Joe Dales's Blog (72)

Shic Global Disease Monitoring Report Renewed By Board

Since December 2017, more than 80 Global Swine Disease Monitoring Reports have been developed by a team at the University of Minnesota, now led by Dr. Maria Sol Perez Aguirreburualde. Funded by the Swine Health Information Center as part of its mission to identify emerging disease threats, the monthly reports are published in the SHIC newsletter and serve as a frequently accessed resource for the swine industry on the SHIC website. Reports are built with near real-time global surveillance of swine diseases for their content and rely on a network of global collaborators to expand and verify regional information. With renewal, the GSDMR will continue and expand in 2024 with a new online dashboard to display the global distribution of priority swine diseases in near real-time. The GSDMR uses a continually updated procedure of screening to identify and score swine disease related events that may represent a risk for the US swine industry and reports those results on a monthly basis. Both

4 Tips to Improve Sow Longevity Through Employee Training

Sow mortality continues to be a growing problem for U.S. swine producers. With already thin margins on sow farms, the ability to raise a gilt into a healthy third-parity sow is necessary to recoup the costs of her development. “Over the last handful of years, sow mortality has been excessive, but in 2023, it was particularly bad,” says Adam Gutierrez, senior account manager with Pharmgate Animal Health.  The latest MetaFarms reports show sow death loss in 2023 was at an all-time high at 15.3%. That’s up 1% from a year ago – a trend that continues to move in the wrong direction.  The trickiest part of sow mortality is that many factors contribute to it. Thankfully, through employee training, it’s easier to identify early illness and lameness. “Animal husbandry needs to be the No. 1 focus,” Brad Edkberg, business analyst at MetaFarms said in Sow Death Loss Reaches All-Time High in 2023: What Can Producers Do Now? “I think that's probably one of the lowest hanging fruits to improve so

New study highlights sustainability of Ontario fruits and vegetables

A new study shows that over the last two decades, Ontario’s fruit and vegetable growers have been widely adopting a range of practices that support sustainable local food production.

Ag in the House: April 15 – 19

Farmers are asked to fill pantries, but Bill C-234 prevents them from doing so, one Conservative MP told the House

Squeal on Pigs Manitoba Confident Feral Pigs will be Eliminated from Manitoba’s Landscape

The Coordinator of Squeal on Pigs Manitoba is confident the province's feral pig population will ultimately be eliminated.