A long ride is less stressful Wednesday, August 10, 2011 Shorter truck trips are more stressful to market hogs than longer truck rides, according to a study recently published in the Journal of Animal Science.The reason? Pigs need time to recover from the stress of loading before they get stressed again when they disembark, says Prof. Michael Ellis, at the University of Illinois's Urbana-Champaign campus.Another stress factor is floor space. Overcrowding is stressful, but pigs that have too much space are thrown around as the livestock truck moves. University researchers found that U.S. market pigs on average require five square feet each.Co-author of the study with Ellis was Bradley Wolter, chief operating officer of the Maschhoffs packing company in Carlyle, Ill. Wolter says working with Ellis allowed the company to reduce pig losses due to transportation and handling by more than one percentage point in a system that was already well managed and where less than half a per cent of pigs died because of movement and handling. BP Another sign of bacon's popularity: clogged drains 'Welfarists' pressure supermarkets
North American Agriculture Leaders Back USMCA and Long-Term Trade Stability Monday, October 5, 2026 Agriculture officials from the United States,Canada, and Mexico are reinforcing their support for a stable and predictable North American trade environment, emphasizing the importance of collaboration to strengthen rural economies and agricultural supply chains. That message emerged from... Read this article online
Canada Boosts Swine Research Innovation Monday, October 5, 2026 Canada's pork industry is set to benefit from a major research funding initiative aimed at solving key challenges and creating new opportunities for growth. Swine Innovation Porc (SIP), with support from the Pork Promotion and Research Agency (PPRA), has launched the Advancing Swine Research... Read this article online
New Brunswick Farm's Record Gourd Tunnel Draws National Attention Monday, October 5, 2026 A New Brunswick farm is attracting attention from across Canada after creating what is being described as the world's longest gourd tunnel, transforming a traditional crop into an eye-catching attraction that is drawing visitors to the countryside. Located in Scotch Settlement, New... Read this article online
Solar Farms Help Protect Pollinators and Ecosystems Monday, October 5, 2026 Solar energy facilities can do more than generate electricity. The land between and around photovoltaic panels can also be managed to support pollinators, improve environmental conditions, and provide additional benefits for nearby farms and communities. Penn State Extension reports... Read this article online
Soybean Harvest Tips to Improve Farm Returns Monday, October 5, 2026 Soybean producers have spent months preparing for harvest, managing everything from planting and crop protection to field scouting and changing weather conditions. Once harvest begins, however, there are still opportunities to protect the value of the crop by reducing losses in the... Read this article online