Swine Extension

Reprinted as posted on Swine in Minnesota blog March 1, 2024 Bob Morrison’s Swine Health Monitoring Project (MSHMP) researchers Xiaomei Yue, Mariana Kikuti, Marcello Melini, Sarah Vadnais and Cesar A. Corzo share the results of their pilot study characterizing the current use of oral fluid sampling in U.S. pig production systems. Key points: 66 out of 67 respondents from 42 companies and clinics are familiar with or actively use oral fluid sampling for diagnostics. A total of 35%, 27% and 3% of the respondents collected oral fluids on a monthly, weekly and daily basis, respectively. Most (69%) respondents use one rope for every two pens while the median number of ropes per barn was 3. Continue to read about this research on the Swine in Minnesota blog post.

Organic pigs and rye research continues in its third year at the West Central Research & Outreach Center in Morris, MN. Please mark your calendar, for Thursday, May 30, for the next Organic Field Day in Morris. Watch the UMN Extension Swine Newsletter for further details as the time nears!

Reprinted as posted on Swine in Minnesota blog January 26, 2024 Rachel Schambow, Syed Hussain, Maria C. Antognoli, Silvia Kreindel, Raysa Reyes and Andres Perez evaluate contributing factors to the spread of ASF in the Dominican Republic in a collaborative study between the Center for Animal Health and Food Safety at the University of Minnesota, the USDA and the Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo. Key points:  155 ASF outbreaks were reported in the Dominican Republic from Nov. 2022-June 2023. Outbreaks were mainly reported in backyard farms and mostly located in the central provinces of the country, consistent with where most swine production occurs. Lack of biosecurity, management practices and proximity to neighboring outbreaks are implicated in ASF spread. Continue to read about this research on the Swine in Minnesota blog.

 By Diane DeWitte, UMN Extension swine educator Originally printed in The LAND - as March 1, 2024, Swine & U column Spring’s coming and a young farmer’s heart turns to …..manure?!? Maybe your manure plan involves fall application, but as the soils thaw and the tiles begin to run, it’s a good idea to review a few environmental protection habits that will help keep nutrients where they belong.   University of Minnesota Extension provides good resources for nutrient application calculation and groundwater and shoreland protection at its manure management website. Extension’s manure management specialist Melissa Wilson and manure management crops educator Chryseis Modderman provide the latest best management practices for manure application in our Land of 10,000 Lakes and 8.9 million pigs.   APPLICATION TIMING The best time to apply manure is dependent on farm logistics, weather, soil conditions and a producer’s willingness to take risks. UMN Extension recommends applying manure in th

The Real Pork Trust Consortium  (RPTC) is a team of scientists from multiple universities striving to listen to and answer consumer questions about pork and pork production. We are proud to have two University of Minnesota swine faculty on the RPTC team. They are Pedro Urriola and Jerry Shurson. The team is focused on building trust so consumers can make informed decisions about the food they eat through cutting-edge research, communicating research results so all can comprehend and increase their knowledge, and training a future workforce and pork industry prepared to partner with consumers to ensure a sustainability future for us all. Learn more about the Real Pork Trust Consortium.

A few in-person Pork Quality Assurance Plus (PQA+) and Transport Quality Assurance (TQA) certification sessions are being scheduled this year. The sessions scheduled in 2024 include the following dates and locations: March 5 - Mankato, MN - MN Pork Board Office, 151 St. Andrews Ct., Ste 810 June 12 - Lafayette, MN - Lafayette Community Center, 540 7th St. August 13 - Morris, MN - UMN West Central Research & Outreach Center, 46352 State Hwy 329. November 5 - Mankato, MN - MN Pork Board Office, 151 St. Andrews Ct., Ste 810 December 17 - Preston, MN - Fillmore County Office Building, 902 Houston St. NW PQA+ certification is scheduled from 9 a.m. to noon and TQA from 1 to 4 p.m. at all locations unless noted otherwise. Pre-registration is required by contacting Colleen at Minnesota Pork Board at colleen@mnpork.com or by calling 507-345-8814. If you need to renew your PQA+ or TQA certification and a date listed above does not accommodate your schedule, or if your farm has a large group

Congratulations to the following swine faculty and educators from the swine Extension team who have had their work published recently. Balestreri, C., Schroeder, D. C., Sampedro, F., Marques, G., Palowski, A., Urriola, P. E. , van de Ligt, J. L. G., Yancy, H. F., & Shurson, G. C. (2024). Unexpected thermal stability of two enveloped megaviruses, Emiliania huxleyi virus and African swine fever virus, as measured by viability PCR. Virology Journal, 21(1), Article Number 1. Doi: 10.1186/s12985-023-02272-z. Lee, E., Shurson, G. , Oh, S. H., & Jang, J. C. (2024). The Management of Food Waste Recycling for a Sustainable Future: A Case Study on South Korea. Sustainability, 16(2) Article Number 854. Doi: 10.3390/su16020854. Sun, X., Dou, Z. X., Shurson, G. C. , & Hu, B. (2024). Bioprocessing to upcycle agro-industrial and food wastes into high-nutritional value animal feed for sustainable food and agriculture systems. Resources Conservation and Recycling, 201, Article Number 107

Farming can be a stressful occupation. It is important for farmers to take care of themselves and their families. Minnesota has numerous resources to help with 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 Minnesota also has two Rural Mental Health Counselors who work with farmers throughout Minnesota. No cost and no paperwork! Ted Matthews: 320-266-2390 Monica McConkey: 218-280-7785 The University of Minnesota Extension’s farm and rural stress programs offer resources for those dealing with farming’s current challenges and struggles.

March March 5: PQA+ & TQA Certification, Mankato, MN March 6: SowBridge program - “Managing sows in pens for alternative housing from weaning to breeding” April April 3: SowBridge program - “Barn equipment & ventilation fan maintenance" May May 1: SowBridge program - “Issues with successfully breeding gilts and sows” May 29: SowBridge program - “Herd veterinarians: what do they want to know?” June June 5 - 6: World Pork Expo , Des Moines, IA June 12: PQA+ & TQA Certification, Lafayette, MN July July 3: SowBridge program - “Implementing of precision feeding in the sow herd”

In the podcast, Swine Extension Educator Sarah Schieck Boelke speaks with pathologist and assistant professor Albert Canturri about his research on the detection of Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae in processing fluid. Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae is a bacterial pathogen of the respiratory tract of pigs. Listen to the podcast: z.umn.edu/SwinePodcastEpisode39  (recorded February 9, 2024)