pig tales issue 5 2007

PIG TALESThe Official Publication of the Kansas Pork Industry

September/October 2007 • No. 5

Nutrient Management Plan Workshop

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September/October 2007 • Pig Tales �



Pig Tales is the official bi-monthly publication of the Kansas Pork Association (KPA) and the Kansas Pork Producers Council (KPPC). The publisher cannot guarantee the correctness of all information or absence of errors and omissions, nor be liable for content of advertisements. We reserve the right to edit or refuse all materials. The KPA does not guarantee or endorse the performance of any products or services advertised within the publication. All Pig Tales inquires should be directed to the editors at: Kansas Pork Association, 2601 Farm Bureau Road, Manhattan, KS 66502, Phone 785-776-0442, Fax 785-776-9897, E-mail: [email protected], Web site: www.kspork.org

Managing Editor Wrenn Pacheco

President-CEO Tim Stroda

2007 KPA BOARD OF DIRECTORSChairman: Pete Sherlock – Washington

Kent Condray – CliftonChris Cox – Long Island

Thomas Frederick – HugotonAlan Haverkamp – Bern

Jim Hicks – Leoti Michael Springer – Sycamore

Ron Suther – BlaineJim Nelssen – Kansas State University

Kelly Wondra – Ellinwood

2007 KPPC BOARD OF DIRECTORSChairman: Ron Suther – Blaine Steve Eichman – Westmoreland

Alan Haverkamp – BernChris Cox – Long Island

A B O U T T H E C O V E R

LEARN mORE ABOUT THE NUTRIENT mANAGEmENT PLAN

WORkSHOP HELd AT k-STATE

FEATURES

5 Employee Management in Agriculture Conference

6 KPA News

9 Kansas State University Swine Day

10 Pork Chop Open Golf Tournament 11 Nutrient Management Plan Field Day

12 Henery Appointed to Serve as national Pork Board Member

13 Image Campaign in Full Swing

4 The President’s Corner

14 K-State Connection to the Pork Industry

16 National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) News

18 National Pork Board (NBP) News

IN EVERY ISSUE

11PIG TALES

The Official Publication of the Kansas Pork Industry


9

K- StateSwine Day

Thursday, November 15, 2007

Nutrient Management Plan Workshop

Pig Tales • September/October 2007�

The President’s Corner

Tim StrodaPresident-CEOKansas Pork Association

anism it uses to enter the animal, what type of cell the disease affects,what effects the disease causes on the cells , how to develop countermeasures to help the animal develop protection against the disease, and how quickly the animal can become protected from the disease.

The facility will be constructed as a unique Biosafety Level (BSL) 3 and BSL-4 livestock laboratory capable of developing countermeasures for foreign animal diseases that are currently investigated at the aging Plum Island Animal Disease Center.

This means NBAF will be a highly-secure laboratory, designed to conduct research safely. Its state-of-the-art labs will not only protect researchers, but will also ensure the safety of the community and surrounding livestock operations,

The positives to this project are more than just economic development for the local area. This project will bring to Manhattan over 250 highly trained researchers and technicians.

Our industry should expect and encourage a close working relationship among researchers at the NBAF facility, KSU’s Department of Animal Sciences and Industry, the KSU College of Veterinary Medicine and the new Biosecurity Research Institute.

This teamwork should provide an unprecedented opportunity for advancement in knowledge on the recognition, prevention and response to major agricultural diseases.

It should also provide the region’s academic institutions and private businesses with personnel who can enhance on-farm practices and technologies to help pork producers ensure the safety of our product for our customers.

Some of you may have seen news stories about Manhattan being picked as one of five finalists for the site of a new National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF). While this news may have faded in your memory, here in Manhattan, it is still very hot. I wouldn’t say its overtaken KSU football, but its gaining ground.

The local debate centers mainly on the safety of the proposed facility versus the economic development generated by the $451 million project. However, the pork industry’s interest in the facility is broader.

First, let’s review the project. The proposed 520,000 square foot facility’s mission will include researching high-consequence biological threats involving human, zoonotic (i.e., transmitted from animals to humans), and foreign animal diseases.

The following is from the official Website:

Diseases of InterestThe following diseases have currently been defined by the Department of Homeland Security and the Depart-ment of Agriculture as possibilities for study at the National Bio and Agro-De-fense Facility (NBAF): • Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) • Classical Swine Fever (CSF) • African Swine Fever (ASF) • Rift Valley Fever (RVF) • Nipah Virus • Hendra Virus • Contagious Bovine

Pleuropneumonia (CBPP) • Japanese Encephalitis (JE) virus

Research FocusResearchers will focus on developing tests to detect the diseases and coun-termeasures to prevent the disease. In some cases, they will be studying the disease itself to determine:what mech-

Why locating nBaF in Manhattan is iMportant to the kansas pork industry?

September/October 2007 • Pig Tales 5

Kansas State University is joining forces with the National Pork Board and the National Cattleman’s Beef Association to offer the “Employee Management For Production Agriculture Conference” Oct. 11-12, 2007.

The conference will be held at the Kansas City (Mo.) Airport Marriott Hotel near Kansas City International Airport. The meeting begins with registration at 9 a.m., and the program is set to begin at 10 a.m. on Oct. 11. The conference ends Friday afternoon after 1 p.m. industry workshops for beef and pork producers.

The sessions will be filled with such information as working with diverse cultures in agricultural businesses, dealing with difficult times, and legal issues, said K-State Research and Extension agricultural economist Sarah Fogleman.

Fogleman, who is a K-State Research and Extension specialist in employment management issues in agriculture, is one of the conference coordinators.

One of the general sessions will focus on “Managing Across Cultures,” Fogleman said. “This session is designed to help everyone think about what makes us different and what makes us alike – and most of all, what makes us better.”

Another general session – “Getting to ‘We’” will focus on how employees make the transition from thinking of a business as “your” business to thinking of it as “our” business.

A third general session, “Dealing with Difficult Times,” will help agricultural business owners of all kinds keep morale up during uncertain times such as drought, floods and heat.

Industry workshops for beef and pork producers will round out the conference on Friday afternoon. The Pork Checkoff program is hosting a producer workforce development awareness panel and will provide a farm level tool on developing leadership skills.

