Sows
Although profitability has returned, now is not the time to assume we are in for a good couple of years within our industry. It is time to focus on incremental improvement and positioning our industry for long-term success.
Registration for SowBridge, the distance educational series for those who work with sows, boars and piglets, and with genetic and reproductive issues, is now underway.
Although there were no earth-shattering surprises in the Dec. 1 USDA Hogs and Pigs Report, economist Lee Schulz says there are several important takeaways for pork producers as the year comes to a close.
A collection of five studies from 2024 publications can help improve farrowing and wean outcomes, ensuring the health and survivability of wean pigs for transport.
During a time when many people were cutting back and trying to minimize expenses, Joel Huber decided it was time to invest in facility improvements to help their operation be more competitive.
Walk onto a modern hog farm and it is typical to find climate-controlled farrowing houses filled with hardworking sows nursing litters of 12 or more piglets. But it hasn’t always been this way.
When Savannah Thomson set out to discover preventative measures for sow organ prolapse, she quickly realized more tools were needed. This is how she invented the Pig-O-Meter.
How much does a sow really eat? Or, more specifically, how much does each sow eat? We’ve been thinking about this question by looking at variation in sow herds, and identifying gaps and opportunities to feed differently.
The breathtaking views of Guanajuato, Mexico, weren’t easy to leave behind, but she knew her children deserved better than what she could provide them there. So, she took a chance on a new life. This happened next.
Summer Doty hasn’t saved anyone from a burning building or led an army into battle. She hasn’t jumped into the path of an oncoming train. Still, the work she does at Islercrest Farms is proof not all heroes wear capes.
Not only does the Q1 2024 sow and grow-finish data compiled by MetaFarms indicate improved mortality rates, but this past quarter marks the highest quarterly average daily gain (ADG) in the history of MetaFarms data.
Seasonal infertility is a major swine industry issue, resulting in substantial economic loss due to decreased farrowing rates, reduced litter sizes and increased non-productive days. Here are five tips to consider.
Attention to sow longevity is so important because of the multiple ways it can affect a producer’s economics.
Keeping sows in ideal body condition can be a balancing act. New research from North Carolina State University outlines sow condition targets to minimize body lesions and maximize productivity.
Is the ability to focus on the farm a superpower? It might be, especially in modern pork production systems. Here’s a look at MetaFarm’s preliminary 2023 data and why focus is more important than ever on the farm.
The latest MetaFarms reports show sow death loss in 2023 was at an all-time high at 15.3%. That’s up 1% from a year ago – a trend that continues to move in the wrong direction.
What are the health impacts of piglets choosing a teat from their mother sow?
Here’s a look at the 2024 line-up for SowBridge, the distance educational series for those who work with sows, boars and piglets, and with genetic and reproductive issues.
Jamil Faccin, post-doctoral researcher in applied swine nutrition at Kansas State University, shared five key feeding strategies to achieve success with gilts during his presentation at the 2023 Leman Swine Conference.
One day, he’s hanging out with his brothers, basking in the warmth of his mom. The next day, he gets mixed in with his neighbors and finds himself in a new home. Here’s why getting pigs off to a good start is essential.
Where is the pork industry on its path to a PRRS-resistant pig? Matt Culbertson, chief operating officer at PIC, provides an update.
Dalton Obermier works to develop novel phenotypes available for genetic selection in hopes of speeding up genetic progress towards feed efficiency and conversion by utilizing the NUtrack livestock monitoring system.
Pork processor Triumph and others dispute legality of a Massachusetts law about sow housing regulations.
Sow mortality due to POP is even more relevant than a year ago because it’s no longer an issue isolated to the U.S. Sow mortality reports are increasing around the world. That’s why a new genomics study is turning heads.
The pain eased somewhat for cattle feeders last week, but losses remain more than $170 per head.
It was another ugly week for cattle feeders.
Beef packers put away the red ink last week as they turned modest profits on every animal processed. Feedyard margins, however, slipped a little further away from positive.
Cattle feeding margins declined $45 per head last week, leaving average per head losses at more than $77.
Cattle feeders added a little powder and lipstick to closeouts this week, but the ugly continues to shine through.
Cattle feeding margins took another turn south last week after a nearly $4 per cwt. decline in fed cattle prices.