Benchmark Magazine Article Archive

While there have been many hurdles to overcome this past year, we know that those who have remained steadfast in the industry are Set for Success.

While producers rely on reports for sow records, task management, and performance summaries, many overlook a critical opportunity: harnessing advanced analytics to maximize reproductive efficiency, profitability, and sow longevity.

Osteochondrosis is a disease that is a major cause of lameness in pigs. Currently, osteochondrosis is scored by trained technicians based on visual observation of CT images.

From disease prevention to meeting compliance with animal confinement regulations, the latest set of challenges certainly continues the tradition of having serious repercussions on the industry.

To reach peak performance productivity, animals need a constant supply of feed. But when that flow of feed is interrupted, it can lead to growth delays, increased mortality, and other health issues - all of which impact feed conversion ratios (FCR).

Swine incinerators are designed to burn swine carcasses, manure, and other organic waste at high enough temperatures to incinerate pathogens and microorganisms, preventing the spread of diseases such as swine fever, porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2), and foot-and-mouth disease.

While the company has always been driven by innovation, 2014-2015 marked a turning point. It was during this time that Ro-Main reinvented itself, embracing modern artificial intelligence - a set of tools previously untapped in livestock farming.

These are turbulent times for pork producers. Because of that, in addition to benchmarking data, this year our theme for Benchmark magazine is “Building Blocks for the Long Haul, Bringing Longevity to the Farm.”

Within the pork industry, heat stress poses a significant threat to overall pig production, impairing health, productivity, and well-being at all life stages.

We’ve been using data to analyze past, current, and future hog producer productivity and profitability for some time.

Broad-based growth in pork exports continues to provide a measure of hope for pork producers in 2024, amid historically challenging market conditions in hog production.

One thing’s for sure: The world needs more Canadian pork. Despite the obviousness of that statement, there are many challenges to getting the product where people want it - where there’s consumer demand.

For the 2023 issue of Benchmark magazine, we have gone back to basics. Big data is a trendy term today, even though the value of the data has never been in doubt going back to the 1980s when PigCHAMP was first developed at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine.

Respiratory disease in pigs is arguably the most important health concern for swine producers today. In 1995, the National Animal Health Monitoring System reported respiratory disease as the leading cause of mortality in nursery and grow-to-finish operations.

African Swine Fever (ASF) is not yet present in the US, but this deadly porcine virus has been spreading globally since 2007.