Animal Well-being
Pattern of injury and death rates in transported early-weaned pigs: a retrospective study
June 14, 2005By Robert Morrison
The mean rate of injuries calculated in this population was only 0.45 pigs dead or injured per 1000 pigs transported, with only .09% dead or euthanized. This increased slightly during quarters 3 and...
Animal Well-being
Comparison of Housing Systems for Gestating Sows
June 8, 2005By John Deen
As expected, there are benefits and challenges to all the sow housing gestation systems studied. The aim of this study was to identify and understand these benefits and challenges of each gestation...
Swine Health - PRRS
Proof-of-Concept -Anti-Idiotype Induces Anti-PRRSV Neutralizing Antibodies in Swine
June 7, 2005By En-Min Zhou
PRRS is the most costly disease U.S. swine producers confront and little progress has been made in recent years to mprove the situation. In studying swine antibody responses, we discovered the...
Pork Quality
The Effect of Long Term Selection for Reduced Backfat and Increased Loin Muscle Area on Meat and Eating Quality Traits in Duroc Swine
May 28, 2005By Tom Baas
In order to remain competitive in the future, it is important that pork producers develop a way to differentiate their product. Fresh pork quality is continuing to become increasingly important and...
Swine Health - PRRS
Purified PRRS Viral Proteins
May 16, 2005By Laura Kakach
PRRS virus proteins that are immunogenic in pigs were expressed and purified. Nsp2p and nucleocapsid proteins are and will be available to PRRS researchers and can be used to detect exposure to PRRS...
Animal Well-being
Economic Analysis of Pig Space: Comparison of Production System Impacts
May 11, 2005By James Kliebenstein
Increasing concerns regarding the health and well-being of meat animals raised in confinement facilities have resulted in consideration of increasing the space allotment for animals. This research...
Swine Health - General Disease
Feasibility of DNA Vaccines for Eliciting Protection Against Pasteurella multocida and Bordetella bronchiseptica in Swine
April 29, 2005By Karen B. Register
The bacteria P. multocida and B. bronchiseptica are widespread and costly swine pathogens. They have multiple roles in respiratory disease and both contribute to complicated respiratory infections...
Swine Health - General Disease
An Assessment of Urinary Tract Infections in Sows
April 5, 2005By Glen Almond
Previous studies revealed that 22% to 40% of sows in confinement operations are affected with urinary tract infections (UTI), which contribute to sow mortality. This study was designed to determine...
Swine Health - PRRS
Sampling of adult boars during early infection using a new serum collection technique for PRRS PCR testing prior to semen collection
April 1, 2005By Darwin L. Reicks
In the study, serum had a higher quantity of virus than the blood swab samples as expected. The blood swab method can be done on boars each collection day, thus is user-friendly when compared with...
Pork Safety - Pre-Harvest
Use of molecular assays to assess Toxoplasma gondii burden in commercial meat samples
March 29, 2005By Joan K. Lunney
Preventing pork associated foodborne diseases is important to pork producers. Infection with the parasite, Toxoplasma gondii (Tg), is a known risk factor associated with pork consumption. Thus assays...
Public Health - Other
Quantifying Overland and Vertical Transport of Pathogens as Affected ByVegetated Buffer Strips
March 24, 2005By Adel Shirmohammadi
Animal Science
Litter Size Produced by Gilts Divergently Selected on Reproductive Components: Terminal Evaluation
February 25, 2005By Tim Safranski
The high prolificacy of the Meishan pig has been linked in part to the high placental efficiency (ratio of piglet weight to the weight of its placenta) displayed by its conceptuses. An early report...
