pig market.

A stew of grains with an abundance of ingredients, but seasoned with risks that could sour the overall dish.

By exploring the mechanisms of the Common Mucosal Immune System (CMIS), orally administered vaccines are capable of activating coordinated immune responses across different mucosal sites in the body. In this content, we explain how local activation in the GALT triggers protective effects in distant mucosal tissues, such as the respiratory tract, thereby expanding the reach of immune protection.

Reducing costs in pig feed formulation depends not on a single action, but on the strategic integration of multiple factors: precision in formulation, ingredient selection, use of technologies, and efficient management of the nutrition model and purchasing.

In healthy animals, PCV2 stays under the radar, causing little harm. But with coinfections that activate the immune system, the virus replicates more and becomes more damaging.

This second article from the WelfarePIGnet project describes practices for improving pig access to feed and drinking water, including the costs of implementing them.

The opportunities are real, but several challenges are holding the industry back.

How does heat stress affect animal growth and meat quality?

We need a container for syringes, needles, medicine bottles, sprays, and markers. Sometimes you see improvised and inadequate containers on farms, but the one presented here is very simple and functional.

This installment focuses on the effects of heat stress on sow fertility.

When we manage errors systematically, we stop punishing symptoms and start addressing the real causes.

In this installment, we will discover how heat stress affects the digestive tract of pigs.

Genetic improvement is key in livestock production, playing an essential role in achieving a modern, efficient, and sustainable pig production model.

Chronic inflammation is one of the main challenges in modern pig production, affecting intestinal health, productive performance, and feed efficiency. In light of increasing pressure to reduce antibiotic use, functional nutrition emerges as a key tool.

The good domestic crop contrasts with global uncertainty: currency, geopolitics, and funds continue to drive prices in the short and long term.

This IFIP study provides unprecedented results on methane reduction using a slurry cooling system, not previously published by other teams.

In the first quarter of 2025, European pig trade continued to be marked by an increase in Spanish imports of piglets and finishing pigs.

Digestive diseases in pigs that were previously addressed individually, targeting a single pathogen, now form a digestive disease complex that we must confront from various angles.

Hans Nauwynck defines himself as a veterinary virologist, a person who works in a laboratory setting, doing precise work, like a surgeon, aiming to gain a better understanding of how animal viruses interact with their target cells. But it is much more. His deep understanding of the biological behavior of viruses allows him to fluently explain many of the “whys” that are so important for a better understading of the pathogenesis of viral diseases and the development of effective control strategies.

Communication in the swine industry today faces a double challenge. On the one hand, there is a real need to transparently show the sector's work to an increasingly distrustful consumer, who is either uninformed or saturated with emotional messages. On the other hand, we must do so in a changing digital environment, which rewards the authentic, the emotional, and the useful.

One of the major challenges during weaning is post-weaning diarrhea, impacting nearly 25% of piglets in European countries. A promising strategy to boost resilience and help piglets navigate the stress of weaning can be, among others, the use of phytogenics.

Spanish slaughterhouses are between a rock and a hard place. The heat will accentuate the supply shortage. Pig prices are increasing or staying the same, pork prices are decreasing, and consequently, margins are deteriorating.

This is how one of the Tosh Pork farms in the United States works, combining technology, production efficiency, and social commitment. In this first article, we present the structure, work culture, and overview of U.S. swine production.

On December 6, 2024, the final trade agreement between the European Union (EU) and Mercosur was signed. This agreement is considered historic due to its magnitude, creating a goods and services market of approximately 800 million consumers and representing a quarter of the global GDP.

Who talks about inflammation? We all might mention it when we exercise too much – aching joints, stiffness – or is it just we are all getting older…? But we do not really talk about inflammation much. And certainly, when we think about our livestock, we do not really mention it at all. Well…we should.