Like humans, pigs are complex creatures. The more we understand our animals, the better we can support them, and healthier pigs mean healthier profits. Fair to say, then, that taking a few hours to hear three experts talk about the role of the microbiome (the genetic material of all the microbes - bacteria, fungi, protozoa and viruses - that live on and inside the body) in human and pig health is time well spent.

One area that is gaining more attention these days is the gut microbiome (the genetic material of all the microbes - bacteria, fungi, protozoa and viruses - that live on and inside the body) and its implications for both human and pig health.

While economics are a limiting factor when it comes to pig housing, science is focused on balancing comfort and affordability. As part of that effort, researchers took a closer look at space allowance for nursery pigs and producer options for converting to group sow housing.

As feed costs eat up an ever greater portion of producer budgets, finding ways to reduce that expense can help trim losses and shift the ink color from red to black.

There’s a lot of talk these days about enhancing the image of the pork industry in the public eye. From a science standpoint, however, it may be the use of cutting edge imagery that catches the eye of producers and plants seeking an advantage. While image might not be everything, high-tech imaging could be the next big thing for the pork industry in assessing meat and carcass quality and gathering valuable information on live animals.

Is boosting income or cutting costs the key to success? In pork production, it’s like choosing between food and water for survival: they’re both kind of important. Since the revenue side depends on market forces that are largely beyond your control, trimming expenses is a focal point for science and industry.

Whether travelling by air or clinging to the side of a trailer, pathogens get around, so science is working overtime to stop the intruders in their tracks.

As your pigs grow, so do your profits. Of course, nothing in the pork industry is that easy. Keeping your grower-finisher pigs well fed is critical to success, but high feed costs can quickly eat into your margins. So just as growing families try to stretch their dollars at the supermarket, research is helping producers make their feed dollars go farther with growing pigs.

While each project has a unique focus, they’re all aimed at keeping pigs in the pink of health and your business squarely in the black.

Carnosine, a molecule made up of two amino acids (β-alanine and L-histidine), is naturally produced in the body. It is mainly concentrated in the skeletal muscles and brain, and is also found in the heart and other tissues.