Swine
All Swine Content
COVID-19 Tips for Farms and Ranches
Continuing to keep employees and family members healthy through the COVID-19 pandemic will require extra effort as you enter the busy time of fall harvest.
Being Vigilant of Livestock Property Security and Surveillance
Livestock producers have many daily responsibilities when it comes to caring for and protecting their animals. One responsibility is to remain vigilant regarding individuals that oppose the use of animals for food or other purposes.
Staying on Top of Employee Training
Employees are one of the most valuable assets to a successful farm. Successful farms implement on-boarding of new employees and provide continued training to ensure proficiency and consistency in job duties.
Creating a Secure Pork Supply Plan
African Swine Fever and preparing for foreign animal disease outbreaks is at the forefront of people’s minds. Your state animal health officials offer guidance for participating in the Secure Pork Supply (SPS) Plan. Let’s take a closer look at the critical steps in developing a personalized SPS Plan for Continuity of Business.
Get a Jump on Your PQA Internal Site Assessments
Spring is coming fast, so before planting gets underway take some time to conduct an internal site assessment as part of the PQA Plus Site Assessment criteria.
Reviewing Humane Euthanasia Protocols
Unresolvable health problems and injuries occur in pigs in every swine operation and having a plan in place to humanely deal with these issues is critical. This includes having a written protocol for timely euthanasia.
Preparing for a PQA Plus Site Assessment
The PQA Plus site assessment is an on-farm evaluation of a production site by a qualified PQA Plus Advisor. A review of standard operating procedures and office records, including caretaker training, animal observations, and the facilities will occur during the site assessment.
Pig Barn Turnover Rates: Challenges & Costs
Employee turnover is inevitable, but how managers respond to it and learn from it determines the resiliency of a pig barn’s future and the level of productivity that is achieved.
Test Emergency Backup Systems in the New Year
Animal care starts with having confidence in facilities and ventilation systems that safeguard health in all weather conditions. Testing emergency backup equipment at the start of a new year is a good preventative practice.
How Much Room Does a Pig Need?
Let’s take a moment to consider one of the animal observations from the Pork Quality Assurance Plus (PQA Plus) Site Assessment and its impacts. Recommendations exist in facility planning books about the square footage for an animal at each phase of production.