Stock Marketing: Mixing It Up

So you want to advertise – great! Now, the next question is where. There where can be a tricky decision, especially when you have a limited budget. This month in “Stock Marketing,” we’re going to talk about some advertising options and ways to mix up your marketing.

•  Put it in print – Regardless of the rumors you may have heard about print advertisement being dead, rest assured print media is very much alive and well. In fact, I would argue it is still one of the very best venues to advertise your livestock. Not only do livestock publications provide a way to get your message to a very specific group of livestock enthusiasts, but they also have a long “life.” How many of you still have the last Seedstock EDGE Showpig issue riding around with you in your truck or sitting on your coffee table? Print publications can’t be deleted from inboxes and are often used for reference, sometimes even months later.
• Get online – The World Wide Web offers countless ways to spread the word – many of which are very affordable. In today’s fast-paced, digitally-driven world, people expect to get information NOW, and the Web can help you do that. Look into starting a website. Too expensive? Look towards social media, such as Facebook and Twitter, or study some of the free blog sites, such as Wordpress and Blogger. Many blogs will let you have multiple pages, meaning that you can essentially form a functional website for free. So log-in, send a “tweet” about the latest champion you bred, post some sale photos and blog about your upcoming litters. If you don’t think it’s effective, just look at MattLautner’s (and other's) success in the cattle industry.
•  Be a sponsor – Sponsorship is often thought as a kind gesture, but the fact is, sponsorship can also be a great way to spread your message while supporting a cause that you are passionate about. The NJSA, for example, offers great opportunities for sponsors to get exposure and align their business with youth involved in the swine industry.
•  It’s in the mail –  Direct mailing is sending a very specific message to a targeted group of consumers. Whether it's "snail mail" or an e-Blast, direct mail is a great way to attract new buyers.  If you don’t have your own mailing list, you can buy them from different companies. The National Swine Registry offers opportunities for producers to purchase one-time rights to both their mailing and emailing lists. I would also suggest starting your own list of past buyers or people who’ve come to your farm and expressed interest in your stock. Then, you can keep them up-to-date by sending sale flyers, catalogs and even Christmas and thank you cards.
• Word of mouth – Even with all these marketing tools, you can’t overlook the power of networking. Get out and talk to people at the shows. Call folks up when you have a good set of pigs for sale, and just make time to talk to your fellow breeders.

I hope you learned some new ways to mix up your marketing. Remember that the NSR Marketing & Communications Department offers many ways to help you market your animals – not just the Seedstock. Give us a call, and we’ll help you find the best mix for your marketing.

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The "Crate Debate"

 

There is no doubt - it’s an election year. Even if you wanted to, it would be nearly impossible to escape the seemingly endless political propaganda making its way into every media channel out there. But, even as the presidential race heats up, there is another debate going on – one that has an effect on pork producers across the U.S. – the crate debate.

In recent months, major retailers and restaurants, including McDonalds, ConAgra Foods and Kroger, have announced plans to move toward sourcing their pork products from suppliers who raise their pigs without the use of gestation crates. This push for crate-free pork is a major concern for producers, who must not only decide if a shift to group housing is the right decision for their animals, but if it is even economically feasible for their operation.

Like any good debate, there are two sides to consider. Animal rights activists, among others, claim that gestation stalls are inhumane and unacceptable. Producers, as well as industry processors, can be found on both sides of the debate.

 

Some, like Tom Dittmer, originally made the shift from group housing to crates because of aggressive animal behavior. When Dittmer began farming in the ’70s, his sows lived in pastures with huts for shelter – but he eventually transitioned to indoor housing and gestation crates.

“The reason the industry switched to crates wasn’t because we wanted to harm our animals…We did it because we thought it was best for the animals.”

 

On the other side of the fence are individuals like Paul Willis, who oversees a group of farmers raising pork for Niman Ranch, which rebukes animal confinement of any kind.

Read the rest of this New York Times story with Dittmer and Willis here.

For further debate on the topic, visit this page from CNN’s eatocracy site.

At the end of the day, there are a few important lessons here. First, as producers, we need to inform ourselves on both sides of the debate and know not only where we stand but why. Often what consumers are really looking for is an open line of communication and a genuine interest from producers who not only listen to their concerns, but respond to them. It is also important that we recognize there are several approaches to animal production, and one is not necessarily better than another. This point was emphasized in the National Pork Board’s response to McDonald’s announcement last February that the fast food giant plans to transition away from conventionally raised pork:

“…the National Pork Board maintains the position, supported by the American Veterinary Medical Association and the American Association of Swine Veterinarians, that there are numerous ways, including sow gestation stalls, to provide proper care for sows. Each housing system, including gestation stalls, open pens, free-access stalls and pastures, has welfare advantages and disadvantages that must be considered by an individual farmer. Regardless of the type of system used, what really matters is the individual care given to each pig – a mainstay of our industry's Pork Quality Assurance Plus program.”

