Understanding the New Swine Transportation Law

by Eileen A. Coite, Wayne County

Have you heard of House Bill 432, better known as the “Transportation of Swine”?  If you produce and market swine in North Carolina, and transport hogs on public roads, you will want to be familiar with the details of this new law as of June 27^th, 2011.  The law takes effect October 1, 2011, and will very likely be a concern of some small and mid-sized swine producers.

Most producers identify all animals on their farm with some form of identification, whether an ear tag, tattoo, ear notch, or combination of these.  However, after October 1, each animal that is transported either to another farm or a processing facility must be identified with a method approved by the State Veterinarian.  Producers are invited to give input to determine which methods will meet requirements of the law, but also be of little hassle, cost, and inconvenience to them.  In fact, the North Carolina Department of Agriculture Veterinary Division will be providing tags for identification, free to producers. Producers may contact the NCDA office to order these tags.  

What has caused the need for this legislation?  Feral swine is the sole purpose for this law.  This new law is not intended to trace animals back to a particular farm, but is only intended to distinguish between domestic and feral swine. Feral swine have become a major problem in North Carolina, and identification of domestic swine is critical to identifying those that are transporting feral hogs. 

It is important to note that even though the law is in effect October 1, 2011, the State Veterinarian’s office will be using this first year to educate producers and not penalize those unaware.  However, anyone that is found blatantly conducting illegal activity and transporting feral swine will be fined, at a rate of $5000 per feral hog being moved.  This is why identification is so critical.  

For more information on the Swine Transportation Law, to order tags, or give input to the State Veterinarian’s office, producers are asked to call 919-733-7601 and ask for someone in the livestock section.  Additionally, producers may be added to an email distribution list to stay in tune to any changes, notices and items of interest with regard to this law.  Anyone interested should send an email to Joe.Web@ncagr.gov and request to be added to the “swine ID distribution list”. The NC Wildlife Resources Commission can give details on trapping and/or hunting feral swine, which is legal for anyone with a hunting license.  For more information on this, please contact the NCWR Commission or visit http://www.ncwildlife.org/hunting/index.htm

Wastewater from On-farm Processing - HB 162 Approved

Eve H. Honeycutt

Extension Livestock Agent, Lenoir

and Greene Counties

Farmers generating small quantities of waste water from on-farm processing activities such as making goat cheese or wine may now dispose of that water through land application so long as the application does not run into surface water or violate our ground or surface water standards.

NC Department of Environment and Natural Resources will be putting together information regarding best management practices.  Cooperative Extension and NC Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services will get that information out to farmers.

Please note that HB 162 arose from comments from farmers across the
state to NC Farm Bureau, to the North Carolina Sustainable Local Food
Council, Carolina Farm Stewardship Association, NCDA&CS folks, NCSU
Extension agents, and more.  NC Farm Bureau led the effort with support
from the greater agricultural community.

Pasture Based Swine Management

Submitted by Eve H. Honeycutt

Extension Livestock Agent, Lenoir

and Greene Counties

Adapted from an article by

 Dr. D.W. Kennedy, Arkansas State University

    Pasture-Based Swine  management (PBSM) is an alternative approach for raising swine outdoors using pasture as a major source of nutrients, particularly for gestating sows. Compared with confinement or indoor systems for raising hogs, the PBSM approach can offer the producer lower initial costs, lower production costs, and a sustainable method for producing pork. Because these systems require no expensive buildings and waste handling equipment, farmers can feasibly

down-size or expand their operation depending on prevailing market conditions.

Environmental and Social Issues
     There are environmental and social issues that will continue to have an impact on confinement operations. Compared with pigs raised indoors, pasture systems significantly reduce problems associated with animal-rights groups, health of operators, and environmental concerns associated with dust, odor, and waste disposal. Pasture-based systems have a "built-in" waste management system because hogs disperse their waste over the land as they graze.
     The main two ingredients in conventional swine diets are corn and soybean meal. Often, these crops are managed as continuous row-crop production using potentially ground-water contaminating pesticides and fertilizers. Pasturing hogs reduces the reliance on corn and soybean production because forage crops will meet a portion of their daily nutrient needs.

 
Site Selection and Layout
     One of the most important decisions to be made is where to locate a pasture-based system. An area of land should be chosen that is well-drained and large enough to accommodate herd size. A land requirement of four to six sows per acre is a good place to start, but if pasture is to be utilized as feed, this stocking rate may need to be decreased.  The layout of paddocks will vary due to size of the herd, soil type, topography, and land area available. A minimum number of paddocks should be constructed to accommodate the different management phases (gestation, farrowing, nursery, etc.). If pastures are to be utilized, the number of paddocks will vary depending on frequency of pasture rotation. Pasture rotation will help maintain the pasture stand, nutrient quality of the pasture, and reduce damage of pasture due to rooting. Furthermore, the layout of the system will depend a lot on personal preference. A wagon-wheel design may fit the area and can lower labor needs because the distance traveled when rotating hogs among paddocks is reduced.

Fencing Options
     Power or electric fencing is a low-cost alternative to conventional fencing. The low-cost and ease of installation has contributed greatly to the increased popularity of producing hogs outdoors.    

     High-tensile, 12.5 gauge steel wire is widely used because of its affordability and durability. A two-strand fence will suffice for most situations. However, more strands or a netting may be needed for young pigs.

