What Is Happening To Dairy Farms In The United States?

Currently in the United States there is a big problem that many people don’t know about. For over the past decade the number of US dairy farms has been steadily declining but not many people know about their problems. The United States dairy herd consisted of 9.4 million cows at the beginning of 2018 which according to the USDA was about a 1% increase over the last ten years. While the number of dairy cows in the United States have stayed nearly the same in recent years the same cannot be said about dairy farms. In 2008 there were 57,127 licensed dairy farms in the United States and in 2017 40,217 dairy farms remain.

In 1992 there were 131,509 licensed dairy farms in the United States and ever since then have been decreasing at a rate of about 4.7% a year. Since 1992 the amount of dairy farms has decreased drastically and so has the average herd size on the dairy farms. The average herd size in 1992 was about 74 cows/herd and the average herd size now is roughly 187 cows/herd.

Source: Hoards Dairyman

There are multiple problems that dairy farmers are facing currently, first of which is the low prices of milk. According to the USDA the current milk prices set for December of 2018 is $15.05 per hundredweight which is roughly 9 gallons of milk. Many dairy farmers especially smaller dairies have trouble making profits when milk prices are so low by the time they pay for labor, feed, and other bills for the farm. Many farms are actually losing money after they are paid for their milk.

Another problem is with the average herd size increasing many farms are faced with the options of going big or going home. Many farms are limited in their resources to house more animals whether it be space related issues or economically not being able to afford it.  Another problem too is that it is hard to keep up with the cost of technology. Most all large farms use robotic milkers at their dairies. The price of robotic milkers are about $150,000 to $200,000 that can milk 50 to 70 head of cattle. So for the average herd size of 187 head a farmer could have to pay $600,000 or more to switch over to a robotic milking system. For the average dairy farmer that is struggling as is it isn’t realistic to move over to robotic milkers.

While the dairy industry is in trouble now consumers can still help some. The biggest thing that consumers can do is when at stores buying name brand products opposed to the off brand. Some stores sell their brand of milk for roughly $1.50 and when they do that there is no room for the producer to make money. While name brand products do cost more it is a lot more beneficial to the producers when consumers buy name brand products.

So with such low milk prices and no room for expansion many farmers are doing the only thing that they can do and sell out. Many farms that have been milking cows for generations are forced to sell their animals and move out of the dairy industry. Currently it looks like the downward trend of about 4.7% of dairies will sell out. Without much help coming to dairy farms most farmers are trying to hold on as long as they can but when they’re losing most can’t afford to keep milking. Unless big changes come soon the trend of number of dairies decreasing and the average herd size increasing will continue and the average family dairy farm will become a thing of the past.

About Me

My name is Ross Smetzer and I’m from Saint Joseph, Illinois. I am currently a junior at Western Illinois University and pursuing a major in Agriculture Business and a minor in Animal Science. I have spent the last four years working on a small dairy farm with Brown Swiss cattle.

Sources

Staff, Hoard’s Dairyman. “Dairy Farm Exits Outpaced 10-year Trend.” Hoard’s Dairyman. March 10, 2017. Accessed December 06, 2018. https://hoards.com/article-20570-dairy-farm-exits-outpaced-10-year-trend.html.

“Dairy Robotic Milking Systems – What Are the Economics?” EXtension. Accessed December 06, 2018. https://articles.extension.org/pages/73995/dairy-robotic-milking-systems-what-are-the-economics.

Click to access dymadvancedprices.pdf

 

 

Learning Beyond the Classroom

“I have never let my schooling interfere with my education.- Mark Twain”

As one nears the end of their high school career, they are faced with a choice. To go into the workforce, join the military, or continue their education to a post secondary school. This choice can be a difficult decision, and is relative to the individual and their future  career plans.

I grew up in southeastern Minnesota, and was fortunate enough to be involved in FFA, and 4H, where I began a passion for livestock. Although I showed cattle and pigs, I rarely showed any livestock that was out of state lines. When it came to the conclusion of my high school career, I choose a path that took me out of my comfort zone. I choose to further my education at Black Hawk East College in Kewanee, IL. My intentions for this choice was not only to obtain a Agricultural Science Degree, it was also to learn from personal role models, Dan Hoge and Jared Boyert.

