Who will win this year’s David Black Award? Go to the BPEX website for a nomination form

Knowledge Transfer
Tip of the week – Hospital Pens
The care of sick or injured stock requires suitable facilities, appropriate nutrition, good nursing and treatment. It can be challenging but at the end of the day is often highly rewarding.

The latest Action for Productivity sheet from BPEX (No 15) looks at this topic and can be used in conjunction with farm health plans to review hospital/recovery pen management and facilities. Copies are available free of charge from BPEX or can be downloaded here.

Welcome to the Pig Industry
BPEX has held its second Introduction to the Pig Industry day at Retford, Nottinghamshire. Delegates included representatives from DEFRA, Lantra, Environment Agency, Catchment Sensitive Farming, RSPCA, Co-op, Trading Standards and Animal Health.

Once again the day proved the ideal opportunity to bring together those working in the industry and those involved in all aspects of policy making. Topics covered included the financial aspects of pig production, health and welfare, staff development, biosecurity and included a tour of an indoor pig unit.

Feedback from the event was very positive with a large percentage of attendees declaring the day as “excellent” and “invaluable in providing a better understanding of the issues facing the industry as a whole.” To register your interest to attend one of these days, please contact Tess Howe at tess.howe@bpex.org.uk as places are limited.

The next event is expected to be held in the South West in September, returning to the North in the New Year.

Pig Journal Info
Volume 61 of The Pig Journal was published this week with some excellent practical papers of interest to both pig farmers and their veterinary surgeons. The Journal includes reviews on disease eradication and Salmonella control from Denmark and also papers on PRRS, reproductive failure, lameness and parasites in Britain. Two papers highlight the effect of disease on costs with one focusing on the costs of sub-clinical ileitis and another on the impact of parasitism during finishing.

Abstracts are now on thepigsite website. You can order The Pig Journal Volume 61 by fax +44 (0)1845 525224 to request an order form.

Ask the Experts
Got a burning question to ask BPEX? Then go to “Ask BPEX”, which is now live on the BPEX website. Whether it’s feed, the environment, vaccination, bedding or something else that’s bugging you we’ll find the answer. Just click on the link on the BPEX website, which you’ll find under Practical Advice. We will send you an immediate acknowledgement of your question and forward it to the appropriate expert. We guarantee you a response within five working days.

Where There’s Muck . . .
Producers know the importance of what goes into their pigs, but what comes out the other end is taking on an increasing value. The fertiliser value of slurry has long been recognised but, the way prices are going, that value is increasing dramatically.

BPEX Pig Technologist Nigel Penlington has done some calculations which show the fertiliser value of one finishing pig place over a year is almost £20.

Nigel said: “Producers have always known the value of slurry however, that economic value is heading for three times what it has been for the last 10 years. Basically, fertiliser was cheap and now it is very, very expensive. Obviously it is not a cure for all the ills of the industry but in these difficult times it is yet another small step on the road back towards profitability.”

Marketing News
Pigs Are Worth It Latest
Meat Trades Journal 4 July issue, featured a PAWit campaign update as a 4 page wrap, covering the front and back cover of the magazine. Featuring the Starburst/Slashed ad on the front cover and a campaign update followed in the centre spread. The wrap around was also printed as a leaflet and copies are available from info@ahdbms.org.uk or downloadable by clicking here.  The Starburst/Slashed ad has also been featured on the front covers of Cost Sector Catering and Eat Out magazines July issues.  For a copy of the advert download it by clicking here.

Westminster BBQ
The annual Westminster BBQ, on Wednesday, July 9 was well attended by some 300 MPs, Ministers, members of the House of Lords, senior Civil Servants and industry leaders, even though it was one of the worst days of rain. Many high profile MPs were in attendance and the marquee, due to the rain, where the stands were positioned became the focal point for some positive networking.

Great It’s Lunchtime
New nutritional standards for school meals come into effect from September 2008 as part of recent Government initiatives to improve the health of children through their diet.  To help school caterers provide nutritious and tasty meals to satisfy hungry bellies in line with the new standards, BPEX Limited has developed ten deliciously innovative pork recipes published in a new booklet entitled: ‘Great It’s Lunchtime’.  It has been featured extensively on the Cost Sector Catering and LACA websites – including news articles and links to each of the ten recipes.  The news links are:  http://www.costsectorcatering.co.uk/online_article/New-pork-recipes-for-school-caterers-/3333   http://www.laca.co.uk/news-item/new-pork-recipes-for-school-caterers/3333.

There has also been coverage in the magazine news pages and the booklet is also being included within relevant ‘school meal’ feature articles.  The leaflet features 10 nutritionally balanced pork recipes for school children.

Links to the recipes are on the cost sector catering website . If you would like an original copy of the leaflet it is available on request from 01908 844114 or email foodservice@bpex.org.uk. 

