Hog Management
Of all the porcine reproductive and respiratory virus (PRRS) viruses that Paul Yeske, DVM, has seen, the PRRS strain 1-4-4 is the most dramatic.
A summary of Compeer Financial benchmark and comparison to Iowa State University, estimated livestock returns.
Change is hard, especially when you are comfortable. And let’s face it, most pig production systems aren’t looking for more to do. However, high feed costs are causing people to think twice about diet formulation.
Focus on what you can control. K-State nutritionists say this should be the same whether you are in good or bad economic times in the pork industry. Here are a few nutrition tips for pigs to be marketed starting in May.
Pork producers constantly have to make tough decisions about what moves are worth the money, and if there is a type of contract that is worth the money to have your lawyer review, it’s your packer contracts.
The extreme winter weather conditions pose challenges for livestock producers across the country. Although it’s more apparent in its effect on livestock outdoors, it also poses challenges for hogs in confinement.
As winter weather conditions rage across the country, USDA reminds livestock farmers affected by the winter storms that assistance is available.
A winter storm and the coldest temperatures in decades has created another crisis for cattle feeders and beef packers. Rolling power outages and natural gas shortages at feedyards has hampered efforts to feed cattle.
As producers explore ways to decrease feed costs and improve efficiencies, it’s important to review health protocols to see if interventions are warranted, says Elise Toohill, DVM, of Carthage Veterinary Service Ltd.
The COVID-19 pandemic has reinforced what pork producers have known for some time. Disease outbreaks can cause severe economic impacts. Here’s a look at how this guided delegates at the IPPA annual meeting.
Cash traded weaner pig volume was above average this week with 40,500 head being reported which is 103 percent of the 52-week average. Feeder pig reported volume was below average for the week, with 7,705 head reported.
During the month of February, the Illinois Pork Producers Association is launching a 4-week video series to fill the void of no in-person pork expo this month.
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.
Water doesn’t get the attention it deserves because it is abundant, easy to access and inexpensive, but that will change in the future, said John Patience, PhD, professor of animal science at Iowa State University.
Research points to the benefit of attended farrowing, but sometimes labor challenges stand in the way. If you could cut your stillborn rate in half, what is that worth?
President Biden took executive action on Jan. 27 to tackle the climate crisis both at home and abroad. The National Pork Producers Council responds.
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.
Swine producers with approved CFAP 1 applications will soon automatically receive a “top-up” payment of $17 per head increasing the total CFAP1 inventory payment to $34 per head.
Sow mortality has been making the headlines as producers grapple with rising sow death loss in the U.S. pork industry. Although the topic deserves discussion, some experts believe it is time to focus on gilt retention.
Nearly 10,000 pigs were killed in a devastating fire at Wes and Wanda Pitcher’s hog operation near Gila, Ill.
As the winter temperatures settle in, make sure you are keeping your 4-H animal projects healthy. Follow these four steps to help them perform their best this winter.
Invasive species councils in Montana and Washington are serious about preventing Canadian feral pigs from crossing into the western United States.
The 2021 PorkBridge and SowBridge educational series will begin in February. They provide relevant and timely distance education to swine producers and industry professionals across the U.S. and around the world.
“I’m not sure what’s going to happen,” South Dakota pig farmer Steve Rommereim confided to his friend Scott Phillips, a pig farmer in Missouri. “It’s bad. Real bad.”
2020 was filled with a lot of bumps in the road for the U.S. pork industry, but announcements made during the final days of the year offer great hope to pork producers as they look at what’s ahead.
The swine industry is no stranger to dealing with disease. As human doctors battled COVID-19, the pork industry didn’t let up on its fight against diseases that threaten pigs. Here’s a look back.
The industry appears to be set for another year of large hog supplies that will stretch processing capacity and pork demand, says University of Missouri economist Scott Brown.
As feed costs climb, some experts say it’s time for a different approach to swine diet formulation. Can formulating diets based on net energy lower production costs? Here’s what a few nutritionists think.
Soybean prices surpassed the $12-mark last week, taking away from margins in pork production. So, what can U.S. pork producers do to lessen the impact of high soybean prices?
Batch farrowing used to be a common practice, but as farms got bigger, continuous-flow production became the norm. Now it appears batch farrowing is making a comeback, according to John Deen.