Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting

NCERA-219 Annual Virtual Meeting

Aug. 5-6^th, 2020

Attendees: Dale Rozeboom, Lee Johnston, Benny Mote, Ryan Samuel, Bob Goodband, Marcia Shannon, Steve Moeller, and Ernie Minton

Guests: Elise Toohill, and Melanie Trenhaile Grannemann

Agenda:

Wednesday Aug 5, 2020

9 AM                     Call to order – Ryan Samuel

9:05-11 AM         Presentation about the NUtrack pig tracking system – Benny Mote, UNL

11-noon               Discussion on future group projects and direction of NCERA-219

1-2 PM                 Balance new production practices with finishing hog vices – Elise Toohill, DVM Carthage Veterinary Service Ltd

2-5 PM                  Discussion on future group projects and direction of NCERA-219

Thursday Aug 6, 2020

9-11 AM               Station Reports (Part 1)

11-noon               Admin Advisor: J. Ernest Minton

1-2 PM                  Station Reports (Part 2)

2:30 PM               Elections of officers and date of next meeting

3:00                       Adjourn

The meeting was called to order at 9:08 am.

Benny Mote presented on NUTrack Livestock Monitoring technology and individual pig activity.

Research ideas were discussed focusing in management and current euthanasia protocols related to COVID-19. Research ideas covered the following topics:

• slow down diets during processing plant shutdowns such as phases of growth/compensatory gain, welfare questions from strategy, increased room temperature, salt use, corn only diets and shutting down feeders every other day.
• euthanize animals if foreign animal disease (FAD) situation.
• continue to evaluate stocking density/space allowance looking at double stock wean-to-finish, feeder space/design or waterer space/design on efficiency and pig/pen variation.
• industry moving to more mixed sex feeding rather than split sex feeding and feeder and water space designs impact on efficiency and pig variation.
• pig variation at close out - is there producer incentive to reduce variation?
• improving weaning strategies such as effects by wean age, feeder design, solid sided pens, smaller or less space provided, temperature, automated light control and supplemental water bars.
• nursery density related to overstocking and impact into finisher on vices – held pigs to 65 lbs in nursery.

Meeting was adjourned for lunch at 11:51 am.

Meeting was called back to order at 1:05 pm.

Elise Toohill from Carthage Veterinary Service presented on COVID-19 Plant Shutdown Debrief.

Lee Johnston agreed to work on a protocol focusing on impact of shutting down feeders every other day on growth rates and observed vices. Research project would utilize mix sexed finishing pigs and end when control group reaches an average weight of 280 lbs. 

Meeting was adjourned for the day at 4:41 pm.

On Day 2 Meeting called to order at 9:05 am.

Committee discussed the renewal year and what accomplishments have been met over the past 5 years.  Had publication by Lee on space in 2017. Also, discussed staying as an extension committee based on previous email information and where we will focus in the next 5 years.

Johnston, L.J., D.W. Rozeboom, R.D. Goodband, S.J. Moeller, M.C. Shannon, and S.J. Schieck. 2017. Effect of floor space allowances on growth performance of finishing pigs marketed at 138 kilograms. J. Anim. Sci. 95:4917-4925.

Station reports were provided by Dale Rozeboom (Michigan State University), Benny Mote (University of Nebraska), Bob Goodband (Kansas State), Marcia Shannon (University of Missouri) Ryan Samuel (South Dakota State University) and Lee Johnston (University of Minnesota).

Ernie Minton provided an administrative update. He reminded the group that the project is up for renewal and due to him by December 1^st for renewal on Sept. 30^th, 2021. The renewal document should include objectives, gaps, and plans for next 5 years. The committee has looked and discussed about becoming a research committee, but the group has decided to continue as an extension committee. Committee continues to add new members to keep membership effective to objectives. Ernie did mention that if we knew of any faculty with background in swine who has moved into administration that would be a better fit with this committee better, he would have them replace him as it is hard for him to keep up or engaged.

Meeting was adjourned for lunch at 11:55 am.

Meeting called back to order at 1:06 pm.

Election of officers and next year’s meeting was discussed.

Marcia Shannon will become chair, and new secretary will be Dale Rozeboom.

Suggestions were made to invite Jay Harmon or Ron Bates as our administrator and other members to recruit to committee such as Chris Byrd at North Dakota State, Mark Knauer and John Holt at North Carolina State.

Plan to have another ZOOM in next couple months to finalize protocols and renewal documents.

Meeting was adjourned at 2:03 pm.