Pressure to Buy British
When it comes to meeting objectives set out in the Public Sector Procurement Initiative (PFSPI) Government departments and public bodies should be focusing on food quality, according to a new report published by BPEX Limited and the National Pig Association (NPA).  The report; ‘Should the Government be buying British?’ highlights how, on average, Government departments sourced 65 per cent British pork and just 25 per cent British bacon.  Tony Goodger, BPEX foodservice trade sector manager, explains: “Pig farmers in the UK operate to some of the highest food safety and animal welfare standards, yet when it comes to their food procurement policy too many government departments are focusing on cost whilst compromising on quality.  To read more about it download the full report by clicking here.

Are You a Hog Roaster?
If you are, or supply pigs to Hog Roasters, BPEX Foodservice is launching a DVD called Running a Successful Hog Roast. Filmed with the help of the Best of British BBQ team the DVD takes Hog Roasters and caterers through some of the tricks of the trade that ensure that every element of a hog roast is a success, except of course, the weather. That said the DVD was shot on a rainy day and more than 70 villagers from Great Oxenden in Leicestershire turned out for the filming. To reserve your copy contact foodservice@bpex.org.uk or Karen Eaton on 01908 844114.

National News:
Cabinet Office Food Report
The Cabinet Office has published a report called Food Matters Towards a Strategy for the 21st Century. It aims to review the trends in food production and consumption in the UK; to analyse the implications of those trends for the economy, society and the environment; to assess the robustness of the current food policy framework and determine what the objectives of future food strategy should be and the measures needed to achieve them. To see the full report, click here.

NADIS Latest - Ear Tip Necrosis
Necrosis (or tissue death) of the ear tip is a common feature in growing pigs in all systems and is usually associated with Staph hyicus infection – the usual source of Greasy Pig Disease.  Whilst the condition is extremely unsightly and can lead on to more damaging ear biting, in an uncomplicated form it appears to do little harm to the pigs, either in terms of growth or in any way affecting the carcase.

There is a belief in parts of Europe that the condition is associated with Circovirus infection - either directly or secondary to immune suppression. With the rapid and widespread uptake of PCV2 vaccination it will be interesting to see if the prevalence of this condition declines.

Join BPHS
Have you joined the BPHS yet? The new one has just started. It provides members, their vets, abattoirs and funding partners with regular, objective and detailed post-mortem health assessments from pigs submitted to 14 specialist pig abattoirs in England. To date the BPHS team of specialist pig vets have reported on more than 12,000 consignments of pigs.

A survey of members found all farmers surveyed discussed the BPHS reports with their vets when reviewing pig health and performance. More than 60% of them and 80% of vets have been taking action on farms to tackle health issues using information from their reports. You can find out more about the scheme by logging onto the BPEX website or calling 01463 233184. There is also a DVD available explaining how the scheme works, which can be obtained by calling 01908 844734.

Boost for Pig Industry
The British pig industry has been given a boost by the Farm Animal Welfare Council which has acknowledged the high standards of welfare applied in this country.

In a letter to Richard Lochhead MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment in Scotland FAWC also highlighted the additional cost incurred to deliver these superior standards, a point welcomed by BPEX Chairman Stewart Houston. The letter was in response to questions asked of FAWC during a meeting with Mr Lochhead in relation to the welfare of Scottish pigs and of pigs reared abroad. The letter concludes: The majority of pigs in the U.K., including those in Scotland, are kept to a higher welfare standard than elsewhere in the EU and other countries.  The higher standard arises from differences in legislation and voluntary measures but both will have increased the costs of pig production in the U.K. relative to those in exporting countries.

Stewart said: “It is very encouraging that FAWC is acknowledging not only the high welfare standards that apply in the UK but also the extra cost borne by the industry to implement those standards. I am sure customers and retailers will also welcome this independent reassurance that British pork not only represents exceptional value but also superior welfare.”

International News:
Plea on GM Zero Tolerance
The American Soybean Association (ASA) this week urged the European Commission to find a workable solution to the EU’s zero tolerance for the low level presence of EU-unapproved biotech events. European livestock and feed industries, along with U.S. growers, all have been advocating for a workable solution due to the EU’s slow and politically-influenced biotech approval process that results in European biotech reviews and approvals taking over twice as long as science-based reviews and approvals in the rest of the world, including the United States.

US Grocery Costs Up
The cost of 16 basic grocery items in the second quarter of 2008 rose 3.5 percent from the first quarter and were up 8.5 percent from a year ago, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation's quarterly Marketbasket Survey. Compared to the first quarter of 2008, the AFBF said the price of a pound of bacon rose 22 cents to $3.57 per pound. Bacon, as well as corn oil and vegetable oil, led the price increases for the quarter.

International Prices
Click here for the latest international prices