Year: 2019

PIPESTONE Donates Over 1 Million Servings of Pork Through Give a Helping Ham Program Fourth Year of “Give a Helping Ham” a success During the holidays we look forward to connecting with family and friends and enjoying a delicious meal with the prized ham featured in the center of the table. However, many individuals in…

By: Ann Hess, editor at National Hog Farmer Ever since the Center for Disease Control released their 2013 report, Antibiotic Resistance Threats in the United States, stating that each year at least 2 million people get an antibiotic-resistant infection, and at least 23,000 people die, there has been a concerted effort to track antibiotic resistance.…

Advancements in swine nutrition have led to strong gains in pig health and productivity over the years, and research is continuing to identify ways to ensure that  nutrition can boost performance from the nursery through the finishing barn. Pipestone is uniquely positioned to conduct research and share beneficial results with customers, said Jon De Jong,…

  A passion for supporting small- to medium-sized independent livestock producers and providing a path for future generations interested a group of northwest Iowa livestock producers to the Pipestone Management several years ago, and has built a foundation for their success. Kirk Hall lives in LeMars, Iowa, and is the manager of Pork 4 Profit,…

What is Erysipelas? Swine erysipelas is a disease caused by a bacterial infection named Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae. It has been around for well over one hundred years. It is important to remember that this bacterium can cause disease within your breeding herd, as well as your growing pigs. Although the prevalence is low in the industry,…

My wife and I recently watched my brother’s two children one of whom isn’t quite talking. In the middle of an atypically long crying session my wife and I were reminded of when our two oldest were newborns. We started scrolling through the mental rolodex of what could possibly be wrong: was he hungry, tired,…

As summer approaches, so does the increased risk of heat stress and heat exhaustion. Heat stress is an economically important issue and can have severe consequences if proper precautions are not taken. Through a variety of management techniques, we can help reduce the risk of our hogs being affected by heat stress. Pigs are unable…

Late in the day as you are watching the evening news you learn about an individual who was confirmed with an antibiotic resistant bacterial infection. The story continues describing how there has been an increase in antibiotic-resistant infections around the world and the news anchor quotes CDC by stating that antibiotic use in livestock is…

The investment in filtration equipment for sow farms that began as a “leap of faith” by Pipestone Management over a decade ago has evolved into a critical element of keeping sows and piglets protected from deadly viruses. Pipestone was the first to install filtration equipment on a commercial sow farm in the United States in…

The goal of boosting production and profitability for pork producers has led Joseph Yaros, DVM, and veterinarian with Pipestone Veterinary Services, to focus on the control and elimination of two key pathogens. “My main objective is to help our producers be as profitable as possible and reduce health issues in their herds,” said Dr. Yaros.…

Did you know 1 out of 5 kids in America struggle with hunger? Food security is something many of us take for granted every day and as we approach the holiday season, PIPESTONE would like to Give a Helping Ham to families in need through our communities. Through the Give a Helping Ham program, for…

Written by Marty Rost, Environmental Specialist The last two manure application seasons were the most difficult seasons I’ve dealt with. Excess rains, early snow and cold made the 2018 fall one we’d all like to forget. If that wasn’t enough, the 2019 spring turned out to challenge many nutrient management plans as well. A challenging…

Fall is the time when us pig veterinarians start getting nervous to answer phone calls from our farmers. The shorter days mean different things for veterinarians and farmers, but it’s an equally busy time of year. For farmers, autumn means harvesting the crops and spreading manure. For veterinarians, it’s an awful-tasting pumpkin spice latte full…

As a farmer, no one is more passionate, caring, or committed to humane care and safe food than you!  Today, only 2% of the population raise food.  Today’s consumers are more and more removed from the farm.  Summertime provides a lot of great opportunities  to share your passion and the story of safe food. For…

Veterinarian Scott Dee finds answers off the beaten path. The Dutch Postimpressionist painter Vincent van Gogh once said, “I would rather die of passion than boredom.” For U.S. pork producers and the global swine industry, it’s a good thing Scott Dee also embraces that philosophy; after all, it was often boredom that led him to…

Late in the day as you are watching the evening news you learn about an individual who was confirmed with an antibiotic resistant bacterial infection. The story continues describing how there has been an increase in antibiotic-resistant infections around the world and the news anchor quotes CDC by stating that antibiotic use in livestock is…

The investment in filtration equipment for sow farms that began as a “leap of faith” by Pipestone Management over a decade ago has evolved into a critical element of keeping sows and piglets protected from deadly viruses. Pipestone was the first to install filtration equipment on a commercial sow farm in the United States in…

The goal of boosting production and profitability for pork producers has led Joseph Yaros, DVM, and veterinarian with Pipestone Veterinary Services, to focus on the control and elimination of two key pathogens. “My main objective is to help our producers be as profitable as possible and reduce health issues in their herds,” said Dr. Yaros.…

The use of antibiotics and development of resistance to medically important antibiotics has emerged as a critical issue in both human and animal health sectors in recent years. With 23,000 deaths in the U.S. each year attributed to infections that are antibiotic resistant, and increasing interest from consumers, food companies and restaurants in the use…

It seems so long ago. Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) had just been diagnosed in the U.S. Rumors circulating that it hit a farm not far from yours. What could be done to stop it? Was it as bad as everyone was saying? The PEDV storm came and went. The virus is not gone, but…

By Ann Hess, editor at National Hog Farmer When the new FDA antibiotic guidance rules went into effect Jan. 1, 2017, it was a good reminder to all pig farmers that antibiotic stewardship is very important and to strive for reduction in use when possible. Brad and Peggy Greenway at their pig farm on Thursday,…

There are three drivers influencing cost of production today; facilities, weaned pigs and feed, with feed cost accounting for over 50% of the total cost of production. Thus, producers should be focused on either reducing feed cost or improving whole herd feed efficiency. Feed efficiency is typically measured by feed consumed per unit of gain…

“An advantage of the Pipestone Management is that everyone — veterinarians, production staff, the research team, maintenance team, transportation team — all work for the same company,” said Dr. Barry Kerkaert, Vice President of Pipestone Management.   “As a result, we have more internal accountability and the experts in each of these service groups are focused…

On December 6, 2018, the first large-scale scientifically validated trial to better understand the importance of responsible antibiotic use in clinically sick pigs was published in PLOS ONE, the Public Library of Science. This journal is #1-2 in the world as it pertains to publication of medical science. The trial sought to compare pigs raised…

MEASURE. MONITOR. MOVE.  Three simple steps to pork production records.  Well, maybe not always simple, but certainly valuable.  The 2018 USDA census puts the U.S. at 75 million pigs.  Pork production is a competitive business.  Long gone are the days of measuring success by the balance of the farm account at the end of the…