While I did receive the education that I was intending, I did not realise the people I would meet, and the experiences I would have, proved equally valuable. At Blackhawk, I was apart of the General Livestock Judging Team. Our team derived of individuals from Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Pennsylvania, Missouri, and Wisconsin. These teammates proved to be some of my biggest influences in college, and went onto  to be some of my closest friends. The experience we had and memories we made through the two years we spent at Blackhawk were some I will never forget.

One of the most valuable segments of my time at Blackhawk, was the ability to learn and connect with some of the breeders that were leaders in the species that had originally started my passion for livestock. I was fortunate to be able to meet breeders that mentored me, and gave me advice that I could apply to my own livestock at home. I remember weekends of boar stud tours, looking at sale calves, sale pigs, and various other livestock related trips. I gained information in these experiences that I continue to use today. Shane Brinning, Nate Weisinger, and others continually took time and effort to share their knowledge about the show pig industry, breeding strategies, and trends that I am very grateful for.

While I had breaks in judging, I was fortunate enough to work for a family that also helped me network and continue my passion for show cattle. Cardinal Cattle Company, was one of the biggest mentors in my college education. I was able to work on cattle for sale, assist in  cattle presentation, and was introduced to many people in the cattle business that I continue to network with today. For someone who has never been to a national show, I was able to be exposed to national shows, and have experiences I likely would not had. As I graduated Blackhawk, I transferred to Western Illinois University and was able to reach out even further and continue to meet new people that help me on my career path.

As I reflect on my time spent at college, it would be difficult to estimate the value that I gained through my post-secondary education.  From the classroom, to the people that I met, and the opportunities that I was able to be apart of, I am very grateful for the education I received. 

My advice to someone making a decision to help impact their future, is to step out of one’s comfort zone. Many times when one takes a step out to an unfamiliar area, and surrounds yourself with new people, there is a lot of opportunity to have experiences that you may never have imagined.

About the Author

My name is Ben Markegard, and I was raised in Rushford, MN. My passion for livestock stemmed from involvement in 4-H and FFA. I have an Associated Science Degree from Blackhawk College in Kewanee, IL, and will graduate Western Illinois University with a Bachelar Degree in Agricultural Science. I would like to thank you for taking the time to read my blog.

 

Return it to the way it was before you had it

When most people think of wildlife they think of deer running across a pasture or turkeys gobbling on a crisp cool morning. When I think of wildlife I think about pheasants. Nature has always been a huge part to my family and helping to give back. Without nature there would be nothing but a concrete jungle all over this world. With that being said nature needs to be kept up and put back to the way it was before we were all on this earth.

My journey to help out nature started out at a young age. I was raised on a crop production family farm where my family grows corn and soybeans. This farm has been in my family for 4 generations and continues each day. Growing up I grew to love riding with my grandfather in the combine late at night and getting up early to have breakfast with grandma while watching birds fly outside. My grandfather would say “treat the land like it should be treated and return it to the way it was before you had it.” For some reason that statement has always stuck with me and for a very positive reason. Agriculture is growing and continues to grow each day but with growth there must be something that is taken away. Unfortunately nature is taking the toll with the growth. In my journey through life I have struggled with the statement on returning the promise on what I take I need to return just like I got it or in better condition.

In the fall of 2010 in my freshman year of high school my FFA adviser Diana Loschen all gave us a task of discovering our supervised agricultural experience (SAE) for the next four years. Some students were quick to respond with “I’m going to use my families farm” or “I raise livestock so that’s what I’m going to use.” I sat and pondered for a second and could not come up with anything. That afternoon I went home and asked my father what he thought I should do. His response “Pheasants! That’s what you should do.” So there I was a young, little freshman wondering how I was going to make this work with my SAE. I knew nothing about poultry let alone pheasants but there I was starting my new project. During that fall my father and best friend spent nights helping me prepare our old chicken coop for fresh chicks that were coming that spring.

 

This photo shows the chicks have arrived and my father is helping me take them out of the box to put them under heat lamps.

