Pipestone Veterinary Services News

It’s no secret that trailers can act as a means of virus transport, moving it from one barn to another.  With PRRSv virus, and especially when PEDv hit hard in 2013, Pipestone has put enormous focus on our livestock trailer sanitation protocol.  Historically Pipestone chose to use Synergize as a disinfectant when washing trailers.  The decision was based on historical...

In the past couple months; there have been 13 confirmed cases of vesicular disease associated with Seneca Valley virus in the swine industry. This disease has been identified in both commercial and show pig operations in Iowa, South Dakota, Illinois and Minnesota. Vesicular disease is a broad term used to cover several diseases associated with similar clinical signs but individual...

The four finalists for America’s Pig Farmer of the year were announced, and Pipestone was excited to see a familiar face in the line-up!  The National Pork Board created the America’s Pig Farmer of the Year award to recognize a farmer who excels in raising pigs using the We Care principles and who can effectively communicate their story to today’s consumers...

FDA recently came out with industry guidelines that require changes to the use of feed medication in livestock.  Here are the answers to some commonly asked questions about these changes…        What prompted the government to change the rules regarding antibiotic use in food animals? Why now? A growing concern in the United States is bacterial resistance to...

Pipestone Veterinary Services and Pipestone System employees gathered Friday afternoon to properly season the ribs for the Rib Feed at the Pipestone County Fair on Saturday, August 8th.  It is an event that Pipestone Veterinary Services founded several years ago, and has been happy to continue the tradition ever since.  All proceeds raised are donated to a different charity or organization each...

This pig of the week was not happy I interrupted his meal.  He is eating from a wet/dry feeder.  This means the waterer is in the same location as the feed.  By pushing on the water nipple above his nose he can add water so that his feed is wet like cereal.

Helpful Terminology! Boars: Intact male pigs V-Boars: Intact male pigs that have undergone a vasectomy procedure. They act like an intact male but aren’t able to father their own litters. Kraft and his buddy Duke before a day of hard work on the farm. The hardest working pigs on a sow farm are, hands down, the adult females (sows). In...

So far, 2015 has proven to be a fairly mild year for PEDv infection compared to the devastation that hit in 2014.  Nonetheless, it is a concerning virus for pork producers and continued focus for Pipestone Applied Research (PAR).  In 2014, PAR proved that contaminated feed could serve as a vehicle for PEDv transmission and also proved intervention to help...

The Sioux Empire Fair celebrated its 75th anniversary in 2014, but it was a new exhibit — and the newborn animals inside it — that caught the attention of thousands of fairgoers. The Pipestone Discovery Barn opened its doors during the 2014 fair to share with visitors the story of animal agriculture and the commitment of farm families to their land...

By Dr. Brett Kroeze Every year there is the question of when should I or should I pull out the bull away from the cows.  A lot of this decision depends on how long of calving season you want next spring and how drawn out your calving season was this spring.  60-70% of cows and heifers should be pregnant in...