Dr. Pearse Lyons and Dr. Mark Lyons took the stage this morning at the Alltech Global Dairy & Beef Conference. I had the opportunity to speak with both of them together during a break. Dr. Pearse Lyons says they used to call this the Global 500 but attendance has continued to grow beyond that number. There are dairy farmers here … Read More
Listening to What PEDv is Saying
Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea virus (PEDv) is a wake up call for the United States swine industry and we better listen, according to Dr. Dale Polson with Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica (BIVI) who spoke to producers meeting last week in North Carolina for a swine health seminar. “We’ve got some things we’ve got to get in order in terms of risk of … Read More
Impact of Stress on Gut Health in Swine
Stress is an important factor which it comes to gastrointestinal (GI) diseases in both animals and humans, as anyone with ulcers can attest. Dr. Adam Moeser with North Carolina State University spoke at the Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica (BIVI) Swine Health Seminar last week about how stress factors can specifically have an influence on how swine react to pathogens. “We know … Read More
Pork Economic Situation and Outlook
The record yields and production predicted for the U.S. corn crop this year have good potential to get even bigger, according to livestock economist Steve Meyer, Paragon Economics. “It just looks very good … we’re looking at a great crop,” said Meyer at the Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica North Carolina Swine Health Seminar last week. “Based on history, the two years … Read More
Vaccine Options for PEDv
Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDv) was the primary topic of presentations at the Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica (BIVI) North Carolina Swine Health Seminar last week and veterinary pathologist Dr. Steven Krakowka discussed what they have learned so far from the genomic study of the disease. Looking down the road toward vaccination options, Krakowka said the best approach is to study disease … Read More
PEDv Transmission Research
As Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea virus (PEDv) spread rapidly throughout the swine producing areas after it was introduced to the United States last year, a key to controlling the disease has focused on how it is spread. At the Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica Swine Health Seminar in North Carolina last week, Bob Morrison with the University of Minnesota said they recently concluded … Read More
Going to Alltech Global Beef & Dairy
In just a few weeks I’ll be on the agriblogging highway to France prior to the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists Congress in Scotland. Thank you Alltech for bringing me to the Normandy region for their annual Global Dairy and Beef Conference and the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. During the recent Ag Media Summit I visited with Alltech’s Ann … Read More
PED Diagnostics Update
The U.S. hog industry has learned a great deal about Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDv) since it was first discovered here in the spring of 2013 and producers got an update on that during the Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica North Carolina Swine Health Seminar this week. Dr. Rodger Main, Director of Operations for the Iowa State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, says … Read More
BIVI CEO Kissel Meets North Carolina Hog Producers
Dr. Albrecht Kissel moved from his native Germany to Missouri in 2011 to become the president and CEO of Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica (BIVI) and this year he had the chance to attend the company’s annual North Carolina Swine Health Seminar. Trained as a veterinarian, Kissel has been with BI since 1993 and he shared a little bit about BIVI and … Read More
Ditch the Rule at Missouri State Fair
Agriculture’s “Ditch the Rule” campaign against the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule was highlighted at the Missouri State Fair this week. Three members of Missouri’s congressional delegation held a press conference at the fair, organized by the the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), Missouri Cattlemen’s Association and Missouri Farm Bureau. Senator Roy Blunt (R-MO), … Read More