More than 65 percent of persons interested in swine health and production are concerned about foreign animal disease getting into the U.S. hog population based on this snapshot of a National Hog Farmer reader poll. Qualitative measurements help animal health pros identify opportunities to support producers’ prevention efforts to keep animals and the food chain safe. Source: … [Read more...]
Speaking of feral hogs. Watch this!
A trucker shared his experience with a large sounder of feral hogs south of Altus, Oklahoma! Drivers beware. Source: KWTV - NEWS 9 via Facebook, August 8, 2023. Link. (0:19) … [Read more...]
Summer bugs cost farmers and ranchers
Bug populations reach their high points this time of year. Cassandra Olds, PhD, shares the economic costs of various pests, current control methods, pesticide resistance and reminds us that sanitation is key. Summer flies, grubs, bots, deer flies, ticks, plus mosquitoes can create all sorts of problems for livestock producers. Source: Successful Farming, July 29, 2023. … [Read more...]
Will animals at your county fair launch the next pandemic?
Since 2011, there have been more confirmed human cases of swine flu in the U.S. than anywhere else in the world, according to the article linked here. Most have come from agricultural shows and fairs. Dr. Andrew Bowman, a molecular epidemiologist at The Ohio State University, and his colleagues have documented the dangers and looked for ways to make pig shows safer. He says … [Read more...]
Veterinarians, nutritionists find value when working together
Swine production practices have advanced considerably in the last two decades. The historical large divide between veterinarians and nutritionists is progressively closing. AMVC swine veterinarian, Jason Hocker, and swine nutritionist, Trey Kellner, shared perspectives on finding value at the intersection of veterinary medicine and swine nutrition in pork production during the … [Read more...]
Iowa Pork Industry Center seasonal ventilation checklists now available
Regardless of the size of a hog building, following a regular process for maintaining ventilation systems can pay big economic dividends. New summer and winter checklists are available to help guide and remind people in charge of maintenance and ventilation of necessary tasks and inspections. Keeping a printed checklist that stays in the barn can be a useful tool to facilitate … [Read more...]
Three reasons farmers give antibiotics to livestock and poultry
With fair season underway, some livestock people face scrutiny from the general public while showing their animals. Phibro’s Leah Dorman, DVM, shares why animals are given antibiotics in food production. Consider sharing her article with FFA and 4-H members who can use her article to support their production practices and the importance of responsible use. Source: Explore … [Read more...]
Seaboard Farms joins the world’s mega swine producers
Merriam, Kansas-based Seaboard Farms’ 365,000 sows make it the fourth largest swine company in the U.S. and one of the world’s mega swine producers, according to Jim Long, president and CEO, Genesus Inc. Long’s company compiles an annual list of the world’s producers with more than 100,000 sows. Source: Genesus, Link. View the mega producer listing here. … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – July 6, 2023
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, June 29th, 2023. Link. Most read post(s) from June 29nd AHD Bulletin – Study: PRP gel accelerates skin wound healing in horses. Link. How to charge for technician appointments. Link. Skipping rocks and back to basics. Link. Place keeper: 2023 Veterinary Conferences provided by Galaxy … [Read more...]
New heat stress app for pig producers
Heat stress in pigs costs the U.S. swine industry an estimated $481 million annually in revenue losses. HotHog, a new smartphone app that predicts heat stress in pigs is now available from USDA’s Agriculture Research Service. HotHog is available in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. Hogs don’t sweat. They cope with heat through panting, while the caregivers adjust … [Read more...]
BVDV in wild hogs
Wild pigs can carry a number of infectious diseases including zoonotic diseases. A high seroprevalence rate of bovine diarrhea virus in wild pigs has been found in several U.S. states, according to a recent study by investigators at the Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine in Auburn, Alabama. Cattle are known as the dominant source of BVDV infection for pigs. … [Read more...]
35th World Pork Expo draws more than 10,000 people
Reports from three swine publications indicate the 2023 World Pork Expo was a success. Authors cite camaraderie, concerns about personal and professional health and touch on the top issues covered in seminars and presentations. Prop 12, labor, input costs, biosecurity, market opportunities and new technologies were topics of high interest, as were world-class BBQ and … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – June 8, 2023
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, June 1st, 2023. Link. Most read post(s) from June 1st AHD Bulletin – The June deadline is here! Link Building trust. Link. Puppy break! 30 dog breeds that have the cutest puppies. Link Place keeper: 2023 Veterinary Conferences provided by Galaxy … [Read more...]
New product tour at World Pork Expo to use Shark Tank virtual format (slideshow)
During the Global Hog Industry Virtual Conference, a panel of pork industry experts review products, keeping in mind how each would benefit producers and the industry. Respective company representatives present a two-minute video or sales pitch to the panel of judges, after which the judges ask questions about the product in the style of TV's Shark Tank. Online voting for … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – June 1, 2023
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, May 25th, 2023. Link. Most read post from May 25th AHD Bulletin – Don’t be afraid to ask the sensitive questions. Link. Place keeper: 2023 Veterinary Conferences provided by Galaxy Vets. Link. ========================================== Biosecurity doesn’t have to be a big-ticket item Source: … [Read more...]