In the spring of 2011 I felt like I grew up the most with most of the struggles with raising animals. I did not have livestock growing up so I did not know responsibilities when it came to having to take care of an animal let alone hundreds of them. I had never experienced death first hand like that and what to do when things were not going as planned. In the first year there were a lot of growing pains with learning on how to keep the chicks alive during the cold spring mornings and nights. As these Chinese ring necked pheasants started to grow they began to show their true beauty. The males, which you see plastered everywhere for pheasants forever and other companies sites, are the beautiful colored up birds. The females are all tan with black spots so they can hide in the grass much better.  Spring soon turned to summer which presented a whole other obstacle I had to overcome. Building an outdoor fly pen so the pheasants could fly and enjoy the outdoors without being attacked by other animals. The fly pens were held up by 12 foot 4×4’s that were tied together 15 feet apart. Then there was a nylon netting placed around the whole structure to keep the pheasants from flying out and hawks from entering to kill them. Around the base of the pen there was corrugated steel sheets dug into the ground to keep out coyotes and other varmints. As the pheasants continued to grow I continued to learn about what I needed to do to keep them alive. Soon summer turned into fall which turned into sale time. I had no idea how or who I needed to market the pheasants to. My father insisted I contact a few farmers in our area to talk with them if they would want to buy any and to also get a hold of the local hunting club. So that is what I did. I knew that by selling them to farmers they would release them to hunt and any that survived would help grow our population in the area.

 

This is a photo of male and female Chinese ring neck pheasants. The colored up pheasant is the male and the tan bird with black dots is a female.

 

 

From 2012 to 2013 I decided to bolster my flock to increase my size. With such a high demand for more farmers wanting to buy my pheasants I knew that I had to keep up with the demand. I bought more than over 500 pheasants from Janesville Wisconsin to have them shipped over night as little chicks. By increasing my size I also brought in unwanted variables. I started to have problems with rats and moles attacking my pheasants at night. With birds you cannot just set bait out to kill off the varmints as they might get in to it as well so I had to set traps out. This is a skill that I learned that I still use today. As the birds got old enough to sell I started to market them to people in the community. I was not able to sell the whole flock like before. Since I was not able to sell them all I remembered that saying about giving back. I knew that it was a good choice to make because it not only helped out the environment but it was my way of giving back.

2014, the final year. This is the year I decided I would try something new with the pheasants. I kept back a few females and one male to try making my own flock. There was a lot of struggle during this time period. I knew nothing about incubating and thought that all I had to do was collect the eggs and put them in the incubator. That is not how it is done. I got to learn the trick of candling eggs to see which ones are fertile and which ones are just egg yolk. Just because they are fertile does not always mean that they will make it through the whole process of the egg growth. Then comes the process of them hatching, those who struggled and could not get out of the shell were not to be helped since they would not make it very much longer due to being too weak. Those who did make it still would have a long road ahead as chicks must have temperatures of 99 to 100 degrees to stay warm and alive. Once they had been alive for about a week I knew that I could keep them alive since the rest was on me to keep them alive. I continued to buy the chicks from Janesville as I did not have enough chicks on my own to make a large enough flock.

As the end of 2014 winded down, with pheasants leaving and what was left over were released into the wild, I reflected on all my memorizes that I had made with these pheasants. From time spent with family and friends building the coop, selling the pheasants, to getting to know more people and helping out the environment it made me appreciate the little things. We all do not know how much time the good Lord has given us on earth so we need to make our mark while we are here. I hope that by doing my little part in helping give back to the environment can impact it in a much larger way than I could ever imagine.

Looking back now I am glad that I decided to step out of my comfort zone to do this project. I believe it helped my family grow even closer together and make memorize that will last a life time. Who knew that a kid that was afraid of birds could turn it into a profit and help out the environment all at the same time. So to all of those that help out the environment I thank you and to those who want to help out even if it is small I challenge you to do so. Remember to always return something the way you got it or in better condition.

My name is Zach Taylor and I am from Cullom, Illinois. I am attending Western Illinois University perusing a degree in Crop science. I was raised on a crop production farm with my family growing corn and soybeans. Raising pheasants was my SAE project for FFA and Wildlife management for record books.

Doing What is Right Makes All The Difference!

“Sometimes it is better to lose and do the right thing than win and do the wrong thing”(Tony Blair). This quote as it plays a major role in my families morals when it comes to or small business. For those of who do not know my family personally we are state and nationally certified dog breeders. For about 15 years our family has focused mainly on two breeds of dogs being Corgi’s and Miniature Australian Shepherds. With both of my parents having previous livestock knowledge from raising cattle and Boer goats animal welfare is always the number one priority. This brings me back to topic of my title. There will always be a right and wrong way about making money or moving up in the world. Not always is the correct way the easy way by any stretch of the imagination. In and industry focused on selling cute animals some people take advantage of this and do not take the best of care of there animals.

