Pork Producer Intuition turns Innovation

World Pork Expo, Des Moines, IA

The 2017 World Pork Expo is around the corner and we’re putting the finishing touches on PigEasy products that will be featured in our expanding booth (#V729). Even as we focus on promoting our tried and true product line, Dave never stops developing new innovations.

The tough decision every May is “What do we put in our booth this year?”

1. MealMeter feed dispenser -

Stainless Steel MealMeter

No question about it, we’ll have the MealMeter set up in a g-stall display. The MealMeter is what launched PigEasy and we are proud of how it boosts feed intake while preventing waste with incoming gilts, weaned sows and under conditioned sows.

PigEasy Sow Feeder

2. PigEasy Sow Feeder - 

The MealMeter will also be installed in the PigEasy Sow Feeder. The sow feeder’s one-of-a-kind design eliminates feed waste. (Yes, it really does!) By removing the corners, making this her only water source and using the MealMeter as the ad lib feed dispenser, you will get rid of the tedious task of cleaning out feeders.

PigEasy Farrowing Crate

3. PigEasy Farrowing Crate - 

The PigEasy Sow Feeder will be displayed with the PigEasy Farrowing Crate. Simple design with exclusive features, the PigEasy Farrowing Crate is built with durability, ease of use, and sow comfort in mind. (Remember the Flip Over feature?) Stop by our booth (#V729) to check out the one crate that makes sow care a whole lot easier.

We’re launching a number of new products this year. Some continue to focus on feeding because we know ourselves how feed is one of the biggest expenses on the farm and is always an area of improvement at every stage.

4. Breeder Bowl -

PigEasy Breeder Bowl

Speaking of PigEasy Sow Feeder, we’ve also wanted to allocate the success of the PigEasy Sow Feeder over to the breed row. To have the same feeding system in the breed row that’s also in farrowing makes the transition seamless and avoids any reproductive hiccups in the future.  To mirror the inner workings of the Sow Feeder, we’ve developed the PigEasy Breeder Bowl. The Breeder Bowl benefits from the same bottom design as the Sow Feeder without interfering with her access to boar exposure during breeding. Like the Sow Feeder, the Breeder Bowl serves as both her feed and water source, which regulates over-dispensing and over-watering and is self-cleaning. If you’re wanting to take feed intake to the next level pre-breed, you need to check out the MealMeter with the Breeder Bowl set up.

5. PigEasy I.D. Cart

PigEasy ID Cart

Finally, we’ve branched out from feeders and tackled another major migraine on a sow farm; pig tagging.  Certain programs require ear tagging all pigs farrowed on a sow farm and it becomes a time-consuming, fatigue-inducing chore. Ear tagging hundreds of pigs a day takes a huge toll on staff and can add stress to your hands and back.  Klocke Farms employees were wearing down after starting a new program that required ear tagging, so Dave got to work. With help, he invented the PigEasy ID Cart. The PigEasy ID Cart is a foot operated double tagger that also serves as a holding cart for the litter. The PigEasy ID Cart also comes with a tagging sheet to organize your tags.  I can’t even come close to being able to describe how cool this cart is.  Check out this video to watch how quickly the team can tag pigs accurately and with much less effort.  We’ll have one of these at the show as well, so you can test it out for yourself at the PigEasy Booth (#V729).

We’re looking forward to another wonderful year at the World Pork Expo June 7-9 at the Iowa State Fairgrounds!

See you then!

Katie

Striving to Find the Better Way

“There’s a way to do it better – find it.”
– Thomas Edison

While innovation never quits at PigEasy, it can certainly ebb and flow.  Sometimes great ideas get stuck in Dad’s noggin for quite a while before he begins messing around in the shop creating the first proto-type. Even then, parts and pieces to the "next big thing" have been known to collect dust waiting to prove their worth.

Who can blame the guy? We’ve been busy.

Traveling all around the Midwest has us thinking we wished we would have tracked all the back roads we’ve zoomed through driven the appropriate speed on back when we started promoting the MealMeter almost four years ago. We aren’t sure if they really look familiar or the landscape is just beautiful everywhere we travel.

For instance, we were up in Winnipeg, Manitoba a few weeks ago for the Prairie Livestock Expo. We thought we knew cold weather here in Iowa…that is until we visited our Canadian neighbors. WOW! That’s a whole new level of freezing cold. Not counting a little run-in with black ice and a median on the way home, the trip was all positive. Everyone at the Expo was exceptionally friendly and we look forward to heading back there again (preferably when it’s warmer).

