A specialised knowledge transfer (KT) team has been created to transfer best practice ideas to the whole industry, assisting individual businesses and the whole sector to enhance profitability and competitiveness. The team work through discussion groups, BPEX workshops, training, the website and on a one-to-one basis with individual levy payers and organisations. Some of the activities, along with topical reminders and advice, can be found below. To contact one of the KT team email: kt@bpex.org.uk

September 2010

• Compare performance figures online - 2nd September 2010
  The Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) section on the Market Intelligence area of the BPEX website has been completely revamped and updated. It enables producers to add their own performance figures to compare their units against the average.

August 2010

• Farrowing checks made easy - 27th August 2010
  Monitoring sows’ progress at farrowing has just got easier with a simple, free tool. BPEX has designed the 2TS Farrowing Disc to put beside sow pens during farrowing. There are three coloured circles on the disc, one to mark the time over the course of 12 hours, the second to record how many piglets were born alive at the time they were last checked and the third to mark how many piglets were born dead.
• Re-assess gilt management - 26th August 2010
  BPEX is asking producers to re-assess their gilt management practices. It is useful to question or challenge how things are done and the new Two-Tonne Sow (2TS) Gilt Management Pack is full of practical management advice and examples. Knowledge Transfer Manager Lis Ravn said: “The pack provides a single source of advice on all aspects of gilt management, particularly those which might not have been reviewed recently.
• Risk management for sows - 24th August 2010
  Staff learned how to recognise a ‘risk sow’ during sow care training at Humberside pig business T Field. In the dry sow yards, they discussed sow behaviour, environment and availability of feed and water, looking for ways to reduce the risk of lameness or illness that can negatively affect productivity.
• New Soil Protection Review - 16th August 2010
  The RPA has published its latest Cross Compliance Newsletter, including items on the Soil Protection Review. The Soil Protection Review has been updated this year and must be completed by 31 December 2010, so it is advisable to make a start now, especially if producers are moving outdoor pigs. The old Soil Protection Review is still needed up to 31 December.
• The Pig'Nic Society is on Facebook - 16th August 2010
  Join the PIGnic Society page for more information, as well as regular updates, tasty recipes for inspiration, and seeing what other PIGnic’ers are up to.
• Increase in straw price - 9th August 2010
  The current headline story is the sudden increase in wheat and barley prices (Fig 1), due to both national and international events that have affected harvest predictions. What is not catching the headlines is the background rise in wheat and barley straw used for bedding. Figures from the British Hay and Straw Merchants Association show that, to date, the price per tonne compared with this time last year is approximately 30 to 40% higher, depending on crop.
• New website section coming soon - 9th August 2010
  A new section of the BPEX website will be launched soon, covering the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for the industry. It will be updated every quarter and will provide average, top third and top 10% KPIs for indoor and outdoor breeding systems, rearing and finishing. The launch is scheduled for September 1.
• Scottish staff exchange - 6th August 2010
  As part of the Fawley Farms Mangers of Excellence Scheme, Justin Willoughby and Richard Howes went on an exchange visit to Mr Forbes' unit at Slainspark, Aberdeen. The managers spent two days working along side John, the unit manager, on this 1600-sow unit.
• New crop barley and barley straw - 3rd August 2010
  Generally we are using high inclusion rates of barley this year. New crop barley contains viscous B-glucans which can increase the incidence of scour in pigs.

July 2010

• Stockmen visit feed mill - 30 July 2010
  The Stockman Development East group had a very successful workshop at Crown Milling this week. They saw how a feed order was processed and found out more about purchasing of raw materials, risk management, auditing and assurance, mill processing and delivery of feed.
• Lighting in the farrowing house - 14th July 2010
  We know that the temperature requirements of piglets and sows in the farrowing house are quite different but what about the different light requirements of sows and those who work with them? Defra states that pigs in buildings with no natural light should have at least 40 lux of supplementary light for a minimum of eight hours per day.
• Worms affect enzootic pneumonia vaccines - 13th July 2010
  Worm infections can compromise Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae vaccine efficacy in pigs. UK pig producers, already losing up to £6 a pig on worm-infested units, could be blasting a hole knocking millions of pounds off industry profits this year if they fail to reduce worm burdens. The findings are from a research study by a team of Danish and US pig scientists.
• Nuffield Scholarship News - 9th July 2010
  BPEX Knowledge Transfer Manager and Nuffield Scholar Helen Thoday writes: I attended my first Nuffield pig group event and it was an excellent introduction to the ongoing network of pig scholars that I have become part of. The group, which was chaired by Chris Fogden and organised by Wendy Houston, attended an excellent day of visits followed by a session of presentations from current Nuffield Scholars Richard Hooper and Andrew Freemantle. Plenty of discussion followed, with Richard Longthorpe and Mike Varley there to add their overviews of the industry.
• Taking your time? - 9th July 2010
  The Work-Metrics programme from Delta-Innovation is used to provide a detailed analysis of labour use and efficiency on farm - with fascinating results. Farmers Weekly spoke to Lincolnshire pig producer Meryl Ward to find out more.
• A good week for training - 2nd July 2010
  The pig industry is showing its commitment to training and professionalism yet again. BPEX Skills Development Manager Tess Howe reports on a busy and successful week for pig industry people. Here are some of the achievements.

June 2010

• Units achieving 2TS target - 24th June 2010
  The Knowledge Transfer (KT) team would like to hear from units already achieving two tonnes of pig meat per sow per year, or those who have taken great leaps to get there quite recently.
• Don't let the warm weather catch you out! - 22nd June 2010
  Careful storage and handling of semen is more important than ever in this warm weather to maintain semen quality and viability which can be damaged by temperature fluctuations. Heat stress in pigs must also be considered and appropriate measures put in place to prevent unnecessary suffering and reduced productivity.
• Do you have a success story? - 17th June 2010
  The Knowledge Transfer (KT) team is looking for producers to step up and feature in case studies – to show how they achieve success in some of the most important areas of gilt production. Seeing what other units do is always interesting and the art of gilt management varies between most units. We are very interested in talking to anyone: • with units that use boars for first service followed by AI, achieving good numbers born • with units where they feel they have a successful system buying in gilts and successful system breeding their own gilts • who does not get a second litter drop.
• Sow Health Management - 14th June 2010
  One of the topics discussed at the recent European Symposium on Porcine Health Management in Hannover was managing hyperprolific sows. Feeding is considered as the major factor in the reproductive management of the hyperprolific sow and new insights such as adding more fibre to sow diets during pregnancy and especially in the period prior to farrowing, have been shown to prevent constipation, increase water intake of the sow around parturition and increase milk intake and performance of piglets.
• Grand Designs for outdoor pigs - 9th June 2010
  The BPEX Grand Designs workshops gave outdoor producers plenty of advice and new ideas on field design and soil management. Farmers Weekly went along too and wrote this report which can be read in full.

