By Dave Stender, Mark Storlie, Sherry Hoyer
Pork producers are invited to attend either of two workshops focusing on advanced swine reproductive management topics scheduled for mid-December in northeast and northwest Iowa. Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, Iowa Pork Industry Center and Iowa Pork Producers Association are sponsoring the seminars in Waverly and Le Mars. The target audience for these conferences includes swine breeding herd managers, veterinarians, sow herd managers and sow farm owners and workers.
Dates and specific locations are Tuesday, Dec. 12, at the Waverly Civic Center, 200 1st St. NE and Wednesday, Dec. 13, at the ISU Extension and Outreach Plymouth County Office, 251 12th St. S.E., Le Mars. Registration at both sites begins at 9:30 a.m. with the first session starting at 10 a.m. The event concludes with a question-and-answer session at 3 p.m. Dec. 14 is being held for possible rescheduling in case of weather-related issues.
The keynote speaker is reproductive specialist Kara Stewart of Purdue University. She will present information on several topics, including new farm technologies to improve reproductive performance and new research and findings on colostrum management. She also will lead a post cervical artificial insemination session with hands-on opportunity for participants to work with reproductive tracts, and will demonstrate deep uterine catheter insertion.
Associate professor of animal science Jason Ross and Lloyd Anderson, endowed professor in physiology, will talk about research that can help predict, before first breeding, which gilts most likely will have superior reproductive performance. Ross, who also is IPIC director, will share information from promising research including vulva measurements that may inform new tools for such predictions.
At their respective workshops in Waverly and LeMars, Iowa State swine specialists Mark Storlie and Dave Stender will provide updates on a variety of issues impacting the sow herd, including preparation for welfare audits, animal handling and record keeping.
Cost is $30 per person, which includes lunch and materials. Additional attendees from the same entity can register for $10 each. Preregistration is strongly encouraged to assure an accurate meal count.