By Richard Barczewski University of Delaware NEWARK, Del. - Selling feeder pigs can be frustrating, especially to people new to the hog business, or those unloading a few pigs their own operation can’t handle. A 3 a grader at a local feeder pig sale, I though that now might be a good time to review what graders and buyers look for in a feeder pig. r Graded feeder pigs need to be identified (by ear tag) prior to delivery to the sale site. Upon arrival, pigs are grouped ac cording to weight and graded. Grades are based on muscling and general health of the feeder pig. Most pigs fall into the U.S. 1 or 2 grades; however, piglets showing little muscling and a lot of fat cover may be graded U.S. 3 or 4. The last two grades-U.S. utility and U.S. cull-are reserved for extremely thin, narrow piglets with a minimal amount of muscling. Difference between these two grades are in health. Graders are also responsible for removing any undesirable piglets with defects that make them a poor investment or risk to other herd animals. These defects include hernias, atrophic rhinitis, ab scesses, intact (uncastrated) males, severe parasite in festations, lameness and any other potential swine health problem. The ultimate goal is to provide buyers with pigs that have the potential to develop a desirable carcass. Any defect that would hinder this goal could result in the pig being ungraded. If you’re at a graded feeder pig sale and see one or more of your pigs ungraded, ask why. What you leam can be useful in correcting the situation. If atrophic rhinitis is the problem, vaccinating may be helpful. Ex- su *v VV ( \\ f IMMHCTHE ABTOI// • H.R. 30’ CUT, SIDE OISCHAROB REAR INQINK RIDER FRONT MOUNT QUASI THATCHIft •69 44-20498 MAM MOUNT ORAM CATCHER 44 20480 • Electric Start with - Altamator $ Spaad SHH AA In Lina Tranamlaalon • • Petition Haight Ad m Juatmant 44*20464 ■ HUSKEE 11 H.P. 42” CUT RIDING MOWER Feeder pigs: uniform lots mean higher profits temal parasites can be controlled by spraying with an approved insecticide, while hernias may require some genetic changes since they can be inherited. Don’t be afraid to ask, since they’re your pigs. Why do we have graded pig sales? The answer is simple. Graded pigs are more valuable to buyers than straight run pigs. Ideally, the feeder pig buyer likes to buy pigs in groups that will finish together at the same weight, in order to sell them for a premium price as fat hogs. Buying a large group of feeder pigs at a similar weight and grade increases the chance of producing a uniform lot of finished hogs. Packers like to see uniform lots of hogs, since a uniform product is more valuable to them. It’s amazing how often loads of pigs are brought to market with wide weight ranges. I’ve sometimes seen small groups at a graded scale-10 to 15 animals-that ranged in weight from 20 to 80 pounds. I realize some small producers aren’t able to produce uniform lots, but if you plan to sell at a graded sale, uniformity is to your advantage. Otherwise you’ll be stuck with small lots of animals (one to four per lot) that bring lower prices because the buyer will have to mix several lots to fill a pen on his finishing floor. Mixing is less desirable because it results in greater stress and reduced piglet performance on the finishing floor. Under ideal grading systems, a U.S. 1 feeder pigs will grow into a U.S. 1 market hog. The same trend follows for the other grades. Since there’s a fine line between a low U.S. 1 and a high U.S. 2, graders usually group piglets as U.S. 1-2 or U.S. 2-3, and so on. Pigs from the same farm are usually similar in >n Engina • Flvg Spaad Tranaaxla • Built In Carry All Compart mant • 42* Twin Blada Sldo Olaeharga Full Floating Dock 44 20155 their conformation and will fall into one of the above grades, provided the genetic makeup of the herd is similar. How do you produce uniform lots of feeder pigs? This is a difficult question with no easy answer. The best way is to start with a uniform sow herd. It’s also important to breed your animals in groups. This will result in large numbers of similarly aged piglets which, if the sow herd is uniform, will be alike in size and conformation. Such WEST CHESTER - Chester County Crops Day will be held on Tuesday March 18,1986 at the East Brandywine Fire Hall in Guthriesville beginning at 9:15 a.m. The discussion wiU focus on two important crops to Southeast farmers-alfalfa and corn. Topics to be covered include how to