Animal Science - Sow Lifetime Productivity
Optimal dietary energy and protein for the development of gilts
August 13, 2014By Jeffrey Vallet
Sow longevity is a key component for efficient and profitable pig farming and efforts to improve it should start with the adequate management of replacement gilts. A key factor in gilt management is...
Animal Science - Swine Nutrition
The effect of regrinding major feed ingredients to improve pellet quality, pig performance and producer profitability
July 13, 2014By Mark Knauer
Industry Summary: Pelleting swine diets is a technology that is widely used in southeastern U.S. feed mills and gaining popularity in the Midwest. Yet, limited research has explored methods to...
Animal Science - Swine Nutrition
Validation of Digestible and Metabolizable Energy Prediction Equations, and Determination of Net Energy of Corn DDGS Sources Varying in Fat and Fiber Content in Growing Pigs
June 12, 2014By Brian Kerr
Use of alternative feedstuffs in feed formulation is increasingly important with elevated grain prices and the availability of alternative ingredients, largely corn-dried distillers grains with...
Animal Science - Swine Nutrition
The effects of disease challenge (PRRS) on pig growth and metabolic pathways
June 10, 2014By Nicholas Gabler
While significant advances have been made through research efforts to enhance the health, productivity, and well-being of swine, the detrimental effects associated with disease outbreaks remains a...
Animal Science - Sow Lifetime Productivity
Evaluation of a Physiological Test for Sow Longevity
June 4, 2014By W. L. Flowers
A gilt’s response to early boar exposure has been shown to be a viable option for estimating her lifetime productivity as a sow. Unfortunately, providing adequate boar exposure at...
Animal Science - Sow Lifetime Productivity
Development of Strategies to Improve Sow Productive Lifetime
June 1, 2014By Jason W. Ross
Numerous factors, including herd-life (length in days), removal parity, total piglets born and the number of piglets weaned, impact sow productive lifetime. Like many complex traits that are...
Animal Science - Sow Lifetime Productivity
Reproductive performance and longevity in replacement gilts allowed different amounts of floor space during the nursery phase of rearing
May 9, 2014By Mark Estienne
The annual replacement rate of commercial sows is 40 to 60% and for U.S. pork producers to remain globally competitive, research and technological advances are needed to increase sow lifetime...
Animal Science - Swine Nutrition
A longitudinal assessment of the impact PRRSV has on grow-finisher pig tissue accretion and digestibility in commercial production
April 23, 2014By Nicholas Gabler
This research examined the impact PRRSV infection had on grow-finisher gilt performance, apparent total tract digestibility and tissue accretion rates. Thirty littermate pairs of Choice Genetic...
Animal Science - Swine Nutrition
The effects of PRRSV infection in commercial pigs on growth performance, energy and nutrient digestibility
April 23, 2014By Nicholas Gabler
The research herein is an extension of the PRRS Host Genetics Consortium (PHGC), which is a national effort to identify genomic markers and host response pathways in response to PRRSV infection. The...
Animal Science - Swine Nutrition
Defining the energy content (DE, ME, and NE) of drought-stressed corn and identifying risk factors that lower energy
April 21, 2014By John Patience
Record-breaking heat and lack of rainfall during the 2012 growing season resulted in drastically reduced corn yield and the prospects of a very poor quality corn crop. Unfortunately, there was...
