All of those who know me, know I collect pigs of all shapes, sizes and varieties. I found a “fun” pig and could not wait to use it. So on a recent camping trip in the mountains deep down in the Castle area in SW Alberta, I was able to take out the pig
The psalmist David proclaims: “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name!” (Psalm 103:1) How do we (or can we) bless the Lord?When was the last time someone blessed you after sneezing? Blessing someone after a sneeze began in the 6th century. It was Pope Gregory
The National Farm Animal Council just released this update:The Code of Practice for the care and handling of pigs was released in 2014. In March 2019 a Code Technical Panel was established to undertake the pig Code’s 5 year review.The Code Technical Panel (CTP) also needed to address a requirement in Section 1.1.2 of
There is potential for thousands of people to attend the 50th-annual Banff Pork Seminar – virtually. Plans for a bang-up celebration during the week of January 6, 2021 slid off the road in July as realities of dealing with a pandemic forced organizers to step back and reload. In a style that is true to
A new approach developed by VIDO-InterVac for vaccinating sows and gilts to protect against various diseases shows promise.Researchers at the University of Saskatchewan are evaluating the delivery of intrauterine vaccines; administered to sows and gilts along with the semen during artificial insemination.Dr. Heather Wilson, a research scientist with VIDO-InterVac, said most diseases that impact
There is some who think the reality of the COVID-19 pandemic the last several months will lead to some rather dramatic changes in how we view our food.That is an interesting viewpoint, given my own experiences given that I am now 60.When growing up through the 1960s and 1970s, on a Saskatchewan farm my
A theft warning – Reflection As I sat down to write my monthly Siemens Says column, I received this note from a stranger.Hello Harry, I hope you can share some information. There is some grain theft taking place in the Pembina Valley area. Hopefully, if you could share this, farmers will be even more diligent about
The Swine Health Information Center called for proposals for improved oral fluids PCR (polymerase chain reaction) sensitivity. Although the deadline for accepting these research proposals was August 25, the aim is to improve oral fluids’ PCR sensitivity. Dr. Paul Sundberg, the Executive Director of the SHIC, said the genesis of this is a question about
A new foreign animal disease surveillance effort will help speed up the detection of African Swine Fever in pigs should it arrive in Canada. CanSpotASF is part of a suite of African Swine Fever preparedness activities under the ASF Executive Management Board. Canada West Swine Health Intelligence Network manager Dr. Jette Christensen explains CanSpotASF is a
Pork producers, swine transporters, and regulatory authorities will reap the benefits of research to assess the effects on pigs of long-distance versus short-distance transport. The Prairie Swine Center and the Universities of Saskatchewan and Guelph with support from Swine Innovation Porc and the Agriculture Development Fund Saskatchewan, said scientists are tracking the effects of stress
