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Better Pork Featured Articles

Better Pork magazine is published bimonthly. After each edition is published, we share featured articles online.


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

Current Issue

February 2026

Better Pork Magazine

Farms.com Swine News

Ag in the House: Feb. 2 – 6

Monday, February 9, 2026

On Feb. 2, a Bloc MP wanted answers from the government about a proposed rail line and if his community is being kept in the loop about the proceedings. “A new rail corridor was announced for the train (connecting Toronto and Quebec City) at the last minute, and it is going right through... Read this article online

Alberta provides wild boar update

Monday, February 9, 2026

More than 100 wild boar are no longer wreaking havoc on Alberta farms and in nearby communities thanks to the province’s Wild Boar Control Program. Professional trappers in Alberta removed 108 wild boar, an update from the Alberta government says. “In 2025 we received 72 reports... Read this article online

Making Soybeans Great Again! And A Fools Gold?

Monday, February 9, 2026

On the weekly podcast by experts Farms.com Risk Management Chief Commodity Strategist Moe Agostino and Commodity Strategist Abhinesh Gopal called the Ag Commodity Corner+ Podcast, the team reviewed major market movements during the week of February 2 to 6, 2026. Soybeans recorded a strong gain... Read this article online

Leif Carlson Appointed VP at Cereals Canada

Friday, February 6, 2026

Cereals Canada announced the appointment of Leif Carlson as Vice President, Markets and Trade, effective immediately. In this role, he is responsible for leading efforts to expand and protect global market opportunities for Canada’s cereal crops. The position plays an important role in... Read this article online

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