Swine BY DR. RICHARD BARCZEW££I, . Extension Agent University of Delaware Hog fanning is a dynamic business. Ups and downs in the market prices for market hogs, feed grains and supplements, make swine production a risky business to say the least However, there are several things that you can do to improve your chances of remaining in the business for a long time to come. If any one thing is lacking on most hog farms, it’s records. Keeping adequate records of the production and economic factors on your farm can play an impor tant role in keeping your operation profitable that is, provided you are willing to make any changes that your records might deem necessary. It would be great if every hog producer would keep adequate records; however we all know that this is probably not going to hap- QOAurvowmiey rwvrw v *&*?-> &r « the move.,/ QATT • RTITT ninQ jy Tt|f JIJLI OVJrj^lX^l^XVO (JL r s_ li? 3 Frame Type Deep Till The frame type DEEP TILL is available with a Category II or 111 hitch and may be equipped with the optional drawbar hitch to convert it to a pull type. The hitch features both clevis and straight drawbar for four-wheel drive tractors. Adjystable top arm,controls the front-to-rear leveling of the machine. Sizes range from 12’6” to 27’6”. Hydraulic gauge wheels control working depth from 8” to 18”. The pull-type hitch is easily removed to convert the unit to a 3-point Categ ory 111 hitch model. The automatic reset feature on all models allows non-stop tilling and elimi nates the inconvenience, downtime and expense of replacing shear bolts. All frame type Deep Tills must be used with pull-type hitch when using either style .trash cutting coulters. CONTACT YOUR BRILLION DEALER FOR DETAILS: PENNSTLVAMA JIM HACHMERY Ctt AOAHSTOWN EQUIP., MC RRS, Box 147 Box 4H, Oraonoburg WBGARD BROS, HUER EQUIP. CO- RD #3, Box 13 _ »"• 1 Hotlfox BocMolovlllo tuAu . 7nntl *HAffTIBV*.L£ FARM SERVICE IVAN A ZOOK FARM EQUIPMENT RD #l, Box 1332 Bax 5, Star Routa Hamburg B(M * V<ll * fwcm wwices. CM. RMEHWERI SONS HANOVER INC HD 1. Bonxick GUTMIALL3, MC. H^o«, **' I Cerhele ,lnfl Rd ’ 08. HOOBERI SON Intarcauroo WENNER FORD TRACTOR Rout* 202 ConcordvlHa GEORGE N. GROSS, MO. S2Ol DavMaburg Rom UMBERQER'S OF FONTANA Go™' RD M, Box 122 Labanon GEORGE V. SBPLE Vanßuron Ruad Easton HE39CK FARM EQU'OMENT CO. Rt. 213, RhMDH Exit Ellxabalhlown MEYEirs IMPLEMENTS, INC. CLUGSION FARM EQUIPMENT 400 N. Atrlm Way NCR M • lox 22 Graoncaatlo Naodmora Management News pen. For one thing, there is no need in keeping records if you aren’t willing to make changes in your management, purchasing or feeding programs. The whole point to keeping records is to make appropriate changes that can make your operation more profitable. From a production standpoint, records on the number of pigs weaned per litter and per sow per year can serve as a good compari son for how you are doing com pared to the national average. In addition, keeping these numbers will allow you to make culling decisions based on individual sow productivity. Other production types of records that you may want to keep include feed efficiencies, weight gains to weaning and weight gains to market Numbers such as these can provide you with information for culling decisions, for compari sons to national averages, and to provide additional information for LANDS IROTHERS, INC ISOS Manhalm Pika Lancaatar GUrSHALLY, INC. HO 2, Rl. MO Waal LoyavlNa HR FUCKER A lONS, INC Maxatawnv THE EROSION STOPPERS Now you can build up your soil while you stop erosion with Brillion’s 14 models of Soil Builders. These conservation tillage machines slice through residue, then chisel and ridge the soil. They increase water hold ing capacity. Blend in cornstalks and trash. Fight water and wind erosion. Brillion Soil Builders are the one-trip mini mum tillage tools that save fuel and cover 50% more acres compared to moldboard plowing. See us for names of farmers who have used Brillion Soil Builders. Available in new 15- and 17-shank sizes for big tractors: or 5,7, 9, 11 and 13-shanks to match whatever h.p. you have. BUILDING THEM BIGGER AND BETTER ABC GROFF, MC 110 B. Railroad Avanua Raw Holland PEOPLE-* SALES I SERVICE Oakland Mill* PI SEVILLE EQUIPMENT, MC. , ANGELO'S FARM