There are farms in South Dakota where the average is 30 weaned pigs per sow; and that is our new industry target.

What surprised me nevertheless in the article, aside from the fact that there are no subsidies for the pork industry there, is that it said that a sow in Denmark produces 28.1 weanling pigs per year, whereas a sow in Canada only produces 22 weanlings a year, a difference of 37 per cent. How do you explain that?

The dossiers included in the applications demonstrate that the specific composition of the respective feeds fulfil the particular intended nutritional purposes ‘Nutritional restoration, convalescence‘ as regards dogs, ‘Stabilisation of physiological digestion’‘Reduction of iodine levels in feed in case of hyperthyroidism’ as regards cats, ‘Support the preparation for and recovery from sport effort’ as regards equidae, ‘Compensation for insufficient iron availability after birth’ as regards suckling piglets and calves, ‘Support the regeneration of hooves, trotters and skin’ as regards horses, ruminants and pigs, ‘Support the preparation for oestrus and reproduction’ as regards mammals and birds and ‘Long-term supply of grazing ani ...[+++]mals with trace elements and/or vitamins’ as regards ruminants with a functional rumen.

(5) The abovementioned report of the Scientific Veterinary Committee recommended that, in the interests of their welfare, piglets should not be weaned from the sow aged less than 28 days, unless the health of either the sow or her piglets would otherwise be adversely affected or advantages for the health of the piglets justify an earlier weaning.