Hogs Nutrition
The pressure to cut costs due to rising feed prices is undeniable these days. But experts say it’s important to resist the urge to abruptly switch from sow milk to simple feed ingredients just to save a few dollars.
Everyone wants to know the magic formula to reduce pig diet costs. With corn and soybean prices skyrocketing, it’s a hard question with no easy answer. Three nutritionists share their recommendations to reduce costs.
Nearly 25% of the world’s crops are impacted by mycotoxins that if left unmitigated, can impact the entire food chain. Here’s what you can do to fight from farm to field.
U.S. agriculture giant Cargill and French biotech firm InnovaFeed said they aim to feed 20 million piglets with insect oil by 2026 as part of a wider alternative protein deal.
Even though spring brought a period of high profitability, the supports holding up the profit performance of the pork industry are subject to some weakness, says columnists Dennis DiPietre and Lance Mulberry.
Reproductive female replacement rates continue to be a challenge within the swine industry. The most common reason for culling is associated with lameness. Here are six ways to work towards improving sow longevity.
Anticipation of a return to normal is in the air, CoBank’s Knowledge Exchange said in its latest quarterly report. But for the economy and rural industries, there will be no going back to pre-COVID conditions.
The adage that “knowledge is power” is especially true when it comes to understanding mold and mycotoxins. Lon Whitlow, professor emeritus at NC State University, offers five reminders to help livestock producers.
Commodity prices have producers revisiting strategies to reduce feed costs and preserve profits, says Ryan Strobel, DVM, with Swine Vet Center.
Corn is the most commonly used cereal grain in diets for pigs and it can easily be grown. Innovation in corn genetics has resulted in a new cultivar that contains more oil than conventional hybrids of corn.
Eight years of research has led to a disquieting scenario for swine producers: Feed and feed ingredients could potentially serve as means for the introduction and transmission of foreign animal diseases of swine.
Giving pigs the ability to digest more nutrients in their grains could help reduce the pork industry’s environmental impact, says new research published in eLife.
British pig farmers have reduced their carbon footprint by almost 40% over the last 20 years, according to a new study led by the Institute of Global Food Security at Queen’s University Belfast in Northern Ireland.
China booked its largest purchase of U.S. corn since January, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said on Tuesday.
Sometimes the simplest solutions are the best. Some producers say the sow caliper is an example of a technology solution that has brought great value to their business.
Growing up in southern Wisconsin, Mark Knauer was heavily involved in livestock judging and meats judging. He still remembers lessons he learned from his livestock judging coach and county Extension agent Bob Ziegler.
A Kansas State University researcher and her team are taking a closer look at how tiny organisms living in the guts of pigs can help prevent costly respiratory diseases.
Soy in livestock diets is traditionally evaluated on one metric: crude protein. Recent research shows that may not be the best indicator for meeting nutritional needs of livestock. How can you discern those differences?
Everyone likes a deal! Who doesn’t? But sometimes the deal isn’t as good as what we thought and we don’t figure that out until after the fact. The same thing can happen with nutrition or diet formulation.
As the pork industry looks for opportunities to decrease its carbon footprint, could formulating diets based on net energy help? Some experts say net energy formulation can provide a better path to sustainability.
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.
African swine fever and COVID-19 pressures continue to lead the pack as the major change drivers in the 2021 global pork market. Here’s a look at the key issues RaboRank analysts are keeping a close watch on this year.
It may only be February, but it’s clear the year won’t be without challenges as feed costs continue to rise. As both corn and soybean meal prices surge, here are five ways to reduce their impact on your bottom line.
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.
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.
Despite advances in genetics, health, nutrition and management, U.S. pig farmers are losing more than 10% of their pigs before they even hit the ground. Here are three tips to maximize pigs born alive.
As the agriculture industry seeks more sustainable solutions and ingredients, a new technology is on the market to help feed manufacturers and producers globally measure and lower the carbon footprint of their feed.
As the animal protein industry continues to find innovative ways to decrease the carbon footprint of animal products, a new resource guide may help move those efforts forward.
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.