The Pig Edge

It's that time of year again -  the 2024 Teagasc National Pig Herd Performance Report is fresh off the press providing a fascinating insight into the Key Performance Indicators attained on farms across Ireland last year.  The report provides the detailed performance analysis of the pig farms that participated in the Teagasc Profit Monitor (PM) recording system in 2024. To delve into the results and analyse the trends in more detail we are joined on this episode of the Pig Edge by Specialised Pig Advisor, Ger McCutcheon.  For more episodes and information from the Pig Edge podcast go to:https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/pigs/the-pig-edge-podcast/ Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com 

For this month's Pig Edge podcast, we're featuring highlights from a recent episode of the Tillage Edge focusing on the benefits of using pig slurry as an alternative to chemical fertilisers in tillage farming. Pig production is one of the main consumers of Irish cereals and the resulting slurry produced on units can be an important source of nutrients for tillage crops. Opportunities for greater co-operation between the two sectors, from diversifying cereal production to increased use of pig slurry on crops, can lead to a stronger bio-circular economy, with resultant economic benefits for both parties.On this episode, Michael Hennessy, host and head of the Teagasc Crops Knowledge Department, was joined by Tillage Specialist ,Ciaran Collins, and our own Specialised Advisor, Michael McKeon, to discuss the various management considerations of utilising pig slurry on tillage farms. For more episodes and information from the Pig Edge podcast go to:https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/pigs/the-pig-edge-podcast/ Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com 

Michael McKeon, Specialist Pig Advisor at Teagasc Moorepark, joins Ciarán Carroll for the latest episode of The Pig Edge with a review of pig and feed prices for 2024 and the outlook for 2025. The Teagasc Outlook 2025, Economic Prospects for Agriculture, is available to view and download at: https://www.teagasc.ie/publications/ For more episodes and information from the Pig Edge podcast go to:https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/pigs/the-pig-edge-podcast/ Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com 

We're taking a look back on the careers and experiences of two long-time Teagasc pig experts on this month's Pig Edge.   Brendan Lynch, former Head of Department and Chief Pig Scientist, and Michael Martin, former Head of Department and Pig Specialist join Amy Quinn to talk about their careers. From their early days in the pig industry to the pivotal moments that shaped their careers, Brendan and Michael offer first-hand insights into the major changes and challenges in Irish pig production, along with their proudest achievements.  Join us as we uncover their thoughts on the past, present, and future of Ireland's pig industry.  For more episodes and information from the Pig Edge podcast go to:https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/pigs/the-pig-edge-podcast/ Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com  

For the latest Pig Edge podcast, we're diving into all the details of the upcoming Annual Teagasc Pig Farmers' Conference, which is celebrating 30 years of the conference this year. On this episode, we're joined by Ciarán Carroll, Louise Clarke and Michael McKeon from the advisory team in the Teagasc Pig Development Department as we explore what's in store for this milestone event. The conference is taking place on October 22nd at the Horse and Jockey Hotel, Co. Tipperary, and on October 23rd at the Farnham Estate in County Cavan. As always, this event brings together pig producers, stakeholders, and members of the Pig Development Department for insightful presentations and discussions.  It promises a wide-ranging technical programme, featuring talks from both guest speakers and the Teagasc Pig Development Department staff, all designed to help you stay ahead. Plus, it's a fantastic opportunity to connect with familiar faces in the industry.   For more information go to:https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/pigs/events/  For more episodes and information from the Pig Edge podcast go to:https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/pigs/the-pig-edge-podcast/ Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com 

Manure management has been a much talked-about topic on farms this year.  On August 21st, the Nutrient Importation Storage Scheme (NISS) was announced as part of the Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Schemes (TAMS III) by the Minister for Agriculture, Food, and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue.  For this episode of The Pig Edge, we're joined by Specialised Pig Advisor, Emer McCrum, to explore what this new scheme means for pig producers and how it could impact their business. For more episodes and information from the Pig Edge podcast go to:https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/pigs/the-pig-edge-podcast/ Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com

This month's Pig Edge is focusing on breeding and reproduction and Amy Quinn is joined by Teagasc Specialised Pig Advisor, Emer McCrum, to share her thoughts and experiences on the common themes and issues from around the country.  For more episodes and information from the Pig Edge podcast go to:https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/pigs/the-pig-edge-podcast/ Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com

