The National Swine Improvement Federation (NSIF) has slated its Annual Meeting and Genetic Symposium for Dec. 4-5, 2008 in Nashville, TN.

Registration before Nov. 14 is $150. After that date is $175. Questions about the conference should be directed to Glenn Conatser, University of Tennessee, at 865-974-9238 or gconatser@utk.edu.

Hotel reservations should be made before Nov. 14 by calling the Embassy Suites Nashville-Airport at 615-871-0033.
Some program highlights include:

Litter size and birth weight impact on postweaning performance by George Foxcroft, University of Alberta, Canada;

New feeding resources and feeding challenges by John Patience, Iowa State University;

Genetic evaluation of longevity traits by Ken Stalder, Iowa State University;

Nutrition to maximize production of the high-producing sow by Joel DeRouchey, Kansas State University;

Genetic relationships among measurements of pig behavior, growth and survival by Joe Cassady, North Carolina State University;

Pig’s immune responses to the porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus and porcine circovirus type 2 virus are heritable and selection for greater resistance/tolerance is possible by Rodger Johnson, University of Nebraska; and

Swine genetic challenges of the future will be explored by Max Rothschild, Iowa State University.

A roundtable discussion, moderated by National Hog Farmer Editor Dale Miller, will focus on genetic challenges of the future and possible solutions.