There has been significant research studying the effects of space allowances on grow-finish pigs. But little information is available regarding the effects on them. With increasing concerns for animal welfare and getting weaned pigs off to a good start, finding appropriate space allowances based on animal behavior, health and performance considerations will be … [Read more...]
Human capital an issue for hog industry
Human capital has long been a challenge for the protein sector overall, but has recently become a real concern for the swine business within industry and academia, said Maynard Hogberg, Iowa State University. He noted the pressing issue for both is that of the increasing need for scientifically trained personnel. This comes at a time when there are fewer swine faculty within … [Read more...]
2017 swine research reviewed
Sow space, boar pheromones, sow barn energy consumption, cool sows and flu’s cyclical nature are part of topics reviewed in this research-specific issue of National Hog Farmer. Flipping through the pages exposes a picture of the intensity of maintaining swine health while improving production conditions with the pigs in mind. Source: National Hog Farmer, December … [Read more...]
Senecavirus A gaining a foothold in the U.S. swine industry
Dr. Jack Shere, a DVM with USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, is concerned about the increasing prevalence of Senecavirus A (SVA) in the U.S. swine herd. SVA is a disease that mimics Foot and Mouth disease (FMD). This is why producers need to be more vigilant than ever when they see signs of blisters or lesions on pigs’ skin . Source: Pork, December 8, … [Read more...]
PEDV, PDCoV have taught hard lessons
Aaron Lower, DVM, reminds us that the swine industry is embarking on its fifth winter of managing porcine epidemic diarrhea virus and porcine deltacoronavirus. As we enter the seasonal epidemic, it is important to review the key exclusion and management principles learned over the past five years. Source: National Hog Farmer, November 22, 2017. Sit down with your production … [Read more...]
Producers learning to live with VFD
Those in the swine business discovered in the last year that the VFD process is more than just having a veterinarian’s signature on a piece of paper. Because there is no allowance for using feed-grade medications in an off-label manner, veterinarians completing the VFDs have had to pay extreme attention to every detail on the label, including the dose, duration of feeding, … [Read more...]
Wild pigs march across the U.S.
The wild pig population explosion shows no signs of slowing. It has expanded from 19 states in 1985 to 39 states in 2016. Recent testing of using sodium nitrate in the form of a new oral toxicant is showing promise to help curb wild pig populations. Dale Nolte, national coordinator for the National Feral Swine Damage Management Program, said, “Recent research results suggest … [Read more...]
Biosecurity takes a team
Diligence, teamwork, research, technology and collaboration are required to maintain biosecurity on farm and within the collective U.S. swine populations. Kevin Shultz distilled the frequently cacophonous elements of biosecurity efforts in this article. It truly takes a team willing to be cooperative, even though they are often competitive. Together, biosecurity remains a key … [Read more...]
Opinion – Immune response and nutrient metabolism swine research evolving rapidly
This research information should interest to any animal health pro as whose focus is on prevention and managing disease. The immunes system has high biological priority. When pathogens are detected, the immune response becomes the animal’s energetic priority and changes how dietary nutrients and calories are utilized. Source: National Hog Farmer, October 2017. Any energy … [Read more...]
October is National Pork Month (slide gallery)
The designation of October as pork month marks a time of year when hogs were traditionally marketed. The United States is the third-largest pork-producing country, following China and the European Union. Pork is safe, efficient, environmentally friendly and a superior source of protein. Source: National Hog Farmer, October 1, 2017. According to an analysis by the USDA, pork … [Read more...]
Leman conference honors Morrison, urges co-opetition
The 2017 Leman Swine Conference, which ended September 28, was dedicated to the legacy of Bob Morrison, a student of Allen D. Leman who died recently in a tragic accident. His concepts of learning and working together were evident throughout the sessions. Source: National Hog Farmer, September 22, 2017. Kevin Shultz reports that Leman 2017 did not disappoint. It offered … [Read more...]
Journal of the AVMA
We linked you to the table of contents for this issue of the Journal. Two papers caught our team’s attention: Comparison of clinical findings between dogs with suspected anaphylaxis and dogs with confirmed sepsis Movement patterns of exhibition swine and associations of influenza A virus infection with swine management practices Source: Journal of the AVMA, … [Read more...]
Pig show persons stay connected to the industry
The show pig business is a world where people love their pigs. Those who fall short of the prizes try harder the next year. These farmers are not disconnected from the industry production practices, however. Our team wanted to share this site to share with you, especially these entries: Pig show 101 and Top 5 reasons why showing pigs is the best. Source: Real Pig … [Read more...]
Pig transformation changing with the times
In a fun and informative retrospective, Pork’s JoAnn Alumbaugh reviews the history of pig confirmation and the societal influences that shape a hog as we know them today. Source: Pork, August 10, 2017. Genetics, diet, marketing trends and once more, consumer tastes, continue to evolve so the composition of modern pigs evolves as well. Pig farmers now consider all of the … [Read more...]
Pig’s personalities may play role in welfare
Professor Kristina Horback is an animal-cognition expert with the Department of Animal Science at the University of California-Davis. She is building on her pioneering research that examines the role personality plays in the welfare and sustainable production of farm animals, like cattle, sheep and swine. Her work is driven by new legislative and marketplace demands to raise … [Read more...]