If group housing is something you are considering, two swine researchers from Minnesota offer management tips for that transition here. 

As with political propaganda in an election year, the amount of available information on sow housing can be overwhelming – and the information you do find will likely be conflicting. Although at times it can be exasperating, it is our job to be informed. Take time to read all sides of the debate, and make a decision that you can support with a mix of reliable information and practical experience. You, after all, are the pork producer.

 

 

Look for more industry insights to come!

Learn About Industry Careers

Purdue University Animal Sciences Department shared videos from recent speakers at their annual Fall Pork Career Night that was held on Monday, Oct. 3.

The career night gave students interested in the swine industry an opportunity to hear company representatives talk about potential careers and internships involving commercial production, seedstock, feed sales, processing, pharmaceutical sales, nutrition and production. 

To view the videos and learn more about careers within the industry visit the Purdue Animal Sciences Vimeo channel.

Pedigree Portal: Easy Ways to Record Your Purebreds

As a service to its members, NSR offers a couple of simple ways you can record your litters:
 

1) Submitting a litter application by mail or fax

2) Recording the litter online

The National Swine Registry allows you to record your litters by mailing in a litter application that you can obtain by clicking on the Registration Application and Sow Productivity Data Form here. 

Another very simple way to record your litter is submitting the information online. This method is quicker than having to wait for us to receive your litters through the mail and is very easy. You can enter your litter via our website.

If you haven’t already set up a user name and password, you can obtain one by calling the NSR office at 765-463-3594. Once you’ve recorded your litters, you should receive a confirmation e-mail within one business day letting you know we received your litters.

Either way you record your litter, the required fields are:  litter number, farrowing date, dam’s ear notch and registration number, sire’s ear notch and registration number, ear notches of the baby boars and gilts in the litter, the total number born in the litter, and the number born alive.

Please keep in mind when filling in the ear notches of the baby pigs, you do not need to list the litter number with each ear notch. For example, if you are recording pigs 2-3 and 2-4, you only need to enter a 3 and a 4 in the boar or gilt space since you already entered a 2 as the litter number. 

If you would like to record your male pigs as barrows rather than boars, simply put an ‘X’ in the same box as the pig’s ear notch on the litter application.

As always, if you have any questions please contact the NSR office and we would be glad to help you out.

Whitney Hosier

Pedigree Portal: Breed Characteristics of NSR Breeds

We are often asked about breed qualifications of the 4 breeds of the National Swine Registry. Below is a summary of breed requirements and markings. 

Durocs
Durocs should be red with down ears. If a Duroc has white on any part of its body, including its feet, it may be disqualified. It is okay for Durocs to have white on the end of their nose, as long as it doesn’t break the rim of the nose. They are not allowed to have more than 3 black spots and none over 2 inches in diameter on the body. 

Hampshires
Hampshires should be black with a white belt that goes completely around both front legs and feet. They are allowed to have some white on their nose, as long as it doesn’t exceed the rim of the nose. If the white goes under the pig’s chin, it cannot be more than what a U.S. minted quarter will cover. Hampshires can have white on their back legs, as long as it is only from the hock down. These color requirements must be met by Hampshire boars and gilts for them to be eligible to show in breeding events. If a Hampshire doesn’t have a full belt, it can still be bred and its offspring can be registered; however, it can’t be exhibited as a breeding animal at NSR shows. 

Landrace
Landrace should be white with down ears and should not have colored hair on any part of their body. If a Landrace has large, colored spots or numerous colored spots on its skin, it is ineligible to be recorded. 

Yorkshires
Yorkshires should be white with erect ears and not have any colored spots larger than an U.S. minted quarter. 

Please keep in mind if any breed shows evidence of a third dewclaw, it is ineligible to be recorded.  Durocs, Landrace, and Yorkshires should have at least a 6-6 underline to be recorded. Hampshires must have a 6-6 underline to be shown as a breeding animal, but can still be recorded if their underline is not 6-6.

I hope this helps clear up any uncertainties you may have. As always, let us know if you have any questions!

Whitney Hosier

Keeping You & Your Animals Healthy

Several fairs in Indiana and Ohio have recently had exhibitors and livestock affected by the influenza virus. Influenza, or the flu, can occasionally be transmitted from people to pigs or from pigs to people. Here are some recommendations from National Pork Board you can follow to help protect you and your animals from illness:

1) If anyone in your family has flu-like symptoms, please do not attend any public livestock events, including your county, state or regional fairs, for seven days after the symptoms began or until you have been fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medications - whichever is longer.

2) If any of your animals show signs of flu-like illness on the farm, please check with your veterinarian before bringing them to your county, state or regional shows. 

In addition to the precautions above, Dr. Tony Forshey, State Veterinarian in Ohio, says that being proactive and doing things as simple as washing your hands can help prevent the spread of illness. See Dr. Forshey's other comments on protecting animal and human health by clicking here. 

For additional information, refer to A Champion's Guide to Youth Swine Exhibition: Biosecurity, available here. 

