Updated December 17

KSU News

K-State Swine Profitability Conference Scheduled for Feb. 5

High feed prices and low swine market prices are presenting challenges for swine producers. Ways to deal with these challenges will be addressed at K-State’s annual conference aimed at helping swine producers improve the efficiency and profitability of their operations.

K-State Research and Extension’s Swine Profitability Conference will run from 9:15 a.m. to 3:15 p.m., Feb. 5 in Forum Hall at the K-State Union. The $25 registration fee includes lunch and all conference sessions. The registration deadline is Jan. 25.

This year’s program will cover several swine industry topics including the influence of ethanol, oil and land prices on the industry, swine health and marketing. Each session features presenters from universities and agribusinesses across the Midwest.

Topics and speakers for this year’s conference include:

* PCV will NOT be the Last Virus to Have a Major Impact on the Swine Industry: Is Swine Influenza Virus the next Ticking Time Bomb? - Marie Locke Gramer, University of Minnesota.

* Returning to a Family Swine Business from K-State - Michael Springer, Indpendence, Kan. pork producer.

* The Influence of Ethanol, Oil and Land Prices on the Future of the Swine Industry - Michael Swanson, Wells Fargo Financial.

* Marketing Decisions based on Packer Matrixes and Pig Flow - Mike Tokach, Kansas State University and Steve Henry, Abilene Animal Hospital.

* Is Your Team All Driving in the Same Direction - Larry Firkins, University of Illinois.

The purpose of the Swine Profitability Conference is to provide swine producers and allied industry the opportunity for an in-depth look at production management, marketing and business decisions related to profitability in the swine industry, said Jim Nelssen, swine specialist with K-State Research and Extension.

“We have a first-class line-up of speakers this year,” Nelssen said. “Our job is to try to challenge producers to do a better job with their operations. We have five topics that definitely do that.”

The conference is sponsored by the Department of Animal Sciences and Industry at Kansas State University, K-State Research and Extension, the Kansas Pork Association and the National Pork Board.

More information is available by calling Nelssen at 785-532-1251, or by visiting

www.asi.k-state.edu/swine.

November 21, 2007

K-State’s Swine Industry Day Addresses PCV2 Discoveries

Steve Henry, Abilene Animal Hospital (left), and Dick Hesse, K-State College of Veterinary Medicine, discuss the information gained from research at KSU on Porcine Circovirus in the last year.

Vaccines have cut the mortality rate of weaning pigs by about 75 percent since PCV2 became prevalent in the United States. Researchers now are working to better understand the disease and to determine the best timing for vaccination.

Bob Goodband, of the K-State Swine Nutrition Team, reviews the nutrition research that has been conducted in the last year, to address the rise in ingredient prices.

The KPA and the National Pork Board sponsored Trent Loos, a nationally-known agricultural commentator, who addressed positioning animal agriculture for the future. To read more from Trent, see Facesofag.com

Producers attending Swine Day were able to see the latest in technology by visiting over 35 booths.

Livestock Producers learn about Implementation of Nutrient Management Plans during KSU Workshop

Livestock producers from across the state attended a field day last week 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 Kansas Pork Association worked with the KSU Animal Science Department and the Natural Resources Conservation Service to plan the workshop.

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 Departement 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 since
beginning to work with a Nutrient Management Plan.

See KSU Archive for past information.