Tri-State Sow Housing Conference set for February 13^th, 2018

The Tri-State Sow Housing Conference is slated to be held on February 13^th in Columbus, Ohio. Sow housing is still a very hot topic in the swine industry given it is estimated that only 24% of the US sow herd has transitioned to open pen gestation. However, the transition is half the battle. Understanding how to care for and manage animals in a group system is just as important. The 2018 Tri-State Sow Housing Conference will focus on management strategies for group housing systems and provide the educational support and resources for swine producers to be successful. Speakers lined up for the full day educational event come from a variety of backgrounds and cover a variety of topics including managing aggression and lameness in group housing systems and practical tips for constructing new or retrofitted facilities. Pre-registration for the Conference is now open. Pre-registration fees are $25 for the Sow Housing Conference or $50 pre-registration fee for the attendance of the Sow Housing Conference and Ohio Pork Congress. Pre-registration closes on January 26^th. Registration can be completed through Ohio Pork Council, 59239 Sharon Woods Blvd, Ste. 101. Columbus, OH 43229.

Tri-State Sow Housing Conference

The Ohio State University, Michigan State University, Purdue University

Crowne Plaza Columbus North

6500 Doubletree Ave. Columbus, OH

February 13^th, 2018

8:00 a.m.  Registration and access to exhibit area

845 a.m.  Welcome and introduction; Monique Pairis-Garcia and Steve Moeller

9:00 a.m.  Updates on sow housing conversion

Jessica Risser; Animal Health and Welfare Manager, Country View Family Farms

9:30 a.m.  Managing lameness in group housing

Meghan Pierdon; Research and Assistant Director, Swine Teaching and Research Facility,

University of Pennsylvania

10:00 a.m.  Managing aggression in group housing s

Kaitlin Wurtz; Research Associate, Michigan State University

10:30 a.m. Break – Tradeshow Open

11:00 a.m.  Handling sows in group housing

Nancy and Don Lidster; DNL Farms LTD

12:00 p.m.  Lunch/Exhibit area

1:00 p.m. Department Chair update

John Foltz; Animal Science Department, The Ohio State University

1:10 p.m.  Managing pigs and people

Thomas Parsons; Associate Professor of Swine Production Medicine,

University of Pennsylvania

2:00 p.m. Group housing in a new facility- lessons learned

Fine Swine LLC

2:30 p.m.  Group housing in a retrofitted facility- lessons learned

Matt Davis, Hord Livestock

3:00 p.m.  Group housing in a retrofitted facility- lessons learned

Mike Fagan; Win-Win LLC

3:30 p.m. Speaker wrap-up and Tradeshow