Sow Management
Explore the latest news, research and practical resources pork producers need to optimize sow herd health, productivity and longevity. Stay informed on effective management strategies ranging from nutrition and reproductive performance to farrowing care and housing regulations.
Sow mortality continues to baffle the pork industry. Although no one has uncovered the smoking gun, most would agree that it’s a multifactorial problem and needs to be approached from many perspectives.
What makes a good mother? Can early-life social behaviors indicate a female’s mothering ability later in life? A research project utilizing the NUtrack animal monitoring system is seeking to find out.
Whether you are converting an existing herd or populating a barn utilizing electronic sow feeding systems with new gilts, it can be a long road to get the herd comfortable with the new system. Here are a few tips.
Kansas State University swine researchers and graduate students are reporting findings that could help the survival rates of newly weaned pigs.
When it comes to sow mortality, we often take note of the upper part of the “iceberg,” but we really need to be concerned with what’s below the surface, said Carlos Piñeiro, DVM, of PigCHAMP Pro Europa, S.L.
China is now allowing imports of breeding pigs from Ireland.
Sow death loss continues to rise. Many or most farms don’t have enough labor due to cost and availability. This leaves the pork industry asking a tough question: How can we make the most of the labor we have?
How does overfeeding amino acids impact a sow’s energy balance and lactation feed intake? Nutritionist Jeff Knott shares his thoughts on lactation diets.
Research shows what technology, and in particular precision feeding, can do to improve efficiency in a commercial swine farm setting. So, what’s holding pork operations back from implementing precision feeding systems?
The swine industry has historically battled labor shortages, and COVID-19 amplified those challenges. Here are a few tips for attending farrowing I learned working on a sow farm with labor challenges.
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.
Brandi Burton, DVM, Suidae Health and Production, Algona, Iowa, shared her thoughts with AgriTalk host Chip Flory on the pork industry’s progress in addressing several issues.
Piglets born to heat-stressed sows may carry the burden of their mom’s discomfort later in life in the form of health complications and diminished performance, reports USDA’s Agricultural Research Service.
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.
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.
Think about your most productive sows in any farm. They’re in good body condition, they’re sound, they’re good mothers and they wean quality pigs. They were likely set up for success as gilts.
Genus sees potential short-term challenges in its drive to help restock China’s massive pig farming industry which has faced a surge in disease outbreaks over the winter, the chief executive said on Thursday.
As PRRS viruses continue to evolve, producers are often faced with a difficult decision regarding the sow farm’s long-term PRRS status.
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?
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.
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.
By applying nutrition strategies wisely, North Carolina State University PhD student Gaby Martinez says the industry can reduce stillborns and farrowing duration while improving litter performance during lactation.
Cattle price forecasts for 2014 and 2015 are raised from last month on the strength of demand and continued tight supplies of fed cattle.
Hog barns—stacked eight stories high. The photos from Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey traveled around the Twitter-verse lightning fast, raising eyebrows and slackening jaws of U.S. producers and industry leaders. We all want to know: “How do you manage that manure?”
Central Missouri Meat and Sausage became a PETA target recently. Law enforcement officials found no violations, and no need to press charges.
An Ohio State University researcher is coordinating a multi-state study testing for flu among pigs at fairs as swine infected with a flu virus. Two cases were confirmed so far this year at county fairs in Ohio.
Overall meat demand continues to uphold breakout prices for pork packers and finishers.
Wild pigs are as much a problem in Europe as they are in the U.S., say industry, government and health officials there. Rome’s Democratic Party has accused the city’s present administration of failing to tackle the problem of rubbish in the streets, thought to be a factor in attracting both wild pigs and rats.
From pigs in the show ring to the pork on the grill, World Pork Expo brings together every stakeholder in the pork industry. Five key priorities emerged July 6-9 during the 2017 event. Each one could affect your operation’s bottomline this summer.