National Hog Farmer

Three Reasons Why the Hog Market Fizzled This Spring

Wed, 16 May 2012 20:32:00 +0000

Joe Vansickle Senior Editor

The spring rally in the hog market has been very strong the past five years, from the last week of March through the third week of May, becoming the strongest seasonal rally of the year, according to Chris Hurt, Purdue University Extension agricultural economist. This year’s counter-seasonal price movement has caused the anticipated spring rally to fizzle.

Facts Don’t Support Concerns Over Antibiotic Residues in DDGS

Wed, 16 May 2012 14:03:00 +0000

Fretting over food-safety concerns regarding antibiotic residues in distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS) that are being fed to pigs is not based on available facts, according to the National Pork Board.

USDA Announces National Pork Board Appointees

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:22:00 +0000

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announces five new appointments to the 15-Member National Pork Board. The appointees will each serve a three-year term.

The new appointees chosen to represent pork producers are: Craig Mensink, Preston, MN; and Carl Link, Fort Recovery, OH. The reappointed members of the board consist of: Brad Greenway, Mitchell, SD; Dale Norton, Bronson, MI; and Lisa Colby, Newburyport, MA.

National Hog Farmer Has An App for That

Tue, 15 May 2012 20:03:00 +0000

Developed in a collaboration between the National Pork Producers Council and National Hog Farmer, the new World Pork Expo mobile application (app) is available to help pork producers make the most of their visit to the show.

World Pork Expo 2012

Tue, 15 May 2012 19:58:00 +0000

Joe Vansickle Senior Editor

Experience the newest technologies in the pork industry, participate in production seminars and watch outstanding breeding stock shows and sales at the 2012 World Pork Expo. The event, scheduled for June 6-8, attracts 20,000 people to the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines, IA.

How to Make Good Use of a Smartphone

Tue, 15 May 2012 19:46:00 +0000

A busy pork producer shares his smartphone tips.

Lora Berg

Thome uses a Casio G’z One Commando model smartphone with Android apps. He did his homework to make sure the phone would be rugged and could stand up to the challenging and often dusty, dirty and wet conditions in barns and outdoors.

Tackling Smartphone Technology

Tue, 15 May 2012 19:39:00 +0000

A number of companies are developing tools specifically for pork producers.

Lora Berg

More and more pork producers are turning to smartphones as a go-to tool within their operations. The dizzying array of applications, or “apps,” as they are commonly called, can seem a bit overwhelming.

Studying Gestation Housing Alternatives

Tue, 15 May 2012 19:11:00 +0000

Exclusive report compares reproductive performance on nearly a million sows.

By Ron Ketchem and Mark Rix of Swine Management Services, LLC

As the U.S. pork industry faces mounting pressure to abandon gestation stalls, we decided to take a closer look at how sows perform in three common housing alternatives — stalls, pens and pens with electronic sow feeding (ESF).

Pit Foaming Continues To Perplex Researchers

Tue, 15 May 2012 18:53:00 +0000

Four universities have launched a multi-state research initiative.

Lora Berg

Researchers from several Mid¬western universities have teamed up to investigate potential causes and, hopefully, solutions, to the perplexing and dangerous problem of foaming manure pits under swine buildings.

National Hog Farmer Introduces the 2012 Masters of the Pork Industry

Tue, 15 May 2012 17:32:00 +0000

The Masters of the Pork Industry are a very special, handpicked group of pork industry leaders. National Hog Farmer brings you their stories.

Slaughter Projections Will Test Packer Capacities

Tue, 15 May 2012 17:25:00 +0000

Tight shackle space could get even tighter in 2013.

By Steve Meyer, Paragon Economics, Inc., Adel, IA

Getting a handle on packing capacity in the fall was much easier, but remains troubling — if not for this fall, then certainly for the fall of 2013. The bottom line is this — there is no packing plant cavalry riding to the rescue if hog numbers get too large by the end of 2013. Producers need to factor that into any growth decisions they make for the next couple of years.

2012 Master of the Pork Industry Craig Christensen

Tue, 15 May 2012 17:16:00 +0000

Pork producer, entrepreneur, restaurateur.

Dale Miller Editor

National Hog Farmer's Masters of the Pork Industry are professionals, entrepreneurs, and family-based men and women whose dedication and wisdom are sure to inspire young and old as they tackle the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead in an ever-changing, global pork industry. 2012 Master Craig Christensen is a pork producer, entrepreneur and restaurateur.

2012 Master of the Pork Industry Paul Yeske, DVM

Tue, 15 May 2012 17:10:00 +0000

Minnesota veterinarian is in his element conducting research.

Joe Vansickle Senior Editor

National Hog Farmer's Masters of the Pork Industry are professionals, entrepreneurs, and family-based men and women whose dedication and wisdom are sure to inspire young and old as they tackle the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead in an ever-changing, global pork industry. 2012 Master Paul Yeske, DVM, is in his element conducting research to benefit the pork industry.

2012 Master of the Pork Industry Michael Ellis

Tue, 15 May 2012 17:03:00 +0000

Coal miner's son turns passion for livestock into a swine research career.