Early registration for the conference is $150 for the first two attendees from a business, due by Sept. 26. For businesses sending three or more participants, the group rate is $125 per person, if paid by Sept. 26. After that date, the full rate of $200 per person applies. The registration fee covers lunch on both days, refreshments at breaks and all conference materials.

More information about the conference, including links to the hotel, is available on the Web at http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/employee or by contacting Fogleman at 620-431-1530.

*Being a Boss vs. Being a Buddy - This popular

session will help managers learn to walk that fine

line.

* Legal Issues 101 (emphasis on immigration)

Learn to insulate yourself from legal risks and how

to navigate tricky legal waters associated with

employing a non-citizen workforce.* Family - Family workplaces are wonderful when

they work and terrible when they don’t. This session

will help family members recognize the pitfalls

and possibilities that come from running a family

business.* Workers’ Compensation - Learn to navigate risky

waters by understanding the rules and laws and

learning the keys that can help you master Workers’

Compensation.* Orientation and Training from the Ground Up - More

and more agricultural employees have no agricultural

experience. Learn to use this to your advantage by

designing an orientation and training program that

takes nothing for granted.* Compensation - Like it or not, compensation is

the one issue that ALL managers have to address

sometime. This session will help producers build

compensation packages that meet their employee’s

needs without breaking the bank.* Growing Your Own Replacements - People are

maybe the most important resource our businesses

have. But where do we go for replacements? Learn

to identify, recruit, train and empower employees who

will be your next managers.* Recruiting - Most managers have broken down and

hired a “warm body” at one time or another. Learn

where to look, how to advertise, and how to think like

a potential employee.* Conflict Management - Conflict is everywhere.

This informative session will help producers learn

strategies for recognizing and diffusing workplace

conflicts.* Turnover: Symptom or Disease - People frequently

think of turnover as a problem, but sometimes it’s a

symptom of other problems. Learn to identify the root

of turnover in your business and how to cut it off at

the source.

Breakout SeSSionS

employee management in agriculture conference



NewsBBQ grill Winner

The winner is Skyler Glenn from Scott County, along with cousins, Kaitynn and Kyle Hammond, from Finney County. They assisted the Kansas Pork Association in their effort of promoting grilled pork in Kansas grocery stores. Skyler, Katiynn and Kyle displayed the “point of sales” materials

provided by KPA at four different local grocery stores. These stores are: Casper Grocery Store in Scott City; both Dillons in Garden City and Ron’s Market in Holcomb.

“Chill and Grill” presented by Wrenn Pacheco to Katiynn Hammond , Kyle Hammond and Skyler Glenn at the Dillions East in Garden City.

kansas pork association, national pork Board and hy-Vee stores teaM up

Kansas Pork Association, National Pork Board and Hy-Vee stores have teamed up to help promote pork in an unconventional way. The promotion is through the Hy-Vee stores in Iowa, Illinois, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska and South Dakota. In October, consumers are going to be able to find pork advertisement and recipes on the private label Hy-Vee brand of BBQ sauce and tortillas. Both of these items will have on-pack advertising and the tortillas will offer a peel off pork recipe on the back. These items are the number one seller in their division throughout all stores. The goal is for the consumer to purchase the product and then see the advertisement. The advertisement will drive the consumer to the pork meat case or allow that product to sit in the consumer’s pantry or in the refrigerator till the next time they visit the store and pick up pork to go with the items they already have at home. In the state of Kansas Hy-Vee stores can be found in Lawrence, Leawood, Lenexa, Mission, Olathe and Overland Park.

tool For soW housing aVailaBleA computer-based, decision-making too to evaluate the

production and financial implication between gestating sow housing systems is available at no cost to pork producers. The Pork Checkoff funded the development and distribution of the Sow Housing Alternatives Calculator.

The Sow Housing Alternative Calculator is designed for pork producers who are researching the elimination of individual gestation stalls and converting to an open housing system. The CD compares environmentally controlled and hoop housing options, and helps determine whether to modify current gestation facilities or to build new. Producers input their own production and construction costs and the

calculator produces a financial cost and production level comparison. The CD allows for entering reproductive performance such as farrowing rate and number of piglets weaned per litter.

To order the Sow housing Alternative Calculator either e-mail [email protected] with name, mailing address, and telephone number; or call Kansas Pork Association at 785-776-0442.

Peel off lable for the tortillas

On Pork Advertising for the BBQ Sauce


kansas pork association and kansas college FootBallThis year KPA will be supporting K-State and KU Football, by advertising on

both radio networks during the games. Listen to the following stations to hear the commercials.

BELOIT KVSV-AM 1190 AMCHANUTE KINZ-FM 94.3 FMCLAY CENTER KCLY-FM 100.9 FMCOLBY KXXX-AM 790 AMCONCORDIA KCNK-AM 1390 AMCOPELAND/DODGE CITY KSKZ-FM 98.1 FMCOFFEYVILLE KGGF-AM 690 AMEMPORIA KVOE-FM 101.7 FMGOODLAND KKCI-FM 102.5 FMGREAT BEND KZLS-FM 107.9 FMHIAWATHA KNZA-FM 103.9 FMHUTCHINSON KHMY-FM 93.1 FMJUNCTION CITY KJCK-AM 1420 AMJUNCTION CITY KBLS-FM 102.5 FMKANSAS CITY WHB-AM 810 AMLIBERAL KSCB-AM 1270 AMMANHATTAN KMKF-FM 101.5 FMMANHATTAN KMAN-AM 1350 AMMARYSVILLE KNDY-AM 1570 AMNORTON KQNK-AM 1530 AMNORTON KQNK-FM 106.7 FMPHILLIPSBURG KKAN-AM 1490 AMPHILLIPSBURG KQMA-FM 92.5 FMPRATT KWLS-AM 1290 AMRUSSELL KRSL-AM 990 AMSALINA KSAL-AM 1150 AMSENECA KMZA-FM 92.1 FMSCOTT CITY KSKL-FM 94.5 FMTOPEKA KDVV-FM 100.3 FMWICHITA KFTI-AM 1070 AMWINFIELD KKLE-AM 1550 AM

KSAJ-FM AbileneKKOY-FM ChanuteKGGF-FM Coffeyville/Independence/FredoniaKWGB-FM ColbyKZRD-FM Dodge CityKVOE-AM EmporiaKMDO-AM Fort ScottKOMB-FM Fort ScottKZDY-FM Glen Elder/Cawker CityKLOE-AM GoodlandKHOK-FM Great Bend/HoisingtonKAYS-AM HaysKWBW-AM HutchinsonKIKS-FM IolaWMBH-AM JoplinKCSP-AM Kansas CityKLWN-AM LawrenceKLZR-FM LawrenceKNDY-FM MarysvilleKLKC-AM ParsonsKKAN-AM PhillipsburgKQMA-FM PhillipsburgKSEK-AM PittsburgWIBW-AM TopekaKWME-FM WellingtonKFH-AM WichitaKFH-FM Wichita/clearwaterKKLE-AM Winfield


2007 pork coMMunity outreach prograM

The Kansas Pork Association is into it’s second year as a program for Kansas pork producers, “Pork Community Outreach”. The program is designed to assist individual pork producers in becoming more involved and positively visible in their local communities.

