Hog Markets Start 2018 On Positive Note

Jan 03, 2018

The director of risk management with Hams Marketing Services says most of the forward hog contracts were at or near contract highs to start the new year.

"We're a shade lower than what we would have been for the forward contract prices this time last year, given the fact that we're dealing with a significantly larger supply and there's some questions on demand," he said. "I think we're in pretty good shape. It definitely represents good profitability for producers for most of the year."

Fulton adds U.S. cash markets are expected to trade near steady in the post-holiday period.

"We're just coming off of the two short holiday slaughter weeks, which typically has a bit of a negative implication on cash prices, but producers were very current going into the holiday period. Their hog weights indicated that they were not behind in their marketings, and packers were very aggressive in sourcing those hogs. In fact, we saw likely the two biggest hog slaughters that we have ever seen in the two weeks leading up to Christmas."

Source : Steinbachonline

Video: Sweetener Effects on Gut Health - Dr. Kwangwook Kim

In this episode of The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Kwangwook Kim, Assistant Professor at Michigan State University, discusses the use of non-nutritive sweeteners in nursery pig diets. He explains how sucralose and neotame influence feed intake, gut health, metabolism, and the frequency of diarrhea compared to antibiotics. The conversation highlights mechanisms beyond palatability, including hormone signaling and nutrient transport. Listen now on all major platforms!

“Receptors responsible for sweet taste are present not only in the mouth but also along the intestinal tract.”

Meet the guest: Dr. Kwangwook Kim / kwangwook-kim is an Assistant Professor at Michigan State University, specializing in swine nutrition and feed additives under disease challenge models. He earned his M.S. and Ph.D. in Animal Sciences from the University of California, Davis, where he focused on intestinal health and metabolic responses in pigs. His research evaluates alternatives to antibiotics, targeting gut health and performance in nursery pigs.