Showmaster to host swine show camps Feb. 5, April 2

Become a “Master of the ShowRing” at the Showmaster® show camp series!

Come learn with showring experts as they cover daily care and management, selection, showmanship, feeding, clipping and fitting of show swine and cattle at two “Master of the Showring,” show camps, sponsored by Showmaster Feeds.

The first camp will be Feb. 5 in Kewanee, Ill., at the Blackhawk Community College Animal Science Pavilion. Industry leaders Dan Hoge, Mark Hoge, Brian Arnold, A.J. Lewis, Tyler Winegardner, Jason Hirschfeld and Kim Lewis will be presenting. Registration for swine camp begins at 8 a.m., and cattle camp registration begins at noon, with lunch provided.

The second camp will be April 2 at Real McCoy Genetics in Bloomingburg, Ohio. Industry experts Mike McCoy, Jim McCoy, Ben Bobell and Jason Hirschfeld will be presenting. This camp will include a tour of Real McCoy Genetics’ boar stud and show pig operation, as well as a special breakout session highlighting AI techniques. Registration begins at 1:30 p.m., then stay afterward to attend McCoy’s Customer Appreciation Sale. Dinner will be provided.   

Early registration is $12/participant, and late registration is $15/participant. Parents attend for free. Participants attending both Blackhawk camps only pay once for the full day, and all payments will be collected at the camp.

Each attendee of the show camps will receive a free t-shirt, “Guide to Success” booklet and $10 feed coupon, and will be entered to win an iPad, Nook subscriptions to Seedstock EDGE and DRIVE magazines.

For more information call Kim Lewis at 319.665.8912 or register at www.showmasterfeedinfo.com/SMBC11.

NSR efforts help swine premises identification top 90 percent

The National Swine Registry congratulates U.S. swine producers upon the announcement that 92 percent of all U.S. swine premises now have a nationally standardized premises identification number, as revealed yesterday by the National Pork Board. This milestone figure, calculated by the Pork Checkoff using USDA data, represents 65,907 premises. Nearly half of these farms were registered over the last three years in conjunction with a cooperative agreement between the pork industry and USDA.

Premise identification is a crucial component of all NSR activities. Participation in any NSR show or National Junior Swine Association show requires proof of a premise ID number, and Mike Paul, NSR vice president of operations, serves on the Swine ID Implementation Task Force, which consists of producers from all size of farms and representatives of packers, the American Association of Swine Veterinarians, the National Swine Registry and state premises ID coordinators.

"Participation from NSR members demonstrates that our swine breeders and show competitors care about not only their own animals and farm herd health, but the overall health of the U.S. swine industry," said Paul. "The NSR is committed to doing our part to collect information that will, if ever needed, contribute to improved animal traceability and disease control."

Swine owners can find out more information to obtain their premise ID by going to the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service site at State Animal Disease Traceability Administrator Directory, also linked through the NSR website home page.

To read the full press release on the announcement from the National Pork Board, click here.

Winter Type Conference, Southeast Regional entries due Friday, Dec. 17

Entries are due this Friday, Dec. 17, for the NSR Winter Type Conference and the NJSA Southeast Regional. New this year -- enter online for both shows (payment by credit card only) at:

• NSR Winter Type Conference online entry
• NJSA Southeast Regional online entry

 

For mailed entries, entry forms can be downloaded and printed off via the following links above, and are also available in the October issue of Seedstock EDGE for the Winter Type Conference, and in the Fall issue of "The Pinnacle" for the Southeast Regional.

Remember, the NSR has a new mailing address:

National Swine Registry
2639 Yeager Road
West Lafayette, IN 47906

NSR announces opening for assistant editor

NSR JOB POSTING:

National Swine Registry Assistant Editor

Job Summary
The primary duties of the assistant editor are to write articles and compile magazine content, facilitate advertising and billing, and coordinate printing for Seedstock EDGE and other print projects. Seedstock EDGE is the official publication of the National Swine Registry, located in West Lafayette, Ind. Published nine times a year, Seedstock EDGE is the leading magazine of the purebred swine industry, and features news on swine shows and sales, member profiles and production news. The assistant editor also serves as editor of “The Pinnacle,” the official newsletter of the National Junior Swine Association, and works on other communications projects as needed.