“We’re hoping producers see this as an opportunity to build better relationships with community members,” Tim Stroda, KPA President-CEO, said.

This year, the KPA would like to offer matching funds for 100 percent of their expenses on selected community relations activities. For every $1 a producer contributes, the KPA will also contribute $1.

The purpose of this program is to multiply the positive effects of pork producer involvement in the communities where hogs are raised.

To view guidelines and to find an application form, please visit the KPA Web site, www.kspork.org. Under the news section you will find a link to the Outreach program.

prograMs eligiBle For cost-sharing dollars include:

Sponsoring pork as the main dish for a community meal, golf tournament, booster club activities or charity event.Hosting a hog roast or other pork meal for a near by housing development.Sponsoring a local sports team (your farm name and the pork logo

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would be displayed on T-shirts.)Sponsoring sinage at a local sporting event (your farm name and the pork logo would be displayed).Sponsorship of a local festival.Doing classroom visits educating youth about the nutritional value of pork and modern pork production (educational materials provided by the KPA).Provide sorting boards for the county fair.

to Be eligiBle you Must:

Fill out a cost share request form and submit it to the KPA at least two weeks prior to your event. -Contact local media in advanceSubmit design ideas to the KPA so that appropriate logos and messages may be included.Take photos during event and send to the KPA.Meet KPA guidelines.

kpa guidelines:Must be a significant portion of the audience that is non-family and non-employee.The sponsorship dollars must be used and visible in your local community.Funds may not be used for political fund raising events.KPA Committee has final decision in approving funds.Limited funds available. Projects will be approved on a first come-first serve basis.

Questions? Contact the KPA Office at (785) 776-0442.

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connecting pork producers and c o m m u n i t i e s

• Pete Sherlock of Ag Management Services used the community outreach program to sponsor a girls t-ball team and used the KPA logo and advertising for their shirts. This team played in the months of May, June and July, through two different counties.

• Bruce and Joyce Feldhausenof Rock Hog Farms, along with Doug Schwatrz of ProPork donated a butcher hog to the Wildcat Wilderness Project in the community of Frankfort. The butcher hog feed the volunteers that constructed the new playground system for the city park. Rock Hog Farms also provided two roasters of BBQ pork for a community dinner given by the confirmation class of the First Presbyterian Church of Frankfort. This dinner was to raise funds for the Greensberg victims.

• J-Six Enterprises, LLC held an annual summer BBQ, feeding approximately 300 people. The BBQ was held for neighbors of all of J-Six Locations, from White Cloud, Kan. To Clifton, Kan. Also all local fireman were invited to the dinner. J-Six also provided pork for the Corning Ball Association for the Yearly Memorial Day Breakfast.

• Doug Gerleve donated three butcher hogs to the Hanover 4th of July Celebration.

• Pete Sherlock of Rolling Hills Pork, LLC donated a butcher hog to the Washington County Saddle Club for the annual rodeo.

• Haverkamp Brothers, Inc. held an annual Employee BBQ. Employees, their families along with the neighbors from locations in Bern area, Robinson area and the Auburn, NE area were invited. The Haverkamp Brothers also celebrated there 25th year of business.

• Mike and Peggy Bellar of Bellar Farms donated two hogs to the Elk County 4-H Fair supporter’s dinner. The free meal was to show appreciation to everyone who helped or was involved in the Elk County 4-H.

KSwine Day

September/October 2007 • Pig Tales �

8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Technology Trade ShowMORNING PROGRAM – Masters of Ceremonies – Pat Murphy, Interim Assistant Director of Extension 9:45 a.m. Welcome –Dr. Ken Odde, Department Head, Animal Sciences and Industry, KSU 10:00 a.m. Porcine Circovirus: What Have We Learned in the Last Year??? Dr. Lisa Tokach and Dr. Steve Henry, Abilene Animal Hospital and Faculty of the College of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University12:00 noon LUNCH - With Trade ShowAFTERNOON PROGRAM - Master of Ceremonies – Pat Murphy, Interim Assistant Director of Extension 1:15 p.m. Update on Current K-State Swine Research to Help Improve Net Return of a Swine Business K-State Swine Team will discuss practical application of the latest production research and present breakthroughs in some novel new areas. 2:30 p.m. Positioning Animal Agriculture for the Future Trent Loos, Loos Tales, Loup City, Nebraska3:30 - 5:00 p.m. K-State Pork Tail-Gate Party – Stay around to visit with your fellow pork producers and enjoy some K-State hospitality.

K- StateSwine Day

2007 KSU Swine Day Preregistration -$15 per participant by November 8; $25 per participant at the door

No charge for students if preregistered

Name(s) _______________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________Address ________________________________________________________________________City _____________________________ State ______ Zip __________ Phone ________________Total Number Registrants: ___________ @$15 = _____________Total Number Parking Passes* _______@$3 = ______________Total Amount Enclosed: _______________

* Parking passes are required to park in K-State parking lots. Permits will be mailed to you if registration is received by Nov. 5. Due to construction of the parking garage, Parking Services will run several free shuttle buses for employees and visitors from the east Bramlage lot to the northwest side of the union. The buses will run approximately every 10 minutes between the hours of 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. You must have a parking permit to park in the east Bramlage lot.

Your check, payable to Animal Sciences and Industry, must accompany this form. Send to: KSU Swine Day, 213 Weber Hall, Manhattan, KS 66506. Phone (785-532-1267).

