2010 - National Swine Registry

Litter size – quantity over quality? ■ China enters pedigreed world
■ Family farm builds on purebreds ■ Financial inputs to sow productivity
2 • GENE LINK
2010
P.O. Box 2417
1769 U.S. 52 West
West Lafayette, IN 47996-2417
765.463.3594 • 765.497.2959 fax
nsr@nationalswine.com • www.nationalswine.com
Table of contents
Gene Link 2010
Volume 5
About Gene Link
Focused on the utilization of purebred genetics in the commercial hog industry – both domestic and international,
Gene Link is published by America’s Best Genetics, a division of the National Swine Registry, to promote the use of
purebred genetics in hog production.
Features
To view Gene Link 2010 stories and photos online, visit www.nationalswine.com/GeneLink
Page 4
Focus Point
by Darrell D. Anderson
Page 6
Genetic View
by Clint Schwab, Ph.D.
Page 8
Exporting pigs, pedigrees and
proficiencies
by Tamara Choat
Page 16
Doing it his way
by Christy Couch Lee
Page 24
When more is less
by Tamara Choat
Page 32
Higher productivity will lower
weaned pig breakevens
by Ron Ketchem & Mark Rix
Page 31
Index of Advertisers
NSR STAFF
FIELD STAFF
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Chief Executive Officer
Darrell D. Anderson
Field Representative
Ralph Doak
765.427.9910
NSR
EXECUTIVE
COMMITTEE
Vice President of Operations
Mike Paul
Administrative Assistant
Robin Lucas
Director of Genetic and Technical Services
Clint Schwab, Ph.D.
Director of Marketing and Communications
Tamara Choat
Field Representative
Kade Hummel
765.427.3481
Field Representative
Michael Lackey
765.427.3733
Vice Chairman
Randal Buck, Okla.
918.689.3290
Gene Link STAFF
Jerry Brink, Iowa
563.880.1470
Director of Junior Activities
Alan Duttlinger
Editor
Darrell D. Anderson
Junior Activities Coordinator
Kelli Reiff
Senior Editor
Clint Schwab, Ph.D.
Administrative Secretary/
Hampshire and Landrace Secretary
Lisa Kennedy
Managing Editor
Tamara Choat
Data Entry Specialist
Rhonda Eller
Duroc Secretary
Jessica Goyette
Commercial Services/
Pedigree Secretary
Whitney Hosier
Chairman
Willard Olson, Kan.
785.539.4955
Production Coordinator
Rachel Stine
Graphic Designer
Stephen Weintraut II
Jim Grimm, Iowa
563.637.2351
Dave Kilmer, Ind.
574.943.3239
Chuck Olsen, S.D.
605.327.3285
Terry Shaffer, Ind.
765.789.6298
Ken Starks, Okla.
405.743.2021
Carl Stein, Mo.
816.633.4343
Russell Whewell, Ill.
217.746.8201
DUROC
President
Tom Olson, Ill.
Vice President
Bill Isler, Ohio
Secretary
Randy Buchholz, S.D.
Terms Expire 2010
*Randy Buchholz, S.D.
Bret Goff, Ind.
*Tom Olson, Ill.
Terms Expire 2011
*Bill Isler, Ohio
Cody McCleery, Texas
*Terry Shaffer, Ind.
Term Expires 2012
*Carl Stein, Mo.
LANDRACE
President
Russell Whewell, Ill.
Vice President
Bill Tempel, Ill.
Terms Expire 2010
*Dean Compart, Minn.
Tom Knauer, Wis.
*Russell Whewell, Ill.
Terms Expire 2011
Steve Moeller, Ohio
*Bill Tempel, Ind.
Terms Expire 2012
Rachelle Bailey, Calif.
Scott Lawrence, Ind.
HAMPSHIRE
President
Ron Iverson, Iowa
Vice President
Jerry Brink, Iowa
Secretary
Ken Starks, Okla.
Terms Expire 2010
Jason Hirschfeld, Neb.
Ben Moyer, Ohio
Seth Swenson, Ill.
Terms Expire 2011
Jerry Brink, Iowa
Dave Kilmer, Ind.
*Ken Starks, Okla.
Term Expires 2012
*Ron Iverson, Iowa
YORKSHIRE
President
Jim Ifft, Ill.
Vice President
Larry Moore, Okla.
Terms Expire 2010
*Chuck Olsen, S.D.
Wayne Huinker, Iowa
Terms Expire 2011
*Daniel Hendrickson, Ind.
*Jim Ifft, Ill.
Neil Planalp, Ind.
Terms Expire 2012
*Jim Grimm, Iowa
*Larry Moore, Okla.
*denotes second term
Gene Link is published yearly in conjunction with the National Hog Farmer (Penton Business Media, Inc.) by the National Swine Registry (American Yorkshire Club, Hampshire Swine Registry, United
Duroc Swine Registry and the American Landrace Association). Office of Publication is National Swine Registry, P.O. Box 2417, 1769 U.S. 52 West, West Lafayette, IN 47996-2417. Phone: 765.463.3594.
E-mail: nsr@nationalswine.com. Printing is by RR Donnelley. All unsolicited articles, letters, photographs and other contributions of any type whatsoever shall become the sole property of Gene Link,
which shall have the sole right to determine whether to publish any such contribution. Gene Link shall have the right to edit, as it shall in its sole discretion deem appropriate, any such contribution
which it publishes. Gene Link shall have the right to refuse any photos used for promotion and advertising that show evidence of image enhancement and shall have no responsibility or obligation
for the return of any such unsolicited contributions.
To submit comments on Gene Link, e-mail Clint Schwab, Ph.D., Director of Genetic and Technical Services, at clint@nationalswine.com.
2010
GENE LINK • 3
Darrell D. Anderson
CEO, National Swine Registry
The right position
An incredible amount of heavy white
frost had accumulated during the early
morning hours as we were driving to
church on a brisk wintery morning a
few weeks ago. My wife commented that
the trees looked like they were dipped
in white diamonds. I didn’t see any
“diamond-like” appearance on the trees,
but Merlene told me I just wasn’t catching
them in the right position – it all depended on my perspective as the sun was
reflecting down like a gigantic spotlight.
I’m sure you are questioning why I
want to bring back to memory anything
to do with what seemed to be a very long
winter for most of us. But that conversation has continued to replay in my mind
the past few weeks, as I think it has incredible application to the swine industry.
After all, isn’t it really all about being in
the “right position” to take advantage
of the opportunities when they arise?
I believe it was Colin Powell who
said, “There are no secrets to success. It
is the result of preparation, hard work
and learning from failure.” It seems it
has been difficult to avoid failure in our
industry the past couple years. But as
you know, there are brighter days on the
horizon, and I know the vast majority of
you are attempting to position yourselves to be successful in our industry.
And most of you will achieve that goal.
If you’re reading this publication for
the first time, you are seeing the results
of many decades of “preparation and
hard work” invested by the very best
purebred breeders in the swine industry.
The breeders represented in this special
issue have determined to place themselves
4 • GENE LINK
in the “right position” to offer solutions
to your genetic selection needs. They
have lived their lives with the assumption there is no way to understand the
real options involved in the future unless
you become involved in creating them.
Jack Welch once said, “Good business leaders create a vision, articulate that
vision, passionately own the vision, and
relentlessly drive it to completion.” That is
exactly what the members of the National
Swine Registry have done, as evidenced
by NSR’s own mission statement – “Lead
the development and implementation
of programs and services to enhance
the value and influence of U.S. Duroc,
Hampshire, Landrace and Yorkshire swine
within all segments of the global swine
industry through avenues of technology,
genetic service and youth development.”
There is no argument we have succeeded at the last item mentioned in
that mission statement, as the National
Junior Swine Association has grown
from 400 members when it began in
2000 to more than 11,000 in 2010. That
qualifies it as the fastest growing youth
organization in animal agriculture. Will
they all be involved in our industry in
20 years? Of course not, but they do
represent an incredible pool of young
talent who have a real passion for hogs.
We’ve been successful in the programs
we offer to this vital sector of our future.
The genetic suppliers represented in
this publication are largely responsible for
the incredible amount of data accumulated through our genetic improvement program called STAGES (Swine Testing and
Genetic Evaluation System). Since 1985,
we have gathered almost 2 million individual records that serve as the backbone
of our nightly across herd evaluation.
The system is very much dynamic and is
changing every year to meet your needs.
In recent years, EPDs have been added
for muscle quality traits and for WTE
(wean-to-estrus) and litter birth weight.
This past year, we successfully started
printing our performance pedigrees in
China and are gaining ground every day
to build what will truly be an international genetic evaluation system. Much
of our recent success is due to the efforts
of Clint Schwab, Ph.D., our Director of
Genetic and Technical Services. He has
quickly become recognized as one of the
leading swine geneticists in the world
and has traveled abroad to help promote
the advantages of our genetic resources.
NSR has also collaborated with
numerous other institutions including
Michigan State University, Iowa State
University, Purdue University, North
Carolina State University, the National
Pork Board and the USDA research
center at Clay Center, Neb. Much of the
recent activity has utilized our incredible
DNA bank, as we have nearly 20,000
DNA samples on file – which I assume is
the largest number of DNA samples tied
to a known pedigree base in our industry.
