Showing posts with label factory farming. Show all posts
Showing posts with label factory farming. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Monday, April 20, 2009
Friday, April 3, 2009
H5N1 virus may be adapting to pigs in Indonesia
Robert Roos News Editor
CIDRAP News - March 31, 2009
Scientists report that H5N1 avian influenza viruses may be adapting to pigs,as evidenced by the finding that H5N1 viruses isolated from pigs in Indonesia were less harmful to mice than were H5N1 viruses from chickens. The finding suggests that in growing in pigs, the virus may have become lessharmful to mammals in general, the authors report. That sounds reassuring,but the authors say it may mean the virus is one step closer to turning into a human pandemic strain. In the study, scientists from Japan and Indonesia collected viruses from chickens and pigs in Indonesia, grew them in laboratory cell cultures, and used them to infect mice. They found that the viruses from pigs were less lethal to mice than the viruses from chickens,according to their recent report in the Archives of Virology. "We found that swine isolates were less virulent to mice than avian isolates, suggesting that the viruses became attenuated during their replication in pigs," thereport states.
Full text: http://tinyurl.com/c6h8f4
CIDRAP News - March 31, 2009
Scientists report that H5N1 avian influenza viruses may be adapting to pigs,as evidenced by the finding that H5N1 viruses isolated from pigs in Indonesia were less harmful to mice than were H5N1 viruses from chickens. The finding suggests that in growing in pigs, the virus may have become lessharmful to mammals in general, the authors report. That sounds reassuring,but the authors say it may mean the virus is one step closer to turning into a human pandemic strain. In the study, scientists from Japan and Indonesia collected viruses from chickens and pigs in Indonesia, grew them in laboratory cell cultures, and used them to infect mice. They found that the viruses from pigs were less lethal to mice than the viruses from chickens,according to their recent report in the Archives of Virology. "We found that swine isolates were less virulent to mice than avian isolates, suggesting that the viruses became attenuated during their replication in pigs," thereport states.
Full text: http://tinyurl.com/c6h8f4
Friday, March 13, 2009
Quote of the Day
Whenever people say 'We mustn't be sentimental,' you can take it they are about to do something cruel.
And if they add 'We must be realistic,' they mean they are going to make money out of it.
-Brigid Brophy
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
3000-sow Outdoor Pig Farm in Australia
The sound's messed up - but nice images of pigs in a natural setting. The pigs are still finished in an intensive setting, and ultimately end up slaughtered ... but their early lives, at least, are semi-normal. And the sows have a better life, for sure ...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8nKDND9xX1Y
With scrapie in sheep, salmonella in chickens and mad cow disease in cattle, what epidemic will strike the pig? None, if we follow the example of Australia's Great Southern Piggery, the world's largest free-range pig farm.
The Great Southern Piggery raises its pigs outside. The 3,000 sows here graze, wallow and furrow in the sunshine - it's pig heaven. In Europe, legislation will soon stop farmers from making animals spend their whole lives inside. Pork production will be drastically changed. More than 10% of Australia's pigs are already raised on the open range. In Europe, that figure is now closer to 20%. Here, each sow produces 20 piglets a year - a better yield than the intensive indoor, battery-style pig farming. Once weaned, piglets spend 7 weeks leaping about on straw, developing weight and fitness. Their fate is nevertheless sealed: they all end up being sent off to market. Pigs living outside are fitter and can give birth unassisted. They also don't get lame from urinating on their own hooves. They're just a bit dirtier! And profits are good. A charming report on an issue which affects all of those who enjoy our bacon.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8nKDND9xX1Y
With scrapie in sheep, salmonella in chickens and mad cow disease in cattle, what epidemic will strike the pig? None, if we follow the example of Australia's Great Southern Piggery, the world's largest free-range pig farm.
The Great Southern Piggery raises its pigs outside. The 3,000 sows here graze, wallow and furrow in the sunshine - it's pig heaven. In Europe, legislation will soon stop farmers from making animals spend their whole lives inside. Pork production will be drastically changed. More than 10% of Australia's pigs are already raised on the open range. In Europe, that figure is now closer to 20%. Here, each sow produces 20 piglets a year - a better yield than the intensive indoor, battery-style pig farming. Once weaned, piglets spend 7 weeks leaping about on straw, developing weight and fitness. Their fate is nevertheless sealed: they all end up being sent off to market. Pigs living outside are fitter and can give birth unassisted. They also don't get lame from urinating on their own hooves. They're just a bit dirtier! And profits are good. A charming report on an issue which affects all of those who enjoy our bacon.
YouTube Video - Howie the pig
Kleenex alert!
A series of images & clips based on the true story of Howie, a slaughter-bound pig that escaped the truck and ended up in a sanctuary.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVFB226416s
A series of images & clips based on the true story of Howie, a slaughter-bound pig that escaped the truck and ended up in a sanctuary.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVFB226416s
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