In this episode of SwineTime, Dr. Spencer Wayne welcomes Dr. Cara Haden, Director of Animal Welfare at PIPESTONE, and Dr. Carissa Odland, Director of Sustainability for Wholestone Farms, a producer-owned packer enterprise. The episode explores perspectives on welfare and sustainability in the swine industry. Dr. Haden discusses her role in promoting animal welfare at…
Author: kyramaster

The Importance of a Healthy Gilt Source
A commercial sow farm has two options when it comes to replacement gilts, the first is to raise them internally, and the second is to purchase them from another site or company. Producing replacements internally requires a very broad and intensive management style to effectively run two different populations within one farm. The other challenge…

How Much can you Invest to Prevent Disease?
Ben Franklin is credited with saying, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” The proverb holds true today and is particularly relatable for pork producers. A disease event has the protentional to increase your production costs, reduce your production efficiency and increase your lost opportunity in the wean-to-finish phase of production. At…

Utilizing Products to Improve Wean-to-Finish Biosecurity
Disease does not stop at the sow farm; biosecurity protocols are beneficial in protecting our pigs when implemented in wean-to-finish sites. A helpful strategy to apply biosecurity is to remember the 5 P’s: Pigs, People, Products, Property, and Pests. Dr. Rachel Stika Jensen, Veterinarian at Pipestone Veterinary Services, recommends the following products to enhance your…

How Low should the pH go?
Hemolytic Escherichia Coli (E. coli) is a challenging pathogen due to its high morbidity and high mortality in weaned pigs. It causes severe diarrhea and sudden death. Our tools to control and reduce hemolytic E. coli are limited and unfortunately becoming less effective due to antimicrobial resistance. Acidification of drinking water for swine has been…

Biosecurity Solutions for Wean-To-Finish Systems
Unfortunately, summer is over and the fall season is upon us, followed soon by winter. From a disease management perspective, it is also the season when major swine pathogens get a break from the sun and heat. Typically, as barns start to close up and we enter minimum ventilation rates overnight, respiratory disease is not…

Episode #52: Fall Health Update
Dr. Spencer Wayne welcomes Dr. Adam Schelkopf, Health Director for Pipestone Management, for a discussion on the overall health status of PIPESTONE-managed farms. Historically, this time of year brings an increase in illness in barns, especially PRRS infections. Dr. Schelkopf reports less than 10% of PIPESTONE-managed farms breaking with PRRS over the last two…

Episode #51: Nutrient Management
Dr. Spencer Wayne welcomes Marty Rost, Environmental Specialist with PIPESTONE, to talk about the valuable commodity we have in manure. The pair discuss the importance of understanding its value and making it work for you and your neighbors. Marty talks about the differences in facilities he sees and shares insight on finding opportune times to…

Episode #50 - Celebrating SwineTime!
Dr. Barry Kerkaert, Chairman of the Board, takes the reigns and puts Dr. Spencer Wayne in the hot seat to celebrate our 50th episode of the podcast. The pair discuss the goals of SwineTime and reflect on some of Dr. Wayne’s favorite episodes. He shares behind-the-scenes happenings reflecting on memorable guests and the impactful work…

Episode #49 - Farmers First at PIPESTONE
This month, Dr. Spencer Wayne welcomed Hannah Walkes, President of Pipestone Services, to chat about the recent leadership transitions at PIPESTONE – including the creation of two divisions, Pipestone Services and Pipestone Partnerships. Hannah provides insight into how her upbringing and tenure at PIPESTONE have fueled her passion and made her uniquely qualified to take…

Episode #48: Pigs to People with Dr. Taylor
In this episode of SwineTime, host, Dr. Spencer Wayne, is joined by Dr. Taylor Spronk to talk about the pig promotion activities happening at PIPESTONE. Dr. Taylor discusses the 9 county and state fairs that PIPESTONE supports with exhibits and live sows across Minnesota, South Dakota, and Iowa. Additionally, she describes the Discovery Barn, championed…