Thursday, November 15, 2007

KSU Alumni Center

Pig Tales • September/October 200710

The annual Pork Chop Open was held Friday, August 17th, at Cedar Hills Golf Course in Washington. Fifty-six participated in the 18-hole, 4-man scramble at this year’s event.

Jeff Brabec, Jim Brabec, Mark Chapin and Paul Monty came in first with a score of 54. Gene Henderson, Tyler Henderson, Greg Knedlik and Randy Wyatt came in second with a score of 59. Pete Sherlock, Tom Dragastin, Justin Dragastin and Andy Baker came in third with a score of 59.

Pork Chop Open Golf Tournament

Thank You Sponsors

Hole SponsorsKastl-Powell Agency, NCKPAlltechSuther FeedsGolf USAZeitlow Distributing CompanyFirst National BankMidwest Livestock SystemsZoltenko FarmsKeesecker Agri BusinessHoover’sThe Mansfield AgencyFarm Bureau Financial ServicesFarm Management Services Inc. – ConcordiaClay Center LockerBank of PalmerKey FeedsBluestem ElectricMidwest MaterialsKansas GOLD.

Watching a drive are from left: Tyler Henderson,Gene Henderson, Greg Knedlik, Jim and Jeff Brabec.

Rolling Hills team on a green.


11

Livestock producers from across the state attended a field day on the Kansas State University campus to learn how to implement their Nutrient Management Plans (NMP).

This field day was designed to assist livestock producers, nutrient management plan developers, and regulatory and Extension personnel on how to properly implement a NMP. Demonstrations on proper sampling, calibration of manure equipment, and adjusting application rates based on soil and manure analysis were discussed. In addition, the National Pork Board’s Neighbor-to-Neighbor program provided information on ways to inform neighbors and other community members when concerns arise from livestock operations.

The first session discussed the reason for the workshop along with what was going to be covered through the day. Then the group moved out of the farm shop and learned the proper way to collect and care for manure and soil samples. Following this session the group moved back to the farm shop and Dale Leikam, KSU Department of Agronomy spoke on the understanding and utilization of the soil and manure test. Attendants of the workshop also got to see the proper way of calibrating manure equipment, including center pivot and box/side spreader. After lunch Kim Claassen

of Henry Creek Farms, Whitewater, highlighted the changes the his farm had made since beginning to work with a Nutrient Management Plan. Then Jennifer Schmidt from the National Pork Board gave a presentation on Neighbor to Neighbor relations.

The Kansas Pork Association worked with the KSU Deparmtment ofAnimal Science and Industry and the Natural Resources Conservation Service to plan the workshop.

NutrieNt MaNageMeNt PlaN Field day

Joel DeRouchey, KSU Department of Animal Sciences and Industry, gave an overview of the farm’s Nutrient Management Plan and explained the composting system.

Dale Leikam, KSU Department of Agronomy, explained the basics of reading a soil and manure sample.

Kim Claassen of Henry Creek Farms, Whitewater,highlighted the changes the farm had made sincebeginning to work with a Nutrient Management Plan.


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Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns announced Roy Henry of Longford, Kan., has been appointed to serve a one-year term on the National Pork Board created recently when board member Carol Hein of Missouri resigned to take a job outside the pork industry. He was selected from among the eight pork producers nominated and ranked by the National Pork Act

Delegate Body during its annual meeting in March.

Henry will join the Pork Board in Chicago Aug. 28-29 to discuss the Board’s budget and Plan of Work process; it’s anticipatory issues management process; and the work it is doing in the area of animal care. In addition, he will be integrated into three committees within the Board – budget, audit or administrative.

Nationally, Henry serves on the Pork Checkoff’s Pork Safety Committee. He also has served on the Environmental Committee, the Pork Quality Solutions Committee and the Air Quality Committee.

Henry has also served as President of the Kansas Pork Producers Council.

As the owner of a farrow-to-finish hog operation, Henrys LTD., Henry is involved in marketing, oversight of maintenance and purchasing. Henrys LTD. has 1,500 sows and markets 25,000 hogs per year.

henry appointed to serVe as national pork Board MeMBer

K- StateSwine Day

ThursdayNovember 15, 2007

see page 9 for more Information

Don’t Forget...

September/October 2007 • Pig Tales 1�

iMage caMpaign in Full sWing The Pork and Soybean Checkoff Image Campaign

is finished in Norton County for the month of August. With the theme, “Together, we raise the community’s standard of living,” newspaper and radio ads were created to promote consumer and producer awareness about the positive impact of pork and soybean producers in their cities. Print ads ran in the Country Advocate and the Norton Telegram. Radio spots also are ran on KQNK AM/FM.

In September the campaign will be in the counties of Scott and Wichita. The outdoor advertisement is placed on a billboard on K-96 west of Scott City. The print ads can be found in the Leoti Standard and the Scott County Record. There will also be radio spots run on local radio stations in both Scott and Wichita counties.

The Image Campaign will wrap up in the counties of Morton, Stevens and Grant in the month of October.

The KPA’s plan, in cooperation with the Kansas Soybean Commission, is to cover different counties within Kansas every month until October. Please let us know if and how the advertisements are affecting your communities

Taxes generated by pork producers help fund Kansas school improvements.Through their tax contributions, producers support new technology, building upgrades and

more extracurricular programs for our students. Better education creates a better Kansas.

Support your local pork producers.

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Contact Vincent PieschlNorth Central Steel1349 Golden Road

Minneapolis, KS 674671-800-382-0106


K-State Connection to the pork industryeFFects oF pcV2 Vaccine on the groWth perForMance oF pigs and Mortality rate in a pcV2-positiVe coMMercial sWine herdKSU Swine Team

Introduction Porcine Circovirus Diseases (PCVD) is

considered a disease of major economic importance mainly because of its ability to cause high death loss and poor growth performance. The disease is caused by Porcine Circovirus Type 2 (PCV2) and the condition is usually non-responsive to antibiotic treatment due to the viral cause. Clinical signs of the disease include poor body condition with varying degrees of muscle wasting, labored breathing, and enlarged lymph nodes. Death loss can be as high as 40% in severely affected herds. The PCV2 virus itself is very stable and resistant to inactivation. Preventing or minimizing the chances of infection requires exceptionally good husbandry practices. Although researchers have confirmed PCV2 as the main infectious agent that triggers the disease, it may require other factors or agents for clinical signs and lesions to appear in cases of PCVD. Positive responses and initial field results with the use of recently developed vaccines have further confirmed the major role PCV2 plays in the development of the disease. These results have been very promising, however, most of these were reported in terms of mortality reduction and very little study had been done with the vaccine in terms of growth performance. Therefore, the objective of this trial was to compare the effects of a 1-dose or 2-dose commercial PCV2 vaccines on growth rate and mortality.

