From birth to weaning is the period in life when pigs are most fragile and in need of excellent care and management. On U.S. pig farms, approximately two pigs in each litter will die before weaning. This death loss limits farm profitability because there are fewer animals to sell. Moreover, the costs of rearing a sow (feed, veterinary supplies, etc.) are the same whether she weans 6, 8, or 10 pigs per litter. This workshop will teach management practices that help keep pigs alive and profits high. Includes classroom, hands-on learning activities and lunch.

African swine fever (ASF) is a highly contagious viral pig disease. It can spread very quickly in pig populations through direct or indirect contact. There is no vaccine or treatment available. There is no evidence that ASF can infect humans. The U.S. is an ASF-free region, but if an outbreak is suspected, then a veterinarian should be contacted immediately.

U.S. pork producers must take the necessary steps to protect their farms and the domestic pork industry from the threat of ASF. If a foreign animal disease such as ASF enters the U.S., it would likely eliminate our entire export market to zero for an unknown amount of time.

The U.S. Supreme Court at its March 25 conference agreed to hear a case brought by the National Pork Producers Council and the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) against California’s Proposition 12, which bans the sale of pork from hogs born to sows that weren’t raised according to the state’s “arbitrary” production standards.