| |
Grappling with Per Capita Pork Consumption
Where is per capita consumption headed in 2012? The quick answer is “down, pretty much across the board.”
Figure 1 shows historical data and forecasts for 2011 and 2012 from the Livestock Marketing Information Center (LMIC) in Denver. Total consumption of the four major species is projected to be 206 lb./person this year, down 0.6% from last year. Next year (2012) is projected to see Americans consume 202.7 lb., on average, 1.6% less than in 2011.
This year’s projected decline is obviously the continuation of a trend that began in earnest in 2008. But the downtrend has its roots even earlier. The actual peak in per capita consumption came in 2004 at 220.1 lb./person. That year, of course, was the zenith of the Atkins diet’s popularity. Since the diet’s waning – in my opinion, because it was expensive, not because it was ineffective or dangerous – Americans have reduced their per capita meat intake every year except 2006, when they ate a paltry 0.4 lb. (0.2%) more than in 2005. (See Figure 2)
After the 2004 peak, U.S. per capita consumption remained within a pound of 220 lb. until 2008, when it fell by 5.5 lb. (2.5%). The decline was led by lower beef consumption, but only turkey was able to maintain consumption levels that year.
FULL ARTICLE
|
Troublesome Summertime Enteric Diseases
This summer has had its fair share of hot days and, equally important, hot nights. Pigs need cool nights to dissipate heat during periods of hot weather.
Anecdotes suggest that heat-stressed, grow-finish pigs are more likely to develop disease. But reliable data to support this perception is usually not available. Still, when grow-finish pigs develop disease, it is costly and worthy of investigation.
In finisher pigs, enteric diseases seem especially troublesome in the summer months. Both infectious and non-infectious insults contribute to diarrhea in grow-finish pigs. Non-infectious insults include gastric ulcers, intestinal volvulus (twisted bowel), hemorrhagic bowel syndrome (HBS) and variations in feed ingredients or formulations. Inconsistency in feed consumption and the effect of heat on feed quality are likely risk factors for non-infectious conditions.
Data from diagnostic laboratories suggest that the most common infectious agents of diarrhea are Lawsonia intracellularis (ileitis) and salmonella, with Brachyspira, hemolytic Escherichia coli, whipworms and Transmissible gastroenteritis (TGE) also contributing at much lower frequencies.
FULL ARTICLE
|
White House and Congressional Leaders Reach Debt Ceiling Deal
With the Aug. 2 deadline fast approaching, President Barack Obama and congressional leaders reached a deal to raise the $14.3 trillion debt ceiling by $2.4 trillion over the weekend. This increase will raise the debt ceiling through 2012 and into the spring of 2013. The agreement requires a two step process. The first step would increase the debt ceiling by $900 billion immediately. This would be accompanied by immediate spending cuts of over $900 billion over 10 years. The cuts would be via specific caps on appropriations by each fiscal year from 2012 through 2021.
FULL ARTICLE
|
Coalition Asks Congress to Block EPA on E15
A coalition of livestock producer organizations, including the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC), sent a letter last week to House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) and Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) to express support for an amendment to the fiscal 2012 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act to prevent the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from using federal taxpayer monies to increase the allowable level of ethanol in gasoline to 15% (E15) from its current 10%.
The amendment is being sponsored by Reps. John Sullivan (R-OK) and Gary Peters (D-MI). The groups pointed out that the Government Accountability Office issued a report last month that listed several challenges to the retail sale of intermediate ethanol blends such as E15. The compatibility of E15 with current underground infrastructure, the cost of developing and implementing new storage and dispensing equipment, and the liability associated with consumers misfueling vehicles and engines built before 2001 were cited as potential problems.
FULL ARTICLE
|
July 31-Aug. 4, 2011: 45th Congress for the International Society for Applied Ethology; hosted by Purdue University’s Livestock Behavior Research Unit of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service; Hyatt Regency, Indianapolis, IN. For more information, go to http://www.ars.usda.gov/.
Aug. 7-10, 2011: The American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers Annual International Meeting; The Galt House, Louisville, KY. For more information contact: www.asabe.org.
August 14 - 17, 2011: 7th International Conference on Boar Semen Preservation; Bonn, Germany. Check our website www.boarsemen2011.com for further information.
Aug. 18, 2011: George A. Young Swine Health and Management Conference, Marina Inn; South Sioux City, NE. For more information contact: http://vbms.unl.edu/web/.
FULL ARTICLE
|
|
|
advertisement
Organic acids, as Gut Environment Modifiers, have been a valuable nutritional tool in the grow-finish stage of pork production. Studies have shown that including Novus International’s ACTIVATE® DA nutritional feed-grade organic acid in grow-finish diets improves feed intake, gain, carcass weight, carcass grade premium and overall economic return.
 |
BLUEPRINT
advertisement
NPPC and the National Pork Board have launched a program, We Care, to promote pork producers' commitment to responsible pork production. From animal care and the environment to food safety and quality, pork producers demonstrate best practices daily.
For more on continuing the tradition of doing what’s right,
Click here
 |
MAGAZINE HIGHLIGHTS
advertisement
"Documented effects of Levucell® SB include the ability to improve digestive transit which in turn helps the sow get on feed quicker the first week of lactation and increases feed intake through lactation, which helps reduce sow weight loss and produces heavier piglets at weaning. Studies show sows fed Levucell SB have fewer days to estrus."
 |
POSTERS
advertisement
SUBSCRIBER TOOLS
|
|
