Feedstuffs in Focus

Congress intervened this week in an effort to avert an economy-crippling rail strike. What does the labor conflict mean for agriculture, and the feed industry in general? And what does the situation tell us about vulnerabilities to the U.S. logistics infrastructure system?

Late Thursday, the Senate approved a resolution to implement a tentative agreement brokered by the Biden administration with rail labor unions and management. The House approved the measure on Nov. 30, and it now heads to President Biden’s desk for signature.

A few hours prior to the Senate’s vote, Feedstuffs spoke with Max Fisher, chief economist at the National Grain and Feed Association, about what the possibility of a strike meant for the feed industry and the broader agriculture industry. He explained the situation, how the parties arrived at a place requiring the federal government to get involved, and the long-term prospectus for labor relations in the rail space.

More broadly, Fisher discussed the current state of the commodity logistics chain, from challenges facing our inland waterways, a lingering lack of truck drivers, and now the vulnerabilities facing the rail system.

A few hours after our conversation with Fisher, the Senate approved a measure to implement a tentative agreement to avert the strike, which NFGA, the American Feed Industry Association, the Soy Transportation Coalition, and other relevant industry groups hailed as an important step in averting a national crisis.

This episode is sponsored by United Animal Health, a leader in animal health and nutrition. You can learn more about United Animal Health and how they are working to advance animal science worldwide by visiting their website UnitedANH.com.

Welcome to this episode of Feedstuffs Swine Healthline, brought to you by Pharmgate Animal Health and focused on endemic bacterial agents.

Increasingly, the swine industry's attention is focused on epidemic agents, such as PRRS and PED, or the constant threat of foreign animal diseases, such as African Swine Fever. In this episode, we switch gears and talking about an ever-present challenge posed by endemic bacterial agents, such as Streptococcus suis and Glaesserella parasuis – bacterial agents that jeopardize herd health, compromise animal well-being and drag down performance potential.

Our guest is Dr. Maria Jose Clavijo, a research assistant professor at Iowa State University and a health assurance veterinarian with The Pig Improvement Company (PIC). Dr. Clavijo will talk about trends that show an increase in the diagnosis and detection of certain bacterial pathogens. She’ll also explain how whole genome sequencing helps identify different pathogen strains, opening the door to more effective disease control programs.

This is the second in a four-part podcast series about Swine Respiratory Disease Complex brought to you by Pharmgate Animal Health. Call your Pharmgate representative or visit pharmgate.com to learn about their broad portfolio options to support your protocols.

Join us next week on Swine Healthline to hear from Dr. Jeremy Pittman, a veterinarian with Smithfield Pork. He will talk about the complex factors of successful disease elimination strategies and how you as a veterinarian can ask the right questions to help your customers meet their pork production goals.

Protein prices have increased rapidly in the past 24 months, amid the broader press of inflation. With inflation at its highest rate in more than 40 years, the question becomes how long beef, pork and poultry prices can remain at such elevated levels before demand erodes significantly.

David Williams is senior vice president of procurement and management at CTI Foods, based in Texas. In this episode, Williams discusses the current state of the animal protein markets, with an eye toward the implications of sustained food price inflation on demand, and how those same factors will influence the supply side of the equation over the next 12-to-24 months.

We also discuss the persistent drought in cattle country, and why he says most analysts are underestimating how much the cattle herd is shrinking as producers struggle in the absence of hay and pasture.

This episode is sponsored by United Animal Health, a leader in animal health and nutrition. You can learn more about United Animal Health and how they are working to advance animal science worldwide by visiting their website UnitedANH.com.

The National Pork Industry Foundation has announced the Neil Dierks Scholarship, created to support students seeking a graduate degree, in a field related to the pork industry, at a land grant university.

As CEO of the National Pork Producers Council for more than 30 years, Neil Dierks devoted himself to U.S. pork producers’ well-being. His 2021 retirement created an opportunity to honor his contribution to the US pork industry and legacy as a leader, while carrying on his passion of equipping the next generation of pork industry leaders.

Joining Feedstuffs editor Sarah Muirhead to reflect on his legacy and contributions to the industry are Ken and Julie Maschhoff of The Maschhoffs.

For more information on how to support the newly created Neil Dierks Scholarship, visit NPPC.org.

This podcast is sponsored by Arm & Hammer Animal and Food Production and their #ScienceHearted podcast, “Food Chain Chats. In the latest episode, hear from Dr. Sangita Jalukar, Technical Services Manager at ARM & HAMMER, about recent groundbreaking cytotoxicity research and the “PPR” approach to helping animals battle mycotoxin challenges – from the inside out. Listen and subscribe to “Food Chain Chats” HERE, or wherever you find your favorite podcasts.

Joining us in this episode of Feedstuffs in Focus to discuss new research findings related to how quickly EXCEDE ® for Swine reaches therapeutic plasma concentration levels in pigs is Dr. Micah Jansen, Managing Technical Services Veterinarian for Zoetis Pork. Dr. Jansen details research presented at last fall’s Leman Swine Conference and why it's relevant to veterinarians and pork producers when making antibiotic treatment decisions for swine respiratory disease.

In addition to this podcast, we encourage you to learn more on the topic in our recent Feedstuffs 365 interview with Dr. Jansen.

This episode of Feedstuffs in Focus has been brought to you by Zoetis Pork

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION: People with known hypersensitivity to penicillin or cephalosporins should avoid exposure to EXCEDE for Swine. Do not use in swine found to be hypersensitive to the product. Pre-slaughter withdrawal time is 14 days following the last dose. See full prescribing information at Excedeforswine.com/pi.

References

1 Lutz, S., et. al.; Pharmacokinetics of Ceftiofur Crystalline Free Acid; Leman 2023.

2 Data on file, Study Report No. 1121R-60-04-215, Zoetis LLC.

3 Anadón A. Perspectives in Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology. Front Vet Sci. 2016 Sep 13;3:82. doi: 10.3389/fvets.2016.00082. PMID: 27679801; PMCID: PMC5020047.

4 Data on file, Study Report No ORPORK2030, Zoetis Services, LLC

5 Bowersock, T.L., et al., Efficacy of Ceftiofur Crystalline Free Acid for the Treatment of Artificially-induce Pnemonia in an Actinobacillus Pleuropneumoniae Challenge Model. Proceedings of the 18th International Pig Veterinary Society Congress, Hamburg, Germany, 2004.

6 Data on file, Study Report No. 1123C-60-08-315, Zoetis Services LLC

7 EXCEDE for Swine FOI Summary: 2004/06/18 Original NADA 141-235.

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