shop online at www.missourivalleyshopper.com February 20, 2018 • Page 3 2017 SD Master Pork Producers Recognized ing rate, 15.7 pigs born live per litter, and has weaned S.D. Master Pork Producers is a volunteer organiza14-plus pigs per litter for 54 straight weeks. tion comprised of allied industry members who have Currently they wean at 19 days of age, but plan to the goals of recognizing outstanding pork producers and build more farrowing rooms and wean at 24 days of age promoting pork production in South Dakota. The 2017 S.D. Master Pork Producers include: Dan Ro- to help the pigs get off to a stronger start at weaning. The feed for the farm comes from Central Farmers in das, Spencer; Lenny Wipf, Lakeview Colony, Lake Andes Montrose. and Bruce Burkhart, Dell Rapids. The Honorary Master Thunder Ridge utilizes DNA Genetics, and is also the Pork Producer is Jeri Westra, Smithfield, Lennox. highest producing farm in the DNA system. To protect Dell Rapids, was named a 2017 South Dakota Master the health of the animals, they follow a strict biosecurity Pork Producer and is one of three South Dakota pork plan, and replacement gilts are brought to the farm at producers recognized during the S.D. Master Pork Proweaning. Rodas believes that great protocols are essenducer banquet held this January in Sioux Falls. The S.D. Master Pork Producers is a volunteer organi- tial to their success, and he also gives a lot of credit to Dr. Luke Minion, Dr. Scott VanderPoel, Dr. Emily McDowzation comprised of allied industry members who have ell and Jared Hemelstrand the goals of recognizing outstanding pork producers Lenny Wipf and promoting pork production in South Dakota. The Wipf started working with pigs in 2002 and has been other South Dakota honorees include: S.D. Master Pork the swine manager at Lakeview Colony since 2012. He Producers, Lenny Wipf, Lakeview Colony, Lake Andes was actively involved in the building of the original barn. and Dan Rodas, Spencer and Honorary Master Pork ProThe operation is a 1,000 sow, farrow-to-finish operaducer, Jeri Westra, Smithfield, Lennox. tion using Genesus genetics. There are 1,000 sows, 3,500 Burkhart originally started with a farrow-to-finish operation, and in 1998 built a 2,000-head, naturally venti- nursery pigs and 3,000 finishing pigs on-site. Offsite they have three, 1,000 head finishing barns lated finishing barn. and one, 2,400 head wean-to-finish barn. Sows are bred It took seven meetings with Minnehaha County ofin crates, but then put in gestation pens two days after ficials before being approved, but Burkhart approached breeding. the situation as a teaching opportunity to educate local Wipf and his crew sort females based on weight and officials on modern pork production. His efforts proved successful, because when he applied for a permit in 2008 backfat so they can manage the sows better with less competition, and gilts are placed into their own pens. to build a second 2,000-head mechanically ventilated They also use hot water radiant heat to keep the pigs finishing barn, it was approved the first meeting. Burkhart later switched to strictly finishing pigs so he warm. Wipf has four other people working with him onsite, and there's an additional person who oversees the could to do a better job managing pigs and other enteroffsite barns and the feed mill. prises. In 2012 he joined the Pipestone System. Pork production is done differently at Lakeview Today, he markets 8,000 pigs annually. The feed Colony. comes from the Edgerton feed mill. Burkhart utilizes They are part of an "Antibiotic Free Program" with split-sex feeding and hot water heat from a wood-burning Natural Foods in Sioux Center, Iowa. furnace to keep his pigs warm. Not only are all diets free of antibiotics and animalHe believes that continual preventative maintenance and paying attention to details EVERY day is what makes based feed ingredients, but they also utilize pen gestathem successful. In 2017, the pigs in his barns had a 1.58 tion, and farrowing crates that are turned into farrowing pens three days after farrowing. pound average daily gain, a 2.53 feed efficiency, and a With these unique circumstances, Wipf and his crew 4.79 percent wean-to-finish mortality. of four are producing an impressive 29 pigs/sow/year, Along with sons Jase (full time) and Brandon (part which takes a lot of extra management and skill. Howevtime), long time employee, Lenny Stahl, helps make a er, Wipf credits their success to the guys doing the work, successful