The 2023 Teagasc National Pig Herd Performance Report has just been released, revealing some notable changes in our key performance indicators for the 2023 year.  To delve into the report and analyse the figures and trends in detail, we have Specialised Pig Advisor Ger McCutcheon with us for the latest episode of The Pig Edge. You can download and read the report in full here:https://www.teagasc.ie/publications/2024/national-pig-herd-performance-report-2023.php  For more episodes and information from the Pig Edge podcast go to:https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/pigs/the-pig-edge-podcast/ Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com

The Teagasc pig team are in the final stages of preparation for their research event, the Pig Open Day 2024, which will take place at 10am on Wednesday May 22nd in the Paddy O'Keeffe Innovation Centre, Teagasc Moorepark, Fermoy, Co. Cork and 10am Friday May 24th in Ballyhaise Agricultural College, Co. Cavan.  On this bonus episode of the Pig Edge, Ciarán Carroll, Head of Knowledge Transfer, gives an insight into what you can expect on the day.To register in advance for the Teagasc Pig Open Day 2024, just go to:https://bit.ly/49EhmJF  For more episodes and information from the Pig Edge podcast go to:https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/pigs/the-pig-edge-podcast/ Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com

The Teagasc Pig Development Department is internationally renowned for its research, primarily focusing much of our programme on conducting research that can produce tangible benefits for commercial farmers on the ground in Ireland.  For this latest episode of The Pig Edge, Amy Quinn is joined by pig nutrition researcher, Peadar Lawlor, to look at the economic benefits of research. Teagasc Pig Open Day 2024 We are also delighted to invite all pig farmers and pig industry stakeholders to the Teagasc Pig Open Day 2024, on Wednesday May 22nd in the Paddy O'Keeffe Innovation Centre, Moorepark, Fermoy, Co. Cork and Friday May 24th in Ballyhaise Agricultural College, Ballyhaise, Co. Cavan, starting at 10am in both locations.Please register for this event below or contact Niamh Allen at 025 42457 or niamh.allen@teagasc.ie Link to register for open day: https://us18.list-manage.com/survey?u=a7b8c417dc058d8eaf18cadc1&id=ce0969e986  For more episodes and information from the Pig Edge podcast go to:https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/pigs/the-pig-edge-podcast/ Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com

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. For more episodes and information from the Pig Edge podcast go to:https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/pigs/the-pig-edge-podcast/ Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com

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. For more episodes and information from the Pig Edge podcast go to:https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/pigs/the-pig-edge-podcast/ Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com

Here in the Pig Development Department in Teagasc, our 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.  On the latest Pig Edge podcast, Amy Quinn is joined by Edgar Garcia Manzanilla, Head of the Pig Development Department, to talk us through what you can expect from the Pig Development Department in the year ahead.  For more episodes and information from the Pig Edge podcast go to:https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/pigs/the-pig-edge-podcast/ Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com

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. Heather Peppard, Nutritionist with Brett Brothers, and Roy Gallie, pig and tillage farmer and Chair of the IFA National Pigs Committee, join Amy Quinn to do just that.For more episodes and information from the Pig Edge podcast go to: https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/pigs/the-pig-edge-podcast/  Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com

The Teagasc Outlook 2024 conference took place on the 28th of November where an economic overview and outlook for the various agricultural sectors was presented by a number of leading Teagasc experts.  Michael McKeon, Specialised Pig adviser with the Teagasc Pig Development representing the pig sector, reviewed 2023 and look ahead to 2024. So on this episode of the Pig Edge, Michael joins Amy Quinn to talk us through the main highlights and lowlights from the past year and to discuss his expectations for the industry for the year to come.  For more episodes and information from the Pig Edge podcast go to: https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/pigs/the-pig-edge-podcast/   Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com

The majority of farms out there are operating on a weekly farrowing system but there is another option potentially worth considering: batch farrowing.  It's thought to have many labour saving and time management benefits for some farms and we are seeing it increasingly used.  So on this episode of the Pig Edge podcast, Amy Quinn is joined by Tomás Ryan, the farm manager of the Teagasc Pig research facility which is a 3 week batch farrowing farm, to talk through the pros, cons and logistics to help you see if this system could be the right fit for your farm. For more episodes and information from the Pig Edge podcast go to: https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/pigs/the-pig-edge-podcast/   Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com

