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,
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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
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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
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