So, if you want to be in the “right position” to take advantage of the “diamond”
opportunities provided by the leaders
in the purebred swine industry, please
contact one of the breeders represented in
this issue – you won’t be disappointed.
2010
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2010
GENE LINK • 5
Clint Schwab, Ph.D.
NSR Director of Genetic and Technical Services
The future isn’t what it used to be
It seems the current financial pressures
of the industry are a part of everything
we have read, discussed or heard about
for quite some time now. However, the
fear revolving around the uncertainty
of what’s to come for our industry is
the most relevant concern for all of us.
This uncertainty is something that needs
to be dealt with before we can really
begin to loosen the financial grips of
the industry and start to transition from
anxiety to confidence. Getting there
from here is going to require painting
a vivid picture of the future – accomplished through optimism and clarity.
We need to be proud of the past, but
not let it completely guide the future.
Painting the clear picture will inevitably
require us to allow reality to sink in and
remind ourselves what our core objectives have been, and how they need to
be re-aligned with where we are headed.
ogy, but don’t know much about it. It is
these companies’ commitment to their
personal strategies that have enabled
them to thrive in an economic environment that has crippled many others.
while focusing on our own inherent
strengths that enable us to flourish.
Securing our future
is not a spectator sport.
The question is: What actions can we
take today that will positively impact our
long-term objectives? Effective actions
we take in the short term can have large
What makes your company different? impacts in calming the uncertainty of
How will you thrive when there are so
our future. They distract us from current
many competitors out there and so many negative situations and provide us with
obstacles along the way? The answer
something on which to clearly focus our
to these questions will likely play a big
efforts. The creation of a current and
role in where a company fits within the evolving strategic plan is a valuable methindustry, and what the future ultimately od to unify the direction of the company
holds in regard to company focus.
and develop actions that are parallel
Similarly, many swine producers and to short- and long-term objectives.
seedstock suppliers can better leverage
However, even the most perfectlytheir individual strengths by aligndesigned plans are largely ineffective
ing with other entities that embrace
without leadership and execution. As
the same concepts. Perhaps one of the
we distill a plan into critical points that
best examples is Microsoft’s ability to
can be implemented, leadership must
partner with corporations such as Dell
translate the strategy into definable tasks
Understand your target
and Intel, who each contribute compo- and provide clear and vivid answers
client and develop an aggressive
nents that strengthen the entire system. to remove potential anxiety surroundstrategy to meet their needs.
ing the future of the organization.
Although other client bases can also
Their sum is greater than their parts.
Whether it pertains to our boss,
be served well, it’s important we idenSimilarly, we should embrace our
colleagues
or employees, as we rally
tify the primary user of our product.
differences when we select who to
others
to
secure
our future, we need
Not only will this allow more focused
partner with in our ventures. The most
powerful
combinations
are
those
that
to
focus
on
providing
a clear image of
decisions about which strategies to
intertwine
the
strengths
of
one
entity
where
we
are
headed.
If
we are going
implement and how to allocate limand
weaknesses
of
another.
Whether
to
lead
modern
swine
production,
we
ited resources, but will also eliminate
it
relates
to
management,
genetics,
or
the pressure and anxiety of having to
will need new tools, new infrastructure,
marketing – it’s complicated to combe everything to everyone. Obvious
new ways of thinking, and new ways of
examples of implementing this concept pletely switch weaknesses to strengths.
collaborating with others. It is a difare companies such as Walmart, which is It’s important to constantly improve
ficult, yet extremely valuable thing to
designed to serve those who live payour weaknesses, but greater progress
approach what’s ahead with the undercheck to paycheck, or Best Buy, which
can be attained by partnering with
standing that “we know more now.”
targets customers who enjoy technolthose who have the strengths we lack,
6 • GENE LINK
Identify your core asset and
collaborate with those that
can best compliment your strengths.
2010
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2010
GENE LINK • 7
Exporting pigs, pedigrees
and proficiencies
By Tamara Choat
Most hog producers probably couldn’t decipher the Chinese characters following
the familiar NSR watermark. But anyone affiliated with America’s Best Genetics
could read the meaning behind the paper – the first international pedigree.
I
n October 2009, the National
Swine Registry recognized the
Tangrenshen Meishen Whiteshire
Group (TRS) of Hunan province for
obtaining the first international herdmark, as well as the first international
America’s Best Genetics Certificate of
Registry. Three noted U.S. commercial hog breeders talk about what this
landmark means to them and – despite the current export ban to China
– their history of and hopes for growing the international swine business.
breeding quality Duroc hogs in 1895,
and added an international flavor to their
business model with their first export
to Korea in the 1960s. Since then they
have exported purebred pigs from their
noted Duroc terminal line, as well as
their maternal nucleus, to more than 30
countries and sent animals or semen to
all 50 U.S. states. Waldo Farms currently
has joint ventures established with six
farms in China, and, despite the closed
border, continues to maintain working relationships with these partners.
Cedar Ridge Farms is owned by the six
Grohmann brothers and noted for their
purebred seedstock used in commercial
production. Initially recognized for their
Landrace line, today the farm has two
700-sow farms at separate locations and
has exported genetics to more than 40
countries. They strive to supply a variety
of genetics and phenotypes to meet
customers’ needs in large quantities.
Motivation behind the passport
These farms have different experiences with exporting swine, but all
Whiteshire Hamroc
Cedar Ridge
three can agree that business potential
Whiteshire Hamroc in Albion, Ind. –
An internationally-known pureand the chance to impact successthe firm that established the international bred hog farm located in Red Bud, Ill.,
ful breeding beyond U.S. borders
joint venture to mark an NSR milestone
inspired them to go international.
– has been a family business since the
Mike Lemmon, CEO of Whiteshire
early 1900s, and focused on commercial
Hamroc, says his company is excited
production and export of purebred geabout seeing their genetic programs
netics for the past 30 years. Since 2000,
expand internationally. “We are trying
they have been at work on successto take our commercial partnership to
fully establishing a 1,000-head
another level – to take genetics
genetic nucleus herd in Zhuto our customers worldwide and
zhou in the north central region
partner with other breeders.”
of Hunan province of China.
He noted the business
This herd supplies genetics into
potential in export sales, but
several different Chinese provespecially in offering their
inces. Beyond pigs, Whiteshire
services and knowledge base
Hamroc offers their patented
along with their hogs.
air ventilation system for barns,
“Anyone can buy our pigs
thus providing technology,
from a broker,” he says. “What
they want are our services and
consultation and partnership for
our understanding of how to
an entire pig production system
facilitate genetic improvement.”
– literally from the ground up.
Max Waldo, president of
Waldo
Farms, says his interWaldo Farms
These daughter nucleus sows are owned jointly by the Fujian Yong
est
in
joint
ventures stems
The Waldo family of Waldo
Cheng Waldo Pig Breeding Company and Waldo Farms of DeWitt,
Neb.,
and
housed
in
Fuqing
City,
Fujian
province.
Th
e
Duroc
boar
from
the
value
he places on
Farms in DeWitt, Neb., started
was exported to Fujian province by Waldo Farms.
8 • GENE LINK
2010
genetics, and the importance he sees in
making sure quality hogs are given the
chance to succeed in other systems.
“I was never satisfied with just a
onetime sale,” says Waldo. “I want
to be more involved long term to
help our customers succeed.”
He notes a time he was overseas
several years ago, and producers there
were unhappy with the quality of hogs
they were raising from U.S. genetics.
“I had a chance to look through the
original imported animals, and they
looked good. This breeder just needed
more consultation and a knowledge
base to make sound breeding selections and manage their program.”
From an economic perspective, Waldo says it makes sense to
create a larger business model using international joint ventures.
“We have the advantage of a partnering presence in their market to provide
them with the training and support
for sound production oversight and
skilled genetic evaluation,” he says.
To develop a good genetic program
and breed superior animals while allowing
for selection requires a large population.
“In the breeding stock business, a lot
of people enjoy the process of creating a
superior animal,” Waldo says. “Our goal
is to translate this around the world and
create the same quality in all our ventures. This benefits the customer, the supplier, the marketplace and the industry.”
Cedar Ridge is not involved with
any international joint ventures – the
Grohmanns say they hope to form
partnerships in the future and are
2010
Above: Clint Schwab, Ph.D., NSR Director of Genetic and Technical Services, presents an award
recognizing the first hog in China derived from purebred U.S. genetics and registered with the NSR to
Mike Lemmon, CEO of Whiteshire Hamroc in Albion, Ind., and Guo Yong Hua, Managing Vice President
of Hunan Tangrenshen Group in Zhuzhou City, Hunan, China, in October 2009. Left: America’s Best
Genetics, the NSR umbrella group of commercial breeders, totes international recognition.
looking for customers who would be
good candidates – but has developed a
solid reputation for their high numbers
of live exports. In 2008, 3,500 of the
7,500 total live hogs exported to China
came from their farm. Their goal is to
supply exporters with good genetics to
reach an international customer base.
