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Agriculture This Week: Farming always evolving

When you have grown up on a farm in the 1960s and ‘70s it is almost beyond belief the changes in farming we see today. 

It was a mixed farm for me, and that meant pigs and grain. 

In my youth I hauled a lot of ground grain to feed the pigs using cleaned five-gallon pails that originally were filled with some weed spray, or another. 

Looking back over some 40-years it seems like it was such a crazy thing, but repurposing the pails was pretty standard. I’m pretty sure potatoes came from the garden to the cellar bin in similar pails. 

Of course I clearly recall Dad taking plugged nozzles off the sprayer, his gloves getting soaked in the process, and then simply blowing out the nozzle with his breath. 

Knowing what we do now it’s a wonder what health problems were caused in a time we didn’t know better, or were reluctant to change. Dad lived to a considerable age, his heart giving out one day, but one wonders. 


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Why Water Quality Is the Forgotten Nutrient in Swine Production | Kanters Animal Health | WPX 2026

Video: Why Water Quality Is the Forgotten Nutrient in Swine Production | Kanters Animal Health | WPX 2026

Water is one of the most important—and often overlooked—nutrients in pork production.

In this interview from World Pork Expo 2026, Tommy from Kanters Animal Health explains how advanced water monitoring and dosing systems are changing swine research and helping producers better understand water intake, supplementation, and animal performance.

The discussion also covers practical steps producers can take today to monitor water quality, identify biofilm before it becomes a problem, and improve the health and efficiency of their barns.

Topics include:

Why water is the "forgotten nutrient" in swine production

How advanced water monitoring is transforming research

The role of water quality in pig health and performance

Detecting biofilm before it impacts production

Practical on-farm water management strategies