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The pig is becoming more common place

A swine extension veterinarian is working to make sure small and hobby pig farmers are prepared for the FDA’s Veterinary Feed Directive rules that go into place next January.

“In Michigan it’s quite unique in that there are a fair number of small five to 10 acre parcels and then what do you do with that?” She says, “I may be tongue and cheek in this, but I’m thinking the pig is the new horse.”

Madonna Benjamin with Michigan State University tells Brownfield smaller sized farms that might have chosen to give medicated feeds to animals instead of vaccinating should consider vaccination programs especially for worms after the directive is in effect.  “It’s pretty simple to put together a worming program, but it’s something sometimes we over look, because of the changes with the feed directive we feel that vaccines will be even more important.”

Benjamin says the directive will require about 70 percent of medicated feeds available at the local feed stores to have a veterinarian prescription for farmers to purchase.  She’s meeting with pork producers to answer common questions on the directive as well as farrowing sows, animal nutrition, reproductive health and carcass management.

AUDIO: Interview with Dr. Madonna Benjamin