US: Finally, there’s a solution to the summer carcass weight dip

At the Iowa Swine Day Pre-Conference Symposium, experts from Iowa State University and U.S. Soy discussed solutions to the summer dip in pork production, a issue that results in lower carcass weights and revenue loss for pig producers. The issue is linked to high corn distillers dried grains (DDGs) usage in diet and heat stress. Research by Dr. R. Dean Boyd and Dr. David Rosero has led to the discovery that higher soybean meal inclusion rates in summer diets can prevent the summer dip, leading to higher carcass weights and increased revenue. The Summer Soybean Meal Program, as presented by Dr. Rosero, has shown to be effective in maintaining pig weights and increasing carcass weights during the summer months, resulting in increased revenue for producers. The program involves strategically formulating diets to optimize growth performance and carcass weight, and it challenges producers to consider the long-term cost implications and the importance of soybean meal in achieving profitability.