Our time back in Iowa has been spent developing new products as well as creating different options of our tried and true ones.

Chuck-It Bucket XL

We’ve had some customers request larger Chuck-It Buckets. Our regular Chuck-It Bucket size is great for a typical 3000 head sow farm with a regular loader bucket size, but could be small for larger operations. The Chuck-It Bucket XL is the answer for your larger farm with a 3,000lb and 48 cu. ft. holding capacity.

New MealMeter Applications

We often hear positive feedback on the MealMeter feed dispenser and have found other areas in a farm that benefit from maximizing feed intake while eliminating feed waste, such as a sick pen or boar pen. Customers have been happy with the amount of feed saved, in addition to eliminating the need for another watering pan.

More applications for the MealMeter are in store for 2017 – unfortunately, we’re not at a point where we can disclose all of them, so we’re going to have to leave you hanging in suspense!

Feedback Cart

Another item that has been working on our farm for years is a feedback or back-feeding cart. Ours is an easy tool (go figure!). To use, simply open the valve and walk down the aisle at a pace that gives you the recommended dosage. This is a superior solution in many ways. 1) There’s no heavy lifting or bending involved, and 2) feedback dosage is uniform. You know that the first sow in the row is getting the same amount as the last sow in the row. A 5 gallon bucket just can’t compete.

The PigEasy feedback cart is so new, it’s not even on our website or brochures yet. Call (888) 354-0112 for more details.

ISU Ventilation Project

The most exciting news I have is one I can tell you the least about. What I can disclose, though, is that PigEasy is working with Iowa State University on a preliminary trial to improve pit ventilation with one of Dad’s patented inventions. This idea pre-dates even the MealMeter. Dad was beginning to see all the benefits of this ventilation proto-type right around the time the MealMeter was taking off and requiring more attention.

With the original proto-type in for over 5 years and what we’ve seen with improvements to air quality and pit foaming issues, we have high hopes for the trial’s results and simply cannot wait to get this solution out to producers!

Upcoming Trade Shows

We will be showcasing a lot of the stuff discussed up above at the winter pork shows in January/February. Make sure to check out our booth location at the Expo you’re attending and stop by. We’d love to catch up with you!

 

South Dakota Pork Congress

Wednesday & Thursday, January 11-12, 2017

Sioux Falls, SD

http://www.sdppc.org/events-4/pork-congress/

Booth #112

Minnesota Pork Congress

Tuesday & Wednesday, January 17-18, 2017

Minneapolis, MN

https://www.mnporkcongress.com/

Booth #641

Iowa Pork Congress

Wednesday & Thursday, January 25-26, 2017

Des Moines, IA

http://www.iowaporkcongress.org/

Booth #114

Missouri Pork Expo

Tuesday, February 7, 2017

Columbia, MO

http://www.mopork.com/event/missouri-pork-expo/

We hope you and your family had a very Merry Christmas and wish you all the best in 2017!

Until next time,

Katie

Chuck-It Bucket 1.0 to Today

When we launched PigEasy and set out to build the product line, adding the Chuck-It Bucket was a no brainer….

Long before it ever had a name, Dad built the Chuck-It Bucket for our sow farm to hold and handle pig mortalities and afterbirth.  He didn’t like the idea of full 5 gallon buckets spending days near the door waiting for the skid loader; the sight and the smells aren’t good for our employees and it’s simply inefficient.  Then you have the issue of the loader bucket. Who wants to clean that out twice a week or leave it dirty?

Of course a simple dumpster wouldn’t do for Dad. It had to completely empty so nothing could be left in to rot. The skid loader driver also needed to be able to drive right up to it and move it out of the bio-secure area.

The very first proto-type we've used on our farm for
the last 20 years!

Dad has updated the design since our very first prototype. But like with all of our products, the original is still used on the farm. This dumpster has lived through a lot and still works like a charm 2 decades later.

I think the greatest joy we have at PigEasy is to hear how our products simplify every day tasks and make things just as easy for others as they do for us.

Until next time,

Katie

For more information, visit www.pigeasy.com or call (888) 354-0112.

PigEasy granted Master Distributorship of Prairie Pride Polybins

Templeton, Iowa – July 20, 2016 –

PigEasy, LLC, a family owned company based in Templeton, Iowa, was recently awarded a master distributorship of Prairie Pride products from Olivet, South Dakota. Prairie Pride, a subsidiary of PW Aire Technologies, has been a manufacturer of equipment for the hog and poultry industries since 1981 and is best known for developing the polybin.