“We take the approach that the
more export companies you work
with, the more people you have looking at your hogs, and the more sales
you make,” Mike Grohmann says.
International hurdles
Lemmon admits expansion into China
took much more time than he originally
anticipated – and a steep learning curve
in understanding cultural differences
(see side bar). When he started his business plan for China, Lemmon aimed
to secure a partner in 12-18 months.
“A business associate of mine told
me if I wasn’t willing to give it 10
years, I might as well not start.”
Lemmon says it took considerable time to do due diligence and sort
through potential partners – and 7½
years to make significant progress.
Compiling information to analyze the
marketplace was also difficult, due to
differences in, or lack of, market reports.
“Prices there do not have to be
reported, and you don’t know how many
pigs are coming in every day, or how
much is being paid for them,” he says.
The Grohmanns say over the years
they have seen challenges arise from
international firms lacking a knowledge base to build on the potential
of imported hogs. Recognizing this,
Cedar Ridge has worked to export not
only swine, but information as well.
“In one case, a farm from Panama purchased pigs and the manager stayed and
worked with us for a week to observe how
we do everything,” says Freddie Grohmann. “When I visited Panama in October,
I was on his farm and saw things there
that he learned from his stay with us.”
Waiting on the Red gate
With tremendous market potential
looming beyond the Great Wall, trade
restrictions from China banning live
pigs and semen, in place since May 2009
following incidences of H1N1 flu, have
caused frustrations for swine breeders.
“We would have had a lot of sales
into China last year,” Waldo says.
“We’re now void of getting genetics
to new farms that would have benefited in their ongoing programs.”
Waldo Farms initially stocked all
their joint venture farms at 40-50
percent capacity, with a planned growth
phase to fill the barns. One of their
farms near Beijing still needs an additional 2,000 nucleus animals.
Cedar Ridge Farms hoped for
GENE LINK • 9
Translating
integrity
By Tamara Choat
The National Swine Registry office in West Lafayette, Ind., routinely welcomes international trade
delegations. This group from China visited in the summer of 2008 to learn about the registration process
and hear presentations from staff Darrell Anderson, CEO; Clint Schwab, Ph.D., Director of Genetic and
Technical Services (left of center); and Mike Paul, Vice President of Operations (third from right).
similar export numbers to China
in 2009 as they had in 2008.
“The ban has definitely hurt us,”
says Mike Grohmann. “Our short term
goal would be to get China to open up
– but we have no control over that.”
Long term, the Grohmanns hope
countries with developing pork industries
that require better genetics come calling.
“There are many developing markets
where we have an opportunity to sell
a lot of breeding stock for a number
of years,” he says. “Then our goal is to
develop joint ventures to maintain market share even after they become more
mature and no longer require imports.”
Lemmon says they are waiting for
the ban to lift to populate a second
joint venture in the central part of
the Shan Dong province. The buildings are almost complete, and they
would like to populate it with their
own U.S. stock. If not, they will fill it
with hogs from the first partner farm.
Although China is their main target
(Whiteshire Hamroc has established
an office and hired an employee there),
Lemmon says there are more countries with export potential. “In other
parts of the world, especially Eastern
Europe, there are still opportunities to
affect genetic improvement,” he says.
“What we find is that almost universally, NSR genetics are the genetics of
choice if we can just get them there.”
Whiteshire Hamroc pig exports are
often preceded by their AirWorks ventilated barns, and the company is planning
construction of buildings this summer in
Armenia – a sign of things to come, as
well as working on new sites in China,
Korea and Canada and the United States.
Information bridge
Despite geographical distances, both
10 • GENE LINK
Waldo Farms and Whiteshire Hamroc
maintain communication links with their
international counterparts as if they were
across the road – not across the planet.
Whiteshire’s Chinese counterparts input the same data into Herdsman that the
U.S. firm does, and Lemmon and his staff
have 24-7 access to data over there. They
maintain weekly, if not daily, communication with farm managers in China.
“It may be 7,000 miles away,
but we try and treat it like it’s seven
miles away,” Lemmon says.
Every month a Whiteshire Hamroc manager visits China to service
the herd and help work out issues and
prevent problems that may arise.
Waldo says he recognizes the importance of a two-way transfer of
information and data on the hogs he
provides his international partners,
and also uses Herdsman software
in China to maintain records.
“We use breeding, litter, survival, and
litter weight records along with adjusted
growth and backfat information from a
progeny performance test,” Waldo says.
“We also maintain an assortment of EBVs
for maternal and terminal indices, and
in China we’ll design a farm index and
relate that to a benchmark in our herds.”
Despite their different levels of
involvement in international work,
the managers of Whiteshire Hamroc,
Waldo Farms and Cedar Ridge recognize the importance of continuing
to hone foreign relations and create new markets for their product.
“The America’s Best Genetics program
is going to benefit us in the long term,”
Freddie Grohmann says. “Our image
is being developed in other countries,
and that is a strong marketing tool.”
As the world witnessed in the 2008 Summer
Olympics in Beijing, China takes presentation
very seriously. From enlisting a prettier child
to lip-sync the national anthem, to adding a
“14-year-old” girl to their winning gymnastics
roster – despite the fact she had recently lost her
baby teeth, image is everything to this culture.
Americans may view it as disreputable, yet, we
forget that presenting nothing but their best is
demanded by this society. For the Chinese, it is
better to do your country, your family – and your
hog farm – proud, even if it means forgetting
your poor performers. To them, this is honorable.
This cultural norm boosts the significance of
the NSR pedigree in China. Mike Lemmon of
Whiteshire Hamroc in Albion, Ind., says the
Chinese recognize it as an official, legal document,
with accurate data – literally a foreign concept.
“To them it’s a huge deal because in China that
level of integrity – of reporting everything,
not just your best – isn’t always there.
” During one meeting, Lemmon showed data he
recorded from a five-pig litter. “The Chinese asked,
‘Why would you show that?’ They never would
have reported that information over there.”
Lemmon says it took time to sell this concept
to his team in China. “We had to sit down with
our staff and say, ‘I don’t care how bad the data
is or how good the data is, you put it down.’”
Although it requires coaching a cultural change,
Lemmon says overcoming the challenge
by example is worth the time invested.
“When you start following through with
what you say you’re going to do, it creates
strong and immediate trust,” he says.
This trust is also founded on the success of the
U.S. swine industry. “Just having that pedigree
there has raised the level of integrity of our
farm in China immensely,” Lemmon says.
“It’s associated with the NSR – a U.S. firm,
and issued by a U.S. firm – that adds validity
and documentation to those pigs.”
As international markets continue to grow, and the
NSR looks for linguists to translate new pedigrees
into additional languages, it’s an important lesson
to remember. Business practices vary within
cultures, and there will likely be new and different
challenges in breaking into any new market.
With the integrity of NSR members, decades
of valuable data, and continually improving
genetics, the value of the NSR pedigree will
eventually be spoken in many languages.
2010
A tradition of
DUROC GENETICS THAT EXCEL IN BOTH
LEAN GAIN AND PORK QUALITY PRODUCTION SYSTEMS
The National Barrow Show® Sire Progeny Test is the most extensive unbiased
evaluation of progeny performance available to purebred swine breeders. Twelve
different measures of both live and carcass progeny performance are recorded.
Sires are ranked in two overall areas:
• Super Sire Index: Rankings are based on mainstream pork production with emphasis on
lean gain per day.
• PORQUE Index: Rankings are based on meat quality production systems with emphasis
on consumer acceptance.
In 2009 our bloodlines topped both of these tests. The top ranked Duroc sire for PORQUE Index
was a boar we produced, SDF6 Rojo Rhino 79-1. The top ranked Duroc sire for Super Sire Index
was WFD7 Red Rhino 118-5 who is also a son of SDF6 Rojo Rhino 79-1.
Grand Champion Duroc Boar, 2007 WPX
Our family has raised Durocs since 1942. We offer a large selection of high health, high performance Durocs
that meet the health requirements to be exported to any country in the world. Boars, gilts and semen are available.
Doug: 319.352.1709 (cell) 319.231.0676 • 1750 212th St., Waverly, IA 50677
stewartsdurocs@gmail.com
www.stewartsdurocfarm.com
2010
GENE LINK • 11
12 • GENE LINK
2010
• Data access available to your vet, or any other
designated third party.
• Continually updated Estimated Breeding Values (EBVs).
• Your herd is genetically tied to outside herds.
• Assistance from Whiteshire Hamroc’s geneticist in
selection based on HERDSMAN data, genetic analysis,
phenotypic analysis and farm kill sheets.
• Web-based data input into HERDSMAN program from
any computer with an internet connection.
• Whiteshire Partner Plus can be attached to any
of the other options. This option allows Whiteshire
Hamroc to do the best job of supplying genetics that
will optimize your production and marketing potential.
PS
Market Pigs • 100% Heterosis
Market Pigs • 100% Heterosis
GP
YOUR FARM
MULTIPLICATION
Option 2 & 3:
Purchase GP or
GGP Genetics
PS
GP
GGP
N
Option 1:
Purchase PS
Genetics
Partner Options 1 through 3 are similar to other genetic programs in the industry – and our Partner
PLUS provides optional add-on benefits.