Procedures The experiment was conducted in a 2,000 sow

herd commercial farm in Northeastern Kansas with a history of PCVD. A total of 1,470 weaned pigs (825 barrows and 645 gilts) were ear-tagged for identification and randomly allotted to one of three treatments with gilts and barrows equally allocated to each treatment group. Pigs were placed on test from three different weaning groups and weaning group was considered a block. All pigs were free of any physical defect and in good body condition. The treatments were negative control (non-vaccinated), 1-dose-vaccinated and 2-dose vaccinated pigs. The 1-dose vaccinated pigs were vaccinated one week after weaning while 2-dose vaccinated pigs were vaccinated at weaning and repeated three weeks later. The vaccines were commercially available (1-dose: Fort Dodge, 2-dose: Intervet) and administered according to label instructions. Each weaning group was housed, initially, in three separate mechanically ventilated nursery rooms and were then transferred to open sided, naturally ventilated buildings during the growing to finishing phase. All pigs were weighed at days 0, 113, and 143 on-test

and just prior to market to determine average daily gain. Weighing of pigs just prior to market was done in several batches for each group as part of the topping-out procedure of the farm. Thus, heavier pigs were weighed earlier than the rest of the pigs if they were already at least 270 lb before the scheduled weigh date for each block. Average daily gain was analyzed from only those pigs that were marketed. Weight gain of pig that died was not used in the calculation for ADG. Every on-test pig that died was recorded and mortality rate was calculated as number of recorded deaths divided by the initial number of pigs placed on test. A total of 15 pigs (5 nursery and 10 finishing) with clinical signs indicative of PCVD were submitted to the KSU Diagnostic Laboratory for necropsy and histopathological examination to confirm the presence of PCV2 infection. Data were analyzed as a 3 × 2 factorial randomized complete block using the MIXED procedure of SAS. The fixed effects were the main effects of vaccine treatment (1-dose, 2-dose, Control) and sex (barrow or gilt) and the random effect of wean group.

Results and Discussion Histopathologic lesions associated with PCV2

infection were noted in pigs necropsied from each of the three weaning groups. Average weight of pigs given the 2-dose vaccine was greater (P < 0.05) than the control pigs at mid-finishing (day 113 on-test) with pigs given the 1-dose vaccine intermediate (Table 1). At day 143 on-test, no significant difference in average pig weight was observed between the two vaccinated groups which were both greater than control pigs. The 1-dose vaccinated and 2-dose vaccinated groups were heavier by 7.6 lbs and 10.2 lbs (P < 0.05), respectively, than the control groups. This is exhibited in Figure 1 which shows the number of pigs in the 260 lb or greater weight ranges are heavier in the vaccinated groups compared to the control group at d 143. No significant difference in average weight at off-test was observed between the two vaccinated groups but both groups were heavier than the control group. However weight differences between the vaccinated groups and the control group was noticeably smaller at off-test compared to differences at d 143. This may be explained by the fact that all groups were topped out several days before they were taken off test leaving the rest of the pigs within close weight range across all groups. The control group also was on test longer compared to the two groups which allowed them to gain more weight and close the weight gap. There were no sex by treatment interactions observed but, as expected, barrows were significantly heavier (P < 0.05) than the gilts on d 113 up to market.

There was no significant difference in ADG among the pigs from the 1-dose and 2-dose vaccinated groups from d 0 to d 113, 143, or off-test. However, both vaccinated groups exhibited greater ADG (P < 0.05) Figrue1. Comparative wwight districution of treatment groups at Day 143 on-test


K-State Connection to the pork industrycompared to the control group on all occasions. This explains the widening gap in average weights between the vaccinated groups and control group at d 113 and d 143 on-test. All groups did not exhibit any significant difference in ADG from Day 113 to Day 143 and at off-test which indicates that significant difference in growth rates occurs between Day 0 and Day 113.

No differences in mortality rate were noted between any of the treatment groups. However, the two vaccinated groups had 3% lower mortality compared to the control group. We believe that the absence of statistical difference among the treatments is due to the greater variability as a result of a respiratory disease outbreak during the trial. A clinical outbreak of bacterial

Table1.EffectsofPCV2VaccineongrowperformanceandmortalityrateVaccineMainEffect SexMainEffect Difference P-values

Item Control 1-dose1 2-dose2 Barrow Gilt control-1dose control-2dose

1dose-2dose

Barrow-Gilt Vaccine Sex

Weight,lb

Day0 19.1 19.6 19.3 19.3 19.4 -.05 -0.2 0.3 -0.1 0.24 0.50Day113 181.8a 188.2ab 190.7b 190.3 183.5 -6.5 -2.5 -2.5 6.7 0.04 <.0001Day143 237.3a 244.8b 247.4b 248.7 237.6 -7.6 -2.6 -2.6 11.1 0.03 <.0001Off-test 256.7a 261.8ab 265.0b 265.3 257.1 -5.1 -3.2 -3.2 8.2 0.05 <.0001

DaysOn-test 153.2 151.8 151.9 151.2 153.3 1.4 -0.1 -0.1 -2.1 0.08 <.0001ADG,lb

d0-d113 1.44a 1.49b 1.52b 1.51 1.45 -0.06 -0.03 -0.03 0.06 0.02 <.0001d0-d143 1.53a 1.58b 1.60b 1.61 1.53 -0.05 -0.02 -0.02 0.08 0.02 <.0001

d0-Market 1.55a 1.60b 1.62b 1.63 1.55 -0.05 -0.02 -0.02 0.08 0.02 <.0001d113-d143 1.89 1.91 1.94 2.0 1.84 -0.02 -0.03 -0.03 0.16 0.39 <.0001

d113-Market 1.89 1.93 1.95 2.0 1.84 -0.03 -0.02 -0.02 0.16 0.25 <.0001Mortality,% 11.0 7.8 7.7 8.7 9.0 3.2 0.1 0.1 -0.3 0.42 0.86a,bMeanswithinthevaccinemaineffectlackingacommonsuperscriptdifferP<0.0511-dosewasthePCV2vaccineavailablefromFortDodgeAdministeredonweekafterweaning.22-doeswasthecommerciallyavailablevaccinefromIntervetadministeredatweaningand3weekslater.3Atotalof1,470pigswererandomlyassignedatweaning(d0)tooneofthethrevaccinetreatmentswithinbarrowsandgilts.

