Swine Extension

By Diane DeWitte, UMN Extension swine educator Written for submission to The LAND - as September 12, 2025 Swine & U column Memorial Day 2025 was going so well, it was a beautiful day of clear air, high clouds, and the distant hum of field work…. until we got that call that the baling tractor was on fire. Thankfully, someone knew where to find a fire extinguisher, and no one was hurt. The tractor driver had unhooked the baler and driven away from it, and, although the new baling tractor needed work under the hood, everyone was okay, and the operation resumed when a different tractor was hooked up. On Memorial Day Tuesday, new fire extinguishers were placed in every tractor and truck. In fact, even I, a small-town-dwelling civilian, have secured a fire extinguisher for MY truck. Field fires are a fear and a certainty when fall farm work begins, and the reasonably inexpensive insurance of a fire extinguisher on board can mean the difference between an incident and a tragedy. NAT...

A few in-person Pork Quality Assurance Plus (PQA+) and Transport Quality Assurance (TQA) certification sessions are scheduled for 2025. The sessions include the following dates and locations: Nov. 11 : Mankato, MN - Minnesota Pork Office, 151 Saint Andrews Court, Suite 810PQA+ certification is scheduled from 9 a.m. to noon and TQA from 1 to 4 p.m. at all locations unless noted otherwise. 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 of employees needing certification, please contact Colleen Carey at the Minnesota Pork Board office at 507-345-8814 or colleen@mnpork.com to schedule an alternative time for training. University of Minnesota Extension provides classes in partnership with the Minnesota Pork Board. PQA+ and TQA certification can be completed online in a self-paced course too. Your UMN Swine Extension Educators Sarah Schieck Boelke and Diane DeWitte can assist you in gaining ...

  Congratulations to the following swine faculty and educators from the swine Extension team who have had their work published recently. Li, Y. Z. , Kavanagh, M., Lazarus, W. F. , Lima, G., Hilbrands, A. M., Wilson, M., Garcia, A. G. Y., Tallaksen, J., & Johnston, L. J. (2025). Evaluating the economic viability of growing winter hybrid rye to feed and bed organic pigs. Frontiers in Animal Science , 6. Doi: 10.3389/fanim.2025.1566483. Melini, C. M., Kikuti, M., Torremorell, M. , VanderWaal, K., Rossow, S., Torrison, J., & Corzo, C. A. (2025). Evaluation of the infectivity of three porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) variants. Veterinary Research , 56(1), Article Number 158. Doi: 10.1186/s13567-025-01591-z. Mena-Vasquez, J., Marco-Fuertes, A., Culhane, M. , & Torremorell, M. (2025). Emerging threats of HPAI H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b in swine: knowledge gaps and the imperative for a One Health approach . Frontiers in Veterinary Science , 12, Article...

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 Jennifer: 218-820-6626 Tracie: 507-514-7057 University of Minnesota E...

September Sept. 17 - 18: Minnesota Nutrition Conference , Mankato, MN Sept. 20 - 23: Alan D. Leman Conference , St. Paul, MN October Oct. 1: SowBridge program - “Where’s the draft coming from?” November Nov. 5: SowBridge program - “Farrowing stall environment management” Nov. 11: PQA+ & TQA certification, Mankato, MN Nov. 18: PQA+ Advisor certification , Mankato, MN December Dec. 3: SowBridge program - “Heat synchronization protocols” January 2026 Jan. 7: SowBridge program - “Treating sows according to farm SOP”

Episode 47: Formaldehyde-based feed sanitizers in sow feed is now available on our Minnesota Swine & U podcast channel. In the podcast, Swine Extension Educator Sarah Schieck Boelke speaks with Sara Williams, who recently completed her master's of science degree in Animal Science with an emphasis in Swine Nutrition from the University of Minnesota's Department of Animal Science. Sara’s MS research involved formaldehyde-based feed sanitizers in sow feed to reduce pathogens. Her research gives some promising results on this topic. Listen to episode 47 podcast (~12 Minutes; recorded August 13, 2025). Learn more about formaldehyde-based feed sanitizers in sow feed featured in the podcast Abstract published in Journal of Animal Science, Volume 103, Issue Supplement 1. doi: 10.1093/jas/skaf102.313 .