Latest News From Karen McMahon

Sow reproductive performance drops off in the summer, and this year will be no different, according to Paul Yeske, DVM, Swine Vet Center, St. Peter, Minnesota.

Hog producers who may be discouraged to learn foggers don’t fully disinfect a supply room should not close the door on the biosecurity method yet. New research led by Erin Kettelkamp, DVM, found a better solution.

Eliminating porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) virus from a breeding herd is not a simple task, and no herd acts exactly like the next, says Brad Leuwerke, DVM, with Swine Vet Center, St. Peter, Minn.

Research conducted by Alyssa Betlach, DVM, with Swine Vet Center and graduate student at the University of Minnesota, showed differences in the ability to detect a recent M. hyo infection based on sample types used.

Raising pigs without antibiotics requires extra management and different tools compared to traditional commercial hog production, reports Laura Carroll, DVM, veterinarian with Four Star Veterinary Service.

Biosecurity ranks high on the list of concerns for swine veterinarians who want hog units tightened up to reduce disease. Improvements can be expensive but the cost of not making those improvements could be much higher.

The pork industry entered one of its darkest periods in spring 2020 when COVID-19 forced the shutdown of several pork packing plants. Paul Yeske, DVM, Swine Vet Center, helped hog producers work through the closures.

Commodity prices have producers revisiting strategies to reduce feed costs and preserve profits, says Ryan Strobel, DVM, with Swine Vet Center.

A veterinarian weighs in on filtration systems and shares how air filtration can reduce outbreaks of disease like porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome.

Environmentally controlled hog facilities eliminated most swine parasites. But roundworm continues to persevere on some conventional farms and frequently on farms for niche markets.

The basics of managing gilts for optimum pig production and longevity are well known. But successfully applying them requires meticulous attention to details, according to Jake Schwartz, DVM, Swine Vet Center.

Markets for pork produced without antibiotics continue to grow. But this method of production is not for every farm, cautions Michael Pierdon, VMD, veterinarian with Four Star Veterinary Service.

Ventilation systems need regular check-ups to prevent environmental issues that can compromise pig health. Winter audits are especially important, with ventilation running at low levels with little room for error.

No matter how many times you think you know all the diseases, new diseases pop up and remind you, ‘Oh, there’s stuff out there you’ve never seen before,’ says Daniel Gascho, DVM.

High wean-to-finish mortality continues to trouble the pork industry. While lowering rates is possible, it’s not easy, reported Ryan Strobel, DVM, and Chris Sievers, DVM, with Swine Vet Center, St. Peter, Minn.

A field trial evaluating iron supplementation for baby pigs found the typical 200 mg iron shot at birth is not enough. Here's what Brittney Scales, DVM, learned when a client wanted to compare different methods.

While their schooling focused on pigs, veterinarians spend a lot of time working with clients and members of their staff. After all, they must carry out a veterinarian’s health or production plan for the pigs.

Nothing in his lifetime could have prepared Paul Yeske, DVM, of Swine Vet Center, for the painful fallout from COVID-19 that hit the clinic and its clients.