World Pork Expo starts June 7th
The World Pork Expo returns to the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines, Iowa, June 7-9. Presented by the National Pork Producers Council, this year's Expo will give attendees a packed schedule of events, including an expansive tradeshow, educational seminars and networking events. As we celebrate 35 years of the show the World Pork Expo will continue offering opportunities to … [Read more...]
How a farrier cares for pigs (video)
We ran across this pig farrier video during our curation. We dug deeper into the pet pig topic having never heard of a pig farrier. “Who knew, right?” We discovered there is a North American Pet Pig Association whose website is full of resources to educate pet pig owners. The USDA estimates 250,000 to 1 million potbellied pigs are kept as pets <Link>. These pets are … [Read more...]
Recap of 2023 Animal Care & Handling Conference
Conference sessions touched on everything from advances in stunning methods to concerns for animal transportation to regulatory updates during the recent conference held in Kansas City, Missouri May 25th – 26th. Source: Meat+Poultry, May 30, 2023. Link. INSIGHTS: Monitoring information on high/low stocking densities in livestock transport trailers should interest … [Read more...]
Regional swine disease warning tool now available
The Early Regional Occurrence Warning project was launched with the Morrison Swine Health Monitoring Project in September 2022. Funded by the Swine Health Information Center, the effort aims to increase swine disease awareness, prevention and preparedness. The first TEROW report was sent May 9th and will be released weekly. The TEROW report notifies participants if a swine … [Read more...]
Pig monitoring is feasible
Commentary Looking like production manufacturing from the Science Channel’s How it’s Made, swine production is rapidly moving forward with technology. Radio frequency, wireless sensors, remote monitoring, individual pig behavior data and more are advancing efficiencies exponentially. One can’t help thinking about how far swine production has come in the last century and what … [Read more...]
LSU develops patent-pending wild pig bait
Commentary Feral hog control is an issue for ALL animal health pros. Wild pigs reproduce rapidly and cause damage to farms and suburban properties from the southern U.S. and into Canada <Link>. They also pose a growing threat to the environment, people and other animals. If an animal disease like African swine fever or hoof-and-mouth gets into these animals, it will be … [Read more...]
Gene-edited pigs another tool in PRRS fight
Minnesota-based Acceligen announced in late February that the company is using protein modifications developed by Kansas State University to breed pigs that are naturally resistant to PRRS. This advancement is another tool in producers’ toolbox. One cannot disregard the tools of tight biosecurity, filtration and more in the fight against PRRS and other viral infections that can … [Read more...]
DVM answers questions about FDA antibiotic prescription requirement
This article by Craig Payne, DVM, MS, is a good one to share with livestock producers, backyard poultry and goat owners, horse owners and beekeepers to explain the changes in how antibiotics can be accessed after June 11th. Payne answers a few questions producers may have about the latest antibiotic guidance from the FDA. The final phase of FDA’s implementation of the … [Read more...]
What veterinarians were talking about at AASV
The American Association of Swine Veterinarians annual meeting is an important event for swine practitioners and the swine industry. The swine health topics discussed at the March 7 meeting included biosecurity, African swine fever, traceability, porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome and more, writes Jennifer Shrike. She provides an overview of the information speakers … [Read more...]
Animal health efforts DO reduce need for antibiotics
Animal health and nutrition companies are constantly working on ways to improve animal health and provide antibiotic-free alternatives for use in animal feed. Global sales of antibiotics for veterinary use are down nearly one-third since 2011, according to the World Organization for Animal Health with some major livestock-producing countries in Europe, as well as the United … [Read more...]
5 key issues for the U.S. pork industry
The National Pork Producers Council latest pork industry economic update summarizes five key pork industry market indicators through January 2023: Consumer pork demand Projected growth Labor shortages Production costs Ripple effect Source: National Hog Farmer, February 14, 2023. Link. . . . data on hog farm employment specifically shows that average wages … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – February 16, 2023
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, February 9, 2023. Link. Most read post(s) from February 9th AHD Bulletin – Studying PRRS virus and its ability to percolate through soils. Link. Place keeper: 2023 Veterinary Conferences provided by Galaxy Vets. Link. Zoetis provides perspective, resources to transition OTC antimicrobials … [Read more...]
Rodent control as we know it may change
Upcoming legislation could cause agriculture to lose access to important products that control rodents throughout production, processing, storage and retail phases of food production. PORK editor Jennifer Shike shares the viewpoints of industry spokespersons. EPA’s proposal is quite wide-ranging, and it is going to impact any user of rodenticides and how rodenticides are … [Read more...]
Studying PRRS virus and its ability to percolate through soils
Swine researchers have noticed that PRRS pathogens tend to increase incidence in breeding farms between October and December which is concurrent with manure application is happening in the fields. It is known PRRS virus can be found in pig feces and pig barn manure pits. Whether the virus can survive and percolate in various soils became the objective of University of Minnesota … [Read more...]
On the lookout for JEV
Jennifer Shike shares industry’s concerns that Japanese encephalitis virus could migrate to the U.S. establishing the disease in domestic and feral swine populations. Transmitted similar to West Nile, aircraft and cargo ships are the most likely pathways of JEV introduction via infected adult mosquitoes. Source: PORK, January 13, 2023. Link. Vigilance is essential . . . the … [Read more...]