Feedstuffs in Focus

The American Egg Board has a number of strategic priorities in place for 2024. They include the assessment of new revenue streams, food chain outreach and engagement as well as the development of new farmer support resources. Big things also are already in the works around this year’s Easter Egg Roll at the White House, including taking it beyond Washington, D.C. This episode is being brought to y...

Sustainable livestock systems can contribute to climate action in several ways, including the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, improvement of resource efficiency, enhancement of carbon sequestration and minimization of environmental impacts. At the same time, there needs to be recognition of the role of livestock in meeting the public’s dietary needs.  What is at stake? How important is coll...

Amid narrow views about cows and climate change, there is an important conversation to be had. A conversation about the role cows play in our daily lives and world around us. A conversation about the what if … what if there were no more cows?  Joining us on this episode is Dr. Mark Lyons, Alltech president and CEO.  We caught up with Dr. Lyons during the International Production and Processing Exp...

The U.S. in recent years has seen some of the worst hatchability numbers since the late 1980s.  The U.S. Department of Agriculture in January 2024  reported average hatchability at 79.6%. There are many factors in play, in the barn and the hatchery, that can impact hatchability. Some blame poor fertility and embryo mortality, while others consider more management-related issues. Regardless, the ca...

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) is a significant disease and cost the swine industry some $660 million annually. For multiple decades, the industry has had its hands tied when it comes to PRRS but new research out of Pipestone shows that may no longer be the case, and in fact, producers may now the ones in charge of the virus Joining us to share newly released details on a stu...

The International Production & Processing Expo, also known as IPPE, is held annually in Atlanta, Ga. This year’s event is set for Jan. 30-Feb. 1 and will offer the largest trade show floor space ever and more than 80 hours of dynamic education sessions focused on current industry issues.  Joining  Feedstuffs editor Sarah Muirhead in this episode of Feedstuffs in Focus to talk about IPPE and ev...

The National Pork Board collaborates with third-party experts to analyze both micro and macro-economic implications related to the challenging business landscape that American pig farmers confront. Accordingly, NPB’s producer-led board of directors allocates Pork Checkoff funds judiciously, focusing on short- and long-term demand creation strategies to enhance the value of pork and overcome barrie...

Today's hog market is challenging, making profitability even more critical. Under such conditions, robust, full-value pigs can make all the  difference. So how best to navigate to ensure your herd has the advantage of profitability?  Joining Feedstuffs editor Sarah Muirhead to talk pig survivability and efficiency among the TN Duroc line is Matt Schulte, meat scientist with Topigs Norsvin. Am...

There are businesses and organizations with advice, leadership and tools available to be a third-party in difficult situations.  In this episode, Feedstuffs' Sarah Muirhead talks with Mary Preisler, program director, Farmer Lender Mediation Program, based in Minnesota, and Eric Osterhaus, lead advisor and firm principal with Pinion. Among other things, the strive to instill hope within the ag...

Soybean meal contains functional bioactive molecules that can help mitigate swine respiratory disease (SRD) effects on pig growth and development. Feeding elevated soybean levels can be especially cost-effective during winter/spring seasons, when barns are closed tight and SRD is more typically a challenge for veterinarians and producers to overcome.  In this episode, Feedstuffs' Ann Hess tal...

There is no right answer when it comes to porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome, but controlling the virus in the early days requires PRRSv herd stabilization and herd closure to be part of the conversation.  In this episode, Dr. Paul Yeske, Swine Vet Center, walks us through different strategies producers can use in the field to control and eliminate PRRS L1C. Our Ann Hess sat down with D...

Recent changes to animal food regulations and how such changes could affect the animal food industry in 2024 are among those topics on the minds of today’s animal food facility managers and operation/mill personnel. The big question being, of course, is how these latest regulatory requirements might impact business and the feed industry overall.  With us in this episode of Feedstuffs in Focus to t...

What are the pressing issues for the animal feed and pet food industries as 2023 wraps up and we move into 2024.  Rachael Dettmann Spiegel, a food lawyer with Faegre Drinker in Minneapolis, shares her insight on what to expect. To date, she says there has been an increase inspections and enforcement on the part of the Food & Drug Administration in this post-COVID era. In particular, she says,...