EQUIPMENT RD #1 - Box 303 Panyopolla QRUMELU FARM SERVICE Robort Fulton Hlghany Quarryvilla WALTEMYBTS S A S MC. RD #3, Box 43-B Rod Uon SUMMTT MACHINERY, MC PO Box S2S Soma root CHARLES SNYDER MC RD #3 Tamaqua M.S YEA RILEY A SONS Waal Chootar choosing herd sires. Poor feed efficiencies might also indicate that you are having problems with wasted feed due to leaking feeders. These are just a few production criteria that should be included in a record keeping system. Another area that requires record keeping is the economic area. We all real ize that it costs money to raise a pig to feeder or market weight. These costs can be classified.-as variable and fixed costs. An exam ple of the variable and fixed costs for finishing a market hog follows. Variable costs = * initial cost of the feeder pig, * cost of all feed for the pig, * cost of all medica tions for the pig, * cost of upkeep on housing for the pig, * cost of electricity for the pig, * cost of waste handling for the pig, * cost of hauling the pig to market, * cost of marketing the pig, * cost of labor in raising the pig, * any additional costs associated with the pig (ie. interest on borrowed DEERREIO AG A TURF OBITER INC. RD 2 Box 212 WMaontown, PA 17777 MARYLAND AO INOUSTHAL EQUFMENT 1207 Talagraph Road Rlalng Sun CECIL E. JACKSON EQUFMENT, MC. RRD2 Box ASX - Oakland WALTER Q. COALRINC. 2S4S-53 Churchvlllo Rd. Churchvltla HNCH SERVICER MC. PO Box 565 Waalmlnatar ON THE MOVE.. IN THE 90 s money for feed), Total Production Costs - 3 Fixed costs = * land charge, * depreciation on building and equipment, * interest on building and equipment, * interest on money borrowed to purchase the Pig- If you total up the variable and fixed costs in this example, and added them together, you would come up with the Total Production Costs (TPC). This figure will con stantly change in an operation as various costs change. The key point to keeping the TPC is to have an idea of where your operation is regarding profi tability. If you know what your TPC is and you know the current market price of market hogs you can determine the potential profit of your operation. For example if your TPC is $lOO for a 240-pound hog, the cost of producing that hog to 240 pounds would equal 41.66 cents per pound ($lOO divided by 240 pounds). If the current market NEW JERSEY LESLIE FOGG RD «3, Box 178 BrMgoton REED BROTHERS EQUIPMBIT Pattleoat B rid go Rd. Columbua FOSTER EQUIPMENT SALES Elmar CALDWELL TRACTOR A EQUIPMBIT 4SO US Routa 4SW FalrtloW PONIATOWSM BROS EQUIPMENT CO. Routa 31 A Church St Flamlngton SHORE TRACTOR CO. Ro#l . Rt S Fraahold CHERRY VALLEY FORD Rt. 70 Eaal ol Rt 73 Marlton, N.J. Lancaster Farming Saturday, November 11, 1989-D5 price of 240-pound hogs is 45 cents per pound, you stand to make 3.34 cents per pound or a little over $B.OO per hog marketed at 240 pounds. Remember that it will not only be useful for you to have these records for determining how much money you stand to make or lose, but also to go back and see where you can improve your profitability. By keeping adequate records you might determine that your feed costs are too high, that you’re spending too much on electricity, or that you can only afford to spend $25 for your 40-pound feeder pigs. Once you know that a problem exists, it’s a lot easier to correct that problem. And you won’t know where to look if you don’t keep adequate records. You just might find out that you’re doing a better or worse job than you thought But regardless of the outcome, the ball will be in your court to make the necessary changes for improvement. KEN CLUGSTON (717) 665-6775 CRAFT-BILT CONSTRUCTION INC. FARM-HOME BUILDING 1242 Breneman Road MANHEIM, PA. 17545 PH: (717) 665-4372 BUILDING & REMODELING FOR DAIRY RESIDENTIAL SWINE POLE BUILDINGS BEEF STORAGE CUSTOM MADE FEED BINS FOR FARMS FEED MILLS • Made of 13 gauge Steel • All welded seams • Gravity Flow or Auger Free Estimates Also - Steel Roof Trusses for Buildings - Portable Hog Buildings • Bucket Elevators • Grain Augers Distributors - Flow Pipes & Accessories We Sell, Service & Install Ph: 717-345-3724 STOLTZFUS WELDING SHOP Owner - Samuel P. Stottzfus. RD 3, Box 331 Pine Grove, PA 17963
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