We’re confident that one of our Partner Options will meet your production objectives.
Our Partner Options provide the ability to tailor a genetic package to meet your specific production
needs, and allow you to custom select your genetic program with as much interaction with
Whiteshire Hamroc as you desire.
Keith Schuman, President, CEO Herdsman • 877.HERDSMAN • www.herdsman.com
HERDSMAN has been successfully
used by Whiteshire Hamroc to
create genetic improvement and
farm management reports for more
than 20 years.
HERDSMAN is unique in that
it incorporates data collection,
genetic analysis, and farm
management. The program also
allows for individual animal
identification and traceability.
HERDSMAN,
N,
a production
management
em,
software system,
is an integral part of
re Hamroc
the Whiteshire
Partner Program.
At Whiteshire Hamroc, we appreciate the opportunity to become your Partner. We look forward
to supplying your herd with genetic inputs to maximize the potential of your production system.
PARTNER Program
Whiteshire Hamroc
National Average
4 pound advantage!
10 years of genetic progress
Whiteshire Hamroc
Product Lines:
Maternal: Yorkshire & Landrace GGP, GP, PS
Terminal: Duroc, Hamroc and White Duroc
-1
0
1
2
3
4
5
Improved Weaning Weights
Lower cost per pig sold
+ Lower mortality
+ Fewer days to market
+ More-uniform pig crop
= $3+ more return per pig
Weaning Weight/Pounds
2010
GENE LINK • 13
800.825.2929 ext. 111
www.whiteshirehamroc.com
Improved Sow Longevity
• 25.5 more pigs per sow lifetime
• Lower herd health risks
• Lower sow replacement cost
• Greater return on your gilt investment
A balanced program
equals more total profit
At Cedar Ridge, Ridge we are confident that when you consider all things, such as
productivity, longevity, growth rate, feed efficiency, carcass yield, loin depth and lean muscle
content into an overall evaluation, our total genetic seedstock program will excel and establish
more profit potential within any modern production system when compared to other genetic
suppliers. Put us to the test!
Our complete program consists of consists of our true F1 (Landrace x Yorkshire) Whiteline
parent stock females bred to our high-caliber terminal line boars – specifically developed and
selected by Cedar Ridge. Access to these genetic resources can be accomplished through
contract herdsire semen from our boar stud, or direct purchase of young elite AI quality boars.
We welcome you to experience the Cedar Ridge ELITE TOTAL PROGRAM.
America’s Elite Whiteline Females
Excelling in number born, weaning weights, longevity and durability. They
also maintain adequate loin depth and muscle volume in an excellent, longand deep-bodied design.
THE “MnM” GILT
America’s Elite Terminal Line Sires
Americ
Their offspring excel in growth,
yield, loin depth, lean muscle
content and most importantly,
feed efficiency. They are sound,
tough, durable and aggressive.
Available through semen or
boar purchases.
REAL DEAL 149-2
CARCASS KING DH
Products offered:
PB Nucleus boars & gilts (all four breeds) • Fresh semen sales • Bred gilts (as ordered)
Landrace x Yorkshire F1 whiteline maternal replacement females
Duroc x Hampshire F1 terminal line boars
Call to request our current
Genetic Resources Guide
detailing the complete Cedar
Ridge genetic program.
14 • GENE LINK
2010
YOUR PUREBRED GENETIC RESOURCE FOR
PRODUCTION • PERFORMANCE • PRODUCT • PROFIT
Six Grohmann brothers, (l-r) Freddie, Randy, Mike,
Stan, Dennis and Bob, with their families, own and
operate Cedar Ridge, selling seedstock worldwide.
HIGH HEALTH
STRESS FREE
LANDRACE
YORKSHIRE
DUROC
HAMPSHIRE
We are one of America’s top exporters of purebred swine seedstock
k
We have exported to more than 40 different countries in the past
40 years.
We supply pigs and work closely with all U.S. exporters.
3,500 head shipped to China in 2008
High health and stress free
We have 1,400 purebred sows from four breeds, allowing us to
supply a large amount of quality pigs to select from.
618.473.2325
2010
C
CEDAR
RIDGE FARMS INC.
5
5535 Cedar Ridge Lane, Red Bud, IL 62278
ccedarridgehogs@wisperhome.com
w
www.cedarridgegenetics.com
GENE LINK • 15
Doing it his way
By Christy Couch Lee
Kyle Crowder of Attica, Ind.,
has found that a purebred genetic base for his
commercial operation makes perfect business sense ...
I
t’s been said that in order to
experience true greatness, one must
take great risks.
Kyle Crowder
with Crowder Pork
of Attica, Ind., is
putting that theory to the test.
For more than a decade, Crowder
has been producing high-quality pigs
on his breed-to-wean operation,
using only purebred genetics as his genetic base.
Although some producers might shy away from
relying entirely on purebred genetics, Crowder has
found that quality suppliers, consistent bloodlines
and a steady market
make it an easy choice.
In fact, by doing
things his way, he’s finding great success.
grandparents, Earl and Maxine Crowder,
who raised cattle and hogs on the land.
Eventually, Crowder’s parents, Phil
and Ruth Ann, took over the farm and
began a farrow-to-finish operation,
consisting of 30-50 sows. From the time
he began raising hogs, Phil relied on a
purebred genetic base – primarily Landrace sows on Hampshire x Duroc boars.
From the age they were eligible,
Crowder and his two brothers, Kevin
and Kent, were active in 4-H.
“Once I got into 4-H, I was
able to help with more of the decisions,” Crowder says.
The Crowders purchased Yorkshires from Jim McKee, also of AtAll in the family
tica, and Hampshires and Yorkshires
Crowder has
from Del Guard of Young and Guard
built his operation in West Lafayette, Ind., for their
on the farm estab- growing sow herd at the time.
lished by his
Crowder attended Lake Land College in Mattoon, Ill., for two years, and
then attended Michigan State University (MSU), earning his bachelor’s
degree in animal science in 1997. He
also expanded his livestock evaluation
skills by participating on the livestock
judging teams at both colleges.
After graduation, Crowder
returned to the family op-
For more than a decade, Kyle
Crowder of Attica, Ind., has
found success with a purebred
genetic base on his breed-towean operation.
16 • GENE LINK
2010
eration, which had grown to 100
sows, and began assisting with breeding decisions, purchasing terminal
semen from Shaffer Superior Genetics of Albany, Ind., that summer.
“The Shaffers help their customers by moving SEW (Segregated Early
Weaned) pigs,” Crowder says.
At weaning, the hogs are marketed
through the Shaffers’ marketing network.
Terry Shaffer, owner of Shaffer’s Gold
Rush, says this network was established
to facilitate, locate and manage finishers for offspring producers. Currently, 12 producers participate in this
program, including the Crowders.
For an individual producer,
the Shaffer network is a good arrangement, Crowder says.
“We can focus on production, and the
Shaffers help move the pigs,” he says.
As the Crowder family’s success
has grown, so has their operation.
They converted their finishing barn
to accommodate additional sows,
and began their breed-to-wean business, comprised of 250 sows. In
2006, they built two new barns for
farrowing and gestation and grew to
their current capacity of 800 sows.
They also manage 70 beef cows and
farm 1,500 acres of corn and soybeans.
In order to stay on top of their many
commitments, it takes each member of the family doing their part.
A family affair
Crowder says their success is
due, in no small part, to the participation of all family members.
Crowder’s main responsibilities
include managing daily activities of the
hog operation, in addition to breeding,
feed grinding, pig flow and purchases;
and managing two full-time employees.
Kevin and Phil primarily work with
the grain and cattle operations, how2010
Crowder says they maintain detailed records on their sows and pigs, and that data is returned to
their genetic supplier, Shaffer’s Superior Genetics, who then calculate EPDs on different breeding
lines and boars.
ever, they step in to assist with hauling
cull sows to market, loading weaned
pigs and various necessary tasks.
Kent works off the farm as a diesel
mechanic, and is available to lend a hand
with the farm mechanics, as needed.
And, Crowder’s wife, Denise, works
as a branch manager and commercial
loan officer of a local Old National
Bank location. She also oversees farm
finances and manages their young
family, consisting of children Ashley, 7, Garrett, 5, and Tyler, 1.
It’s all about the relationships
The Crowders have always remained a purebred-based commercial
operation, never straying to “company” genetics. The main reasons,
Crowder says, are the relationships
formed and the ability to contribute
to improvements in genetic lines.
“It’s been a good relationship,”
Crowder says. “When I want to be
heard, the Shaffers have the respect to
listen and try to make things happen.”
In addition, he says, if problems arise, it only takes a phone
call to report to the source.
“If there happens to be a problem in a
genetic line, it can be changed or eliminated,” Crowder says. “Company genetics may be able to put makeup over problems. But often, the problems still exist.”
Shaffer says open communication is
crucial in their customer relationships.
