Hogs preferred to job in town
By JERRY WEBB
Agricultural Editor
Cooperative Extension
Service
LAUREL, Del. - Pork
production is not a major
farm enterprise in
Delaware, accounting for no
more than three per cent of
total farm income. But that’s
still almost $9 million yearly.
Some farmers who used to
raise hogs in the woods made
the transition - others fell by
the-way. Louis O’Neal, who
farms with his father.
Manning east of here, is one
of those hogmen who made
the switch. And like most
successful producers he got
bigger and better in the
process • farrowing as many
as 1600 pigs a year and
finishing as many as 1200
UNCLAIMED FREIGHT CO. AND LIQUIDATION SALES
SPECIAL ORDERS MERCHANDISE FROM
MANUFACTURERS BY DEALERS AFTER BEING
MADE UP, DEALERS CUSTOMERS CANCELLED,
WE PURCHASED.
3-SOFA’S - REG. $4OO to $5OO-OUR PRICE $149.95
11 - LOVE SEATS - REG. $329 to $429 - OUR PRICE
$105.00
8 - CHAIRS - REG. $189.95 to $289.95 - OUR PRICE
$49.95
16 - BAR STOOLS, MAPLE, FULL SIZE-REG. $79.95
OUR PRICE $32.50
16 - 2 PC. SUITES EARLY AMERICAN, HERCULON
& NYLON-REG. $529.00 & UP - OUR PRICE $269.00
5 - 3 PC. SUITES, SOFA, LOVE SEAT, CHAIR - REG.
$599.95 OUR PRICE $329.95
5 - BENCH VISES - REG. $79.95 OUR PRICE $29.50
7 - ROCKER LOVE SEATS - REG. $369.95 OUR PRICE
■ $149.95
60 - 24 PC. SOCKET SETS - REG. $89.95 OUR PRICE
$25.00
50 - BENCH VISES - REG. $59.95 OUR PRICE $19.95
ALL TYPES SEWING MACHINES, CAB. & PORT. -50
PERCENT TO 70 PERCENT OFF.
200 - RECLINERS - REG. $189.00 to $329.00 OUR
PRICE $69.00 & UP
6 - BUNK BED SETS, INCL. BEDDING, MAPLE,
PINE - REG. $309.95 OUR PRICE $149.95 & $169.95
30 - 3 PC. END TABLE SETS - REG. $189.95 OUR
PRICE $99.95
30 - DESKS, ALL SIZES, WHOLESALE & UNDER
40 - COMPLETE BEDROOM SETS & ODD PIECES
6 - 15.3 CU. FT. DELUX CHEST FREEZERS-REG,
$389.95 OUR PRICE $249.95
PURCHASED FROM ELECTRONICS CO. GOING
OUT OF BUSINESS-CAR 8 TRACK PLAYERS -
UNDER WHOLESALE - REG. $89.95 to $129.95 OUR
PRICE $35.00-$49.00
30 - 122 PC. TOOL BOX SET - REG. $169.95 OUR
PRICE $55.00
SHOW SPECIALS, PURCHASED AT CHICAGO
ELECTRONICS SHOW
8 - STEREO COMP., AMrFM STEREO, TURNTABLE,
8 TRACK TAPE PLAYER - REG. $249.95 OUR PRICE
$129,95
10 - 8 TRACK PLAY & RECORD DECKS - REG. $129.95
OUR PRICE $65.00
12 - STEREO COMP. SETS, AM-FM STEREO, 8
TRACK W-SPEAKERS, FULL MPX REG. $219.95
OUR PRICE $119.95 UNDER WHOLESALE
2 - AM-FM STEREO, 8 TRACK, TURNTABLE, 4
SPEAKERS DUOCONE STEREO CONSOLES
AUDIO SYSTEM - REG. $269.95 OUR PRICE $169.95
12 - BLOOD PRESSURE TEST KITS - REG. $32.00
OUR PRICE $16.00
high quality crossbred
porkers.
