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July 2004 Issue
Farm visits
by Sam Howell
Farm visits, to some, are one of the most valuable services NSR offers. It gives the breeder an opportunity to 1) show off his pig crop, 2) ask the field representative what he has been seeing at other breeders’ farms, 3) ask about what is new in the industry and 4) share some concerns, make suggestions and, in some cases, just gripe!
Last year I made 349 farm visits. I spent 25 days working sales, 48 days working NSR shows and sales, and another 48 days working state fairs and other events. I spent 164 nights in motels and drove 43,317 miles, plus airline miles. If you do the math, you can see there is limited time for each farm visit.
Because of the limited valuable time – yours and mine – I’ll share the five most commonly discussed topics I hear when visiting. Then, we won’t waste time during my next visit.
In no particular order, here are the top five complaints and/or concerns I hear:
1. My hogs didn’t bring enough money or were no-sales at the last show I attended!
My thoughts: one has to remember the “fans in the stands” determine what your product is worth. If your hogs aren’t selling for what you think they are worth, there is probably a good reason.
You might be working with an unpopular blood line or a blood line that has saturated a breed. Check your health – unhealthy hogs have little to no value. You might want to take a realistic, honest look at the track record your hogs have compiled over the years for “breeding on.” A man gets a reputation for selling hogs who’s best day is the day of the sale! What’s your adjustment policy been on hogs that don’t work?
If you consider these points and still think you’re getting a bad deal, I’d recommend you do what’s been popular over the years: blame your “fieldman.” It won’t put more money in your pocket, but you’ll feel better.
2. We bought this gilt in April at a pig sale for my kids to show. We decided to keep her, breed her and raise a litter of pigs. It’s now November – she either hasn’t come into heat or we can’t get her bred. The breeder won’t stand behind her.
My thoughts: what you’re really saying is, “We bought this gilt in April at a pig sale for my kids to show, we exhibited her at every ‘goat roping’ in three states, picked up every ‘bug’ known to the swine industry, fed all the vitamin ‘P’ and modern-day show additives she could eat, and kept her on a hot show feed. The morning after the last hog show, she’s supposed to turn into an easy breeding, highly productive brood sow!”
Think about what you’re asking the breeder to do. If the shoe was on the other foot, what would you do? If you’re interested in buying a highly productive, easy breeding gilt, give me a call. I’ll either find one for you or give you a list of breeders who sell them. On the other hand, if you want to buy the kids something to play with all summer, do what I do with my grandson Dustin – take him to Toys“R”Us!
3. Would you take a look at my really, really good exotic crossbred boar and tell me what he is worth?
My thoughts: this is a two-part request. First: I don’t do mongrels. Second: what is he worth? On
4. Until I get done paying my semen bill and buying this high-priced show feed, I have no money left – I’m working for nothing.
My thoughts: again this is a two-part request. First of all, in 2003, at seven NSR events including the National Barrow Show® and the Southwest Texas Hampshire Breeders Show, 456 boars of four breeds totaled $1,000,477 to average $2,194.
Keep in mind, the high-selling boars tend to inflate the averages. And a number of good boars were passed out as no-sales. Any number of those no-sales could have been bought at the floor price. Buy one, and breed your whole sow herd. No, but a few select matings – who knows? At present-day thinking we’ll never know!
As far as the high-priced show feed goes: when it comes to breeding livestock, “true champions are bred, not fed.” If you are not “making it” remember “you have alternatives.” It might require a little thinking on your part!
5. I’m getting sick and tired of all the new rules “you guys” at NSR keep making! By the way, if you are wondering, this is the most popular complaint I hear.
My thoughts, as you all know: NSR is made up of four breeds. Each has a Board of Directors, elected by “you guys.” (NSR employees are not granted voting privileges, nor allowed to sit on the board.) The Hampshire,
All new rules, regulations and changes in policy are formulated by the elected Board and the Executive Board, and then passed on to the Chief Executive Officer, who passes it to the Vice President of Operations, who passes it to the fieldman. So the next time you want to complain about something, make sure you are talking to the right people – you guys!
Hopefully, we’ll have more time during my next farm visit to work on making your business more profitable. It should also allow more time to do what is really important with any and all farm visits – DINE! Until next time, keep in touch and God bless you.
