The Rural Voice, 1988-10, Page 55Feed Tanks
• 1 tonne to 20 tonne
(larger sizes built to order )
• 14 gauge metal
• feed factories
Livestock Trailers
Standard Sizes or Built
to Your Specifications
Services
Sheet & Structural Steel
Bending – Rolling – Shearing – Welding
SMITH STEEL & FABRICATING INC.
Hwy. 23 North, Atwood, Ont. 519-356-2802 or 2824
"THE ONE STOP SHOP FOR STEEL"
GREAT SLEDS!
GREAT STUFF!
GREAT DEAL!
Buy any 1989 Safari or Ski -Doo
worksled model
before
October 31,
and get
$150t worth
of clothing
and
accessories
absolutely
free!
But remember, this is your last
chance to get a great sled
and some great stuff.
t while supplies last
ski -d00® 89
LYNN HOY
ENTERPRISES LTD.
Hwy 86 just east of Hwy. d'by Wingham
519-357-3435
Monday to Friday 8 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Saturday 8 a.m. - 12 noon
GRAIN DRYING
AND HANDLING
EQUIPMENT
Factory Trained Service
& Parts
• New MC grain dryers, various
used grain dryers
• Aeration, floors and drying fans
• Bins, Legs, Augers ... Complete
Systems
• Choppers, Shredders, Scythes,
Pick-up Mowers
• If You Are Not Drying the MC
Way, It Costs You TOO Much.
A
4
A. J. HAUGH
EQUIPMENT LTD.
Brucefield, Ont.
Call for information and prices:
519-527-0138
Ontario's oldest MC dealer
and distributor
ADVICE
DON'T PUSH A
SWINE OPERATION
Lower margins in the hog business
create stress, and stress often means
push, push, push. To meet various
commitments, many pork producers
push their system harder during down-
turns in price cycles. Does this always
work? Let's take a look at a typical
situation using a "Pigdex" computer
simulation.
A producer has 70 sows farrow to
finish with average production (2.1 lit-
ters/sow/year, ships 1,219 market hogs/
year). He decides, within his present
system, to increase to 85 sows. (He
assumes he can maintain "present pro-
duction" levels and market 1,480 fin-
ished pigs.)
His facilities and time are now at
capacity. Individual attention to clean-
liness, farrowing rooms, and breeding is
slightly reduced. His system is now
stressed, and a snowballing effect oc-
curs.
His nursing pig mortality increases
by 5 per cent, weaner pig mortality in-
creases by 2 per cent, and because of
fewer supervised matings and missed
heat cycles, liners/sow/year decrease to
1.9. These 85 sows now produce 1,228
market hogs for the year. His break-
even market price has increased by
$3.60. He is losing this battle.
But instead of increasing sow num-
bers, he decides to follow another op-
tion.
He decreases the number of sows
from 70 to 60 and intensifies his barn
activities. He sets good, reasonable
targets and strives to meet them (2.25
litters/sow/year, a reduction of nursing
pig morality by 5 per cent, and an in-
crease in pigs born alive by 0.25 pigs/
litter). He makes repairs, supervises all
farrowings and breedings, and monitors
his marketing weights closely.
Stress within the system and opera-
tor is reduced. These 60 sows produce
1,225 market hogs for the year. His
break-even market price has decreased
by $4. Shipping the same number of
hogs from fewer sows — that's the
winning option.0
Mark Yungblut
Pork Advisor
London OMAF
OCTOBER 1988 53