D2—Lancaster Farming, Saturday, February 18,1984
NEWARK, De. - What does it
take to produce 20 pigs per sow per
year? One could make a long list of
suggestions, but early weaning
would certainly be near the top.
Successful early weaning.
“Unfortunately, many
producers who Seek maximum sow
productivity practice early
weaning that’s not so successful,”
says University of Delaware ex
tension livestock especialist Dr.
Ken Kephart.
“Let’s say that your pigs weigh
12 pounds at 21 days. That’s a
reasonable weight for a three
week-old pig,” he says. “And,
ignoring all else, it justifies sen
ding the sow to the breeding bam
and the pigs to the nursery.”
But now the fun begins. If things
go just right, you hope that the
following events will happen over
the next 14 days.
- Each pig will consume about
8.5 pounds of feed.
- Each pig should gain 6 or 7
pounds, so at five weeks it will
weigh 18 to 19 pounds.
- Lfess than one week after
weaning, 90 to 95 percent of the
sows will be bred and carry a
normal litter.
And you’re on your way to a
production level of more than 20
pigs per sow per year.
“But what if things don’t go just
right?” Kephart asks. “Is there
any reason they shouldn’t, when
you choose to wean at three
weeks?”
Well, you’ve just put a 21-day-old
pig into a totally new situation.
He’s used to a liquid diet, but now
he’s on solids. He’s used to seven or
eight pen mates, but now he has at
least 15 - most of which he’s never
seen before. He has an immune
system that’s not up to speed.
State breeders capture
Charolais honors
KANSAS CITY, MO. -
Charolais breeders from across
the United States, Canada, France
and Australia were on hand for the
15th National Charolais show at the
National Western Stock Show in
Denver, Colo. Jan 19. Gordon
Shubert, The Plains, Va., and Dr.
Randall Grooms, Overton, Texas
served as judges of this prestigious
Charolais event.
Among the exhibitors competing
for awards were four Penn
sylvania breeders who earned
various class placings. These were
the Spring Meadows Ranch, of
Manheim; Royal Charolais
Company, of Greens burg; JC
Enterprises, of Ringgold; and
Clutter Charolais, of Prosperity.
The highest achievement for
Spring Meadows Ranch was the
reserve junior champion female
title. SMR Crystal 802 Polled, a
November 1982 daughter of
Riverwood Elevation 44, won the
honor. The heifer was exhibited by
Keystone Cattle Service, Lebanon.
Other placings for Spring
Meadows Ranch included: Winter
heifer calves, Ist on SMR Crystal
802 Polled; Senior heifer claves,
2nd on SMR Miss Lee 842; and Late
spring bull calves, sth on SMR
Accomplishment 9703.
Royal Charolais Company
owned the reserve calf, champion
Early weaning - does it pay with pigs?
Yesterday Moitpvas picking up the
slack, but now he’s on his own.
Anything else? “Chances are,”
the specialist continues, “he has to
sleep in a draft, which means
climbing on (or under) the pile
with the rest of the guys. Or just as
bad, the temperature is right, but
the air is overloaded with
moisture, ammonia and pit
gases.”
So what really happens with
most early weaning efforts?
For two days the pig doesn’t eat
anything. On the third day he finds
the feeder. And on the fourth, he
starts to scoqr.
After the first week, he’s lost 3
pounds. “By now, even with the
help of antibiotics, he has a low
grade pneumonia,” Kephart says.
“But at least the diarrhea is get
ting tolerable. And he finally starts
to gain weight. After 14 days he’s
found the 3 pounds he lost the first
week after weaning. ’ ’
So he’s back up to 12 pounds. But
the feed he’s eaten is going to cost
you about a buck and a quarter -
times the number of pigs that
came out of the farrowing house
with him two weeks ago.
“In the process,” Kephart says,
“you’ve lost two weeks of
production. And you’ll never get
them back.”
