Extension Communications
3614 Administrative Services Building
Ames, Iowa 50011-3614
(515) 294-9915
10-20-00
Contacts:
Dave Stender, Cherokee County Extension, (712) 225-6196,
dstender@iastate.edu
Sherry Hoyer, Iowa Pork Industry Center, (515) 294-4496,
shoyer@iastate.edu
Pork Producers Invited to Artificial Insemination Conference
CHEROKEE, Iowa -- Pork producers are invited to learn about new techniques and management strategies and take part in a hands-on workshop at an advanced artificial insemination (AI) conference Nov. 15-16. The conference, sponsored by the Iowa Pork Industry Center, Iowa State University (ISU) Extension and the Iowa Pork Producers Association, is intended for those who already use this technology and includes speakers from two states. The program starts at 9:30 a.m. both days. The first day's program will be held at the Western Iowa Tech auditorium at 200 Victory Drive in Cherokee.
During the first day producers will hear from several speakers on a variety of topics, ISU Extension swine field specialist Dave Stender said.
The conference is designed to help producers fine tune their AI techniques and identify critical points to improve conception rates, Stender said. A common problem in most swine operations is the late summer slump in conception rates, and Don Levis, swine reproduction specialist from the University of Nebraska, will present new methods to minimize that drop next summer. He also will discuss intrauterine insemination, fertilized ova transplants and semen sexing.
Iowa Pork Industry Center director John Mabry and ISU Extension swine specialist Tom Baas will provide information on using AI to improve herd genetics, and financial and production impacts of applying new reproductive technologies.
Participants may attend the second day's hands-on workshop at the ISU Allee Research Farm near Newell. Stender said they will have opportunities to practice AI and heat checking techniques with sows and to practice ultrasound pregnancy detection. The morning program also includes sessions on investigating the use of robotics in an operation and examining the use of ultrasound to determine carcass characteristics. In the afternoon, producers who do on-farm semen collecting will hear about processing and quality control, evaluating semen quality and choosing the right semen extender.
Cost is $35 per person for preregistration and $50 for unregistered walk-in attendees, which includes lunch on Nov. 15 and all materials. Checks should be payable to Cherokee County Extension. Contact Stender for more information at (712) 225-6196. A brochure with preregistration form also is available on the Web at http://www.extension.iastate.edu/ipic/events.html.
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