Louis O’Neal’s story starts
like that of a lot of other
young Delaware farmers. He
was a farm boy who wanted
to stay on the farm. So when
he finished high school back
in 1955, Dad increased the
tempo of farming activities
and made room for him.
That meant building another
home and increasing the
income potential from the
250 acre farming operation.
Broilers had been a part of
Manning O’Neal’s
operations, so expansion in
that direction was relatively
easy. Father and son have
modern broiler houses
operated as separate en
terprises, each turning out
up to 200,000 birds annually.
But chickens and 250 acres
of crops didn’t prove to be
enough to keep these two
busy.
Louis tried off-farm work a
couple of times and didn’t
really like. He preferred to
stay on the farm. So it was
decided to intensify the hog
operation started in 1967 -
make it the main business of
the partners. At that point it
was strictly feeder pigs in
the woods. But once a year
marketing, labor problems
and the need to expand
convinced them that large
scale confinement
production was the only way
to go. That meant a big
capital outlay and a long
term commitment to con
finement hog production.
The O’Neals sought the
300 - TENNIS RACKETS, ALUM. - REG. $39.95 OUR
PRICE $15.00
36 - UNIVERSAL %” DRIVE RACKET SETS - REG.
$12.95 OUR PRICE $4.00
36 - ADJUSTABLE WRENCH SETS, 6, 8,10,12,15” -
REG. $49.95 OUR PRICE $21.00
36 - 4 PC. WATER PUMP PLIERS SET - REG. $39.95
OUR PRICE $15.00
60 - CAR BOOSTER CABLES, 16’ LONG - REG. $34.95
OUR PRICE $15.00
PLIERS- ALL KINDS, 3,000 LB. FLOOR JACKS, AIR
TANKS, SOCKETS SETS, MANY MORE TOOLS TO
CHOOSE FROM.
10 - 40 PC. STAINLESS FLATWARE SETS - REG.
$59.95 OUR PRICE $lO.OO
8 - 5 PC. DINING ROOM SETS, WOOD MAPLE, PINE,
- REG. $269.95 OUR PRICE $139.95
40 - PULL OUT HIDE-A-BEDS, REFUSED FROM
DEALER IN PHILA..
DOUBLES - REG. $469.95 - OUR PRICE $159.95
QUEENS - REG. $589.95 - OUR PRICE $249.95
ODD CHAIRS - REG. $89.95 OUR PRICE $39.95
BRASS BEDS - % PRICE
200 - SETS END TABLES, REFUSED, REFUSALS &
FACTORY DISCONTINUED MODELS UNDER
WHOLESALE.
13 - BENCH GRINDERS - $20.00
10 LAWN EDGERS, ELEC. - REG. $32.50 OUR
PRICE $12.00
40 - AUTO AIR FRESHENERS-REG. $19.89 OUR
PRICE $6.00
72 - 50 PC. FLATWARE SETS - REG. $89.95 OUR
PRICE $30.00
48 -HAIR DRYERS, 1,000 WATT - $9.00
GUN CABINETS-6.8.10 GUN
2% TRAILER LOADS OF LIVING ROOM SUITES ON
THE ROAD NOW, HERE WITHIN THE WEEK,
SPECIAL ORDERED MERCHANDISE, DEALER
CANCELLED DUE TO TIME WE PURCHASED
FROM MANUFACTURER-WILL SELL AT
WHOLESALE PRICE.
BAR & STOOL SETS, VAC’S, HOPE CHEST,
GRANDFATHER & GRANDMOTHER CLOCKS
16 - 19” COLOR PORT. T.V.’S, LIQUIDATING FOR
DISTR, 100 PERCENT SOLID STATE REG. $449.95
OUR PRICE $329.95
24 - 19” COLOR T.V.’S, SOLID STATE, DIG. CHAN
NEL SELECTOR, MASTER COLOR, W-PEDESTAL
BASE - REG. $609.95 OUR PRICE $389.95 UNDER
WHOLESALE FULL WARRANTY.'