From : Linda Fleming

Puppy mills Defined by Dictionary.com states “an establishment that breeds puppies for sale, typically on an intensive basis and in conditions regarded as inhumane”. Personally this is a soap box conversation around the Fleming household. Because its exactly these people who give inhumane care of their animals that makes what we love to do more difficult. Dogs to us are more then just pets, they are closer to family. Getting fed before the humans. When not outside live in a insulated building with built in floor heat that is cleaned 2-3-4 times a day. I just like to state that because not everyone that owns dogs and breeds them treats them poorly. Their are Trusted breeders all over and when stuff is done correctly it is so much more fulfilling.

So with all the negative backlash of these puppy mills rules and regulations also have been on the rise. Which rightly so, no animal should have to go through that tough of a life just to turn an extra buck. Also with random searches being held we must be able to always keep up to date with the new set standards put on by the USDA which constantly updates the The Animal Welfare Act which was originally signed in 1966. This act makes sure that any Larger scaled breeder is regulated and inspected by either national or state inspectors. But even with that being stated each state has there own specific regulations when it comes to the number of dogs you can have and breed without a license. For example family’s raising dogs in Illinois are required to have a license if they sell puppies from more then 6 females. But in our neighboring state Indiana is aloud to have up to 20 females that are reproducing so you must fallow each state and national requirements.

Simply stated don’t vaguely describe anyone who is selling dogs as a puppy mill. There is a drastic difference between a licensed breeder and a puppy mill operations. If your interested I know at least around my home area there are actual tours during conventions so you can have a better understanding of what a dog breeders facility and lifestyle is truly all about.

From : Linda Fleming

From : Linda Fleming

From : Linda Fleming

 

A Letter to myself as a junior livestock Exhibitor.

Photo credit: Pulse

I wish you wouldn’t worry, let it be. I’d say have a little faith and you’ll see. If I could write a letter to me. ~ Brad Paisley

Looking back over the past twelve years of my junior showing career made me wonder, what I would say if I could go back and give myself some insight to the future ahead. I wish I would have written a letter to my nine year old self telling me not to worry, stress, or be scared because the future had so much to offer. I wish I would have given myself some advice before I jumped in headfirst and was overwhelmed. Well, I cannot write a letter to myself but I can for the next kid in my footsteps.

If I could write a letter to the next junior I would say, never turn down a handshake. You never know where that opportunity might lead. Try something new, something out of your comfort zone. The opportunity may be as simple as saying “hi” or having a conversation with someone new. There will be nothing more expensive in your life than a missed opportunity and the regret that follows. Not all opportunities will end with success but all will end with lessons learned.

Next, I would challenge a junior to step up and be a leader. Be the leader they would want to follow themselves. You do not have to have a position or title to be a leader. Take action, inspire others to dream more, act more, do more, and become more. A leader is someone who helps others grow.

I would encourage a junior to surround him or herself with a good support system. Surrounding yourself with helpful individuals who not only believe in your dreams but also want to help you achieve your dreams. My support system is my family.

Last but not least, hard work, dedication, and determination are the three things that have to come before success every time. Most people miss opportunities because “it’s dressed in overalls and looks like work,” as Thomas Edison would say. Success involves a lot of hard work and it does not always work out the way you planned, even if you do everything right, but see the opportunity even in the attempt failed. If you put in hard work then you are that much closer at coming out on top. So do not worry, have a little faith and you are the one in charge of your own destiny.

I am Will Blankers from London Mills, IL. I  attended Lake Land College and am currently a Senior at Western Illinois University Majoring in Agriculture Science with a Minor in Animal Science. I was a member of the 2017 Livestock judging team and Hoof & Horn Club. I grew up on a Charolais seed stock operation as well as a row crop operation. After graduation I plan to take over the family farm.

photo credit: Olivia Claire

Investing in Precision Agriculture for the Future of your Farm

The primary goal of precision agriculture is to strive for profitability, efficiency, and sustainability on the farm. This is achieved through a combination of technology and equipment. The technology gathers and analyses data from every action performed on your operation and helps guide your immediate and future decisions. All of this complexity and expense has led to the relatively slow adoption of precision agriculture practices. 

According to a 2016 United States Department of Agriculture report:

So what factor really holds the key to farmer’s decisions to adopt precision farming? Farmers are familiar with Global Positioning Systems (GPS) and Variable Rate Technology (VRT), but how aware are they of more technologies/equipment available that is shaping agriculture’s future. Making yield maps can become a powerful tool to shape decisions after collection over years within the farm. Most farmers use guidance and steering systems making farming way easier and less stressful. Most see initial cost, uncertain economic returns, and technology complexity as limiting factors. Small and medium-sized producers have a relative disadvantage over large producers due to the economics of scale and narrow profit margins. 

