Welcome to the 1st Edition of the Babcock Buzz!  This short newsletter will include production tips that we are seeing when we visit farms and other industry information we hear about along the way.   Please feel free to forward this newsletter on to others.  If you have suggestions for articles, let us know! 

 

Piglet diarrhea, or scours, is one of the most common ailments of suckling pigs and one that is most frustrating for the producer. Piglet diarrhea can be caused by a number of things: viruses, bacteria, environmental (i.e. drafts), and changes in diets. It can be a demoralizing issue for the barn staff as it can affect an otherwise healthy litter seemingly overnight and can lead to high mortality. If left untreated, it can quickly spread to other litters in a farrowing room. And if biosecurity is not followed, it can easily be spread to other rooms.

Recently, Babcock Genetics was introduced to a new product to aid and promote gut health in the pig at various stages of development. The product is called Grazix™ and is currently available in two different forms.  

Gone are the days of raising breeding stock in pristine environments. Today's market hog requires the genes necessary to perform well in challenged environments. This hog competes for feed and water within a large group or pen setting, experiences performance-reducing conditions when the outdoor temperature rises, and has the potential to be exposed to various health challenges along the way. Continued performance of these animals can be a direct result of the improvement in the breeding stock from which these market hogs are derived. Therefore, they too, should be raised in the same environments or under similar conditions. Failure to perform this type of 'natural selection' can result in unexpected performance of market hogs at the commercial level.