Research | Ontario Pork • Ontario Pork - Completed Research

Completed Research

Ontario Pork has a call for research proposals once a year. These projects were approved for funding by the board on recommendation of the research committee. If you have questions or need further information about the research posted here please contact Jessica Fox at jessica.fox@swinehealthontario.ca

Completed Research

Strategies for detoxifying vomitoxin using innovative chemical and biological approaches in post-weaning piglets

Project 17-022 - Dr. Joshua Gong, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Guelph Research & Development Centre

With global warming, contamination of feed ingredients by the mycotoxin deoxynivalenol (DON), occurs more often, thus compromising swine production efficiency. Sodium metabisulfite (SMBS) is a chemical that is able to detoxify DON. However, in the stomach SMBS decomposes quickly producing sulfur...

Project 16-04 - Dr. Ira Mandell, University of Guelph

Using feeding programs that precisely match estimated daily energy and Lys requirements for gestating sows provides the opportunity to reduce nitrogen losses to the environment and reduce lactation feed usage, without negatively affecting sow reproductive and lactation performance.

Project 18-06 - John Van de Vegte, OMAFRA

Farrowing, nursery and finishing barns do require a designed ventilation system to manage air quality within the pig housing areas. Ventilation system performance is optimized through the use of a sophisticated ventilation system controller that must include automated static pressure management.

Project 16-008 - Dr. Chris Gray, University of Guelph

The main goal of the project has been to enhance the performance and reduce the toxicity of a novel synthetic AMP (HHC-36), employ machine learning (ML) methods for discovering new, more potent antimicrobial peptides and to determine the hemolytic activity of these AMPs.

Project 19-04 - Dr. Jerome del Castillo, University of Montreal

For the last 70 years, feed has been used as a convenient drug administration vehicle for group medication of pigs. Once they satisfy the requirements for regulatory approval, the dietary drug premixes may be admixed to any kind of feed, irrespective of its composition.

Project 17-011 - Dr. John Harding, University of Saskatchewan

There is evidence to conclude that both sCD163 and the thyroid hormones are potential biomarkers of disease resilience. At present, we have stronger evidence for the thyroid hormones and supporting further investigation for potential use in breeding programs.

Vitamin D3 supplementation in suckling and weaned piglets

Project 12-009 - Researchers: Bob Friendship, University of Guelph, Tim Blackwell, OMAFRA, Terri O’Sullivan, OMAFRA

Piglets given oral vitamin D3 between ages 1-5 days had much higher levels of vitamin D in their blood than non-supplemented piglets when measured 23 days later. Similarly, pigs given oral vitamin D3 at weaning had higher blood levels of vitamin D 28 days after supplementation. ...

Identification selection and improved utilization of superior boars for pork production

Project 11-208 - Researcher: Michael Dyck

Boars in the Canadian breeding herd are frequently evaluated based on semen quality, not on an individual fertility basis. This may result in the use of boars with subpar fertility, leaving plenty of room for improvement in Canadian genetics.

Pain control for castration and tail docking

Project 11-217 - Researcher: Bob Friendship

Researcher suggests that providing pain relief at processing is effective and inexpensive, however providing local freezing is less ideal due to increased labour costs from added handling and the discomfort caused at the injection site.

Rodenticide Ingestion in Swine: A Project to Assist Veterinarians with Detection and Establishing Withdrawal Times

Project 11-219 - Researcher: Ron Johnson

Pigs that are suspected of ingesting rodenticide should never be marketed, as the time required for the rodenticide to clear from tissues is impractically long.

An Evaluation of Alternative Hog Pricing Mechanisms for the Ontario Industry

Project 11-221 - Researcher: Ken McEwan

Researchers determined that the CME (201) is the most reliable option going forward.

A Comparison of the Multi-class, Multi-residue Drug Analysis (MRD) and the Charm Kidney Inhibition Swab (KIS) Test Supporting Detection and Identification of Antimicrobial Drugs.

Project 11-225 - Researcher: Mark Mitchell

The results demonstrate that the KIS test is able to acuratly indicate the presence of antimicrobial residue if it is at the acceptable residue limit or greater but the MRD test can identify antimicrobial residue at low levels and can name the specific drug found and the amount present.

Gestation and lactation feeding strategies for increased performance of sows

Project 11-213 - Researcher: Paul Luimes

To study improved production related to feeding during gestation and lactation, researchers from University of Guelph Ridgetown campus compared several strategies.

PRRS Area Regional Control and Elimination

Project 11-010 - Researcher: Jane Carpenter and Lori Moser (OSHAB)

To address the need for information regarding the spread of PRRS virus, the Ontario Swine Health Advisory Board (OSHAB) launched a pilot Area Regional Control and Elimination (ARC & E) program beginning in the Niagara region.

Enhancement of Litter Size in Commercial Swine using an Immune Stimulant

Project 12-002 - Researcher: Dr. Chandra Tayade

Mycobacterial Cell Wall-DNA Complex (MCC) is a patented cell wall composition. MCC is a human treatment being studied for its effectiveness as a treatment against some cancers as well as a stimulatory activity on immune cells. In an attempt to improve sow productivity, researchers from...

Pathogen die-off rates following manure application under Ontario field conditions

Project 11-012 - Head Researchers: Ann Huber, Keith Warriner

The project goal was to determine manure management techniques which would reduce pathogen contamination of irrigation water or soils in which food crops are grown. In turn, this could help reduce the risk of food-borne illness.

An epidemiological investigation of the early phase of the porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) outbreak in Canadian swine herds in 2011

Project 14-007 - Researcher: Dr. Terri O’Sullivan

In January 2014, the first case of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) was reported in an Ontario swine herd; which was soon followed by a series of other cases. Feed from a single feed company was implicated as a source of the virus during the early phase of the outbreak. The...

A pilot study to identify common pig to feeder space ratios in Ontario nursery and finisher barns and investigate their relationship to productivity and welfare

Project 19-007 - Lead Researcher: Dr. Tim Blackwell, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs

This study looks to identify both common and appropriate pig to feeder space ratios as well as factors that drive appropriate pen utilization will improve swine productivity and welfare on Ontario swine farms.

Nitrogen euthanasia using a Dutch commercial unit – miniNOFF

Project 19-003 - Lead Researcher: Dr. Sue Burlatschenko, Ecovet Ltd.

This project looked at the effectiveness of straight nitrogen gas compared to carbon dioxide for effective and humane euthanasia option for pigs.

Trial study of on-farm point-of-care PRRSV diagnostic test

Project 19-002 - Lead Researcher: Dr. Aarash Sofla, uFluidix Inc. Scarborough, Ontario

The uFluidix PRRSV project is a focused effort to market a system for on-farm test of PRRSV that can be performed by farm staff or vets.

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