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SUNDAY, APRIL 24, 2016 |
Sponsored Newspapers In Education Content
The graphic above shows how the world’s
demand for chicken, pork, and beef has been
rising in the past 30 years and is expected to
increase in the coming decades due to projected
population increases. However, the amount
of arable (able to be farmed) land declines
significantly and permanently each year. The
international export demand for high quality
protein such as U.S. meat, eggs and dairy
products continues to expand, as well.
The pork industry has “stepped up to the plate”
and is geared up to meet the challenge of feeding
the world. How? Again, through increased
efficiency and technology. The U.S. commercial
swine herd is healthier, safer and more
productive than ever. Through improvements
in nutrition, genetic selection and management
practices in the past 55 years, pork producers
now raise 29 percent more pigs from 39 percent
fewer sows (mother pigs). This requires less
food and water per farm and produces less
manure—sound familiar? By using best practices
generated by animal scientists, producers have
been able to increase the average number of
piglets raised by U.S. sows from 7.79 per sow
in 1989 to 10.37 in 2015.
Washington pork production is reported in
combination with Idaho. In 2013, this production
amounted to 62,000 pigs, ranked No. 32 in U.S.
production by state. There were 107,000 pigs in
Washington in 1966.
Source: Jude Capper
Susan Kerr, WSU Regional Livestock
and Dairy Extension Specialist
Did you know that American farmers are feeding more
people than ever with fewer animals and less land?
How is that possible? Once again, science is leading the
way—this time the science is called Animal Science.
Since early in the 1900s, university scientists have been
conducting research on how to best select, feed and
care for animals. Extension educators were tasked with
sharing important research results with farmers. Farmers
in turn used this new information and advances in
technology to select better animals, feed them better and
keep them healthier. This resulted in lower cost, higher-
quality food for more people in the U.S. and the world.
The dairy industry has dramatically increased production
efficiency in the last century. U.S. dairy cattle
quadrupled their average milk production between 1930
and 2000. By 2007, U.S. dairy farms were producing
59 percent more milk with 64 percent fewer cows than
in 1944. More efficient animals means less livestock
food and water needed per farm and reduced manure
production. In the last 50 years, one gallon of milk was
produced with 95 percent less land, 65 percent less
water, and 76 percent less manure produced. In fact,
the carbon footprint per pound of milk was reduced by
two-thirds between 1944 and 2007. In this same period,
application of research-based information from Animal
Science resulted in such vast gains in genetic selection,
nutrition, and management that one cow in 2007 could
now produce as much milk as four cows in 1944.
Thank you to the following sponsors
The More We Know,
the More We Grow
AVERAGE MILK PRODUCTION
PER COW (lb/yr)
Source:
USDA NASS
4,687
4,755
5,524
7,263
9,728
12,323
15,176
18,197
21,142
22,393
6,070
6,100
6,640
8,380
11,881
14,637
18,532
22,644
23,510
23,848
WA State
1930
1940
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
2000
2010
2015
Year
U.S.
USE
YOUR
NOODLE
Which decade
saw the biggest
percent increase in milk
production per cow
in Washington
state?
Why do
Washington state
dairy cows consistently
produce more milk on
average than the
U.S. overall?
If milk weighs
8.6 pounds per gallon,
how many gallons of
milk did the average cow
in WA state produce in
2010 (use the table
below)?
Find the
answers on page 4.
