Author: rwilliams

  Pipestone Veterinary Services shares in the global concern surrounding COVID-19. We take our responsibility to provide animal care seriously. We also understand the necessity of our business continuity as a part of the food supply chains critical infrastructure designated through the Department of Homeland Security. Animal care cannot stop amid this virus concern and…

Everyone who works with pigs is likely aware of the spread of African Swine Fever (ASF) across Europe and Asia. This seemly unstoppable sweeping of disease is a concern for swine farmers worldwide. Even with a vast ocean separating North America, it only takes one failure in biosecurity for ASF to reach our soil. The…

Fact: Using antibiotics responsibly is an important part of the welfare of our animals, food safety, and sustainability. Science is an amazing tool that helps us to understand how AND WHY things work throughout the universe.  Science uses standardized methodologies, a strict level of testing, and enforces repeatability.  But science can be a difficult topic…

As the world swine population continues to grow both domestically and internationally, it can open doors to producers and veterinarians to visit production locations away from home. In some cases, this may involve going to a location which is known to have diseases that are not present in the United States. Knowing this, it is…

Staying focused on their strengths, but being willing to change has been the foundation of the growth and evolution of the Dumoulin family’s farm for more than six decades. Bill and Pat Dumoulin began farming together in 1954 near Hampshire, Illinois, about 60 miles west of downtown Chicago.  Pat currently farms with two sons Mike…

Scott Dee DVM MS PhD Dipl;ACVM, Director, Pipestone Applied Research On Friday August 3, the Swine Health Information Center (SHIC) reported that African Swine Fever Virus (ASFV) had been identified in a northeast Chinese pig herd. This is the initial report of this disease in the country of China, although it had been reported in…

It takes a village to raise a family, well it also takes a village to showcase our passion.  We had a great crew of Pipestone staff and volunteers at county and State fairs sharing their passion in 2018! This year it was 49 days of transparency, where Pipestone pigs and people met visitors at the…

Weaned pig sourcing has the potential to affect the profitability of an enterprise greatly.  Here are 4 things to keep in mind when considering your pig source. #1 Health When evaluating a “one time” purchase of weaned pigs you will want to know the current health status of the sow farm and weaned pigs.  However,…

A new program from Pipestone Veterinary Services is focused on improving animal health and farm profitability through a proactive and planned approach. The Pig Vet program was launched in January 2018 and includes scheduled visits from a Pipestone veterinarian to a producer’s operation each year with the number of visits dependent of each producer’s unique…

Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS), much to producers’ and veterinarians’ dismay, can have a devastating impact on pigs of all ages. In general, the introduction of a new strain of PRRS at any stage of pig production has the potential to cause severe damage. Not only can PRRS be devastating by itself, but it…

Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS), much to producers’ and veterinarians’ dismay, can have a devastating impact on pigs of all ages. In general, the introduction of a new strain of PRRS at any stage of pig production has the potential to cause severe damage. Not only can PRRS be devastating by itself, but it…

Cleaning and disinfecting transport trailers, farrowing stalls, and pens in nursery and wean-to-finish barns has been proven critical to keeping animals healthy and preventing the spread of viruses.  A new product is showing promise, while also proving safer for the people, pigs, and environment. Ag Forte Pro is a unique product that is a combination…

As Pipestone Veterinary Services continues to grow and improve we are finding the need for additional veterinary support. We would like to introduce our newest veterinarians to the team and more specifically, one locally in your area. Dr. Brent Pepin is from central Minnesota and a 2014 graduate of Iowa State Veterinary School, where he…

Between death loss and production impact, the estimates have the yearly cost to the U.S. swine industry to be around $300 million so far this year. Don’t ignore heat stress.   While you can’t control the weather,  you can control your facilities. Pigs don’t sweat, so they cannot naturally take advantage of evaporative cooling. They rely…

By: Dr. Wesley Lyons Summertime should mean school’s out, summer vacations, celebrating our nation’s independence, warmer temperatures, and happy pigs. Unfortunately, with the warm weather, we also see an increase in insect pests within our barns. Depending on the region and barn ventilation setup, insect types can vary, but the common culprits are house flies,…

By: Dr. Carissa Odland In March, I made a trip to San Diego for the American Association of Swine Veterinarians Annual meeting.    This meeting was attended by 1200 leaders in the swine industry to talk about our passion – taking care of pigs. One of the main topics that were discussed was antibiotics.   Several of…

Dan Hanson, research manager for Pipestone Applied Research, was recently recognized for his work ethic, leadership and commitment to animal care in his more than 11 years at Pipestone with the David Neuberger II Core Values Award.  The award was presented to Hanson at an employee meeting in May. The Pipestone Management David Neuberger II…