Biosecurity and County Fairs
A fairly biosecure way to enjoy your local fairs: Everyone at the fair has a responsibility to protect pig health. Going to fairs, or anywhere else that has pigs from a different source, creates risk for your farm. There are easy and effective steps you can take to mitigate those risks. As producers, it’s easy…

Episode #47: Pipestone Nutrition with Jon
In this episode of SwineTime, host, Dr. Spencer Wayne, sits down with Jon DeJong, President of Pipestone Nutrition to talk about what’s new with his team and all things nutrition. Pipestone Nutrition provides economic-driven, feed ingredient procurement and performance-based diet formulations that fit both your operation and your bottom line. Dr. Wayne and DeJong discuss…

Episode #46: Support & Solutions with FarmTeam
In this episode of SwineTime, host, Dr. Spencer Wayne, sits down with Dan Hanson and Giovanna Penuelas to discuss FarmTeam, a service offering of Pipestone Business. FarmTeam utilizes the human resource expertise of PIPESTONE to provide independent pork producers access to qualified farm employees for grow/finish teams. From a producer’s perspective, Hanson, the Director of…

Developing your Business Strategy
What is a “Business Strategy” or a “Strategic Plan” for my business? It may be best to start with what is “not” strategy. Strategy is not operational best practices. Strategy is not a forecast. Strategy is not simply a plan to make more money this year. Business strategy is a long-term plan of action that…

Episode #45: Money with Damon
In this episode of SwineTime, host, Dr. Spencer Wayne, sits down with Damon Vander Maten, Director of FarmBooks for Pipestone Business. Dr. Wayne and Damon talk about the accounting demands on producers and define what it means to be financially sustainable. He explains how the FarmBooks program came to be and what value it provides…

Providing Solutions for Independent Pork Producers
Maurer Farms attribute increased performance to FarmTeam. In rural southwestern Minnesota, Preston Maurer works alongside his dad, Rick, on their family farm near Morgan. “We raise corn, soybeans, wheat, and hogs – finishing approximately 22,000 head each year, plus we do tiling on the side,” said Preston. With his diversified family farm in mind, Preston…

CVO Comments - April 2023
Our vet team is frequently asked, “What’s new at PIPESTONE?” This often elicits a casual response of “Oh, not much.” But, as I sat down to write my CVO commentary it occurred to me that there has been a lot happening at PIPESTONE that we’d like to share. Here is a brief list of updates…

Episode 44: Tackling High Feed Costs
In this episode of SwineTime, host, Dr. Spencer Wayne, sits down with PIPESTONE Nutritionists Hayden Kerkaert and Jacob Koepke. They share their perspective on what factors are impacting today’s high feed costs and discuss considerations for producers to remain profitable despite rising costs. PIPESTONE’s mission is “Helping Farmers Today Create the Farms of Tomorrow.” The…

Feed Mill Ownership
One distinct memory I have growing up was riding along with my Dad (before car seats) in the feed truck when he worked as a delivery driver and ultimately feed salesman for Wayne Feeds in Ireton, IA. He would stop at a gas station and let me pick out a jelly-filled long john or a…

Springtime Sustainability Tips
Sustainability is a concept that has become increasingly important to large companies and national governments. However, most people don’t realize that sustainable practices can help you conserve resources and reduce waste at home as well. As we enter Spring, there are many activities that fit into sustainable living that would not only be environmentally beneficial…

Risk Management
A profitable pork enterprise is the goal of every pork producer. There are many considerations when thinking of profitability in the pork production sector. One of the most critical is that of Risk Management. The main idea behind risk management is the desire to transfer the risk that a producer has in their hog inventory…
Brentwood Colony | Focusing on Improvement
Brentwood Colony of Faulkton, South Dakota, has placed a specific focus on profitability in business. The pig entity of Brentwood Colony, ProPork, takes a community perspective, with a swine business mentality. This allows the team to track accurate financial information & remain a profitable business. ProPork is a farrow-to-finish operation, raising 3,200 sows in two…

