22 The Business of Canadian Hog Farming Better Pork | October 2024 real-time. After coming out of the repopulation, the packing plant where we were selling our hogs was no longer accepting organic hogs due to market loss, and we had to pivot quite quickly. What are some exciting opportunities in the industry? Scott: I recently became a delegate for Grey Bruce Pork Producers, and that has been exciting getting involved with our industry on a grassroots level. Jessica: I was fortunate enough to help with the Pig Mobile at a school-age agricultural event in Walkerton, Ont. It was a truly rewarding experience to meet the parents and children and be their first source of information regarding the swine industry. It’s satisfying to give the public a safe space to learn and ask questions. How do you define success? Scott: Success to us is being able to work hard and continue doing what we love every day, knowing that each negative is an opportunity to improve. How do you support your mental health? Scott: We’ve dealt with some significant challenges that have affected my sleep, but I’ve always managed to keep going. I find a lot of comfort in spending time with my kids and meeting up with friends. Jessica: Every Sunday I plan out my next week, and I’m constantly making lists of what I need to do. I feel like we have a lot of balls in the air, and writing it down brings me comfort. After our challenging years, I got back into figure skating. I currently spend one and a half hours every week on the ice, and it is the only place where I can truly clock out from the farm. What was your most memorable production year? Scott: In 2016, we took the leap from being an organic contract sow producer to running our own organic sow herd. This move propelled our business forward and allowed us to buy another farm and expand to become organic farrow-to-finish. What’s your top goal? Scott: Our top goal personally is for our children to have the opportunity to succeed in whatever they do. Whether that is farming or another career, we aim to help them start their adventure, the same way our parents helped us. Our professional goal is always the same: Consistently grow and maintain a healthy operation and business. What's your message to non-farmers? We would like non-farmers to know how hard we work to produce sustainable, quality Ontario pork. We take pride in what we do, and we’re fortunate to work with educated and talented professionals in the industry who help us every step of the way! BP UP CLOSE Nathan, Grace, and Ryan like to help out on the farm. Bickle Family photo % WEANED % BORN ALIVE TOTAL BORN BIRTH WEIGHT VARIATION IN BIRTH WEIGHT RUNT PIGLETS WEANED PIGS Figure 2. Hypor’s maternal selection strategy is to increase the number of weaned pigs. CORRECTION NOTICE In our August 2024 issue in the "Balancing Litter Size" article on Pg. 15, be advised that Hypor's maternal selection strategy is to decrease variation in birth weight and the number of runt piglets, not increase as was implied by the arrows.
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