The Annual Teagasc Pig Farmers' Conference will be taking place on the 17th and 18th of October, in Hotel Kilmore in Cavan on the 17th and in the Horse and Jockey hotel in Tipperary on the 18th . Head of Pigs Knowledge Transfer, Ciarán Carroll, joins Amy Quinn on the latest Pig Edge podcast to preview the conference and highlight some of the key speakers and topics where you will get the chance to hear the wide-ranging technical programme.  The conference is also a great opportunity to catch up with fellow pig producers and the familiar faces in the Pig Development Department and to find out more go to:https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/pigs/events/pig-farmers-conference-2023/  For more episodes and information from the Pig Edge podcast go to: https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/pigs/the-pig-edge-podcast/   Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com

Minister Simon Harris recently announced the launch of new farm apprenticeships with these new programmes marking an exciting stepping stone for both farms and farm staff allowing the next generation of farmers access to the education they want and need, whilst still working on farm.   These programmes will provide a career pathway for staff already working on farms and looking to upskill, school leavers, or those looking for a change in career or looking to get back to employment.  So on this episode of the Pig Edge, Amy Quinn is joined by Marcella Phelan, National Apprenticeship Programme Co-ordinator with the Teagasc Curriculum & Development Standards Unit, to tell us what we need to know about the farm apprenticeship programmes and what exactly we need to do to get involved. The next step for interested farms is to register their interest without delay at this link: https://www.apprenticeshiponline.ie/#/employer/register  For more episodes and information from the Pig Edge podcast go to: https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/pigs/the-pig-edge-podcast/   Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com

Farm Safety Week took place from July 17th to 21st aiming to raise further awareness of farm health and safety, share stories and technology that can improve farm safety and challenge farm safety attitudes, as well as encouraging farmers to look after their physical and mental health.  With this in mind we thought it would be a good time to revisit health and safety on pig farms. On this episode of the Pig Edge, Amy is joined by pig specialised advisor, Michael McKeon, who has a particular interest in farm health and safety to discuss the main issues and best practices from what he sees on the ground out at farms, plus the main supports available to farmers.  For more episodes and information from the Pig Edge podcast go to: https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/pigs/the-pig-edge-podcast/   Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com

In 2016 Teagasc opened the Teagasc Pig Research Facility in Moorepark Co. Cork, a facility which many of you are familiar with.  On this episode of the Pig Edge, Amy Quinn us joined by Tomás Ryan & Aisling Holmes who are in charge of the day to day running of the unit.  They reflect on some of the changes they have made in the unit over the past number of years and their motivations as to why.  For more episodes and information from the Pig Edge podcast go to: https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/pigs/the-pig-edge-podcast/   Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com

The 2022 Teagasc National Pig Herd Performance Report is hot off the press, showing some changes in our key performance indicators for 2022.  On the latest Pig Edge podcast, Specialised Pig Advisor Ger McCutcheon joins Amy Quinn to discuss the report and interpret the figures and trends in more detail.  For more episodes and information from the Pig Edge podcast go to: https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/pigs/the-pig-edge-podcast/   Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com

The Teagasc Pig Open day is just around the corner, taking place in Teagasc Moorepark Fermoy, Co. Cork at 10am on Tuesday May 9th and in Ballyhaise Agricultural College, Ballyhaise Co. Cavan at 10am on Thursday May 11th. The pig development department will be showcasing the results of the comprehensive research programme undertaken here in Teagasc, giving you the chance to interact with our researchers, advisors and postgraduate students. With this being a brand new event,  Ciarán Carroll, Head of Knowledge Transfer in the Teagasc Pig Development Department, joins Amy Quinn on the latest Pig Edge podcast to preview the event and explain what those attending can expect.  To register in advance for the event go to:https://www.teagasc.ie/news--events/national-events/events/pigopendaymoorepark.php https://www.teagasc.ie/news--events/national-events/events/pigopendayballyhaise.php   For more episodes and information from the Pig Edge podcast go to: https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/pigs/the-pig-edge-podcast/   Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com

The Spanish pig sector has sparked a lot of interest here over the past number of years, for a lot of reasons. It's shown impressively fast growth to become the largest pork producer in Europe.  It's demonstrated remarkable resilience during the recent financial crisis, with only a slight reduction in herd size. Plus there's the scale of its vertically integrated systems, as well its continually strong pig prices. As a result, representatives of the Teagasc pig stakeholder group recently travelled to Spain on a study trip to find out first-hand what we need to know about the industry. Jason McGrath is a pig farmer from county Waterford who was on the trip and Amy Quinn spoke to him for the latest episode of the Pig Edge podcast to find out more. For more episodes and information from the Pig Edge podcast go to: https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/pigs/the-pig-edge-podcast/   Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com

