HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Lucknow Sentinel, 1993-03-17, Page 52Page 36 -Farm Progress '93
FARM
ROGRESS
by Tim Cumming
One word might summarize the
direction of Bob and Rose
Robinson's farm: health.
The Robinsons have become one
of the province's leading breeders
of hogs by ensuring their animals
are free of diseases, such as pneu-
monia. Essentially, the Robinsons
use no antibiotics in their growing
animals.
When contacted for this Farm
Progress edition, Bob recalled how
he and Rose decided on th_a_t direc-
tion.
"We decided in order to have a
position in the breeding stock busi-
ness that we needed to provide
animals with a very high heafih," he
said. "The other reason for doing
that was we felt consumers were
going to be demanding pork pro-
duce without using antibiotics."
"It hasn't happened yet but over
time that will become a necessary
part of the industry, at the demand
of consumers."
For 25 years the Robinsons have
been involved in the pork produc-
tion business with their operation,
Vista Villa Farms Ltd. at RR 4,
Walton. Not long after they began
in pork production the Robinsons
began to start producing breeding
stock.
"Originally we started producing
market .animals, we were a com-
mercial producer," recalls Bob
Robinson. "We weren't producing
market animals for that long before
people started inquiring about
breeding stock."
The Robinsons had been produc-
ing . Hampshire -breed pigs in the
,early 7Q's which were a fairly -new
sire breed. in Canada at the time..
The family soon began breeding
Health is the primary focus.
of. production at Vista Villa
Yorkshire-Landrace cross -breeds.
They also bred purebred Yorkshire
hogs for their own females.
Breeding hogs provides at least
60 per cent of the farm's income
although it involves only about one
third of the animals. The other two-
thirds are market animals.
The Robinsons cross -breed
Hampshire and Duroc breeds as
well as York"shire-Landrace.
The switch to minimal -disease
breeding was not a decision taken
lightly. In the spring of 1986 the
family had to get rid of all its herd,
completely wash down the farm
facility and keep it empty for 30-60
days to rid itself of any potential
bug. The herd was then repopulated
with pigs born from Caesarean
section. During the period of
repopulation the farm had to sacri-
fice cashflow.
'.`There's a fairly significant cost
because of this down-time," said
Bob. "This is a good way to go but
bankers are interested in cashflow,
they're not interested in financing a
family for six months."
The Robinsons might have around
4,000 hogs at any given time. They
have 100 sows farrow every month.
Vista Villa Farmshas grown to
its current size because Bob wanted
an operation that would allow him
time to become active in issues
which affected the industry.
"I wanted to be in a position...that
I could take time to be involved in
outside activities...to hopefully have
an influence on the direction of the
industry," he said. "As a result of
that we've had a little larger than
average operation for quite a num
ber • of years."
Vista Villa Farms goes to great
lengths to prevent its animals from
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being exposed to such conditions as
pneumonia, lice, mange, swine
dysentery or rhinitis.
Raising a healthy herd without
antibiotics involves good manage-
ment, said Scott • Robinson, the
couple's son who works full-time at
the farm. It takes a good environ-
ment for the hogs, good housing,
good ventilation and good feed. The
herd is also closely guarded from
any outside contamination.
"Nobody gets out intothe barn
without a shower," said Rose
Robinson.
Prospective customers at the
Robinsons' farm have no physical
contact with the animals. They can
view the hogs through a glass win-
dow which separates the viewing
room from the 'show room.'
Most purchasing, ,however, is
done over the phone.
One of the major concerns held
by the pork industry is the potential
that American hogs will be per-
mitted to enter this country for
slaughter and possibly bring
pseudo -rabies with them. Canada is
currently free of this serious condi-
tion. •
The Canadian packing industry is
complaining it does not have access
to all the pork it needs and would
like to import some live American
hogs. '
Bob said this could risk the er,:ire
breeding and commercial industry
in Canada.
"The Packers we have don't buy
all the hogs that are available. (in
Canada)," he answers back. "Before
they make statements like that they,
have to buy every hog that's avail-
able in Ontario."
An American countervailing duty
•turn to page 38
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