Founded by lifetime producer, Dave Klocke, PigEasy, LLC is focused on increasing pig production and operational efficiency through their line of innovative products. In addition, all Prairie Pride products will be available through PigEasy, along with the option to haul and install on site.

“Prairie Pride Polybins fit in well with the PigEasy philosophy; that simple changes in your operation can make huge impacts on production and efficiency,” Klocke stated. “Prairie Pride Polybins make feed storage and management easy and hold up over twice as long as a typical feed bin.  That is why teaming up with Prairie Pride makes a lot of sense.”

PigEasy will serve territory for Prairie Pride throughout western and central Iowa as well as eastern Nebraska and southwest Minnesota. Prairie Pride by PW Aire developed the polyethylene feed storage bin over 35 years ago and continues to have success throughout North America as the bins are corrosion resistant and allow producers and feed suppliers a visible feed level to avoid feed outages. 

Prairie Pride polybins are known for their high durability that stand up to extreme temperatures and weather conditions.  Bins are available in a range of sizes with the most recent development of the 9’6” diameter polybin, ranging in 12-17 ton capacity.  To learn more about Prairie Pride polybins, bin accessories and the PigEasy product line, visit www.pigeasy.com or call (888) 354-0112.

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PigEasy, LLC
31423 Jade Avenue
Templeton, IA 51463
(888) 354-0112

www.pigeasy.com

PigEasy, LLC Awarded US Patent for MealMeter feed dispenser

Templeton, Iowa – January 28, 2016 –

PigEasy, LLC, a family owned company based in Templeton, Iowa, announced today it has received intellectual property protection in the form of patent US 9,220,236B2 for the premier product, the MealMeter feed dispenser. This new patent was awarded on December 29, 2015 to PigEasy founder Dave Klocke by the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

The MealMeter feed dispenser is an ad lib feeding device that is able to be inserted into the drop feed tube in a breeding barn or via the PigEasy set up in lactation for the pork industry.  The MealMeter is used by numerous pork producers throughout the United States and is sold through PigEasy and a number of national dealerships.

MealMeter feed dispenser

Developed over three years ago by lifetime pork producer and PigEasy President Dave Klocke, the MealMeter feed dispenser promotes feed consumption for sows and gilts at critical points in their reproductive cycle, which increases production and condition and health of the animal. “In our sow farm we discovered that allowing the gilt or sow the time and control to consume the feed she wants when she wants it prior to being bred and in lactation, we have a herd that is in optimal uniform condition, which subsequently increases litter production as well as the overall herd health and longevity.”

In addition to the MealMeter, PigEasy, LLC offers a complete line of innovative products focused on increasing pig production and operational efficiency.  All products are developed and used in Klocke’s own sow farm near Templeton.

For more information on the MealMeter feed dispenser and PigEasy, LLC, visit www.pigeasy.com or call 1-888-354-0112.

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PigEasy, LLC
31423 Jade Avenue
Templeton, IA 51463
(888) 354-0112
www.pigeasy.com

Optimizing Intake in Lactation

Many pork producers have acknowledged the importance of ad lib feeding in lactation for a number of reasons.  First and foremost, lactation puts huge caloric demand on a sow as they are feeding larger litters.  If we are not giving her access to full feed, there is a chance she will lose condition, which will raise the likelihood of that sow being culled exponentially as she turns from a productive sow to an under conditioned sow.  When a sow loses condition, studies have shown that it has a negative effect on her subsequent litter.

Next, if a pork producer is still hand feeding their sows, they will run into a timing issue.  A sow is not going to stand up and eat when her litter is nursing and a producer isn’t available at all hours of the day to wait until she’s ready to eat.  In this particular scenario, how much intake is that producer missing out on by only feeding a few times a day? On the flip side, a producer may overcompensate by filling her feeder, but they run the risk of wasting a lot of feed if she doesn’t consume it. This is where hand feeding becomes a catch-22.

Lastly, how much is hand feeding costing your operation in labor?  Instead of time spent feeding an even better question would be what could you or your employees be able to focus on if you didn’t have to spend time hand feeding each sow multiple times a day?

In this video, Dr. Paul Armbrecht from Lake City Veterinary Clinic talks about the benefits of ad lib feeding in lactation:

What makes the MealMeter system stand out from other ad lib feeders on the market?

