PORK INDUSTRY ECONOMIC UPDATE
Analysis of the USDA Hogs and Pigs Report - what do the numbers mean? Read this report and more on John Lawrence’s Web site.
Be sure to check the current market reports to the right. →
IN THE NEWS
Four U.S. plants, including Tyson Fresh Meats of Storm Lake, Iowa, won’t be able to export pork to Russian Federation as of May 5. USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service officials say unspecified violations of Russian drug tolerances led to the ban. Read an article about this action on the Agriculture Online Web site here. See the listing of U.S. slaughter facilities eligible for Russian export on the FSIS Web site. 04/30/2008
Speakers address key criteria for making sow group housing work. One session at the recent annual meeting of the American Association of Swine Veterinarians focused on housing and maintenance of gestating sows, and presenters offered several areas of importance for those working with group housing. Fro example, ISU’s Ken Stalder emphasized foot and leg soundness and creating and maintaining good stockmanship skills in workers. Read more on the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association Web site. 04/28/2008
Calculator helps producers determine value of adding DDGS. University of Illinois faculty member Hans Stein and his post-doctoral student Beob Kim have developed a free Excel-based calculator that can help producers figure out the value of adding distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) to their swine diets. The calculator is available on the Illinois Pork Producers Association Web site. 04/08/2008
Higher feed costs and lower hog prices invite pork producers to take another look at market weight strategies. In a short article, ISU Extension livestock economist John Lawrence describes how changing feed costs and market conditions will affect individual decisions. Producers can download and use either a simple calculator spreadsheet or a more advanced version to aid in their decision-making process. 01/14/2008
