The Swine report

Capturing relative phenotypes to help us understand boar fertility

Amanda Minton, Associate Director of Reproductive Technology at Acuity Swine and Karl Kerns, Assistant Professor at Iowa State University, discuss capturing relative phenotypes to help us understand and ultimately improve boar fertility.

R&D: Understanding index distribution and accountability in competitive comparison

Justin Fix, Director of Business Development and Genetic Improvement with Acuity and Caleb Shull, Director of Research at The Maschhoffs discuss how genetic evaluation varies from nucleus to commercial production and how that variation creates a bias in data analysis.

MU Researchers Evaluating Pig Manure as Corn Fertilizer

Corn, one of the most common crops grown in the Midwest, requires a lot of fertilizer, which can have environmental consequences.Read More

Iowa Livestock Producers Increase Antibiotic Use

Data for 2024 show the use of antibiotics in chickens dropped by 50% over the last 7 years.Read More

NPPC Capital Update: Farm Bill Extension, Funding Measures, and Corporate Transparency Act Developments

Congress Returns to Address Funding and Farm Bills Congress has returned to Washington, DC, for a two-week session, aiming to pass another short-term funding measure and extend the 2018 Farm Bill through a continuing resolution before the December 20 deadline. The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) advocates for a new Farm Bill, emphasizing the importance of: Doubling USDA’s Market Access and Foreign Market Development Program funding. Supporting resources to protect the U.S. food supply from foreign animal diseases. Reauthorizing and increasing funding for the Feral Swine Eradication Program. Addressing issues related to California Proposition 12. The Farm Bill is critical as it shapes agricultural policy for the next five years, including disease prevention and export promotion programs. Court Halts Corporate Transparency Act A U.S. District Court has temporarily blocked enforcement of the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA), which required corporations, including pork operationsRead More