SVC Newsletter – Swine Vet Center

SVC Newsletter – June 2021

Dr. Tim Loula honored with two industry awards

John B. Swisher Leadership Award

United Animal Health honored Dr. Tim Loula with the 2021 John B. Swisher Award on June 10, 2021, at the World Pork Expo. Nominees for this award are individuals who have significantly contributed to the advancement of the swine industry and who have exhibited extraordinary leadership throughout their career.

“We are very pleased to honor Dr. Loula for his contributions to the swine indus-try,” remarked Doug Webel, Ph.D., president and CEO of United Animal Health. “Dr. Loula is a well-respected leader whose professional footprint has touched everyone in the swine industry. He is a true leader that has dedicated his life to serving the swine industry. Tim is always passionate about the success of his customers and fights for them.”

Distinguished Service Award

Dr. Loula was presented the Distinguished Service Award, sponsored by Minnesota Farm Bureau, at the Annual Minnesota Pork Board Awards Reception. “The 2021 Distinguished Service award winner, Dr. Tim Loula, is a tireless leader who helped shape pig farming as we know it. His contributions to the state of Minnesota and the rest of the country have benefitted pig farmers, veterinarians, and researchers significantly and will continue to do so with future generations to come.”

SVC veterinarians take the stage at World Pork Expo

Swine Vet Center veterinarians participated in several events at WPX, including the learning seminars.

Dr. Laura Bruner led a discussion with a group of swine practitioners about recent PRRS 144 transmission across the Midwest.
Dr. Ryan Strobel was a panelist on the Metafarms session, discussing how technology is used in production systems to allow producers to be proactive vs. reactive.

Summer cooling

With the continued barrage of temperatures exceeding 90⁰F, it’s been a good reminder to have our cooling systems in full operation across growing and finishing pigs.

Dr. Mike Brumm, who was always an advocate for keeping pigs cool, would often comment, “Skin temperature of a growing pig is approximately 90⁰F. When air temperature is near 90⁰F or even above 90⁰F, there is no possibility of the pig loosing metabolic heat by a difference in air temperature. Blowing 90⁰F air across the sur-face of a 90⁰F pig results in no heat transfer unless we allow the pig to wet the skin surface and lose heat by evaporation.” This figure demonstrates the effect of air temperature on feed intake, feed efficiency and daily gain.

Sprinkler management tips

Get pigs wet and then allow enough time for evaporative drying – cooling occurs with evaporation, not by continuously wetting pigs.
Water droplets should be large, so droplets con-tact pigs. Fine mists don’t allow water contact with the pigs skin, increase humidity within the barn and risk that water gets into feeders.
Goal is to wet no more than 60% of the pen floor, so that those pigs that don’t desire to be wet while sprinklers are running can avoid it.
In curtain barns, drippers should start at 18-degrees above setpoint. Tunnel barn, drippers can start at 20-degrees above setpoint.
If your barn’s sprinkler system allows, set timers, so that the sprinklers don’t operate overnight, allowing for complete drying of the barns before sprinkling resumes the following day.

Coccidia control

Summertime heat and humidity set up prime conditions for increased Coccidiosis in farms. Coccidia, a small parasite that infects and destroys the villi of the small intestine, causes diarrhea and poor weight gain prior to weaning. We know that Coccidia eggs are quite stable in the environment and that the severity of disease is directly related to the level of environmental contamination. In the severest cases, weaning weights can be 2# lighter. Marquis, a product commonly used to control Coccidia is unavailable. This means that control relies heavily on good sanitation practices.

Coccidia control options

Sanitation

Degrease prior to washing with a degreaser, soap or detergent. Include lay mats.
Whitewash all surfaces within the farrowing crate including lay mats. Allow to dry before loading.
Disinfect with a 25% bleach solution; preferably applied with a hand-sprayer to ensure correct concentration on surfaces.
Remove rubber lay mats and replace with disposable mats for multiple turns of farrowing.

Prevention Measures

Oral Coccigard/Sweet Iron (contact your SVC veterinarian to discuss)

SVC Office Hours: Monday through Friday 7:30 AM to 5:00 PM

No portion of this newsletter may be used/copied without written consent of Swine Vet Center

SVC Newsletter – May 2021

Basic early pig care

Farms that do not place enough labor & focus in this part of the farm, largely fall short on achieving the farms full potential.

Dr. Laura Bruner explains why time spent and labor dedicated attending farrowing sows is invaluable for a herd’s success. When you stop and think, the hours leading-up to farrowing, the farrowing process itself and the first days post-farrow influence so much of a farm’s productivity.

- The way piglets are started post-birth effects prewean mortality
- Often, >70% of sow mortality occurs in the days leading up to and a few days post-farrowing
- Stillborn rate is directly tied to number of attended farrowings

The goal each day is to:

1) Get pigs out alive

Farms should be staffed so that somebody knowledgeable on farrowing sows is in attendance at all times, during operating hours, to assist farrowing sows.

Sows should be checked on every 20 to 30 minutes as labor is progressing.

At each 20 minute interval we can de- cide if a sow is in trouble and needs assistance.

Commonly, if a sow hasn’t progressed with a new pig from one round to the next, a check for stuck piglets should be made.

The reality is that to achieve this frequency of farrowing attendance, one person should be assigned to 15-20 actively farrowing sows.

On a larger day, with more farrowing, additional people should be in place to attend all farrowing sows.

2) Get pigs warmed up

Pigs that become chilled shortly after birth have a difficult time seeking out colostrum, regaining body temperature and are a higher risk of being a prewean death.

Infrared imaging of piglets at the time of birth show that it doesn’t take much time in a cool/drafty corner of a crate to lose significant body temperature.