CVO Comments: The Economics of a Pig
What does disease cost? It ultimately depends on what disease (or diseases) your pig farm is challenged with – but disease has a cost and it can be measured in dollars and cents. Dr. Adam Schelkopf described it another way when he talked about the “Health Tax”. Every pig farmer pays this “tax”. Some pay…

Episode 43: Minutes with Minion
In this episode of SwineTime, host Dr. Spencer Wayne and PIPESTONE CEO Dr. Luke Minion answer all your big burning questions: what’s to come in the pork industry next year? What’s new with PIPESTONE? And will Luke ever run for office? Fresh off the campaign trail against a Sioux Falls ballot measure that would have…

Cost of PRRS
Time and time again as veterinarians we are asked what our highest priority need is in swine health today. The answer is simple and unfortunately has not changed for decades now. PRRS, or Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome virus, continues to be the most detrimental and costly disease that swine producers face in the United…

Internship Highlights
Each summer, PIPESTONE provides the opportunity for college students from all over the nation to gain real-world experience within the swine industry. This year, PIPESTONE welcomed 14 interns from 12 different colleges to work within 7 departments. These departments included production, information technology, nutrition, research, public relations, marketing and veterinary services. Throughout the summer, interns…

Join the Family Farm with Eyes Wide Open
Family businesses are often complex and making the decision to join the family farm is no different. Most young adults are exited to come back to the farm to do the work they love. The following is a list of questions the next generation should consider answering about their family business, themselves and their family…

Episode 42: Feed Risk with Dr. Scott Dee
In this episode of SwineTime, host Dr. Spencer Wayne sits down with Dr. Scott Dee, who currently serves as the Director of Research for PIPESTONE Veterinary Services. Dive into the viral risks associated with feed, and how to alleviate the risks on your operation. According to Scott, this information is relatively new to the industry…

5 Steps to Ensure Proper Handling and Transport of Pigs to Market
Proper handling and transporting of pigs to market is the final step in raising pigs. Following these basic but necessary steps helps to ensure the farmer can capitalize on the significant dollars they have invested in and worked hard to produce. 1. Proper Choring Throughout the pig’s life, properly walk the pens while choring to…
Pig Care Management: Early, Middle & Late
Early Pig Care Management As hog producers, we strive to provide a safe and healthy environment to raise our animals. It is crucial to take the following steps to start your pigs to ensure you’re providing a strong foundation for the rest of the group. Before placing pigs, barn sanitation, feed, water, and environment…

SwineTime Podcast Episode 40: Factors of a Sow Herd Health Upgrade
In this 40th episode of SwineTime Podcast, host, Dr. Spencer Wayne, sits down with Dr. Adam Schelkopf. Adam has been with PIPESTONE for 10 years now and holds the title, Director of Health for Pipestone Managed farms. Sow repopulation can be an intimidating idea for pig farmers, but in some cases, is a financially beneficial…

FarmTeam Value
Today’s modern pig farmers have to balance and put focus on countless areas of impact in order to maximize success. In the newly weaned and growing pigs, herd health, feeding strategies, marketing, and risk management are just the beginning to a long list of important details. One additional area of focus that cannot be forgotten…

Feed Management: How to Manage Your Feeders
In the midst of record feed prices paced by $7-8/bu corn, in-barn feeder management should be a top priority for all producers. Spending over $100/pig in feed cost is already painful enough and shouldn’t be exacerbated by improper feeders or feeder settings. I tend to break feeder management into 3 buckets: Selecting the…

Three Foundations of Proper Pig Care: The animal, environment and equipment
Daily observations are not just a Pork Quality Assurance catch phrase, they are a foundational principal of proper pig care. Pig well-being and welfare starts with a daily evaluation of the animal, the environment, and the equipment. The Animal There are the obvious items we should be checking every day. Does the pig have food…

