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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1993-03-17, Page 27Record making Bodmin Production Manager Dale Patch gives Elizabeth Procter the latest records of information on the pigs, which she will then enter into the computer for a detailed, accurate and permanent record of each of the farm's 3000 pigs. Providing Complete Protection and Security for your Family Business • FINANCIAL • REAL ESTATE • INSURANCE CARDIFF & MULVEY REAL ESTATE 6. INSURANCE LTD. 111011111 Brussels 887-6100 • BITEStzr dog food CAT FOOD tiorITIPA "Chick Da s '93" Chicks - Sexed or Mixed Also Turkeys - Ducks - Geese Order Before For Pick-Up April 15, 1993 Friday, May 7, 1993 May 15, 1993 Friday, June 4, 1993 PRIDE & KING BRAND SEED CENTRE KING BRAND SEEDS CORN-FORAGES-SOYBEANS Because your prize possessions BITE SIZE Complete & Balanced Diet for Adult Dogs deserve the very best (13? CAT FOOD This Is a nutritious, palatable food which, when fed as directed, will keep your dog In excellent condition throughout your pet's entire adult life. Shur-Gain Cat Food Is nutritionally balanced and complete for all stages of your cat's life. This food contains low ash and magnesium levels to reduce the risk of Feline Urological Syndrome (F.U.S.). HURON COUNTY TWINE HEADQUARTERS Check our new twine Product Line and Compare our LOW '93 prices "BEFORE YOU BUY GIVE US A TRY" nee A fm?Ilaster 9 ii,GE ,NOCULAN,S FARMING '93, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 1993. A7. Farm 93 Breeders try to improve on pigs' weaknesses Continued from A6 "In the breeding barn we are try- ing to improve on weaknesses. We look at specific areas such as the sow's fat and make a decision on which male would be appropriate, depending of course on what you're trying to produce," he said. Obviously as all matings are to produce purebred pigs, care must be taken not to use animals which are related. Records are kept as well on each piglet born, too. "Once in the herd the offspring from these animals are evaluated and if they do not perform up to standard for produc- tivity and growth those parent ani- mals will be culled," said Mr. Patch. "Thus is is not good enough that an individual animal do well; its offspring must excel as well." Weaners are grouped by size and sex. They are weighed in when each room is filled and the feed is recorded. When the room is emp- tied they are weighed out at which time there is a feed conversion as well as an average daily gain for each room, Mr. Patch explained. mary cards which tell the sow num- ber, the litter the number of pigs born, birthday, sire and dame. "each animal is treated as an indi- vidual. The extra time and work it takes to keep these records is just one of the reasons why you charge more for breeding stock," said Mrs. Procter. Prior to going computer in 1989, Mrs. Procter admits that the records were not as detailed. Today every aspect of each pig is watched and recorded. "Before the computer we knew how many were born and when they were weaned. A lot of records were kept but we didn't have the ability to do the detailed analysis. Now we can look at build- ing performance on a pen by pen basis," said Mrs. Procter. Mr. Patch adds, "It has improved production as it has made it easier to identify problems." Each month Mrs. Procter pro- vides Mr. Patch with a performance monitor. "You know what to expect because the history is charted. You're measuring as many different things as you can that would have an impact on production." Though everything is stored on an individual card the computer is capable of sorting into reports. In addition to the performance moni- tor report, Mr. Patch also receives a weekly report on boar usage and a Continued on page A16 "This information is used to moni- tor feed usage (waste) and pig rate of gain." Keeping track of over three thou- sand pigs would be a a monumen- tal, if not impossible task without benefit of specialized computer programs. Mrs. Procter, in addition to her hours spent on payroll and bookkeeping also enters updated records into the computer each week, a task she says, only about an hour and a half. After each week's information is entered Mrs. Procter runs off sum- A.B.M. FARMS LTD. * Conventional and No Till Small Grain and Soybean Drilling with J.D. 750 with Liquid Fertilizer * No Till corn planting with liquid and dry 28% fertilizer applicator 887-9043 DAUPHIN SHUR•GAIN FEED & SUPPLY VVALTON 887-6023 ASK ABOUT OUR PET FOOD VALUE CARD Buy 10 units of any of our Bird Seed, Pet Foods, or Pet Supplies and receive your next purchase of above "FREE" NO TIME LIMIT ON PET FOOD VALUE CARD DUNGANNON 529-7951 - 529-3133 1-800-665-5675 WE BRING YOU THE BEST...FOR LESS!