Consider the following:

- - - Is there enough heat-lamp capacity for farrowing sows? Two lamps for farrowing sows helps reduce the chance of cold areas.
    - Is there a process to dry-off pigs during the 20-minute rounds? Towels or drying-powder, like Quick Dry help dry the pig to reduce loss of body heat.

3) Get pigs full of colostrum

Once your pig is warm and dry, it needs to get “plugged” into a nipple to get colostrum.

Colostrum provides energy, warmth, and antibodies to fight off virus and bacteria. This colostrum can only be absorbed by the pig in the first 8 hours following birth.

We know that the last ½ of a litter born, especially litters with a large number born alive are at a disadvantage on receiving adequate colostrum.

Practice common sense when drying newborn piglets – if a recently born piglet has latched onto mom and is nursing, do not pull them away to dry, leave alone and allow colostrum intake to continue.

Think about large litters overnight or intensely farrowing several sows during the day – there are a lot of last half of the litter born that aren’t going to get as much colostrum as the first born did if we don’t intervene. Split-suckling and wet-sorting are both strategies to help ensure we get the most piglets with colostrum in the shortest amount of time.

Obviously, mom needs to also be a focus during this critical time. Can your farrowing team recognize sows that are in need of help?

- Poor feed and water intake post farrowing
- Abnormal post-farrow behavior; not getting up to eat or drink or laying on belly
- Does the sow know where her water is located
- Fever status and farm protocol to treat fever sows
- Constipation
- Lameness
- Edema

Putting labor towards early sow and piglet care can have a positive impact on overall production. The impact of this time can easily be measured by monitoring stillborns, prewean mortality and sow death loss.

Welcome Erin Kettelkamp and Ethan Spronk to our veterinarian staff!

Hello! My name is Erin, and I am excited to join the Swine Vet Center team in June after receiving my Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from the University of Illinois! I grew up on a small farm near Kaneville, IL, which instilled my love of animal agriculture. I honed my passion for swine medicine during summer internship and externships opportunities at several major swine companies. While in veterinary school, I enjoyed working on biosecurity research projects and presenting my findings at the American Association of Swine Veterinary conferences over the last several years. I am eager to begin my career in swine consulting, and work with the industry’s best producers!

My name is Ethan Spronk and I grew up on a swine and row crop farm in Southwest Minnesota. I studied Animal Science at South Dakota State University and continued education at the University of Minnesota graduating with a DVM in 2015. I moved to Washington, Iowa to work for Eichelberger Farms for 6 years as their head veterinarian before joining the Swine Vet Center team in May 2021. My wife Elizabeth and I will continue to reside in Southeast Iowa where she works as a mixed animal veterinarian. In my free time, I enjoy wood working, hunting and farming with family.

SVC Office Hours: Monday through Friday 7:30 AM to 5:00 PM

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SVC Newsletter – February 2021

Tim Loula, DVM earns MN Pork Board Distinguished Service Award

It is with great honor that we at Swine Vet Center get to congratulate Dr. Tim Loula for being the recipient of the 2021 Minnesota Pork Board Distinguished Service Award. This prestigious award recognizes individuals who have gone above and beyond to ensure the success of pig farming and pork production in Minnesota.

Dr. Loula, or “Doc Tim” as he is known by the many he has mentored, grew up in Northfield, MN and spent summers helping out on his cousin’s dairy farm. He also spent time riding around with a general practice veterinarian which allowed him to experience firsthand the life of a livestock veterinarian. Loula attended the University of Minnesota Veterinary College and while there, traveled to farms and meetings with Dr. Al Leman. It was there his passion for pigs led him to become a swine practitioner. It was also during his time at the University that he met his wife and #1 supporter of 40+ years, Ruth.

After graduation in 1978, Dr. Loula began working at the Nicollet Vet Clinic in Nicollet, Minnesota, where his focal point was on the swine portion of that mixed animal practice. It was there that Loula saw opportunities to improve the swine industry with new ideas for that time, such as multisite production, raising pigs indoors and using modern European genetics. Swine became his true focus when he partnered with Dr. Paul Yeske and started Swine Vet Center in St. Peter, Minnesota, a practice devoted exclusively to the swine industry, that has now grown to 14 veterinarians serving clients all over the Midwest.
Whether standing in front of a crowd of distinguished professionals and colleagues at leading industry meetings, or behind a farrowing crate teaching a new employee how to split suckle, Loula has always been a great teacher and communicator.

Tim has a voracious appetite for learning and keeps up to date with the swine industry, but his interest doesn’t stop with pigs. He also stays abreast with what’s new in the rest of the world, and with this knowledge and dedication he has been able to help implement new and innovative ideas for individual systems and the industry as a whole. Being in the “top 10%” and “move the carrot” are things most of us have often heard him say— and it’s been the way he has been able to keep himself and his clients continually moving forward, never satisfied with the status quo.

Dr. Tim Loula, the 2021 Distinguished Service award winner, is a tireless leader who has helped to shape the swine industry into what it is today. His contributions to Minnesota as well as the rest of the country have benefitted pig farmers, veterinarians and researchers alike, helping to feed the world with safe, delicious and nutritious pork!

The Importance of Record Keeping

There’s a line in a movie that goes something like “If nobody sees it, it didn’t happen.” Well, the same could apply to records. If nobody records it, it didn’t happen and eventually inaccuracies are going to catch up with you and your herd.

Good records have been the cornerstone to many of the improvements made in the swine industry over the last decades. Many important decisions like breeding targets, farrowing targets, culling, veterinary/treatment decisions, gilt acquisition, pig flows and others are all dependent on accurate records.

The following are suggestions for making your records more accurate and useful.

Record right away — It’s important to record data right away. Relying on memory and telling yourself you’ll take care of it later is a big reason for inaccurate records. The industry is moving more and more towards pen side electronic record with either QR (Quick Response code) readers or RFID (Radio-frequency identification) tag readers. This is to ensure records are recorded right away and you have the most up to date decisions being made.

