Wet Feed Research Articles

Effects of the Feed: Water Mixing Proportion on Diet Digestibility of Growing Pigs.

Simple SummaryThe effect of different water-to-feed ratios on apparent total tract digestibility was evaluated in growing–finishing pigs. Interest in giving pigs wet feed has increased in recent decades. However, there are still many concerns about doing it efficiently. In this study, the effects of different water-to-feed ratios on the digestibility of energy and nutrients in growing–finishing pigs were evaluated. Our results demonstrate that the optimal water-to-feed ratio to improve organic matter and gross energy digestibility varies depending on the age of the animal. In particular, the water-to-feed ratios that improve digestibility coefficients were lower for young growing pigs and higher for older finishing pigs. The data suggest that optimum efficiency is reached with a less water-diluted diet for young animals, when compared to older pigs.The effect of different water-to-feed ratios on apparent total tract digestibility of energy and nutrients were evaluated in growing–finishing pigs. In trial 1 (26 d), 16 female pigs (46.7 ± 1.98 kg of body weight, BW) were individually assigned to four treatments (n = 4). In trial 1, pigs were fed a control diet in dry form (CON) and in blend form with water-to-feed ratios of 0.6:1, 2.1:1 and 2.7:1. In trial 2 (26 d), rearranged animals (65.4 ± 3.14 kg of BW) were assigned a control diet in dry form (CON) and ratios of 1.35:1, 2.7:1 and 3.5:1. In trial 1, pigs fed on ratios of 2.1:1 and 2.7:1 had a higher organic matter digestibility (OMd) and gross energy digestibility (GEd) than CON. In trial 2, pigs fed on ratios of 1.35:1, 2.7:1, and 3.5:1 had a higher OMd and GEd than CON. Quadratic regressions showed the maximum dilution rate to reach higher digestibility coefficients at 1.83:1 and at 2.7:1 for trials 1 and 2, respectively. During trial 1, pigs on the 0.6:1 dilution rate had higher weight gain than those on CON. The water-to-feed ratio that optimized OM and GE digestibility may increase with the age of the pigs.

Comparative survival and growth performance of European lobster Homarus gammarus post‐larva reared on novel feeds

One approach to ongrow juvenile European lobster, Homarus gammarus, is to utilize land based rearing systems, incorporating automated feeding, individual culture and provision of stable pelleted feeds, preferably using sustainable ingredients. We initiated three feeding experiments to investigate the general suitability of ingredients produced from seafood by-products as novel feeds for H. gammarus, in terms of promoting survival, development and growth of post-larval lobsters from post-larvae (PL) stage IV to the first juvenile stage (stage V). The first experiment was designed to screen an array of candidate, locally produced, novel protein sources on growth performance parameters. This initial experiment revealed that PL reared on a raw (i.e. wet, unprocessed shrimp) feed used as a reference showed superior performance to those reared on experimental feeds containing fishmeal, herring protein isolate or mussel meal; however, a novel type of shrimp meal, produced by flocculation from waste water, promoted the best PL performance of any experimental feed. A second experiment was designed to test the effect of drying method and to optimize the form of a wet shrimp reference feed used by lobster hatcheries. This showed that the performance of PL reared on experimental freeze-dried shrimp feed was not significantly different to those reared on the wet, unprocessed shrimp used as a reference feed. However, lobsters offered experimental oven-dried shrimp feed (with or without an immune supplement) resulted in significantly lower survival or growth performance. A third and final experiment was designed in an attempt to improve a candidate herring-based protein source, by supplementing with nutrients found in shrimp. However, the results showed that PL reared on the wet reference shrimp feed still showed superior growth and survival than those reared on a herring feed alone, or supplemented with additives found in shrimp meal (either glucosamine, astaxanthin or both supplements combined). The high survival and growth, low incidence of moulting problems and high availability of waste shrimp material, suggest that non-heat-treated shrimp products are a promising feed ingredient for post-larval European lobsters.