What about the sows in the
breeding bam? most of them have
been bred, but there may be a few
that won’t be ready to carry a litter
- probably the same few that had to
be pushed out of the crate at 2.5
weeks. Let’s say this puts your
conception rate 10 percent lower
than it should be. That’s another
production loss you’ll never
recover.
When is the best time to wean?
As early as possible without
bull, RCC Royal Trendsetter, a
March 1983 son of RCC Royal
Constructor I. Royal Charolais is
also part owner of the reserve
junior champion bull, Silver Creek
High-Rise. The July 1982 son of
CCC Elevations Knockout 945, was
jointly shown by Silver Creek
Farms, Triple H Charolais, Sauk
Rapids, Minn., Effertz Key Ranch,
Velva, N.D., John Giles Charolais,
Morganton, N.C. and Royal
Charolais.
Royal Charolais Company
captured the following placings:
Early spring heifer calves, 2nd on
RCC Royal Heiress 4189, and sth on
RCC Royal Heiress 4183; Winter
heifer calves, 3rd on RCC Royal
Heiress 4149; and Two females,
bred and owned by exhibitor, sth.
Also, Early spring bull calves,
Ist on RCC Royal Trendsetter;
Senior yearling bulls, 2nd on
Spains Show Me Polled; Pair of
calves, Ist.; Junior get-of-sire, 2nd
on the get of ACF Apocalypse 40;
and Group of five head, 4th.
Two other Pennsylvania winners
were an early spring heifer calf
owned by JC Enterprises and a 2-
year-old bull under part-ownership
of Clutter Charolais The heifer, JC
Silhouette D 053, took third, while
the bull, WC Drillmaster 1048 took
second.
sacrificing production, says
Kephart. For most porducers
that’s 4.5 to 5.5 weeks. Though
three-week weaning will work, it
doesn’t come easy.
To succeed, he says, you need a
good nursery - one with small pens
- one that you’re willing to main
tian at 85 to 90 degrees F, with good
air quality.
You’ll need a good ration, too.
“Just what that means is always
subject to debate,” the specialist
says. “Many rations will work, but
research has shown that you’ll get
the best results with one that
contains 1.0 to 1.1 percent lysine
and 20 to 25 percent milk products,
such as whey.”
You’ll also need to observe.
Watch for diarrhea. Look for rough
hair coats. “Watch the pigs to see
that they’re behaving lyith the
same vigor and vitality they had in
the farrowing crate. And be sure
they’re comfortable,” he advises.
You’ll need some scales. Weigh
the pigs at weaning, then again two
weeks later. They should have
gained almost half a pound a day.
By nine weeks of age most pigs
should be pushing 45 to 50 pounds.
If they’re not, delaying weaning
New York cattlemen h
SYRACUSE, N.Y. - Two of
ficers, Robert Good of Perry and
George Moore of Geneva, were
given special recognition at New
York Beef Cattlemen’s Association
annual meeting Feb. 4 at the
Sheraton Inn here.
Good who retires March 1 as
executive secretary was given the
Service Award and Moore who was
Association president 1980-82 was
given the Presidential Award.
Good is a retired music teacher
and school principal having served
30 years with the Perry Central
School system. A graduate of the
Eastman School of Music with a
master’s degree from the
University of Rochester, he came
to Perry from his home in
Hazelton, Pa. after three years
service with the U.S Army in the
European Theater during World
Warll.
He acquired a farm and a
Guernsey dairy herd when he
married his wife Helen and moved
to her Home Acres Farm. The
dairy has been replaced with beef
cattle and the Goods now have a
Livestock association
opens membership
LANCASTER The time is at
hand to enroll new members in the
Pennsylvania Livestock
Association. This state-wide
organization has been in operation
for the past 20 years and local
officials are interested in getting
new members.
The purpose of the Association is
to represent the overall livestock
industry in matters such as
education, promotion, research,
and legislation. The association
maintains that unified effort from
all phases of the livestock industry
can develop more support for its
needs than individuals or smaller
groups.