team. Kim Morgan and Mike Vanden Bosch saying they all work together in a team effort. from Pipestone System are Burkhart's main resources. Also, Wipf utilizes Dr. Rob Fisher & Dr. Jon Ertl from Burkhart is also an environmental steward. He applies Sioux Nation for nutrition and herd health advice. all the manure from the finishing barns on his own crop Jeri Westra ground. When soil phosphorus levels were getting high Westra grew up on diversified livestock operation on his ground close to the place, he trucked the manure in southeast South Dakota. He is a graduate of South 5 miles away to another set of fields to make sure they Dakota State University. Following graduation, Westra were utilizing the manure in an environmentally sustainstarted in the packing industry first working with IBP able way. He also plants trees for odor control. Not only is Burkhart an excellent pork producer, but in 2016 he was recognized by Ag United for South Dakota with the AgVocate of the Year award for his work on educating policy makers and the general public on what a modern family farm looks like through the Adopt A Farmer program and testifying at local hearings. Dan Rodas Though growing up on a dairy farm in northeast Iowa, Rodas is a natural pig person and leader. to deck out your man cave! He started with Pipestone Systems in 2002 and has moved up rapidly, holding supervisory positions at multiple barns. He managed the first barn in the Pipestone System to wean 12 pigs per litter, and now has th th December 2nd & 3rd, 9th & 35.78 th the best producing barn in their system weaning10 , 16 & 17 • 1-3:00PM pigs per sow per year. Bring Your Cameras! 301 E. 3rd Street, Yankton, SD Rodas leads by example and has high standards 665-3588 for himself and his 18 employees. He believes this projects a "Will Do" attitude to his crew, and strives to develop a team mentality. Also, Dan •Busch & Busch Light 30 pks ........... $14.99 believes that you have to make the difficult, but •Old Milwaukee & Light 30 pks ........$14.99 right decisions. •Miller High Life & Light 30 pks ........$13.99 His philosophy appears to working 109 W. 3rd St. • 605-665-7865 * Yankton Meridian District * www.yanktonrexall.com because the farm also has a 92 percent farrow- ULiMAte MAN cAve We’ve got metal & lighted beer sings huge selection in the late 1970s. He then went to worked for Cloughtery Pack, Los Angles Ca. where he covered terminal markets, as well as buying out of stations in Nebraska, Missouri and Colorado. Interestingly, back then, the hogs were still loaded on rail cars and shipped to Los Angles. Wanting to return home, Westra then took a position with Steele Siman Commission Company in the Sioux Falls Stockyards. In 1984, Westra made the move across the street and started with John Morrell & Co as area Hog Buyer covering southeastern South Dakota. Since then, he has held a variety of positions within the company. Westra currently serves as the Director of Procurement for Sioux Falls Smithfield plant. Since the plant harvests approximately 19,500 pigs per day and more than 5.5 million pigs each year, Westra and his crew are kept very busy. However, Westra still maintains a very close relationship with the pork producers of South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa and Nebraska. He views them more as family than clients. Westra serves the South Dakota pork industry in many ways outside the plant. He has serve as the Lincoln County 4-H swine superintendent, and has served for many years on multiple committees of the Sioux Empire Farm Show. Westra was instrumental in purchasing the current State Fair 4-H Swine Show hogs - the show means a lot of work for Westra and his team because they individually tattoo and weigh more than 500 4-H pigs, as well as write checks to the 4-H youth that are showing them. Westra is a supporter of the South Dakota Master Pork Producers by having Smithfield Foods donate the pork served to the 250-plus attendees of the annual banquet. Also, he is a very proud Jackrabbit alumni and supports his alma mater by having Smithfield Foods donate all the pork used at the SDSU Pork Classic basketball games, as well as the 20 pork bundles auctioned off. That support alone provides at least $4,000 additional of scholarship money to SDSU students pursuing a career in some facet of pork production. Westra is very active in the Delaware Reformed Church, and currently serves as a church elder. 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