The MealMeter system offers many unique features for feeding today’s prolific sow.  The PigEasy lactation feeder has a one of a kind design that focuses her eating area, which prevents feed build up and maximizes intake.  The PigEasy feeder also features an adjustable waterer. As this is her ONLY source of water, not only will she completely clean her bowl up every time she takes a drink, but she won’t be able to spray herself and her pigs in the summertime. The feeder also has a weep hole near the bottom of each feeder so excess water will not inhibit her feed intake even if a nipple should become leaky.

The MealMeter itself has many attractive features, as it needs NO adjustment, is easily removed and is made to last for years.

So let’s say...

... you are ready to take the plunge into an ad lib feeder, but your current stainless steel feeders are still in great condition. 

While you won’t have the exclusive qualities of the PigEasy Lactation Feeder, you can still have great success in ad lib feeding by converting your existing bowl to the PigEasy set up.

This would include installing the adjustable watering bracket and the MealMeter with Lactation boot in your current feeder. What’s even better is we have made it (pig)Easy with templates and a short video tutorial.

Watch Clint explain the most efficient way to convert your bowl to the PigEasy system.

We are pork producers ourselves and understand the difficulties a change like this entails. This is why we designed each product to be installed many different ways on virtually any equipment.

If you have any questions, we would love to help! You can reach us at 888-354-0112 or info@pigeasy.com.

Pipe Thread Sealant vs. Teflon Tape

Tuesday's Trick of the Trade

Stainless steel is a great thing. It doesn’t rust and is very sturdy; two material qualities that are important when working with hogs.

Where stainless can go wrong is during threading.  Whenever we are at a show and mention a nipple seizing up on a stainless steel fitting, every producer winces because they themselves have been out in a G barn trying to unplug a nipple and nothing short of cutting it off will fix it.

This is one of the reasons we developed the SnoutSpout nipple bracket. It is made of glass filled polypropylene, a fiber infused plastic that is extremely sturdy yet cuts like wood.  Now for the best part; the stainless steel nipples won’t seize up on you!

The next question we typically get is whether or not to use Teflon tape to seal the nipple to the bracket.

A plumber friend of mine recently cleared up a minor misconception of threading.

Teflon Tape or Pipe Thread Sealant

The purpose of Teflon Tape is not to seal threads, rather it is to stop the two fittings from seizing together.  It may help with sealing, but that is not its main purpose.  If you are going to use a stainless steel nipple with a stainless steel fitting, the best product to use would be Teflon Tape alone or in combination with some pipe thread sealant.

Pipe Thread Sealant, though, is made to fill in the possible imperfections of threads of a male or female fitting to stop leakage around them.  This is what we suggest you use with the SnoutSpout, as there’s no concern of the nipple seizing inside its female threads. 

Now we have a trick for applying Pipe Thread Sealant.  Instead of applying directly to the male threads of the nipple, we found it’s advantageous to apply the sealant around the first few thread grooves of the female fitting (SnoutSpout). As you turn to insert the nipple, the sealant spreads around on the inside, instead of being pushed to the outside, as it can be when applying directly to the male threaded nipple.

 

Ben likes to add that if you are in a jam in the barn, latex hog marking chalk is a good substitute for pipe thread sealant.

What is a trick you use to seal your fittings?

                                 -   Dave

Improve your Gilts, Improve your Herd

Dave’s awakening occurred a few years ago at a regional boot camp offered by his genetics company.  There, the presenter discussed the importance of gilt development.  He said gilts are significant because the size of their first litter can define their lifetime litter size, yet gilts represent quite a challenge in many ways.

First, gilts need to be of ideal age, weight and condition when bred to achieve optimal performance.  In order to accomplish this, feed intake must be maximized.

However, gilts experience a lot of changes prior to breeding as they are moved from an isolation barn to a breeding barn.  It often takes gilts a week to get back to full feed after being moved, which is a week of limited intake days.

No producer wants to limit feed their gilts.  But the conundrum turns into either the producer wastes feed attempting to maximize feed intake or they set the boxes back to save feed, which essentially limits the gilt until they are “used to their new surroundings.”

After the presentation, Dave spent a lot of time watching.  He would observe gilts entering the crate and would watch as they consumed (or didn’t consume) their feed in the mornings and afternoons.  In the evenings, he would venture back over to the gestation barn to watch the gilts and see if activity was any different. 

Dave observed gilts aren’t stressed over the crate.  They seemed to respond well to their individual maternity pen.  However, he did notice the gilts would get up at various times ready to eat, but the feed would be washed down the trough from the watering system or was no longer fresh as they would prefer it.