Ger McCutcheon, Specialist Pig Development Officer with Teagasc, joins Ciarán Carroll on the latest episode of the Pig Edge podcast to discuss the environmental sustainability of pig production and the value of pig slurry. For more episodes and information from the Pig Edge podcast go to: https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/pigs/the-pig-edge-podcast/   Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com

With the current situation of energy costs on pig farms, Louise Clarke, Specialist Adviser at Teagasc Ballyhaise, joins Ciarán Carroll on the latest Pig Edge podcast to discuss the Temporary Business Energy Support Scheme (TBESS) and other energy cost-saving measures. Louise first explains the financial help available to pig farmers via TBESS and the criteria to be eligible for it. Plus she also highlights how to best monitor and control energy costs on farm including possible cost-savings that can be introduced. For more episodes and information from the Pig Edge podcast go to: https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/pigs/the-pig-edge-podcast/   Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com

2022 has been described as the toughest year in a generation for pig farmers but what does 2023 have in store? Michael McKeon, Teagasc's specialist pig development officer, joins Ciarán Carroll to look back on the year that was, discussing the main issues and difficulties, as well as highlighting the positive news on the horizon. 2023 will be brighter, says Michael, with a shortage of pig meat on the European market expected in the second quarter and the expectation of a good harvest to come will start to reduce feed ingredient prices.For more episodes and information from the Pig Edge podcast go to: https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/pigs/the-pig-edge-podcast/   Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com

Teagasc Pig Advisor, Emer McCrum, joins Ciarán Carroll on the latest episode of the Pig Edge podcast to discuss some of the main topics and talking points from the 2022 Teagasc National Pig Farmers' Conference.  Producers, farm staff and industry colleagues were welcomed back to an in-person event this year, the first since 2019 due to Covid 19 restrictions.  However, the conference was set against a very difficult backdrop for producers who by that point had endured 14 months of a crisis, the likes of which have been the worst in living memory.  The conference therefore, was built around the current climate with papers covering the technical to the financial all relating back to topical issues within the pig industry.  Emer and Ciarán discuss the key points of interest that can be taken from the conference for producers and staff. All conference presentations can also be accessed at:https://www.teagasc.ie/corporate-events/national-pig-conference/  For more episodes and information from the Pig Edge podcast go to: https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/pigs/the-pig-edge-podcast/   Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com

Dr. Ruth Hamill, Senior Research Officer at Teagasc Ashtown, joins Ciarán Carroll on the latest Pig Edge podcast to discuss Value Added Pig meat.  Traditionally Irish pig meat is seen as a commodity product, with little focus on value added.  However, if we look at our exports, while value added pig meat only accounts for 20% of total volume sold, it accounts for more than 40% of value of exports.  Ruth discusses the value of pig meat in our diets, what we can learn from research on other meats and the variety of value added pig meat products abroad, thus presenting opportunities for Irish pig meat in the future. For more information:https://www.teagasc.ie/food/research-and-innovation/research-areas/food-quality-and-sensory-science/meat-technology/  For more episodes and information from the Pig Edge podcast go to: https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/pigs/the-pig-edge-podcast/   Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com

Teagasc Health & Safety Specialist, Francis Bligh, joins Ciarán Carroll on the latest Pig Edge podcast to discuss tips and advice for health and safety on-farm as well as improving indications for the latest trends. Podcast SurveyIn order to understand the aspects of podcasts which are most appealing and beneficial to you the listener, it would be appreciated if you could take 3-4 minutes to complete the following survey to give your feedback:  https://forms.office.com/r/mDZTE9zPy4 For more episodes and information from the Pig Edge podcast go to: https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/pigs/the-pig-edge-podcast/   Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com

Bioenergy specialist, Barry Caslin, joins Ciarán Carroll on the latest episode of the Pig Edge podcast to discuss energy-saving technologies that are available for use on pig farms. Podcast SurveyIn order to understand the aspects of podcasts which are most appealing and beneficial to you the listener, it would be appreciated if you could take 3-4 minutes to complete the following survey to give your feedback:  https://forms.office.com/r/mDZTE9zPy4 For more episodes and information from the Pig Edge podcast go to: https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/pigs/the-pig-edge-podcast/   Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com

