Swine in Minnesota

Best of Leman #5: J. Ross – Current efforts towards improving pig livability

This is our most popular series on the blog. Once a month, we are sharing with you a presentation given at the Allen D. Leman swine conference, on topics that the swine group found interesting, innovative or that lead to great discussions.

We can find all of the presentations selected from previous conferences on the blog here.

COVID-19 Impact: Masking Hunger

Podcasts are a perfect way to get caught up with new swine information! We are presenting you the latest episode from “At The Meeting… Honoring Dr. Bob Morrison” in collaboration with SwineCast.

At a time when pork producers are forced to dispose of pigs, other Americans are struggling with a lack of food. In this episode of At The Meeting… Honoring Dr. Bob Morrison the hosts discuss getting food to those who need it with Matt Gassen, CEO of Feeding South Dakota, an affiliate of the Feeding America program.

Summary of: African swine fever virus survival in buried wild boar carcasses

This is our Friday rubric: every week a new Science Page from the Bob Morrison’s Swine Health Monitoring Project. The previous editions of the science page are available on our website.

This week we are sharing a summary of a publication of Zani et al. regarding African swine fever virus (ASFV) survival in carcasses of wild boar that succumbed to the disease. The complete publication can be consulted here.

Key Points:

Carcasses of ASF infected wild boars have long been thought to play a major role as ASFV reservoirs that can contribute to virus spread.
No infectious ASFV was isolated in samples from known ASFV infected boar carcasses that had been buried and re-excavated.
These results do not rule out the possibility of infection if boars come into contact with an excavated infected carcass, but does support the viability of burial as an ASF mitigation strategy in areas where other disposal options are unavailable.

COVID-19 Impact on Hog Prices

In this episode, Dr. Montserrat Torremorell (College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota), Dr. Gordon Spronk (Pipestone Veterinary Services), and Dr. Tom Wetzell (Swine Veterinary Consultant) are joined by Dow McVean, a principal of McVean Trading & Investments LLC, who discusses how the complexities and vulnerabilities of North American hog prices have been laid bare by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Albert Canturri and Gustavo López selected as MnDRIVE scholars

We are proud to announce that two great candidates, Albert Canturri and Gustavo López, have been selected as 2020-21 MnDRIVE scholars.

The MnDRIVE Global Food Ventures (GFV) seeks to promote a broader and deeper understanding of our interconnected food systems through experiential cohort learning. Graduates with a broader understanding of food production, processing, protection, and policies will be better able to apply their disciplinary expertise to advance MN food economies and improve the lives of Minnesotans.