30.0

25.0

20.0

15.0

10.0

5.0

0.0<140 160 180 200 220 240 260 280 300 320 >320

Effect of PCV2 Vaccine on Average Weight (Day 143 On-test)

Freq

uenc

y

Weight, lbsFigrue1. Comparative wwight districution of treatment groups at Day 143 on-test

disease due to Haemophilus parasuis was noted in two nursery groups. Additionally, an outbreak of respiratory disease due to Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae was noted in one finisher group.

In conclusion, both commercial PCV2 vaccines were effective in improving the growth performance of pigs from weaning to finishing as shown by heavier weights and higher ADG of the vaccinated groups. There was no statistically significant difference between the two vaccines in terms of the parameters measured. However, pigs given the 2-dose vaccine were 2.6 lbs heavier than those given the 1-dose vaccine at d 143 after weaning.


The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) conducts public policy outreach on behalf of its 44 affiliated state association members enhancing

opportunities for the success of U.S. pork producers and other industry stakeholders by establishing the U.S. pork industry as a consistent and responsible supplier of high quality pork to the domestic and world market.

The NPPC is primarily funded through the Strategic Investment Program, a voluntary producer investment of $.10 per $100 of

value that funds state and national public policy and regulatory programs on behalf of the U.S. pork producers.

house 2007 FarM Bill helps pork producers

WASHINGTON, D.C., July 27, 2007 – The 2007 Farm Bill approved today by the House on a 231-191 vote will strengthen the competitiveness of the U.S. pork industry, according to the National Pork Producers Council, which threw its support behind the measure.

The $286 billion, five-year Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 makes moderate and balanced reforms to U.S. farm policy yet maintains a safety net for farmers and livestock producers and expands investments in conservation, nutrition and renewable energy programs.

“The House bill will help pork producers remain competitive in the global marketplace,” said NPPC President Jill Appell, a pork producer from Altona, Ill. “And being competitive means producers can sustain the profitability they’ve enjoyed now for 40 consecutive months.”

The legislation includes conservation and energy titles that recognize pork producers’ role in protecting the environment and in contributing – through, for example, technologies to convert methane to energy – to the country’s energy security and provides a boost to U.S. pork exports by increasing funds for the Market Access Program. It also maintains baseline funding for the commodity and conservation titles; reauthorizes the farm safety-net components; keeps loan rates, counter-cyclical and direct payments in accord with the 2002 Farm Bill; increases funding for conservation programs such as the Environmental Quality Incentives Program; and includes much-needed fixes to the Mandatory Country-of-Origin Labeling law.

“The U.S. pork industry wants a 2007 Farm Bill that maintains producers’ competitive advantage in the global marketplace, that strengthens their competitiveness and that protects producers from initiatives that would adversely affect their livelihoods, such as mandates on production

practices,” Appell said. “The House bill achieves those goals, and NPPC is pleased to offer its support for the Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007. We look forward to the Senate passing a similar bill.”

pork industry urges house to pass 2007 FarM Bill

WASHINGTON, D.C., July 20, 2007 – Calling it good for agriculture, the National Pork Producers Council today urged the House to quickly pass the 2007 Farm Bill approved Thursday by the House Agriculture Committee. The legislation, which is expected to be considered by the full House before Congress starts its August recess, makes moderate reforms in U.S. farm policy yet maintains a safety net for farmers and makes expanded investments in conservation, nutrition and renewable energy programs.

NPPC praised Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson, D-Minn., and Ranking Member Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., for pulling together disparate interests to craft a bipartisan bill.

Of particular interest to pork producers, the legislation makes much-needed fixes to the Mandatory Country-of-Origin Labeling law, which was approved as part of the 2002 Farm Bill and is set to take effect Sept. 30, 2008. Among the changes, the bill would:

• Ease recordkeeping for verifying an animal’s country of origin by allowing existing records, such as normal business records, animal health papers and import or customs documents, to be used.

• Allow meat from animals born in another country but raised and slaughtered in the United States, such as Canadian feeder pigs, to be labeled products of the U.S. and the other country. The law allows a “U.S. origin” product label only for meat derived from animals “born, raised and slaughtered” in the United States.

• Allow processed products to be labeled with a list of countries from which they were derived.

A provision that would have banned arbitration clauses in contracts between producers and packers was modified to require the Secretary of Agriculture to establish standards of fairness for arbitration clauses, using the American Association of Arbitration best practices guidelines.

Also included in the legislation are provisions to reauthorize the pseudorabies eradication program and to increase investments in conservation programs, including the Conservation Reserve Program and the Environmental Quality Incentives Program. Additionally, the EQIP application process would be streamlined and the types


For more information on the NPPC, visit www.nppc.org.

of activities for which producers could receive incentive payments would be expanded.

The committee also approved a Sense of Congress resolution that livestock manure not be deemed a hazardous substance under federal Superfund laws and increased funding for USDA’s Market Access Program to promote exports of U.S. agricultural products.

“Overall, the bill passed by the House Agriculture Committee is good for pork producers,” said NPPC Past President Joy Philippi, a producer from Bruning, Neb. “We want a Farm Bill that maintains and strengthens the pork industry’s competitiveness in the global marketplace and that doesn’t include any mischief, and Chairman Peterson and Mr. Goodlatte accomplished those goals.”

court upholds liVestock air eMissions agreeMents

EPA Monitoring Study Goes Forward; Producers Protected From Violations

WASHINGTON, D.C., July 17, 2006 – The National Pork Producers Council today applauded a federal court decision to dismiss challenges to the validity of air emissions agreements between the Environmental Protection Agency and livestock and poultry operations. The so-called air consent agreements protect animal feeding operations from EPA enforcement actions for past air emissions violations, as well as for violations that might occur while the agency conducts a monitoring study of emissions from farms.

