Finding Latest Feed Info
UK Liffe and Chicago wheat futures have eased back following reports that the US winter wheat harvest is progressing well.  The Liffe quote closed at £98.25 on Thurs 2 July with Nov 09 quoted at £113.25.

Soybean processors In the US are reported to be having difficulties in finding soybean for crushing due to tight stocks of old crop.  There are also difficulties in finding high protein soybean for livestock feed.  These factors were reflected in increases in nearby CBOT quotations which claimed during the week.
Click here for latest feed info.

Marketing News

LIPs Education Pack
LIPs in conjunction with the BPEX Education and Health Manager have produced a childrens’ education/activity pack for use at all regional shows and demonstrations.  It contains information about pigs, a wordsearch and ‘making’ activities including some recipes. 

It was recently used at the Yorkshire Education Day and East of England Show where it was very well received by children and parents. Sponsorship of the pack was agreed at the East of England show with Asda’s Fresh Meat Specialist to the extent that the original print of 2,000 has now increased in total to 8,000.   

LovePork Website
Through utilising the google search engine LovePork was given a listing 245,000 times on the first page during June and 13,000 clicked through to view the site.  This equates to a 5.5% conversion rate which is double the national average of many websites.  In July the site will be further updated with more BBQ activity and will be hosting a competition to win a bucket BBQ and chefs outfit.

Knowledge Transfer

Tip of the Week: Heat Stress
It’s not only you that will be getting stressed in this hot weather… A few things to remember in terms of keeping your pigs cool are highlighted below, but you can download a full Action for Productivity sheet on the topic (both for indoor and outdoor pigs) from the website.

• During periods of little/no rainfall remember to replenish wallows with water daily to prevent them from drying out.
• Do not allow wallows to become stagnant as this can lead to infections.
• Sunburn is common in early summer as pigs are exposed to the first strong sunlight since winter. Severe sunburn, when the skin blisters, can cause pregnancy failure, and the pain and discomfort will lead to increased stress levels.
• A layer of mud will reduce sunburn, but it is essential to provide shade so that the pigs can move out of direct sunlight. Ensure that a dry, clean bed of straw is provided in the shade to encourage pigs to lie in these areas.
• Record periods of hot weather on your calendar and remember to check semen quality for up to 8 weeks after the last period of heat stress or ill health.

New Cheshire Pig Group
Calling all producers in Cheshire BPEX is looking to set up a training group in this area. The venue will depend on the location of interested producers and it is anticipated that the group will run on a regular basis, providing the same opportunities and benefits that other producers are already receiving elsewhere around the country. If you are interested contact Tess Howe  (BPEX Skills Development Manager) 07779321078.

Grants Up For Grabs
Rekindling the entrepreneurial spirit in UK pig producers and helping them put new ideas into practice is the aim of the BPEX Innovation Fund.

Established in 2008, the initiative has already provided thousands of pounds to enable producers, often in partnership with the allied industry, to develop projects they believe will make life easier and more profitable.

“We believe this is the best way to spread new practices across the industry, helping people to look at things in a different light” said BPEX chairman Stewart Houston. “We want to promote innovation and there is still plenty of cash available.

“This pump priming is for anybody who has a good idea, but does not have the cash to develop it. All people need to do is talk to their local BPEX Knowledge Transfer (KT) manager and then we will decide whether or not the idea has merit and should be taken forward.”

For more information, click here.

PhD Studentship
This project will establish whether a vaccine-like PRRSV strain recently isolated from a clinical submission is able to infect pigs and cause disease under controlled conditions in vivo. This provides the opportunity for a student (preferably a vet) to develop a thorough knowledge of PRRSV and porcine immunology, building experience in virology, immunology, pathology, and molecular biology, as well as generic skills in planning and executing high quality controlled in vivo trials in a scientific environment.

The supervision at VLA will be provided by the applicant and Dr. Falko Steinbach, PhD, who has long term experience as a PhD supervisor and is the equivalent to a visiting professor at the Veterinary Faculty, Berlin, Germany. Dr Trevor Drew, Head of Virology at VLA, who has extensively published on PRRS, will also provide scientific input to the project.

Contact Jean-Pierre Frossard if you are interested in applying for this PhD. Tel: 01932 357281 Email: j.frossard@vla.defra.gsi.gov.uk. The studentship is set to begin in October and applications (in the form of a CV and covering letter) should submitted by July 19th.

National News:

Health - The Action Starts
Following a well-attended producer meeting at Malton, Yorkshire and Humberside Health has moved from its planning to its action phase.
· The meeting voted overwhelmingly to form producer clusters which will produce local disease plans.

