Feed efficiency spells hog profits NEWARK, Del. - Feed ef ficiency and profit are closely related when you’re raising any meat animal. For the pork producer, profit is tied closely to the number of nigs weaned from a sow herd annually and hoV much feed it takes to grow a pound of pork. A hog using four pounds of feed for each pound of hveweight gam needs 720 pounds of feed to grow from 40 to 220 pounds. A hog that requires three pounds of feed per pound of gam will consume only 540 pounds of feed to reach slaughter weight. That’s 180 pounds less feed. Assume that feed costs $l6O a ton. Then the more efficient hog has consumed $14.40 less feed than the 4:1 ratio animal. At that pnce, says University of Delaware extension livestock specialist Richard Fowler, a producer with 100 sows marketing 1,600 pigs per year will spend $13,040 less on feed by raising the more efficient feed converters. Looked at another way, this is $13,040 more profit. 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Producers can improve on this poor conversion by making feeder adjustments, using complete balanced rations, and by such things as removing corn cobs from their swine feed. The biggest change can come from using better boars - those with feed efficiency records of 3 0 pounds or less. The better the feed efficiency of the boar, the greater his unpact on your herd’s ef ficiency rating. The economics of swine production aren’t very exciting, admits Fowler. High-priced boars don’t fit mto the commercial producer’s thinking at all. But high-priced boars with good records are an investment, not a cost. Huge lumps in feed efficiency won’t happen with one boar. His offspring, when mated to a second high-performing boar, will produce pigs with markedly im proved records in the trait of feed efficiency. The third generation of gilts represents almost 90 percent new genetic material. Bigger Than Ever, Better Than Ever INC. 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The breed of boar doesn’t matter as much as his individual record, says Fowler. Trial results from 20 test stations rank Duroc, Yorkshire, Hamp shire, Spotted, Chester White, Poland China, Berkshire, and American Landrace from best to poorest in feed efficiency. The leading breed had a 2.52 pounds of feed per pound of gam record; the lowest breed was 2.79. The fact is, there are outstanding individuals m all breeds. Commercial swine Lancaster Fanning, Saturday, February 14,1981—€19 producers should continue to crossbreed using white breeds for mothering ability and the dark breeds for growth rate and feed efficiency. Growth rate and feed efficiency are important to profit, but so are traits like fertility and mothering ability Continue to select replacement gilts with good un (Contmued from Page CIS) added: “We’ve got to get out and summit meeting” concept m speakout.” volving Nebraska’s farm Noting that more farmers need organizations. Today, twelve to get involved. Nelson Meyer, who organizations are currently farms approximately 500 acres of represented, including American cotton, gram, and pasture near Agriculture Movement, Farm Needville, Tex , said. “There are Bureau, National Farmers plenty of organizations now if Organization, and Farmers Union, farmers would participate at the plus commodity and special m grassroots level and let the terest farm groups, organizations help them.” He “Sometimes it seems like added, however, “If we get too nothing is accomplished,” said many organizations, we will have Duane Nuenberg, a Cozad, people opposing each other and it Nebraska farmer. “But it helps to will be harder to speak with a get to know members of other unified voice.” groups personally. We get a better Also in Farm Forum the value of a coalition was discussed, as a way for farm organizations to work together. An example is the “economic SADDLE UP! To Better Equipment... Find It In Lancaster Farming's CLASSIFIEDS! MODEL NO 182 - 8 H P , 3 Speed 282 - 8 H P Hyd j _ AACOO Eight models in all pick the one with * I Tf '99 the specific features you want at a s"ur Sto 9 Tues A Sal 9-5 derlmes and those from large litters. Producers looking for sources of production tested boars may contact their local extension office, or the Extension Livestock Specialist, Animal Science Department, University of Delaware, Newark, DE19711. Who speaks understanding of how the various groups of work and what their politics are. There are many things we can’t agree on, but we hope to keep trying,” Addressing the need to develop rural leadership, the panelists also discussed the Kellogg Farmers Study Program. Funded by the W. K. Kellogg Foundation of Battle Creek, Mich., this program has trained over 800 rural leaders in programs in five states. In the program, farmers have traveled to see state gov eminent in action, view life in inner cities or look at how big cities functioned, as well as visit our nation’s capital and the various regulatory agencies. Farm Forum is published quarterly and is distributed to 600,000 farmers and agn mfluentials throughout the U.S. to provide a forum on issues of concern to agriculture. ni ip ppirr And ail are bu,lt tOLJ s h with steel UUK rKIUt channel automotive type frame and cast iron front axle 1 325 No matter how big or small the job • _ C a CO a there s a Cadet engineered to do it faster * 1 53IS# and easier from Btol9 9 hp HI INTERNATIONAL HARVESTER jSfJJ