AgSpeak Blog

Spring is in the air! As the temperature starts to rise we have to start thinking ahead and getting our barns ready for warmer weather. Part of that preparation process includes cleaning up the cool cell pad system and making sure all of the necessary components are working. We've developed this comprehensive checklist on how…

Remember back in the day when breeder eggs were hand gathered from galvanized nests? Farming was a lot different then than it is now. Today, automation is in full swing and moving forward. Conventional nests are still being used today in various applications, but they require a significant amount of manual labor. From collecting eggs…

Nest pads are used as a hygienic alternative to other nesting amendments. Straw, peat, and litter all work as nesting substrates, but hold more dirt and debris than nest pads, and often don’t allow eggs to roll out of the nest so easily, which can result in cracks and damage. Nest pads are designed with…

For most of the 20th century, African Swine Fever had been comfortably concealed in Eastern and Southern Africa. First described in Kenya in the 1920’s as an acute hemorrhagic fever, African Swine Fever was noticed in domestic swine after they had come into contact with wildlife, primarily warthogs. With globalization and industrialization came the spread…

Fans are arguably the most important component to an effective ventilation design, and therefore require regular maintenance to keep them working at their full capacity for as long as possible. We’ve developed some guidelines to help keep performance up flock after flock. Inspect the propeller Check that it is secure on the shaft and there…

Wintertime weather brings its own unique challenges for growers.  Cold temperatures force growers to focus on keeping buildings warm while simultaneously maintaining good air quality without breaking the bank with heating costs.  For most of the cold weather months ventilation needs are adequately covered by “minimum ventilation” and the first couple stages of cooling. So…

Integrators and growers are continually evaluating and implementing automated technologies to produce birds more efficiently. The management of poultry houses during the early brooding stage of a chick’s life largely determines whether they will reach their full potential. Every hour that a chick’s environment is less than optimum reduces growth rate and increases feed conversion.…

This week farmers across the countries endured possibly the worst thing about winter: bitter freezing cold. Some parts of the Midwest were colder than Antarctica. In Pennsylvania, it was in the negative double digits. Frigid temps cause frozen everything, the worst of which might be frozen feed lines. And the worst thing about frozen feed…

Litter serves many roles in a poultry barn – insulation, dust bath, scratch area, and importantly, moisture absorber.  This last role is important because houses that are too dry are dusty and can lead to higher incidences of respiratory disease in birds, but too wet leads to ammonia-related illnesses including footpad dermatitis, breast blisters, and…

The steep temperature difference between internal house air and external fresh air can often result in condensation around inlet openings or in the attic of the barn. Aside from being a bit frustrating to fix, it can have a serious consequence on your flock health and performance, because they are not receiving the fresh air…

Winter ventilation comes with a unique set of challenges. Incoming air is cold and dry, heaters seem like they are always running, and the cost of fuel is only going up. Attic inlets are sometimes used to minimize the use of heaters. The idea is that the sun would warm the attic air, which would…

Matt Moeller and his wife, Karen, are integral members of the South Dakota hog farming community. A farmer from birth, Matt grew up with pigs on the family farm, and often worked with his father and uncle caring for the livestock. Today, Matt raises wean-to-finish hogs, without antibiotics, for Smithfield Foods. His farm has 11,000…