Stock Journal 16 Nov 2021

Improving biosecurity practices and preparing for the potential incursion of an emergency animal disease is the focus of a new biosecurity officer role, focused on the state’s pork industry.

University of Adelaide animal science graduate Chelsea Dossett has been appointed to the position, which has been jointly funded by the SA government and the SA Pig Industry Fund.

Ms Dossett was the recipient of the Ronald J Lienert Memorial Scholarship, graduating with honours in pig production, and has broad experience working on a 500-sow farm.

A key focus of her role will be to develop protocols for best practice biosecurity and disease management that ensures SA is well placed to meet and implement national requirements.

To read the full story click here

Stock Journal 1 Oct 2021

Work is set to begin on a $3-million biosecurity project to protect 700 abattoir jobs and safeguard the future of the South Australian pig industry.

The project, supported by the Pork SA Pig Industry Fund, the SA government’s Regional Growth Fund and Seven Point Pork’s Port Wakefield and Big River Pork’s Murray Bridge abattoirs, will result in truck wash and decontamination facilities installed at both locations.

The biosecurity upgrades will ensure plans endorsed by the Australian government’s Animal Health Committee to prevent disease spread are implemented. This includes ensuring abattoirs are not a central source of infection, with truck biosecurity being a key part of emergency animal disease risk.

To read the full story click here

Landline / By Gabriella Marchant

Posted Sun 23 May 2021 at 9:12am

Key Points

• The SABOR artificial insemination centre houses hundreds of pigs from across Australia at a time
• Amid the spread of African swine fever, the facility is stepping up its biosecurity protocols
• An onsite quarantine station now accommodates pigs for weeks at a time

To read entire article click here

9 Feb 2021

A $1 million upgrade and expansion to the SA Artificial Breeding Centre was unveiled to SA producers at Clare last Friday and industry hopes it will futureproof the states commercial herd.

The expansion will increase the proportion of sows serviced at the artificial insemination facility from 65 per cent to 90 per cent, and significantly boost the number of customers interstate.

To read entire article click here

Brand SA has featured the SA pork industry as part of their Agribusiness in October promotion of SA industry.

‘Get some pork on your fork’ is the famous line that South Aussie shoppers need to hear now more than ever.

The state’s pork industry contributes $385 million to the SA economy, supporting almost 2500 full time local jobs and providing $188 million in household incomes for local families. This is according to figures released earlier this year by APL which also acknowledges that the pig production sector is more important in SA than in any other state. Despite its prevalence to the local economy, the pork industry is currently stuck in a glut due to a downturn in prices, an oversupply of meat and increased feed grain prices.

Read here how our SA Pork Ambassador, Andrew Johnson, outlines the charity campaigns, farm support services, and ‘choose local’ pushes that are among the efforts to help the industry bounce back.

by Deanna Lush  Stock Journal – December 18, 2014

Support from pig industry leaders, producers and agribusiness is teaching SA students about rearing pigs and the industry’s role in supplying a quality product to the food chain.

There are close to 20 schools running pigs, from weaning through to slaughter weight, as part of their agricultural studies.

To read entire article, click here.

Most producers are aware of their obligations to complete National Vendor Declarations (NVDs) when moving pigs from farms to sale yards and abattoirs, using either electronically using Australian Pork Limited’s (APL) PigPass or ordering books by phoning into the PigPass dedicated phone service.

There are several reasons for this but the most important is to ensure that pigs can be traced in the event of a disease outbreak. When sale yards and abattoirs receive the NVD, this information is uploaded to the National Livestock Identification System (NLIS) database, i.e. those businesses upload the movement information directly to NLIS. This allows jurisdictions to trace animals (cattle, sheep, pigs and goats) reliably and in a timely manner if a disease outbreak occurs, in an effort to contain the outbreak. Think how the PEDv in the USA has spread rapidly and affected large numbers of pigs across that country. Inadequate reporting and biosecurity failures lie at the heart of this rapid spread. [Read more…]

by Deanna Lush  Stock Journal – September 25, 2014

New $1 million facility at Sabor, Clare, has been operating for 12 months, housing an extra 200 boars and making it the largest pig AI centre in Australia.

Tucked away in the hills of the Clare valley, it is the only AI centre in the state and is the largest in Australia.
Sabor chairman Barry Lloyd says the facility reflects the progressive nature of the industry and it’s adoption of technology to maintain best practice.

To read entire article, click here.