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Management Practices

Featured image for the article titled Show Gilt to Brood Sow

Show Gilt to Brood Sow

Thursday, September 14, 2017

Breeding Stock Health & Nutrition General Care Management Practices Show Pig Health and Nutrition

With summer drawing to a close, many successful show gilts will be retired. But, success in the show ring doesn’t guarantee that female will make a great sow. Many factors including, condition, care and even genetics will affect that gilt’s future in the farrowing barn. The Showpig.com team caught up with Lynsee Shaffer of Shaffer’s Goldrush to get her tips to make your show gilts into brood sows.

Featured image for the article titled Rest Insured

Rest Insured

Friday, June 23, 2017

Industry News Management Practices Showpig News

As the saying goes, “If you have livestock, you will have dead stock.” That’s why protecting your four-legged investments is a wise thing to do. The Showpig.com team caught up with Mart Smith, the president of The Smith Sawyer Smith Agency, located in Rochester, Indiana. Mart has a long history of insuring livestock, and he helped us answer some of the questions we had about the process.

Featured image for the article titled Grow Your Herd: Smart Ways to Expand

Grow Your Herd: Smart Ways to Expand

Tuesday, December 29, 2015

Business Management Practices

You’ve been in the hog business for a few years now. Your farm has nine sows and you have been able to afford to successfully breed and farrow them, selling several of the pigs as show pigs, and you are happy with the results you have accomplished. But now it’s time to expand. You need some capital to grow the herd, purchase more equipment and make investments.

Featured image for the article titled Evaluating Breeding Decisions

Evaluating Breeding Decisions

Monday, December 14, 2015

Business Management Practices

When a swine breeding decision is made, the owner can only hope the mating produces a healthy, high-quality litter of pigs. Using a new sire or starting a new sow herd can be a gamble, but that’s also part of the fun. From the time the babies hit the ground and are sold as show hogs, then fed, trained and exhibited at their final event, it’s important to keep track of each pig’s progress. Tracking their pigs from birth to the final show, helps the breeder decide whether that particular mating was a success or not.

Featured image for the article titled Video Tips: Getting the Best Shot

Video Tips: Getting the Best Shot

Tuesday, December 8, 2015

Business Management Practices Selling Tips

It’s sale time and anxious buyers are scanning the web looking for the right pig at the right age. As a breeder you’ve made the decision to video a few of each litter, and put them in an online sale. With a camera in hand you head to the barn, anxious to get some video and send it to your website sale manager.

Featured image for the article titled 6 Tips for Staying Sane through Your Sale

6 Tips for Staying Sane through Your Sale

Wednesday, October 28, 2015

Business Management Practices

The invoices, the registration papers, the delivery schedule, and you can’t forget the pigs. The only way to stay sane is to get organized. When pigs fly, you say? Remember, the goal of organizing is to make your business functional. Being organized doesn’t have to be difficult, just keep it simple.

Featured image for the article titled Customer Service Beyond the Sale

Customer Service Beyond the Sale

Monday, October 19, 2015

Business Management Practices

Your sale is complete, pigs have been delivered, and now you can relax for a few days, close the book on this sale and focus on your next set. Well…not exactly. Continuing a relationship with your buyers beyond the sale gives you the opportunity to develop strong relationships that can create customers coming back year after year.

Featured image for the article titled Juggling It All During Busy Season

Juggling It All During Busy Season

Friday, October 9, 2015

Business Management Practices Selling Tips

If you aren’t talking on your phone, it is ringing. All while it continually dings and bings from text messages and emails. This can only mean one thing - it is sale season. Seasoned breeder, Rory Duelm, owner of Duelms Prevailing Genetics, has managing communication in the bag. Here are a few of his tips.

Featured image for the article titled Capturing the Perfect Shot of Your Prospects

Capturing the Perfect Shot of Your Prospects

Saturday, September 19, 2015

Business Management Practices

Photographing picture-perfect pigs is about as easy as trying to say photographing picture-perfect pigs ten times fast; not very. Wrangling baby pigs to photograph is often the hardest part of the business. Here are some of the secrets from the experts in the business to help you get the perfect shot.

Featured image for the article titled Standing Out on Sale Day

Standing Out on Sale Day

Friday, September 18, 2015

Business Management Practices Selling Tips

Sale day can be a stressful and intense time as a seller. This stress can be compounded if you feel like every other seller is holding their sale the same day as your sale. Rather than fretting, choose to stand out from the sea of sellers with these tips.

Featured image for the article titled Why Book Your Sale Early?

Why Book Your Sale Early?

Friday, August 21, 2015

Business Management Practices Selling Tips

State Fairs are underway, farrowing is in full swing – you’re busy, no doubt. But one thing you don’t want to push to the back burner is booking your fall pig sale dates. Rather than waiting until you know when others are selling or waiting until you think they are ‘ready’ to sell, we recommend booking early and allowing those dates to drive your marketing efforts.