California’s Proposition 12, which restricts the use of gestation crates and requires 24 square feet of space per sow, has been a hot topic of conversation in swine circles since the Supreme Court upheld the law earlier this year. While some producers vow they won’t make changes to their farms, other states are following California’s lead. A similar law approved by Massachusetts voters in 2016 will finally take effect this year, and New Jersey recently unanimously passed a similar law, making it the 11th state to implement such regulations.
The new laws ultimately force producers to expand the size of their barns or reduce the number of sows in their herd to accommodate the square footage required by law.
Regardless of what producers do to comply with these rules, sow productivity and piglet uniformity and livability are more important than ever.
Sarah Muirhead, host of Feedstuffs in Focus, is joined by Alex Hintz, Novus Technical Service Director, and Andrew Howerton, Novus Sales Director. Hintz is a veterinarian focused on maximizing the productivity and profitability of sows throughout their lives, as well as the performance of nursery and growing pigs. Howerton is a seventh-generation pig farmer who served as production manager for a 5,600-sow unit before joining Novus.
Understanding the challenge producers face, smart nutrition company Novus International shares ways to support sows and the people who raise them. For more information, visit www.Novusint.com