Site-Specific Crop Management

In-field data collection using location-specific measurements and remotely sensed data.

Managing different parts of the field separately using a variety of technologies is what farmers should be adopting because of the many factors involved in yield and sustainability. Over and under applications of herbicides, pesticides, irrigation, and fertilizers need to be adjusted based on specific site conditions. Using the collection of this data can lead you to better decisions and success. Understanding the management and maintenance required is key if you are going to invest in precision agriculture equipment. Making sure the equipment and technology is compatible with your operation is also something to consider before investing. New seeding, spraying, and harvesting monitors need to be calibrated regularly, the data collected needs to be organized and accurate, and then making a decision based on this data. Managing flow and application of inputs can precisely monitor what you can’t see and reduce money spent on inputs in low productivity areas of your field. 

Using Data Integration

Precision Agriculture can be used in animal production, crop production, and in forestry. Using it within animal confinement operations helps track the growth, development, reproduction, and well-being of each animal into a profitable enterprise. On large operations, electronic tagging can be used to measure temperature and heart rate. Investments in animal care and feeding can be monitored by technologies to capture a return on that investment. Within forestry, remote sensing and geographic information can be used to detect unhealthy forage. Remote sensing/satellite imagery are combined to find spatial data using the correct wavelength resolution. LIDAR (Light detection and ranging) can use laser sensors to produce maps of forests in 3-D to generate topography maps. 

The Future

I believe all of these technologies will be used within the future and will only advance to become easier for farmers, livestock farmers, and land managers. In this day and age of farming, it becomes harder for young farmers to start up since most of the small and medium sized farms are being “swallowed” or bought out by larger farms. This means an older generation of farmers is left to adopt these technologies and I think most companies are doing their best to advertise what is out there in the market, trying to educate all farmers. What we can teach growers across the U.S. is important to the stability of the agriculture industry and economy in the future. 

About me

My name is Kyle Urish, I’m from a small town of Green Valley, IL. I am a senior at Western Illinois University pursuing a degree in Agriculture Science with a minor in Precision Agriculture. During my time at WIU, I joined the Alpha Gamma Rho Fraternity and enjoy learning as much as I can about agriculture. I am set to graduate in May of 2019 and plan on finding a job within Precision Agriculture.

Sources:

https://agriculture.trimble.com

https://nifa.usda.gov/program/precision-geospatial-sensor-technologies-programs

“Wait, Your Major is What?”

The first words out of everyone I knew when I told them I was going to college and majoring in Agriculture, “Wait, your majoring in what? That’s so not you!”  I didn’t grow up on a farm where getting up at all hours of the night to go check livestock was normal. I didn’t know that there was a difference between a silo and a grain bin. I didn’t spend my time riding in the tractor with dad/grandpa. I didn’t even know the difference between seed corn and corn you took to the elevator. The most farm experience I had growing up was when my dad hauled pigs for a short period of time.

While many of my fellow students spent their time helping their families with the livestock, harvest, and many other farm duties I spent my time in the garage with my Grandpa working on old cars. Car-show after car-show, long talks over and over with him. In high school I was in FFA, only because my friends did it.

Me- age 6 Photo provided by Shawn Gibbs

Never once did I see myself ending up in the agriculture field during those years. I have always had a love for animals and I have always said “I want to be a Vet.”  So as you can probably guess when it came to applying to school, I choose Pre-Veterinary Sciences, in the Biology department. Nope. Agriculture Department.

My journey at Western began with me having this idea in my head, “I’ll make it through and go on to Vet School.” Boy was I wrong. Coming into an Agriculture department with no agriculture experience, except working cattle during veterinary calls, was rough. Hearing fellow students talk about corn this; soil conservation that; the whole thing was intimidating. My first semester there I took an animal science class, that class is what changed my mind about where I wanted to be in life. I didn’t want to work with cute little puppies and kitties anymore. I wanted a challenge, livestock was going to be that challenge.