Necropsies are important — When deciding on death reasons, getting to the bottom of the case will always improve the accuracy of the mortality reason.

Keep it simple — Too many options when it comes to death reasons can lead to confusion and guessing. Keeping a simple list of the main death reasons will make it easier and more accurate.

Notes to self and others —Not all records need to make it to the computer. There are many things that should be written down as a way of communicating to others and yourself, special things that might be happening to a room/barn. High-low temperatures, whole litter treatments, sows that are actively farrowing, reminders you need to do something later or even a warning sign on a crabby sow to keep your coworkers safe. These are all important messages that make your barns more efficient.

Separate sow deaths from euthanasia deaths—This becomes important information when considering the timing of the cull truck and different accommodations could be considered if too many animals are euthanized vs being put on the cull truck.

White boards—White boards can tell you at a glance how you’re doing and can be a quick and handy way for everyone at your barn to see how things are going. Progressive producers are switching to TV’s in the breakroom with up to date information on all key performance indicators.

Training staff on records—It is not only important to show everybody how to record all aspects of our production but to teach them the reasons behind the information so they understand it. Explaining that mortality reasons will have an impact on vaccinations, medication in feed and how we flow our pigs will give everybody more reasons to record accurate information.

Erysipelas and ileitis vaccine reminder

After the record cold temperatures we’ve had this chilly February, it’s a nice break to think ahead to the vaccinations your pigs will need to protect them from summertime diseases. Your Swine Vet Center veterinarian would be happy to develop a vaccination plan to keep your hogs safe.

SVC Office Hours: Monday through Friday 7:30 AM to 5:00 PM

No portion of this newsletter may be used/copied without written consent of Swine Vet Center

SVC Newsletter – December 2020

Ventilation fundamentals to optimize pig performance

Air quality and barn temperature are two of the most critical environmental components that effect pig health and performance. Poor ventilation increases disease and reduces growth rate by creating a barn environment high in humidity and excess gasses. Many ventilation mistakes are the result of efforts to save utility costs. This month Dr. Sam reviews some fundamental ventilation concepts that will help set up a barn environment that both optimizes pig health and performance while keeping utility costs in-line.

Minimum ventilation

Minimum ventilation is the amount of fresh air needed to be brought into the barn to control humidity and gas contaminants (i.e., carbon dioxide, ammonia, etc.). Accuracy with minimum ventilation settings is crucial as over-ventilating will inflate utility costs (propane and electricity) while under-ventilating will produce an environment detrimental to pig health and performance.

In most barns, the fans assigned to minimum ventilation are variable speed fans which have two important settings – minimum speed and bandwidth. Minimum speed is a controller setting that signifies the speed at which the minimum ventilation fans will operate at any time room temperature is below set point. When the room temperature rises above set point, minimum ventilation fans steadily increase speed until the maximum speed is achieved. The number of degrees for variable speed fans to go from the minimum speed setting to 100% is called bandwidth. Bandwidths can be widened or narrowed based on ambient temperatures, number of fans, pig size, motor curves, or other factors that impact pig comfort.

We recommend minimum (stage 1) bandwidth settings of 1.5-2.0°F. A bandwidth setting of 1.0°F or less is too narrow for most barns and will increase fan speed too quickly, potentially chilling pigs. Wider bandwidths (above 2.0°F) reduce the ability to efficiently remove heat from the barn.

It is important to note that the setting on the controller does not necessarily equate to the percentage of maximum cubic feet per minute (CFM) output by the fan. For most variable speed fans, there is good alignment between controller setting and CFM output between 75-100%. However, the reduction in CFM output is disproportionate to the reduction in minimum speed controller setting at 70% and below (Figure 1). Most variable speed fans will produce 50% of their maximum CFM output with a minimum speed controller setting between 55-60%.

Figure 1. Variable speed fan output vs minimum speed controller setting

Minimum ventilation needs are calculated based on the number and size of pigs in a barn. Controller settings to achieve the needed minimum ventilation are dependent on the number and size of fans on stage 1. Take the time to calculate the minimum ventilation rate needed rather than set minimum ventilation fans at an arbitrary minimum speed. Reference charts for fan CFM output (Figure 2) and required CFMs per pig (Figure 3) are helpful for these calculations.

As an example, consider a 2400-head wean-to-finish barn receiving newly weaned pigs. Minimum ventilation needs are 3600 CFM (2400 pigs x 1.5 CFM/pig). If stage 1 consists of 1 x 24-inch variable speed pit fan, 60% of the maximum CFM output would be required for minimum ventilation (3600 CFM needed ÷ 6000 CFM max output x 100). Therefore, a minimum speed controller setting of approximately 65% would be needed to obtain 60% of the maximum CFM output (Figure 1).

Keep fans clean – it is essential to routinely clean exhaust fans. Even an 1/8 inch of dust or dirt can reduce fan efficiency by up to 40%. This will significantly alter the minimum ventilation settings required to attain the correct barn environment.

Temperature probes

Ventilation controllers rely entirely on temperature data received from multiple probes located throughout the pig space. If probes are placed incorrectly, the controller will receive inaccurate readings resulting in incorrect controller operation and barn environment.

Recommended height and location of temperature probes varies by barn type and stage of production (Figure 4). Make sure to adjust probe height between nursery and finisher stages in wean-to-finish barns. Probes should be positioned away from ceiling inlets and heaters to avoid artificial fluctuations in temperature from cold or hot air.

