(Continued from Page 50) Beam operates his farrow-to-finish farm with wife Mari lyn and family, including son Joshua, 3 years old, and three girls Denise, 7; Joy, 5; and Mindy, 10 months. Beam has help full time from Scott Stoltzfus, his cousin, who is the far rowing and breeding manager. The Beams finish 4,300 hogs per year and sell on the open market to Hatfield. Beam delivers the hog directly to the packer. Beam uses York-Landrace maternal genetics and News ham sires, about 80-90 percent AI, though the farm also uses a couple of boars for heat detection. In litter size, average born live is 11.3 and weaned is 10.1. The Beams use a six room wean-to-finish site. After the pigs are bom in the farrowing room, they stay with the sow for 15 days. In the farrow room, heat mats with lamps are used and the pigs are introduced to creep feeding after one week of age. After the sow is removed after IS days, the pigs stay in the crate an additional two weeks. They are fed a commercial mix, composed of milk products, corn, soy, easy-to-digest feedstuffs, vitamins, and minerals. Afterward they are moved to the finish house using a hy draulic cart. The finish house has a concrete slat floor. The new finish house was completed in 1996 and uses negative ventilation. When hot weather sets in, the house becomes tunnel ventilated. That same year, Beam renovated the nursery to a farrowing operation. The house has a 16-18- inch pit fan, and several other fans measuring 24,36, and 48 inches. Munks’ Slings and Ambulances Rehabilitate Down and Injured Animals Cattle, Horses, Swine, Sheep, Llamas, Dogs Custom Sizes Available ice IV ~i|i Lv NeCkSWpe p^geeJi II yri qs(f«sg(i snags nwi If ]} JJ Dog Cart Munks’ Manufacturing Inc. 9578 March’s Point Rd. Anacortes, WA 98221 -9628 WHW Toll Free 1 -800-377-9454 Pacific FAX: 360-293-2094 Time Velcro™ Hobbles OB Straps During the hottest time of the summer, with temperatures at or near 100 degrees, the house opens to full tunnel. But not all day long. In the middle of summer, Beam has seen the house open at 10-11 a.m. and returnsto normal ventila tion between 8-9 p.m. In 1999, despite the high temperatures, Beam said there were no heat-related death losses. In an ideal system, Beam noted, the hogs will grow faster and consume more feed, increasing their fat percentage. The key, he said, is adjusting feed requirements to the finish plan The finish hogs are fed gradually decreasing amounts of protein, depending on the days to finish. Corn feed for all groups goes through a mixer, reducing particle size and im proving feed intake and efficiency. Beam uses an 800-850 micron particle size for the corn. Beam noted that the most critical time is farrowing. “You have to take care of the sow,” he said. Sows are given a full regimen of vaccines, including PRRS, lepto, parvo, borde tella, e coli, and others. Since adopting that philosophy, Beam noted there haven’t been any healthy problems. Sanitation is also key to general management, something Beam learned when moving from a previous continuous flow operation to his current all-in, all-out system. When emptying the houses, they are pressure-washed and disin fected with a commercial product. Beam doesn’t use an ultrasound or other devices to mea sure carcass quality at the farm. Instead he relies on infor mation on carcass quality, including percent lean, from (Turn to Pago 59) The only one of its kind! • The Heaviest • The Driest • The Strongest • The BEST! NORTH BROOK FARMS CALL TOLL FREE 877-624-2638 Why Buy Anything Else? Ask About... * DURABRISKET * HOPE POLYBOARD • The Most Effective * MUDGUARD * PLASTIC PLYWOOD * CALF HOUSING * FOOTBATHS ‘WATER TANKS Martin's Farm Supply 717-597-4283 Martin Construction Co. 810-683-6120 Ammon Fisher 717-687-0349 Farmer Boy Ag Systems 800-845-3374 Duraßed" COW MATTRESS Greencastle Kutztown Ronks Myerstown
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