Agenda

Day 2

Wednesday, March 26 (Day 2)

Day 2 of the Ontario Swine Conference begins with the Ontario Pork AGM. If not attending, please start your day with breakfast then workshops beginning at 9:30 AM.

7:30 AM
Registration

Sponsored by Farm Credit Canada

7:30 AM - 9:30 AM
Breakfast
8:30 AM - 11:00AM
Ontario Pork AGM

Annual General Meeting.

Speakers

Ontario Pork Logo
Ontario Pork

Staff & Delegates

9:30 AM
What’s in a Vaccine?

This session will outline the critical components to consider when implementing successful vaccine protocols, as well as discussing common pitfalls. Participants will also learn about vaccine technologies that are on the horizon, both with respect to the types of vaccines available and the methods of administration.

9:30 AM
Knowing When to Cull

This workshop will provide perspective on making farm-level culling and euthanasia decisions at each stage of production. Specific attention will be given to the economic lens of these decisions and how appropriately removing animals from your herd can create value for your business.

11:00 AM - 11:20 AM
Nutrition Break

Sponsored by Ryan Canada

11:20 AM
International Trade

Explore a unique perspective on international meat demand, supply chains, and industry trends—highlighting how various markets are performing and the key issues shaping the global pork trade. This session is sponsored by Ontario Pork.

Feeding the Challenged Pig

With every challenge comes an opportunity! Learn about how different health and management challenges affect pig performance and explore ways to overcome or remedy them through nutritional solutions.

Speakers

Rupert Claxton
Gira UK

Rupert Claxton

Jose Soto
Alltech

Jose Soto

12:40 PM - 1:30 PM
Lunch Break

Sponsored by Hendrix Genetics Swine

1:30 PM
How Does Investing in Your Feed Program Pay?

Explore the role of fiber in swine nutrition – its impact on gut health, performance and challenges of incorporating fibrous ingredients. A practical review using math will determine when adding ‘more’ is beneficial and when adding ‘more’ actually costs more.

1:30 PM
Gilts: The Foundation of Your Herd – Science Into Practice

The base of any high performing sow herd is a strong gilt development program, which starts the moment that replacement gilt is born. This session will bring the strong combination of research findings related to gilt development for sow longevity and productivity, paired with an Ontario producer's solution to raising and managing their own replacement gilts.

2:50 PM - 3:10 PM
Nutrition Break

Sponsored by Total Swine Genetics

3:10 PM
Strep Zoo At Maple Leaf: Learnings From Mission Impossible

From 2019 to 2023, this emerging disease resulted in tremendous impacts to one of the largest production systems in Canada. This session will share the entire story and explore how the Mission Impossible movies philosophies: deep understanding, calculated audacity and unwavering teamwork finally cracked the case.

Boar Pit - Panel Discussion

This dynamic panel offers attendees a unique opportunity to ask candid questions and gain insights from experts across the swine industry. This interactive platform explores diverse perspectives, address pressing concerns, and deepens understanding on key topics. A must-attend session for those looking to maximize their conference experience and connect directly with industry representatives.

Speakers

LeeAnn Peters
Maple Leaf Foods

LeeAnn Peters

Attend the biggest swine conference in Ontario

A combination of the London Swine Conference and the Ontario Pork AGM. Two full days of practical learning for the Ontario swine industry.

Meet the Experts

The expertise we've round up
just for you.

Ontario Swine Conference speakers bring a wealth of expertise, from producers and economists to leading researchers. Expect a diverse lineup offering valuable perspectives from every corner of the swine industry.

Chantal Farmer

Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada

Chris Koch

Motivational Speaker

Rupert Claxton

Gira UK

Joe Kerns

Ever.ag

OSC Industry Gala

Indulge in a 4-course fine dining experience—all part of the gala’s Bacon-Ball celebration. Connect with industry leaders and celebrate excellence at the awards presentation.

HOTEL INFORMATION

Need an overnight stay?

Please contact the DoubleTree by Hilton directly to book your accommodations or find other hotels in the area.

Call

+1 519-439-1661

If you are a delegate, president or secretary of Ontario Pork please contact Olga Klashtorny for your hotel accommodation and conference registration.

Contact us

Questions about OSC?

Chantal Farmer
Chantal Farmer

Dr. Farmer is a research scientist in sow lactation biology who has been working at the Sherbrooke Research and Development Centre of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada since 1986. She obtained her B.Sc. from McGill University, her M.Sc. from the University of Saskatchewan and her Ph.D. from Pennsylvania State University. Dr. Farmer’s research goal has always been to improve sow milk yield and performance of suckling piglets. She was a pioneer in studying mammary development in gilts and she has published 171 scientific manuscripts, 10 book chapters, and is the sole editor of two books that were also translated and published in Chinese. Dr. Farmer’s expertise is recognized internationally as evidenced by her being a guest-speaker in 13 European countries as well as China, Australia, Mexico, Canada and the USA. In 2022, Dr Farmer received the American Society of Animal Science President’s Award for International Achievements in Animal Science.

Chris Koch
Chris Koch

Chris Koch doesn’t let limitations or obstacles stand in his way. Despite being born without arms and legs, Koch grew up like any other small-town kid — playing road hockey, causing mischief at school, and helping out on his family farm. Neither he or his family treated his disability like a tragedy, and instead used it to fuel his dreams. Today, Koch is a motivational speaker who inspires his audiences to continually challenge themselves and build the life they dream of. Born in Lethbridge, Alberta, Koch was raised in the small farming and ranching community of Nanton, Alberta. Early on, he learned that he would not be raised with pity or sympathy. Sure, he had to do things a little differently and some tasks took him a little longer to complete than others, but he was determined to be just like the rest and was always treated just like the rest. After all, he still had a good head on his shoulders and with that, anything is possible. Koch loves sharing his story and spreading his message of, “If I Can…” An avid traveler, marathoner, and farmer, his presentation reflects his full life. Simply put, Koch says, if I can do what I’ve done so far in my life, what’s stopping others from doing the same?

Rupert Claxton
Rupert Claxton

Rupert has 22 years’ experience with GIRA, directing a wide range of livestock and meat sector research and consultancy assignments globally, from the fast-evolving markets of Africa and Asia, to the established markets of Europe and North America. Rupert has worked as a strategy consultant in the food sector since joining Gira in 2003, with a high level of specialization in global meat and livestock markets. He spends a considerable amount of time analyzing the evolving nature of international meat demand and the supply systems that provide it, as well as their internal organization. For the last 20 years Rupert has produced the Asian sector of the annual Gira Meat Club report, and for the last 12 managed the Gira Asian Meat Club. In the last few years, he has been actively researching developments in the global pork supply chain as the disruption of ASF, COVID and the war in Ukraine have disrupted key markets and the resultant issues for producers and traders that have been created.

Joe Kerns
Joseph Kerns

President of Ever.Ag’s Livestock division, Joe has nearly 40 years of experience working with producers, suppliers, and mills to support agricultural operations. He leads the team in assisting clients with technical aspects of risk management, specifically commodity management, livestock and grain marketing, ingredient procurement and operational benchmarking. Prior to this consulting venture, he directed risk management activities for industry leaders such as ADM, Premium Standard Farms, Continental Grain, and Iowa Select Farms.