Pigs & Poultry
Using pig slurry to reduce fertiliser costs and inputs
Gerard McCutcheon, John Mahon & Mark Plunkett tell us how the Moores' pig farm integrates sustainable practices, including efficient manure management, to enhance both economic viability and environmental sustainability.
07 June 2024
Sound the alarm
Kieran Keane, Teagasc Pig Development Department, discusses why it is important to regularly test and review ventilation and feed system alarms on farms, ensure all links in the notification chain work properly, and consider using remote access apps cautiously to address issues promptly and safely.
31 May 2024
Comprehensive research programme showcased at Teagasc Pig Open Day
The Teagasc Pig Development Department held its Pig Open Day this week in two locations, Teagasc Animal and Grassland Research & Innovation Centre, Moorepark, Fermoy, Co. Cork on Wednesday, May 22, and today, May 24, in Ballyhaise Agricultural College, Co. Cavan.
24 May 2024
Pig Open Day to feature real-time showcasing of herd management system
Taking place over two venues on May 22 in Teagasc Moorepark, and May 24 in Ballyhaise Agricultural College, the Teagasc Pig Open Day will feature the real-time showcasing of the herd management system being used by Teagasc researchers.
21 May 2024
A Preview of the Teagasc Pig Open Day 2024
The Teagasc pig team are in the final stages of preparation for their research event, the Pig Open Day 2024.
17 May 2024
Financial benefit of a good litters per sow per year
Litters per sow per year is an important key performance indicator (KPI) that farmers should benchmark themselves with and try to improve in order to minimise production costs and maintain competitiveness, writes Louise Clarke, Teagasc Pig Development Officer.
10 May 2024
The economic benefits of Teagasc’s pig research
The Teagasc Pig Development Department is internationally renowned for its research, primarily focusing on conducting research that can produce tangible benefits for commercial farmers on the ground in Ireland.
03 May 2024
Layer conference set for Cavan
Teagasc will host a Layer Conference on Thursday, April 25, from 7pm - 10pm in the Errigal Country House Hotel, Cavan Road, Errigal, Cootehill, Co. Cavan.
19 April 2024
Maximising the sow daily lactation feed intake
Michael McKeon writes about the continuous challenge for pig producers to maximise the sow daily lactation feed intake.
12 April 2024
Sow mortality: why, who, where, when, what?
Ciarán Carroll addresses the increasing sow mortality rates in Ireland, highlighting factors contributing to these rates, and outlines strategies for reducing mortality, emphasizing the importance of accurate records.
05 April 2024
The situation with current feed ingredient prices
Kieran Keane, Pig Research Technician specialising in nutrition, with the Teagasc Pig Development Department joins Amy Quinn on the latest Pig Edge podcast to discuss current feed ingredient prices, the new Teagasc pig feed lab and current and upcoming Teagasc pig nutrition research trials.
29 March 2024
Teagasc Pig Research Farm performance in 2023
In the first video update of 2024 from the Moorepark Pig Research Unit, Aisling provided an overview of the unit's achievements and challenges throughout 2023.
22 March 2024
Farmers leading the way in pig welfare with WelFarmers
Edgar Garcia Manzanilla, tells us that the EU is on its way to produce new regulations in the area of animal welfare.
15 March 2024
Space to grow: Reducing stocking density has benefits for pig welfare and performance
Keelin O’Driscoll & Melissa Cupido, tell us that in recent years, there has been increasing emphasis placed by national and EU regulators when it comes to adapting pig management strategies to improve welfare.
08 March 2024
Optimising Pig Performance: Balancing diet, sustainability & the future
Fiona O' Meara, Commercial Pig Nutritionist with Inform Nutrition, joins Amy Quinn on the latest episode of The Pig Edge to discuss all things pig nutrition, from dry sow fibre levels to the aftermath of zinc oxide removal and finisher phase feeding.
01 March 2024
Water disinfection by chlorination
Clean drinking water is essential for the growth and development of pigs and as such, plays a key role in animal performance, writes Emer McCrum.
23 February 2024
Encouraging the use of pig slurry
Farmers interested in importing slurry, in order to minimise fertiliser costs, are advised to complete a nutrient management plan first to assess their nutrient needs against slurry import rules. Louise Clarke tells us more
16 February 2024
A new year - A new plan
This is an opportune time to take stock of what happened in the past, and to make plans for the future, writes Gerard McCutcheon.
09 February 2024
Leading the development of more sustainable European livestock production systems
STEP UP is a four year research project funded under Horizon Europe, the EU’s flagship funding programme for research and innovation. The Teagasc-led project aims to support the development of more economically, environmentally and socially sustainable European livestock production systems (ELPS).
08 February 2024
Pig throughput declines in 2023
The Irish livestock sector witnessed shifts in 2023, with the most notable change being an 8.9% decrease in pig throughput, recent data released by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) has shown.
04 February 2024
What you can expect from the Pig Development Department in 2024
The Teagasc Pig Development Department team carry out three key services in the areas of Research, Advisory and Education which are co-ordinated to assist Irish farmers in maximising productivity and profitability, whilst operating to the highest standards.
02 February 2024
Lunchtime Webinar Series to focus on key pig husbandry topics
The Pig Development Department is launching a new continuous learning ‘lunchtime webinar series’ for farm staff, targeting a programme of key husbandry topics over the coming year.
28 January 2024
The value of pig manure in 2024
The current value of pig manure as a valuable fertiliser for grass and tillage crops.
19 January 2024
Adding value to pig meat: What is important to consumers?
Molly Harrison, Teagasc Pig Development Department, discusses a study on consumer preferences for pig meat products, focusing on the impact of assurance labels, such as welfare and sustainability labels, on purchasing decisions.
05 January 2024
Insights from the Finnish pig industry
Johannes Vugts, Senior Advisor with HKScan Finland Oy, tells us how Finnish producers already have more than 20 years of experience with keeping undocked pigs, as tail docking has been totally forbidden in Finnish pork production since 2003.
29 December 2023
The production of free-range geese
The rearing of geese can be a profitable enterprise on a farm. In many other areas of poultry, the use of artificial heating and lighting has led to year-round production. However, this is not the case for the production of geese.
24 December 2023
Farm fresh turkey production for the Christmas market
Turkey production can be an additional enterprise to many farms and can increase farm income, writes Rebecca Tierney, Teagasc Poultry Advisor.
23 December 2023
The strengths & opportunities for the Irish pig sector in 2024
On this our 50th episode of the Pig Edge podcast, we reflect on the strengths of our industry and look to the opportunities that lie ahead.
22 December 2023
Getting weaned pigs drinking water earlier
Weaned pigs suffer a growth setback in the first week after weaning. Peadar Lawlor tells us that something as simple as providing supplementary water in a cube or turkey drinker can be of immense benefit during this time.
22 December 2023
Watch: Teagasc Pig Research Farm Update December 2023
In the final update video of 2023 we meet Aisling Holmes research technician at the Teagasc Pig Research Facility (TPRF).
15 December 2023