Joe Vansickle Senior Editor

National Hog Farmer's Masters of the Pork Industry are professionals, entrepreneurs, and family-based men and women whose dedication and wisdom are sure to inspire young and old as they tackle the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead in an ever-changing, global pork industry. 2012 Master Michael Ellis, a coal miner's son, turned his passion for livestock into a swine research career.

2012 Master of the Pork Industry Dianne Bettin

Tue, 15 May 2012 16:56:00 +0000

An unwavering advocate for the pork industry.

Dale Miller Editor

National Hog Farmer's Masters of the Pork Industry are professionals, entrepreneurs, and family-based men and women whose dedication and wisdom are sure to inspire young and old as they tackle the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead in an ever-changing, global pork industry. 2012 Master Dianne Bettin is an unwavering advocate for the pork industry.

2012 Master of the Pork Industry James Lowe, DVM

Tue, 15 May 2012 16:40:00 +0000

A desire to stay close to the farm drove the decision to become a swine veterinarian.

Joe Vansickle Senior Editor

National Hog Farmer's Masters of the Pork Industry are professionals, entrepreneurs, and family-based men and women whose dedication and wisdom are sure to inspire young and old as they tackle the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead in an ever-changing, global pork industry. 2012 Master James Lowe, DVM, was driven to become a swine veterinarian so he could stay close to the farm.

2012 Master of the Pork Industry Steve Pollmann

Tue, 15 May 2012 16:26:00 +0000

From a modest FFA pig project to managing one of the nation's largest hog enterprises.

Dale Miller Editor

National Hog Farmer's Masters of the Pork Industry are professionals, entrepreneurs, and family-based men and women whose dedication and wisdom are sure to inspire young and old as they tackle the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead in an ever-changing, global pork industry. 2012 Master Steve Pollmann went from a modest FFA pig project to managing one of the nation's largest hog enterprises.

Battling Preweaning Mortality Challenges

Tue, 15 May 2012 15:45:00 +0000

Focus efforts on the first 24-48 hours after birth.

By Bill Minton, DVM, Chickasaw, OH

Preweaning mortality is influenced by several factors affecting the sow and her litter. These factors include disease, environment, neonatal pig care, equipment design and nutrition. If we assume the sows are healthy and located in a comfortable environment at farrowing, then the piglet becomes the likely focus to reduce death losses.

New Digs, Old Files

Tue, 15 May 2012 15:23:00 +0000

I am writing this column in my new office surrounded by boxes.

Dale Miller Editor

A couple of months ago, word came down that we would be moving from the third floor to a smaller space on the sixth floor in the same office building. Being a bit of a pack rat, I was faced with the daunting task of paring down the contents of a cache of filing cabinets to a “more manageable” number. So, for the last month or so, I set aside a few hours each week to pore through pork industry files that dated back to the early 1970s.

Economists’ Report: Ethanol Lowers the Price of Gasoline

Tue, 15 May 2012 14:51:00 +0000

USDA’s Supply Demand Report indicated that corn processing for ethanol purposes would not increase much from the 2011 to the 2012 crop, according to a report by Illinois blogger Stu Ellis (http://www.farmgateblog.com).

Quick Facts 2012 Provides Pork Answers Fast

Tue, 15 May 2012 13:34:00 +0000

Want to know about the power of pork for healthy eating? Curious about how many meals can be supplied from one pig? Looking for more details about how pork producers are protecting the environment?

You can find answers to these and many other pork questions inQuick Facts: The Pork Industry at a Glance book, which has been updated for 2012. This user-friendly, 120-page online guide offers accurate, informative updates ranging from how pigs are raised today to a breakdown of the industry’s latest pork stats.

National Hog Farmer May 2012

Tue, 15 May 2012 04:00:00 +0000

The May 2012 issue of National Hog Farmer magazine takes a look at the current state of the U.S. pork industry, delving into topics such as slaughter capacity projections and gestation housing options. Read about the Masters of the Pork Industry. The individuals in this handpicked group of pork industry leaders share inspring stories about their career journeys. Get an update on manure pit foaming research and learn about smartphone technology targeted toward the pork industry.

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USDA Crop Projections Ease Feed Cost Concerns

Mon, 14 May 2012 20:29:00 +0000

Steve Meyer, Paragon Economics, Inc., Adel, IA

Last week’s Crop Production and World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) reports provided some much-needed good news for livestock and poultry production costs going into the 2012-13 crop year. The WASDE contained USDA’s first official estimates of the coming crops and potential usage of those supplies.

Iowa Pork Boosts Support for Student Learning Center

Mon, 14 May 2012 18:45:00 +0000

The Iowa Pork Producers Association (IPPA) has increased its support for a new student learning facility at Iowa State University.

The association’s $400,000 gift commitment — half announced last fall and the other half approved by the IPPA board in February — will help establish the Jeff and Deb Hansen Agriculture Student Learning Center on land south of campus.

Fine-Tuned Breeding Can Boost Farrowing Results

Mon, 14 May 2012 17:17:00 +0000

By Ron Ketchem and Mark Rix, Swine Management Services LLC, Fremont, NE

This fifth and final article in this series focuses on the impact that artificial insemination (AI) technicians can have on farrowing rate and total pigs born when day of the week and hour of the day that insemination took place are known.

Ag Groups Call for Quick Action on Farm Bill