May 2010

• Save energy, save money - 19th May 2010
  Energy efficiency was the topic of the day at Garth North Pig Club last night. Nigel Penlington gave advice on some of the ‘easy wins’ for improving energy efficiency on farm. Energy savings and optimising your pigs’ environment go hand in hand with saving money and improving pig productivity.
• Team work and spaghetti towers - 18th May 2010
  Teacher and theatre director Rachel Vowles ran an excellent session with Devon and Cornwall training groups. Rachel does lots of work in the South West including sessions run by Duchy College and this particular afternoon covered exercises on working together, listening, learning and dealing with confrontation. So how do you react when given the task of building a tall spaghetti tower or the simple task, or so it seemed, of lowering a stick balanced on everyone’s fingers? Why do some people pull back in a group and why do some delve straight in? The group discussed these questions and related them back to the way their teams work on farm.
• Feeding lactating sows – 6th May 2010
  Producer Neil Newlove demonstrated his system for feeding lactating sows during a virtual tour at the Easey Breeder Pig Club meeting in Yorkshire. He laminates sow information cards and posts them up between the paddocks (one sheet for two paddocks). The cards show how many kgs of feed the sow requires daily and staff cross off each day on the feeding table as they go along so everyone knows what is happening. The sows’ farrowing date and numbers born and fostered are also recorded on the cards.
• Look very closely at ventilation – 5th May 2010
  The Midlands Producer Group wound up its spring workshop season with a thorough examination of pig unit ventilation – which you must get right to ensure the optimum environment for pigs. More than 20 producers met at Weedon for a meal before the trouble-shooting session led by John Chambers from J C Consulting. He offered producers specific advice on air flow and ventilation in their most problematic buildings and there was a good discussion about one unit where the producer had brought along photos of the buildings in question.

April 2010

• Successful finishing - 27th April 2010
  Producers compared notes with other units at the Somerset Pig Club when they discussed wean to finish options with Fran Baird. They focused on the different systems available in the UK including options producers had created themselves – either designed from scratch or from existing buildings, sometimes originally designed for other species.
• How Sussex coped with snow - 22nd April 2010
  Sussex Pig Club's third event on Tuesday saw producers comparing notes on how they coped with the winter's freezing weather. Temperatures went down to -7 and -12 in the area. Piglet mortality varied across the farms from an extra 0.4 pigs per litter to an extra 2 pigs per litter.
• Snippets from the South - 20th April 2010
  Successful ‘wean to finish’, tips from Thailand on looking after sows in summer and euthanasia are just a few of the topics featured at Pig Clubs and workshops in the South this month…
• Ear biting - 16th April 2010
  Pigs will bite and suck at ears as a vice usually before tail or flank biting. The biting and sucking leads to necrosis which is then nibbled off. What is associated with ear necrosis?
• Targeting 'the two tonne sow' - 13th April 2010
  The Cornish Discussion Group discussed the pig industry’s forthcoming major project – achieving ‘the two tonne sow’ (to be launched 11-12 May at the British Pig and Poultry Fair). Although none of the producers present is achieving the BPEX target of two tonnes of meat sold per sow per year, they believe it is achievable. Interesting points were raised… This specific, measurable target would only be met by raising the slaughter weight of all pigs sold and increasing the numbers sold. Both would require attention to detail! Having all invested in their units over the last few years the mood was buoyant but questions were raised over how quickly this target could be met and if it would make them any more profitable. Nevertheless, it is important that we get our physical performance up to EU standards to put us in a stronger, more sustainable position if the exchange rate slipped.
• Manipulable materials: new assurance scheme rules - 12th April 2010
  TB in pigs, manipulable materials and a virtual walk around local pig units all featured at the third annual dinner for Young NPA members at Jury’s Inn, Exeter. Zoe Davies gave an update on TB in pigs because of the locality and the need for all units to keep informed. Next up was a discussion of changes in the Red Tractor assurance scheme requirements for manipulable materials and environmental enrichment, which not everyone was aware of. Click here for advice from BPEX on this. Then two of the unit managers presented videos of their sites and the group ‘walked the production chain’.
• New Red Tractor farm gate signs - 7th April 2010
  Is your pig farm audited under the Assured British Pigs (ABP) or Genesis Quality Assurance? New Red Tractor Pigs Farm Assurance signs are now available to display on your farm premises. The signs are made from durable weatherproof plastic and cost just £10.00. Cheques should be made payable to BPEX.

March 2010

• Pig businesses get back to the future - 22nd March 2010
  The ‘Back to the Future’ Knowledge Transfer conference was a full house and great success, attended by more than 130 producers, allied industry members and journalists. The mood was positive and practical with a speaker line-up that producers found relevant to their business. Australian researcher Paul Hughes’ views and experience on gilt management strategies made a particular impact, with 81% of producers intending to go home and consider that area of their system...
• Weaning to service period outdoors - 12th March 2010
  All the critical factors for success from weaning to service were discussed at an Oxford Training club meeting on AI for outdoor producers. These units all shared similar systems in the same region with the same genetics. But there seemed to be a lot of differences between units when it comes to the post weaning period.

February 2010

• Contact your BPEX KT team - 22nd February 2010
  This week three new pig producers have made contact with the BPEX Knowledge Transfer team, but why has it taken them so long? We want to hear from more producers – from any type or size of unit with any problem they need help solving. The key driver for the KT team is to improve production on farm. One producer got in contact with BPEX for the first time through their consultancy firm, Lawrence Gould. After a visit from the regional KT Manager there is now a clear plan for improving recording, refurbishing farrowing crates and slurry store information. We were also able to put them in touch with the local Regional Development Agency for some health plan funding.

January 2010

• Know your Limits! - 27th January 2010
  The recent cold weather has certainly proved challenging and not necessarily just for you and your livestock. Have you been rigorously checking the temperature of your semen storage box or cabinet? Do you know the ambient temperature limits in which your storage equipment can operate correctly?
• 'Fast' pigs to keep lorries cleaner - 12th January 2010
  A BPEX lorry washing meeting, at Meadow Quality Livestock HQ in Warwickshire, helped to build a much clearer understanding of requirements throughout the supply chain - to reduce the risk of disease transmission in the pig industry. One issue discussed was the need for pig producers to ‘fast’ their pigs before leaving farms. Benefits of withdrawing access to food prior to dispatch are: • Reduced levels of muck on lorries – all hauliers at the meeting said correct fasting has a considerable effect and reduces washing out times by around 50% • Less dirty water produced at the abattoir • Producers avoid the cost of wasted food and reduced killing out percentage and they also suffer less travel sickness
• Lactational oestrus - 8th January 2010
  Many farms see lactational oestrus from December to April. There is no evidence to state why this should be, but anecdotally units see this issue over winter rather than summer. It may be that the sows are on a high level of nutrition and light levels are improving. There are no practical solutions to this problem but managing the piglets is key to not letting this problem affect your productivity and keeping sows satisfied with correct feeding.
• Plans for performance - 4th January 2010
  The Cornish Pig Club met to review all physical performance figures, discuss the benefits of the new buildings erected and compare against our European counterparts. Nick Dymond shared his visit report of a tour to Holland he was fortunate to attend with Helen Thoday. It was felt that, although the Dutch wean over 30p/s/yr and wean at 21 days, the down side is that the pigs are smaller and weaker so post-weaning mortality is greater.