The membership is open to any
livestock individual, corporation,
partnership, or business interested
in the production, marketing,
processing, or other services
related to the livestock industry.
Annual dues are $l5 per year for
individuals, $25 for associations,
and $35 for Agri-Business con
cerns.
Membership blanks are
available from Peter H. Krall, Box
149, Catasauqua, Pa. (membership
ig pigi j than 4.5 weeks, need to
take a hard look at what’s really happening, advises Ken
Kephart, University of Delaware extension livestock
specialist.
just a week or two could have
made the difference.
So, if you’re among the
producers weaning pigs at less
than 4.5 weeks, take a hard look at
what’s really happening, Kephart
advises. “Be sure the pigs gain
herd of about 20 brood cows, young
stock, and bulls. Good assumed the
executive* secretary position when
it was created seven years ago.
He is active in the Perry Rotary
Club and last year was given the
Paul Harris award in recognition
of his contributions to the service
organization. He served as
organist and choir director of the
United Presbyterian Church in
Perry and is currently treasurer of
the Perry Center United Church of
Christ. He also has a large number
of private music pupils.
The Service Award was
presented in recognition of his
work and dedication to the
New York Beef Cattlemen’s
Association which in the last years
has doubled its membership,
expanded its marketing emphasis,
and developed many new projects
including an intensive promotional
program.
Moore has been a member of the
New York Beef Cattlemen’s
Association for 15 years and has
served on the executive Beef
Council for six years. He has
chairman) or from M.M.Smith, 508
South President Ave., Lancaster,
Pa.
All livestock interests and
concerns are urged to join this
Pennsylvania Livestock
Association.
Pa. Poultry Federation
sets annual banquet
HARRISBURG The Pennsylvania Poultry Federation has
scheduled its annual fund-raising banquet for Thursday night,
April 5 at the Hershey Motor Lodge and Convention Center, Her
shey.
Despite the problems that the Pennsylvania poultry industry is
having, Federation officials are hoping that attendance at this
year’s banquet will approach the record levels which were set at
1983’s banquet. They also hope that this year’s event can double as
a "victory celebration” over the avian influenza epidemic which
has plagued poultrymen here since last April.
Because of its past success, the entertainment format of a
comedian and a country/westem recording artist will be kept in
tact for this year. The names of this year’s entertainers will be
announced in coming weeks.
Tickets for the banquet are $lOO each and can be ordered by
calling thfe Pennsylvania Poultry Federation office at (717) 652-
7530
weight after they’re weaned.
Check sow records to see that the
first service conception rate is at
least 85 percent. And don’t be
afraid to leave the pigs on their
mother a bit longer. She’s one of
the best managers you’ve got.”
onored
served on many committees and
has worked at the Association’s
Empire Farm Days Beef Barbecue
for many years."
A retired agronomist with the
United States Department of
Agriculture Soil Conservation
Service, he has operated a feedlot
and beef freezer trade for many
years.
He is a member of the Hector
Corporation Grazing Association,
Soil Conservation Service
Association, Cooperative Ex
tension, and Farm. Bureau and is
currently serving as Town Justice.
The Presidential Award made by
retiring president William Cisco of
Lindley is a new honor initiated for
the 1984 meeting.
During the business meeting of
the New York Beef Cattlemen’s
Association Allen Peterson of
Jamestown was elected president
of the organization. Peterson has a
registered herd of Polled
Herefords and also operates a
feedlot. He has been an active
member of the New York Beef
Cattlemen’s Association for six
years and is also a member of the
Chautauqua County Fair Board
and 4-H Beef Committee as well as
a member of Farm Bureau, the
New York Hereford Association
and the Empire Polled Hereford
Association,
A two-day Trade Show with
about 20 exhibits by agribusiness
including machinery dealers, seed
and feed companies, a biochemical
company, farm publication, and
other was a highlight of the annual
meeting.
Commissioner of Agriculture
Joseph Gerace was the featured
speaker at the afternoon session