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Preg-Checking in a Drought Year with High Cull Cow Prices

In the dynamic world of cattle production, producers constantly face challenges that test their resilience. One such challenge for many beef producers this year is drought and higher feed costs. When water becomes scarce, pastures are stressed and the costs of maintaining a herd can surge.  

In drought conditions, every mouth to feed counts. Producers may be forced to reduce their herd size to sustain the remaining animals. In such situations, making well-informed decisions is critical for the economic viability of an operation. By preg-checking and identifying open cows, producers can choose to cull those open cows early, reduce the herd’s overall feed requirements and minimize additional costs associated with keeping the open animals. 

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Do Stress-Resilient Sows Raise Better Piglets? - Dr. Andrea Luttman

Video: Do Stress-Resilient Sows Raise Better Piglets? - Dr. Andrea Luttman?



In this special rerun episode of The Swine it Podcast Show Canada, Dr. Andrea Luttman from Michigan State University explores how gestational social stress affects sow resilience and piglet development. She explains physiological indicators like cortisol patterns, behavioral differences, and their implications for long-term performance. Listen now on all major platforms!

“Resilience to stress means animals are either minimally affected or can recover quickly after experiencing a stressor.”

Meet the guest: Dr. Andrea Luttman / andrea-luttman-47ab74171 is an Assistant Professor at Michigan State University specializing in swine production systems management. She earned her Ph.D. in Genetics and Genome Sciences and focuses her research on swine physiology and stress resilience. Her work examines social stress in gestating sows, offspring development, breeding herd longevity, and gene-environment interactions to improve production efficiency and sustainability. Hear Dr. Luttman on The Swine it Canada Podcast Show, available on all major platforms.