Four Star Veterinary Service Announces Its Annual Pork Industry Conference

Jul 29, 2024

The Four Star Veterinary Service will hold its Pork Industry Conference Sept. 10-11, 2024, in Mucie, Ind. Producers, nutritionists, academia and industry from North America are encouraged to attend.

The event, which is centrally located offers opportunities for attendees to visit and network.

“As veterinarians, we believe that sharing knowledge is part of our responsibility to our clients and the industry,” says Dr. Bill Minton, founding partner at Four Star Veterinary Service. “The swine industry has experienced a challenging time recently, but sharing experiences, research and market information can help producers feel informed and offer new ideas to help operations maximize their animal’s potential.”

The speaker line-up features hands-on experience and valuable insights:

• Tim Burnside, swine farm manager at I & S Furrer Farms – Producer to Producer: Real Life Perspective from the Barn

• Dr. Jason Woodworth, professor at Kansas State University – Nutrition and Management Strategies to Improve Post-weaning Performance and Reduce Diarrhea

• Dr. Larry Coleman, DVM and owner at Vet Care LLC – Piglet Survivability: Is there a Silver Bullet

• Brian Burke, president at John Stewart & Associates – Fundamentals and Policy Shaping Grain & Feed Markets

• Brad Heimerl, senior manager Pork Procurement at Bob Evans Farms – Maximizing Cull Sow Value

• Dr. Peter Schneider, veterinarian at Innovative Agriculture Solutions and co-owner of Schneider & Schneider Pork Farms – Biggest Challenges Facing the Pork Industry from a Producer/Veterinarian’s Viewpoint

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Video: What Does 20 MILLION Hogs a Year Look Like?

?? The Multi-Plant System Processing 20 Million Hogs Annually in the Midwest JBS USA operates multiple large-scale pork processing facilities across the Midwest, including major plants in Iowa, Minnesota, and Indiana. Combined, these facilities have the capacity to process approximately 20 million hogs annually.

Each plant operates high-speed automated slaughter systems capable of processing up to 20,000 head per day, followed by fabrication lines that break carcasses into primals, sub-primals, and case-ready retail products.

Hog procurement is coordinated through electronic marketing platforms that connect regional contract finishing operations and independent producers to plant demand schedules. This digital procurement system allows for steady supply flow and scheduling efficiency across multiple facilities.

Processing plants incorporate comprehensive food safety systems, including pathogen intervention technologies, rapid chilling processes, and integrated cold-chain management. USDA inspection is embedded throughout the harvest and fabrication stages to ensure regulatory compliance and product integrity. Finished pork products — from bulk primals to retail-ready packaged cuts — are distributed through coordinated logistics networks serving domestic and export markets.