The Rural Voice, 1998-01, Page 24HOG EQUIPMENT SPECIALISTS
For all sizes of hog operations
• NIPPLE DRINKERS • CRATES • DRY SOW STALLS • PLASTIC SHEETS • NURSERY PENS
• FEED CARTS • HOG SCALES • BROODER SHIELDS • ROTARY, CORNER & FEED SAVER
FEEDERS • PIGGY TUBS • ALL FLEX EAR TAGS (VOLUME ORDERS ONLY)
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Marvin L. Smith
B.Sc.F. (Forestry), R.P.F.
Farm Woodland Specialist
765 John St. West
Listowel, Ontario N4W 1B6
Telephone: (519) 291-2236
Providing advice and assistance with:
• impartial advice/assistance in selling timber,
Including selection of trees and marking
• reforestation of erodible or idle land
• follow-up tending of young plantations
• windbreak planning and establishment
• woodlot management planning
• diagnosis of insect and disease problems
• conducting educational programs in woodlot
management
• any other woodland or tree concerns
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1-800-440-2694
RR #1 Moorefield, ON NOG 2K0
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THE NEW AND INNOVATIVE FARROWING CRATE DESIGN
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20 TI1E RURAL VOICE
there, and pig habits such as zoning.
Their builder was encouraging and
helped them work out many of their
ideas. It was difficult, Marg says,
trying to foresee possible problems
so they could avoid them. At one
point they contemplated putting in a
straw mow above the pigs but felt it
would be better to go with a simpler
design and store the straw in sheds.
In the end, they ended up with a
barn that suited their ideas, and was
considerably cheaper than a
conventional barn. Total cost,
including drilling a new well, is
about $210 per pig place, compared
to $275-$300 for a slatted floor barn
(not including site preparation such
as driveways or wells).
There has been interest in their
experiment. In the fall they
telephoned a fcw friends and
acquaintances in the business with an
invitation to come to a small open
house to see the new facility. A few
people were also brought in by a
salesman for their feed company.
Still, interesting others isn't as
important as living up to their
own convictions. They're
religious people. "We thank God for
giving us guidance and blessing in
our work," Marg says. They belong
to the local Christian Reformed
Church and the Christian Farmers
Federation of Ontario. They have
convictions about the environment,
feeling they are stewards of the land
who should turn it over to their
children in as good a condition as
they received it. They also have
strong feelings about how to treat
their animals.
"You take care of the animals and
they'll take care of you," Marg says,
expressing the traditional belief of
animal husbandry.
Jack feels it's a more animal
friendly type of barn. The animals
seem happy and there have been no
problems with boredom or tail biting.
The only problems encountered
have been with some sore feet from
the new concrete and some coughing,
perhaps from the dust created by the
use of straw.
Both stress they're still learning
how to operate their new facility and
fine tune their management. "The
book continues to be written ... it
isn't finished," Marg says. Still, she
says, they have no second thoughts
about stepping off the beaten path.0