Health

NPPC Corrects Antibiotic Misinformation

Mon, 21 May 2012 15:30:00 +0000

The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) fired back last week at a media event sponsored by the PEW Campaign on Human Health and Industrial Farming in Washington, DC.

The event attempted to show that there is abuse of antibiotics in livestock and it is causing more antibiotic resistance.

African Swine Fever Represents Growing Global Threat

Fri, 18 May 2012 15:50:00 +0000

Scientists from around the world came to Kansas State University’s Biosecurity Research Institute (BRI) May 15-17 to take a global look at the highly contagious viral disease, African swine fever (ASF). The researchers assembled to give updates on research and in some cases, the status of ASF in their countries.

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.

Air Filtration Offers Long-Term PRRS Protection

Thu, 10 May 2012 22:31:00 +0000

A long-term sustainability study of air filtration was completed recently to assess its value in reducing the occurrence of new infections by porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS).

Thirty-eight herds were studied at three different levels from September 2008 to January 2012 including the likelihood of infection in filtered and non-filtered herds.

Results indicate that new PRRS virus infections in filtered barns were significantly lower than in non-filtered control herds.

Pork Board Releases Sow Injection Technique Fact Sheet

Thu, 10 May 2012 13:50:00 +0000

The National Pork Board has published a fact sheet, Proper Injection-Site Protocols to Prevent Violative Residues in Sows, to educate producers on proper injection technique to increase product efficacy and absorption, while reducing injection-site reactions, broken needles and residues.

The fact sheet describes proper injection site selection and injection techniques to prevent broken needles and violative residues in sows.

Recognizing the Importance of Animal Health to Public Health

Tue, 08 May 2012 16:52:00 +0000

A number of activists, consumer groups, politicians, scientists and stakeholders all want to make significant changes to livestock production practices.

These changes include modification of stocking densities, limitations on use of antibiotics and requirements for access to the outdoors.

At the same time, consumers want virtually risk-free food and their belief is that food safety should be addressed on farms as well as during processing.

Recognizing the Importance of Animal Health to Public Safety

Tue, 08 May 2012 14:58:00 +0000

A number of activists, consumer groups, politicians, scientists and stakeholders all want to make significant changes to livestock production practices.

These changes include modification of stocking densities, limitations on use of antibiotics and requirements for access to the outdoors.

At the same time, consumers want virtually risk-free food and their belief is that food safety should be addressed on farms as well as during processing.

How to Manage Recycling Females to Improve Farrowing Rate, Total Pigs Born

Mon, 07 May 2012 18:03:00 +0000

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

In this fourth in a series of articles on the impact of artificial insemination (AI) technicians on farrowing rate and total pigs born, we have separated out information on the effect of female returns to estrus on total born and number of pigs born alive

Links between Animal Health and Food Safety Explored

Fri, 04 May 2012 15:33:00 +0000

The head of Purdue University's Department of Animal Sciences was on a team of experts that examined the relationship between the health of agricultural animals and consumers' increasing demand for safe food. The report will be released Monday (May 7) in Washington, DC. Alan Mathew co-wrote "Healthy Animals Make Confident Consumers" with five other members of a task force organized by the nonprofit Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST).

New Foot-and-Mouth Disease Vaccine Soon to be Licensed

Thu, 03 May 2012 17:18:00 +0000

U.S. scientists have spent several years developing a vaccine for foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), one of the world’s most contagious animal viruses that could cost the U.S. economy more than $50 billion, experts estimate.

The vaccine is expected to be licensed within the next several months.