Nearly 2,600 animal feeding operations (AFOs), including 1,856 hog operations, signed the agreements. NPPC worked with EPA to craft agreements protecting pork producers while allowing the agency to promulgate air emissions standards for farms.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit today dismissed environmental groups’ petitions for review of the agreements “because exercises of EPA’s enforcement discretion are not reviewable by this court.” The groups argued that the agreements were rules disguised as enforcement actions and that EPA did not follow proper rulemaking procedures. They believe animal feeding operations should be forced to comply more quickly with existing federal air emissions statutory requirements. The court disagreed.

Said the court: “Because the [Clean Air and other] Acts apply only to emissions above specified levels, EPA cannot enforce the statutory and regulatory requirements without determining an AFO’s emissions.”

Researchers from eight universities recently began

monitoring air emissions from 24 sites in nine states. When the 30-month study is complete, EPA will write air emissions standards for animal feeding operations.

“The air consent agreements are necessary to take the pork industry’s environmental performance to the next level,” said Randy Spronk, a pork producer from Edgerton, Minn., and chairman of NPPC’s Environmental Policy Committee. “By working cooperatively with EPA to conduct emissions monitoring, we are developing the body of scientific knowledge on air emissions from animal agriculture that is necessary to design and implement effective mitigation measures. It is good for agriculture, good for our environment and good for the American people.”

the DR-CAFTA and other trade agreements in providing immediate benefits to U.S. farmers, ranchers, and agribusinesses that will create thousands of new U.S. jobs. Many U.S. food and agricultural products will become eligible for duty free treatment in Colombia and Peru immediately upon entry into force of the FTAs, and virtually all U.S. products will receive duty free treatment over specified phase-in periods. According to the American Farm Bureau the Peru and Colombia Trade Promotion Agreements will increase U.S. farm exports by $1.39 billion. USDA estimates for every million dollars of agricultural exports 13.4 jobs are created. Therefore, once fully implemented the Peru and Colombia agreements will provide over 18,000 new jobs due to increased agricultural exports.

nppc international trade counsel eXpounds Virtues oF trade With south korea

Nick Giordano, NPPC vice president and international trade counsel, recently participated in a discussion on the U.S.-South Korea free trade agreement. The event, held at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., was sponsored by The Global Business Dialogue, an organization of businesses and business associations concerned with global trade and investment. NPPC was instrumental in securing favorable treatment for pork in the pending U.S.-South Korea FTA. Giordano told attendees that the South Korea FTA would be the single most important trade agreement ever for the U.S. pork industry and will generate hundreds of millions of dollars in new export sales. According to Iowa State University economist Dermot Hayes, when the agreement is fully implemented U.S. pork producers will receive an additional $10 per live hog. The trade deal is pending a vote by Congress.


transitioning to soW housing alternatiVes

As discussions about group sow housing versus individual stalls continue, researchers at the University of Minnesota have spent more than five years finding out what works best for both the animals and the people who care for them.

“For now we’re not going to move completely to group housing or completely away from individual stalls,” says Sam Baidoo, an assistant professor of swine nutrition and management at the University of Minnesota who spoke at the Pork Checkoff’s Sow Housing Forum recently. “It’s important to have a transition, or a combination of the two systems, so we can protect embryos during the critical stages of development in pregnancy.”

While individual stalls aren’t perfect, they do provide benefits at certain stages of production. To gain the best of both worlds, Baidoo says it makes sense to use individual stalls to ensure pregnancy, and then move sows into group housing once they are pregnant. At the University of Minnesota’s Southern Research and Outreach Center near Waseca, Minn., sows are bred and inseminated in crates before being moved within one week into the group housing system.

“As times have changed in the swine industry, we’ve gone from outdoor lots to indoor individual stalls and are now looking at group housing options,” Baidoo says. “These last two options can dovetail to provide high biological performance, lower labor input and an acceptable financial return.”

Good management is a mustWhile group housing can require less management, it

demands extremely good management.

“Workers have to know the sows, and they must read the computer printout every day,” says Baidoo, who notes that a hand-held data logger which is compatible with PigCHAMP can help employees keep track of data.

The National Pork Board has responsibility for research, promotion and consumer information projects and for communicating with pork producers and the public. Through a legislative national Pork Checkoff, pork producers invest

$0.40 for each $100 value of hogs sold. The Pork Checkoff funds national and state programs in advertising, consumer information, retail and foodservice marketing, export market promotion, production improvement, education and technology, and swine health, pork quality and safety.

Since electronic feeders are used in group housing situations, precise feeding for each sow can be achieved. “Feeding is extremely accurate, and the group sows we have on the research farm are in better condition overall than the sows in the individual pens,” says Baidoo, who notes that the group housing system’s electronic feeders make it easy to identify animals that are sick or off-feed.

Training sows to learn the electronic feeding system takes about two to three days, Baidoo says. While the Minnesota researchers have never had any problems with the feeding system not being able to read the tags, sometimes tags get lost due to fighting. “That’s why you need to check the computer records every day,” he says.

Stable system reduces fightingAnimal aggression can be a drawback of a group

housing system. “Sows fight for about 48 to 72 hours after you mix them,” Baidoo says. “I don’t recommend the dynamic system where new animals come in at various times. I prefer the stable system where you have one group, and that group moves together.”

In addition, it’s currently difficult to Matrix™, an FDA-approved product for estrus synchronization in cycling gilts, in group housing systems, although researchers are seeking to find solutions.

In the end, there are many factors to consider as you reevaluate the design of your gestation sow housing, Baidoo concludes. “The type of system selected should meet the needs of the sows, the producer and the consumer.”

online pork adVertising tracks resultsAs the pace of change in today’s high-speed Internet

world continues to accelerate, innovative advertising options continue to evolve. With an increased online advertising presence in 2007, sites from Weight Watchers to All Recipes are offering new ways to spread the good news about pork.

“The online world is changing so fast that we regularly reevaluate our advertising options,” says Jeff Hartz, director of brand strategy for the National Pork Board. “Thanks to today’s technology, we can quickly determine what advertising efforts perform well and which don’t, so we can maximize the Checkoff investment.”