I started taking more and more livestock based classes, finally convincing myself that I didn’t want to be a Vet anymore. I wanted to work in the livestock industry. I talked to my parents- who were both irate but understanding, about wanting to make the change and be solely an agriculture major. I wanted to focus mainly on cattle, but enjoyed the idea of working with pigs too. During the winter months of my Junior year at Western I was given the opportunity to work for Rhodes Angus. At the time I didn’t realize that it would make my passion for the livestock industry grow. It was hard, hard work….now keep in mind this is my first REAL experience working on a farm. During the month I had off for winter break I helped with calving out 120 calves… Two of which I got to spend most of my time with. Weebles- who was a breached calf that we had to pull, and Wobbles- a calf born extremely early who became a bottle baby.

Weebles & Myself

Wobbles

After that experience I wanted to be more involved with the livestock industry. I had found my passion. If it hadn’t been for Western and Animal Science 112 I wouldn’t be where I am today. Through being a WIU Aggie I have gained so much knowledge about the industry, gained many friendships, and added several experiences to my resume. So although I may have not had the upbringing in agriculture it didn’t stop me from finding that it is career area I want to be in. Now, when people ask me what my major is and I respond with Agriculture Science, I get the response, “It’s good to see you passionate about it.”

My advice to anyone who comes from no agriculture background, but wants to be involved in the industry I say this: “The sky is the limit, don’t let your upbringing inhibit you on where you want to be and what you want to do.”

 

 

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Photo Credit: WIU Career Development Center

Hi Everyone! My name is Addison Gibbs, I am from a small town south of Monmouth, IL. I am a senior at Western Illinois University pursuing a degree in Agriculture Science emphasis in Animal Science with a minor in Agriculture Economics. During my time at Western I have been involved with Agriculture Mechanization Club serving as recruitment chair. In my free time I spend it with my family, friends, and most important my furry best friend Maverick.

Thank You for taking time to read my blog!

 

 

 

 

 

** All Photos were taken by author unless otherwise noted**

When Hogs Were Honest…

 My family has been raising hogs since 1940’s. The first farm was called DeOrnellas Brothers. They raised pure hampshires for commercial and show. When my father was 18 years old he lived on the family tradition by farrowing 1850 sows pure and commercial. Also, having many boar studs. Today, our family farm is called DeOrnellas Showpigs with pure and crossbred sows and boars. But, there are some worries my father has explained to me this past fall.

 

Designed by Ron DeOrnellas

Let’s face it – It’s been awhile since hogs were good. As I’ve traveled some this fall with different breeders sorting hogs, I’ve seen a few show pigs and their environments. Oh, how the times have changed, and not for the better. Today, there are more show gilts and sows in single pens, bedded deep in shavings. In the old days, single pens were used for sick and/or injured hogs or occasionally a special sow or boar. Years ago if they couldn’t survive in traditional gestation pens, that’s how we culled the weak and bad legged genetics from our herd. Today, hogs are bedded deeper, using rubber mats, & are babied…anything to keep poor structured hogs in their herds.
Hogs were built with a natural slope to tail set. That’s how gilts and sows farrowed on their own in any facility, sometimes in a pen with 10-20 sows if we missed one to put in the farrowing house. Their pelvic bones were laid into them like they are supposed to be. Today we have leveled the tail set and flattened the ham loin junction which causes the pelvic bone to be laid in wrong, where they can’t pass their piglets without the assistance of a small arm or a vet to pull or perform a c- section. It wasn’t that long ago, when we shut the farrowing house door at night and we woke up to a new litter suckling mama in the morning. I don’t know about you, but I miss those days. I’ve seen many changes from past to present as I know many breeders have.

Taken by: Caisey DeOrnellas

I think the worst change is the direction we are teaching our kids. I believe that we are concentrating only on making the big money – getting that one to feed, manicure, and prep and then using so many products (legal or illegal) to enhance him. But to many, it doesn’t matter because you just sold a top dollar boar/gilt. However, that boar or gilt has to go home and not only survive in rougher conditions but they still have to breed as well. People are spending good money with hopes they are able to generate better offspring. In the days hogs were good and honest, they did breed and generate. Not to mention, you could buy a barn full for the price of one today.

Lets go old school and go back to the basics. Trying to reverse our ways is the best option we have, to have a bright future as a swine producer in the show pig world.

Taken by: Sarah Twidwell

Hello, my name is Caisey DeOrnellas from Paxton, IL. I am a Senior at Western Illinois University at Macomb, IL. I transferred my sophomore year from Black Hawk East in Kewanee, IL. My major is Agriculture Science with a minor in Animal Science. I am a member of Hoof ‘n’ Horn Club and Cyber Security Club. I grew up raising and showing swine. After graduation I plan on finding a job in sales and raising livestock.