| |
Big Guys
Announce Sow Herd Cuts, Others Wait
Tyson announced last week that it was reducing its
breeding herd by 20,000 sows over the next 10 weeks. The reductions
will come in Arkansas and Missouri and were attributed to weakness in
the market for weaned pigs and feeder pigs. Tyson primarily sells pigs
to feeders in the upper Midwest and then buys those pigs back for its
slaughter operations.
This announcement comes on the heels of Smithfield’s June announcement
that it intends to remove another 27,000 sows, mainly in the Texas
Panhandle. Those sows were part of Premium Standard Farms, which
Smithfield acquired in 2006. Few of those pigs were processed in
Smithfield plants.
These actions give rise to the following questions: “Why do companies
feel it’s necessary to make these announcements?” and, “Do they
help or hinder an overall reduction in the sow herd?”
FULL ARTICLE
|
Number of
Matings, Services Impacts Reproductive Performance
To continue our review on improving farrowing rate, we
will take a closer look at how the number of matings (per heat cycle) or
number of services (repeat cycles) affects this key performance
indicator. At the outset, we have broken the data out by the number of
matings or number of services, by parity. It is important to look at
how this number affects farrowing rate, total pigs born/female, and
total liveborn pigs/female.
Although most recordkeeping systems allow you to enter all breeding
information, it is sometimes very difficult to retrieve the data needed
for effective analysis. Critical information that must be recorded
includes all the matings, identity of AI technician, boar identification
or semen batch code, and the time of day the insemination took place –
in military time – not just AM or PM. This detailed information is
needed to fine-tune breeding procedures and culling decisions.
FULL ARTICLE
|
FDA Calls
for Ban on Antibiotics for Growth Promotion
Dr. Joshua Sharfstein of the Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) in testimony before the House Rules Committee announced that FDA
supports “ending the use of antibiotics for growth and feed efficiency
in the United States.” Sharfstein also stated that FDA believes all
medications used in animal agriculture should be “under the
supervision of a veterinarian.” This is a major change in policy by
the FDA. The House Rules Committee hearing was regarding H.R. 1549, the
“Preservation of Antibiotics for Medical Treatment Act of 2009,”
which would ban the use of antibiotics for livestock except when the
animal is sick. Congresswoman Louise Slaughter (D-NY), chairwoman of
the committee and sponsor of H.R. 1549, said, “When we go to the
grocery store to pick up dinner, we should be able to buy our food
without worrying that eating it will expose our family to potentially
deadly bacteria that will no longer respond to our medical treatments.
Unless we act now, we will unwittingly be permitting animals to serve as
incubators for resistant bacteria.” The witnesses who endorsed the
bill included the Pew Environment Group, Union of Concerned Scientists,
Chipotle Mexican Grill, Bon Appétit, and the Center for Metagenomics
and Human Health. Last year Congressman Leonard Boswell (D-IA)
presented testimony on the House Agriculture Committee’s review of
this issue. Boswell stated: “All antibiotics used to keep animals
healthy have passed the in-depth FDA process, and have been shown to be
safe and effective and have undergone review of their potential to cause
increased antibiotic resistance.” Boswell also told the committee
that if H.R. 1549 is enacted and products are removed from use,
“livestock producers will be left with few, if any, medicines to
prevent and control animal disease.”
FULL ARTICLE
|
Animal
Health Coalition Opposes Antibiotic Ban
The Coalition for Animal Health is voicing its opposition
to HR 1549, “Preservation
of Antibiotics for Medical Treatment Act of 2009,” which was
discussed at a House of Representatives Rules Committee hearing last
week.
The bill would change two key areas: “Critical Antimicrobial Animal
Drugs” and “Nontherapeutic Use” as they pertain to animal health,
according to the American Meat Institute (AMI).
The bill also rescinds the approval of seven “critical
antimicrobial animal drugs” unless the sponsor demonstrates a
reasonable certainty of no harm to human health from the development of
antimicrobial resistance from “nontherapeutic” use of the
drug.
FULL ARTICLE
|
July 23, 2009: Pork Checkoff strategic
planning meeting, Holiday Inn Convention Center, Omaha, NE; contact: the
National Pork Board at (800) 456-7675 or go to www.pork.org.
July 24, 2009: Pork Checkoff strategic planning
meeting, Indiana Pork Producers office, Indianapolis, IN; contact: the
National Pork Board at (800) 456-7675 or go to www.pork.org.
July 27, 2009: Pork Checkoff strategic planning
meeting, Sampson Community College, Clinton, NC; contact: the National
Pork Board at (800) 456-7675 or go to www.pork.org.
FULL ARTICLE
|
|
|
advertisement
FOR ROBUST RESULTS, GO TO THE SOURCE.
Our breeding technology is delivering what your operation demands, high
production results across a wide range
of environmental conditions. Count on the industry leader. Go to the
trusted source.
 |
BLUEPRINT
advertisement
Ileitis immunity is as easy as turning on the water.
Enterisol Ileitis protects your pigs with long-lasting immunity. It’s
there when you need it and it takes the guesswork out of ileitis
control. Now that’s what we call a liquid asset. Call Boehringer
Ingelheim at 1-800-325-9167.
 |
MAGAZINE HIGHLIGHTS
advertisement
Suvaxyn® PCV2 is proven to be a safe and efficacious way
to control circovirus. And it controls viremia, too. Suvaxyn PCV2 also
provides what no other circovirus vaccine can: the option of one- or
two-dose regimen to meet the needs of your operation. Either way,
you’ll take more pork to market. As your Fort Dodge representative or
your animal health supplier about Suvaxyn PCV2.
 |
POSTERS
SUBSCRIBER TOOLS
advertisement
Denagard® 10 plus CTC. The right choice at just the
right time.
 |
|
|