December 2009

• Sugar beet and soya hulls - 15th December 2009
  The Wednesday Group met in Norfolk to discuss ad lib feeding, with Philip Van den Brink, Tim Rymer and Len Phoenix of JSR. Using sugar beet and soya hulls in rations can bring particular benefits. Sugar beet aids slower digestion in the colon and reduction of straw intake can help with mycotoxin concerns. Soya hulls are good when fed to finishers for the control of prolapsed pigs.

November 2009

• Vet & Med with model Claudia - 26th November 2009
  Over two sessions, 37 pig producers received full vet and med training. Led by Jennie Batt and her colleague, the group divided up and took part in four sessions - featuring Claudia the model pig and using oranges to practice injections! The training followed the NPTC Stage 2 guidelines and gave both practical and theory sessions.
• Nutritional Terms: Energy - 23rd November 2009
  The standard UK measure for the declaration of energy in pig feeds is digestible energy (DE). Other energy expressions are sometimes used such as gross (GE) and net (NE). Surprisingly it is not a legal requirement to list the energy level of pig feed on the label but it should be easy to get hold of from your feed supplier. This factsheet explains what the different terms relating to energy mean and provides target dietary energy levels for each category of pig.
• Free slurry and soil sampling - 22nd November 2009
  As part of the England Catchment Sensitive Farming Delivery Initiative (ECSFDI) livestock farmers within the Lincolnshire Coast Rivers Catchment Sensitive Farming Area (east of Louth from North Somercotes to Boston) are being offered free, confidential soil and slurry/manure sampling visits which will take place at their convenience.
• Christmas market - 20th November 2009
  Despite Christmas being an annual occurrence, pig producers fail to engage with their marketing groups about managing the market around this period every year. This year two Fridays are affected and there will be a longer break than usual at the abattoirs – by Monday 4th January there could be a lot of overweight pigs around. Now is the time to start formulating a strategy for coping with Christmas.
• Pig health and training in South Yorkshire - 13th November 2009
  The South Yorkshire Pig Club focused on the Yorkshire and Humberside Health initiative at its latest meeting. Producers heard the latest news first hand and discussed it with the project's Dr Sam Hoste. Plus, on a different topic, the range of new training opportunities in the East Midland Training Hub were highlighted, to be held at Uncle Henry’s in Lincolnshire.
• Introduction to the Industry - 10th November 2009
  The 4th Introduction to the industry day was held on the 4th November at the Old Mill, Langtoft. Thirteen people attended the course to find out more about pig production in the UK. Talks were presented on the practical and financial implications of pig production and an overview was given of all the legislation producers have to comply with. For many, the most interesting part of the day was the visit to a nearby breeding unit run by the Morgan Family. Feedback from the course delegates shows that they found the day very informative and enjoyable and many commented on how much they had learnt.
• Professional Manager Development Scheme (PMDS) - 9th November 2009
  The final part of the selection process for the 2010 Professional Managers Development Scheme was completed last week (30th October). We had a strong group of applicants with varying levels of experience. What shone through from those we selected was their desire to develop in their role and to progress further in the future with their career within their business. “The PMDS programme is clearly seen as a vehicle to help them achieve this and address the challenges they currently face in their respective businesses” said Alistair Gibb, Course Leader. The 18 month course will start in January 2010.
• No More Porkies - 8th November 2009
  Sign up and show your support for clearer labelling. The clearer labelling video produced for consumers to understand about how to read an on-pack label is now live on the LovePork website. Labels can be misleading and the video gives simple and clear advice on what the different elements mean.
• Speed up the Environmental Permitting process - 6th November 2009
  Applications take time to process, but if you want to make sure yours goes through as quickly as possible, don’t tick the confidentiality box! If you tick this box your application will have to go through an alternative route and take much longer to process, meaning you will have to wait far longer to receive your permit.
• Eastern Health Project Under Way - 5th November 2009
  Eastern Health, the East of England health improvement project, is set to get underway having been given the go-ahead by the East of England Development Agency (EEDA) and BPEX. Never wanting to let the grass grow under their feet, producers in East Anglia have already set up a steering group and held a first meeting to discuss strategy, so the initiative can get off to a flying start. The steering group is chaired by Philip Richardson.
• Lorry Wash Project - 4th November 2009
  Abattoir lorry washes are the focus of a new initiative to decrease the risk of disease transmission within the pig industry. The pig task force is proposing to survey abattoir lorry washing facilities by issuing a simple assessment sheet to wash users. This information will be collated and fed back to both the abattoirs and the task force to identify weaknesses in the industry to be addressed. Plus there will be £50 up for grabs as additional incentive: all lorry wash users who submit contact details with their assessment sheet will be entered into a draw for the cash.

October 2009

• New NVZ calculators - 21st October 2009
  East Midlands producers met for a demonstration of two new Excel nitrogen calculators from BPEX. Nigel Penlington demonsrated how producers can use them to work out the statutory calculations required by the NVZ regulations. To download the calculators please visit the environment hub on this site: http://www.bpex.org.uk/PracticalAdvice/environmentHub/NVZs.aspx Plus Zoe Davies gave an update on the activities of NPA, Ladies In Pigs and the Pig Task Force, highlighting some of the current industry issues - from wild boar to GM soya.
• Ventilation tips - 13th October 2009
  Due to heavy investment in buildings in the South West, John Chambers presented to the Cornish Pig Club on his specialism “Ventilation”: - How it affects performance - How it can cause health issues - How it contributes to behavioural changes Ventilation systems are scrutinised when a new building is put up and then expected to work for the life of the building without any maintenance! Frequently a building will be erected in close proximity to an existing building thus affecting the original buildings ventilation!
• Virtual farrowing - 12th October 2009
  Exeter Training Group focused on farrowing for its recent session. Virtual farm tours were used for the first time, proving a fantastic way to fuel discussion. Four pig units spoke about their diverse farrowing systems while a video of their farrowing accommodation was shown. Every unit's crates and housing were different, with two of the units moving sows to solaris and arcs after 5 days but farrowing in a Portapig.
• On-farm success factors - 7th October 2009
  Why do we do what we do? This simple but important question was addressed at the latest Cornish Training Club meeting. The afternoon was spent looking at the critical factors for success on units - things that are seen as "dull routine" but are actually essential for success. They are usually jobs that are taken for granted such as dry sow management or cleaning and disinfection. Topics such as AI storage, farrowing crate preparation and moving pigs were discussed.
• Agrosoft production recording - 6th October 2009
  A group of 11 producers bought their lap tops along to a meeting in Newbury to discuss the crucial role of production recording and the interpretation of records. The afternoon covered all aspects of what to record, what constitutes good recording and which reports can be utilised to make decisions on farm. Most units were outdoor breeding units so the we concentrated on sow recording.