Early weaning is hard on pigs
Speaking about his research findings, Adam Moeser, DVM, discussed the pathophysiology of stress-induced gastrointestinal disorders in animals and people during a recent meeting in Rome, Italy. He explained that during postnatal life, major developmental changes take place in the enteric nervous system of pigs. Because the GI systems are undergoing development during this time, … [Read more...]
Virtual farm tour increase understanding of how farms work
These videos about swine production are a must-see for all animal health pros. It is easy to get behind in our understanding of how today’s producers work. Consider linking to these virtual tours in blog posts, clinic websites, newsletters and social media. Source: Pork, June 26, 2017. The U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance (USFRA) has been sharing a one-of-a-kind … [Read more...]
Kids and pigs at World Pork Expo (photo gallery)
Many expo attendees never see this side of the World Pork Expo. If you’ve never been in a hog barn at the expo, a state or local fair, this is a good way to experience some of the sights. The senses for sounds and smells are left out, but the action is truly a testament to the next generation of hog producers. We dare you not to smile! Source: National Hog Farmer, June … [Read more...]
Opinion – Virus detection reinforces sanitation
There’s a lesson here for all animal health pros. Diseases are easily spread. Consider how many times we forget that one of the more important roles of veterinary medicine and animal husbandry prevention processes is population control. Congratulations to this multi-disciplined team of researchers whose persistence has identified potential for disease contamination in trucks … [Read more...]
World Pork Expo in full swing
World Pork Expo activities are underway at the Iowa State Fair Grounds, in Des Moines. More than 450 companies are exhibiting their products, innovations and ideas for 20,000 producers and pork professionals, including some 1,000 international guests. With more than 50 hospitality tents, the air is filled with smells of smoke and barbecue. Source: NPPC, June 4, 2017. Expo … [Read more...]
Editorial: Crowding nursery pigs negatively impacts performance
There has been a large amount of research studying the effects of space allowances on grow-finish pigs. However, little information is available about the effects on nursery pigs. Production management systems, facility constraints and establishing optimal space allowance requirements for pigs requires economic, health and welfare considerations. Sometimes, articles titled … [Read more...]
Study suggests potential for pathogen transmission via feed
In preliminary findings, a study conducted by Pipestone Applied Research and South Dakota State University shows the potential for PRRS and other viruses to contaminate and survive in feed ingredients, including soybean meal and dried distillers’ grains. Source: National Hog Farmer, May 12, 2017. The study results suggest a subset of contaminated feed ingredients could … [Read more...]
Feral hogs: bad beasts, good treats
We continue to watch developing feral hog management challenges. They probably do more than $1.5 billion damage nationwide each year, according to the USDA. The problem is only getting bigger. From 1982 to 2012, the invasive species spread from 17 states to 36. It turns out that feral hogs are tasty. Their popularity is growing for a few slaughterhouses that supply chefs and … [Read more...]
NHF Blueprint dives into antibiotic research
All animal health pros can gain valuable perspectives on the issues surrounding antibiotics and how to decrease or avoid their use in this Blueprint from National Hog Farmer. Though dedicated to swine production, the research has parallel meaning in other monogastric mammals. Source: National Hog Farmer, April 2017. This Blueprint issue examines antimicrobial use, … [Read more...]
Pigs – a hobby farmer’s view
Every breed is unique, but producers should know what they’re getting when raising pigs for market pork. Rodney Wilson shares how he learned this all-important first lesson in our lifelong education about feed conversion efficiency: pigs can loosely be lumped into two classes, bacon pigs and lard pigs. Source: Hobby Farms, March 20, 2017. Today’s new and prospective hog … [Read more...]
Swine Science Online offers opportunity for students, current producers
Leading universities are collaborating to ensure the pork industry is led and managed by individuals who have broad educational and production experiences that prepare them for these roles. The effort, Swine Science Online, teaches scientific principles and management skills involved in pork production for an efficient and sustainable operation. Source: National Hog Farmer, … [Read more...]
Not all disinfectants are equal
Animal health pros must be regularly reminded that not all disinfectants are created equal. The AASV study of disinfectant effect on Senecavirus A is stark reminder of the variances in disinfectant efficacies. Source: Pork Network, March 20, 2017. Household bleach, a phenolic disinfectant, and a quaternary ammonium-aldehyde disinfectant were tested at manufacturer’s … [Read more...]
Don’t forget the pigs
Collectively, swine veterinarians are helping producers and the swine industry deal with added regulation and transparency issues driven by consumers. But, recent discussions at the American Association of Swine Veterinarians annual conference included reminders that their primary role is to advocate for the pig and pig caretaker. Source: National Hog Farmer, February 28, … [Read more...]
All disease begins in the gut
Post-weaning gaps in piglets can easily take seven to 10 days. Some well-managed farms, however, can contain this to one or two days. Knowing what is going on in a piglet’s gastro-intestinal tract is the first step towards gaining control of these problems. Source: Pig Progress, September 23, 2016. The gut is responsible for up to 80% of the immune system. Immunogloblin A … [Read more...]
Wild pig meat goes USDA Prime
Producer Keith Mann slaughters, processes and sells wild pig meat on his South Florida operation, all signed and sealed by USDA. “We thought the market was ready and knew a lot of chefs would be interested. People instantly recognize the meat is packed with awesome flavor,” he says. Mann could sell every wild pig processed if he had market access. Even foreign markets in … [Read more...]