CVO Comments: Animal Welfare- How Does Your Farm Stack Up?
At the recent Pipestone Summit, we had an interesting exchange on pig farm biosecurity and the contrast between biosecurity measures employed at the sow farm and those effectively implemented in the wean to finish (W-F) farms. The takeaway for most was the striking gap found between sow farms and growing pig sites, with the breeding…

Weinkauf Farms | Prioritizing Pig Care
Right outside of Pipestone, Minnesota, surrounded by fields and plenty of green tractors, you will find Weinkauf Farms. At the heart of this farm is third-generation farmer, Ryan Weinkauf, and his 5-year-old son, Jaxson. Starting his operation in high school, Ryan Weinkauf has been a pig farmer for over 20 years. He began his career…

SwineTime Podcast Episode 39: Can We Eliminate Mycoplasma?
In this episode of SwineTime, Dr. Spencer Wayne talks all things Mycoplasma with fellow PIPESTONE Veterinarian, Dr. Emily McDowell. Emily has been with PIPESTONE for 9 years and has a special interest in Mycoplasma. Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae is a bacterial pathogen that has been an industry concern for over 50 years. It generally originates at the…

PIPESTONE Sustainability: Carbon Footprint
“Climate change” and “climate crisis” are topics that have gained the attention of policymakers and businesses across the globe. The Intergovernmental Panel of Climate Change’s Sixth Assessment Report released in 2021 noted, “Unless there are immediate, rapid, and large-scale reductions in greenhouse gas emission, limiting warming to 1.5 degrees C will be beyond reach.” As…

PIPESTONE Sustainability: Safety
⇒ In support of our Core Values of integrity, caring, commitment, growth and teamwork, employee safety is our top priority. Along with the great responsibility we have of caring for our animals, we understand that there are inherent risks to people safety within the swine production industry. Supporting staff personally visit; various support groups personally…

PIPESTONE Antibiotic Use Standards (PORK)
We recognize the growing global concern over Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), its impact for human medicine, veterinary medicine, public and animal health, as well as society and the shared concern of antibiotic use’s influence on AMR. PIPESTONE’s commitment to Responsible Antibiotic Use and reduced AMR serves as the framework for our Pipestone Antibiotic Use Standards (PORK).…

SwineTime Podcast Episode 38: PIPESTONE Transport
SwineTime Podcast host, Dr. Spencer Wayne, sits down with PIPESTONE’s President of Transport, Hal Schmidt. Hal is a long-time employee with PIPESTONE and transitioned to transportation 8 years ago. Pipestone Transport falls under the Management business unit and serves to help our Pipestone Management shareholders receive their wean pigs, transport our managed barn’s sows and…
Two Reports to Boost Your Confidence in Decision-Making
How can you use data to drive your decision-making process? Big Stone Marketing, in collaboration with other PIPESTONE business units, would like to share two reports to help you get there: Precision Marketing & Marketing Report. Precision Marketing The precision marketing reports allow producers to more specifically control the impact of day to day…

SwineTime Podcast- Bonus: APP SeroType
Dr. Bryan Myers has gained quite the experience and wisdom from being a veterinarian for the last 34 years. In these years, he has seen the serious effects of various diseases that have infected the swine industry. He is now seeing APP, an old disease that has resurfaced after almost 20 years in some of…

Chief Veterinary Comments- Data Driven Decisions
We live in the so-called “Information Age”. Data is being collected all around us. Today, the power of computing and digital technology have made collecting, analyzing and transferring data easier than ever. As a result, we have more information than ever at our fingertips. Good information for making business decisions can be invaluable; however, it…

SwineTime Podcast Episode 37: Safety
Safety is the number one priority at PIPESTONE. On this episode of SwineTime Podcast, host, Dr. Spencer Wayne, chats with Josh Pawson, PIPESTONE’s safety director. Josh takes us through his personal journey to being a safety director and explains what a day in his role looks like. Prepare your farm for an OSHA inspection, take…

Performance Impact of an Older Weaned Pig
The process of using data to make strategic production decisions is not new for PIPESTONE. It’s a process that usually starts with a concept, sometimes born of intuition, but more often born of necessity. It also requires a collaborative effort by PIPESTONE business units to bring the concept full circle. In 2016, Pipestone Applied Research…

