I spent time this week thinking about the housing and equipment needs of pigs as we take them to heavier slaughter weights. One item I reviewed was a history of US production averages. Read More...

Every year about this time I begin commenting on preparations for summer heat relief in grow-finish facilities. Today it is a little tougher to think about summer when parts of Minnesota had up to 20 inches of snow in the past 2 days and our local soil temperatures at the 4-6” depth are averaging in the low 40’s at best. Soil temperatures this morning at the University of Minnesota Southern Research and Outreach Center at Waseca were running about 38F and the Southwest Research and Outreach Center at Lamberton is reporting frost from 18-52” yet under bare ground. Read More...

With profits returning to the hog industry, producers with older facilities are making plans for repairs this coming summer season. I’ve talked with a number of producers this past week who have older curtain sided finishing barns who are planning on replacing the roof steel on the south side due to corrosion issues, especially on the SW quadrant of the facility. Read More...

With high temperatures predicted to be in the mid-70’s tomorrow in Southern Minnesota, many pork producers will be unprepared for change from winter to summer conditions. Fortunately, while the ventilation systems may not be fully prepped for their summer cycles, the physics of heat storage will keep pigs comfortable. Read More...

It has been a quiet week in my swine consulting business. As a result, I’ve had time to catch up on some of my reading of recently published scientific papers and conference proceedings. Read More...