“We use a very open philosophy that
encompasses everything that is good and
not so good,” Shaffer says. “Whether it’s
conception rates, born alive numbers
or the milking ability of a certain gilt
line, we want all of the information our
GENE LINK • 17
customers have, and we want it to be
impartial. It educates us, and it educates
them. And, it gives both of us a sense
of ownership in everything we do.”
Crowder says they maintain detailed records on their sows and pigs,
and that data is returned to the Shaffers, who then calculate EPDs on
different breeding lines and boars.
“Everything I get back, in terms
of data, is positive in growth and feed
efficiency,” Crowder says. “I enjoy being able to follow and trace that.”
Shaffer says the information received
from customers is utilized in making improvements to the Shaffer genetic base.
“The feedback from our customers is the most important information
we receive, outside of our nucleus and
multiplier systems,” Shaffer says. “The
information that is documented will go
into our system in one form or another.”
Shaffer says they sometimes contact
the National Swine Registry (NSR)
director of genetic and technical services,
Clint Schwab, Ph.D., to determine the
possibility of incorporating informa-
above, when a
customer calls
and it’s an issue
– a driver that’s
late, or any
issue – we simply deal with it
immediately at
that moment.
We have a very
good followup program
in house, and
we are not
satisfied until
we are 100
percent certain Crowder cites the strengths of his herd in consistent sow longevity and feet and leg
our customer
soundness. Often, Crowder says, his sows produce through their 10th parity.
is satisfied.”
Crowder,
indeed, finds satisfaction in being able to
“We have used pedigrees more in the
trace pedigrees of his hogs, and assisting past year than ever before,” Crowder says.
with improvements of genetic lines.
The data submitted through
Shaffers is also submitted for NSR
STAGES calculations, which compare
Evaluating the numbers
The Crowders receive all F1 Yorkboars against others in their breed.
shire x Landrace breeding gilts at
“Our new group of gilts is out
of a new sire line – one of the topranking boars for number born
alive – Uron, bred by Bill and Angie
Temple of Gentryville, Ind.,” he says.
“Selection for structural correctness and
sow longevity doesn’t necessarily result
from looking at a computer report. It
takes good livestock people to select for
these traits.”
— Kyle Crowder
tion on an occasional testicular rupture
or a genetic defect into their system.
“We want that information to come
back, so we can somehow utilize it in an
economic sense,” Shaffer says. “Over and
18 • GENE LINK
breeding age, and purchase purebred
Duroc semen for use in breeding. By
understanding the genetic background
of his hogs, Crowder says, improvements are more easily spotted.
Looking it over
Crowder is not only seeing success
through pedigrees and EPDs. He’s also
seeing great things in the physical attributes of his herd. Crowder cites the
strengths of his herd in consistent sow
longevity and feet and leg soundness.
“We have been able to maintain
structural correctness and soundness
throughout their lives, and our sows
often go to 10 parities,” he says.
And, as any good hog producer
knows, extra parities mean extra dollars.
“On our farm, every extra parity we
get out of a sow reduces the investment
2010
of purchasing that female by 15 percent,”
Crowder says. “If we take her from parity five to parity six, we’ve reduced that
initial investment cost by 15 percent.”
Quality genetic selection by
the breeder can be credited for
these strengths, he believes.
“These hogs have been selected for
these strengths over the generations,”
Crowder says. “Selection for structural
correctness and sow longevity doesn’t
necessarily result from looking at a
computer report. It takes good livestock people to select for these traits.”
Although Crowder believes great
genetic selection begins with the Shaffers, Shaffer believes Crowder is a strong
livestock man, in his own right.
“Kyle, himself, desires to be the best
he can be, in all areas of swine production,” Shaffer says. “He pays attention
to detail. He takes nothing for granted.
He reads a lot. He talks to industryallied people. And, he compares himself
to other elite producers in the industry.
Simply put, he is always cutting edge.”
to composite hogs
from large companies
or purebred hogs from
other countries, U.S.
purebred genetics are
second to none.”
Because of the
consistent quality of
purebred genetics and
breeders, Crowder
hopes to have a long
future in the commercial hog business.
Understanding EPDs and his sows’ genetic base allows for better decision
making, Crowder says. They receive all F1 Yorkshire x Landrace breeding
gilts at breeding age, and purchase purebred Duroc semen for use
in breeding.
Future expansion
and growth
In the future,
Crowder says, he
would like to expand
his facilities again,
with an ultimate
goal of growing large
enough to become a
single-source provider
for SEW pigs.
“We need to
get through these
tougher economic
A league of their own
Crowder Pork employee Richelle Harkrider assists with feeding in the
times, and I would
Crowder believes purebred breeders
farrowing barn. She is one of two full-time employees who keep the
operation running smoothly.
– Shaffers, in particular – also stand out like to see improvements in our operafrom the crowd. Elite purebred breedtion to lead to those
ers stand behind their genetics, making
expansions,” Crowder says.
that independent producers are secondtheir genetics a logical choice, he says.
He also hopes he may one day
class citizens,” Shaffer says. “When you
“These breeders have made the
pass down the operation to the next
are with Kyle Crowder, you feel that
choice to be dedicated to a particular
generation. Crowder’s children – esyou’re in the presence of a great young
breed or breeds, and they stand behind
pecially 5-year-old Garrett – have
man. Other young men and women
them,” he says. “They have relationtaken a liking to the operation.
need to see that it can be done. The
ships in the industry and want to
“Garrett is a step behind me on
business model that Kyle embraces can
see improvements in their breed.”
what’s going on,” Crowder says with
be successful. He’s doing it his way.”
In addition, Shaffer says, the
a laugh. “And sometimes, he’s a step
quality of U.S. purebred geahead, and keeps Dad in line.”
netics speaks for itself.
Without a doubt, Shaffer be“To make a bold statement, the
lieves
Crowder and his chiladvantage of using purebred genetics is
dren are up for the task.
that the elite purebred genetics in the
“There is such a theory that indepenUnited States are the best genetics in the
world,” Shaffer says. “Whether compared dent producers cannot survive – even
2010
GENE LINK • 19
Shaffer Research Unit
• Uniform, high-health groups
of purebred Landrace,
Yorkshire and Duroc boars
and gilts available all year
• Stress gene free
• We maintain different genetic lines within each
breed to meet specific customer needs
Shaffer
Superior
Genetics
Albany, Ind.
shaffer@ssggoldrush.com
www.shaffergenetics.com
Clyde Jr. cell: 765.730.1032
Clyde Sr.: 765.748.0297
Terry cell: 765.730.1031
Office: 800.843.8666
20 • GENE LINK
2010
DUROC
Developed with an emphasis
i on
durability, efficient lean growth
and meat quality using the
STAGES™ BLUP procedures, the
most current DNA technology and
extensive meat-quality testing
Genetic progress in Number Born Alive
1.30
1.20
Within the Shaffer maternal
program, longevity and
maternal efficiency remain
the highest priority. However,
we haven’t forgotten that
the sow contributes half of
the genes to each market
progeny. Our F1 YorkshireLandrace female has
illustrated superior maternal
efficiency with continuous
improvement in lean growth.
2010
1.00
NBA EPD
MATERNAL
LINES
1.10
0.90
0.80
0.70
0.60
0.50
0.40
0.30
0.20
07/04
01/05
07/05
01/06
07/06
01/07
07/07
01/08
07/08
01/09
Period Ending
GENE LINK • 21
SWINE GENETICS INTERNATIONAL
Your semen source for
Targeting Greater Profits
Growth • Carcass Composition • Feed Efficiency
L i t t e r S i z e • M a t e r n a l E f f i c i e n c y • We a n i n g We i g h t
Berkshire
Chester White
Duroc
• Documented Meat Quality
& Performance
• Maternal Performance
• Meat Quality
• Superior lean growth & efficiency
• Pooled semen or specific boars
Landrace
• STAGES™ Documented Superior
Maternal Performance
Yorkshire
• STAGES™ Documented Superior
Maternal Performance
www.swinegenetics.com
22 • GENE LINK
2010
Liquid or Frozen - Domestic or International
AVERAGE PERFORMANCE • CURRENT SGI SIRES
Days
BF
LEA
Performance Duroc
145
0.50
8.00
Maternal Yorkshire
146
0.51
7.41
Maternal Landrace
146
0.61
7.20
EPDs & INDEXES-SGI PERFORMANCE DUROC SIRES
Days
#Lean
F/G
TSI
MLI
Average
SGI Sires
-3.1
1.1
-6.3
118.9
109.8
Level For
Top 25%
-1.99
1.0
-4.0
118.0
107.4
% SGI
Top 10%
54%
46%
62%
46%
54%
% SGI
Top 25%
100%
70%
85%
70%
70%
Collection
• 28 Years experience striving for the
ultimate in fertility and customer service
SGI also
l h
has a select
l t group off D
Duroc b
boars with
ith superior
i iintramuscular
t
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EPDs & INDEXES-SGI MATERNAL YORKSHIRE SIRES
Days
F/G
NBA
LWT
Average SGI Sires
-2.94
-4.7
0.4
4.8
121.5 114.1
MLI
SPI
Level For Top 25%
-2.19
-3.0
0.25
3.2
119.6 111.1
% SGI Top 10%
40%
35%
50%
41%
50%
55%
% SGI Top 25%
75%
75%
82%
88%
80%
88%
Liquid Semen Processing
• Liquid semen extended in SGI’s world
renowned Modena Extender
SGI also has a group of Chester White boars
selected for superior maternal traits
EPDs & INDEXES-SGI MATERNAL LANDRACE SIRES
Days
F/G
NBA
LWT
MLI
SPI
Average SGI Sires
-4.3
-4.3
0.5
4.8
117.1 110.8
Level For Top 25%
-1.7
-3.0
0.18
2.55
109.6 108.8
% SGI Top 10%
50%
50%
58%
66%
60%
75%
% SGI Top 25%
90%
60%
75%
83%
80%
83%
SGI elite boars are not only selected for documented superior growth, muscle,
feed efficiency and maternal performances, but also for tough, sound,
functional design to ensure longevity and total superior life time production
Frozen Semen
• Frozen semen processing, handling and
shipping perfected over the past 28 years
SWINE GENETICS INTERNATIONAL, LTD.
