Hog Management
Market forecasts may signal steep headwinds ahead, but the unrelenting grit of our producers offers the strongest reason for optimism.
Some employees do their jobs and go home, while others look for ways to help the farm run better. Here’s how managers can encourage more of the latter.
No one can predict exactly what 2027 holds for the pork industry – not even the economists. But they do have marketing advice producers should take to heart heading into the new year.
Instead of asking what more caretakers must do for pigs, University of Illinois researcher Courtney Archer asks what pigs could do for themselves if given the right tools.
As rising sow productivity collides with a post-pandemic construction drought, pork producers must find new ways to unlock value across every square foot of barn space.
Understanding why neighbors react strongly to farm smells and why caretakers often develop “nose blindness,” begins with how the human brain processes complex odor mixtures.
Commercial trials and a new Iowa State modeling tool show how strategic soybean meal inclusion protects late-finishing gains and margins.
Understanding why gas detectors fall short—and how sensory metrics evaluate threshold, intensity, and persistence—helps producers and communities assess odor concerns objectively.
With production costs permanently higher, volatile feed markets, and shifting consumer demand, analysts warn that 2027 U.S. pork producer profitability faces a razor-thin margin for error.
Compeer Financial partners with swine producers and industry innovators to build a more integrated, producer-led future for pork production.
Phibro swine veterinarian Dr. Melissa Hensch explains why animal-first decisions, hands-on barn experience, and sound economics always go hand in hand.
When PRRS hit production and tempers ran short, Phillip Steber’s calm leadership kept his team positive and pushed Borgic Farms back to near-record numbers.
Record productivity couldn’t offset softening demand, and patience proved costly. Six industry analysts break down what went wrong in 2026—and how disciplined operations survived.
As a wave of retirements reshapes the industry, starting the succession conversation today is the first step toward securing your operation’s future and developing tomorrow’s leaders.
A new employee has a lot to learn in the first few weeks, and farm managers can make the transition easier by setting expectations and making time to answer questions.
With feed eating up 70% to 80% of variable costs, Chance Cochran explains how early intake habits shape long-term performance.
K-State researchers test feed, fiber, magnesium, tryptophan and enrichment to curb late-gestation conflict in group housing.
As seasonal weather swings and fall fieldwork drive sharp upticks in PEDV, PRRSV and respiratory pathogens, swine health experts urge producers to tighten biosecurity and herd surveillance before winter pressures arrive.
Manure pumping is an operational necessity, but a recent study links manure pumping to a 3.38-times greater risk of disease spread, underscoring the urgent need for advance planning.
From spotting early lameness to easing eye strain, barn lighting remains an essential workplace tool that machine vision can guide, but never replace.
Industry experts living it in the barns every day share practical strategies and innovative ideas to stretch working capital without sacrificing herd health.
As artificial intelligence enters commercial pig barns, experts say proper illumination is the critical bridge connecting camera optics, stockmanship and animal welfare.
Researchers, veterinarians and market analysts tackle top challenges head-on with practical, barn-level data aimed directly at producer profitability.
As soybean meal processing technology continues to change, K-State researchers say having an updated understanding of soybean meal composition will become increasingly important.
A recent study reveals critical windows of PoAstV4 susceptibility in grower gilts and suckling piglets, offering practical management strategies to curb transmission.
Experts explain how poor feed quality and pen stress trigger the chewing behaviors that drive this costly bacterial infection.
Sows with painful claw lesions don’t always show visual signs of lameness, making routine checks and proactive management essential for sow longevity.