Pork Quality Program Gains Momentum
Nearly 40,000 individuals have enrolled in the Pork Checkoff's flagship educational effort. The Pork Quality Assurance (PQA) program started out in 1989...
Auto-Sorting Improves Loading, Sort Loss, Growing Pig Physiology
A pilot study on auto-sort technology conducted by the University of Illinois into the well-being of wean-to-finish pigs found there were pluses and minuses to each auto-sort system evaluated...
Large Pens, Pre-Sorting Market Hogs Lessens Stress, Losses At the Packing Plant
Housing finishing pigs in large pens and pre-sorting prior to loading vs. housing pigs in traditional pens resulted in reduced physical signs of stress during loading and unloading and reduced total transport losses at the plant by 66%...
Higher Claw Lesion Scores Seen in Group-Housed Sows
Higher Claw Lesion Scores Seen in Group-Housed Sows A University of Minnesota study concluded that higher claw lesion scores in lame sows vs. non-lame...
Web Exclusive: Four Swine Breeds Tested For Temperament
As the pork industry continues to improve swine handling practices, the need for a greater understanding of swine temperament is apparent...
Web Exclusive: Parity 1 Sows Wean More Pigs Than Mature Sows in Farrowing Pens
Research from the University of Minnesota West Central Research and Outreach Center at Morris indicates that Parity 1 sows achieved lower preweaning mortality of piglets in straw-bedded farrowing pens than did mature sows...
Web Exclusive: Pre-Sorting Market Hogs May Not Pay Off
The extra effort to pre-sort market hogs to reduce transport losses to the plant may not be justified if transport losses are traditionally low...
Parity 2 Sows at Risk For Hoof Overgrowth
Parity 2 sows showed a slightly elevated rate of hoof growth in a study at Iowa State University's Lauren Christian Swine Research facility...
Topping Two Market Hogs Per Finishing Pen is Optimal
Removal of the heaviest market-weight pigs several days before marketing the whole group (topping) improves growth performance of the remaining pigs in the pens...
Pigs in Bottom Nose Trailer Compartment Have More Stress, Lower Meat Quality Scores
Pigs in Bottom Nose Compartment Have More Stress, Lower Meat Quality Scores Pigs hauled in the bottom nose compartment of a pot-belly trailer have much...