County Line Livestock and Feedmill
Nestled on the outskirts of Independence, Iowa, are nationally recognized livestock and feed mill operations known as County Line Livestock and County Line Feed Mill. Established in 2002, County Line Livestock started as a feeder pig operation and has strategically developed into how it stands today. County Line Feed Mill is a more recent addition,…

Communicating Your Story to Consumers
Today, consumers are asking more questions than ever about where their food comes from and how animals are cared for. As a farmer and agriculturalist, it is our responsibility to share our story. To earn trust, communicating shared values is 3-5x more important than just sharing information. Consumers want to find shared values, such as…

SwineTime Podcast Episode 36: Gilt Multiplication
Raising a healthy group of pigs starts long before they reach the finishing barn. In this episode of SwineTime Podcast, host, Dr. Spencer Wayne, is joined by Dr. Evan Koep, PIPESTONE’s resource in gilt multiplication. Throughout the episode, listeners gain an understanding of what gilt multiplication is, and how it benefits piglets for the long…

Balancing Act: Biological Performance & Feed Cost
There are several ways to evaluate feed cost and feed performance in wean-to-market pigs. Each method can provide a very different answer for the producer on what is the “BEST” way to feed a pig. In a perfect world we find the ideal marriage between biological performance and feed cost. However, the equation isn’t so…

A New Health Paradigm: How to Reduce the Health Tax
As swine producers, you all pay a health tax at the end of the year, whether you know it or not. This tax is paid on every pig and reflects the cost of less-than-perfect health in an operation. The health tax is often far larger than producers recognize and is consistently evident year after year…

SwineTime Podcast Episode 35: Risk Management
Managing risks is the safest way for pig farmers to protect their operations and ensure they can withstand tough times in the market. Hear from Brian Stevens, President of Big Stone Marketing, in this episode of SwineTime Podcast. This episode is all about risks in the pig market, how to prepare for them and what…

Mexico: PIPESTONE's Experience in Mexico
PIPESTONE’s relationship with the Mexican swine industry is not new. Multiple interactions between our technical team and local players have occurred over the past few decades. However, it was not until 2015, when PIPESTONE had the opportunity to participate in a start-up project of 10,000 sows, that this relationship got more formally established. This successful…

China: Top 10 Learnings from Boots on the Ground Experience
The #1 key to preventing African Swine Fever virus (ASF) breaks is improving biosecurity. Be flexible. Use the sites and infrastructure around you to optimize health and production in ways you may not have attempted thus far. Use feed mitigants. Depopulating continuous flow sites with viral health challenges is key to recovering performance. Grow/Finish biosecurity…

Q&A with Mexico's Production Director, Ezequiel Guardado Valdez
Personal Background: I come from a very humble family that had to immigrate from Zacatecas to Jalisco in search of opportunities. I am the fourth of seven siblings. I have always been involved in agriculture. From my childhood I was forced to leave school and start working at age of 13 to help my parents…

Q&A with China's Production Director, Duan Lian Mao
20 years ago, PIPESTONE started consulting in China. Consultation then turned into management, and later, ownership. Today, PIPESTONE is a minority owner in Riverstone, the operations group in Shandong Province. PIPESTONE oversees day-to-day operation for Riverstone, and Dr. Luke Minion serves as Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board. In China, Riverstone is managing…

Chief Veterinary Officer Comments- Spring 2022
Pork is the most consumed meat in the world. As a result, pig farming is a global pursuit. While the USA exports a significant portion of the pork we raise (nearly 30%), most pork is consumed within the country where the pigs were raised. As PIPESTONE has grown and evolved over the last 25 years,…

Driving Force: Four Tips for Turning Swine Industry Passion Into a Career
Growing up, I was involved in the swine industry by showing pigs, helping vaccinate weaned pigs for local farms, and working for PIPESTONE in the wean-to-finish records department. As the time came close for me to think about college and my future career, I knew I wanted to work in the swine industry and help…

