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March
24, 2003
Source: Mike Ellis (217) 333-7861
Contact: Bob Sampson
Extension Communications Specialist
Phone (217) 244-0225; rsampson@uiuc.edu
U of I Research in Commercial Setting
URBANA-Agricultural research at the University of Illinois is normally
conducted in College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental
Sciences
facilities on or near campus, creating a need to sometimes make
adaptations before applying it in commercial ventures. However, a new
research project is leaping that hurdle by conducting the testing in a
commercial hog production unit.
"In the past, we faced the problem of taking something done in a
research
facility and then transferring it to a commercial application,"
explained
Bob Furtney, a hog producer in northern Champaign County. "Now we
have a
research project underway in a commercial facility, which means the
results should be applicable without adaptations."
The project seeks to establish optimum facility designs and animal
management strategies for wean-to-finish pig production systems. It
involves a consortium composed of U of I researchers, and major
producers
and commercial groups within Illinois. Mike Ellis, a professor in the
Department of Animal Sciences, is heading the project. Ellis, along
with
graduate research assistants Jake DeDecker, Beau Peterson, and Matt
Kocher
are responsible for carrying out the research.
A system that automatically distributes feed in a swine confinement
facility has been installed in one of Furtney's facilities. He owns
the
facilities and manages the pigs, which are owned by Art Lehman of
Strawn.
By using the system, U of I researchers will be able to calculate the
amount of feed necessary to achieve optimal growth rates in the 1,200
animal facility. The amount of feed can be varied literally
pen-to-pen,
enabling the researchers to have exact data on the performance of pigs
fed
different diets. The first trials should start by mid-April.
The precise measuring system will allow the researchers to calculate
costs
down to the level of cents. While that might seem like a lot of work
for
a small return, Furtney puts it in perspective.
"Hog production today has very tight margins. When you're talking
about
producing 100,000 to 200,000 pigs per year, a few cents here and there
adds up to a lot of money," he said.
Ellis said the research approach represents an important new direction
for
the U of I.
"In this project, we have university personnel working directly
with pork
producers to find answers to questions that can spell the difference
between profit and loss," he said. "Hopefully, this approach
will help
improve the economic competitiveness of the Illinois swine
industry."
Bob Sampson, Ph.D.
Communications Specialist
News and Public Affairs
Office of Information Technology and Communication Services
College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
65 Mumford Hall, 1301 West Gregory Ave.
Urbana, IL 61801
217 244-0225
rsampson@uiuc.edu
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