Commercial producers speak out LAUREL SCHAEFFER Staff Correspondent LANCASTER, Pa. - In the hopes of picking up sound management advice and ideas for their own operations, pork producers from Pennsylvania and surrounding areas gathered at the Host Farm, Lancaster last week for the second annual Keystone Pork Congress. One of the many topics discussed during the two day affair was: What do the commercial producers need from the boar producers that they are not getting now’ Fielding this question were two commercial hog producers; Bill Sammons, operating a 440 sow family corporation in Delaware Ronald Harrison, who runs a 500 sow operation in Penn sylvania; and Gere Isler, Ohio State University Ex- JMeion animal specialist, advised producers to stay away from extremes. “There is more to a pig than the way it cuts,” he stated. “We need to keep the total hog as a concept.” Harrison agreed, saying he didn’t like hogs that looked like they needed six legs. the Improved AgwayVfeal Feeding Program is another Winner -The feeding trials involved more than 400 calves at three separate facilities managed by experi enced, commercial veal growers All of the calves received Agway Veal Pre-Starter From there, half of the calves were fed improved Agway Veal Starter and Finisher The other half were fed original formula Veal Starter and Finisher Sammons succeeded in making it clear he was in- terested in the ‘total and not just one trait. Sammons said he wants a hog with all the qualities and is breeding for consistent sows , “We probably average 6 or 7 litters per sow,” he ex plained and have some sows that have farrowed as many as 13 or 14 litters ” All three panelists agreed that productivity and feed efficiency play a very im- portant part in hog production. Isler stated the producer who is concerned with these traits will be the survivor. A purebred breeder’s goal should be one of selling boars that will make money for the commercial producer, Isler commented. The boars should be tough, according to Isler. “Producers don’t have time for problem pigs,” he con tinued. “Health is the easiest trait to select for.” Speaking on the same lines as Isler, Harrison com mented that he is after a boar that not only is sound but one that will stay sound. “A boar should have the ability to be aggressive and Field trials proved it... MWH tsm stay sound,” this producer remarked. We can always find groups of sound boars, but which ones will stay sound 7 ” “Seed stock producers should be concerned with the quality of pork,” Harrison remarked. Boars play a big part in this aspect - Harrison told the large audience that he feels pork is better than it used to be. “I take pride when a neighbor tells me this,” he said. Natural thickness and depth of body are important items in judging a hog ac cording to this producer. Another area in which Harrison is concerned in boar selection is the un derline. “The structure and design plays an important part in controlling mastitis problems,” he said. Discussing soundness in boars, Isler explained that tests on unsound boars showed that about half of the problems were the result of scupula (shoulder blade) fractures. Sammons felt that there is not enough ‘spring’ in the front legs. They are made too straight and don’t have enough flex in their joints. All of the panelists said The results 7 Agway animal nutritionists and researchers have made a good thing better' From start to finish at about 325 pounds, the improved formulas won hands down Calves fed improved Starter and Finisher showed an average daily gam of 2 28 pounds per animal per day with a feed conver sion rate of 1 64 pounds of feed per pound of gam Agway Veal Pre-Starter, Starter and Finisher are made from quality ingredients From top quality protein, 100% derived from milk products From 100% animal fat Because Agway knows that protein quality and fat source are the keys to top performance Every grower knows that prime veal depends on the quality and vigor of the calves, proper housing, feeding, management and sanita tion Do all of them right and the improved Agway Veal Feeding Program can do a superior job for you For more information on the Agway Veal Feeding Program, call your local Agway. on boars they felt that the pig is flexible enough for change. “It’s easier to the change the design of a hog to fit your buildings, then change the buildings to fit the hog,” Harrison stated. Isler commented that hogs can be shaped just about any way a producer would want them. There is a big dif ference in producers, he said, and they are going in different directions. Be an individual, but stay m tune to the needs of the commercial hog producers, they urged the purebred breeders. The panelists advised their listeners to know the producers they are buying boars from Learn their philosophies and what they are looking for, they com mented. FARM ENTERPRISE SERVICE (agway) Lancaster Farming, Saturday, February 23,1980—A35 Bucks County NFO to hold annual meeting in March PLUMSTEADVILLE - Oras Kanerva will be the featured speaker at the annual dinner of the Bucks County unit of the National Farmers Organization. The meeting will be held Saturday, March 15, at 7 p.m., at the Plumsteadville Fire Hall. The Fire Hall is located along Route 611 in Plum- steadville. Tickets to the event are $6. For reservations, the public is invited to contact Bill Garges, 215/348-5514; Alvin T. Detweiler, 215/766-8934; or Web Singer, 215/346-7749 before MarchS. Kanerva owned and operated a dairy farm in Zun, Minnesota from 1950 until 1966. During this tune, he served on several co-op boards as Director. He served as leader in several Milk Bargaining Dairy goat lovers tatively set as the date for the group’s Fun Show to be held at Someday Hill. Dolly Peifer was appointed to prepare for the event, held as part of June’s Dairy Month activities. Since some find Sunday a difficult day to attend meetings, club decided to meet the first Saturday of the month. By laws have been drawn up and will be voted upon at the March meeting. Roberta Molaro, Domsife, will edit the newsletter. Possible milk markets are being explored and a report will be made at the March meeting. The next meeting will be held on March 1 at 8:00 P.M. Elections of officers will be held. The evening’s program will be a round-table discussion of the kidding season. DORNSIFE Twenty one members and friends of Heart of Penn Dairy Goat Breeders’ Co-op met near Domsife on February 3. After the business meeting, the guest speaker, Terry McAfee, Northumberland County’s DHIA Supervisor, gave a presentation on the mechanics and purposes of the Dairy Herd Im provement program. After some questions and answers on the program, those in attendance enjoyed a covered diph meal in celebration of Valentine’s Day. A nominating committee consisting of Don Molaro of Domsife, Linda Miller of Helfenstein and Dolly Peifer of Pillow was ap pointed. June 15 was ten- V/465D VH4D AENL NEW & USED Authorized Dealer Of OIL COOLED WATER COOLED AIRCOOLED SALES & SERVICE MILLER’S REPAIR 1 Mile North of Bird-in-Hand 8 Miles East of Lancaster RDI, Bird-in-Hand, PA PH: 717-656-9013 Oras Kanerua Organizations. He joined NFO in April, 1961. He served as a county officer m 1961 and 1962. He served on the National NFO Board of Directors five years, from 1963 until 1967 and worked with the NFO Dairy department for six years. WISCONSIN ENGINES
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