September 2009

• Action for Productivity library - 1st October 2009
  Have you seen the new interactive Action for Productivity library? We are keen to hear your thoughts on this new feature on the BPEX website and whether you think it is a useful tool. Send your comments to kt@bpex.org.uk.
• Sign up for free text alerts - 30th September 2009
  Be sure to keep up to date with the latest information on events in your region, and notifications of any disease outbreaks, by registering for text and email alerts on the BPEX website.
• Northern Ireland Pig Event - 22 September 2009
  The Northern Ireland Pig Event occurs every 5 years. Angela Cliff, Helen Thoday and Nigel Penlington attended this event comprising of stands from relevant companies and posters from research in a social area, in addition to a 2 hour lecture session (this runs twice 11am and 7pm).
• Who’s who? - 21st September 2009
  Do you know who’s who in the BPEX KT R&D department? If not, or you don’t know how to get hold of someone, check out the ‘meet the team’ area of the BPEX website. Here you’ll find contact details for each of the team as well as a bit of background about each and what area they specialise in.
• BPEX Publications Catalogue 2009 - 13 September 2009
  Do you know what publications are available from BPEX, both KT R&D and Marketing? There are vast numbers available, free of charge, and a new online tool will now let you submit a request form for the leaflets you would like and we will post them directly to you.
• European Knowledge Transfer Hub - 3rd September 2009
  The BPEX KT team recently met with a number of their European counterparts at the inaugural meeting of the EU KT Hub. This new group was initiated by the BPEX KT team with the aim of finding out how other countries approach knowledge transfer, share ideas and learn from each other, so that we can deliver an even better service to levy payers.

August 2009

• Feed faces - 27th August 09
  Outdoor units should start preparing feed faces for winter. Further to thinking about rations you need to think about feed presentation to aid intake in the coming wetter months. Try to alternate the feed face to "rest" some sections of it to reduce over poaching. Think about field drainage and avoid the wallow corners. Getting a reasonably dry area for sows to feed from is an essential part of the feeding strategy.
• Change for Success video footage - 21st August 2009
  The BPEX Change for Success KT event that took place on 18 March was a huge success with more than 100 delegates attending from all sectors of the industry. But for those of you that were unable to attend, you can now watch short videos of each session on the BPEX website. BPEX has recently introduced the use of video to the website, but don’t worry, we will be keeping file sizes to a minimum so for most of you it shouldn’t take all night to download! To view the videos from the event click here, and keep an eye out for other videos that we will be uploading in the future.
• New tool from BPEX to improve reproductive performance - 20th August 2009
  BPEX have linked up with the Dutch Organisation AIM (AI Management) to bring the English Pig Industry PIGSIS. The Pig Simulation Model for Insemination Strategies (PIGSIS) programme can provide herds with invaluable information about their serving strategy the oestrus profiles of their particular herd and the critical factor for success, predicted ovulation time.
• Need to get more out of your recording system? 20th August 2009
  AGROSOFT TRAINING. September 24th 2pm – 5pm Hilton Hotel Newbury North, In the Oxford Suite Junction 13 M4 (where the M4 and A34 meet, Follow signs for Cheivley Services and then for the Hilton Newbury North Hotel). Open Training Session to improve over all use of this critical tool. Bring your (clean) lap top and dongle!
• Monitor and negotiate = save money! - 19th August 2009
  Electricity costs money, so can you afford to not know how much you are using or where it is being used? Some producers in the East of England have come together as a group, enabling them to negotiate with their supplier to get Smart Meters or automatic meter readers installed on their units. The farmers can log on to view consumption/usage by the day, which is of value in itself, but as a group they will be able to negotiate better with electricity companies in the future by showing what the group’s usage and pattern of requirements is.
• Basic Laboratory Techniques for DIY AI Operators - 11th August 2009
  Why? To help you produce good quality AI and overcome common problems when using the microscope and assessing semen quality.

July 2009

• BPEX Annual Technical Report 08-09 - 29 July 2009
  You can now download the BPEX Annual Technical Report 08-09 from the website! Use the contents page to navigate through the chapters you want to look at - each heading is a link to that chapter.
• Artificial Insemination workshop wins all round approval! - 26th July 2009
  BPEX International AI consultant, Dr Hanneke Feistma, led a series of workshops for the laboratory technicians based at commercial AI centres. The meeting started with an informative review of spermatogenesis, the process of sperm cell development and maturity. Understanding what could go wrong with this process, why it happened and how good the resultant sperm were is essential to the production of good quality AI.
• Wet Feeders Forum - 20th July 2009
  When carried out correctly wet feeding can be cost effective, but just what is correct? Two regional pig clubs, Shropshire and the Midlands recently requested a 'Wet Feeders Forum'. Both groups find wet feeding pigs can be an efficient way of feeding both the finishing and breeding herds but all have experienced some drawbacks.
• Regular training sessions now established - 14th July 2009
  Thanks to funding from Yorkshire Forward, Landskills and industry sponsorship, Bishopton Vet Group is now running a comprehensive package of group workshops over the summer tackling all aspects of production. The first two workshops, based on veterinary medicines, have taken place with fantastic interaction and discussion amongst the group members.
• Calling all producers in Cheshire - 10th July 2009
  BPEX is looking to set up a training group in this area. The venue for the group will depend on the location of the producers interested, but it is anticipated that the small group will run on a regular basis providing the same opportunities and benefits that other producers are already receiving elsewhere. If you are interested in joining a group please contact Tess Howe. Tess.howe@bpex.org.uk.
• Are you looking to improve your business management? 8th July 2009
  If you’re looking to improve your business skills, the Worshipful Company of Farmers are running a three week Advanced course in Agricultural Business Management. The course is designed for existing experienced managers and concentrates on developing your understanding of the business environment and implementing this knowledge to benefit your business. For Further information contact: Rhonda.Thompson@rac.org.uk
• Farrowing Management Training - 7th july 2009
  Experienced managers across the Eastern region gathered to discuss farrowing management in a series of workshops organised by the East of England Pig Training Group, delivered by Susan Walpole from the Oakwood Veterinary Practice. The workshops, which were divided into indoor and outdoor systems, focused on the topics most relevant to their system.
• High Flying Managers Wanted - July 6th 2009
  BPEX is looking for new managers across the industry to take part in the first BPEX Management Development Programme The scheme, which starts in January 2010, will run over 12 months and provide the participants with the opportunity to develop their management potential and overall understanding of pig production. Similar courses have proven not only to benefit the individual but also their company.
• Checking the Vital Signs 6th July 2009
  Taking heed of their own advice, last week the KT team brushed up their own skills by taking part in a two day training session with Dutch Expert Kees Scheepens