8 Winter Ventilation Concepts
There are many items to remember as winter ventilation is upon us of how we want barns to operate. Here are a few to think of as you are braving the cold. 1. Set Points This is what you are telling the barn to maintain temperature at. Typically, barns will be 1-2 degrees…

SwineTime Podcast Episode 34: Basics in Nutrition
SwineTime Podcast Host, Dr. Spencer Wayne, sits down with Hayden Kerkaert, a nutritionist with Pipestone Nutrition, to start back at the basics of pig nutrition. Throughout the episode, Hayden drills down on the importance of a nursery diet and how critical a piglet’s first three weeks of life are. Grow-finish farmers will gain tips on…

Risk Management
Having a risk management plan is critical for all hog producers, especially today with the extreme volatility of our hog and pork markets and with the increased risk of African Swine Fever making it into the United States. Hog producers really should protect their revenue and profit opportunities when they arise. Through Big Stone Marketing,…

Global Supply Chain Traffic Jam: Feed
There has been a lot of chatter regarding the global supply chain as of late. Whether it’s referencing store shelves being empty, truck driver shortages or national ports being clogged, there has been an increased awareness of disruptions. If we are truly going to solve the issues, we need to understand how we got in…

Supply Chain Crisis: Products
The 2021 supply chain issues are well known. Various news publications speak to the challenge of logistics via air, ocean, road and rail, as well as the lack of labor and materials. From an animal health perspective, the availability of raw ingredients that make up many of the products we use, or Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients…

Our Experience with Fighting African Swine Fever Transmission Through Feed
African Swine Fever (ASF) is an inevitable topic as we talk about the global swine industry, especially after August 2018 when ASF was reported for the first time in China, the world’s largest pig producer and consumer. As a highly fatal disease with no effective treatment or commercial vaccine, ASF resulted in a nearly 40%…

PIPESTONE Risk Assessment on African Swine Fever Reaching the United States
African swine fever (ASF) was diagnosed on Hispaniola in the Caribbean this summer, the Dominican Republic in July 2021, and in Haiti in September 2021. This is the first time since the 1980s that the virus has been found in the Western Hemisphere. It has never been diagnosed in the United States. There is a…

SwineTime Podcast Ep. 32: Getting Started in Pig Farming
Passion, commitment and networking; words used to describe the lifestyle of a pig farmer throughout this episode of SwineTime. Are you or someone you know interested in pig farming? In the 32nd episode, Dr. Spencer Wayne visits with Dr. Barry Kerkaert, President of Pipestone Management, and Justin Roelofs, Chief Financial Officer for Pipestone Management. Together,…

Driving Force: Three 'Non-Negotiables' for Vaccinating Young Pigs
When it comes to raising and investing in show pigs, our goal is to keep them healthy and productive in preparation for the show ring. The first few weeks of a piglet’s life are critical for setting them up with a strong foundation to help them develop immunity and protect them throughout their show career.…

SwineTime Podcast Episode 31- PIPESTONE Construction
On the 31st episode of SwineTime, Dr. Spencer Wayne sits down with the Head of Construction for Pipestone Management, Tad Woelber. Tad and his team strive to build pig barns that not only maximize production, but efficiency as well. Keeping barns cost effective while building them to last has always been the objective of building…

U.S. Pork Exports Continue to Surge, Overcoming COVID and Other Challenges
Despite COVID-19 and what seemed like a dozen other challenges, the United States pork industry in 2020 exported a record amount of pork, and it’s poised to set a new record this year. In fact, through August 2021, America’s pork producers already had shipped to foreign destinations $5.8 billion worth of product compared with about…

Gifts for Good
One of the core values we live by at PIPESTONE is Caring. Caring means caring for our team members, animals and communities. Our charitable efforts aim to make a difference in the lives of our local and global community members. Domestically, we donate to: Children’s Home Society Atlas The Banquet in Sioux Falls…

