PED in Perth County

 

Swine Health Ontario reported an outbreak of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus at a finisher barn in Perth County.

Chicken demand remains strong

 

Because consumer demand for chicken remains strong, the national supply management agency is calling for production at 4.5 per cent above base quota for the period from Feb. 7 to April 3.

Ontario’s production target is 4.7 per cent above base, putting it back in the lead after two quota periods of lagging the national targets.

The Ontario board said on its website that “demand for chicken continues to be strong. This is supported by competing meat prices, steady per capita consumption and overall positive economic indicators.”

Americans challenge Trump’s Canada tariffs

 

Gellert Global Group of New York has filed a court challenge against United States President Donald Trump’s most recent tariffs on Canada, including his ban on Canadian dairy products.

The court filing argues Trump lacks authority to use a Depression-era law to impose the tariffs which hit thousands of small Canadian businesses with a 50 per cent import tax.

Global Group argues that Trump’s tariffs are not justified by the use of the old law, but are a response to provincial bans on U.S. liquors, to dairy supply management and auto trade.

Canada and the U.S have long trading relationships underlined by the Canada-U.S.-Mexico trade agreement negotiated during 
Trump’s first term as president.

“These tariffs disrupt those relationships overnight and create costs and uncertainty that ripple through the entire supply chain,” said a news release from the Gellert Global Group.

John Weber dead at 95

 

John Weber, a farmer in the Elmira area, has died. He was 95.

He was active in agriculture and community organizations and opened his farm to host school children.

He was a president of the Ontario Maple Syrup Association and a founding member of the Elmira Syrup Festival, the largest event of its kind in Canada and perhaps North America.

He lived 92 of his 95 years on the family farm.

                           

Virus outbreak in pig nursery

 

There has been an outbreak of porcine deltacoronavirus in a nursery barn in Huron County, reports Swine Health Ontario.

CFIA holding off on zinc supplements

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) will maintain the current interim maximum zinc concentration of 3,000 milligrams per kilogram (mg/kg) in piglet starter feeds, delaying a proposed reduction to 300 mg/kg while regulators review additional evidence submitted by Canada’s pork industry.

The Canadian Pork Council has been in consultations with the CFIA on zinc supplements since 2018.

Had that reduction gone into effect, feed manufacturers and nutritionists, would have needed to change ration formulations and seek alternative nutrition or management strategies.

In its response to proposed feed regulation changes in 2021, Ontario Pork advocated maintaining access to zinc oxide at concentrations up to 3,000 mg/kg for a limited period following weaning.

The organization argued that elevated zinc concentrations could provide benefits associated with feed intake, gut health and post-weaning performance.

The Canadian Pork Council has been providing technical information and developing supporting documentation related to zinc oxide use in Canadian nursery diets.

 

In its response to proposed feed regulation changes in 2021, Ontario Pork advocated maintaining access to zinc oxide at concentrations up to 3,000 mg/kg for a limited period following weaning.

The organization argued that elevated zinc concentrations could provide benefits associated with feed intake, gut health and post-weaning performance.

The current regulations are:

Feed category	Maximum zinc concentration
Piglet starter feeds, pigs under 25 kg	3,000 mg/kg
Grower and finisher feeds	300 mg/kg
Sow and boar feeds	300 mg/kg

Hog outlook positive for Canadians

 

The United States is likely to increase imports of Canadian hogs and pork this fall and winter said a report from the United States Department of Agriculture.

There will be fewer market hogs from U.S. producers this fall, it said, and a survey indicated they intend to reduce farrowings by two per cent and then increase production next spring and summer.

It said “imports of live Canadian hogs and pigs will take on added importance as a way to increase the supply of domestic market hogs.“

Its survey found that producers’ first set of farrowing intentions for the December 2026−February 2027 quarter are two per cent higher than a year earlier and may result in higher domestic numbers in the summer of 2027.