Focusing on these animal welfare basics is critical to getting newly weaned piglets off to a strong start Weaning and the transition to the early nursery stage are the most challenging times for piglets. Minimizing stress during those first few weeks away from mom will improve a piglet’s odds of staying healthy. A good environment…

Pig farmers agree: Losing a market hog hurts. There are not many topics over which all pig farmers in the U.S. would agree, but two things over which they would agree are first, that no one likes dead pigs; and second, the worst type of dead pig is a market-sized pig. Death loss in market…

As popular headlines focus on the potential link between antibiotic resistance and usage of antibiotics in food animal production, it is more critical than ever for swine veterinarians and producers to work together to use antibiotics in the most effective and judicious ways possible. The use of antibiotic sensitivity information has become an increasingly valuable…

News Release from AASV March 5, 2018 — The American Association of Swine Veterinarian’s Young Swine Veterinarian of the Year Award was presented to Dr. Adam Schelkopf during the 49th Annual Meeting of the AASV in San Diego, CA.  It is given annually to an AASV member five or less years post graduation who has…

“Without data, you are just another person with an opinion” -Edwards Deming I think in numbers, as most people in the sciences do.  As such, I believe very strongly in the value of data to make decisions.  Being able to base business decisions off solid numbers gives confidence to the decision-maker that they are making…

In the summer of 2016, Pipestone set forth the challenge to be global leaders in antimicrobial stewardship. As swine veterinarians, we feel a responsibility to lead the industry with science-driven decisions on how to manage the use of antimicrobials, track resistance, and make proactive changes to practices if increased resistance was shown. With that in…

Providing independent producers the opportunity to compete in a fast-changing swine industry has been the driving force behind the Pipestone Management for more than 25 years. Technologies, genetics and management practices in pork production may have evolved quickly over nearly three decades, but independent producers who are shareholders in the Pipestone Management have been able…

The development of bacteria resistant to antibiotics is a critical issue for human health, with 23,000 people dying each year from an AMR (antimicrobial resistance) infection.  A new program developed by Pipestone is focused gathering critical data about antibiotic resistance and responsible antibiotic use, as well as engaging pig producers, regulators and opinion leaders and…

Streptococcus suis (commonly known as strep) is a very common bacterial agent present in all pigs. S. suis gets into the pigs’ bloodstream and then affects pigs throughout their entire body. Classic clinical signs of S. suis include fever, meningitis (walking without coordination and paddling while lying on its side), swollen joints, pneumonia/coughing, and sudden…

“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure …” The same advice that Benjamin Franklin gave to city leaders in Philadelphia about preventing fires in 1735 can be applied to raising livestock today. Keeping animals healthy and preventing diseases benefits the animal’s well being, boosts performance and ultimately protects the producer’s bottom line.…

By: Dr. Scott Dee Happy New Year! In 2011, I joined the Pipestone team on a new journey: to lead their newly formed research division.  Pipestone Applied Research (PAR) focuses on providing production-driven research results for our Pipestone shareholders, research sponsors, and our swine vet team to make data-driven decisions and ultimately improve health and…

By: Dr. Joseph Yaros Over the past few years, there has been an increasing amount of talk about the judicious use of antibiotics in livestock. The growing trend of antibiotic resistance in human infections has created pressure on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to review antibiotic usages in livestock. In response to this…

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 our communities are food insecure, and without organizations like Feeding America, would have limited to no protein to serve their families.    …

Celebrate the holiday season with an Open House! During the holiday season, it’s nice to open your home to share what you have been blessed with.  But planning a holiday get-together and put stress levels through the roof.  Here’s your easy plan to guarantee a great night with friends and family. Below is a guide…

I recently had the opportunity to host a group of food bloggers at a farm that I am the veterinarian for in South Dakota.  Prior to this event, I didn’t have a good understanding of what food blogging entailed aside from a couple quick visits to The Pioneer Woman’s blog!  But let me tell you……

Two Pipestone employees had the opportunity to see firsthand the impact that even a small contribution can make to children and families in the developing world.  Dr. Jay Bobb, veterinarian, and Jenna Hauglid, Pipestone Grow Finish, Nutrition Account Manager, traveled to Ethiopia in October 2017 to tour schools and other programs that benefited from a…

Heat stress has negative effects on sow production and reproduction performance. Heat stress has multiple impacts on animal metabolism and physiology. These include: increased body core temperature, homeorhetic adaptations that increase blood flow to the skin to dissipate radiant heat, increased respiration rates to remove the excess heat, and reduced feed intake as a strategy…