Figure 4. Recommended probe height and location

Heaters

Improperly set heaters are a surefire way to waste propane and skyrocket energy expenses. Like variable speed fans, heaters also have two primary settings to consider- offset and differential. The offset is the number of degrees below set point that the heater shuts off. Differential is the number of degrees that the heater will run. Adding the heater offset and differential together determines the number of degrees below set point that the heater will turn on. For example, with a set point of 80°F, heater offset of 2.0°F, and heater differential of 1.0°F, the heater would turn on at 77°F and run until the room temperature reached 78°F (Figure 5). Some controllers have simplified these settings to “heater on” and “heater off” temperatures.

Figure 5. Example heater and minimum ventilation settings

Setting heater offset and differential correctly are keys to achieving consistent room temperatures and limiting propane waste. The most common problem found in barns are furnaces that shut off too close to the setpoint temperature. In these cases, room temperature rises even after the furnace shuts off as it takes some time for the heated air to circulate and the probes to detect the increase in room temperature. If the heater is programmed to shut off too close to set point, the room temperature will rise above the set point causing minimum ventilation fans to ramp up and exhaust the heated air to cool the room – essentially blowing recently burned propane right out the exhaust fans.

A suggested heater offset of 1.5°-2.0°F and differential of 1.0°F are good starting points. Understand every barn is different based on the number and size of furnaces in a room as well as the cubic feet of room to heat. An effective way to fine-tune furnace settings is to make note of the current settings and observe the room temperature as it cycles through a heater on and off run. Ideally, after the heater shuts off the room temperature should rise to just below the set point without going over. If the room temperature rises above set point, increase the heater offset so that the heater shuts off further below set point. Correct heater settings can reduce propane use by several gallons per heater per day resulting in significant energy savings.

Summary

Barn environment has a substantial impact on pig health and performance. Incorrect minimum ventilation, probe placement, and heater settings will be detrimental to both pig health and performance. Understanding and implementing these ventilation fundamentals will help maximize performance and control utility costs.

SVC Office Hours: Monday through Friday 7:30 AM to 5:00 PM

No portion of this newsletter may be used/copied without written consent of Swine Vet Center

SVC Newsletter – November 2020

Goal setting for 2021

With all that has happened in 2020, it will be good to look forward to 2021. As we approach the end of the year, it is a good idea to review the production records for the year and set goals for 2021.

Review the production parameters with the farm staff, breaking it down and looking at monthly numbers to look for trends.
Compare with the previous year’s production goals to see how well the farm performed against those former goals.
Breaking it down into quarterly periods will help you to see the goals unfold rather than waiting until the end to see how things turned out.
Pick parameters where you can make a difference, then provide an action plan for how you will reach these goals. Each farm should have their own unique action plan to turn those goals into reality.
Put some stretch into the new goals. Just setting a number you can easily achieve defeats the purpose.
Make sure all goals align together as certain numbers are tied together.
- Total born, stillborn and mummy percentage is an example of this. These values will drive what born alive will be.
- Once you have calculated the born alive number, you can determine the prewean mortality goal and from there, the wean number.
- The number of sows farrowed per week/group will drive how many total pigs weaned for the year.
- Then you can work to get the Pigs/sow/year by dividing the total weaned pigs by average sow inventory.

Meaningful goals are those that will challenge the system but are yet obtainable. It is good to take the time, set the numbers and have them documented as a point in reference. Breaking these numbers down into quarterly assessment timeframes allows you to go through the year and makes it more likely to be attainable at the end.

COVID 19

After battling with it for months now, we are certainly ready for COVID 19 to just be over and done. The vaccine companies appear to be making huge strides in having effective vaccines. The initial work looks very good and 3 companies are reporting success. Yet, it will be a while before these vaccines will be available to everyone.

As we’ve learned from pig viruses, there will be more challenges as we go into winter months. The following are some tips to help keep everyone safe.

Keep office surfaces free from clutter helps make the numerous daily cleanups and disinfection possible
Stagger break times so entire crew isn’t in the break room at once

Say “Yes Please” to Pork this Holiday

Don’t let COVID stand in the way of preparing magnificent meals and snacks featuring pork this holiday. The Pork Board has put together hundreds of delicious recipe ideas for you to try. They all look so good, you’ll have a hard time deciding which to try first!

https://www.yummly.com/page/pork

Wondering what to give people during this time of social distancing? Pork gift certificates travel great and with them, the recipient can purchase whatever pork product they choose. (507) 345-8814 is the number to call.

The veterinarians at Swine Vet Center are in a unique position and know where to find the best pork products around. If you’re looking to give the gift of pork to friends and neighbors, our clients have mouth-watering pork specialties available which can be sent straight to their door or yours! Visit one of these pages, or give a call . We’re certain you will discover something delicious.

Reicks View Farms: (800) 461- 4044 www.reicksviewfarms.com
Compart Family Farms: (877) 441-2627 www.compartduroc.com
Tollefson Family Pork: www.tollefsonfamilypork.com

Swine Disease Reporting System

The Iowa State Disease Reporting System gathers and organizes information from diagnostic labs across the midwest. Iowa State University, University of Minnesota, Kansas State University and South Dakota State University are the universities that are participating in this project. The idea behind this program is to better understand what is trending across swine herds by looking at the diagnostic data. This information can help predict diseases that are occurring in the industry on a wider basis and not just their own herd or system. The goals are to generate more knowledge to allow for better outcomes.

Some of the data shared at the ISU James D. McKean conference looked at the relationship between the increased incidence of PRRS positive samples and the stage of production, particularly wean to market vs. the adult sow farms. If you reference the chart below, you can see the number of positive wean to market animals goes up, starting in August or September. An increase in positive sow farm numbers follows 1-2 months later.

One of the nice things with the data being done as a greater regional basis is that we can look at trends by state as well. The following chart shows the regional distribution of positive samples in the month of October and where the activity is happening.