Duties and Responsibilities

Seedstock EDGE

• Write feature articles, member profiles and news stories
• Compile information, edit and complete layouts for various sections of the magazine
• Work with Creative Director and NSR Field Representatives to facilitate advertisement creation for clients
• Facilitate mailing lists, contract advertisers
• Help Director of Marketing & Communications edit ads/editorial as needed

Production Coordination

• Facilitate print bids on all NSR and custom print projects
• Coordinate scheduling and production with printers
• Oversee billing of all NSR and custom print projects

“The Pinnacle” (NJSA newsletter)

• Work with NJSA Director to determine editorial on a yearly basis
• Work with NSR Creative Director to create layout and design
• Edit and proofread all stories and articles
• Submit final product to printer

Other responsibilities

• Attend various NSR shows to collect photography and video content
• Assist with website and blog updates when needed

Requirements

• Self-motivated, hardworking, organized and deadline driven
• Able to establish priorities, work independently and proceed with objectives
• Strong interview and feature writing skills
• Proficient in proper editing marks and AP Style
• Open to traveling for writing assignments or to attend shows
• Willing to work overtime and weekends when on deadline for magazine or at shows
• Proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel and Outlook
• Working knowledge of Adobe InDesign and Adobe Photoshop
• Position is based strictly out of the NSR office in West Lafayette, Ind.

Credentials and Experience 

• Bachelor’s degree in agricultural communications, communications or closely-related major
• Two years related experience or equivalent combination of education and experience
• Background and/or interest in livestock and agriculture preferred

Please email résumé, cover letter, references, transcript showing coursework, and three writing samples by Feb. 1, 2011, to:

Tamara Choat

NSR Director of Marketing & Communications

National Swine Registry

765.463.3594 x113 (office)

tamara@nationalswine.com

Iowa Pork Congress set for Jan. 26, 27

 Iowa Pork Congress set for Jan. 26, 27 Pork - Industry News

The 2011 Iowa Pork Congress will be held Jan. 26 and 27, in Des Moines’ Hy-Vee Hall at the Iowa Events Center, as well as the Polk County Convention Complex. Pork Congress hours will be 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Jan. 26 and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Jan. 27.

The Iowa Pork Foundation’s annual Kickoff Reception and Auction will be held at Hy-Vee Hall Jan. 25 and the IPPA Youth Swine Judging contest will be held at the county convention complex Jan. 27.

Read more on Porkmag.com

NSR's Schwab to lead National Swine Improvement Federation

Dr. Clint Schwab, director of genetic and technical services for the National Swine Registry, is the newly-elected president of the National Swine Improvement Federation. Schwab was voted in by the NSIF board of directors at the organization’s annual meeting, held Dec. 2-3 in Kansas City.

The National Swine Improvement Federation exists to develop and implement more uniform, effective, and coordinated swine improvement programs. Its members include seedstock producers, corporate genetic companies, swine testing organizations, A.I. studs, universities, and other seedstock production and marketing groups.

Schwab will serve a two-year term as the head of this organization.

NJSA Youth Spotlight

Congratulations to our December NJSA Youth Spotlights:

Kayla Baker ~ Camby, IN
Ethan Wendt ~ Irwin, OH
John Ebersole ~ Duncannon, PA
Yimmi Fontenot ~ Iowa, LA

Go check out their photos and bios by clicking http://bit.ly/gQgev4.

Online NSR Picture Judging Contest opens today

The first-ever online version of the annual National Swine Registry Picture Judging Contest went live today!

Available via the NSR home page, or at NSR Picture Judging Contest, the contest includes ten classes of swine: Hampshire boars, Duroc boars, Yorkshire boars, Landrace boars, Hampshire gilts, Duroc gilts, Yorkshire gilts, Landrace gilts, Landrace barrows, and crossbred barrows. The contest opened today, Dec. 1, and closes at 11:59 p.m. on Feb. 1, 2011. The print version of the contest is included in the recently-mailed Nov/Dec issue of Seedstock EDGE, and copies of the printed version are also available to download online.

The picture judging contest is a long-held tradition of the National Swine Registry. It has been conducted every year since the NSR officially formed in 1994, and before that, the four breed associations that now compose the NSR held their own individual contests. Mike Paul, NSR vice president of operations, said, "The United Duroc Swine Registry held a contest as far back as the 1950s," with notable industry leaders like Al Christian of Iowa listed as winners.

Today's contest allows individual and team entries. Each individual may enter only one time, either as an individual or on one team (ie, can not enter on both a 4-H and an FFA team). All team entries will automatically be entered as individuals as well. Individual divisions include Junior, Collegiate and Senior. Team divisions include 4-H, FFA, and College.

Teams must consist of the following number of members: 4-H and FFA – four total members (no more, no less); College – five total members (no more, no less). There is no maximum number of teams per school or club, but each team must have a different name.

Classes were selected and will be given official placings and reasons by NSR staff with previous collegiate livestock judging and coaching experience. Official placings, reasons and contest winners will appear online at www.nationalswine.com after April 15, 2011, and in the 2011 April/May issue of Seedstock EDGE. All ties will be broken by the highest score in chronological class order. First- through fifth-place will be named in each division, and plaques will be awarded to the first-place winner of each division.

If you have any questions, call the NSR at 765.463.3594.