South Central Veterinary Associates

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South Central Veterinary Associates Swine
Management Units Wells, Minnesota by Holly
Garvick Senior Animal Science Major
All 10 farms in the SCVA management system use
artificial insemination (AI) as their form of
breeding. When AI, the boar is placed in front
of the sow and the technician will apply pressure
to the back of the sow to see if she is in estrus.
SCVA
South Central Veterinary Associates is located in
Wells, Minnesota. SCVA is comprised of
veterinary services around south central
Minnesota and management services to several
swine operations in the area.
This farrowing crate shows a sow just finishing
farrowing with 10 big healthy pigs. This is an
optimal production scheme.
Overview
The SCVA management services oversees 10
different farm sites. The sites range from 900
to 5000 sow units and nurseries. Jeff Kayser,
production manager, oversees all 10 farms. The
farms are designed so that maximum production of
weaned pigs exits the farm to the prospective
owners. The farm sites include a breeding and
gestation barn. These barns vary in size
depending on the size of the farm site. The
farrowing barn includes rooms that contain 24-28
farrowing crates.
Educational Programs
SCVA Internship SCVA allows 3-4 interns during a
8 week internship for students across the
Midwest. The 8 week internship includes 4 weeks
in the farrowing barn and 4 weeks in the breeding
barn. Also provides aspects of different sites
during the 8 week period. PigCHAMP
Seminar PigCHAMP is the database for all record
keeping in the SCVA system. The seminar informs
all members of the production schemes that are in
the PigCHAMP system.
Duties
The internship provided me with the opportunity
to experience the environment of large sow units.
Animal feeding is one of the most important
aspects in the farrowing and breeding barns. To
achieve optimal performance of the sow, she has
to eat regularly.
Benefits
-Experience the day to day routines that large
swine production units encounter -Learn the
valuable skills of the breeding and farrowing
barns. -Learned management skills in the aspects
of production, personnel, and PigCHAMP data.
Proper heat detection in the breeding barn is
very important. Boars are placed in front of the
sows for a period of time before artificial
insemination and a period after. The boar
stimulates the sow when she is in estrus so
proper boar exposure is important.
Contacts
If interested contact Jeff Kayser
Production Manager South Central Vet
Associates Phone [phone] PO Box 230 Fax
507-553-3656 Wells, MN 56097