pick top com varieties, com insect control, com cost of production control, alfalfa insect control, and the effect of weeds on alfalfa yield and quality. Farmers attending the day’s activities will be able to recertify their private pesticide license, visit the exhibitors displaying crop production supplies, and visit the mobile manure and soil testing van. Also, the Chester County Soil Conservation District will award its annual “District Cooperator of the Year” Award. Featured speakers include Dr. Sidney Bosworth, and Dr. Joseph McGahon, both Extension agronomy specialists, and Dr. Dennis Calvin, Extension specialist in entomology. m m hr { Kt % 3 H.P. 10* CUT J LAWNMOWCR \\ I •3 H f lrtf|t » llrtHtn • A#*l 99 174" $ 235 *225 3 H.P. CHAIN DRIVE TILLER • 3HP 4 Cyeia Briggs * Stratton Englna • Adjusts From 7' # to Width 44424 K £: *239 2jjE, FURROWING TOOL 44-03373 \ %J? GARDEN TRACTOR BATTERY OCR* 04 70807 Chester Co. Crops Day scheduled Salted-in-the-shetl Peanuts While You Shop 4 H.R. 22' CUT ,--=r\. d M . CUT V \ 4 * 2 * CUT \ PUSH MOWER \ \ Tlib > I HIGH WHEEL ' .mmnw \ \ ~LFi ?®”L LBD 1 MOWER L MwO-Efiiins ftPseWSA \ i MOWER •4 H P Kte ft fttnttwi * FlntsrUft He*fW A#ml N e 4 H P Bitffs ft ftmtlsn Y \ \ \ irwh ft* SM Wheels >f* Msit’Eneins vrfFfent * \ \ e Miami ft-PeelUiA \ 44*18015 \ \ 9 3llT£? m —. Hs*|ht AEfustmeni I y die- 44 ,8425 MtW 5 H.F. TILLER WITH REVERSE a 5 H P 4 Cyda Briggs A Stratton Englna • Hardanod Staal 13* Slicar Tinas 44-03365 *339 FURROWING TOOL 44 03373 HUSKEE 18 H.R. 42' CUT OAROEH TRACTOR jf • Irtaga A Strallon Twin Cylinder Engirt# Hairy Duly Tranmta CapaWa of tiling Flow Olac Cultivator • * Spaadi Forward t Mvaraa a S Position Dock HatgM Ad juatmant 44 20202 *1599 Lancaster Farming Saturday, March 15,1986-05 piglets can be managed as a group. For example, they can be treated for external parasites, vaccinated for atrophic rhinitis and castrated under a normal schedule. When sows don’t farrow in groups, it’s harder to schedule routine management practices. In addition, group farrowing allows for all-in/all-out management, with proper disinfecting between farrowing groups. This helps reduce piglet losses and disease which can also affect piglet East Brandywine Fire Hall is located in Guthriesville along Rt. 322 in Chester County. Hamilton Bank is a co-sponsor of the day’s New Arps backhoe developed •‘fi 1 f ***** The new Arps Model 105 Backhoe will fit standard tractor three point hitches with Cat. Ml size. Digging depth is ten foot with a two foot flat bottom. The reach from the center line of the swing pivot is thirteen feet. The Model 105 Backhoe joins Arps family of backholes available for tractors from 18 horse power to 100 horsepower. For more information, contact Hamilton Equipment, Inc., 567 South Reading Road, Ephrata, PA 17522. V* v/io n * * j NOW THRU MARCH 29th FREEZE: 10 CO. FT. HEAVY "■ DUTY UTILITY CART • 16 Qa StMl Con f -|F alrucllon 4405202 r^k*i69 M 5% CU. FT. WHEELBARROW a Saamlau Tray EUmlnataa Shoral or Lead a TnryVracaa Fra rani Flailng 44-00113 69" ISO Stores Also Located In; PENNSYLVANIA CARLISLE 1188 Spring Rd tormerty Arnold Motors 717 245 2334 Mon ThursB 6Fn 8 9 Sat 8 5 LEBANON 720 Quentin Road 717 2742106 Mon Thurs 86 Fn 89 Sat 8 5 YORK 2400 West Market St 717 792 3676 Mon Thurs 86 Fn 89 Sat 8 5 POTTSTOWN 335 West High St 215 327 4465 Mon Thurs 86 Fn 88 Sat 8 5 MARYLAND WESTMINSTER 119 Railroad Ave 27 East Manchester Road 301 848 2060 Mon Thurs 8 6 Fn 8 8 Sat 8 5 uniformity at weaning. Raising feeder pigs is a high management enterprise that requires a lot of time and effort on the part of the manager for op timum production. To enhance marketability, try to produce uniform groups of feeder pigs. Graded feeder pig sales offer an opportunity to realize higher market values for your pigs. However, to optimize profits, you must be able to offer larger (15 and up) groups of uniform piglets. activities. Please make reser vations for lunch by contacting the Chester County Extension Service at 696-3500. r9H Lancaster Store: Rt. 896 So. of Rt. 30E (717)687-7642 Mon.-Thurs. 8-6; Fri. 8-9; Sat. 8-5 4 H.R. 2S* CUT TOUR Jk 99 CHOICB "X GARDEN HOE S| N • Ftama Hard*nod 2*3 V ' 4i” Waldad Handla »1 |a|> 4414007 23 386 BOW RAKE a • 41’ Handla >4 ? • 14 Tooth VI i 44 14015 y 0 ~* J LONO HANDLE ROUND MINT SHOVEL WL • M Sin • 4»” Handla , “mono // CULTIVATOR -^SjL ff • Waldad Hud / / VA. • «" Handla 44 14031 ,^BU2K GARDEN SPADE • "0" Handla 44 14049