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July 2005 Issue
Buy a boar!
by Sam uel Howell
I think I’ve made it clear to everyone, including my boss, just how much I dislike writing an editorial. You wouldn’t believe the kind of offers I made to the bosses in an attempt to get out of writing. From mowing the yard at the office all summer to removing the snow all winter. But, as you can see, nothing has worked. I have a tremendous amount of admiration for folks who, on a monthly basis, have to write editorials. It’s difficult enough for me to do it once a year, let alone once a month.
The most difficult thing I struggle with when writing is just how much or how little to say. Like a wise man once said, “When you write it down on paper, it’s there for the history books to record.” Point being is – regardless of the breed you are working with, look back at publications of your breed magazine, say 20 to 30 years ago, and you won’t have to read far before you realize what the major problem of the day was. If everyone talked lean, there was probably a fat problem. If everyone talked faster-growing, I’m sure there were a bunch of slow-growing ones out there.
The point I’m trying to make is this, as long as I’m required to write an editorial, I am not going to waste your time talking about the virtues of raising purebred hogs. You already know that. The editorials I’ve written in the past few years, along with the one you are reading, are nothing more than a collection of thoughts you folks have shared with me over the past year.
So, inspired by you, here are my top 10 warning signs that will tell you it’s time to change your present breeding program and “buy a boar!”
1. Your wife constantly complains about the money you are spending trying to get your sows bred.
2. A large percentage of your sows bred for January litters farrow in April.
3. Your banker asks you if you have any idea when your hog operation is going to start showing a “profit.”
4. Your banker advises you to start thinking about investing more money in UPS™ or Fed-Ex® stock and less in their service.
5. Your fieldman shows up for his annual visit, and after giving him a complete tour of your pigs —
A. He compliments you on just how nice your crops look.
B. He just can’t get over how much your children have grown since his last visit.
C. He compliments your wife on what a good cook she is.
6. You make entries for a hog show, you buy high-priced gas to get there, pay for a high-priced motel, buy high-priced food while you are there, plus lose a lot of sleep. Come show day, you drive your potential (boy, isn’t he good) champion to the ring, you drive as hard as you can and the judge doesn’t pen you. The next thing you hear is the ring announcer say, “The hogs in the ring are excused. Let’s give these exhibitors a nice round of applause for participating.”
7. You start to think the pictures in a magazine that you are breeding to might not be quite as good as what’s written under them.
8. You come to the conclusion that if you are going to keep making “average hogs” there has got to be a more economical way of doing it.
9. You decide you are tired of someone else making your breeding decisions and would like to become a leader, instead of a follower.
10. You get to the hog show and finally have a boar or gilt make the sale. With anticipations of selling a million-dollar hog, you proudly enter the sale ring. After about three circles you hear the auctioneer say, “gate, gate, gate, pass him out, don’t mark him — next hog!”
If you have or are experiencing any of the above “warning signs” you need to consider “buying a boar.” If, by chance, you don’t feel comfortable selecting the sire of your next pig crop give Ralph Doak, Kade Hummel or myself a call, and we will be happy to help you. There is no guarantee our selection will turn your operation around overnight. But you might find you’ll —
A. Have more money in your pocket at the end of the year!
B. Have a happier life!
C. Be able to take the family on a nice vacation!
D. By taking a nice family vacation you won’t be stuck in the barn all summer having to look at pigs that don’t meet your expectations.
Stay in touch, and God bless you.
