In today’s culture we hear the term sustainability used in many different contexts — from concerns about the environment and food production to fashion and cosmetics. In basic terms, sustainability relates to a method of using a resource so...
I have been pondering this subject for quite some time. I remember not long ago when no one talked about mental health (and especially rural mental health). But, the great news is we are hearing and learning more about...
Much of my Extension swine work since 2018 has included and revolved around biosecurity education and foreign animal disease preparedness. 2018 was the year when, in August, the swine world learned of the outbreak of African Swine Fever (ASF)...
Currently about 95% of pigs in the United States are tail-docked within the first 10 days after birth to prevent tail biting outbreaks. Our previous work demonstrated that tail docking was an efficient method to prevent tail biting. Without...
Are you like me and love to learn? Do you love new adventures?
As someone who loves to learn and new adventures, the Evolution of the Heartland event in Manning, Iowa intrigued me as something I wanted to attend. It...
Right in the middle of Minnesota’s agriculture community is Martin County. Located in south-central Minnesota, Martin County is rich in agriculture resources. In fact, the county is the largest pork-producing county in Minnesota. We celebrate our strong agriculture community...
Livestock and crop farmers are always being asked for their opinion, for information about their management practices, or a myriad of details about how they farm today. Four specific “asks” have come across my desk and computer screen lately,...
Abstract
Background
In 2013, PEDV was introduced in the United States (U.S.) and rapidly spread across the country. Here we describe the occurrence of PEDV in the growing pig herd of one large U.S. production system through an active surveillance set...
Managing intestinal parasites in organic pigs continues to be a challenge because there is a lack of organically approved options for controlling parasites. A survey across fives states in the United States indicates that parasite infection is so common...
There are several ways to evaluate feed cost and feed performance in wean-to-market pigs. Each method can provide a very different answer for the producer on what is the “BEST” way to feed a pig. In a perfect world...