The effects of coarse and wet feeding on performance parameters, gastrointestinal tract and tibia traits, and digesta phytase activity in egg-type pullets, either fed a low or moderate phosphorus diet

In a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial design, the effects of dietary non-phytate phosphorus (NPP) levels, 0.17% (low) and 0.33% (moderate), diet moisture (dry and wet), and diet particle size (coarse and fine), were studied on egg production, characteristics of gastrointestinal tract (GIT) and tibia, digesta pH, and phytase activity in layer pullets (16 to 28 wk of age). The low NPP diet increased average daily water intake (ADWI) to ADFI ratio (4.2%) from 16 to 17 wk, but decreased this ratio (2.8%) from 23 to 27 wk. It decreased ADFI (1.5%) and egg mass production (3.8%) from 19 to 22 wk. It decreased egg weight (0.29g) and ADWI (2.1%) from 23 to 27 wk. At 22 wk, the GIT relative empty organ weights were (g/kg BW) higher for proventriculus + gizzard (0.96), duodeneum (0.94), and jejunum + ileum (1.95) with the low vs. moderate NPP diet. The low NPP diet decreased digesta phytase activity in crop and proventriculus+gizzard at 28 wk. The wet diet increased ADFI, ADWI, and ADWI/ADFI ratio from 16 to 27 wk, egg mass production (3.0%) from 19 to 22 wk, and egg weight (0.45g) from 23 to 27 wk. The wet diet also increased digesta phytase activity in proventriculus+gizzard. The coarse diet decreased ADFI from 19 to 22 wk (1.7%) and 23 to 27 wk (1.2%). The coarse diet caused reduced egg mass production (2.6%) from 23 to 27 wk. Egg shell breaking strength was increased on the coarse diet (0.9 Newton). The coarse diet increased ADWI/ADFI ratio from 16 to 27 wk, and increased relative gizzard weight by 1.95 and 0.81g/kg BW at 22 and 28 wk, respectively. The coarse diet increased jejunal/ileal pH with 0.16 units at 28 wk. None of the tested parameters affected tibia characteristics. It was concluded that a low NPP diet did not clearly affect the studied parameters. The wet diet increased ADFI, ADWI, and egg production. The coarse diet increased ADWI, egg shell breaking strength, relative gizzard weight, and reduced ADFI and egg production.

A mathematical programming model for the recycling of sustainable food waste

Food waste is a primary component of municipal solid waste (MSW), which can be recycled or disposed of depending on how it has been treated. The cost and environmental impact of treating food waste are common concerns of local authorities. In this study, a mathematical model is presented which is designed to assist local authorities in determining the treatment plan. In addition to data of waste generation and treatment capacity, the level of local demand for recycled products is also included in the developed model. With the use of the proposed model, the recycling and treatment scheme can contribute to local sustainability by reducing the dependence on virgin materials for local industries. Four food waste treatments including wet feeding, dried feeding, composting and incineration have been examined for their cost-effectiveness and environmental impact. A case study of Taichung City, Taiwan is presented to demonstrate the applicability of the developed model. The results revealed the trade-off costs and environmental impacts associated with each recycling scenario. Also, the results indicate that establishing new facilities may reduce the impact on the environment, as well as the total cost.

Economic production of monoclinic bismuth vanadate from waste vanadium ions: Process design and cost-benefit analysis

Abstract Carbon black waste generated in Singapore oil refinery contains a high concentration of vanadium (>14000 ppm on dry weight basis). Considering the high market value of the waste vanadium component, in this work, an economic and eco-friendly production strategy of monoclinic bismuth vanadate (BiVO4) has been developed based on vanadium recovery from carbon black waste leachates. The total recovery of vanadium from the carbon black waste can reach 99%. Importantly, the BiVO4 could be utilized as photocatalysts to degrade organic dyes under visible-light irradiation. Further economic analysis on the industrial-scale production of BiVO4 was studied after scaling up the production process and evaluating the profitability associated with operations over a 10-year period. Considering a 30 tons/day processing rate of wet carbon black waste feed, the estimated discounted payback period at 8% discount rate is 1.36 years after plant commissioning.

