The Rural Voice, 1979-04, Page 23First OBEX, now FLEX
Pigs are movie stars in Huron County
Swine sales, like cattle auctions are "a -
changing " with the introduction of
video-taped auctions in Huron County.
Acutioneer Tom Papple and sales
manager Bill S t'rong of Seaforth are calling
their new techriiqu a FLEX or the filmed
livestock exchange. The same technique
has already been successfuly used to
market beef cattle in other parts of the
province.
When a pork producer decides to market
some of his livestock, FLEX cameraman
Rick Gibson will go to the producer's barn
and film either the feeder pigs or swine
breeding stock that the producer is selling.
The videotapes filmed at the farm are then
projected on a seven foot screen in the
auction showrooms and buyers bid on the
animals by lot.
Tom Papple, of R.R. 4, Seaforth, who will
be doing the auctioneering said one
advanatage with FLEX is that pigs never
leave the barn until after they're sold. This
means the pigs have less chance of getting
disease and are less stressed, since they're
moved only once.
When the pigs are filmed, they will be
weighed and the weight flashed on the
screen during the auction. Also the buyers
will be told the name of the producers
selling the pigs.
Bill Strong, of Seaforth, the FLEX sales
manager, said any pig in a litter will be
marked if it is sickly or something is wrong
with it.
He said the trucks that will be shipping
the pigs will be cleaned and disinfected
prior to transportation of the animals from
the seller's barn to buyer.
Mr. Strong said pigs will be delivered to
the buyers within two days of the auction .
The FLEX auctions will be held on
Wednesday nights at the Rathwell
Building, Seaforth.
With the FLEX system, buyers can see
the pigs without directly coming in contact
with the animals, which is again expected
to reduce the risk of disease. Also, selling
the pigs by the video-tape auction method
means there are no need for sale facilities
at the breeder's farms or for barns at the
auction room.
Tom Papple told the audience in addition
to the auction,' there will be a short
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These people are watching a demon-
stration of the new Flex or 'filmed livestock
exchange' method of marketing pigs.
educational program on pork product ion
at each FLEX auction.
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THE RURAL VOICE/APRIL 1979 PG. 21