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)...
By Dennis Smith
312-242-7905
Wednesday, April 20, 2022
GRAINS:
May and July soybeans are the strong suit early today with corn and wheat slightly higher. Bean oil is mixed and for today I’m recommending changing orders to roll into July at 200 over...
Streptococcus equi subspecies zooepidemicus (Strep zoo) is usually identified as a commensal bacterium of horses. Strep zoo was first reported as a severe clinical disease in swine in Canada in 2019. At that time it was associated with sudden...
Through good times and bad in agriculture, farmers generally cherish the idea of passing their family farm on to the next generation. The farm community’s practice is to celebrate and even commemorate the moment the family farm reaches the...
In most supply chains there is a recognition that the system as a whole needs to be optimized. Having said that, there are still some competing interests between partners and therefore a need to find a balance of those...
Reprinted from:PigHealthToday.com
African swine fever (AFS) has not been diagnosed in the US, but many industry experts feel its arrival is inevitable. The disease has continued its steady, insidious spread in other parts of the world, but the fact that...
Labor costs are one of the most prevalent costs on a farm. As such, farm managers need to evaluate whether they are utilizing labor efficiently and productively. One way to evaluate this issue is to use benchmarks created using...
Most, if not all, pigs harbor some strains of Streptococcus suis (Strep suis). Lately, challenges by the bacteria appear to be on the rise, but that could be interpreted as a positive.
“It’s up for debate whether Strep suis is...
The level of contamination with mycotoxins such as deoxynivalenol (DON, "vomitoxin") can vary from year to year depending on field management, growing conditions and grain storage. Pigs are quite sensitive to the toxicity of DON. Toxic levels of DON...
Ventilation inlet air speed monitors described here are a cheap and easy way to assess proper ventilation in livestock buildings.
Although an instrument that provides velocity reading, shown here, is highly useful, a simple small streamer can also help troubleshoot.
In...