As we get more activity in the wean to finish pigs, the pigs can become the source for the sow farms to sero-convert and break. The time frame fits with what we have seen in the Morrison Swine Health Monitoring project, showing the peak of the epidemic is usually in the mid-October to mid-November time frame. This would be consistent with the diagnostic data and helps to predict what will happen.

Both the Morrison Swine Health Monitoring project and the Iowa State Disease Reporting system are pointing towards increased PRRS activity in the wean to finish, wean to market and sow herds. It’s important all the farms are following biosecurity procedures and vaccinating so that it can help mitigate the challenges.

Everyone at Swine Vet Center wishes all of you a safe and wonderful holiday season.

SVC Office Hours: Monday through Friday 7:30 AM to 5:00 PM

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SVC Newsletter – September 2020

Helping your grow-finish pigs grow

Average daily gain (ADG) is clearly one of the key profit drivers in the grow-finish production phase. When paying rent for space, it becomes obvious that the faster we can help them to grow, the quicker they get to market and then we can put another animal in their spot.

The following are a few ideas that could help to ensure that we’re maximizing average daily gain:

Genetics: We’re paying for genetics to maximize growth. Therefore, we should give them every opportunity to reach their full potential.

Pen Size: There have been a number of studies showing that pen size is related to average daily gain. The smaller the pen size, the better the ADG. It’s possible that you may be able to improve your ADG by dividing your larger pens into smaller pen sizes.

Feed Outages: This point is quite obvious but there’s research that for every feed outage, we lose ½ pound per pig. Therefore, the key to growth is to have feed in front of the pigs at all times.

Feeders: When considering ADG, making sure the pigs get enough feed is important. Proper feeder adjustment should be made a priority and monitored when doing routine daily chores. Feeder adjustments will vary according to pig age as well as the type of diet being fed (mash/pellet, wet/dry). Feeders should likewise be checked daily to ensure they are not plugged. Also, feeder pans should have only good quality feed. Pigs won’t eat even the most palatable ration if its old, moldy or has been soiled with feces or urine.

Feeder Space: In our business, we are always looking for the most cost-effective solutions. Feeder space can be expensive therefore we want enough with nothing wasted. The National Swine Nutrition Guide recommends two inches of feeder space per pig when feeding a mash diet.

There are other things that factor into the feeder space equation. The type of feed being offered also makes a difference. Pigs will generally consume wet feed faster than dry which will free up feeder space. They will also eat pelleted feed faster than mash. Another point to consider is it is in a pig’s nature to want other pigs next to them while eating, just like when the sow calls the pigs to nurse. Therefore, there needs to be room for the hungry pig as well as his buddies.

Keep Them Cool: We know that keeping pigs cool in the summertime can help them gain. Misters will help cool pigs in the heat and resulting in improved ADG. With the summer heat behind us, the cooler fall temperatures will be on our side. Making sure we have the right temperature and ventilation for them will keep their intake up and maximize ADG.

Sorting by Size: There has been some research done that by NOT sorting by size, you can improve average daily gain. If you put all the big pigs together and all the small pigs together when loading pens, its been shown that average daily gain will drop. Pigs want to find natural variation within the pen. Only sort off the extremely small pigs to give them better opportunities so they don’t lose ground to the group average.

Continually Strive to Improve Nutrition: Work with your nutritionist to ensure that the energy and lysine in the diet is up to the correct levels. It’s been noticed as genetics have improved, we may not have kept up with lysine requirements of these fast growing pigs. These levels will need to be evaluated continuously in order to maximize ADG. Research barn trials can help you evaluate different diets to discover what will work best.

Pig Space: ADG can also be linked to pig space. You may have to be careful when considering pig space because there comes a point of diminishing returns. It’s more expensive to provide extra pig space and it may not always pay back with improved average daily gain.

Health: One of the biggest drivers of average daily gain is health. Continuing to strive to eliminate diseases on the sow farms, as well as correctly vaccinating your pigs, greatly improves ADG. Work with your Swine Vet Center veterinarian to see what diseases can be easily controlled and/or eliminated.

Fall checklist for hog buildings

Item	Ideal date to complete	Completed	Initials
Check manure pit levels weekly	9/1
(>1′ clearance at pump for proper ventilation)	9/15
Clean fans	9/15
Fix shutters	9/15
Recondition pit fans	9/15
Curtains should be even	9/15
No sags in curtains	9/15
Repair holes in curtains	9/15
Blow out heaters	9/15
Heaters need to be ready to run and should be tested	9/15
Check LP level
Completely clean out feed bins	9/15
Clean soffit screens	9/15
Clean pit fans and louvers	9/30
Repair and clean inlets	9/30
Reset alarm Hi/Lo settings	9/30
Check approach around chute and front door to make sure of proper height for winter	9/30
Set ventilation controller for winter settings	10/1
Bubble wrap ready for curtains if wean to finish	10/15
Have covers ready for fans	10/15
Pick up around the building	10/15
Final mowing	10/15
Refill bait stations	10/15
Snow fence if needed	10/30
Plan for snow removal	10/30
Flags for LP tank, well, pit fans, etc	10/30
Pit covers should be tight	11/15
Curtains sealed tight, check and lubricate curtain machine	11/15
Plastic for sealing fans	11/15

To download a printable version of this chart, click here.

Swine Vet Center Veterinarians in the Spotlight

Due to COVID 19, the 2020 Allen D. Leman Swine Conference, a global swine industry educational event, was held virtually this year.

Dr. Paul Yeske gave two presentations at this year’s conference. “The swine producer’s and veterinarian’s response to COVID-19” and “Taking advantage of COVID-derived interventions to improve health”. Dr. Paul also presented a poster entitled “Evaluation of Shedding and Effect on Pig Performance of Prevacent™ PRRS Vaccine”.

Dr. Alyssa Betlach presented a poster entitled “Effect of tulathromycin treatment on Mycoplasma hyopneumonia detection and infectious potential”.

