Research Facility Capabilities
Commercial Level Research Barns
Pipestone Research utilizes multiple Wean-to-Finish (WTF) barns, one BSL2, and all stages of commercial production available to conduct scientifically valid research projects in the areas of swine health, genetics, nutrition, production, and sustainability performance.
Wean-to-Finish (WTF) research barns:
- Can each house 2,300 pigs
- Each WTF has 2 rooms with 42 pens per room
- Utilizes Feedlogic systems to track/monitor feed delivery down to the pen level
- Has Pen scales for accurate monitoring of pen based weight gain in addition to individual scales
Each WTF facility employs highly-trained caretakers to ensure best-practices are followed regarding:
- Animal Husbandry
- Facility upkeep
- Research data capture
- Animal welfare
Examples of studies conducted are:
- Maternal and Sireline Genetic Performance Evaluations
- Health Challenge Evaluations with Intentional Pathogen Challenge Model
- Nutrition Evaluations
- Production Trials to Evaluate Management Strategies and Products
BSL-2 Facility
Challenge studies, proof of concept, pilot studies, and raising of research animals to ensure high health for study at an older age are commonplace in our fully filtered BSL-2 level research facility.
With the highest biosecurity standards in place, IACUC oversight and 3rd party audits for quality control, our BSL-2 facility utilizes an integrated feed delivery system allowing for multiple ration configurations without compromising biosecurity.
Available configurations based upon study needs are available due to:
- Two water systems capable of independent water monitoring
- 2 feed lines per room provides flexible pen configurations and diet
- 6 bulk bins
- 2x water cups per pen
- Cool cell temperature modification
- Dedicated lab and necropsy area
Animal Capacity
With 6 rooms having 865 sq.ft each, each room has 6 (8 foot x 8 foot) pens over a 4-foot pit with tri-deck flooring, each room has a separate air space with each able to filter the air in and out  These rooms can be further divided to create 12 pens per room for increased flexibility in study design. This design allows for 6 unique challenge models with limited to no risk of disease transfer.
The total animal capacity of research barn 6 per room is:
- 48 market pigs (up to 250lbs)
- 6 lactating sows
- 96 weaned pigs (up to 60 lbs) per room
Beyond the Research Barn
It is understood that not all types of research can be conducted in a research barn. Pipestone Research offers the unique opportunity to work within the commercial production facilities overseen by Pipestone Management. This allows you to choose the location(s), type of facility, and genetic / health status combination that you are looking for your research to be conducted in.
Today, PIPESTONE manages production facilities in 10 states and encompasses over 80 sow farms, representing over 300,00 sows. Many types and sizes of swine grow out facilities are also managed providing opportunity for evaluation in all stages of swine production, across multiple geographic regions. The majority of our sow farm facilities are filtered, providing a greater level of security that trials will not be interrupted by disease introduction and outbreaks.
Challenge Models
Pipestone Research’s philosophy is the quickest and most accurate path to validated results is through the use of a challenge model. Field demonstrations with repeated replicates are delayed by the nature of time to collect the data, and do not provide a true negative control or consistent level of challenge exposure.
A trial designed with a known challenge model will provide a true representation of the product being evaluated, a known and controlled challenge, and the most accurate and timely results for statistical analysis.
The upfront cost may be higher, but the level of control and speed to results for marketing are key advantages of a challenge model trial.
Pipestone Research has developed and offers a wide range of viral and bacterial challenge models for swine. These models offer very repeatable and reliable results. Some challenges are available by various routes of administration to meet the needs of your evaluation.
The Challenge Models currently available are:
- Influenza Virus A (IVAS)
- Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus (PRRSV)
- Porcine Circovirus (PCV)
- Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus (PEDV)
- Seneca Virus A (SVA)
- Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae
- Streptococcus suis
- Lawsonia Intracellularis
- In Development
- Escherichia coli – K88 and F18
- Mycoplasma hyosynoviae
If you have a need for swine related research to be performed confidentially with the highest level of data integrity and statistical analysis, we encourage you to contact us and speak with our research professionals.