June 2009

• Meal Sieve Test on Farm - 29 June 2009
  Reduce unutilised feed with up to 10% with the Bygholm Sieve: In one example, the Bygholm Sieve was used by a producer, on recommendation from a KT manager, to analyse grains. They found that 10% of the rapemeal sampled was too coarse as some of the fine material had stuck together and formed clusters. Unmilled Soya (HiPro) showed similar results with up to 10% of the product being too coarse to be effectively digested by pigs.
• BPEX studies on PCV2 vaccines - 27 June 09
  The presentation given by Mark Wilson at recent NPA meetings on the BPEX studies on PCV2 vaccines can be downloaded from the BPEX website.
• Free fridge magnet - 26 June 09
  Are you up to speed on the safe use of veterinary medicines? An A4 magnet is available from BPEX which simply covers the basics of administering veterinary medicines, which can be stuck to the fridge for quick reference. It covers oral, pour-on and injections, listing the key things to remember for each.
• Gilt Management Key Points - 22nd June 2009
  The topic was gilt management at a recent Pig Club in East Anglia. Half of the group was purchasing gilts and the other half was homebreeding. There was also both indoor and outdoor producers represented. The key points of the evening were
• Soil Management Plan template - 14 June 2009
  The BPEX Soil Management Plan template, developed with producers and their landlords, is a practical tool designed to assist outdoor producers to formalise their observations and plans and monitor how effective this has been. Soil and land management is an ongoing process, and pig production is an integral part of the rotation on many farms, so plans must be reviewed and revised regularly. The template is an effective and simple tool to assist with this process.
• Yorkshire & Humberside Pig Health Improvement Launch on 1st July - 12th June 2009
  All pig producers, allied industry and pig veterinarians in the region are invited to the 1st Stakeholder's meeting at Malton Rugby Club. Improving pig health and welfare is a high priority for farmers and BPEX is helping to bring together farmers, veterinarians, breeding and feeding companies, processors, retailers and others involved in pig production to develop their own initiatives within the regions to improve pig health.
• Mini Muck (Derbyshire - Wednesday 10th June) - 3 June 2009
  Find out how to apply for grant aid and get an update on NVZ regulations (cross compliance). There will also be a demonstration of a grant aided slurry tanker with innovative shallow injector, saving the host farmer over £6,000/year! Book your place at this free event (which includes a free lunch) now! Numbers permitting, a free bus to the event from Horncastle and back again will run, those that are interested in this service should mention this when booking. Where: Thorpe Farm, Hathersage, Hope Valley, Derbyshire. S32 1BQ When: Wednesday 10th June 09, 10:30am - 3:30pm E-mail: emlmas@naturalengland.org.uk or call the booking line: 0115 900 5350
• Straw quality - 1 June 2009
  Poor feed and straw quality can be a real threat to the physical performance of both breeding and finishing herds. Whether purchasing compound feed or home mill & mixing, producers should be vigilant, especially during the summer and autumn months.
• Summer Warning – 1st June 2009
  “Twisted Gut” is a problem causing sudden death and summer can be a particularly high risk period. There are 2 main reasons why heat would exasperate digestion problems.

May 2009

• KT Update; what are we talking about - 30th May 2009
  KT Update 2 The KT team are in regular communication with English pig producers, here are some more of the concerns and advances raised in the last few weeks.
• Outdoor Gilt Nutrition with Dr Phil Phil Baynes - 23rd May 2009
  Outdoor sow nutrition is still a black art given the amount of information provided in some of the superb text nutritional text books, about 3 paragraphs. We know that temperature and terrain have a huge impact on feed levels and the stockpeople are the key to feeding the correct levels when the sows need it as they need to be very quick to react to the ever changing weather.
• Do we talk to our Nutritionists enough? - 21st May 2009
  Recently I have heard both Paul Toplis and Phil Baynes talk and the message from them was the same, feed back herd information to them! At the George Vet Pig Fair Paul Toplis explained how changes in health status of your growing pigs mean they require different nutritional needs such as digestible lysine.
• Comments from the field about PCV2 - 20th May 2009
  At a recent set of Nursery and Finisher workshops for contract units the groups were asked how the PCV2 vaccine had altered their management and performance of the pigs. For most units it had halved their mortality with overall mortality from the group going from 5% to 2.5%. With comments such as "pigs dont die anymore", everything is a lot easier now".
• Super Sow Herd Management - May 19th 2009
  Peter Kristinson at the George Vet Pig Fair explained what he believed to be the success behind managing a high performing sow herd. PEOPLE, COLOSTRUM, FARROWING CRATE EFFICIENCY, GILT DEVELOPMENT, AND SOW CONDITION. In Denmark the sow genetics is being improved all the time to reach exceptional production rates and due to this the Danes are learning a new skill set of small piglet management and what to do when most litters are 12 +.
• KT Update; what are we talking about - 17th May 2009
  The KT team are in regular communication with English pig producers, some of the comments below are some on the concerns and advances raised in the last few weeks.
• Options to keep cool - May 14th 2009
  Providing sows with choices of how to cool down over the summer months gives a large group of dry sows a better chance of avoiding heat stress. One unit provides backless dry sow huts, shades and wallows in all dry sow paddocks.
• Exeter and Cornwall Pig Training Club - 13th May 2009
  Grumbling on-going problems in one department of the breeding herd cause further issues in the subsequent departments. This is what Helen Thoday’s Exeter and Cornwall training clubs discussed at the recent Sow Care training afternoon.
• Yo Yo Dieting is no good for sows - 12th May 2009
  The message from Denmark is that good sows do not lurch from fat to thin, they stay good all the way through life. Managing optimum body condition on your unit is one of the keys to a high performing herd. Body reserves not so depleted during lactation that gestation is a recovery period until it all starts again. Regular body condition can provide you information for sow curves especially in summer and winter.
• Clean sows - 5 May 09
  Remember that sows must be thoroughly cleaned before moving them into farrowing accommodation (Defra Code of Recommendations for the Welfare of Livestock); cleaning sows will not only benefit their welfare, but you may well see an increase in production.
• Exeter Pig Club - May 1st 2009
  The Exeter Pig Club were given an excellent talk by John Chambers on ventilation case studies he had solved and each unit presented thier buildings and John highlighted thier Pros and Cons. After a quick break the meeting went on to a general dicussion.

