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Gentle handling: no impact on performance Misset seminars at Victam 2020
Gentle handling of pigs can reduce pigs’ anxie- ty and increase their willingness to approach handlers, but long-term gentle handling does not seem to have a big effect on pig perfor- mance, carcass quality or meat quality. That was the outcome of a recent trial carried out by researchers at the Northeast Agricultural Uni- versity in Harbin, Heilongjiang province, China. The study was published recently in the peer-reviewed publication Animals. To investigate the effect of gentle handling on behaviour, performance and meat quality of pigs from weaning to slaughter, the team se- lected 144 six-week-old weaned hybrid piglets from the native Min breed, to perform a two-phase trial. First, the researchers divided them into a gen- tle-handling group and a control group across 18 pens, each group consisting of nine pens. In the next step, three pigs were randomly select- ed from each of the 18 pens so that there was a handling group and a control group, each with 27 piglets. The handling group was given gentle handling until slaughter. Subsequently, the
team evaluated meat quality and the produc- tion performance of six pigs from each group. In the paper, the researchers described the gentle handling they performed. Five days a week, a handler would remain standing still for two minutes after entering the pen, and then kneel and gently touch the pigs; the contact lasted for more than one minute with each pig. During the touching period, the handler scratched the pigs’ head, neck or back with their fingers and spoke to them. The handler spent about ten minutes in each of the gentle handling pens.
Scientists map ASF virus genome
A team of British and Polish researchers has mapped the expression of genes across the entire African Swine Fever virus (ASFv) ge- nome. That has helped to establish their order of activation as well as uncovering new genes. The researchers are connected to University College London (UCL), the Pirbright Institute and the University of Warsaw, Poland, and had their research published in the peer-reviewed Journal of Virology. The research could provide vital information for those developing vaccines and antiviral drugs to prevent the deadly pig disease caused by the virus. Lead professor Finn Werner explained, “Our data shows ASFv has a complex and mam- malian-like method for controlling gene ex- pression, that uses specific promoters to enable RNA polymerase to differentiate between which genes it should express when during vi- ral infection. Our study has also uncovered over 30 novel genes that were previously unknown.” The researchers used next-generation se- quencing to analyse genes expressed by ASFv.
From this they created a complete genetic road map, which reveals the order that differ- ent sets of ASFv genes are turned on throughout its infection cycle. Genes, including those in ASFv, are activated through a process called “transcription”, the news article at the UCL website described. That process is carried out by a molecular machine called RNA polymerase, which serves as “gate- keeper” by ensuring that the information cod- ed in the DNA is expressed at the correct time during infection. The RNA polymerase finds genes based on specific DNA sequences, or “promoters”, that are located before a gene. The research team demonstrated that genes expressed during early infection have different promoters from those expressed later, allowing the virus to shift the pattern of activated genes according to the stage of infection. Genes used for DNA replication and immune system eva- sion are switched on early in the infection cycle, whereas those involved in creating proteins for the new virus particles are activated later.
The international trade show Victam and Ani- mal Health and Nutrition 2020 is just around the corner, as it will be held 24–26 March in Bangkok, Thailand. All About Feed and Pig Pro- gress will organise two free seminars during the event on 24 March, 2–4pm. All About Feed will organise a seminar with a fo- cus on feed formulation to create the best qual- ity feed, increase efficiency and stay innovative. Speakers will delve deeper into new approach- es and present them to feed processing and formulation professionals. The line up includes: • Dr Arno de Kreij, DuPont Animal Nutrition, who will speak on calcium in animal nutrition;
• A presentation from A-Systems, Feed and Soft- ware Services (speaker to be announced); and
• Johan den Hartog, GMP+, who will ad- dress the relevance of feed safety culture to feed production.
After a short break, readers from Pig Progress can learn the latest on pig health. Obviously one major issue is the threat of African Swine Fever in Asia and South-East Asia. The ques- tions are how far the virus has spread, which developments trigger rapid spread and what farms and farmers can do to protect them- selves. In addition, the seminar will delve into health and pig genetics. Speakers include: • Vincent ter Beek, editor of Pig Progress, who will present an update on the current ASF situation in Asia; and
• Dr Sakchai Topanurak, Chulalongkorn University and SiamPigs, who will dive into pig genetics.
Both seminars will be held in the All About Feed Theatre on the exhibition floor at BITEC. En- trance is free – pre-register at www.pigpro-
gress.net to reserve a seat and a free magazine.
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▶PIG PROGRESS | Volume 36, No. 2, 2020 33
PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK
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