Damien Ward, Assistant Principal Meat Policy Division in the Department of Agriculture, joins Ciarán Carroll on the latest Pig Edge podcast to explain the €13 million Pig Exceptional Payment Scheme 2 (PEPS2) which was launched in June. PEPS 2 is a one-off payment scheme for pig farmers administered by the Department of Agriculture.  The aim is to support farmers in the current financial crisis in order to contribute to food security and address market imbalances.  The scheme, a follow-on from the original PEPS scheme, is open to all commercial pig farms subject to them fulfilling certain eligibility and conditionality requirements. Damien explains in more detail the eligibility criteria and how to apply and to find out more go to:https://www.gov.ie/en/service/0067f-pig-exceptional-payment-scheme-2/  For more episodes and information from the Pig Edge podcast go to: https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/pigs/the-pig-edge-podcast/   Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com

Gerard McCutcheon, Specialist Pig Development Officer at Teagasc joins Ciarán Carroll on the latest Pig Edge podcast to discuss the recently published National Pig Herd Performance Report for 2021. This report is the detailed analysis of the performance of the pig farms that participated in the Teagasc e-Profit Monitor (ePM) recording system in 2021. The data available and included in this analysis is from a total of 79 herds representing over 62,000 sows or 43% of the total Irish sow herd. For more, go to: https://www.teagasc.ie/news--events/daily/pigs--poultry/pig-herd-performance-2021-infographic.php For more episodes and information from the Pig Edge podcast go to: https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/pigs/the-pig-edge-podcast/ Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com

With pig farmers facing into increasingly difficult times – be it financial, personal or professional – the one thing that shouldn't be neglected is your mental health and well-being. George Graham is a farmer who faced up to his own problems in his life and went on to found Awareness Head to Toe, a voluntary group committed to helping farmers with their mental and general health. George joins Ciarán Carroll on the latest episode of The Pig Edge with insights and advice from when he had to face his difficulties and how he overcame them. For more information visit: AwarenessHeadtoToe.com For more episodes and information from the Pig Edge podcast go to: https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/pigs/the-pig-edge-podcast/ Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com

For the latest episode of the Pig Edge, you'll hear from a recent webinar on ‘Financial Supports to Weather the Crisis' that was held by the Pig Development Department on Wednesday, 16th February. Ciarán Carroll was joined by Gerard McCutcheon and Michael McKeon from the Teagasc Pig Development Department, to discuss current costs and cash flows. Sean Farrell, Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland (SBCI) spoke about SBCI Funding, and Dr Anne Marie Butler, Head of Education at Teagasc (formerly Ulster Bank), spoke about preparing to meet the bank. Donal Whelton, Head of Agriculture at Allied Irish Bank, and Pat Byrnes, Agricultural Development Manager at Bank Of Ireland, also joined the webinar with their thoughts and advice. For more episodes and information from the Pig Edge podcast go to: https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/pigs/the-pig-edge-podcast/ Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com.

With fertiliser prices reaching record highs, on this month's episode of the Pig Edge, you'll hear an interview that Catherine Egan from the Beef Edge podcast did recently with Teagasc pig development officer, Gerard McCutcheon, and Teagasc specialist, Mark Plunkett. Gerard and Mark gave their insights into using pig manure as a cheap alternative and the dos and don'ts around importing slurry. For more episodes and information from the Pig Edge podcast go to: https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/pigs/the-pig-edge-podcast/ Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com.

In our first episode of the New Year, Teagasc Pig Advisor Louise Clarke joins Amy Quinn on the latest Pig Edge podcast to look at the year ahead and consider how to best plan for the current financial situation and legislative changes being implemented in 2022. Louise gives her advice and practical tips for producers dealing with these issues and lets us know about the upcoming Teagasc Webinar on ‘Practical considerations for the removal of Zinc Oxide' on January 25th. For more episodes and information from the Pig Edge podcast go to: https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/pigs/the-pig-edge-podcast/ Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com.

For the final episode of the Pig Edge in 2021, Michael McKeon from the Teagasc Pig Development Department joins Amy Quinn to review 2021 and forecast 2022 for the Irish pig sector. For more episodes and information from the Pig Edge podcast go to: https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/pigs/the-pig-edge-podcast/ Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com.

