Page 1 - Australian Pork Newspaper

Vol 23. No. 5 May 2019 Australian Pork Newspaper PO Box 387 Cleveland 4163
Phone: 07 4697 3344 • Fax 07 4697 3532
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Aussie Farms bus backfiring
JCU students got up close to pigs in the field.
IT was plotted as a national day of action – for vegans. Monday, April 8 saw vegan
sit-ins, invasions, vandalism and raids like we’ve never seen before on one day.
And the people took no- tice.
The world works in strange ways but it’s still hard to un- derstand what goes through people’s minds sometimes.
To think that sitting in at one of Melbourne’s busiest intersections blocking peak- hour traffic is a way to en- dear the public to your cause seems ludicrous.
But that is exactly what the Aussie Farms crew did.
And they certainly got a reaction, but I don’t think it was the one they were expecting or really wanted.
Even the Prime Minister had words to say about what he thought of the vegan ac- tivists.
I think we should call them vegan activists rather than animal activists as it is a more accurate description.
They are not actually fight- ing for animals – in their world, the exact animals they claim to be fighting for wouldn’t actually exist.
Without livestock farming, there would be no livestock. While not highly publi- cised, the activities on this mad Monday saw raids on pig farms as well, and pig processing works were af-
fected.
The public and media re-
actions were a combination of “how dare they...” and “you can’t be serious...”.
The consistent point was around the arrogance of a group of people who believe their opinion is worth more than anyone else’s and they can therefore force it on oth- ers – guilt free.
It is great to see charges are starting to be laid on those who have chosen to
Point of View
by ANDREW SPENCER CEO
interrupt legally operating businesses and invade some- one else’s property.
Hopefully it is a sign that the authorities are taking this very seriously and cer- tainly some of the commu- nication I’ve heard from the police would back up that this is the case.
Our thanks as an industry goes out to those who are working to protect our farm- ers from these illegal acts.
The message here is re- main vigilant because I’m sure it’s not the last we’ve heard from the vegan army.
It’s also a scary time for anyone to be on a pig farm uninvited when we’re un- der threat from the African swine fever disease rampag- ing through Asia.
In the past couple of weeks there seems to have been a more general acceptance that this disease in China – and spreading through other Asian countries – will have a profound effect on their pork production and glob- al trade in pork and other meats.
Predictions from industry commentators are quot- ing that up to 35 percent of China’s pork production will disappear, for a time at least, as a result of the disease.
With ASF showing up in Mongolia, Vietnam and now Cambodia as well, we can only predict the prob-
lem is going to get bigger and probably spread to more countries in the region.
Australian Pork Limited and the Australian pork in- dustry are just about to em- bark on a program of strate- gic planning and you’ll be asked for your opinion about the priorities for the Austral- ian pork industry over the period from 2020 to 2025.
This will be done through surveys, invitations to let us know your thinking via email and a series of face- to-face producer meetings.
Pig farmers are always welcome to give me or other APL team members a call to let us know what you’re thinking.
Aligned with this and coming from the recently conducted APL Innovation Review, we’ll also specifi- cally be asking pig farmers and other stakeholders about the big industry questions we need to find solutions to our R&D programs.
Stay tuned for more infor- mation coming about how you can have your say.
We’re looking forward to the next Delegates’ Forum to be held in Adelaide on May 9.
The issues around ASF and its potential impact on world trade will be discussed with one or two invited speakers that I’m sure will have the floor very interested.
James Cook University students get up close with pigs on farm
FINAL-year vet students re- cently received global pig health training from Dr John Carr at James Cook University.
Their final-year introduc- tion to population medicine
particularly includes training in foreign disease awareness, now acutely important with African swine fever on our doorstep.
But the course goes from ani-
mal handling and sample col- lection to the real economics of pig farming and maintaining animal health within minimal antibiotic use through batch management.
The students are trained in the use of equipment to moni- tor the health of pigs and their environment.
The use of infrared tech- nology always provides for a unique photo opportunity, but the real advantages are seen when asked to assess the far- rowing heat mat or looking for pigs in the hospital pen with a high temperature.
Keep an eye on future edi- tions of Australian Pork News- paper for more updates from Dr John Carr.
A rotation of final-year vet students at JCU seen through infra- red technology.
A hospital pen that demands extra attention as this pig is hotter than her penmates.
The correct workings of a farrowing heat pad illustrated through infrared technology.
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