Dr. Betlach also published an article in Veterinary Microbiology entitled “Natural transmission and detection of Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae in a naïve gilt population”. The article abstract can be seen here: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32891949/

SVC Office Hours: Monday through Friday 7:30 AM to 5:00 PM

No portion of this newsletter may be used/copied without written consent of Swine Vet Center

SVC Newsletter – August 2020

Manure pits are pushing the limits

With the bad weather some sites experienced both last fall and this spring, some areas have had challenges getting pits pumped. The SVC veterinarians have noted that this, as well as other factors, has led to many very full pits already this summer.

Over full pits are a big problem. Once the manure level gets too high in deep pitted barns, it begins to restrict ventilation from the pit through the pit fans. This becomes a health concern as air quality is reduced and can potentially be deadly if additional sources of ventilation are not locked on (as in the case of wall fans) or locked open (as in the case of curtains).

The following are some of the factors that can lead to full pits this time of year.

Solids build up on the bottom of the pit

Solids left in the bottom of the pit can build up over time, reducing the effective capacity of the pit and leaving valuable nutrients in the pit instead of getting them out onto your fields to be used as fertilizer. Keys to getting all of the solids out of the pit include:
- Good agitation while pumping is critical to get things moving and suspend the solids so that they can be pumped out.
- Pit additives can also help to promote good bacterial growth in the pit, leading to fewer solids as well as fewer issues with crusting on the surface of the manure which can lead to more flies in the barn.
- A good time to include pit additives is when you are finishing agitation since there is less volume and the agitation will help spread out the product.
- Additional pit additive should then be added at regular intervals to help maintain a healthy pit.

Water wastage

Some of the newer style pan waterers have helped to reduce water wastage compared to the older style cups and nipples. They can also be helpful for starting weaned pigs since there is water available even if that pig has not learned to work the nipple yet.
Water pressure regulators help to maintain the correct pressure to reduce water wastage and also regulate water flow. Recommended pressures vary depending on what drinker is being used.

Cool cell leakage

Using timers on cool cells reduces the amount of water that is needed to run the evaporative cooling system.
Timers also increase airflow through the cool cell pad when the water is off, leading to better ventilation rates and cooler sows.
Leakage at any point in the evaporative cooling system also contributes to additional water in the pit.

Rainwater

Rainwater can find its way into pits, adding to pumping costs and reducing capacity. Dirt work is an important part of the process to keep extra water out of the pits.
Once a new barn is completed and the dirt has had time to settle around the pit, additional dirt will be needed for backfill to create a slope that will drain water away from the pit.
Bait boxes should be added every 50-100′ around the perimeter of the building to discourage rodents.
- Bait boxes should be checked and refilled monthly.
- If you maintain a log when this is done, it will also satisfy the requirements for PQA.

Pit pump-out covers

Pit pump-out covers can allow rainwater coming off the roof steel to end up in the pit if they are not designed and sealed correctly.
Ideally the covers should be sloped so water runs off the covers away from the barn.
The new one-piece plastic pump-out covers eliminate leakage through the cover itself.
Adding support under the back of the cover (next to the barn) will prevent sagging in the back that leads to rainwater running towards the barn and into the pit.
Seal the edges of the cover with caulk, foam, or blackjack to prevent water and air from getting in.
- On filtered farms this is critical to prevent unfiltered air from entering the pit.
- This also helps unfiltered barns ventilate correctly by forcing all of the air the pit fan moves to come from the pit and not from leakage around the edges of the cover.
A 120′ wide 2400-head wean to finish barn with eight 6′ wide pump-outs could potentially add 1″ of water to the pit from a 6″ rain if the water runs off the roofline onto the pump-out covers and then into the pit. This is over 10,000 gallons of water going into the pit that you need to pay to pump out.
Transitions must also be sealed tightly to the wall of the pit to prevent standing rainwater from running into the pit.
Foaming pits will also reduce capacity and can be dangerous since the foam is made up of flammable gasses that can cause fires if ignited, especially when barns are empty and foam levels increase.
- Be especially careful when welding or doing other repairs when barns are empty.
  - If foaming is an issue, there are some potential pit additives that can help.
  - There is also speculation that Skycis® (an ionophore) fed to pigs can help reduce foaming of pits.

SVC Office Hours: Monday through Friday 7:30 AM to 5:00 PM

No portion of this newsletter may be used/copied without written consent of Swine Vet Center

SVC Newsletter – July 2020

Insect control

Although recent weather has been hot and at times dry, periods of wet, cooler weather provides a perfect environment for flies and mosquitos to live and breed around barns. An increase in mosquito populations bring with it an increased frequency of bites and the risk of carcass trim that can be costly. Flies are a nuisance and have the potential of spreading diseases. Several options are available for insect control in and around our swine barns. Before considering insecticides, work on managing the environmental factors that allow insect breeding.

Keep grass around barns mowed short
Eliminate standing water around the site
Run curtains up routinely (weekly) to eliminate pooled water
Shut-off night lights in the barn
Consider agitating pit if a considerable crust exists
Have adequate material to cover carcasses in compost bays
Clean-up feed spills outside and inside the barn

Insecticides are also an important part of a fly and mosquito control program. Several options are available. Consider the following:

House flies and fruit flies

Insect growth regulators (IGR) disrupt the molting process, which is essential for fly life. IGR’s are used to treat the pit, where the fly life cycle is most often taking place.

Neporex – for pit application

Dry scatter granules and wash into pit: 1 pound per 200 sq. ft.
Pouring into pit: 1 pound/gallon of water per 200 sq. ft

Clarifly – for in-feed application

Follow label directions for complete swine diet

Outside barn application

Optimate^® CS as a residual spray on surfaces where adult flies rest.

