By: John Carr, BVSc PhD DPM DiplECPHM MRCVS
Grand Valley Fortifiers Consultant, Swine Production
What are the major issues affecting us on this planet?
There would be a few major conditions which I find particularly problematic.
• African Swine Fever (ASF) – obviously
• Influenza viruses – maybe
• Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea (PED) – an issue in Ontario at the moment
• Ear necrosis – what causes it?
• Sow mortality Pelvic Organ Prolapse POP – genetic?
• Welfare – really?
• People – who is even interested in caring for our pigs
• Population – who is going to feed the extra 2 billion people in 2050 and what are we going to feed these pigs on?
I want to start the discussion with the last point:
We are now at 8 billion people in the world in 2025, in the next 25 years we will peak at 10 billion (or there about) after which the population growth rate will fall – and fall faster than it has risen since 1700, resulting in the plateauing and then reduction in the global population.
Because this extra 2 billion people – of which it is inevitable and cannot be stopped – are going to need food. While pigs are no longer the number one protein source for man, we have been outstripped by poultry, pork is still 36% of meat eaten and vital.
In 2024, the planet’s population required 14kg of pork per capita at 8 billion people, there are a billion pigs on this planet at one time. If the pig industry produced 25 pigs per sow per year, we are going to need an additional 10 million sows or producing 250 million more pigs per year to feed another 2 billion people the pork they desire. This is more than the whole of the current North American Industry. Canada is a vital component of feeding the world.
Pathogens – African Swine Fever
This is as significant as ever. For example, last year there was a major outbreak in Ukraine, a concern for me because of the types of farms which fell over, some were genetic farms with supposed great biosecurity. Canadian farms would be at a particular disadvantage, as our farms have no or little perimeter biosecurity. We still do not have a proven vaccine. Watch the Philippines with great interest. But one concern is the complacency of farmers in positive countries. When the disease seems to disappear, it becomes yesterday’s problem. But ASF control is still biosecurity, biosecurity, and more biosecurity. Love the perimeter fence.
New year celebration in Vietnam on farm!
But with specialty pork from outside the farm!
Herbs claiming to protect the pigs
against ASF.
Influenza H5N1 2.3.4.4b – Avian Influenza
With the occurrence of Influenza H5N1 in a pig in Ohio and the rise of H5N1 in cattle B3.13 and now the new D1.1. It may not happen, but with all of this discussion on food safety, its affecting pork consumption.
Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea
This winter PED, especially in January we have seen a large spike in PED in Ontario. Due to the snow accumulation, ice build-up, and increase in travel, cleaning and disinfecting is imperative and we need to keep our vigilance well up.
Influenza H5N1 2.3.4.4b – Avian Influenza
With the occurrence of Influenza H5N1 in a pig in Ohio and the rise of H5N1 in cattle B3.13 and now the new D1.1. It may not happen, but with all of this discussion on food safety, its affecting pork consumption.
Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea
This winter PED, especially in January we have seen a large spike in PED in Ontario. Due to the snow accumulation, ice build-up, and increase in travel, cleaning and disinfecting is imperative and we need to keep our vigilance well up.
Ear Necrosis
This is a major problem. There is no understanding of its cause. My own belief is this is a trauma injury to the ear associated with the metal feeders in the nursery and an organism called Treponema pedis which lives in metal. This is not a vice like tail biting or ear biting.
Ear necrosis in nursery pigs.
Sow mortality and Pelvic Organ Prolapse
This is discussed a lot, but outside North America, I personally do not see it. But mortality of sow over 6% must be curtailed. My number one issue is feet rather than POP.
Pelvic Organ Prolapse
Poor chiropody
My final grist is welfare and people. We care for our pigs but there are groups who hate what we do and will not listen to any reason. I am increasingly in court defending farming practices. But a major problem is people. We have fewer choices of great people to work on the farms and we need to move into more and more robotics, automation, and make our great industry attractive to young people.
This article was written for the Spring 2025 Swine Grist. To read the whole Swine Grist, click the button below.
This article was also written for the Spring 2025 Western & Prairie Swine Grist. To read the whole Western Swine Grist, click the button below.