Mark-release-recapture studies reveal preferred spatial and temporal behaviors of Anopheles barbirostris in West Sulawesi, Indonesia

BackgroundPopulation density, dispersion patterns, flight distances, and survival rate of vector mosquitoes are all contributors to vectorial capacity that may be estimated in a single experimental method: mark-release-recapture (MRR). In this study, these key parameters were measured for mosquito populations in Karama, West Sulawesi, Indonesia.MethodsTwo mark-release-recapture (MRR) experiments were carried out in Karama village to characterize seasonality differences, if any: wet season (December 2013, MRR1) and dry season (May 2014, MRR2). For both experiments, mosquitoes were marked according to release site/date and were released on four consecutive nights. Four sampling methodologies were utilized to enable recapture: human landing catches (HLCs), kelambu traps and barrier screens.Results98.7% of all catches were molecularly confirmed as Anopheles barbirostris. During the wet season, An. barbirostris demonstrated no preference toward endophagy. In the dry season, An. barbirostris demonstrated an endophagic preference. The duration of the feeding cycle for An. barbirostris was determined to be 5 days during the wet season and 3.7 days during the dry season, though an anomaly likely caused the wet season feeding cycle to be overestimated. The largest percentages of recaptured mosquitoes were collected in a single site during both seasons. The only significant relationship with mosquito dispersal was site of release and recapture. Finally, dispersal rates of An. barbirostris frequently ranged up to 800 m (the maximum measurable distance in this study) within a single day of release.ConclusionsThis study estimated key vector parameters for An. barbirostris an understudied species complex, in Karama, West Sulawesi, Indonesia. Despite the length of the feeding cycle, the high indoor biting rates demonstrated by An. barbirostris in Karama suggest that the use of IRSs and LLINs, especially during the dry season, would have a substantial impact on the panmictic An. barbirostris population.

Catalytic decomposition of N2O on supported Rh catalysts

Abstract Numerous Rh catalysts were evaluated for N2O decomposition for automotive applications. Some Rh-containing spinel materials exhibit excellent fresh activities in the absence of H2O but become inactive after hydrothermal aging or when tested in a wet feed. Rh catalysts supported on zeolites can be very active in a dry feed even after aging but are extremely sensitive to H2O. Rh/CeO2 is an exceptional catalyst for this reaction in the presence of both H2O and O2. Hydrothermal aging (750 °C/20 h) significantly increases its activity. A similar activity enhancement was found by calcining the support before Rh impregnation. XPS results show a surface enrichment of Rh species on the aged Rh/CeO2 catalyst relative to the fresh catalyst. Aberration corrected STEM images reveal that Rh is buried in the bulk on the fresh catalyst and pulled out onto the surface of the support after thermal treatments. All catalysts are inhibited by H2O with the zeolite-based Rh catalysts being the worst. The aged Rh/CeO2 catalyst is less sensitive to H2O relative to others. DRIFTS data show that H2O sensitivity is related to catalyst hydrophilicity; a high coverage of OH groups on a catalyst reduces its N2O decomposition activity. H2-TPR results show that a Rh/CeO2 catalyst can be readily reduced at

MgO Dispersed on Activated Carbon as Water Tolerant Catalyst for the Conversion of Ethanol into Butanol

MgO supported on activated carbon (AC) with a load ranging from 10% to 30% has been investigated as catalyst for the conversion of ethanol into butanol at 400 °C in a fixed bed reactor at different GHSV. Catalysts have been characterized by XRD, SEM/EDX, and N2 physisorption at 77 K. The high dispersion of MgO into the pores of the support provides strongly enhanced performance with respect to bulk MgO. MgO/AC catalysts have been also tested under wet feed conditions showing high water tolerance and significantly larger butanol yield with respect to an alumina supported Ru/MgO catalyst. After wet operation, the increased surface area of the catalyst leads to better performance once dry feed conditions are restored.