Pipestone has continued to study the effects of lactation length and have completed two large scale trials through our research facilities. The first trial was designed to understand lactation lengths impact on sow weight and growing pig performance.  We looked at five treatment groups from 21 days to 30 days wean age in 2-day increments.The…

Recent stories in some well-read media publications make it very difficult for consumers to weed out the difference between the truth about antimicrobial resistance (AMR) versus assumptions. Media suggests that the livestock industry is not properly managing the antibiotic issue.  Assumptions like this have led to action, such as the recent San Francisco law requiring…

All across the Midwest, we are starting to experience the changing of the seasons.  Weather is changing, kids are heading back to school, and combines are being prepared for the impending harvest.  For many swine producers, unfortunately, it is also a time of year which conjures up thoughts of PRRS virus.  Porcine Respiratory and Reproductive…

Written by Kevin Schulz Kevin Schultz is a Senior Content Specialist with National Hog Farmer magazine Dr. Scott Dee of Pipestone Veterinary Services shares what we’ve learned about air filtration over the years and how it’s making a difference in the industry. PRRS has been a game changer in the swine industry, and filtration of hog barns…

Starting as a teenager, Ryan Weinkauf has taken a step by step approach to raising pigs and building his farming operation. Ryan grew up as the third generation on his family’s farm just outside of Pipestone, Minnesota. “Dad started raising pigs in the 1970s and 1980s in an old barn, then modernized the barn and…

By: Brian Stevens, President of Big Stone Marketing Here it is the middle of August and we have some pretty significant changes underway in the Pork Industry and I thought I should talk about it in this month’s newsletter.  The topic is the additional packing capacity our industry is adding.  We have two remodeled pork…

You have the diagnostics in hand. The results tie your stomach in knots, the sample is PRRS virus  PCR positive. If you are lucky, you have not experienced this before but if you are like the other 99% of the people in the swine industry, you have had this feeling. But what now? Do you…

Some of the most common pests within a hog operation include your common house fly and fruit fly. These pests are not only a risk for transferring diseases but are also a nuisance to the animals and people that work or reside in these barns. Once these pests are established within your operation it can…

When I was first being introduced to the swine industry six years ago, I barely scratched the surface on seeing how fast-paced the industry drove its own improvement. Growing up on a purebred beef cattle farm, the idea of upgrading production practices was pretty foreign aside from some attempts at lower-stress handling facilities. Our idea…

Have you ever unloaded a group of pigs that are heat stressed following transportation? How do you manage transportation during months of high heat and humidity to prevent or minimize heat stress and transport losses? Here are a few tips to help your pigs weather summer heat and humidity.  It all comes down to managing…

Often we are so overwhelmed with information being shared – through main stream news, social media, and conversations with friends or co-workers.  It can be challenging to decipher what is true versus a myth.  As a veterinarian and mother of two young children, I recognize the importance of getting the facts about the food we…

Check out our NEW Swine Shirts! “STOP Swine-ing and Get to Work” and “Get Piggy with it“

Food Safety Modernization Act: Highlights for pig producers and feed manufacturers It may only be June but many feed mills are currently gearing up for the September 18th deadline to be compliant with the newly installed Food Safety Modernization Act, or FSMA. This new federal regulation was actually put into law in January of 2011 but…

On May 23rd, 2017 all farm employees met for the semiannual meeting for the afternoon at four different locations to cover: production highlights, gilt productivity and animal welfare and biosecurity review. One of the highlights of the meeting Pipestone Management presents one individual with the Dave Neuberger II Award. This award is presented annually in…

We are proud to welcome Dr. Monte Fuhrman to the Pipestone Veterinary Services team! Dr. Fuhrman is a native of Warner, SD and graduate of South Dakota State University and Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine. Since graduation, he has spent his career providing swine veterinary service and consultation across the mid-west, including South…

Pipestone Veterinary Services is excited to announce the addition of Bethany Swine Health Services.  The acquisition made in April of 2017 will bring Pipestone Veterinary Services to five clinic locations with 34 veterinarians on staff. Pipestone’s veterinarian Dr. Adam Schelkopf’s family has successfully operated the Bethany Animal Hospital for more than 40 years.  Dr.’s Mike…

The FDA inspector will likely tell you the specific VFD that they randomly selected which prompted a visit to your farm – be prepared with details on that VFD / group of pigs such as: How long did you medicate the pigs? Does this match up with the duration listed by your veterinarian on the…

By: Sylvia Wolters After winter, we’re all itching to get outdoors, so why not get to know your neighbors with a spring BBQ!  We’ve made a party for 10 or 100 easy.  There are two key things that will make your event a success! Plan your work … work your plan.  When plan A fails,…