Mixing Rate: 1 oz. of Optimate® CS/gallon water.
One gallon will spray approximately 1000 square feet. Apply as a residual spray using a backpack sprayer. Make sure that the spray does not drift into the building when animals are present inside.

Tempo SC to spray the perimeter of the building.

Mixing Rate: 16 ml of Tempo SC/gallon water
Apply around the perimeter of the building. One gallon will spray approx. 1000 square feet.

Inside barn application

Microcare 3% CS—Apply to pigs and on barn surfaces as a light mist.

Mixing Rate: 4 oz. Microcare/gallon water
Apply ULD BP-100 to pigs and on barn surfaces.
Mixing Rate: Undiluted; apply at a rate of 1 oz./1,000 cubic feet.

Mosquitoes

Outside barn application

Tempo SC— spray outside the barn a couple weeks prior to topping if mosquitoes are an issue. Sites may need to be sprayed weekly until the site is closed out.

Mixing Rate: 16 ml Tempo/gallon of water
Apply around the perimeter of the building. One gallon will spray approximately 1000 sq. ft.

Inside barn application

Microcare 3% CS— Apply to pigs and on barn surfaces as a light mist.

Mixing Rate: 4 oz. Microcare/gallon water

Stryker™ Insecticide Concentrate for use on barn surfaces as a light mist

Mixing Rate: Mix 2 fluid ounces Stryker™ Insecticide Concentrate/gallon water

Supply Decontamination

Supply entry into a farm has always presented a biosecurity risk. Over time, multiple methods to attempt full disinfection of these supplies have been used. Fogging supplies with a disinfectant is a common practice used by farms to decontaminate supplies¼ although it may not be as effective as we all perceive it to be. Recent work presented in the student session at the 2020 AASV meeting, reviewed the fogging of supplies and showed that this practice does not apply full coverage of disinfectant on the surfaces of supplies.

In brief, three fogging procedures were compared to hand-spraying supply surfaces

1. 1. 1. A single Hurricane fogger
    2. A single Fogmaster fogger
    3. Two Hurricane foggers running simultaneously

A decontamination room was used that included 3-tier shelving for box placement
Foggers in the room were set up to create a disinfection cloud within the room and run for a 10-minute cycle
Colored dye was applied with the fogger and a percentage of surface coverage was measured with an imaging software program.

The manual application through a hand-sprayer was able to achieve a 95% coverage of all surfaces compared to the two Hurricane fogger method (57%) and the single Hurricane fogger and single Fogmaster fogger (40% and 24% respectively).

This study shows that creating a disinfectant fog within a decontamination room does a poor job in completely covering all surfaces of supplies with disinfectant. Considerations to increase the success of supply disinfection should include hand-application of disinfectant or updating supply entry procedures that allow supplies to be exposed to heating and a holding time before entered into the farm.

Leuck K, et al. Evaluation of location and fogger type on disinfectant surface area coverage of supplies entering a commercial sow farm. Student Research Presentations, 51 Am Assoc Swine Vet Annual Meeting. 2020;58.

Animal Health Product Updates

Manufacturing issues for many swine health products over the year has led to several backorders. An update on products that have recently become available again includes:

Tylan 200 is now available
Injectable Oxytetracycline is now available
Short-acting penicillin is now available

Work with your Swine Vet Center veterinarian to review treatment protocols and discuss where these antibiotics fit into your herd health management.

SVC Office Hours: Monday through Friday 7:30 AM to 5:00 PM

No portion of this newsletter may be used/copied without written consent of Swine Vet Center

SVC Newsletter – June 2020

Summer ventilation tips

Hot weather can be difficult and even dangerous for hogs if cooling systems are not functioning properly. Fans, cooling systems (such as misters), backup generators and alarms, all need routine testing and maintenance to ensure they perform when needed. The following are some suggestions for things to monitor so your pigs stay cool when the weather gets hot.

Fans and inlets

Ensure all fans are working. Check fan belts and replace any that are slipping. Loose belts will decrease fan efficiency. Winter bandwidths are often set to 1.5-2F for variable speed stages in the winter. Moving these down to 1F in the summer will begin cooling pigs sooner when the temperature increases.
Winter bandwidths are often set to 1.5-2F for variable speed stages in the winter. Moving these down to 1F in the summer will begin cooling pigs sooner when the temperature increases.
Make sure fans are clean. Dirty fan housings and shutters greatly decreases fan efficiency.
Sweep bird netting on attic eaves to avoid air restriction in attic space.
Iowa Pork Industry Center resources on ventilation: https://www.ipic.iastate.edu/facilities.html

Emergency Backup Systems

Emergency Curtain drops – test curtain drops regularly. Manually cut power to ensure magnets release, winches free-wheel, and curtains drop without hanging up. Also ensure the emergency curtain drop backup thermostat is functional and set to 95-100F.
Emergency backup thermostats – test fan backup thermostats by adjusting temperature below ambient temp while watching for fans to cycle on.
Test standby generators weekly – Most generators are set to automatically test run weekly. However, this does not always mean they will function as intended in a power outage. To ensure proper function, simulate a power outage by cutting power to the site and monitor that automatic transfer switches function to bring on the generator. Testing generator under full load of fans and feedlines would be advised.

Cooling Systems

Misters are an effective method of cooling for finishing pigs. It’s important to remember that pigs are cooled by water evaporating from their skin, not from cool water being applied to them. If pigs are not allowed to dry, they will not cool. The goal of misting pigs is to wet surfaces and allow them to dry and achieve evaporative cooling. Typical mister settings intervals of 3 minutes
on, and 27 minutes off will accomplish this.
Stir fans are important to aiding evaporative cooling in naturally ventilated barns. Ensure stir fans work and are set to turn on at no higher than 85°F for
finishing pigs.
Tunnel ventilation settings — Tunnel ventilation can be locked out in the controller by setting minimum age. In extreme heat, this will prevent barns from entering tunnel ventilation, causing temperatures to reach dangerous levels with only attic ventilation.
Cool cells — Wet cool cell pads reduce air-flow into the barn. Set timers to allow cool cell to be on long enough to completely wet the pads and off long enough so that the pads dry-out before another on cycle starts.