I Wouldn't Bet the Farm on it.
I’m an optimistic person by nature, but I’ve had to become more of a realist. This is truer than ever when preparing our business, and our clients, for the potential of a foreign animal disease entrance into the U.S. In recent months, I’ve pivoted from talking about IF an African Swine Fever (ASF) introduction will…

SwineTime Podcast Episode 30: Meticulous Design, Execution and Analysis of Swine Research
Designed for innovative knowledge generation, Pipestone Applied Research focuses on production-driven research to develop practical solutions to relevant problems. Since 2009, Pipestone Research has been committed to providing industry-leading and relevant information on swine health, genetics, nutrition, production, and sustainability. SwineTime Podcast Host, Dr. Spencer Wayne, visits with PIPESTONE’s Director of Research Operations, Dan Hanson,…

Feeding the Sow for Healthier Piglets
Do you think you can impact the health of your piglets in the nursery by what the sow is eating at the sow farm? We had the very same question, and set out to conduct a research trial to test the idea. If we could improve the health and performance of the pigs in the…

Behind the Label
Grocery shopping is a balancing act of buying the “best” for your family while also staying within your budget. With the large variety of food labels out there, it can be hard to know what you’re buying. When it comes to understanding food labels there are a couple points to remember. All…

Design Matters: Farm Layout Plays an Important Role in Pig Health
What are the greatest factors that influence pig health? Most will say the health of the sow farm, pig density and area disease pressure. While these are all true, a common item gets overlooked: the overall design of the operation. This topic can even be broken down into the macro and micro features of the…

SwineTime Podcast Episode 29: Wholestone Farms with CEO, Scott Webb
In this episode of SwineTime Podcast, host, Dr. Spencer Wayne, visits with Wholestone Farms CEO, Scott Webb. Scott’s background in agriculture has given him experience working with both crop and livestock farmers; a feat which has proven its significance in his current role. Wholestone Farms is a producer-owned packing plant located in Fremont, Nebraska. Their…

Reduce Antibiotic Usage and Improve Full Value Pigs at Market
The goal for most swine producers is to make money raising hogs. With current ingredient prices, we have been getting many questions about how to reduce feed cost, which is a great question. However, many producers focus on feed cost per ton and immediately focus on the nursery diets. The most expensive feed cost per…

Problem?... Solution! The Importance of Responsible Antibiotic Use
I am old enough now to have seen a significant arc of attitude regarding antibiotic use. Our attitude. Public attitude. Government attitude. At one time, antibiotic use would have been a very quick decision for me or my clients. Problem?… Solution! But the landscape is different today, and for several valid reasons. If we are…

SwineTime Podcast Episode 28: PRRSV 144
In partnership with Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health USA Inc., Pipestone Research has provided a rapid response to bring science-based answers to managing the emergence of PRRSV 144. Join SwineTime Podcast host, Dr. Spencer Wayne, Veterinarian, as he discusses the trial results with Dr. Scott Dee, Director of Research at PIPESTONE. Joining Dr. Dee is Dr.…

Doing our PART: Sturtevant Feedlot
Responsible antibiotic use is a subject American pig farmers are accustomed to. Consumers expect it and packing plants require it. Utilizing resources through PIPESTONE, Sturtevant Feedlots has taken their antibiotic stewardship to the top of the industry. Scott Sturtevant farms in Shannon, Illinois alongside his brother, Steve, son, Trey, and his father, Ron. “It’s been…

ASF Preparedness with PIPESTONE CVO, Joel Nerem
African Swine Fever (ASF)’s threat to USA farmers has never been more real. With the recent detection of ASF in the Dominican Republic, ASF has been introduced in the Western Hemisphere for the first time in over 40 years. Join SwineTime Podcast host, Dr. Spencer Wayne, as he visits with Dr. Joel Nerem, PIPESTONE Chief…

