What’s The Best Way To Raise Hogs ' Every time I talk to hog produc ers about their operations, it becomes apparent that everyone in the hog industry does things diffe rently. I’ve visited many hog oper ations and none of them are alike. What is the best way to raise hogs? Just like people, hogs can adapt to a wide variety of facilities, or even a lack of facilities, and do well. Even though this is true, there are distinct advantages and disadvantages to various rearing systems and no one system is best in all situations. Take intensive hog production for instance. A total confinement operation has the advantage of housing the animals in close prox imity. This allows for ease in handling the animals and makes it easier to observe the herd regular ly. Hogs in total confinement operations are housed in environ mentally controlled units where temperature and ventilation are regulated. Manure is generally stored for field fertilization later and can be applied at proper rates, provided enough land is available to use it all. Disadvantages of intensive, tot al confinement operations are the cost of building the facility and the problems associated with disease spread if a contagious agent gets established in the facility. Also, this type of unit has been the most criticized by the animal rightists. Another kind of hog operation commonly used in this area is a less intensive one, with some out side hog rearing and a farrowing house and nursery confinement buildings. This type of operation has the advantage of lower costs compared to more intensive units, CALL OUR Hip if UNfl 1-800-333-0569 FOR THE REPRESENTATIVE IN YOUR AREA! 2525 Walden Avenue Buffalo, NY 14225 Dealerships Available since fewer facilities are needed. Unlike the more intensive-type of operation, it comes under less scrutiny from the animal rights activists. Since sows are farrowed within a farrowing crate and piglets are housed in a nursery, management of the sow and pigs is easier for the producer. Manure in this type of operation is usually collected from the farrowing house and nursery for later crop land application, while stocking rates with pasture-kept sows will determine the nutrient deposition on the sow lots. Disadvantages include more outside labor in handling animals that are outside. It takes longer to feed and manage an animal housed in larger areas out-of doors than those kept in confine ment. Finally, animals housed out of-doors are exposed to the ele ments and need additional protection during periods of extreme temperatures. The last type of hog operation I will discuss is low-intensity, minimal-confinement operations, where animals are kept entirely out-of-doors and are allowed to farrow in the elements. Only occa sionally are they offered some protection through the use of simple housing such as plywood A-frame houses. Advantages of this type of pro duction system are minimal costs in electric fencing and simple housing. This is the cheapest and least intensive type of hog produc tion, and is rarely singled out by animal rightists. A disadvantage is exposure of the hog to the elements. Since ani mals are essentially out in the open, large piglet losses can occur HORSE FENCE HORSE FENCE FOR LANCASTER/HARRISBURG/YORK AREAS CALL: QUALITY FENCING - (717) 354-9760 The Leader In h INC * VINYL ♦ FENCING Dist. 622 N. Shirk Road, New Holland, PA 17557 during extreme weather fluctua tions, heavy rainfall, or unseason al snowfall. Farrowing is limited to specific seasons of the year to avoid extremely cold tempera tures. Generally, this type of opera tion results in the fewest number of marketed pigs per sow per year. Numbers may vary depending on weather patterns. Manure can be a problem with this type of opera tion if stocking rates are allowed to remain high for extended pe iods. Which system is the best? There is no best system. That’s the reason there are so many different hog operations. The true appraisal of any system can only be made by individual managers and what operation works for them. Beekeepers WARREN (Warren Co.) Two new mites which attack honey bees have recently been introduced into the United States, according to Sanford Smith, Warren County extension agent One of these, the Vanoa mite, is a devastating parasite that is killing colonies and drastically reducing honey yields. Varroa is considered by many to be the most devastating pest of honey bees in the world. This mite is present throughout much of the southern United States where queen bees and packages are pro duced for sale. Many Pennsylvania beekeepers purchase queens and packages from the south each year. Queens and packages can be treated effectively for Varroa mite V/2 ” PICKET FENCE ENCE YARD FI Livestock Judging Team Takes Awards ALFRED, N.Y. The Live stock Judging Team from Alfred State College (ASC) has again taken several top awards at the annual Canadian Intercollegiate Judging Competition in Guelph, Ontario. Alfred State was the sole U.S. entry, competing against IS two and four-year college teams from throughout Canada. The event was staged as a stockman’s con test. with entrants judging crop as well as livestock classes. Coached by Lee Laßochelle, assistant professor in the college’s plant and animal science depart- Cautioned with the pesticide Fluvalinate before shipment This chemical is incorporated into strips called Apistan strips or tabs (for treating queens.) The strips or tabs are then placed in close contact with the bees, killing any varroa mites pre sent but not harming the bees. Unfortunately, many queen and package producers are not treating their bees before shipment unless requested to do so by the beekeep er purchasing the bees. Smith said that beekeepers should require varroa mite treat ment (Apistan strips or tabs) of all out-of-state packages and/or queen bees at the time they are ordered. Pennsylvania is currently under a quarantine (Pa. Dept, of Agricul ture) to keep varroa mites out of the state for as long as possible. Lancaster Farming Saturday, May 19,1990-D5 ment, the Alfred team included Thomas D. Smallback of Chary Creek RDI, Albert A. Haier of Eden, Matthew D. Harper of May ville RD2, and Michael L. Riley of Gettsburg. James A. Robinson of Portville was team alternate. Smallback carried home several top individual awards for Alfred, placing first in forages, first in all crops, second in Jersey cows, and third in market lambs. Haier took first place in sheep judging. Harper was fourth in market lambs. As a team, Alfred was first in market lamb judging, also taking three firsts in crop judging; second cut alfalfa, carrots, and haylage. Overall, the college ranked fifth in crops, all classes, and six in live stock, all classes, taking fourth place in the event’s quiz. In addition, ASC placed third in judging tomatoes and fourth in white beans, fourth in judging both Ayrshire cows and Hereford heifers, and fifth in Jersey cows, professor Laßochelle reported. The event was staged at the University of Guelph. Funding for the ASC Livestock Judging Team is provided by the college’s student senate. * 1 r 3” PICKET FENCE POOL FENCE Vs IP
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