Swine
Management
News
Marketing Niches
By Dr. Richard Barczewski
Extension County
Agricultural Agent
University of Delaware
I’ve noticed over the last five
years that some of the most suc
cessful farmers are the ones who
have been able to find specific
niches in the market. You may
think this is improbable for a hog
producer, and more likely for
someone who grows fruits and
vegetables, but a look at our
industry might reveal niches you
can pursue.
First, most hog producers have
the capability to produce feeder
pigs or market hogs. Some have
already decided to address one or
the other of these market niches
while others leave themselves the
flexibility of going either way,
depending upon prices.
Obviously a producer with an
expensive facility cannot afford
this luxury. Large-scale produc
tion units need to be used if they
are going to be paid for, and we all
know that vacant buildings tend to
deteriorate faster than those in use.
Other niches in the hog industry
are seedstock production (either
boars or gilts), feeder pigs for
youth projects, and freezer hogs.
These enterprises, however,
involve more work than the two
more traditional channels I’ve
already mentioned.
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stock, you’ll need to promote your
breeding lines and the productive
capabilities of those lines. Often
seedstock producers get involved
in the show ring end of hog pro
duction, trying to produce the type
of hog that show-ring judges want.
This can be either good or bad,
depending on where their markets
are. If they sell to producers who
are interested in the show ring,
then they are doing the right thing.
Some seedstock producers aim
toward the production end of the
industry, selecting for productive
traits such as growth rate, feed
efficiency, and carcass traits.
Many more producers, other than
just the show-ring type, are inter
ested in these characteristics too,
so this is a larger market.
A third group of seedstock pro
ducers try to address both the
show ring and production mar
kets, realizing that they can direct
their breeding programs to show
type and still place emphasis on
production traits. There are advan
tages and disadvantages to this
thinking, but it does allow an
ambitious person the opportunity
to address two markets at once.
Each year numerous 4-H and
FFA members show hogs at coun
ty, state, and regional fairs across
the country. Many of these indivi
duals may raise only a few hogs
each year and must get their show
from swine breeders.
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This provides another market
niche for the hog producer to
consider.
Feeder pigs to be raised as
youth-project animals need to
excel in the traits that judges are
looking for at that time. It’s hard
to second-guess a judge, but for
the most part, these animals must
exhibit ideal carcass traits along
with the ability to move freely.
Reputations are made when parti
cular breeders sell feeder pigs that
eventually go on to become
champions at the livestock shows
around the area.
While individual animals com
mand top dollar in this market, the
number of animals that a producer
can sell as project animals is rela-
Members Named To American Egg Board
WASHINGTON, D.C. Sec
retary of Agriculture Clayton
Yeutter has named nine members
and nine alternate members to the
American Egg Board to serve
two-year terms ending Dec. 31,
1991.
Appointed members and alter
nates, by region, are:
North Atlantic states: Jerry Kil,
Franklin, Conn.; alternate, Paul
Sauder, Lititz, Pa.
South Atlantic states: Kenneth
R. Paramore, Greenville, N.C.;
alternate, James R. Diggers, Win
ter Haven, Ha.; Vince L. Booker,
Gainesville, Ga.; alternate, Danny
R. Linville, Zephyrhills, Fla.
East North Central states;
Duane L. Bunting, Palmyra, Wis.;
alternate, Larry J. Seger, Dubois,
Ind.
West North Central states
U.S. SAVINGS BONDS THE GREAT AMERICAN INVESTMENT
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lively small compared to those
sold through normal marketing
channels.
Another often neglected mark
eting niche is the freezer trade.
Many people like to purchase their
meat as whole animals at various
carcass sizes. While some may
want to buy a whole or half hog
for the freezer, others may desire a
lighter-weight carcass or carcas
ses cut to specifications they can’t
get in the grocery store. In addi
tion, there is always a market for
barbecue pigs of varying weights,
especially through the summer.
With all the concern about anti
biotics and feed additives, a poten
tial market is evolving in
antibiotic-feed, additive-free pork.
Arthur H. Smith-Vaughn, Knob
Noster, Mo.; alternate, David J.
Gardner, Wakefield, Neb.
South Central slates: Charley J.
Kammerdiener Jr., Hope, Ark.;
alternate, Hank Novak, Flatonia,
Texas; R. Kenneth Looper, Jack-
son. Miss.; alternate, Melvin D.
Russell, Collierville, Tenn.
Western states: Mary L. Mur
phy, Canby, Ore.; alternate, Dun
can Holt, Santa Rosa, Calif.; Bar
rie F. Wilcox, Roy, Wash.; alter
nate, Glenn M. Hickman,
Glendale, Ariz.
Yeutter also named Joseph W.
Claybaugh, Carroll, Neb., and
Stuart M. Friedell, Minneapolis,
Minn., to fill member and alter
nate vacancies, respectively, in the
West North Central states; and
Jim R. Young, Litde Rock, Ark.,
to fill an alternate vacancy in the
ill j j
Lancaster Farming Saturday, April 28,1990-Dll
Some may argue that this only
fuels the controversy about the
safety of our products, but, in real
ity, this is just another situation
where a producer can find a mar
kets niche.
As with any commodity, find
ing a niche is essential to maxi
mize the profit potential of your
operation. Some producers are not
willing to spend the additional
time needed to capitalize on these
alternative markets and continue
to sell animals through traditional
channels. This is perfectly fine;
however, in an effort to maximize
profitability, these or other mar
keting niches may play a part in
your operation.
South Central slates. These
appointments will complete va
cant board member terms expiring
Dec. 31.
Membership terms on the
18-member board are staggered to
provide a continuity in policy. The
board administers an egg research
and promotion program author
ized by the Egg Research and
Consumer Information Act of
1974. USDA’s Agricultural Mark
eting Service reviews the pro
gram’s budget, plans, and projects
to assure that it operates in the
public interest.
The program is funded entirely
by a 5-cent per 30-dozen assess
ment on eggs marketed by egg
producers with flocks of more
than 30,000 hens.
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