The Iowa Pork Producers Association (IPPA), Iowa Pork Industry Center (IPIC) and Iowa State University Extension are teaming up to present the Iowa Pork Regional Conferences.

The 2008 conferences are being held at five different towns to make the programs more accessible to a variety of participants. Each meeting runs from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Conference speakers include:
Locke Karriker, DVM, swine section leader in Food Supply Veterinary Services at the Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine, will present “Case Studies of Disease Intervention.” Using actual case studies, Karriker will explain why porcine circovirus-associated disease, porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome and other swine diseases occur, how co-infections can complicate disease management, and what steps can be taken to help alleviate economic and production effects.

Mark Bertram, First Choice Livestock, an independent swine consulting business based in Polk City, IA, will coordinate discussion on the availability, successes and challenges of feeding distiller’s dried grains with solubles, glycerol and other biofuels and related products in a session titled, “Feeding Pigs in a Biofuels World.”

Various ISU Extension swine field specialists will provide information on “Mortality Management and Troubleshooting Composting.”

Conference dates and locations are:
Feb. 18 – Marr Park, 2943 Hwy. 92, Ainsworth;
Feb. 19 – Oelwein Community Plaza, Oelwein;
Feb. 25 – Corporate Centre, 950 N. Main Ave., Sioux Center;
Feb. 26 – Carroll County Extension Office, Carroll; and
Feb. 27 – Dows Community Center, 119 E. Ellsworth, Dows.

Advance registration is $20 and includes meals and materials. Call (800) 808-7675 to register.

For more information, contact IPPA’s Ron Birkenholz at (800) 372-7675 or rbirkenholz@iowapork.org, or IPIC’s Colin Johnson at (800) 808-7675 or colinj@iastate.edu.