Texas currently ranks 14th in the nation in total pig inventory. Commercial breeding farms located in the northern Panhandle produce weaned pigs that are either finished locally or in the corn-belt. Show pig farms are ubiquitous throughout Texas, and a large number of high quality show pigs are raised for exhibition at stock shows in Fort Worth, Houston, San Antonio, and others. In recent years, Texas has experienced growth in both the number of farms raising pigs and the number of pigs in the state.
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension serves Texas pork producers by providing relevant educational material to improve pig production efficiency and pork producer profitability. Swine research faculty in the Department of Animal Science seek to better understand the role of nutrient intake on pig fertility and aim to identify management and nutritional interventions in the sow and litter to improve lifetime pig performance. An active research area is the biochemistry and nutrition of protein and amino acids related to swine gestation, lactation, growth and health. The Texas A&M swine teaching program offers students opportunities to learn about all aspects of modern swine production and management methods, and challenges students to utilize their animal science coursework in animal nutrition, genetics, and physiology to propose solutions to current issues in the swine industry. In this way, teaching faculty are committed to providing Aggies with the tools necessary to become leaders in the swine industry. For more information on Texas A&M swine programs, please contact Dr. Jeff Wiegert at 979-458-6676 or jwiegert@tamu.edu.