100’S OF OTHER ITEMS, TOO MANY TO MENTION
ALL, IF YOU DON’T SEE IT, ASK FOR IT. FULL
WARRANTY, FINANCING THRU BANK, AC
CEPTANCE CORP. LAYAWAY
3019 HEMPLAND RD., LANCASTER, PA,
PHONE 717-397-6241
NEXT TO 84 LUMBER CO.
HOURS: MON.-FRI. 10 A.M.-9P.M.
SAT. 10 A.M.-SP.M.
best information they could
'get on the direction of the
future and then in 1973 set
out to build a unit that would
be suitable. They checked
with other farmers, went to
meetings and on tours. One
of their sources of help was
the Cooperative Extension
Service in the form of Sussex
County agent William
Henderson, a long-time
advocate Of confinement
production, and Dr. Richard
Fowler, Extension livestock
specialist.
Although there are
similarities between the
broiler business and con
finement hog production,
there are also big dif
ferences. Part of Fowler’s
job was to make sure the
father-son team understood
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, Nov. 6,1976
this and was up to the
management challenge that
lay ahead.
Once that was done it was
a fairly simple, though ex
pensive, matter to come up
with the physical
arrangements.
The O’Neal operation
involves 80-100 sows
farrowing twice a year in a
26 sow farrowing unit.
Breeding is spread out so
there is a steady supply of
pigs for the 350 pgi nursery
unit and the 250 pig finishing
unit.
Depending on the season,
the number of pigs weaned
per sow and the number of
sows on hand, O u Neal can
have an oversupply of 40
pound pigs ready for the
finishing floor. The extras,
about 400 a year, are sold at
feeder pig auctions while the
remaining 1200 are fed on the
farm.
When the farrowing is over
the sows go out to pasture,
are given some grain as
needed and are sheltered in
low cost, movable sheds.
Electric fences provide
control and allow the sows to
be moved to clean ground as
necessary.
The farrowing and
finishing houses are marvels
of pig comfort and labor
efficiency. There are no
windows - fans provide
controlled atmosphere, heat
lamps warm the baby pigs.
Manure falls through slats
into underground holding
tanks. All feeding and
watering is done
mechanically from a central
control panel. In fact, - most
routine medication is done
through the watering system
by means of an access nozzle
at the control panel.
Manure handling,
traditionally one of the most
difficult and unpleasant jobs
on a hog farm, has been
reduced to a simple
spreading task every three
months. The manure is
pumped into a special tank
wagon and is distributed
directly into the soil through
chisel plow attachmentts.
The O’Neals raise most of
their own feed - corn and
soybeans - and have their
own mixing mill. They do
buy some grain - mostly as a
safeguard in case their own
crop yields are down.
Louis O’Neal is active in
the Delaware Pork
Producers Association and
knows how to raise quality
hogs. He follows a
crossbreeding program,
including Yorkshires and
Hampshires, and is looking
for some good Landrace
boars to improve the
finishing qualities of the
crossbreds currently in use.
He knows the packers
require a lean meaty hog
that will yield 55 to 60 per
cent of its live weight in the
three prime cuts - shoulders,
loins and hams. Packers also
want a minimum of backfat -
no more than one inch - and
will penalize producers who
bring in hogs that don’t meet
the test. In fact, some
packers just won’t accept the
old style hogs - demanding
the' modem crossbreds such
as those Louis O’Neal
produces.
Consumers have been the
ultimate winner in this hog
carcass change. They get
more meat for their money
and if they know how to cook
it, they can get nutrition and
flavor that rivals any other
meat choice. Louis and
Manning O’Neal and a few
other top producers have
also benefited. They now
have a steady, reliable
market and fairly favorable
prices for their hogs. And
because of that, they’re in
the hog business to stay.
® CONSUMER
GUIDELINES
Clean Iron
Keep the soleplate of your
iron clean and ironing won t
be a sticky problem To
clean the stainless steel
soleplate of a dry iron un
plug use a paste-type
Sk iHi
polish and apply it
soleplate with a
using a circular motion,
buff, polish with a clean,
lintfree cloth For badly
stuck spots use very fine
steel wool
53