What is the future of SIV, or swine influenza virus? While most don’t know the path SIV will take for sure, Dr. Marie Culhane may be a better predictor of both due to her work on SIV. Dr. Culhane is an associate clinical professor with the University of Minnesota Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory and she gave a presentation on the Future …
Cheese and Wine Pairings to Rave About
This past weekend I attended Swine Link, a networking event held by women for women in the swine industry and sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim (BI). Joined by several swine vets and swine marketers and brand managers, the first day the group was hosted by Meredith Publishing and on Saturday night, the attendees were treated to a Wine and Cheese Pairings. …
Biosecurity – PEDv Update
Wonder what is happening with biosecurity in the swine industry? You can get the 411 from Dr. Lisa Becton, director of swine health information for the National Pork Board, who gave an in-depth presentation during Swine Link sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim. Becton discussed biosecurity as it relates to PEDv or the porcine epidemic diarrhea virus. PEDv was first confirmed in …
Two Chicks From the Sticks
Boehringer Ingelhiem held a Swine Link networking event in Des Moines, Iowa this weekend, for women from around the country working in the swine industry. During the first day, the group hung out at Meredith Publishing, the home of the famous test kitchens. While there the ladies were treated with a cooking demonstration from one of the authors of the cookbook, …
SwineLink – A Great Network for Women
I spent much of this weekend participating in a SwineLink network event in Des Moines, Iowa, an event for women in the swine industry that was sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim. I was surrounded by women, several who were swine vets and others working in other facets of the business, learning about how to succeed in a male dominated industry, tips …
Senators Question Smithfield Deal
The Senate Agriculture Committee on Wednesday took a look at the proposed sale of Smithfield Foods to Shuanghui International, which would be the largest acquisition of an American company by a Chinese company in history. Committee Chair Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) says the sale raises many questions about issues such as food safety, protection of intellectual property, and increased foreign ownership …
Waetke Joins The National Pork Board Team
The National Pork Board has named Kevin Waetke as vice president of strategic communications. Waetke recently served as external communications director for Aviva USA, moving to the National Pork Board on June 25. Waetke will play a critical role in defining and leading communications strategy and delivering clear and consistent messages to pork producers, opinion leaders, consumers and other key …
A Swinetiffic Relationship – Pork and Biofuels
Today is Iowa Swine Day (June 27) and the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA) is taking a time to show how renewable fuels production is boosting the profitability of raising hogs in Iowa. “On Iowa Swine Day, it’s important to remember that a strong renewable fuels industry means a strong hog industry here in Iowa,” said IRFA Executive Director Monte …
Getting More Nutrients From A Pig’s Diet
I caught up with Aidan Connolly, vice president of corporate accounts with Alltech, recently while he was in Des Moines, Iowa for the 25th Anniversary of the World Pork Expo. I peppered him with questions from feed prices to the importance of nutrients in the diet to some of the diseases the pork industry is addressing and got the low …
Industry Celebrates First Year of Feeding for 30
At World Pork Expo, Purina Animal Nutrition was celebrating the first anniversary of its Feeding for 30 program, adding new partners to further the the industry goal of achieving 30 pigs per sow per year. We launched it one year ago in partnership with Zinpro,” says Elena Lindemann, lactating livestock marketing director with Purina Animal Nutrition. “And this year we …