In the past 3-4 weeks I’ve given presentations to producers and their advisors at meetings in Indiana, Illinois, Missouri and Minnesota. At each of these sessions I’ve included a discussion of ventilation management strategies to reduce the likelihood of pig deaths associated with pit pumping activities. At each of these sessions, there were producers and advisors who have been involved in sudden pig deaths because of these activities.

As you gear up for the fall harvest season and the associated land application of stored manure, a reminder that some pre-planning may prevent both human and pig deaths associated with these activities.

In August of 2008, I was part of a webinar co-sponsored by the University of Minnesota and the Minnesota Pork Board. My topic was ventilation strategies for swine facilities during agitation and removal of stored manure. This webinar is archived and available for viewing at: http://www.extension.umn.edu/swine/porkcast/barnventilation.html .

Also available at this web address are fact sheets on recommended pumping guidelines, action plans and use of lock out tags for persons who might enter a facility during an agitation and/or pumping event. These lock out tags are designed to be hung from all entry points to prevent or at least reduce the likelihood of someone entering a facility during these activities.

These tags are available in both English and Spanish in any quantity for free from many state pork producer associations or from the National Pork Board at: http://www.porkstore.pork.org/producer/default.aspx?p=viewitem&item=NPB-02742&subno=&showpage=4&subcat=11 .