SGI offers a complete line of AI supplies and equipment including SGI Modena and Everhold long-life extenders
utilized worldwide to optimize semen viability during long term storage.
Contact SGI about the array of genetic markers that are available on most SGI sires
and also about terminal or maternal semen contracts.
PRRS Negative • Weekly PCR blood and semen tests
To order a SGI boar catalog: 515.383.4386 • 800.247.3958 • boars@swinegenetics.com
For more complete information, pedigree and performance on individual boars visit www.swinegenetics.com
2010
GENE LINK • 23
When more is less
Effects of litter size and low birth weight on pig productivity
By Tamara Choat
More pigs = more profit. The more pigs born, the more pigs available
to market at the end of the finishing cycle. It’s simple math – or is it?
Bittersweet victory?
pigs had significant disadvantages
in growth, quality, and survival, but
also, the advantages of a heavier birth
weight increased at a decreasing rate.
For example, the advantages of a 3.0
pound birth weight pig compared
to a 2.5 pound birth weight pig are
greater than the differences between
4.0 and 3.5 pound birth weight pigs.
Allan Schinckel, swine geneticist
at Purdue, studied the effects of birth
weight on
downstream
production factors – including grow-finish
performance,
back fat depth,
and loin depth
– on 1,932
barrows and
gilts at the Pig
Improvement
Company
in Henspecialist and current animal science de- derson, Tenn.
partment head, and Justin Fix, doctoral
He concluded pigs born lighter have
candidate, both at NCSU, performed an significant disadvantages throughout
on-farm trial of 5,700 pigs in a comthe entire production cycle, including
Quality vs. quantity
mercial production system located in
increased mortality, lower percent lean,
Most any producer who spends time eastern North Carolina. Their goal was
and slower growth rate. The differin the farrowing barns and reviewing
to quantify in a true production sysence isn’t due just to a number on a
records can tell you through observatem what birth weight means in terms
scale – physiologically they also are
tion that as pig litter size goes up,
of growth, survival and pig quality.
thought to have less muscle satellite
average birth weight of pigs goes down.
“Just because it’s alive, doesn’t
cells, which prevents them from ever
Academic research studies as far back
mean it’s of equal value,” Fix says.
performing on scale with heavier-born
as 1999 have confirmed this observaSee and Fix created parameters to
pigs in feed conversion or efficiency.
tion – more pigs do not equal more total define a quality pig in terms of body
Schinckel’s data shows that pigs born
pounds of pig – a litter of 11 can likely
weight and health to determine if and
at less than 2.0 pounds are less likely to
weigh the same total as a litter of 10.
how birth weight impacted its likelisurvive the weaning and nursery stages,
and those that do are slower growAs we have successfully increased
hood of becoming a full-value hog by
quantity of pigs, a shift in focus has
the end of the standard finishing period. ing, less efficient, and when they reach
market are likely to be one percent to
turned to quality, and how these
They found lighter-birth weight
Over the past decade, the swine industry has honed in on litter size as a key
production indicator, and breeders have
succeeded in their mission of selecting
for and improving number of pigs per
farrowing. PigChamp data shows that in
the last six to seven years, litter size has
increased by almost one pig per litter,
when measuring number born alive.
But although we have succeeded in
our objective,
perhaps it’s
time to stop
and check the
effects of success. By selecting for greater
litter size, have
we inadvertently created
corresponding
disadvantages –
most especially
light birth
weights? How are these lighter birth
weights impacting the business, and quite
simply, has our focus been too narrow?
increased numbers of lighter-weight
pigs are competing with their heftier
counterparts. Researchers from Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind.,
and North Carolina State University
(NCSU) in Raleigh, N.C., have conducted studies to answer the question – how do low birth weight pigs
affect profitability of the system? Their
data answers – more than we think.
Todd See, former swine extension
“If a growing pig is like a drag race car, the
pig should be gaining faster and faster
and reaching top speed right before 250
pounds when they go to market.”
24 • GENE LINK
— Allan Schinckel
2010
two percent lower percent lean than their
contemporaries. Detailed analyses of
each pig’s body weight curve indicated
that light birth weight pigs grow slower
at each body weight. (See Figure 1.)
“If a growing pig is like a drag race
car, the pig should be gaining faster
and faster and reaching top speed right
before 250 pounds when they go to
market,” Schinckel says. “Not only
does the low birth weight pig start
ten car lengths behind, it’s also missing two spark plugs and then slows
down right before the finish line.”
Schinckel added that even with
the practice of cross-fostering, the
inherent makeup of light-weight pigs
means they will continue to be poor
performers and thus, less profitable.
“We did this in-depth analysis
because people have assumed in the
past that a pig born is a pig weaned,”
As increased litter size, or number born alive, has been selected for the past several decades, birth weights
of pigs have declined. Researchers have shown the effects in terms of downstream performance – lower
weaning weights, more days to 250 pounds, and overall decreased efficiency. Swine geneticists ask the
question – What does this mean in terms of management decisions?
Schinckel says. “We weren’t taking into
account that as we go from litter sizes
of 10 to 15, the average profitability
of those pigs decreases because of the
increased number of lightweight pigs.”
ADG, kg
Figure 1. Evaluation of the impact of pig birth weight on
grow-finish performance, backfat depth and loin depth
1.04
1.02
0.00
0.98
0.96
0.94
0.92
0.90
0.88
0.86
0.84
0.82
0.80
0.78
0.76
0.74
0.72
0.70
0.68
0.66
A magic number?
Credit: Professional Animal Scientist 26::51-69. A. P. Schinckel, M. E.
Einstein, S. Jungst, C. Booher, T. S. Stewart and S. Newman. 2010.
0
1
2
3
Birth weight, kg
BW, kg
2010
46.7
83.5
64.6
102.5
If it’s true there needs to be a balance in increased litter size and decreased light-weight births, then
what is the optimum litter size, and
what is the perfect birth weight?
“That’s an answer we don’t have,”
Fix says, adding that in terms of birth
weight, it is likely a minimum, as opposed to a maximum. Based on See and
Fix’s data, most pigs born weighing above
2.75 pounds do fine – they fit into standard production systems and are likely
to reach full-value. However, Fix says, we
don’t necessarily need pigs born weighing above 4.0 pounds. (See Figure 2.)
“We need to find the happy meGENE LINK • 25
Figure 2. Impact of Birth Weight on Survival, Growth,
Quality and Likelihood of a Pig Being Full Value
(Data are expressed as percent deviations from the average)
1.5
dium,” Fix says. “Just because we don’t
have an exact number, the fact that we
start to recognize there is an optimum
somewhere in the middle will help
producers grow more pigs to full-value.”
Additionally, the balance will likely
differ between producers, as there will
always be both a genetic aspect and a
management aspect. “We will never be
able to completely eliminate all the light
birth weight hogs,” Fix says. “However,
we can genetically reduce the number,
then alleviate the impact on production
through improved management systems.”
Percentage Deviation from Mean
1.5
1.5
1.5
1.5
1.5
1.5
2.0
2.4
2.9
3.3
3.7
4.2
4.6
5.1
5.5
6.0
Birth Weight, lbs.
1.5
1.5
1.5
Credit: Todd See and Justin Fix, North Carolina State University
Probability of Pre-weaning Survival
Probability of Acceptable Quality
Probability of Being Full Value
Probability of Nursery Survival
Off-test Weight
Changes in the barn
The incidence of low birth weight
pigs is slightly greater in herds that
had been selected for increased litter
size. So there is an element of control
that can be selected for genetically.
The genetic evaluation software,
STAGES, contains an EPD for pig preweaning survival, as well as a maternal
line index that includes the effect of pig
birth weight on pre-weaning survival
and 21-day birth weight. Schinckel
says the industry needs to pay more
attention to and select for these traits
as well – and not just litter size.
However, an EPD for reaching fullvalue, according to See and Fix’s definition, is less genetic-based and more influenced by management practices. Therefore, the question of how to increase
full-value hogs comes down to two factors – first, we have to focus on reducing
the incidence of low birth weights, and
second, we must reduce the impact of
decreased economic returns once we have
put these pigs in the production system.
