Photo credit: SDSU Extension

This year’s SDSU Beef Day will highlight the latest research in cattle health, feedlot, meat science and food safety, along with an update on beef Extension programs.

Loren and Adrian Waldner, Britton

Brothers Loren and Adrian Waldner are in charge of Westwood Colony’s swine operation. Located near Britton, the 1,150-sow farrow-to-finish operation utilizes Topigs/Norsvin genetics all on one site. They use internal multiplication to provide breeding stock while also maintaining biosecurity and rely on Dr. Evan Koep from Pipestone Veterinary Services for herd health advice.

The Waldners’ operation averages 31.5 pigs/sow/year, with weaning at 21 days of age. After weaning, the pigs spend seven weeks in the nursery before being moved to finishing rooms that use food courts and wet/dry feeders. In each room, through the use of scales in the food courts, they are able to feed three different diets to better match the nutritional program to the size of pigs. From weaning to market weight, the pigs on average gain 1.76 pounds/day, have a 2.51 feed efficiency and a 4.5% mortality. The Waldners sell their pigs to Smithfield Foods at an average weight of 276 pounds. Westwood Colony manufactures their own feed and uses Team Nutrition as nutritional consultants.

Photo credit: SDSU Extension

Brothers Loren and Adrian Waldner are in charge of Westwood Colony’s swine operation. Located near Britton, the 1,150-sow farrow-to-finish operation utilizes Topigs/Norsvin genetics all on one site.

Martin and Krista Prouty, Bryant

Martin and Krista Prouty recently celebrated their third wedding anniversary and the second anniversary of their 4,400 head wean-to-finish facility one-half mile north of their home near Bryant. Martin managed Dolph Creek Pork, a 3,300 head site, for five-and-a-half years, acquiring the knowledge and skills necessary to build and manage his own barns on land that has been in the family for more than 125 years. The full-curtain, naturally ventilated barns are joined in the middle with a common entrance, office space and permanent covered loadout. Pigs are housed in mixed sex pens that are partially slatted over shallow manure pits which are scraped daily and connected to the gravity fed manure tank. Smithfield Foods provides technical support and educational opportunities.

Prouty Farms Pork finishes hogs competitively within the Smithfield system with pigs that gain 1.92 pounds/day, have a 2.66 feed efficiency and 2.38 % mortality. Martin are Krista are both involved in the community and actively promote pork production.

Photo credit: SDSU Extension

This year’s SDSU Beef Day will highlight the latest research in cattle health, feedlot, meat science and food safety, along with an update on beef Extension programs.

Nicole Frutiger, Dalton

Nicole Frutiger manages Thunder Ridge, a filtered 5,700 head sow farm near Dalton. The gestation barn, housing 4,500 stalled sows, and the farrowing facility, housing 1,200 sows, are temperature controlled with evaporative cooling cells in the summer. Sows are bred using post-cervical artificial insemination and produce on average 33 pigs/sow/year. Piglets are weaned at 25 days of age for the Pipestone shareholders from a total of 23 farrowing rooms containing 52 pens each and producing 3,300 weaned pigs per week. Thunder Ridge brings 250 replacement gilts into the six-room gilt development unit every four weeks.

Frutiger credits the work of Dr. Emily McDowell, Pipestone Veterinary Services and the crew of 15 workers at the farm for the success of Thunder Ridge. Previously, she managed Salem 2 from startup to a top producer through her focus on team and individual development and education. Frutiger readily shares her passion for and knowledge of the swine industry with friends, family and the community.

Photo credit: SDSU Extension

Nicole Frutiger, manager of Thunder Ridge, a 5,700 head sow farm near Dalton.

Each year through the South Dakota Master Pork Producers program, allied partners and SDSU Extension recognize outstanding pork producers in South Dakota, as well as help young people who may be interested in a future in pork production.

SDSU Professor and Extension Swine Specialist Bob Thaler says this year’s Master Pork Producers exemplify the hard work South Dakota family farms are doing each day to feed families across the state and beyond.

“From their impressive pork production statistics and commitment to the We Care principles, to their contribution to their community and the state’s swine industry, these are outstanding South Dakota pork producers and we applaud them for their dedication,” says Thaler.