April 2009

• Are your vaccines stored correctly? - 30 April 09
  As the summer approaches ensure that vaccines are stored correctly when removed from the fridge. Vaccines need to be maintained at their recommended temperature (usually around 2 - 8ºC) to remain viable. Check the storage fridge with a min/max thermometer daily and have a suitable system when out in the field, this can be a portable temperature-controlled box, or reuse AI delivery poly boxes for shorter periods of time.
• Night check issues - 26 April 09
  Have you run through a series of night check scenarios with your staff recently? It is important to have some clear strategies on dealing with different farrowing problems depending on who does the night check. Dealing with unsettled sows, mastitis and sows requiring assistance should be reviewed with new and existing members of staff. Also discuss when to assist and when to provide the farrowing tool box of drugs. Discuss with your vet and all staff at the next vet visit.
• Summer's on it's way - 22 April 09
  Don’t wait until it’s too late, prepare now for summer in order to reduce the risk of heat stress and sunburn; see Action for Productivity 3 (indoor) and 4 (outdoor) for advice.
• Polish work instructions - 8th April 2009
  Polish work instructions: Following the success of the foreign language guidelines, printed a couple of years ago, and demand for a selection of the template work instructions to be translated, you can now download many of them in Polish from here: http://www.bpex.org.uk/publications/WorkInstructions.aspx - 8th April 2009
• BPEX Change for Success KT Event - March 2009
  The BPEX Change for Success KT event that took place in March was a huge success with more than 100 delegates attending from all sectors of the industry. The speakers, hand picked by the KT team, presented topics about management factors that could be changed now, with little or no capital investment. “The idea was that producers can change certain aspects of management which should be quite simple, but have a big impact on production which would lead to success” explained Helen Thoday of the KT Team. The presentations are now available to download.

March 2009

• Change for Success - 16th March 2009
  There are still a few places left for Change for Success, the first national knowledge transfer event being run by the BPEX Knowledge Transfer Team.
• What is your condition like? 16th March 2009
  Have you seen the latest Action for Productivity produced by BPEX? The next sheet in the popular series looks at the topic of sow body condition, which is a critical factor affecting health, welfare, productivity and longevity.
• Eyes have it - 2nd March 09
  Pigs have very poor eyesight and as a result can be easily spooked by shadows when being moved. To pigs a shadow could be a step, a pit or the edge of a cliff, no wonder they seem reluctant to move down the passageway sometimes! Bear this in mind when moving pigs and try to eliminate any shadows or flickering lights.

February 2009

• Cornish Pig Club - 9th Feb 2009
  The Cornish Pig Club met again this month. Many subjects were covered this time including an update from Rob Bray to the rest of the group about the Dairy Co-op meeting he attended in Exeter in January.
• South West Healthy Livestock Initiative – First Producer Pig Focus Group - 9th Feb 2009
  A small group of producers met at the first Pig Focus Group to channel ideas from pig producers of how they would like the millions of pounds of RDA funding made available to the South West pig industry. Producers representing a wide range of unit types; Organic, Indoor and outdoor, met with Nick Bell from Bristol Vet School and Helen Thoday from BPEX, who sits on the SWHLI board representing pigs, each unit talked about what management changes they had made on their units that had led to significant improvements in production through improved health.
• Practical tips to reduce hernias on farm - 9th Feb 2009
  The principle of why either scrotal or umbilical hernias occur is the same: The muscles are weaker at the site of the rupture, this can cause the contents of the abdominal cavity sag or bulge out between the muscles and become visible. Trying to reduce the risk of hernias occurring on farm can be achieved by the following:

January 2009

• A good check list for your Fox Fence - 15th Jan 2008
  It is essential that you manage your electric fox fences to maintain thier efficiency. Keeping Foxes and Badgers away from farrowing paddocks is essential to reduce numbers of missing piglets. This quick guide can be used to check your fence on a regular basis.
• Reducing the cost of production workshop - 12th January 2009
  Reducing the cost of production is essential to improve competitiveness; can this be achieved through co-op buying and co-op thinking like many dairy units do? At this workshop Gaynor Wellwood will discuss how South Hams Dairy Co-Op started, what they achieve and the benefits a co-op can bring over and above group purchasing. Geoff Saville will also speak on pig co-ops in Europe and how group buying works. This is a great opportunity for producers in the South West to learn from a successful co-op, as well as providing the opportunity for discussion. It is an open workshop and everyone is welcome! When: Tuesday 20th January 6:30pm, buffet to start Where: The Devon Hotel, Matford, Exeter, EX2 8XU To book your place please contact Helen Thoday on 07973 701202 or email Helen.thoday@bpex.org.

December 2008

• The Cornish Discussion Group - 19th December 2008
  After having had a very eye opening tour around the Roach Foods processing plant at Bodmin several weeks earlier to see the immense investment in technology to comply to the stringent requirements of McDonalds for its cooked bacon and the major multiplies for its value wafer thin, reconstituted ham the Cornish discussion group conveined to discuss the health and quality of the pigs being produced for this market.
• Post Mortem Day at Thirsk VLA - 11th December 2008
  Lis Ravn organised a Post Mortem Day with with Ben Strugnell from Thirsk VLA for the BPEX East Yorkshire Pig Club. The East Yorkshire BPEX pig club met for a All producers brought in pigs that had died on their farm. There was a wide range of sizes and ages of pigs. Ben Strugnell performed a post mortem on all the pigs describing what he found and took samples if needed.
• HGCA gives understanding to risk mangement - 8th Dec 2008
  Jack Watts, Economist HGCA gave the Somerset Pig Club and insight into Prospects for 2008/09 and beyond, Managing uncertainty and Developing a strategy to buy your pig feed. Volatility dominates the global wheat market, Ethonol is key for US maize supply and demand, GM issues continue to fuel uncertainty in the soyameal markets, we are still recovering from a 2007 deficit in Soyabean supply and to top it off we have a credit crunch!
• AI and Service Workshops in the South West - 8th December 2008
  A recent round of Improving reproductive performance training workshops in the South allowed stockpeople to link best practice to their own service systems

November 2008

• Guidelines on Adverse Media Coverage - November 19th 2008
  In August a workshop involving over 20 stakeholders in the pig meat industry was held to discuss how to enhance the manner in which the pig industry responds to adverse media coverage. As a result of the workshop it was agreed to develop some simple procedures that would assist key stakeholders respond efficiently, effectively and consistently.
• Text reminder service - 12th Nov 2008
  Don’t forget that you can sign up to receive both email and text alerts on the BPEX website. Just enter your mobile number and we can send out free text messages to remind you of events taking place in your area!
• How to activate the boar - 11th Nov 2008
  Try using one of the points below to help optimise reproductive performance on your unit:
• Can they smell those boars? 3rd November 2008
  At an outdoor pig club one unit made a very sensible suggestion. In the service radial they position the waiting area in the corner facing the prevailing wind.
• Checking pigs - 3rd Nov 2008
  How do you observe your pigs? Is it by entering the rooms in a noisy manner or do you quietly walk in and look at the pigs undisturbed?