Are there advantages in changing
management and production systems
to better support these low birth weight
pigs and give them a chance to succeed in a different system compared
to their heavier weight counterparts?
26 • GENE LINK
Fix says the issue of low birth weight
pigs doesn’t necessarily include runts.
Few of the lightest birth weight pigs
survive the first 24 hours, and if they
do, are normally removed from the
production system. He says the focus
instead should be on the “second to last”
pigs, those weighing between approximately 1.5 pounds and 2.75 pounds.
These pigs have a higher percentage
of survival – but it is still small. In a
lot of cases, less than 50 percent survive to weaning. In the nursery period
another 10-15 percent will die. By the
time this group reaches finishing, death
percentage drops, but they have to
stay in the finishing phase longer and
possibly go to an alternative market.
There will always be some pigs
born lighter than others, but if producers realize from the start it’s not
simply a matter of “catch up” for these
pigs, but instead a matter of creating
a different growing system and business model for them, the industry will
be better prepared to capture benefits
and not be surprised by losses.
in terms of birth weight, and provide a
number in terms of dollar gain or loss.
“We’re trying to dig more into relationships, refine maternal index selection objectives, and better describe the
economics of different maternal lines,”
he says. “Producers are many times told
they need to have greater litter size – but
they have not been as well informed
on the importance of birth weight and
weaning weight, and the impact of
growth efficiency and days to market.”
Fix says birth weight is something
that needs to be focused on, particularly
in sow prolificacy, because it does impact
commercial production. “The industry
is contracting, and it is going to become
increasingly more important to get pigs
that don’t reach full value – for whatever
reason, survival, growth, or composition – out of the system or into diverse
management production systems.
“Because the last thing anyone wants to do is feed a lot of
pigs through the system that are
not going to reach full value.”
From data to dollars
Schinckel says his next research trial
will look at the economics of each pig
2010
2010
GENE LINK • 27
PRODUCTIVITY THAT LASTS!
Our long-term no nonsense approach to
our genetic program has established the
most user–friendly female in the industry
SUSTAINED PRODUCTIVITY OF 7,000 F1 FEMALES
Herd Size
% of sows
achieving
3 parities
Pigs/Mated
Female/Year
1
1,200
2
1,200
3
1,200
4
600
5
2,400
6
400
72%
74%
78%
82%
83%
86%
27.1
29.1
26.9
25.9
27.2
27.8
Some integrators have set the goal at 80% of females entering the herd achieving
three parities. We have herds that have already surpassed that, and are raising the
bar yet again.
SUSTAINED PRODUCTIVITY
14.5
14.0
Total Born
You wouldn’t
accept a car
that looses
performance
after 3,000 miles,
why settle for a
sow that looses
performance
after just three
parities?
13.5
13.0
12.5
12.0
11.5
11.0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7+
Parity
Tempel F1 females (n=16,000)
30 commercial F1 herds in SMS system*
*Published
*P
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blishhedd iinn th
the JJan.
an 11,
11 2010,
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We have been using a phenotypic scoring system for
over a decade, which has allowed us to capture genetic
progress in skeletal conformation and enhance female
longevity and survival.
28 • GENE LINK
2010
IIndividual lactation feed
iintake records on nucleus
and commercial sows
a
are incorporated into
a
our genetic selection
o
program to ensure that
p
an exceptional appetite
a
will translate into heavier
w
llitters and shorter weantto-estrus intervals.
LACTATION FEED INTAKE OF (n=4,300) TEMPEL F1 FEMALE
Daily Feed Intake
25
20
15
10
5
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
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16
17
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2010
GENE LINK • 29
GLOBAL SWINE EXCHANGE OF IOWA, LTD.
EST. 1978
All animals are selected from:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Highest performance tested herds in the USA using
STAGES™ and on farm testing
Animals are from the highest biosecure SPF and
conventional farms
Animals will be supplied with a registration certificate
providing three generations of sires
Access to university consulting
Fresh and frozen semen available
Agent openings in selective countries
Contact:
Mr. Monte Lutz, President
137 Lynn • Ames, IA 50010
g
515.292.2008 • mlutz@globalswine.com
www.globalswine.com
with remarkable results!
A staple of our program
The Brink Hampshire program is built
around sow families that demonstrate
STAYABILITY, FUNCTION and EFFICIENCY.
A common sense approach based on a long-term understanding
of stockmanship, genetics, nutrition and environment.
JDB Bearfoot 32-4
Effective use of a hands-on genetic evaluation that incorporates
DNA marker technology.
Available genetic resources that successfully combine durability,
lean growth and meat quality.
Jerry D. Brink
23098 Gunder Road • Elkader, IA 52043
563.245.2048 • 563.880.1470
www.brinkgenetics.com
30 • GENE LINK
Genetics available off the farm
2010
Index
ADVERTISERS
Absolute Swine Insemination, Webster City, IA ....27
Brink, Jerry, Elkader, IA ........................................30
Cedar Ridge Farms Inc., Red Bud, IL ............... 14, 15
Compart’s Boar Store Inc., Nicollet, MN ..................2
FACTS, Sheldon, IA ...............................................31
Global Swine Exchange of Iowa, Ltd., Ames, IA ....30
Shaffer Superior Genetics, Albany, IN............. 20, 21
Stewart’s Duroc Farm, Waverly, IA .......................11
Swine Genetics International Ltd., Cambridge, IA
.................................................................. 22, 23
Tempel Genetics Inc., Gentryville, IN .............. 28, 29
TRULINE Genetics, Richards, MO ............................5
Waldo Farms, DeWitt, NE ............................... 33, 34
Whiteshire Hamroc, Albion, IN....................... 12, 13
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raingToublesht&
cCQAm
•M
y
Dr. Chad A. Stahl and the estingSrvcToadulAm
CF
S.)ACT(Fhave the interest of the livestock producer at heart. Through the
use of sound science and animal husbandry practices,.SACTFcan help you to
improve your:
• Selective breeding and nutritional programs
• On-farm environmental conditions
• Biosecurity
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ACTF
collects all
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• Animal welfare and handling techniques
breeders participating in the N
SR
orkQgam
ncePtyAlui
• Carcass yield
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ultimately
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provides an increased profit potential for you, the producer.
Chad A. Stahl, Ph.D.
Owner/Meat Scientist
P.O. Box 333 Sheldon, IA 51201
cstahl@usethefacts.com
www.usethefacts.com
712.324.1445
2010
GENE LINK • 31
Influencing productivity
Managing weaned pig breakeven costs
By Ron Ketchem & Mark Rix
A
ccording to the Swine Management Services Financial
Database, the cash flow breakeven of a weaned pig, based on an average production of 24 pigs weaned/mated
female/year, is $33/pig with a range of
$26 to $37. There are four main drivers
that affect breakeven for a weaned pig:
accomplish this, most farms will need to
lengthen the gilt development process
by 30-60 days. This will take additional
feed, facilities and labor. The feed needs
to be a specialized gilt development
ration, not a finishing or gestation diet.
Facilities need to have 14-16 square feet
per gilt to encourage cycling, the ability
to limit feed, cool cells or misters for
summer heat, and 16 hours of light per
• Productivity: range of 19 to
27 pigs weaned/mated female/year day. Daily boar exposure needs to start
when gilts are approximately 210 days
• Feed cost: range of $9 to $14
of age. Gilts need morning/evening
• Labor cost: range of $4 to $7
breeding to maximize the number of
• Genetic cost: range of $2 to $4
multiple matings per gilt. Data from
recording gilts that are culled or died
Productivity affects the breakeven
during gilt development is very seldom
the most because most costs at a sow
farm are fixed. The average cost to house tracked, but can be used to evaluate the
effectiveness of the gilts’ development
a mated female in the SMS database is
procedures. This added procedure will
$800 with a range is $670 to $840. If
normally require changes to the Standard
we divide $800 by 20 pigs the cost is
Operating Procedures (SOPs) manual
$40, divided by 24 pigs it is $33.33
and additional training of employees inand divided by 28 pigs the cost is
volved with the Gilt Development Unit.
$28.57. Higher productivity will lower
Data in Chart 1 is from a Swine
the breakeven by over $11 per pig.
Management
Services database that keeps
To increase productivity at the sow
parity
information
of 60 sow farms and
farm the key driver is gilt development.
124,000
females.
It
shows gilt total born
To be able to reach 30 weaned pigs/
per
female
farrowed
verses the whole
mated female/year, gilts, at breeding
herd
total
born
per
female
farrowed. The
time, need to be over 300 pounds, 240
farms
are
ranked
by
gilt
total
born per
days of age, have had 1-2 recorded
female
farrowed.
Th
e
linear
trend
lines
heats, and been exposed to a gestation
show
there
is
a
direct
relationship
becrate for 5-10 days before breeding. To
tween gilt total born and the whole herd
total born – the more pigs the gilts have,
the more pigs the whole herd will have.
