Page 913 of articles about news

Figures released by the French government's agricultural statistics agency, Agreste, indicate a 1.1% rise in finished pigs against 2007 in the January to October year to date. Figures also indicate a 5.2% year-on-year drop in year to date breeding herd cull numbers.

The two award winners in the swine category were Sdr Vissing Staldinventar and Danish Farm Design. In addition, two pig-related products were awarded in the other categories: Thyregod and WiseCon.

Hog farmers have decided to reduce their production by around 20,000 heads in December to help boost falling pork prices on the domestic market.

The boning division at Skaerbak will be closed. Danish Crown will keep the sow slaughterhouse and other functions at Skaerbak. The closing down is expected to take effect on 30 January 2009.

According to Agriculture Department figures, any farm or ranch with more than 25 dairy cows, 50 beef cattle or 200 hogs emits more than 100 tons of carbon equivalent per year, and thus would need to obtain a permit under the proposed rules. More than 90 percent of U.S. dairy, beef and pork production would be affected by the proposal.

The Danish Minister for Food, Eva Kjer Hansen wants to reduce the costs of food control at the slaughterhouses by more than € 15 mill before 2013. According to the minister money can be saved by introducing visual meat control, by a change among vets and control technicians and by a change in staffing.

Since Holland will have Aujeszky's-free status next year, Dutch producers will be able to export to Germany freely. This could lead to a supply increase of up to 2.5m piglets to the German market.

Danish investors are going to develop small pig breeding complexes with production capacity of 5-15 thousand tons of meat per year in the region.

The US Department of Agriculture has renewed Stage V Pseudorabies Eradication Program status to Michigan. This follows the recent PRV outbreak in transitional swine in the state.

The New Zealand Food Safety Authority (NZFSA) says that total sales of prescription veterinary medicines containing antibiotics in the 2006/07 year have decreased to levels similar to the 2002/03 year, and are down 11.9% on 2005/06 sales.

Hog producers will have the option to defer the principal portion of the first payment from May 2009, to May 2010. Also removed is the requirement for accelerated repayment when the weekly pool price exceeds $140 per ckg (price per 100 kilograms).

FDA is revoking the order prohibiting the extra-label use of cephalosporin antimicrobial drugs in food-producing animals. FDA received many substantive comments following issuance of the order of prohibition and is taking this action so that it may fully consider these comments.

For ten months of 2008, all agricultural organizations of the region sold 351.8 thousand tons of live poultry and 153.9 thousand tons of live pigs. For pig distribution share of total volume, it amounts to 51.1% (last year it was about 40%).

The leaders of Canada and Colombia signed a new free-trade agreement that opens new markets for Canadian beef, pork, potatoes and other products in the South American country.

The AASV Pig Welfare Committee has prepared a list of recommendations that could be used by member veterinarians working with their clients to prepare anti-abuse statements for use on farms.

Under the auspices of the OIE, countries of the Americas will develop, update and harmonise their standards on animal health and welfare, in general and on the appropriate use of biotechnology in the production and use of vaccines and diagnostic assays.