Effect of Feed Form and Water Addition on Growth Performance of Finishing Broilers in a Hot Humid Environment

Background and Objective: High temperature and humidity are major challenges to poultry production in tropical countries. Several feeding strategies have been found to alleviate the effect of heat stress (HS) in poultry. This study aimed to ascertain the effects of feed physical form and water addition on the performance of finishing broilers in a hot humid environment. Materials ans Methods: A total of 180, three-week old, Cobb 500 broilers (1,207.8±22.09 g) were used for a 3-week study. Two forms of feed (whole pellet and ground pellet) were fed with 3 water: feed ratios (0; control, 0.15 and 0.3) to 3 replicates of 10 birds each in a completely randomized design. Results: Results showed lower feed intake and better feed conversion ratio on whole pellet compared to ground pellet (p<0.05). Water addition and feed form had no effects on the relative weights of carcass, breast, thighs, drumsticks, organs (liver, crop, proventriculus, small intestine, caeca, gizzard and pancreas) and digesta content of gut segments (p>0.05). There were no interaction effects of feed form and water addition on growth parameters and the relative weights of carcass, organ and digesta in the gut segments. Conclusion: Feeding pellet is beneficial in term of feed utilization but wet feeding has no effects. Further studies on higher feed: water ratios and environmental temperatures are recommended.

Impact of Feeding Fermented Wet Feed on Broiler Breeder Production Performance and Some Hatchability Traits

Impact of Feeding Fermented Wet Feed on Broiler Breeder Production Performance and Some Hatchability Traits

Thermal activation and aging of a V2O5/WO3-TiO2 catalyst for the selective catalytic reduction of NO with NH3

Real-world vanadium-based catalysts for the selective catalytic reduction (SCR) of NO with NH3 are occasionally exposed to high temperatures, which can induce catalyst aging. In this work, a 2.0 wt% V2O5/WO3-TiO2 catalyst based on commercial WO3-TiO2 was lab aged in dry and wet feed at different time lengths and temperatures. Aging carried out in static atmosphere or in flow only marginally influenced its performance, while e.g. temperature and water in the feed heavily affected the SCR activity. The low temperature NOx conversion (≤300 °C) increased after aging up to 600 °C for 16 h and was more pronounced after hydrothermal aging compared to thermal aging, which was associated with the increased surface coverage of the SCR-active vanadyl groups. Measurements of vanadium volatility in the temperature range selected for the aging temperatures revealed the high mobility of V species induced by the (hydro-)thermal treatments. The onset of catalyst deactivation, observed at lower aging temperature for the hydrothermally aged catalyst compared to the thermally treated one, is possibly due to a larger amount of mobile V and W species and the concurrent loss of specific surface area. The set of catalytic and characterization data showed that water is an essential component in aging protocols because it heavily affects the structure and the resulting catalytic activity of the SCR catalyst. Removal of residual sulfate groups, which are present on the commercial support, also contributed to catalyst activation at 550°C aging temperature as a result of structural changes evidenced by surface area measurements and by IR and Raman spectroscopy, including rearrangement of V species and apparent increase of Lewis acidity.

Effect of harvest method and ammoniation of baled corn residue on intake and digestibility in lambs.

