Farms.com Home   News

Livestock Husbandry & Handling Workshop: Dr. Temple Grandin In Watertown, SD

By Heidi Carroll

South Dakota is a strong agricultural state with large numbers of livestock being raised by farmers and ranchers. On August 5, 2014, Dr. Temple Grandin will be back in South Dakota for the second Raising the Best: Livestock Husbandry and Handling for Today’s Market workshop this summer held in Watertown, SD. This workshop is hosted by South Dakota Farmers Union in partnership with SDSU Extension. The workshop is made possible by a grant through the USDA.

The workshop is being held at the Codington County Extension Complex, 1910 W Kemp Ave., Watertown, SD 57201. It is free and open to the public. At 10:30 a.m. CST, SDSU Extension specialists will hold a discussion of low-stress handling concepts and changing husbandry practices in the various livestock industries. A break for a small lunch will be at 11:30 a.m. and Dr. Grandin will follow at noon with a presentation covering animal behavior and handling principles along with advances of animal well-being across various sectors of the food supply chain. The workshop will end around 1:00 p.m.

Dr. Grandin is a designer of livestock handling facilities and a Professor of Animal Science at Colorado State University. She obtained her B.A. at Franklin Pierce College and her M.S. in Animal Science at Arizona State University. Dr. Grandin received her Ph.D. in Animal Science from the University of Illinois.

Click here to see more...

Trending Video

What Does 20 MILLION Hogs a Year Look Like?

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.