The role of dietary fibre in pig production, with a particular emphasis on reproduction

Abstract Fibres from a variety of sources are a common constituent of pig feeds. They provide a means to utilise locally-produced plant materials which are often a by-product of the food or drink industry. The value of a high fibre diet in terms of producing satiety has long been recognised. However the addition of fibre can reduce feed intake, which is clearly detrimental during stages of the production cycle when nutrient needs are high, for example in growing piglets and during lactation. More recently, fibre has been found to promote novel benefits to pig production systems, particularly given the reduction in antimicrobial use world-wide, concern for the welfare of animals fed a restricted diet and the need to ensure that such systems are more environmentally friendly. For example, inclusion of dietary fibre can alter the gut microbiota in ways that could reduce the need for antibiotics, while controlled addition of certain fibre types may reduce nitrogen losses into the environment and so reduce the environmental cost of pig production. Of particular potential value is the opportunity to use crude fibre concentrates as ‘functional’ feed additives to improve young pig growth and welfare. Perhaps the greatest opportunity for the use of high fibre diets is to improve the reproductive efficiency of pigs. Increased dietary fibre before mating improves oocyte maturation, prenatal survival and litter size; providing a consumer-acceptable means of increasing the amount of saleable meat produced per sow. The mechanisms responsible for these beneficial effects remain to be elucidated. However, changes in plasma and follicular fluid concentrations of key hormones and metabolites, as well as effects of the hypothalamic satiety centre on gonadotrophin secretion and epigenetic effects are strong candidates

Abatement of PM10 emissions from animal housing

The Netherlands has to report to the EU how they comply with the PM10 emission standards. Animal housing contributes approx. 20% of the total Dutch PM10 emissions. Possible options for emission reduction are oil or fat addition to animal feed, air scrubbers, air filters, oil or water spraying in the animal house. Spraying with oil or water is the most cost effective method. However these methods need to be tested before they can be widely introduced.In het kader van de verplichte EU rapportage over haalbaarheid van PM10 emissie doelstellingen is een onderzoek uitgevoerd naar reductie mogelijkheden in veehouderijstallen. Deze bron omvat ongeveer 20% van de totale Nederlandse emissie van PM10. Bekeken zijn de volgende mogelijkheden: toevoegen van vet of olie aan het veevoer, biowassers, chemische wassers, filters, olie of water sproeien in de stal. De goedkoopste optie is het sproeien van olie of water. Er dient evenwel nog praktijkervaring opgedaan te worden

Abatement of PM10 emissions from animal housing

Verkrijgbaar bij: +31 (0)317 475 024 of [email protected] het kader van de verplichte EU rapportage over haalbaarheid van PM10 emissie doelstellingen is een onderzoek uitgevoerd naar reductie mogelijkheden in veehouderijstallen. Deze bron omvat ongeveer 20% van de totale Nederlandse emissie van PM10. Bekeken zijn de volgende mogelijkheden: toevoegen van vet of olie aan het veevoer, biowassers, chemische wassers, filters, olie of water sproeien in de stal. De goedkoopste optie is het sproeien van olie of water. Er dient evenwel nog praktijkervaring opgedaan te worden.The Netherlands has to report to the EU how they comply with the PM10 emission standards. Animal housing contributes approx. 20% of the total Dutch PM10 emissions. Possible options for emission reduction are oil or fat addition to animal feed, air scrubbers, air filters, oil or water spraying in the animal house. Spraying with oil or water is the most cost effective method. However these methods need to be tested before they can be widely introduced.VRO

Airborne emissions from livestock farms and exposure of nearby residents using an atmospheric dispersion model

To estimate the exposure of local residents to substances emitted by livestock farms, we applied a dispersion model to calculate the air concentrations in the surroundings following from these emissions. At several livestock farms, indoor air measurements were performed to determine emission strengths, while ambient measurements were carried out to compare with model results. Measured substances were particulate matter (PM), endotoxins and micro-organisms. The dispersion model only simulated PM concentrations, which were used as a proxy to determine the dispersion concentrations of endotoxins and micro-organisms. For the living micro-organisms, the process of inactivation has to be taken into account. Here we describe the followed methodology and preliminary results