Te 5,400-sq.-ft. display area was cosponsored by Deut sche Landwirtschafts-Gesellschaft (DLG), the German Agricultural Society, and Bauforderung Landwirtschaft (BFL), an organization representing agricultural and livestock building construction and optimization of livestock management conditions...More
January 1 is a landmark date for me. Not only does it usher in a brand spankin’ New Year, it also marks the anniversary of my joining the National Hog Farmer editorial staff. I’ve now rung in 39 new years here. With each, I make it a point to reflect on not only the past 12 months, but also my career...More
For this week’s column, we will focus on 22 farms where the artificial insemination (AI) staff records key reproductive performance indicators. This information was then run through two of Swine Management Services’ (SMS) specialized reports...More
Total litter recordings for all eight breeds in the National Association of Swine Records (NASR) reported a 4.2% increase in 2010, compared to the previous year...More
U.S. pork producers replace over half of the sows in the breeding herd with replacement gilts each year. It is extremely important that a high proportion of selected replacement gilts reach puberty at an early age, conceive and easily enter sow groups at weaning...More
Selecting structurally sound replacement gilts and maintaining acceptable reproductive rates are important factors in increasing average sow productive lifetime. Reproductive failure and lameness are the primary reasons young sows are culled...More
Sows are more productive today than ever before. However, continued improvements in sow lifetime productivity will maximize breeding herd profitability and minimize animal welfare concerns...More
The objective of this research was to identify genetic markers that would help predict first-parity reproductive and rebreeding performance. The goal is to improve the retention rate of gilts entering the breeding herd and their contribution to overall productivity...More
Currently, the majority of U.S., Canadian and European pork processors utilize either carcass ultrasound or optical probe measurements to predict carcass lean composition and carcass value. Fat-free lean percentage (FFL%) is an estimate of the amount of muscle tissue in a pork carcass...More
A cull sow carcass lean mass prediction equation using hot carcass weight and backfat depth could be used by processors to improve the efficiency of brat and sausage production and the development of other products...More
A high percentage of piglets become infected with porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) due to vertical transmission of the virus from sows to piglets during gestation...More
The PRRS Host Genetics Consortium (PHGC) has undertaken a major study of genetic resistance to porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) virus...More
Will the U.S. swine industry remain the research and production leader around the world, or will we cede this leadership role to other countries?...More
The Iowa Board of Regents of Iowa State University (ISU) Thursday approved the development of the first-ever Swine Medicine Education Center at ISU in Ames...More
For this review, we chose 22 farms in the database that recorded Semen Batch Code and AI Technician, and ran the data through two of Swine Management Service's (SMS) specialized reports, the In-Depth Breeding Analysis and the Breeding Technician Report. ......More
Preweaning mortalities represent a significant economic loss to the U.S. swine sector. PigChamp preweaning mortality records show U.S. sow herds averaged 12.2% in the first quarter of 2009...More
Healthy feet serve as the sturdy base on which sow productivity is built, according to experts speaking at the Feet First Sow Lameness Symposium II in Minneapolis, MN. And not all foot-related problems are readily apparent...More
Why do I think we are at a critical juncture for applied swine research in the US swine industry? Many of the reasons are obvious. There are fewer university swine research programs and the number continues to decline every year....More
Whether purchasing replacement gilts or producing them in an internal gilt multiplication program, the goal is to begin with females that possess all of the phenotypic traits that result in a robust sow that will remain in the breeding herd for a long, productive life...More
, the goals of the gilt development unit are not only to ensure that gilts are the proper breeding age and weight and have shown cycling activity, but it also provides a place for gilts to be acclimated (exposed and recovered to herd pathogens) without disrupting herd health stability...More
Interest in nutrition programs for developing gilts remains an area of focus for pork producers as sow lifetime productivity too often falls short of expectations. Because longevity is influenced by numerous overlaying variables, it is difficult to outline a single nutrition program that is best for all production systems...More
Management of gilts prior to breeding is critical to the success of the breeding farm. Gilts represent the future production of the herd, and optimizing their performance requires proper introduction...More
There are two basic options for acquiring the replacement gilts needed to sustain a commercial sow herd — purchase from a genetic supplier or develop an internal multiplication program...More
Cargill Pork and Cargill Animal Nutrition business units of Cargill, Inc. have joined forces to open the Cargill Sow Innovation Center in Sugar Grove, KY, to support the company’s efforts in animal welfare and pork production...More