• Work on forming these clusters has already started.
• The meeting voted overwhelmingly to share information about disease status so producer clusters can make informed decisions about disease control.
• It agreed on the four diseases to be targeted: swine dysentery, enzootic pneumonia, PRRS and mange.
• A pilot scheme to determine the health status of pig units in the region is under way. 
• A website has been launched to start the process of communication.
• Beta software has been produced to help producers decide whether a depop-repop will be cost-effective for them. 
• The meeting produced a raft of suggestions and these will now be used to form the backbone of Yorkshire and Humberside Health policy. 
• Leeds University research student Jennifer Waters is assisting with the project.

Commenting on yesterday's meeting, producer Richard Longthorp said, "The content was spot on, the delivery was excellent, producer participation was excellent, timing was impeccable and the whole event was masterfully pulled together."

More information about the meeting is available on the NPA website, click here.

Pig Business Screened
A lengthy documentary by Tracy, Marchioness of Worcester, called Pig Business, was finally transmitted on More 4 on Wednesday evening.
The programme focused on Smithfield Foods and its operation in both the United States and Poland and was filmed over several years.

The final segment of the programme included footage of the Westminster rally and an interview with Mick Sloyan who explained what had happened to the industry over the last 10 years.

The documentary closed with a call for consumers to back Britain’s pig farmers and featured a close up of the Quality Standard Mark.

Retail Market Summary
An extensive summary of the retail market for pork and pork products has been produced by BPEX and is now available on the website.
The report is a top line look at pork, bacon, ham and sausages and how they are all performing on a quarterly basis.

The report can be accessed from the homepage of the BPEX website.

NADIS Latest - Shoulder Sores
A number of veterinary surgeons reporting under the Nadis surveillance system have identified problems in sows with shoulder sores during lactation.  Whilst these tend to be associated with weight loss during lactation – removing the “shoulder pad” of fat – rough floors are part of the development.  Also, sows with protruding shoulder points – either as part of their natural conformation or because of a shoulder sore in a previous litter – are more vulnerable.

Such lesions represent a serious welfare concern and affected sows must be removed out of farrowing crates onto straw, preferably early weaning them, and treated to avoid infection.  Sticking a carpet pad over the ulcer (using Copydex  or Evostick) to act as a “plaster” will speed up healing.

BVA Call to Abandon Health Body
The British Veterinary Association has called on Defra to abandon its plans for a new animal health body that will give responsibility for animal health to an independent board and leave responsibility for animal welfare with ministers.

The association has also expressed concern over the confusion caused by the new structure that could lead to delays in dealing with outbreaks of disease across the United Kingdom.

In its response to the Defra consultation on responsibility and cost sharing, which closed today (Tuesday 30 June), the association highlighted the following issues:

Animal welfare: The welfare of animals is inextricably linked to their health and the British Veterinary Association does not support Defra’s proposal to separate the two. Any new body responsible for animal health must also be responsible for animal welfare.

Disease control: Lack of clarity in the proposals over the roles of the chief veterinary officers, the board, and ministers may compromise the nation’s ability to respond effectively to major outbreaks of notifiable disease, such as foot and mouth disease. Anything that causes confusion in decision making could have disastrous consequences for the farming and the rural economy.

Non-livestock animals: The implications of the new body for species including horses, companion animals and zoos/wildlife establishments are not described or considered. It is essential to ensure they are not overlooked or sidelined in a body with a board set up around livestock.

Funding: The government must continue to seek to improve animal health and welfare and maintain its financial commitment to disease control. In a new partnership arrangement the costs of diseases control must not simply be transferred to the industry. Any cost sharing arrangements must also provide industry with an incentive for action to improve their practice and reward those that achieve good animal health and welfare outcomes and penalise those that refuse to adopt industry accepted norms.

Competitiveness of English agriculture: The competitiveness of English agriculture could be jeopardised in relation to other member countries and other parts of the United Kingdom if these proposals are brought in before European-wide proposals are announced in 2011.

International News

Smithfield Lay-off
Smithfield Foods Inc. announced its intent to lay off 140 workers at its Dalhart, Texas, operation, a Murphy-Brown facility that supplies Smithfield with hogs for processing.

The permanent layoffs are scheduled for Aug. 17. Most are employees who work directly with hogs, and the rest are managers, technicians and security guards.

USDA Quarterly Report
The USDA's quarterly Hogs and Pigs report generally came in line with consensus expectations, although some analysts noted the information was collected June 1, before the hog markets collapsed. Total inventory of U.S. hogs and pigs as of June 1 was 66.1 million head, down 2 percent from the year-earlier number but up 1 percent from March 1, 2009.

Export Bulletin
Fresh legs are being sold at slightly increasing prices in the European market, though exporters report strong resistance to any moves to increase prices. Shoulders and manufacturing meat is being sold at slightly higher prices as well. Due to the hot weather, large quantities of necks are being sold whereas loins are under pressure. On the British bacon market prices remain unchanged. To read the full bulletin, click here.

International Prices
For the latest international prices, click here.