There's no one more aware than the pig producers of the importance of animal health in the pig production system and on this week's episode of the Pig Edge podcast, Superintending Vet Inspectors from the Department of Agriculture, Dr. Caroline Garvan and Dr. Damien Barrett join Amy Quinn to discuss Animal Health Awareness Week, the rise in antimicrobial resistance and the upcoming challenges for producers, including the new legislation on veterinary medicines coming into effect in January 2022. For more episodes and information from the Pig Edge podcast go to: https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/pigs/the-pig-edge-podcast/ Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com.

Dr. Carla Gomes, Pig Health Check Programme manager with AHI joined Amy Quinn on the latest episode of the Pig Edge podcast to discuss the programme's new database. Carla first explains the Pig Health Check Programme including the new Pig Health Check database and how farmers can access their data. She also discusses the Salmonella National Control Programme, gives advice on controlling Salmonella at farm and lets us know about an upcoming Salmonella webinar on November 9th and what we can expect from it. For more episodes and information from the Pig Edge podcast go to: https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/pigs/the-pig-edge-podcast/ Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com.

This year's Virtual Pig Week will take place from October 19th-22nd on the Teagasc virtual platform and Ciarán Carroll joins Amy Quinn on the latest episode of the Pig Edge to preview what's coming up. The event will cover a different topic on each of the four days and will run from 1-2 pm each day and by doing so it is hoped this will facilitate all those involved on farm and in the industry to attend. You need to register for this event at: https://hopin.com/events/teagasc-virtual-pig-week-2021 For more episodes and information from the Pig Edge podcast go to https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/pigs/the-pig-edge-podcast/ Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com

On the latest episode of the Pig Edge, Amy Quinn is joined by Teagasc Pig Development Department (PDD) Researcher, Keelin O Driscoll, and Head of Pig Knowledge Transfer, Ciarán Carroll, to discuss WAFL 2021, a recent international welfare research conference that took place last month, hosted by Teagasc and the University College Cork. Together they tell us some of the key points for pig producers from the many presentations and posters at the event and they detail the highlights from the many Teagasc PDD representations. Keelin also tells us about a workshop she was involved in organising during the conference which focused on the efforts we have made here in Ireland to raise pigs with intact tails and lets us know that this workshop will be run again for Irish pig producers in the coming weeks. For more episodes and information from the Pig Edge podcast go to https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/pigs/the-pig-edge-podcast/ Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com

Roy Gallie, Pig Producer, Tillage Farmer and Chair of the IFA pigs committee joined Amy Quinn on the latest episode of the Pig Edge podcast. Roy first explains the history of his farm and its current set up and he then goes through where he sees genetic improvement going, the biggest challenges facing the pig industry and his top pieces of advice. For more episodes and information from the Pig Edge podcast go to https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/pigs/the-pig-edge-podcast/ Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com

Louise Clarke, Teagasc Pig Advisor based in Teagasc Ballyhaise, joined Amy Quinn on the latest episode of the Pig Edge podcast to discuss why farmers should be targeting a 100kg total litter weaning weight per sow. Louise first explained this relatively new key performance indicator (KPI) and detailed why this is something we should be targeting. She then highlighted how we can go about achieving the 100kg weaning weight per sow and the farm specifics that might influence this. She also looked at the influence of weaning age on this target and other factors. For more episodes and information from the Pig Edge podcast go to: https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/pigs/the-pig-edge-podcast/ Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com

Gerard McCutcheon, Specialist Pig Development Officer, Teagasc Oakpark, joined Ciarán Carroll on the latest episode of the Pig Edge podcast to discuss the findings from the 2020 Teagasc National Pig Herd Performance Report. Ger first explained the Teagasc eProfit Monitor Pig Recording Programme and why it's useful for the management of pig farms. He then goes through the key performance indicators for sow performance, feed and grower performance and production costs for the average and top 25% of farms and tells us how farms can benchmark their data against national and international peers. He also looks at the trends in performance over the past 20 years, highlighting the significant improvements Irish pig farmers have made in that time. A copy of the report will be available at: https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/pigs/publications/ For more episodes and information from the Pig Edge podcast go to https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/pigs/the-pig-edge-podcast/ Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com

Laura Boyle, Senior Research Officer at the Teagasc Moorepark Pig Research Facility joins Ciarán Carroll on the latest episode of the Pig Edge podcast to discuss euthanasia & the casualty pig. Laura explains what euthanasia is and outlines the key parameters that farmers can use to identify sick and casualty pigs providing guidelines for farmers to help identify when a pig should be euthanised. She also provides information on the new Teagasc Pig Development Department infographic poster, a decision tree tool for farmers and farm staff to use to enable them to decide on the correct treatment path to follow for pigs and to make sure that they make the right call on euthanasia. The infographic can be downloaded here: https://www.teagasc.ie/media/website/publications/2021/The-Casualty-Pig-Poster.pdf For more episodes and information from the Pig Edge podcast go to https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/pigs/the-pig-edge-podcast/ Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com

