Founders message: 'Things I thought were important 35 years ago'

摘要

In the 1960 s the swine industry underwent a revolutionary metamorphosis. Hog cholera was successfully eradicated. Harvesting shelled corn rather than ear corn combined with on-farm grain drying altered swine diets. Ground corn-soy diets became the norm rather than free choice corn and supplement diets. A "mix-mill" was a common entity on hog farms. The farrowing crate was invented. "Specific pathogen free" (SPF) production began. The three-year market price cycle continued to be a three year cycle during the 60s, but starting in 1963 and for the next 17 years markets hit ever higher highs and higher lows. As market hog prices became higher continuing grain surpluses pretty much stabilized the price of corn. Hog-corn ratios went from the "20 tol's"on even up into the "40 to 1's" at times. Farmers could see that hogs had not only become "mortgage lifters", but a means of more quickly acquiring wealth ("getting rich").