Then it came to Dave; the isolation barns and breeding barns have very different feeding systems.  Isolation barns or finishing barns have self-feeders, which allow young gilts to eat small amounts through the day.  Individual maternity pens drop large amounts of feed into a trough one to two times a day and the gilt is expected to consume it in a certain amount of time before water washes it away or it becomes stale.   As Dave puts it, “We’re expecting our gilts to eat like sows.”

MealMeter prototypes Dave tried out in his breed row.

The wheels began to turn and prototypes were created.  After coming up with a working design, Dave put what is now called the MealMeter in front of his entire gilt row.  His theory proved correct.  Instead of taking days to get back to full feed, gilts quickly consumed their ration when they could decide when they wanted to eat.  He was on to something.

His production numbers told the same story.  Before, he was in the bottom half of his contemporary group for P1 production, even with a solid breeding team whose conception rates are excellent.  Six months of using the MealMeter shot his numbers up to one of the top in P1 total born.  There were no other changes to breeding and management. 

Dave's 6 month averages before and after installing the MealMeter.

What is so exciting is P1 total born rate is just one benefit to consider.  Aside from obvious feed savings, think about what starting gilts off well can do for the entire herd.  For instance, Dave significantly reduced his replacement rate because now that his gilts begin well, they stay in the herd much longer.

Ron Ketchem and Mark Rix from Swine Management Services, LLC wrote in the recent article ‘Does gilt performance dictate farm success’ that not only does the farrowing rate of gilts correlate to the farrowing rate for the whole farm, but also in the amount of repeats, total born, and wean to 1^st service intervals. “(Top farms) have figured out that gilts drive the farm now and in the future.  Most have invested in good genetics, have gilt-developing facilities on the farm or close by and have added labor to take care of the gilts from entry to breeding.”

Yes, gilts take more management and attention, but if you start them off right, the benefits are far reaching.

Listen to Dave tell the story here:

Until next time,

Katie

Drilling through Stainless Steel

Tuesday's Trick of the Trade

Stainless steel is the material of choice for many purposes in a hog barn. What would hog production be without stainless steel? But then there comes a time when you need to repair or remodel the stainless steel equipment and your first thought is, “Well, I better buy a lot of bits.”

When you take up this nearly impossible task, the typical guy response to material resistance is to run the drill faster while pushing harder. You shift it up to the highest speed. (At Klocke Farms, the term would be “letting it rip, tater chip!”) Within seconds, the tip of your drill bit looks more like a branding iron, blazing red.  You mutter, “I’ll sharpen that up someday” as you place it in the drawer also known as the Drill Bit Graveyard.

A few years back someone gave me this tip. It has benefited me greatly and I’d like to pass it on to you.

PVC Cleaner

PVC Cleaner can be found at your local
hardware store or plumbing retailer.

DISCLAIMER*** PVC cleaner is flammable. You need to keep this in mind as a spark could cause a serious problem. I’ve never had any issues with it, but it is important to take note and be cautious.

1.  You need to start with a good quality drill bit. Top of the line is not a necessity, but now that you won’t be going through a bunch of them, you can spend more money on quality.

2.  Next, you need a little bit of patience. It does require stopping several times to reapply the PVC cleaner for every hole you drill, depending on the thickness of the steel.  I’m not sure why it works, but it seems to me that the cleaner keeps the bit cool to prevent the cutting edge from being burnt or damaged from overheating.

3.  Typically it is best to start with a center punch to make a point or divot to prevent the drill bit from walking on you.

4.  Dip your drill bit into the PVC cleaner and start drilling. Using your variable speed trigger while applying appropriate down pressure, vary the speed of your drill bit until you find the speed that gives you the best results. It is typically lower to mid speeds and not wide open. It will drill well for several seconds, but the cleaner will wear off, so you may have to dip it a couple times when drilling the hole.

I’ve found it better to stop drilling and dip your bit more often than not. It will keep your good bit cutting and working much longer and your sanity intact!

PVC cleaner on a drill bit will not make a bad bit work well. Once the bit is dull, into the graveyard it goes, so that’s why it’s important to start off with a good bit.

If you do this and dip often, you’ll be able keep that bit in use much longer.

While we haven't personally tested it out, our feeder manufacturer recently recommended Elmer's Glue as an option.  What trick do you have for drilling through stainless steel?

Hope this helps.

- Dave