Table 1 gilt performance information versus herd performance is broken
down by top 25 percent, average and
bottom 25 percent. The gilts in the top
25 percent have 1.05 more pigs than
the average, and 2.38 more pigs than
the bottom 25 percent. This improvement translates to the whole herd
with the top 25 percent at 1.00 more
pigs than the average and 2.13 more
pigs than the bottom 25 percent.
There are 16 farms in the SMS
Benchmarking database with over 29
pigs weaned/mated female/year and they
average 14.4 total born/female farrowed.
Feed cost in the database has a range
of $9 to $14/pig. Feed costs include
all ingredients, feed preparation and
delivery. The biggest driver in feed cost
the last three years has been the volatility
of the ingredients. Decisions on when to
purchase and when to reformulate diets
to take advantage of various ingredient
costs have become critical to lowering
the breakeven on sow farms. Two years
ago we would have said feed was not an
issue at sow farms, but that has changed.
We have seen situations the last two
years where the quality of ingredients or
contamination of ingredients has caused
Total Born by Farm
Chart 1
15
Total Born
14
13
12
11
10
Gilt Total Born
32 • GENE LINK
Total Born
FARMS
Linear (Gilt Total Born)
Linear (Total Born)
2010
Ron Ketchem and Mark Rix are owners of Swine Management Services – a production and
financial consulting company dedicated to providing “information solutions” to the swine
industry. Contact Swine Management Services at:
www.swinems.com • mail@swinems.com • 402.727.6600
production losses. It is important for feed
suppliers to check all incoming ingredients and monitor particle size of ingredients. Feed samples should be collected
every month and stored for potential
future analysis if problems arise. Samples
should be submitted for analysis at least
twice a year. The analysis should include
protein, calcium, phosphorous and testing for some trace minerals and vitamins.
Along with feed quality, feeding rates
can drastically affect productivity. There
are three separate areas of feeding on a
sow farm and SOPs need to be written
Table 1
Top 25%
Average
Bottom 25%
ad-lib from days 2-3 to weaning. Sows
should average 15+ pounds of lactation
feed for every day lactating. Most people
will say they are feeding this amount,
but few are. The easiest way to check
this is add up all the pounds of lactation feed delivered monthly and divide
that by the number of lactation days on
your sow record program. Increasing the
lactation feed will affect productivity
dramatically by decreasing wean to first
service interval, and increasing ovulation rate, farrowing rate and total born.
Mark Rix
Genetic cost has a range is $2 to $5/
pig. Genetic cost includes the purchase of gilts and boars, gilt development – including housing and feeding,
semen purchases, breeding supplies,
genetic fees and royalties and income
from cull breeding stock sales. Of all
these items, the one showing the most
variation is cull breeding stock income,
the range is $2 to $4 per weaned pig.
Cull breeding stock income is affected
by many variables, including timing of
sales – whether it’s weekly, every other
week or whenever you get around to it.
Gilt versus Total Herd Performance ranked by Total Born
Gilt Total
Born
Gilt Live
Born
Gilt Farrowing
Rate
Herd Total
Born
Herd Live
Born
13.21
12.16
10.82
11.91
11.17
10.17
80.9%
81.5%
79.8%
13.68
12.68
11.55
12.22
11.52
10.68
for each area and employees trained to
use them. The first area is gestation; all
females need to be fed as individuals
according to body condition, with each
sow evaluated at least three times during
gestation and feeding rates adjusted.
With the recent cold winter we have
seen groups become under conditioned
because they were located at the end of
a barn or near a curtain and the feeding
rate was not adjusted up to compensate
for the cold conditions. The second area
is open sows. From weaning to breeding, they need more feed than a gestating
sow to increase ovulation. This can be
hard to do in most modern gestation
barns with automatic feeding systems. It
usually requires hand feeding 2-3 pounds
of feed each per day to weaned sows
until they are bred, but this can increase
total born by 1+ pigs. The third area is
lactation feeding. Sows should be fed
2010
Ron Ketchem
Labor cost is another key driver in
the database and has a cost ranging
from $4 to $7/pig. Labor cost should
include payroll, payroll taxes, bonuses,
all benefits, and workers compensation
insurance. A mature, stable, well trained
and caring staff is key to high productivity. This time of the year is a good time
to evaluate how stable your work force
is by calculating the employee replacement rate, take the number of W2 forms
printed divided by the number of full
time positions on the farm. It is not
uncommon to see this number over 50
percent. The farms that spend the most
on labor are not necessarily the highest producing farms. This would be a
good time to review the entire farm’s
employee management practices. This
is also a good time to evaluate your
SOPs and how many dollars you spend
annually on training farm employees.
Herd
Farrowing
Rate
82.8%
83.3%
83.1%
Female death loss affects the number of
females available to sell, with a range of
2 percent to 16 percent death loss. Sow
body condition at weaning greatly affects
the decision to put the sow on the truck
or feed her for two weeks to maximize
income. Lastly, where or who you market
the culls to will affect your income.
The top farms in the Swine Management Services Financial and Farm
Benchmarking databases know that
developing gilts is critical to increaswing production. The feed used at
the farm needs to be high quality and
fed according to the females’ needs.
Keeping, training, and attracting caring employees is key to maximizing
genetic potential, and having a plan
to increase the value of culled animals
reduces the cost to raise a weaned pig.
GENE LINK • 33
Terminals Perform
Lean Growth • Feed Efficiency • Keys to Profit
Supreme Select
A.I. Service
Each farm, sow herd and market
has specific genetic requirements.
Waldo Genetics can identify and
categorize boars at several studs
to meet individual needs.
Hundreds of Maternal and Terminal line boars in AI
distribution selected for exceptional records. Boars
are routinely replaced with more superior genetics
based on EBV’s.
Manitoba, Canada, Pork Marketing Co-op
35 producer members • 300,000 hogs • Waldo Customers Consistent Top Results
CATEGORY
2008
2009
Index
1st & 4th
3rd & 7th
Premium
7th
1st & 3rd
Backfat
3rd & 5th
8th
Loin Depth
3rd
2nd & 7th
% in Core Area *
1st & 4th
1st & 2nd
* Reflects uniformity, fewer “fall outs.”
JBS United replicated trials evaluating progeny of
Waldo Duroc and White Duroc terminal boars on company females.
ADG
1.94
1.91
Duroc
White Duroc
Feed/Gain
2.62
2.59
Yield
77.0%
76.9%
BF
0.71
0.69
Loin Depth
2.70
2.61
WFD8 Firestone 128-2
138 Days to 250 lbs. -2.1 EPD
0.52 BF
-.02 EPD
Feed/100# Gain
-6.0 EPD
7.6 LEA
124.3 TSI
Finisher Performance
% DEATH LOSS
2.34
Avg. Days on Feed
120
ADFI
5.76
ADG
1 94
1.94
Terminal
White Duroc
Cutout Performance
Waldo Terminal Sires on Company Females
HEAD
73,992
BF
0.70
Loin Depth
3.00
% Lean
56.09
Yield
77.16
34 • GENE LINK
2010
Maternals Produce
More Pounds of Lean Meat, Per Sow, Per Year, for a Lifetime
Superior breeds and lines
for profitable programs.
More pounds of meat per
sow per year, and greater
durability, appetite,
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High Maternal and Great Data
158 Days • .49 BF • 8.07 LEA • LS EBV .42
China Guangdong Test Center
Guangken Waldo Genetics Set Record
Yorkshire 212-2 Top ADG 1065g/day
Duroc 214-4 Top Performance Index 126.8
Duroc 214-4 Record Feed/Gain Ratio 2.08
Wuhan Central Test Reports Waldo Boar at Top
492-3 G-Pro 245
Lean at 0.48 BF • Big loin at 8.75 LEA • 4.16% IMF
EBVs:
BF 0.08 • Loin 0.66 • Litter Size 0.12 •
Litter Wt. 8.92 • Birth Wt. 1.59 • # Weaned 0.24
69-3 off test at 129 days to 250 lbs. Every
measured trait, EBV and Index is positive
or above average.
WFDM7 Unit One 169-1
Herdsman vSPI 122.8
136 Days to 250# -5.7 EPD
0.42 BF
7.4 LEA
Feed/100# Gain
-11.9 EPD
# Born Alive
0.5
21 Day Litter Wt. 8.9
UKRAINE EUROPE COMPARISON
WFD8 Kade 226-3
U.S. sired pigs, using imported
semen from Swine Genetics
International, approximately
11 kg. faster growing than
Danish sired pigs
Herdsman MLI 124.0 SPI 113.8
135 Days to 250# -9.5 EPD
0.52 BF
7.4 LEA
Feed/100# Gain
-11.9 EPD
# Born Alive
0.2
21 Day Litter Wt. 4.5
White Duroc, Landrace and Yorkshire components
for the ProElite parent female
800.869.0425
P.O. Box 8, DeWitt, NE 68341
www.waldofarms.com
2010
GENE LINK • 35
Four breeds.
Duroc
Hampshire
Landrace
Yorkshire
One focus.
Your success.
P.O. Box 2417 • 1769 U.S. 52 West
West Lafayette, IN 47996-2417
765.463.3594 • 765.497.2959 fax
www.nationalswine.com