Shelters and Shade
     Some type of shelter should be provided during each stage of production. There are many designs available for each type of shelter. Factors to consider when selecting a shelter type include: cost, use, construction skills required, and personal preference. Adequate space for dry sows is 12 to 16 square feet per sow or boar. An individual hut should be provided for each sow during farrowing. Any of several designs can be used.

Nutrition and Feeding
     Over 50% of the total cost of producing hogs will be feed costs. Remember, no one feed ingredient can provide all the nutrients swine need on a daily basis. Although, most swine diets are based on corn and soybean meal, a wide variety of feeds exists that are suitable for hogs.

     Pasture-based swine systems take advantage of the sow's excellent grazing ability to lower the cost of feeding. However, not all pastures will be suitable for sows. Pastures should be young, tender, high in protein, and low in fiber. Clovers and annual grasses such as wheat, oats, rye, and ryegrass make excellent forages for sows during the cooler months of the year. Rotationally grazing these pastures will help ensure that maximum productivity of pastures is achieved. Rotationally grazing sows helps maintain pastures at a young, tender stage of growth and helps avoid excessive trampling and rooting of pastures. Good-quality pasture can be used to replace 50% of the grain and supplement needs during gestation.

Have Your Chickens Stopped Laying too?

Have Your Chickens Stopped Laying too?
Eve H. Honeycutt


This seems to be a very common question that I get in the fall. Just this Sunday at Church a friend stopped me to ask about his birds. "My girls have stopped laying. What's the matter with them?"

The best answer- and the usual problem- is they are molting. Molting is a natural process for chickens. The shorter days and cooler temperatures trigger this strange phenomenon. All of a sudden, your most beautiful bird begins to lose her feathers. You might notice her stop laying just before this happens. If all of your birds are the same age, the rest of them may start the molting process as well. Females housed together tend to do this. Fortunately, the birds at my house are different ages and not all of them molted this year. A few of them even molted in the spring, which was odd.

If your birds are in a coop full time, you will see an abundance of feathers on the floor. This is all normal. Occasionally this excessive show of skin can trigger non-molting birds to pick on those who are losing the feathers. Keep an eye out for any birds who look like they are getting picked on. You may need to separate the molting hens if the bullying continues. If your birds are pastured or in a large pen, they will not be as prone to bullying since they have something else to occupy their time.

Fear Not! Molting may take 6-8 weeks to completely shed and regrow the feathers. Your most beautiful bird will be beautiful again! And she won't lose all her feathers at once, but she will probably have bare patches here and there. She will begin to lay again one day. Birds that molt early in the fall may begin laying again the same year. Late molting birds may not lay again until spring. Some birds will molt every year, and some will only molt every few years. The feathers that grow back are the same color and texture, just a more brilliant color- at least until the first dust bath.

So even though you may be heckled by your neighbors for having some strange looking birds, rest assured that you will be able to share your eggs again soon.

Natural vs. Organic Beef: Is it for your farm?

Natural vs. Organic Beef: Is It For Your Farm?

Guest Post:

Margaret A. Bell, Extension Livestock Agent; Craven & Jones Counties

Complied from: Natural and Organic Beef. Tom R. Troxel, Extension Beef Cattle Specialist. University of Arkansas, Division of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service.

Over the past few years, “organic” and “natural” have become household terms. But what exactly do these terms mean? Is organic nutritionally better for you? Should you only eat food that is labeled as “antibiotic-free” and “hormone-free?” Let’s dig a little deeper into what these terms exactly mean for you as a producer.

Natural beef has become a legitimate option for many beef producers. It often offers a higher premium ranging from about $4 - $8 cwt. for calves and $2 - $4 cwt. for feeder cattle. Of course, these premiums depend on many factors, including quality, quantity, and location of the cattle. This increase in the product is usually necessary to offset the extra cost of management practices used to enable the producer to market their product as “natural.”

If a producer wants to market his product as “natural,” he has to do several things: 1) the product is to be processed as minimally as possible 2) the product is not allowed to have any artificial ingredients 3) the product is not allowed to contain any preservatives. However, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has no restrictions on the specific management practices during the life of the animal.

Organic beef is a term used to describe beef cattle that have not had any antibiotics or growth hormones. This type of beef is produced without using most common pesticides or fertilizers that are made from synthetic ingredients. One of the most credible ways to have your product labeled as organic is to get the “USDA ORGANIC” seal on your product, which means the product is at least 95 percent organic.

There are many management requirements you must consider if you are thinking about producing organic beef. You must abide by the following: 1) animals must be not given any antibiotics or growth hormones 2) producers are to give their animals 100 percent organic feed, but are allowed to provide vitamin and mineral supplements to the animals 3) preventive management practices will be used to keep the animals healthy, such as vaccines. However, the USDA does not make any claims that food produced organically is more nutritious or safer than food that is produced conventionally. The difference is how organic food is handled, grown, and processed.

In summary, if you are considering becoming an organic beef or natural beef producer, there are many options to consider and many factors to think about. Only you can decide what is best for you and your beef cattle, but the organic and natural beef markets will continue to thrive for the next few years. This may be a good opportunity for you to increase the value of your cattle and the return on your cattle. If you have any questions, you can contact your local Cooperative Extension Office.