National Pork Board helps producers protect their freedom to operate during these difficult times by continuing to focus on its research, education and promotion mandate. Now, more than ever, NPB’s work is to drive domestic and international market demand, to better understand and overcome the barriers that prevent demand growth. Joining us on this episode to share domestic market growth strategie...

California’s Proposition 12, which restricts gestation crate usage and requires 24 square feet of space per sow, has been a hot topic of conversation in swine circles since the Supreme Court upheld the law earlier this year. While some producers swear they won’t make the change on their farms, other states are following in California’s steps. A similar law approved by Massachusetts voters in 2016...

Separating farming and non-farming assets between heirs, bringing in outside investors and management, and preparing for life’s unexpected challenges are just a few of the issues to consider when building a succession plan for your farming operation.  Joining our Ann Hess to walk us through various succession planning scenarios and to discuss opportunities and challenges within each plan is Jim Ma...

Production costs continue to climb across the swine industry, and the health costs associated with porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome only make it worse. PRRS is estimated to cost the industry $1.8 million per day. Host Sarah Muirhead talks with Dr. Katie Coleman from Iowa Select Farms to discuss how Iowa Select reduced PRRS incidence by more than 90% in affected barns, without building...

There are plenty of diseases that can affect a production system, but what happens when the standard culprits don’t show up on a diagnostics test?  Host Sarah Muirhead sits down with Dr. Tom Petznick of ArkCare to discuss lessons learned in uncovering and controlling porcine sapovirus. They discuss:  Realizing he was dealing with a new challenge Next generation gene sequencing Treatments for a lit...

Good help can be difficult to secure for your ranch, and that makes finding ways to maximize animal performance with less labor input even more important to your bottom line.  Joining us on this segment of Feedstuffs in Focus to explain how labor efficiency can be maximized through feed is Dusty Abney, Ph. D., with Cargill Animal Nutrition.   This podcast is brought to you by Cargill Animal Nutrit...

Can animal welfare practices be related to gut health, and how can improvements in gut health contribute to overall animal welfare? Joining Feedstuffs’ Ann Hess today to share her expertise on animal welfare is Dr. Jennifer Walker. Dr. Walker is Co-Founder and Chief Animal Welfare Officer at Kinder Ground and Director of Quality and Care for Danone North America where she is responsible for managi...

“There is no such thing as normal diarrhea.” This comes from someone who has dedicated nearly 40 years to controlling and establishing immunity to ileitis, a leading cause of diarrhea in pigs.  Host Sarah Muirhead speaks with Dr. Nate Winkelman from Swine Services Unlimited about practical strategies and lessons learned for controlling Lawsonia . They discuss:  Costs of Lawsonia  to a system Why i...

The quality of animal drinking water has been historically overlooked in production systems. The good news is that is changing and more attention is starting to be paid on-farm to water quality and quantity. Joining us to share her expertise on water is Dr. Susan Watkins. Dr. Watkins is a distinguished professor emeritus of the University of Arkansas’s Division of Agriculture Cooperative Extension...

In an industry where health challenges can determine the difference between profitability and loss, why not eliminate a challenge when you can?  Host Sarah Muirhead sits down with Dr. Amy Maschhoff from The Maschhoffs LLC System to discuss practical strategies, lessons and benefits seen from eliminating M. Hyo , a common cause of coinfections. They discuss:  Costs of mycoplasma to a system Lessons...

Industry disruptors. Those people, those companies and that technology that are changing things up and bringing forward new ideas and often times new solutions for agriculture.  Joining us on this episode of Feedstuffs in Focus is a leading disruptor in the agricultural input sector. The company is Phinite and has developed an innovative approach to animal manure. Jordan Phasey, founder and CEO of...

When it comes to animal welfare, the rules and regulations can often be vague and hard to keep up with. How best to sort through it all and make sure your operation is in compliance, particularly with Prop 12 on the horizon come January 2024? During this week’s Allen D. Leman Swine Conference we caught up with Jason McAlister, President and CEO of CloverLeaf Animal Welfare Systems, to get a status...