Grow-finish swine Production: Viable Pieces Of The Business

Dec 15, 2014

The Grow-Finish Production – Viable Pieces of the Business educational program is set to take place in four locations across the state starting Jan. 19, 2015.

Michigan State University Extension is teaming up with Maximum Ag Technologies and Farmer Boy AG to offer pork producers and their employees the Grow-Finish Swine Production – Viable Pieces of the Business educational program. The program is intended for individual owners of grow finish facilities and for contract growers who raise pigs for other farms. The information provided will assist with maintaining a profitable enterprise.

This educational program is scheduled to take place in four locations across the state and will include: Allegan County MSU Extension office on Monday, Jan. 19; Cass County MSU Extension office on Tuesday, Jan. 20; Branch County MSU Extension office on Wednesday, Jan., 21; and the Regional Educational Services District office in Ithaca, Michigan on Thursday, Jan. 22. The program will begin at 1 p.m. and end by 4 p.m. at all locations.

Topics to be covered and speakers include:

Making your finishing site competitive, Jerry May, MSU Extension educator
Feeding heavy weight pigs: Will the trend continue? Ron Bates, state swine specialist, and Tom Guthrie, MSU Extension educator
Where’s the feed: Impacts of out-of-feed events on production, Dale Rozeboom, Extension specialist and Tom Guthrie, MSU Extension educator
Total finishing monitoring: Optimizing your ventilation system, Larry Reed, Maximum AG Technologies
Records and Audits: Fulfilling industry expectations, Tina Conklin, MSU Extension educator
Euthanasia tools, Madonna Benjamin, MSU Extension swine veterinarian

Registration for the Grow-Finish Swine Production – Viable Pieces of the Business program is $30 per person or $300 for unlimited number of participants per farm. Registration deadline for all program locations is Jan. 14.

For interested producers, starting at 10 a.m. Pork Quality Assurance certification sessions will take place before the Grow-Finish Production – Viable Pieces of the Business program at each location. Cost of Pork Quality Assurance Plus certification is $20.

Source:msu.edu

Video: Selling Rams & Helping New Farmers Begin

It’s shipping day again at Ewetopia Farms as we sell another Suffolk yearling ram! In today’s episode, we load one of our Suffolk rams onto the trailer as he heads off to his new farm to sire the next generation of lambs.

This particular customer has been buying our rams for over eight years, trusting Ewetopia genetics for their gentle temperaments, strong builds, and proven performance. Back home, we get busy looking after the flock that’s staying behind. With the weather turning wet and chilly, it’s time to put down fresh, clean bedding to keep everyone cozy and comfortable for the season ahead. Later, we welcome a wonderful new family who’s just starting out in sheep farming!

They’ve chosen some of our Suffolk ewe lambs to begin their flock — and we couldn’t be happier to help them take their first steps into raising sheep. Stay tuned for a follow-up episode when we help deliver and settle their new flock at their farm.