To determine the effect of harvest method and ammoniation on both in vivo and in vitro digestibility of corn residue, six corn residue treatments consisting of three different harvest methods either with or without anhydrous ammonia chemical treatment (5.5% of dry matter [DM]) were evaluated. The harvest methods included conventional rake-and-bale (CONV) and New Holland Cornrower with eight rows (8ROW) or two rows (2ROW) of corn stalks chopped into the windrow containing the tailings (leaf, husk, and upper stem) from eight rows of harvested corn (ammoniated bales of each harvest method resulted in treatments COVAM, 8RAM, and 2RAM). Nine crossbred wether lambs (49.2 ± 0.5 kg BW) were fed 64.2% corn residue, 29.8% wet corn gluten feed, 3.3% smooth-bromegrass hay, and 2.8% mineral mix (DM basis) in a 9 × 6 Latin rectangle metabolism study with a 3 × 2 factorial treatment to measure total tract disappearance. Six 21-d periods consisted of 14-d adaptation and 7-d total fecal collection, and lambs were fed ad libitum (110% of the previous day’s DM intake [DMI]) during days 1 to 12 and reduced to 95% of ad libitum intake for days 13 to 21. There was a harvest method by ammoniation interaction (P < 0.01) for ad libitum DMI (days 7 to 11). Ammoniation increased (P < 0.01) intake across all harvest methods, where 2RAM DMI was 4.1%, COVAM was 3.6%, and 8RAM was 3.1%, which were all different (P < 0.01) from each other, but all untreated residues were consumed at 2.6% of BW (P ≥ 0.92) regardless of harvest method. There were no interactions (P > 0.34) between harvest method and ammoniation for any total tract or in vitro digestibility estimate. Harvest method affected (P < 0.04) DM, neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and acid detergent fiber (ADF) digestibility, where 2ROW was greater than both CONV and 8ROW, which did not differ. The organic matter (OM) digestibility (P = 0.12) and digestible energy (DE; P = 0.30) followed the same numerical trend. Both in vitro DM digestibility (IVDMD) and in vitro OM digestibility (IVOMD) of the residue were affected (P < 0.01) by harvest method, with 2ROW being greater (P < 0.01) than both CONV and 8ROW. For IVDMD, 8ROW was not (P = 0.77) different from CONV, but 8ROW IVOMD was lower (P = 0.03) than CONV. Ammoniation improved (P < 0.01) DM, OM, NDF, and ADF digestibility of all harvest methods, resulting in a 26% increase (P < 0.01) in DE due to ammoniation. Similar digestibility improvements were observed in vitro with ammoniation improving IVDMD and IVOMD by 23% and 20%, respectively. Both selective harvest methods and ammoniation can improve the feeding value of baled corn residue.

DURATION OF SOWS GESTATION AND ITS INFLUENCE ON TECHNOLOGICAL PROCESS OF A PIG OPERATION

Sows in large pig farms are transferred to the far rowing sector on the 111-112 day of pregnancy; therefore, some of them with a shorter duration of pregnancy arrow in the section of pregnant animals in group pens, which sometimes leads to crushing and eating of sows’ piglets. Sows, the duration of pregnancy of which is more than 115 days, are disadvantageous in that they require additional costs for transfers from sector to sector before far rowing. Studies have been held using the breeding records of the Agricultural Open Joint-Stock Company "Agro-Plant" Kalitain Kyiv region. We have investigated into the duration of pregnancy of sows of large white breed and its changes with the age of sows, the repeatability and heritability ratios are determined in 128 randomly selected pigs with different lengths of the pregnancy period. All experimental sows were given the same feeding and keeping conditions. The experimental animals received wet feed. It has been established that the duration of pregnancy (from 106 to 122 days) is not constant and has significant fluctuations, which should be considered when developing technologies for the industrial production of pork. The sows in which during several far rowing the duration of pregnancy was shortened and averaged 112.3 days and the second group with extended pregnancy duration of 116.86 days have been identified. The duration of pregnancy of sows has rather high rates of heritability (from 0.47 to 0.72) and repeatability (from 0.17 to 0.74) which increase with their age. It is possible to select sows with a shortened and stable duration of pregnancy, the use of which will shorten the reproduction cycle, as well as increase the safety of piglets and reduce the costs related to additional transfers of pigs.

