Pig Health and Production
The swine team was formed by Prof Dirk Pfeiffer to undertake the project: “Improving Pig Health and Production in Hong Kong” funded by the Sustainable Agricultural Development Fund of the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department. Although a substantial number of pigs is imported to Hong Kong from China every day, locally produced live pigs are also slaughtered daily in Hong Kong. The latter are supplied by about 40 pig farms accounting for about 6% of live pigs consumed in Hong Kong.
The project’s aims are to identify major constraints to pig health and production in Hong Kong. This knowledge will be used to develop interventions that will result in improved pig health, productivity, pig welfare, food safety and sustainability of Hong Kong pig farms. The project team performs regular examinations of local pig herds, assesses their productivity, biosecurity and management, performs diagnostic investigations, and provides customised recommendations for disease prevention and control. The team also provides training for veterinary professionals, farm workers and farmers to improve their biosecurity knowledge and it advises on the appropriate use of antibiotics and other veterinary products. One of the main objectives of the project is to provide a tailored pig health and production management service programme to local pig farms. The project not only benefits individual pig farmers, but also enhances the economic and environmental sustainability of the pig farming industry in Hong Kong.
The swine team comprises Dr Song Hao Lee, Dr Michael Wilson, Mr Jonathan Lam and Mr Lewis Choi.