For more information on hot weather cooling, please contact your Swine Vet Center veterinarian.

Prepare your herd for seasonal infertility!

We are currently in the seasonal infertility period. This period is typically the time of year when it’s more difficult to keep
sows pregnant. The time frame is usually from Week 29 to Week 40 of the year. Heat is the biggest factor among several
contributors including decreasing photoperiod during weeks 34-40. Here are some tips to help decrease the impact of
seasonal infertility:

Manage lactation feed intake — Decreased feed intake during lactation can lead to a prolonged return to estrus. Sows that return to heat >7 days post weaning are more likely to have a lower conception/farrowing rate. Maximizing feed consumption during lactation can decrease this impact.
Supplemental cooling systems — Ensure cool cells are functioning properly and/or dripper systems are working. Supplemental cooling will encourage sows to eat during summer heat.
Gilt supply — Take added steps to ensure an ample supply of gilts are available during this timeframe to take the place of weaned sows that may not have cycled.
Increase breed target in weeks 29-40 — A 2-5% increase in breed target can help compensate for the dip in conception rate and farrowing rate. Use your farm records to determine when a dip in conception is typically occurring and increase breed target accordingly. Monitor conception rate weekly and adjust breed target as needed.
Manage fallout — With decreased farrowing rate will come increased fallouts to manage. When identified, move these sows to the opportunity row or cull
accordingly. Be diligent with 30 and 60 day preg checks. Do visual checks at 70-90 days bred.

Planning ahead for this yearly challenge can help to maintain the continuity on your farms and avoid any shortfalls in production. Any questions, contact a Swine Vet Center veterinarian. They’ll be happy to help you.

SVC Office Hours: Monday through Friday 7:30 AM to 5:00 PM

No portion of this newsletter may be used/copied without written consent of Swine Vet Center

Dr. Tim Loula honored with two industry awards

SVC veterinarians take the stage at World Pork Expo

Summer cooling

Sprinkler management tips

Coccidia control

Basic early pig care

The goal each day is to:

Welcome Erin Kettelkamp and Ethan Spronk to our veterinarian staff!

Tim Loula, DVM earns MN Pork Board Distinguished Service Award

The Importance of Record Keeping

Erysipelas and ileitis vaccine reminder

Ventilation fundamentals to optimize pig performance

Minimum ventilation

Temperature probes

Heaters

Summary

Goal setting for 2021

COVID 19

Say “Yes Please” to Pork this Holiday

Swine Disease Reporting System

Site biosecurity ‒ Time to tighten up!

Dr. Chris Sievers and wife Brooke welcome son Carter

Helping your grow-finish pigs grow

Fall checklist for hog buildings

Swine Vet Center Veterinarians in the Spotlight

Manure pits are pushing the limits

Solids build up on the bottom of the pit

Water wastage

Cool cell leakage

Rainwater

Pit pump-out covers

Insect control

House flies and fruit flies

Mosquitoes

Supply Decontamination

Animal Health Product Updates

Summer ventilation tips

Fans and inlets

Emergency Backup Systems

Cooling Systems

Prepare your herd for seasonal infertility!

First-hand ASF experience offers lessons for US industry

Scientific foundation explains efficacy of Excede® for Swine against SRD pathogens

Forecasting swine disease outbreaks

Fostera® PRRS effective, lasting, safe despite ‘worst case’ challenges

Advances in sampling offer greater success in enteric disease control

SRD pathogens remain highly susceptible to key antimicrobials

Sundberg: Ramping up African swine fever preparedness and prevention

Strep suis continuously challenges US herds

Study sheds light on antimicrobial use in US wean-to-market pigs

Revised herd classifications expand the PRRS road map

Internal biosecurity essential to endemic disease control on pig farms

Performance — not serology or PCR — is best indicator of modified-live PRRS vaccine efficacy

Rethinking colostrum management and piglet survivability

Sow mortality trends: Experts dissect the current state of affairs

High prevalence of PCV2 recombinants highlights importance of broad vaccine coverage

Sow mortality records need an overhaul

Processing fluids provide an option to monitor PCV2 and PCVAD

Highlights of flu-management strategies meeting now available

Rate of PCV2 recombination not widely recognized

Why monitor swine herds for PCV2?

Virus persistence challenges PRRS management strategies

New PRRS 1-4-4 L1C variant presents dramatic symptoms, quick spread

Mycoplasma elimination versus control: What course is best for your farm?

What’s in a name? Understanding how flu viruses are identified can help fine-tune swine vaccine strategies

Individual sow care offers benefits throughout the farm

Pigs with APP have less mortality, fewer lung lesions after treatment with Excede® for Swine compared to enrofloxacin

Herd-status classification is first step to Mycoplasma control

Negotiating extra label drug use rules

Mix it up: Resuspension times for injectable antibiotics can vary widely

Torremorell: Proven benefits of influenza vaccination

Water: An often-overlooked factor in pig health

Ct values predict PRRS nursery mortality, can guide vaccination decisions

Deen: Batch farrowing requires ‘different mindset’

Iowa scientists focused on diagnosing, managing Streptococcus suis in pigs

Iowa scientist sees ‘a lot of genetic diversity’ in swine influenza viruses

Three ways to assess your herd’s ‘positive welfare state’

Fostera® PRRS protects against diverse PRRS virus field strains

Pork’s future relies on trust throughout the pork value chain

Genetic diversity makes swine influenza a challenge for producers