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Drive aims to lead way over pig health
A date has been set for drawing up an historic agenda for improving pig health in the region as an example to the nation.
Everyone in the pig industry, from truckers to vets, is being called on to contribute to the initiative, which will start with an open meeting at Malton Rugby Club, on Wednesday July 1. The meeting is being held from 3pm until 8pm
Richard Lister of Boroughbridge, chairman of the producers group of the National Pig Association, is also now chairman of the Yorkshire & Humberside pig health improvement steering group, set up to map a way forward with the help of a 300,0000 grant.
Indoor pigs lose condition and weight – and sometimes die – from various kinds of sniffles and stomach bugs, and cutting losses from persistent low-level illness is an obvious way to improve profitability.
British farmers have seen the French get good results from co-ordination of effort – for example getting everyone to tackle the same problem at the same time, to cut down on re-infection, or pooling resources to tackle a common source of trouble.
They went looking for funding to try the same thing here, nationally, but were advised that the regional development agencies were their best bet.
Yorkshire Forward was persuaded by the British Pig Executive, BPEX, to help to launch a project which could be rolled out in other regions later.
The Yorkshire and Humber region probably holds 25 to 30 per cent of the national pig herd.
Mr Lister's invitation to the event on July 1 calls on "pig producers, veterinarians, breeding companies, feed companies, hauliers, animal health companies, processors and ... the wider range of stakeholders".
It also promises tea, coffee and a pie-and-pea supper.
Mr Lister said this week: "When a wagon is washed out and disinfected, how do you make sure you are not splashing dysentery into the wagon parked next to it? Everyone in the chain has something to contribute."
It has been estimated that disease costs 8 for every pig successfully sold for food. Mr Lister commented: "If we could take a third off that figure it would be huge."
Stewart Houston, BPEX chairman and another Yorkshire pig producer, said: "I estimate we could produce another 1.5 million pigs a year in England without even expanding the sow herd, simply by working to suppress common diseases in the same way that whooping cough and mumps have been almost eliminated in humans."
The farmers hope the initiative might earn them a discount on Defra's threatened animal health tax, which is expected to cost a 250-sow producer around 1,500 a year from 2012.
Mr Lister said it would also, indirectly, be a response to public and political concern, because "a healthier pig needs less antibiotics".
This Monday is deadline for booking places. Call Sam Hoste of Quantech Solutions on 01653 694490 or email sam.hoste@quantechsolutions.co.uk
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Sunday 12 February 2012
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