October 2008

• Help for farmers - 23rd October 2008
  The Nitrate Pollution Prevention Regulations (SI 2008/2349) establish the Action Programme measures and describe them in full detail. Nine guidance documents have been produced by Defra and the Environment Agency to help farmers understand the requirements, implement, and comply with the Action Programme measures. The documents can be downloaded here: http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/water/quality/nitrate/nvz2008.htm#help
• Drinker Heights - 17th October 2008
  Increase water intake and reduce water wastage by investing in adjustable drinkers, which can easily be regulated either higher or lower by loosening a small handle.
• Colour Coding Treatments - 17th October 2008
  Why not colour code your treatments like a finishing pig producer in East Anglia does? Included in the farms treatment protocol each condition/ medical treatment has been given a colour, which the pig will be sprayed with afterwards.
• Wallpapering Flies.... 16th October 2008
  With flies seeming to become more of a year round problem these days, effective fly control is essential. In addition to the appropriate use of larvacides, when using granular adulticides against house flies instead of dissolving the granules and applying by the traditional "paint on" method consider this simple option:
• The details matter! - 13th October 2008
  At a recent Midlands Pig Club meeting, veterinarian David Chennells gave advice on recording, especially the level of detail recorded. So the next time you have a mortality in the finishing herd, don't just put a "1" in a column, record as much as possible, i.e weight, age, why, where (pen/building),when, and who (breed/source). All this is important information when you analyse your records to try and identify the factors involved.

September 2008

• Improving Performance of the 2nd Parity Sow Workshop
  - How avoid the classic performance drop and improve longevity Performance of the 2nd parity sow can be very disappointing and negatively influence the breeding herd performance average. After a good gilt litter performance, a drop in numbers born alive is commonly seen in the 2nd parity. Moreover, reproductive performance often lets the 2nd parity sow down, leading to high return rates and subsequently early culling of young sows. This will affect the profitability of a herd with a decrease in output and an increase in gilt expenses as well as influencing the general staff moral.
• Money for Women in Agriculture - 22nd September 2008
  There is funding for training available for any women deriving the majority of her income comes from agriculture. The employee or employer pays roughly £250 and then receives £650 in extra funding for any training they want to go on.
• Have you got enough creep lamps? - 22nd September 2008
  On farm visit last week we went to have a look at the farrowing houses after a new practice of inducing was put in place. Most of the sows were induced so they would farrow together on the Friday. However what the unit had not calculated for was the number of lights needed when everything farrows at the same time.
• Preg Scanning Day - 12th September 2008
  After a request from a number of producers in the South West, Helen Thoday organised a pregnancy scanning training day at St David’s Vet Practice. The afternoon allowed producers to learn from Andrew Carr a very experienced scanner from Larkmead Scanning Services and to practice on sows in different stages of pregnancy.
• Targeting Pork Quality - 12th September
  Excellent pork eating quality is one of the main drivers for consumers and a consistently high quality product is essential to keep them coming back for more. BPEX has produced two new fact sheets in its Target Pork Quality series, focusing specifically on the impact of ageing and carcase chilling systems on improving meat quality.
• Young NPA - 8th September 2008
  More people are signing up to the Young NPA after a series of regional get togethers. This great success has meant the Young NPA is providing a bigger better social and business network, supporting the next generation of pig producers and allied industries.
• Cash for Yorkshire Pig Producers - 8th September 2008
  Lantra is hosting a meeting to explain to Yorkshire and Humberside pig-keepers how to get their hands on £thousands of training money.

August 2008

• Keep on top of Moisture Levels - 20th August 2008
  In certain circumstances sows are moved into farrowing houses too soon before farrowing when space is tight. If the Cleaning and Disinfection routine is upheld between batches sows are moving into houses with high moisture levels.
• Stocking Density - 20th August 2008
  Stocking rates continue to be a cause of concern. Overstocking was seen as a result of excess production from the breeding herd as well as in a herd pushing up slaughter weight without the necessary space provision.
• Help with Cash Flows? - August 15th 2008
  It is important to carry out sound business planning when looking at restocking your unit. This will help understand what the impact is under different scenarios, of which there are many when planning a destock restock.
• Varying Born Alives - 15th August 2008
  A unit called the KT Team to discuss the variance in their born alive. Luckily the unit records very well so we were able to get some figures on where the problem was lying.
• Testing Water Quality - 15th August 2008
  Recently a breeding herd tested its farrowing house water quality due to concerns over water intake in the sows.
• IPVS production updates - 8th August 2008
  The International Pig Vet Society met in Durban, SA and some of the facts that maybe of interest are summarised below.
• Latest Action for Productivity - 8th August 2008
  The latest in a comprehensive series of practical tips for pig keepers have just been published by BPEX. The two latest Action for Productivity sheets cover hospital and recovery pen management and the importance of water supply.
• Looking into Sow Condition 7th August 2008
  Recently the KT team have been body condition scoring sows on a number of units.

July 2008

• Mulched Pallet reduced Straw Costs - 31st July 2008
  A unit trying mulched pallet as a base for their straw dry sow yards says it has been a great success.
• Pig project into the millions - 30th July 2008
  More than a million piglets have so far been vaccinated as part of a BPEX research project into PCV2. The £1.5million vaccine voucher scheme was launched in April and the take-up has been nothing short of phenomenal said BPEX Director of Pig Industry Development Mark Wilson.
• Fully Funded BPEX Studentship (deadline 1st Aug) - 24th July 2008
  Applications are invited for a fully funded BPEX studentship, based in the School of the Environment & Natural Resources, Bangor University. This studentship is part of a wider project researching into the viability of Bioreduction as a storage method of fallen stock prior to disposal. It provides an exciting opportunity for a dedicated individual eager to develop a range of research skills involving both pure and applied natural sciences.
• Get the latest Action for Productivity sheet! - 23rd July 2008
  The next in the Action for Productivity series is now available from BPEX (ask any member of the team, call 01908 844734 or download from www.bpex.org.uk/publications/A4Ps.aspx). Number 15 looks at the topic of hospital and recovery pens and can be used in conjunction with farm health plans to review hospital/recovery pen management and facilities.
• Grist size checking kit available from BPEX - 14th July 2008
  Lisbeth Ravn arranged the delivery of 4 feed sieves from Bygholm in Denmark so the KT Team are able to look at the levels of coarseness of feed, cereal and other products for producers who mill their own feed. The sieve operates simply and the levels of feed left in each area of the sieve tells you about the quality of the feed being produced.
• Combining clients to improve knowledge exchange - 14th July 2008
  Two Yorkshire vet practices have come together to create their own pig club for their clients to attend. With help from BPEX KT manager Lis Ravn, Howells Veterinary Surgeons and Holmefield Farm Services held their first club meeting discussing - ‘EP vaccination, is it still a necessity?’
• Are you ready for a challenge? - 11th July 2008
  The opportunities for challenging and changing current ways of thinking in Agriculture has never been so great. And one organisation that has been at the forefront of challenging the status quo is Nuffield Farming Scholarships. So it is exciting to announce that BPEX have teamed up with Nuffield to create a Nuffield Award specifically for the pig industry.
• WELCOME TO THE PIG INDUSTRY - 11th July 2008
  BPEX held their second Introduction to the Pig Industry day at Retford, Nottinghamshire recently. Delegates attending included representatives from DEFRA, Lantra, Environment Agency, Catchment Sensitive Farming, RSPCA, Co-op, Trading Standards and Animal Health.
• Cash for Yorkshire - 8th July 2008
  BPEX Ltd has just secured funding from Yorkshire Forward to help with staff development in the Yorkshire and Humber pig industry. The funding will provide support to the industry whilst they continue to build on existing skills and knowledge, which can be one of the key factors helping to improve the overall competitiveness of the industry.
• Farrowing House Training - 8th July 2008
  At a recent on farm training session the unit went through a list of best practice and identified where they were on the list making themselves; excellent, not at all and needs more attention.
• Grading Problem - 8th July 2008
  A unit recently experienced a problem with grading. Their slaughter pigs have been graded fatter going from an average of 10.81mm suddenly up to 13mm. This was of course causing great concern over the penalties on the slaughter contract.
• Young Pig Producers' Dinner - 1st July 2008
  We would like to remind you about the first young pig producers dinner in Yorkshire with guest speaker Rick Sanderson, Pork Chain Business Development Manager for PIC (UK). The meal is being held at the Ramada Fairfield Manor, York, on Thursday 10th July - 6:15 for a 6:30 start.

