As autumn arrives Alltech is encouraging swine producers to keep air quality in check as they prepare their facilities for the change in seasons. “Just as with the summer heat, the fall/winter season also requires proper ventilation,” said Russell Gilliam, U.S. swine business manager for Alltech. “During colder months, a balance to keep air moving, without causing abnormal temperature changes … Read More
The Prevention vs. Treatment Game
Evaluating the performance of a pig is a key element in good health management. Enteric Technical Manager for Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedia, Inc. (BIVI), Jessica Seate, said the best thing a producer can do is become an investigator. Finding a diagnosis with your vet before you make changes to your protocol should be the first thing producers do. I sat down … Read More
Antibiotic Usage in Swine During Changing World
Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc. hosted media in St. Paul, MN this weekend to talk about how proven prevention drives the use of less antibiotics. Dr. Mike Eisenmenger, Swine Vet Center, spoke on how to drive pig performance in today’s world of antibiotic usage. “Instead of just saying our overall goal is to use less antibiotics at all costs, we are … Read More
Merck Introduces First Injectable Ileitis Vaccine
Merck Animal Health is pleased to introduce PORCILIS™ ILEITIS. This vaccine is the first that offers a 20-week duration of immunity (DOI) for control of ileitis caused by Lawsonia intracellularis. Ileitis impacts the health and performance of finishing pigs; on average diminishing daily gain by 38 percent and feed efficiency by 27 percent. Given as a single, intramuscular vaccination to … Read More
Thermo Fisher USDA-licensed Test for Swine Flu Virus
Thanks to Thermo Fisher, pork producers now have access to a comprehensive diagnostic kit designed to test production animals for swine influenza virus (SIV) subtypes with the launch of the VetMAX™-Gold SIV Subtyping Kit, the industry’s only USDA approved, real-time PCR test of its kind. Swine have a unique role in the transmission of influenza viruses among species. They are … Read More
Swine Conference to Address Feed Efficiency
Kansas State University and Iowa State University have joined forces to put on the International Conference on Feed Efficiency in Swine in Omaha, Nebraska, Oct. 21-22, 2015. “We’re excited to bring together swine producers – owners and managers – with scientists, from geneticists to nutritionists and extension specialists, to discuss a wide range of topics related to feed efficiency, including making … Read More
Fostera® PCV MetaStim® Now Available from Zoetis
Zoetis has announced the availability of Fostera® PCV MetaStim®. The monovalent killed virus vaccine that helps protect against porcine circovirus associated diseases (PCVAD) caused by porcine circovirus Type 2 (PCV2) has been updated with the commonly used adjuvant known as MetaStim. MetaStim, the common name for the SP (squalane, Pluronic®) oil adjuvant, is an emulsion used in vaccines to help … Read More
Interpreting the FDA Veterinary Feed Directive
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently published a new final rule amending the veterinary feed directive (VFD) drugs section of the Animal Drug Availability Act of 1996 that will take effect in October and hog farmers, like all livestock producers, are trying to find out what it means for them. Dr. Harry Snelson with the American Association of Swine … Read More
Targeting Excellence in Swine
A non-profit is looking to feed the expected 9 billion people by the middle of this century by educating animal agriculture students. During the recent BIVI Summer Swine Health Seminar, Chuck caught up with David Funderburke, a swine consultant, who helped start Targeting Excellence. “The idea is to bring together production systems in food animal production with universities and agribusinesses … Read More
Diversity Emerging in Swine Diseases
Add IAV-S to the list of letters that are being used to identify swine diseases. Never heard of that one before the Boehringer Ingelheim (BIVI) North Carolina swine seminar last week. It stands for Influenza A Virus for Swine. “In general, the reason that we’re even utilizing a different term for influenza infections in swine is to represent the accuracy … Read More