By Blake Jackson
The Midwest Boar Stud Managers Conference will be held on August 13-14 at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel St. Louis-Westport.
This exclusive event focuses on boar health, semen collection, and nutrition management, attracting experts and professionals from the swine industry.
Tim Safranski, University of Missouri Extension’s state swine breeding specialist, said the conference is a rare event that solely focuses on boar management. “The first Midwest Boar Stud Managers Conference was offered in 2000 when less than half of US sows were mated artificially.
There was a lot of interest in artificial insemination and a fair amount of training on the female side, but boar and semen work were woefully underserved,” he said.
This conference is the only boar-specific event in North America, with 160-180 attendees representing nearly 85% of U.S. boars. Participants also come from 18-20 U.S. states, along with international visitors.
Topics on the agenda include -
- Isolation protocols and their effects on semen collection
- Environmental impact on boar development
- Nutrition strategies for working boars
- Addressing feed contaminants like mycotoxins
Speakers include industry professionals and academics from 10 U.S. states, Germany, and China. Discussions will cover both barn and lab practices, including sow farm overviews, semen processing updates, boar hygiene, and facility design.
A popular feature of the conference is the stud managers panel, where managers answer live questions from the moderator and attendees. This interactive session closes the first day before evening activities.
There will be ample opportunities to network with sponsors, speakers, and attendees.
To learn more or register, visit https://cvent.me/N2ZRPW. For questions, contact Tim Safranski at safranskiT@missouri.edu.
Photo Credit: university-of-missouri
Categories: Missouri, Livestock