The lab equipment and initial supplies will cost a minimum of $5,000, and that is really basic equipment. The market is flooded with farms collecting a few boars. We collect our own boars to use on our own sows and sell a little bit. I would steer your away from it unless you were going to use a goo...

If you are just starting out you need to think through this carefully. What you are doing is trying to buy females that you can build your herd around. If you buy one high dollar gilt and she is a flop you are back to square one. Yes you may get your money back, but you lost 6 months of genetic prog...

The best thing you can do to get good pictures is buy a DSLR camera so you can take multiple pictures per second. You can get a brand new one at Wal Mart for under $500 or you can get one on eBay used for even less. If you are taking pictures inside I would recommend getting a speed flash. DSLR came...

We have used the Oster Power Pro Ultra clippers for a handful of years now and are happy with them.

I don't know the science behind it, but you couldn't pay me to feed that to gestating sows, let alone anything. With the unknown conditions of the product, I don't feel the potential risks make it worth the hassle.

Castrate the pig, it is genetic.

Any thoughts KGB?

Wondering how much fat is too much? I know you can slowly increase the fat content over time and get them to eat feed with very high amounts of fat. However, at what level is feed intake and growth affected by increased fat? Also, is it best to monitor fat as a percentage or as a daily amount in gra...

You are both incorrect. When you miss a little bit of white hair on a pig you can't usually see it. However, if you miss the hair on a black haired pig, you can see it

There is a great firm located in Midland, OH, Schulte Brothers. Great people and great hogs. They are having great success at all levels of competition.

Their website is http://www.schultebrothers.com

Start making calls to boar studs and you might find one to house him but it may be a challenge. Here in Iowa there are a few studs that custom collect but I assume you live out east. You could also try to find another breeder in your area that already collects boars. Your time schedule will make it ...

Recently put tenderfoot flooring in the farrowing house. As highly suggested I attached a mat to the flooring underneath the front of the sow to prevent them from chewing the coating off and causing the inner metal to rust. I bought and installed the feed saver mats from Farmtek. I put my first 2 so...

Your description of a good hog makes me laugh fatalmaster. I agree, that kind of hog can have a cool look, and I appreciate that type just as much as most, but it is sad that we want to keep the most valuable part of the carcass short (loin and belly) and lengthen the less valuable primals. I know t...

If the skin and head were removed, it is a typical weight. If that weight is with the head and skin on it is a poor number.

Holy smokes, lets take a breath and get back to basics. No time for juice and fruit, you need energy. First thing why are you feeding a 20% protein feed? That is your first major problem. That pig needs to be on a 16% protein ground feed with at least 1% fat. How long has he been on paylean ? Paylea...