Swine Extension

Congratulations to the following swine faculty and educators from the swine Extension team who have had their work published recently. Kerr, B. J., Hung, Y. T., Chen, C., & Shurson, G. C. (2026). Aldehydes are key for assessing dietary lipid oxidation and subsequent effects on pig growth performance. Journal of Animal Science , 104, Article skaf407. Doi: 10.1093/jas/skaf407. Meneguzzi, M., Bravo, J., Gaire, T. N., Ferm, P. M., Torremorell, M. , Boucher, C. & Noyes, N. (2025). Enriched Long-Read Sequencing of Co-circulating Viruses in Complex Samples . Molecular Biology and Evolution , 42(11), Article msaf261, doi: 10.1093/molbev/msaf261. Springer, N. P., Urriola, P. E. , Peloton, R. E. O., Dhar, A. R. Schmitt, J., & Shurson, G. C. (2026). Explaining global variation in life-cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from soybeans and soybean meal: a systematic review. Agricultural Systems , 233, article 104559. Doi: 10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104559. Zhang, J. W., Yao, D., Shurson, ...

Farming can be a stressful occupation. Farmers need to take care of themselves and their families. Minnesota has numerous resources to help those coping with farm and rural stress. Minnesota Farm and Rural Helpline Phone: 833-600-2670 for a 24/7 confidential and free chat with trained staff and volunteers Text: FARMSTRESS to 898211 Email: farmstress@state.mn.us Free, confidential, 24/7. If you or someone you know is struggling with stress, anxiety, or depression, reach out to the Minnesota Farm and Rural helpline. Trained counselors answer calls, and sometimes it’s easier to talk to someone you don’t know. And if you are experiencing business, financial, or legal problems, they can connect you to that kind of help. Minnesota Agricultural Mental Health Specialists Minnesota also has three Rural Mental Health Counselors who work with farmers throughout Minnesota. No cost and no paperwork! Monica McConkey: 218-280-7785; monicamariekm@yahoo.com Jennifer Vaughn: 218-820-6626; jennifervaughn...

February 2026 Feb. 4: SowBridge program -  “The role of specialized people in reducing sow mortality” by Carlos Roudergue of Country View Family Farms Feb. 6 - Labor strategies for farm sustainability , Zoom Feb. 10-11: MN Pork Congress , Mankato, MN Feb. 20-21: Multi-generational farm transition retreat , Mankato, MN March 2026 March 4: SowBridge program -  “New WorldScrewworm - what to look for?” by Sonja Swiger and Phillip Kaufman of Texas A & M University March 13-14: Multi-generational farm transition retreat , St. Cloud, MN March 25: Farm transition and estate planning , Mabel, MN April April 1: SowBridge program - “Managing large litters” by Abigail Jenkins of Tosh Farms May May 6: SowBridge program - “When to process piglets in relation to survival?” by Chris Puls of United Animal Health

By Yuzhi Li, professor of swine behavior and welfare, University of Minnesota West Central Research and Outreach Center. The Challenge Organic pig producers face significant economic pressure from two key inputs: high-cost organic feed (primarily corn and soy) and expensive bedding materials (like wheat straw). The market for these inputs is often volatile, making long-term financial planning difficult. A newly completed study (Li et al., 2025) evaluated how integrating winter hybrid rye as a dual-purpose crop could reduce production costs, using the grain as a partial feed replacement and the straw for bedding. The Study at a Glance The two-year study was conducted on organic land at the University of Minnesota, where winter hybrid rye was grown for pig feed and bedding. A feeding trial compared a conventional organic system with an integrated hybrid rye system: Control System: Pigs were fed a standard organic corn-soybean meal diet and bedded with purchased organic wheat straw. Inte...