Modern Pork Production: intern style

So this summer I had made a goal for my summer, to experience modern pork production to the fullest extent. I applied for multiple internships and was bless to be offered an internship with Innovative Swine Solutions, a swine research group, in Carthage Illinois. I started a week ago and lets just say I have learned a lot and been pushed hard. First in Modern Pork Production is to stick to biosecurity practices. When I come into work each morning I wear plastic boots from my car into the barn, once I get into the barn I remove my shoes, clock in, and head to the showers. A big part of most modern swine units are that they are shower in shower out(nothing crosses the shower but you). You remove your clothing, shower, and dress in the provided clothing by the farm. This was a new experience for me but not unexpected. Once you leave the showers you enter the office where not boots are allowed, the office leads to the actual barn where you put on you boots and enter the facility. As an ISS intern my job is to help manage and care for the animals in our trials. We are currently working on 5 different trials which require either specific feedings, data/weight collections, and daily monitoring and treating. First comes the care of our animals and so I start my day feeding the sows and checking for any illnesses. Our trials can range from many different studies from testing nutritional effects to breeding methods. being exposed to this kind of opportunity is an awesome experience. One of the really cool things I have gotten to experience is the NEDAP feeding system, which is an individual feeding system for gestating sows in group penning. It allows an individual sow to pass through the system eat their individual allotted amount of feed at their own pace, if they choose to eat only a portion of it the system records that amount and allows the sow to come back later to consume the remaining balance. All of the information is recorded by the system and is accessible online for each and every sow. This system not only feeds the sows accurately and on time, but it also knows when they are in heat, it keeps them at the proper body condition, and knows when a sow is not eating. All of this makes running a 6,400 sow unit much easier and much more accurate. As a pork producer I am blown away by all of the data, information, and technologies that help us feed the world, and I am darn proud that I get to be part of it!

Keep Pork on Your Fork!

Hello, I'm a Meat Eater and Proud Of It!

So first off, I am so sorry it has been so long since my last post life has been somewhat crazy. In the past few weeks I have celebrated my 21st birthday, went home to Ohio for a couple days, and more importantly just went to Minneapolis, Minnesota for the 2011 NJSA National Youth Leadership Conference.

This one was kind of bittersweet for me because its my last of many conferences. The NJSA NYLC has always been my favorite of all of our events because it really embodies our true values about our organization. We put our kids first at all times and this event prepares the youth of our industry to speak up for our industry and teaches them the skills to become industry leaders. NYLC was the place that first inspired me to not only run for the Jr Board of Directors but more importantly it made me realize that I want to work in the swine industry. This past month for me has been kind of crazy and very confusing in terms of planing my future career path. I love going to NYLC because it always brings me back home and reminds me what is important in life and in the Swine industry. We had Mark Jewel as our Keynote speaker and he did a great job of getting us all to think about our passions in life. It was different for everyone but examples were, Faith, Family, Hogs, and Agriculture. How often do you sit down and really think about your passions in life and where you want them to take you? The weekend was absolutely awesome! We got to go to Hormel (well not me thank you SW Airlines), we rode rides at the Mall of America and spent a day at The University of Minnesota! At U of M we got to visit the Vet School and learn about their state of the art PRRS research, checked out their Meat Lab and got to go the Raptor Center which was so cool! But I think my favorite part of the weekend was our speakers. We had Jodi Sterle talk about always representing our industry everywhere we go. Dr. Justin Fix spoke about America's Best Genetics and his overseas travels, and I also greatly enjoyed hearing from The Comparts who spoke about their commercial operation and who so graciously donated two meals for all of us at the conference! (DELICIOUS) We had many great speakers but my favorite was Dr. Wes Jameson who gave me a new perspective to advocating for agriculture. Though my class this semester at OSU about Advocating I have heard many different perspectives about telling our story and the general consensus was that we should take the high rode but also moralize our practices and leave facts out. Dr. Jameson had similar ideas about moralizing our practices but he believes that its time that we STOP FEELING BAD FOR EATING MEAT! He had a great point that HSUS uses cognitive dissonance (people's hypocrisy) to make them feel guilty for eating meat, and instead of saying that they should quit, they suggest having people donate money to them to relieve that guilt. Kind of like the church offering method, feel bad, give money, feel better. Well he has a great point we need to relieve that guilt, give them an excuse to keep doing what they are already doing. Our consumers need to be given permission to feel good about eating meat...they need to trust that its ok. Dr. Jameson also suggests that we stir up some controversy as well. Wear t-shirts that say I LOVE MEAT, Dog not = Pigs,Real Girls Eat Meat! (Thank you Jessica Simpson for demonstrating) We can pass out meat on campus's or the coolest thing he suggested was getting a group of FFA students and 4-H's to interrupt a Wanye Pacelle conference with an upbeat line dance or two step! We need to go viral and get the shock factor to make people listen. Now I am not saying that we should burn buildings, but we should peacefully cause some controversy. We must use the same tactics that HSUS use, if we do we can win! Wes also suggested making youtube videos and posting them on meatwithoutshame.com lets have a meat revolution and show to people that Farming is not what you do, its WHO YOU ARE! Stop Feeling guilty for eating meat and being who you are!

God Bless and remember to Keep Pork on Your Fork, make Beef your Meat, and have an Eggcellent Day!