Pemberian Pakan Basah pada Ayam Buras untuk Menurunkan Rasio Konversi Pakan (FCR)

Native chicken is one of the livestock that is widely maintained in rural areas in Bali, to fulfil meat and eggs as a food consumption and also for religious ceremonies. However, the population of native chicken continues to decline until 4.15% in average every year due to high price of feed and nature behaviour of the chicken that picks food either by mouth or legs causes a lot of food to be wasted. To minimize the amount of wasted food, given the wet form of feed given in accordance with the needs for production. The study was carried out in Tembuku Subdistrict, Bangli Regency, using 90 laying hens which were divided into 3 group of treatments each with 30 chickens and differentiated between wet feed and dry (ordinary) feed. Where P0 is control, P1 is given Bio L Probiotics 3 cc.liter-1 of drinking water and P2: P1 + Herbs 4 cc.liter-1 of drinking water. The results showed that P0B: 56.71% P0K: 57.54%; P1B: 58.9; P1K 59.73% and P2B: 61.08; P2K: 60.15. The highest productivity were found at P2B and P2K. While the FCR achieved by each treatment were P0B: 3.35; P0K; 3.56; P1B: 3.07; P1K: 3.24 and P2B: 2.98; P2K: 3.13. These results indicate that the providing of wet feed produces a lower FCR than dry feed. The providing of Bio L probiotics could increase productivity

Improving dry‐fractionated corn fermentation by supplementation of corn germ meal and pasta mill feed from agro‐food industries

AbstractBackground and objectivesSeparation of germ from corn using dry fractionation in modified dry‐grind processes results in the sluggish and incomplete fermentation of remaining corn because of nutrient deficiency for yeast. This study investigated the use of two low‐value co‐products, germ meal from corn wet milling and mill feed from pasta manufacturing, as additives to improve the fermentation of corn grits.FindingsAddition of 5% germ meal or 2.5% mill feed in corn grits resulted in the complete (no residual glucose) and faster fermentation, compared to 4.3% residual glucose during fermentation of only corn grits. Final ethanol yield (0.51 L/kg) was about 22% higher compared to control (0.42 L/kg). Increase in supplementation (10% of grits) further increased the fermentation rates, however, led to similar final ethanol concentrations and ethanol yields.ConclusionsBoth germ meal and pasta mill feed can improve fermentation rate and efficiency of dry‐fractionated grits and avoid the need for expensive supplements or enzymes.Significance and noveltyThis research provides an innovative solution to the challenge of inefficient fermentation of dry‐fractionated corn and also identifies new potential market for two low‐value co‐products from the agro‐food industries.

Direct N2O decomposition over iron-substituted small-pore zeolites with different pore topologies

Four cage-based, small-pore zeolites with similar framework Fe contents (0.7-0.9 wt%) but different framework structures (i.e., Fe-PST-7, Fe-LTA, Fe-SSZ-13, and Fe-RTH) have been synthesized and employed as direct N2O decomposition catalysts. When steam-activated, the light-off temperatures (770 K) for Fe-PST-7 and Fe-LTA were found to be about 40 K lower under wet feed conditions than that (810 K) for Fe-ZSM-5, the most widely studied catalyst for this reaction. Furthermore, their light-off temperatures were found to be even lower than the temperature (780 K) for Fe-FER, the best direct N2O decomposition catalyst. The overall characterization results of our study strongly suggest that the presence of strong Brønsted acid sites in zeolites, as well as the zeolite framework topology, has a profound effect on the type and distribution of extraframework Fe species, and therefore the N2O decomposition activity of supported Fe catalysts.