On the latest episode of the Pig Edge, Ciarán Carroll was joined by Keelin O'Driscoll, Research Officer at the Teagasc Moorepark Pig Research Facility to discuss cross-fostering and the use of nurse sow strategies to rear piglets. Keelin outlines the difference between cross-fostering and nurse sow strategies and details the main benefits of using these strategies. While they can be a useful tool they do need to be applied and managed properly. Keelin also reports on the research work carried out at Moorepark and on commercial farms highlighting the key factors involved in successfully managing it. For more episodes and information from the Pig Edge podcast go to https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/pigs/the-pig-edge-podcast/ The Pig Edge is a co-production with LastCast Media.

Improving litters per sow per year is the topic for this month's Pig Edge podcast and Pat Varley, Research & Development Coordinator with PIC Hermitage joined Ciaran Carroll with more details and information. Pat highlighted the cost associated with different litters per sow per year figures and detailed the main factors affecting the figure on farms. He also addressed what farms need to focus on to improve their figure and how they can better manage their gilts and artificial insemination systems to improve performance. For more episodes and information from the Pig Edge podcast go to https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/pigs/the-pig-edge-podcast/ The Pig Edge is a co-production with LastCast Media.

Mark Plunkett, Teagasc's soil and plant nutrition specialist, joins Gerard McCutcheon on this month's Pig Edge podcast to explain how farmers using pig manure or any organic manure can reduce their chemical fertiliser usage. Mark also highlights the environmental and economic value of pig manure with the benefits for both tillage and grassland farmers using this organic fertiliser an important factor as well. Finally, Mark discusses the use of Low Emission Slurry Spreading (LESS) equipment and how that can be best done. For more episodes and information from the Pig Edge podcast go to https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/pigs/the-pig-edge-podcast/ The Pig Edge is a co-production with LastCast Media.

For the last Pig Edge podcast episode of the year, Ciarán Collins was joined by Michael McKeon, Specialist Pig Development Officer with Teagasc, based at Moorepark, with a review of the Irish Pig Sector in 2020 and the outlook for 2021 Michael covers what happened with pig and feed prices in 2020 and the impact that Covid-19 and the more recent outbreaks of African Swine Fever (ASF) has had on the sector. Despite all the difficulties during 2020, it still turned out to be a profitable year for Irish pig farmers. Looking forward to 2021, Michael discusses the pig meat and feed trade, the potential impacts that continuing Covid-19 and ASF problems may have and of course, the impact of a ‘deal or no deal' Brexit. For more episodes and information from the Pig Edge podcast go to https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/pigs/the-pig-edge-podcast/ The Pig Edge is a co-production with LastCast Media.

As part of Animal Health Awareness Week - a DAFM initiative – on the latest Pig Edge podcast, Ciarán Carroll spoke to Margaret Wilson, Senior Research Officer with DAFM at Backweston. Margaret explained what Animal Health Awareness Week is all about, reminding the general public as well as livestock farmers how important animal health is to the farming sector, with particular focus this year to remain vigilant for the occurrence of exotic diseases. She discussed the services on offer at Backweston, what farmers can do to avail of them and discussed some case studies to show how they have helped to improve the health and performance of pig farms in Ireland. For more episodes and information from the Pig Edge podcast go to https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/pigs/the-pig-edge-podcast/ The Pig Edge is a co-production with LastCast Media.

On the latest episode of the Pig Edge podcast Peadar Lawlor, Principal Research Officer at Moorepark Pig Research facility discusses the inclusion of Rye and Field Beans in pig diets. The acreage of these crops grown in Ireland in recent years is on the increase. Peadar reports on recent research results from using rye and beans in pig diets in Moorepark, the impact they have on growth rates and feed conversion efficiency. He also discusses the cost/benefit of including these ingredients in pig diets and the positive news story of their inclusion from a carbon-foot printing perspective. For more episodes and information from the Pig Edge podcast go to https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/pigs/the-pig-edge-podcast/ The Pig Edge is a co-production with LastCast Media.