So-Called “Activists” Are Actually Realists

My name is Dr. Kees Scheepens, pig veterinarian and pig farmer from the Netherlands. I was in Manitoba March 25 to give a talk at the University of Manitoba on the phasing out of gestation crates. Now I am sent the article “Animal Welfare Activists Target Pig Castration,” which published in the March 25 issue

Boar castration cuts into farmer profits

I am a Dutch pig truck driver. I was recently shown a copy of your article about pig castration, titled “Grocers are asked to switch to boar meat: Animal welfare activists target pig castration,” published in the Manitoba Co-operator March 25, 2010. My father is a pig trader and I have grown up in the


Drilling Down Into Breeding Herd Records

Learning to drill down into herd data can not only be very interesting but also profitable. Bernie Peet is president of Pork Chain Consulting Ltd. of Lacombe, Alberta, and editor of Western Hog Journal. His columns will run every second week in the Manitoba Co-operator. Computerized herd-recording systems have come a long way since they

A – for May. 6, 2010

n accidental fall claimed the life of one of Manitoba’s pork industry leaders last week. Larry Friesen, 58, fell seven metres from the rafters of a former airplane hangar he was working on at Hangar Farms located on the former air force base near Rivers April 28. He succumbed to his injuries after being taken

Canada Hog Farmers Slash Herds For Aid

Canadian hog farmers have committed to slashing their herds by 5.6 per cent in exchange for government aid, but demand for the exit cash is so high that the Canadian Pork Council fears the industry may be shrinking too fast, a top official said Jan. 26. A competitive bidding process for the funds so far


Looking Beyond The Bars

One of the perks of writing a column about agriculture in a major city daily is the feedback one gets from urban folks about farming issues. The level and intensity of interest is surprising at times. For instance, a column last summer outlining the gist and possible implications of the proposed federal support package for

Targeting Breeding Herd Output Fundamental

Breeding targets can only be achieved when there is a ready supply of gilts available to replace sows that are culled or which die. Bernie Peet is president of Pork Chain Consulting Ltd. of Lacombe, Alberta, and editor of Western Hog Journal. His columns will run every second week in the Manitoba Co-operator. In my

Canada’s Hog Inventory Declines

Canada’s hog inventories as of July 1, 2009, totalled 12.1 million head, down from 12.98 million at the same time a year ago, but up slightly from the 11.88 million during the quarter ended April 1, 2009, figures released by Statistics Canada August 20 show. The government agency said Canada’s hog inventories have been decreasing


Throughput Key To Minimizing Production Cost

bernie peet Peet on Pigs A relatively small deviation in several parameters may easily add up to a reduction in income of $4-$5 per hog. On 500 pigs per week, that’s up to $130,000 in lost margin each year. Bernie Peet is president of Pork Chain Consulting Ltd. of Lacombe, Alberta, and editor of Western

Automatic system diverts pigs to new groups based on weight

Pen widths and selection weights Pen width (ft.) Total pen area (ft. 2) Area/pig (ft. 2), based on 420 pigs Min. weight at transfer (lb.) 28 2296 5.47 128 32 2624 6.25 152 36 2952 7.03 170 42 3444 8.20 203 47 3854 9.17 228 53 4346 10.35 255 Bernie Peet is president of Pork