Inside the Helix

As soy crush facilities expand, they bring with them the anticipation that soy hulls could become a valuable feed product, however we first must understand the impacts of lower energy rations. In this episode of “Inside the Helix,” Ethan Stephenson, Nutritionist for DNA Genetics and Pillen Family Farms, discusses research about the impacts of low energy rations on finishing diets.

In this episode of “Inside the Helix,” Dr. Jason Schneider discussed the key items to think about as we transition from new vs. old crop ingredients. The discussion focused on controlling nutrient variation, production parameters, and understanding mycotoxin prevalence and mitigation. 

Are you and your team prepared for cooler weather and the ventilation challenges that come with fall temperature variation? In this episode of “Inside the Helix,” Paul Faris discusses managing the barn environment during the fall transition period. Paul explains the challenges of managing ventilation during this time and provides recommendations swine producers should consider as we head into fall.

In this episode of "Inside the Helix," Dr. Christine Mainquist-Whigham reviews both field data and trial results aimed at evaluating the timing of pig vaccinations. She and Brady McNeil, a co-investigator on the Production R&D committee for this study, compare livability, growth, and feed consumption between two pig vaccination programs and how the results have driven decision-making surrounding these programs. They also discuss the practical implications of implementation, labor, and theoretical ROI for each program.

At DNA Genetics, the health of our multiplication herd is of utmost importance. Recently, large strides have been made to provide our customers with the best possible product in our L241 female. In this podcast, hear from Dr. Matt Ackerman, director of health for external multiplication, on these specific improvements and their impact on production in the DNA L241 sow.

Understanding PRRS shedding patterns in our sow herds may help us to create and refine strategies during PRRS elimination attempts that can shorten herd closure times and increase chances of success. This podcast by Dr. Christine Mainquist-Whigham, Director of Health for DNA Genetics Nucleus and Pillen Family Farms, reviews two case studies that examine PRRS shedding patterns, along with several conclusions and recommendations to help swine producers in their PRRS management strategies. 

For a swine breeding program to be sustainable, balanced selection criteria should consider both the biology and the economics of animal performance. In this episode, Dr. Randy Borg will explain how maintaining this balance, and focusing on these priorities, will create cumulative improvements that benefit producers. This balanced approach has provided the customers of DNA Genetics with unsurpassed sow performance, pig quality, and year over year genetic improvement.

Producers are always looking for ways to improve their operations and, thus, their bottom line. To identify key areas to focus on, you need to first understand where you fall in relation to your peers. In this episode, Dr. Steve Kitt, a swine nutritionist, discusses how to start benchmarking and some key metrics to look at to improve your bottom line.

In this episode of "Inside the Helix," you will hear from Dr. Iara Solar-Diaz, a geneticist with DNA Genetics, who will be talking about how training people impacts genetic progress.

The nutritional needs of our pigs change throughout the course of their life cycle. In this podcast, you will hear from Jason Schneider, a technical consultant with DNA Genetics, who will be discussing feeding strategies for sexually mature gilts and boars.