Meta-analysis of swine manure and commercial fertilizer on environmental endpoints and soil health
Swine manure is a valuable asset when applied to the soil; however, to others it is a waste material with little value compared to commercial fertilizer. Comparisons between commercial fertilizer and swine manure are often difficult because of the conditions…
Genomic control of pork loin color, myoglobin concentration, marbling, water-holding capacity, and slice shear force, pork fat quality and fatty acid profile, and ham lean color, ham “halo” severity, and myoglobin concentration.
Alternative antibiotic technologies for weaned pigs
New technologies are needed to help livestock producers maintain health and wellbeing of their animals while minimizing risks of disseminating antimicrobial resistant bacteria to humans or animals. Thymol, the active ingredient of many mouthwashes such as Listerine®, is an attractive…
Using conveyor belt to load and unload pigs to promote self-movement of piglets
Pigs are not accustomed to climbing sloped ramps. However, sloped ramps are impossible to avoid in regular management and handling practices due to design of the physical facilities at finishing sites, packing plants, and the vehicles used to transport animals.…
Evaluating the welfare of piglets after weaning and transport during heat stress
Weaning is a complex stressor associated with social, environmental and metabolic stress in pigs, that can be compounded by the negative effects of transport and thermal stress. To combat these negative effects, dietary antibiotics may be provided to newly weaned…
Epitope Inclusion: Enhancing porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSv) vaccine cross-protective efficacy
Producers need better vaccines for controlling disease and spread associated with PRRSv infection. This has been an extremely different task because the face of PRRSv is constantly changing making an escape from the host immune system, which is coupled with…
Effect of manure application rate and timing on the leaching and runoff potential of antibiotic resistant bacteria and their associated genes
Antibiotics are used in swine production for both therapeutic and growth promotion purposes. Compounds are placed in feed or water and used in oral and injection treatments and encompass a broad range of antibiotic classes. It is well known that…
Prediction of pork loin quality and tenderness with the VQG pork loin grading camera
The VQG pork loin grading camera was developed jointly by USDA-ARS researchers at the U.S. Meat Animal Research Center in collaboration with E+V, a company that develops and markets image analysis-based systems for the meat, poultry, and livestock industries.
Origin, evolution, and zoonotic potential of livestock-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus found in US swine farms
Reports claiming that livestock, particularly pigs, could serve as a reservoir for the ‘superbug’ methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) shocked the medical and veterinary worlds when first discovered in Europe around 2004. Early studies identified a novel type of MRSA…