The popular All Recipes cooking Web site, which contains the largest online recipe database, has been a solid venue for pork advertising. Things really took off this year, however, when the Pork Checkoff sponsored an issue of All Recipes’ widely-distributed e-newsletter. Unique visits to TheOtherWhiteMeat.com spiked to more than 20,000 the

September/October 2007 • Pig Tales 1�

For more information on the Pork Checkoff, visit www.pork.org.

week the e-newsletter was distributed.

“This is significantly higher than the numbers we see in a typical week, and we attribute it to the e-newsletter,” Hartz says. “This sort of information is power, and it helps us make better decisions. We’ll likely cut lower performing activities and increase our focus on activities like All-Receipe’s e-newsletter, which has proven to help provide a stronger response.”

Weight Watchers, Serious Eats get serious about pork

Pork is also making online inroads at Weight Watchers. Healthy pork recipes from the Pork Board’s recipe database are now included in the Weight Watchers’ recipe database, and advertising on the site is proving effective.

“We’re seeing some of our higher click-through rates here, which means our content and message connecting with their readers,” Hartz says.

In addition, pork is making headlines as “required eating” at the Serious Eats blog, which boasts more than 900,000 unique visitors each month. The blog’s readers tend to be food aficionados who are serious about cooking. Ed Levine, who is the blog’s author as well as the food editor for the New York Times, brings credibility to the site.

“Blogs used to be a wildcard as far as online promotions because it was hard to measure results, but that’s not the case anymore,” says Hartz, who notes The Other White Meat has been featured in Serious Eats’ Required Eating blog six times while adveritising was active. “We also like working with Serious Eats, because they help disseminate information for our Web site throughout their loyal community of food enthusiasts. It’s another way to communicate our message to a broader audience.”

Redirecting consumers to porkThe Pork Checkoff also continues to invest advertising

at online search engines like Google, which have proven successful at delivering consumers to TheOtherWhiteMeat.com. Through keyword searches, sponsored links to the Pork Checkoff’s consumer website appear when consumers search for competing proteins like beef , chicken, turkey or seafood, as well as preparation methods like grilling.

“We’re looking for efficient avenues to communicate with consumers in a manner they enjoy and with information they find useful,” Hartz says. “Online advertising answers that call. It allows us to better understand the impact our work has and optimize our efforts to systematically increase that impact over time.”upon request.

pork shapes up as neW “superFood”Chicken breasts may be good for you, notes the August

2007 edition of SHAPE Magazine, but pork tenderloin is

just as good for your health and your weight—minus the yawn factor.

“This new ‘Smart Eating 101’ article in SHAPE is a terrific placement for pork,” says Ceci Snyder, assistant vice president of consumer marketing for the National Pork Board. “It’s terrific that our Check-off funded research with USDA has been featured in this national magazine that’s squarely aimed at our target audience of women ages 25-44.”

It’s out with the old and in with the new, as pork tenderloin replaced chicken breast on SHAPE’s list of top eight “superfoods” that can bring excitement to healthy meals.

“Still haven’t embraced ‘the other white meat?’” asks the article. “Consider this: On average, pork today contains 40 percent less artery-clogging saturated fat and 24 percent less fat overall than the pork of 15 years ago, reports a USDA study that examined nine different cuts. The leanest variety? Pork tenderloin, which rivals even skinless chicken breast in terms of calories and fat.”

The article also included a serving tip and recipe for glazed pork tenderloin, along with ideas on how to use leftovers.

“The Pork Information Bureau pitched this story idea back in 2006, so it can take awhile for an article like this to appear in a national magazine,” Snyder notes. “It’s one more example of how our Pork Checkoff investment continues to promote terrific coverage for the ‘pork is leaner’ message.”

Magazines dish up more pork recipesSHAPE isn’t the only publication that’s hungry for pork

possibilities. By early August, Quick & Simple Magazine had featured seven pork recipe placements in 2007. Each pork placement equated to 2.5 million impressions, meaning the seven Checkoff-developed recipes reached millions of consumers.

“We made a contact with an editor there, and this weekly magazine continues to contact us for pork recipes,” Snyder says. “They like our focus on making pork a top-of-mind kitchen staple that home cooks can use to get a nutritious dinner on the table quickly.”

Magazine editors across the country also rely on the Pork Information Bureau to help ensure the accuracy of their articles that include pork. The editor of Diabetes Living Magazine recently contacted the Pork Information Bureau for help on fact-checking a story on lean meat.

“A wide variety of national magazines continue to include positive articles about pork,” Snyder says. “We’re happy to work with editors and writers, since these key influencers can help us communicate our message to new audiences.”


Kansas Pork Association2601 Farm Bureau RoadManhattan, KS 66502


ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

Support the Association by becoming a member or advertising in Pig Tales!Become a member today! Visit our Web site, www.kpa.org or call the KPA office at (785) 776-0442 to get a membership or industry partner form. The next issue will be released in July 2007. Producer-members receive half-off ad prices. For advertising rates, sizes and deadlines, please contact Wrenn at (785) 776-0442 or E-mail [email protected].

6 pork chops, 3/4-inch thick1 medium-size acorn squash2 tablespoon butter, melted2 tablespoons orange juice1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce1 teaspoon grated orange peel1/4 teaspoon cinnamon1/8 teaspoon nutmeg3/4 cup brown sugar3 tablespoons chopped green onion2 cups frozen green peas

Cooking DirectionsSlice acorn squash in half, remove seeds and slice each half into 6 slices, approximately 1/2-inch thick. Place 6 half

slices on bottom of 5-quart slow cooker. Arrange 3 pork chops over squash; repeat layers. Combine all other ingredients except peas; pour over squash mixture. Cover and cook on low 5-6 hours or until pork and squash are tender. Remove both from slow cooker; keep warm. Stir in frozen peas. Turn heat setting to high. Cover and cook about 5 minutes or until peas are tender; drain.

Serves 6

Serving SuggestionsThis is a slow cooker meal worth waiting all day for. Winter squash redolent of cinnamon & orange accompanies tender

pork chops. Serve with warm rolls and apple cider.

Nutrition FactsCalories 322 calories; Protein 25 grams; Fat 9 grams; Sodium 147 milligrams; Cholesterol 67 milligrams Saturated Fat 3 grams; Carbohydrates 42 grams; Fiber 4 grams

Autumn Vegetables and Pork Chops

pig tales issue 5 2007

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