June 2008

• Making use of sawdust/shavings - 28th June 2008
  A producer in North Yorkshire that KT Manager Lis Ravn recently visited always uses sawdust or shavings in his growing/finishing pig pens. All pigs from 30 kg are housed in part-slatted floor pens. After the pens have been cleaned and disinfected, the producer covers the floor with shavings, before entry of the pigs.
• Outdoor recovery pens - 26th June 2008
  A producer in Yorkshire has set up an outdoor recovery pen arrangement. Outdoor sow huts are used as accomodation, housing 2-4 growing (sick) pigs with a small enlcosed outdoor area as well. The huts are deep bedded with straw.
• Lactational oestrus - 23rd June 2008
  Have you noticed sows coming on to heat during lactation? Some of the triggers for this include a disruption to suckling, boar contact, flush feeding and stress.
• Ask the experts on the BPEX site - 17th June 2008
  Got a burning question to ask BPEX? Then go to “Ask BPEX”, which is now live on the BPEX website.
• Provide for the Summer Heat - 11th June 2008
  Recently spotted on an outdoor unit were these great shades. These shades were made from thick galebreaker with bungee ropes going across them to attach to 4 wooden stakes – as pictured.
• Oxford Pig Club Annual Review - 11th June 2008
  The pig club in Oxford that benchmarks their figures on a quarterly basis were able to carry out a year on year check at their last meeting in May.
• South West Training Scheme - 10th June 2008
  The BPEX Devon and Cornwall training group met up for the last time before their summer break this week. Tess Howe, the BPEX training co-ordinator attended the final training afternoons to see how the group have got on with their monthly sessions.
• Salmonella Meeting - June 8th 2008
  At a recent meeting the pig club for Howells Vets and Holmefield Farm Services clients covered the topic Salmonella.
• BPEX AI Standard - June 3rd 2008
  The BPEX AI Standard is based on agreed Best Practice principles and procedures that are followed by the AI centres. Its introduction further extended the chain of assurance to include AI to give producers confidence that the product arriving on their farm was produced to a consistently high standard.
• BPEX Workshops - 1st June 2008
  Over the past couple of years the BPEX KT Team have run a wide range of well-attended workshops across the country.

May 2008

• Grower Finisher Meeting has huge turn out - 30th May 2008
  Nearly 30 pig producers and their staff gathered at Boroughbridge, Yorkshire for an evening workshop on the challenges they face when managing the growing pig.
• Working Together in Yorkshire - 24th May 2008
  Two Yorkshire vet practices have gone together and created a pig club for their clients to attend.
• Biosecure farm visits! 20th May 2008
  The KT team have started videoing sections of pig production so you can see how other units carry out certain tasks
• Pfizer trainee of the year 18th May 2008
  Do you or any of your staff take time to get involved in regular training? If so you could be up for a cash award for commiting to continued development.
• Vermin Control Training - 15th May 2008
  A practical approach was taken at a recent rodent control training session to go through the areas required to achieve good control and create a robust control plan.
• Cornish and Devon Training Group - 12th May 2008
  It ain’t what you’ve got its what you do with it – was the theme of the penultimate training afternoon in Cornwall and Devon last week. Hugh Crabtree from Farmex and Fran Baird from George Vet Group discussed health and building design on each unit in the group and what could be done to improve them.
• Do Some Pigs get all the luck? May 8th 2008
  At a recent meeting the difference in pig flow between 2 weeks worth of pigs could be dramatic depending on staffing levels was discussed.
• Electric Fence Power - May 5th 2008
  The recent warm and wet weather will have meant that grass and weeds will have grown out of control and many of them underneath your essential electric fence!
• First Somerset Pig Club - May 2nd 2008
  The first Somerset Pig Club was held last night with guest speaker Steve Newing from Blanchard and Blanchard Enterprises.
• Work Instructions - May 2nd 2008
  A number of Work Instructions have been developed by the KT Team for use on farm. These included Slap Marking, Preparing a farrowing crate and vet and med storage.
• Innovation fund - the ideas are in! 1st May 2008
  The most recent round of innovation fund ideas are in with BPEX. There are some great ideas whcih will be processed and funded accordingly.

April 2008

• Something for everyone - 27th April 2008
  A list of the all the workshops that BPEX can offer will soon be available on the BPEX website but those at the Pig and Poultry Fair this month will be able to pick up a list first from the BPEX stand (47).
• Producer Clubs move forward - 22nd April 2008
  KT Manager Angela Cliff has started two new groups in the central region, Hodnet and Nottinghamshire.
• Making the most of your staff - 22nd April 2008
  One of the most common staffing issues facing managers in the pig industry, where it is difficult to devote enough time to training and there are tight deadlines to be met, is how to get the best out of new staff as quickly as possible.
• Straw Based Nursery Workshop - 21st April 2008
  A workshop was put on recently in Salisbury specifically for Straw Based Nursery stockpeople.
• Using Detergent - 18th April 2008
  At a recent meeting cleaning and disinfectant was discussed and one unit talked about when they started using detergent as part of the cleaning regime it nearly halved their pressure washing time.
• Straw Supplies Run Low - 17th April 2008
  Many units are waiting for harvest so thier straw stocks will be replenished.
• Stop Tail-biting Outbreak Project - 17th April 2008
  Concerned about the level of tail biting on a farm? Appearance of tail-biting on a farm Sudden increase from a background level of tail-biting High percentage of severely bitten pigs
• Transporting pigs – are you up-to date? - 17 April 08
  By April, everybody hauling pigs should have a Certificate of Competence in Animal Transport. Although sitting an exam may seem a daunting prospect to many practical people, the assessment should not be feared.
• Yorkshire Pig Club - 15 April 2008
  At a recent pig club meeting on service house management a manager of a Yorkshire unit explained their system.