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The Rural Voice, 1986-06, Page 20SHOP & PORTABLE CUSTOM WELDING • Repairs to all makes of lawn mowers, chainsaws & tillers • Hog confinement pens & crates Op HACKETT WELDING & SMALL ENGINES Lucknow 519-528-3835 Feedstor WELCOME TO THE 1986 PORK CONGRESS FEEDSTOR is an all -Canadian -made system of oxygen controlled storage IT'S THE WAY OF THE FUTURE — "Be right — go white" P.O. Box 250 Schomberg, LOG 1TO 416-939-2225 Visit us at our booth #A-8 18 THE RURAL VOICE MORE INNOVATIONS Doug Filsinger of Bluevale in Huron County is a classic in- novative farmer. In 1985, he won second in the buildings division of the Innovation Competition spon- sored by the Ontario Pork Con- gress. In 1986, he's back at the top of the list. Last year, innovations judge Sam Bradshaw of the On- tario Ministry of Agriculture and Food, in Clinton, was so impressed with the hog -weighing area in Filsirtger's naturally ventilated barn, that he suggested Filsinger enter it this year. Bradshaw was right. The convenient weighing area got top marks this year. Placing second in the buildings category this year is Frank Hilbing of Welland for his unique method of heating his home with a 36 -sow farrow to finish operation and an Aqua Matic Water Source Heat Pump. After two years of using the system, Hilbing is very pleased with the results. "It's clean heat and steady heat," he explains. Other entrants include: John and Gord Player of R.R. 2, Gads - hill, who designed a naturally ven- tilated dry sow barn. Also in the building category, Ross Small from the Harriston area, came up with an idea on how to convert a root house into a usable hog nursery at minimal cost. A number of useful gadgets were entered in the innovations com- petition. Arnold Ypma of Shade Oak Swine, Tillsonburg, takes top honours with his covered creep boxes. Ypma has been using covered creep boxes for two years and has noticed several benefits in both piglet health and performance, and also energy savings. The covered creep boxes have virtually eliminated all drafts around the piglets as they sleep, and he was able to lower the temperature in the farrowing rooms from 78 degrees to between 65 and 70. The sows seem more comfortable, have a better appetite, and milk better. The number of sows going off feed has also decreased and the average litter weight has gone up. Before they made the covered creep boxes, Shade Oak Swine used 250 -watt heat bulbs until the pigs were 28 LAKE HURON FARM DRAINAGE JOHN MAIZE Et SONS Open Trench Installation R.R. 1, DUNGANNON 519-529-7510 (FULLY LICENSED OPERATORS) PRODUCTION SALE Lesterosa Swine Breeding Stock 35th Production Sale WED., JULY 2 7:30 p.m. at the farm LANDRACE YORKSHIRE HAMPSHIRE DUROC ROP Tested To have your name put on our mailing list please contact Dan Lester R.R. 5 FOREST, ONT. NON 1 JO 519-786-4286