PRRSV 144: A Rapid Response to a National Crisis
In partnership with Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health USA Inc., Pipestone Research has provided a rapid response to bring science-based answers to managing the emergence of PRRSV 144 L1C. Based on field observations from practitioners and producers, stating that, “This is the worst strain of PRRSV ever,” “Vaccines don’t work anymore,” and “Biosecurity protocols are ineffective,”…

The Evolution of PART
The Pipestone Antibiotic Resistance Tracker (PART) celebrates its fifth birthday this month. Like most things, a lot has changed in that time and we wanted to share a bit about the background, learning and forward vision of this important tool. In the summer of 2016, we welcomed a national fast-food chain to PIPESTONE to showcase…

Competitive Strategy on Farm
In 1980, Michael Porter, distinguished professor at Harvard Business School, wrote that competitive strategy is “how a firm can actually create and sustain a competitive advantage in its industry.” In his book Competitive Strategy, he outlines that the two basic types of competitive advantage are cost leadership and differentiation. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines a…

SwineTime Podcast Episode 27: Sharing the Pig Farming Story through TikTok
Dr. Cara Haden, a PIPESTONE pig vet located in Independence, IA, took a social media journey that has helped educate thousands of people. In October 2020, Cara created a TikTok account to share pig farming content. Her goals remain to educate the public on where their pork comes from as well as showcase how much…

Old Assets: Retain, Replace or Remodel?
Facilities play a large role in the health of your pigs and profitability of your pig business. As assets age, it’s important to evaluate your best facility strategy moving forward: retain, replace or remodel. Below are some considerations to take into account when making your decision. If your answer was “no” for…

Unintended Consequences of Well-Intentioned Employers
While this is not an exhaustive list for employers, it is a sampling of the most common mis-steps well-intentioned employers make as they work through their day-to-day responsibilities of running a business and employing a team. 1. Unrealistic Expectations Employers often set their expectations of employees high to encourage workplace efficiency…

SwineTime Episode 26: How TN Visa Talent From Mexico Can Impact Your Farm
Manual labor requirements are shared from farm to farm. What would it look like to add talented labor focused team members to your operation? In this episode of SwineTime Podcast, host Spencer Wayne, veterinarian and owner with Pipestone Veterinary Services is joined with Rob Hofmeyer, member of the Pipestone Business Services team and Jesus Colorado…

Using KPI's to Understand the Impact of Production Decisions
Money. The driving factor at the end of the day to make sure bills are paid and food is on the table. Everything comes at a cost, especially change within your family farm operation. Suggested changes are often quickly dismissed because capital outlay is high. Utilizing Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s) in your operation can help…

Enhance Nutrition Performance In Three Steps
We all know that nutrition is a key component to successful pig performance. So, what takes nutrition from good to better to best? A combination of formulation, ingredient procurement, and nutrition partnerships will set your farm up for a successful nutrition program. 1. Formulation to perform Formulation is an art form and takes an innate…

Summer Diet Formulation Hacks
It is that time of year again; the sun is shining, the days are longer, and the snow has melted away. Before we know it, the summer heat will also be here too but unfortunately, when it comes to raising pigs, the summer warmth means added heat stress and reduced growth performance when pigs are…

SwineTime Podcast Episode 25: PRRS Virus 144 Lineage 1C
Pig farmers across the world have been dealing with the effects of PRRS for decades. Continued research shows different strains of the virus have evolved over time, making it difficult to control. PIPESTONE is working to get answers on how to slow the spread of PRRS and best management practices moving forward. Join Dr. Spencer…

Stop the Spread.
PRRS, the 4-letter abbreviation that should make any hog producer shutter. The extensive disease pressure this year has likely caused this feeling more than once. Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS) is a viral disease resulting in complications with reproduction and respiratory disease in pigs of any age. Since last fall, there has been an…

Stop Disease by Making a Change
“We have always been trying to achieve high health,” Charlie Schelkopf said. “We watch day-in and day-out how poor health gets in the way of how profitable an operation is. It wasn’t until we had been through several years of difficult production damaged by health issues, that we realized we needed to make a change.”…