The Multiplication Team Recognized with Q2 SelectPride Award
posted on Tuesday, January 18, 2022
The multiplication team has taken on a change that many would shake their head at and shy away from,” said Courtney, a multiplication supervisor in southern Iowa. “They have risen to the challenge and shown their dedication to Iowa Select Farm’s entire production system.”
In Q2 of 2021, ten farms were recognized by Iowa Select Farm’s SelectPride Awards program as a top performing farm in their production category. Congratulations to Lark M932, Rasmussen M009, Kerrigan M042, Stalker 1 M022, Bittersweet M715, Roger North M810, Roger South M811, Dolecheck M027, Howard M037 and Lenox M725 on their hard work.
The breeding stock supply chain, otherwise known as the multiplication team at Iowa Select Farms, set forth a goal at the beginning of 2021 to bring the age of gilts leaving multiplication nurseries down. Gilts are female pigs that have not been bred. In the first week of the year, gilts were leaving nurseries bound for gilt developer units (GDU) and sow farms at 15 to 16 weeks of age. Through hard work and determination, the movement of gilts has shifted down to 12 weeks of age, which has dramatically impacted the entire production system.
The multiplication team often focuses on the mantra #TheRightPig to remind themselves that having the right care, space, health, quality, husbandry and age are what drives a successful farm and sets the GDUs, sow farms and finishers up for success.
That mantra was clearly followed this year as dedication to it resulted in healthier pigs, and sow farms that will reap the benefits of it soon, if they haven’t already.
“Our production changes truly brought out the best side of the multiplication team,” said Tysen, a multiplication senior supervisor. “People stepped up in roles of leadership and helped out farms that needed an extra hand without having to be asked. They saw what positive results can come from this and they wanted to achieve it.”
Much of this stemmed from each farm’s communication with their supervisors and veterinarians. Tysen was honest with us and said, “Managing the health of our farms through changes was a challenge. We concentrated on the care of our pigs and established a communication with our vets that led to drastic developments in the health of our herds.”
Part of improving upon herd health was from a stronger focus on biosecurity. “I saw a shift in everyone’s dedication to Iowa Select Farm’s BeastMode Biosecurity,” said Courtney. “Our team took an interest in understanding animal diseases and what they can do to prevent it. They pay attention to not only the big picture but the small details that make a difference as well.”
Pushing hard to make strides towards better performance, Courtney says the whole team took the bull by the horns with a positive attitude. Courtney wanted to thank them, saying, “We have made leaps and bounds in production this year and everyone pulled together as a team to do so. I can’t thank them enough for their hard work and responsibility towards great animal care.”
While proud of the multiplication team for their ambition this year, Tysen says he’s most looking forward to keeping production high. “It’s one thing to get to the top, it’s a whole different beast to stay there,” he said. “Keeping our team motivated to do the best but also looking ahead at how we can continue to improve is what is most exciting to me.”
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