A cost-benefit assessment of Salmonella-control strategies in pigs reared in the United Kingdom

Pork and pork products are a major source of human salmonellosis in the United Kingdom (UK). Despite a number of surveillance programmes, the prevalence of Salmonella in the UK slaughter pig population remains over 20%. Here, we present the results of a Cost-Benefit Analysis comparing five on-farm control strategies (where the cost is the cost of implementation and the benefits are the financial savings for both the human health and pig industries). The interventions considered were: wet feed, organic acids in feed, vaccination, enhanced cleaning and disinfection and movement of outdoor breeding units. The data originate from published papers and recent UK studies. The effectiveness was assessed by adapting a previous risk assessment, originally developed for the European Food Safety Authority. Using this method, none of the intervention strategies produced a net cost-benefit. Our results suggest that the cost of implementation outweighed the savings for all interventions, even if the effectiveness could be improved. Therefore, to achieve a net cost-benefit it is essential to reduce the cost of interventions. Analyses concluded that large cost reductions (up to 96%) would be required. Use of organic acids required the smallest reduction in cost (22.7%) to achieve a net cost benefit. Uncertainty analysis suggested that a small net gain might be possible, for some of the intervention measures. But this would imply that the model greatly underestimated some key parameters, which was considered unlikely. Areas of key uncertainty were identified as the under-reporting factor (i.e. the proportion of community cases of Salmonella) and the source attribution factor (i.e. the proportion of human Salmonella cases attributable to pork products).

Nutritional assessment of corn wet feed in Nili Ravi Buffalo (Bubalus bubalis)

Nutritional assessment of corn wet feed in Nili Ravi Buffalo (Bubalus bubalis)

Composición química del ensilaje de maíz con aditivos

Corn silage is one of the most conserved feed used in animal production during drought. The objective of this study was to evaluate the chemical composition of corn silage with different additives. The design was randomized, in a 3x3 factorial scheme (three values of the addition of wet corn gluten feed and two additives + one without additive), with three replications, totaling 27 experimental units. We used analysis of variance with 5% significance and Scott-Knott's test for the data obtained. The values of total digestible nutrients and dry matter increased proportionally to the co-product inclusions in the silages with additives. The crude protein and neutral detergent fiber presented the same behavior, while the values of acid detergent fiber were reduced in the silages with 30% of the co-product. Silages treated with benzoate showed higher ash content. Lower values for ethereal extract content were found in the silages without inclusion of the co-product. The use of 15 and 30% of wet corn gluten feed had no effect on the chemical composition of the silage.

Risk factors for the occurrence of livestock-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (LA-MRSA) in Danish pig herds

Livestock-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (LA-MRSA) is widespread in many European countries including Denmark, where 88% of randomly selected production herds tested positive in 2016.In the present study, we investigated herd-level risk factors for farms being classified as LA-MRSA positive (study 1), in addition to herd-level risk factors for farms changing status from LA-MRSA negative to LA-MRSA positive during a 2-year period (study 2). Risk factors previously identified in other studies were confirmed in study 1: large herd size, herd type (lower risk in herds with sows) and number of pig suppliers. Due to the effect of herd type, data from sow herds (N = 41) and herds without sows (N = 166) were analysed separately. A univariable analysis found that the variables significantly associated with LA-MRSA status for sow herds were: use of wet feed in the sow units; higher weights of piglets at weaning; availability of a delivery room on the farm; cleaning of aisles after pigs were moved; number of pigs per weaner section; number of pigs purchased in the past year, and factors related to rodent control and human traffic in the herd. In herds without sows, the univariable analysis showed that the presence of other species of animal on the farm; negative pressure ventilation; full sectioning; frequent visits from the veterinarian; peroral use of tetracyclines for weaners; number of pigs purchased in the past year, and factors related to rodent control and human traffic in the herd were significantly associated with LA-MRSA status. For herds that changed from LA-MRSA negative to positive (study 2), having a company contract for mouse control, having more than one pig supplier and using group medication in the drinking water were the variables associated with LA-MRSA status in the univariable analysis.We did not succeed in building a biologically meaningful multivariable model based on any of the datasets and, as observed in similar studies, many of the risk factors identified in the univariable analysis were related to herd size. It was therefore not possible to determine whether it was the size of the herd or related factors that were the causal risk factors for being LA-MRSA positive.