The veterinary feed directive is (almost) here!

Posted on December 28, 2016 in

By Tad TeBockhorst
Unless you’ve been living under the slats in your finisher, you know the fast approaching veterinary feed directive (VFD) regulations have been at the center of discussion in the animal agriculture community.  Concern and confusion has risen from producers, feed distributors, and veterinarians alike regarding how to interpret these new regulations, as well as questions as to how the new rules will be enforced.  As January 1 quickly approaches, here are a few points to keep in mind.

Hidden Opportunities: Vita Plus Swine Summit 2016 Recap

Posted on April 12, 2016 in Swine Performance

About 200 pork producers, Vita Plus employee owners and industry peers met in Morton, Minnesota for Vita Plus Swine Summit 2016 on March 30 and 31.  In addition to networking with their peers, attendees learned about the latest trends in pork production, management and markets from industry experts. 

More clarity on upcoming antibiotic rules

Posted on October 27, 2015 in Swine Performance
By Dr. Leah Gesing 2017 seems like a long way off, but we know “time flies” and it won’t be long before the full effect of the upcoming rules regarding antibiotics and the veterinary feed directive (VFD) are felt by producers. Beginning on January 1, 2017, all antibiotics deemed medically important by the Food and

Responsible antibiotics use in swine production

Posted on March 24, 2015 in Swine Performance
By Dr. Leah Gesing Swine producers use antibiotics for the prevention and treatment of disease, as well as positive impacts on growth promotion and feed efficiency. In the U.S. swine industry, most antibiotics are administered via feed and, according to 2012 sales data, most antibiotic use was for production and/or therapeutic purposes. These uses have