Animal handling

By Dr. Michaela Trudeau
You’ll find the word “microbiome” throughout swine industry presentations, publications and research.  It is important to understand what a pig’s microbiome is, but it is more important to know how we can translate this concept into actionable items at the farm level to positively impact your bottom line.

By Dave Chamberlin and Jaron Lewton
Most sow management programs have two goals: to optimize sow productivity and longevity.  However, in pursuit of these two goals, producers often leave costs on the table, which impacts the bottomline and overall profitability.  By implementing these four sow management strategies into your swine business, you could save up to $5 per sow.

By the Vita Plus swine team
The Vita Plus swine nutrition team understands the challenges you are facing, and we are dedicated to helping you be successful, regardless of market conditions.  The "Navigating the Storm" series is intended to help you identify some of the areas where the Vita Plus team can help you improve your operation’s profitability.  In part two, we will look at sow and pre-weaned pig management to improve profitability.

Editor’s note:  This is the second article in a three-part series on the impacts of management factors on swine feeding success.

By Lynnea Courtney
As we discussed in part one of this series, pig performance is impacted by a multitude of management and environmental factors, such as feed management.  Another important factor to consider is water management.  Monitoring water availability and quality in your barns is an essential area to optimize swine health and productivity. 

More than 150 hog producers, industry peers and Vita Plus employee owners attended Vita Plus Swine Summit 2017 on March 29 and 30 in Morton, Minnesota.  Click the links below for complete event coverage, including articles, videos and speaker presentations.

Editor’s note:  This is the first article in a three-part series on the impacts of management factors on swine feeding success.

By Lynnea Courtney
Poor management and environmental conditions can have a large impact on pig performance.  Many performance-limiting factors are avoidable, but they are often overlooked.  Proper management of feed, water, and the environment can help achieve optimal swine health and productivity.