By taking these precautions, you can help protect yourself, your animals and the people and animals around you. We appreciate your cooperation.

Stock Marketing: Attention-Getting Ads

Everyone knows our showpig issues get a little hefty. In fact, we expect three times the number of ads in our September Showpig issue of the Seedstock EDGE than the July issue you’re most likely flipping through this week. So for all of you advertisers out there wondering how to make your ad stand out among the clutter, here are a few quick tips.

• Lead with a strong headline – (Sorry, but your farm name doesn’t count.) An ad headline needs to give potential customers news or advice, evoke emotion, establish curiosity or make a statement about your products. Now the trick to a good headline is making it short, but impactful. Five times as many readers will read the headline in an ad rather than the small print so make it a good one. Amazingly, most readers are bored by the ninth word. Marketing research shows the best headlines are less than eight words. 
• Use the body copy to your advantage – Now I know that many ads will be filled with prospect pictures, herdsires and past winners, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make the best use of the words in your ad. While straight-to-the-point thank-yous and pedigrees are nice, think of how much more impact your ad could have with a testimonial from a junior exhibitor or a strong statement a judge gave during reasons. Get creative and think of new ways to say the same things.
• Make it a sight to be seen – No one likes dull, boring ads. Think of supporting visuals that can support your claims. For me, brainstorming and word association help. For example, if your headline claims, “it takes more than luck,” then make a list of anything that reminds you of luck: four-leaf clovers, rabbit feet, pennies (face-up of course), leprechauns, the Irish, etc. Nothing is too crazy, when you’re brainstorming, some of the most striking images come from the most out-of-the-box ideas.
• Communicate to the ‘creatives’ – Now that you have an idea what you want, you need to make your vision clear to the folks creating your ad. Sure, they’re good at what they do, but they’re not mind-readers; if you have an idea in mind, tell them. Even if you don’t think your concept is complete, the ad designers can often take what you have and build on your ideas to create an ad.
• Meet deadlines – Last but not least, it is hard to create a good ad without the materials. Be conscious of deadlines. Designers need time to layout and put together your ads. Editors need time to check your copy. You need time to look over and approve the ad. And the publication needs time to reserve a spot and place your ad before their magazine is printed. Since everything takes time, you need to have all of your materials (copy, photos, ideas) in on time. To see the Seedstock EDGE deadlines click here.

As always, if you’ve hit a creative road block or would like some marketing guidance, give the Marketing and Communications Team at the National Swine Registry a call. We’re always glad to help.

Best,

Katie

Stock Marketing: Building excitement about entries

Whew, we survived an exciting and busy week at Expo. One of my favorite aspects of my job is seeing the high quality animals that are exhibited at our shows and sales.

As producers, I know you guys are constantly striving to raise the next “great one.” So this month in Stock Marketing, I’m going to share a few quick tricks you can use to promote your entries for the summer sales, shows and conferences.

• Get a good picture.  A picture is worth a thousand words, so if you want potential buyers to get excited about your entry – snap a good picture. Sure, you can tell people it’s a “great one,” but often, seeing is believing. Such was the case in Duncan last year when Bruce and Jenny Kaufman of Kaufman Showpigs, Crawfordsville, Iowa, got a great shot of their Hillbilly Bone son. His picture drew the interest of Prairie State Semen Supply, who purchased their boar called Billy Bob. The same picture that Bruce and Jenny took is now on the cover of the PSSS Spring catalog.
• Take to the world-wide web. Once you’ve got your picture, post it to your website. (While you’re at it, check out some quick web tips from last month.) Be sure to include which show or sale the animal will be consigned to, as well as the dates. If you don’t have a website - or if you would like some added publicity - leverage your connections in the industry by posting the pictures to your Facebook page, blog or Twitter.
• Call your fieldman. NSR fieldmen like to get out and see good pigs. If you think you have a good entry, give them a call, and see if they have time to swing by.
• Don’t cry wolf. The seedstock industry is built on trust, so before you tell everyone that you have the next “great one,” take a step back and really evaluate your animal. Note their strengths AND weaknesses, and give potential buyers an accurate description of your entry. The most common mistake is over-promoting an animal that can’t live up to the hype.  

I can’t wait to see what everyone brings to Louisville, and remember – if you buy or sell a good one, give us a call at Seedstock EDGE to put your breeding piece in print. Next month in Stock Marketing, I will be sharing some tips on making great ads – just in time for the September Showpig Issue.

See you this summer! 

Katie

NSR Philippines Trade Mission

Pictured (l-r): Perfecto Corpuz, Pia Ang and Bill Verzani, all from the USDA/FAS Manila office, Justin Fix of the National Swine Registry and Tony Clayton of Clayton Agri-Marketing, Inc.

The National Swine Registry recently completed a Philippines trade mission, participating in the 21^st Hog Convention and Trade Exhibit in Cebu City, Philippines, with an America's Best Genetics (ABG) booth. During the show, members of the USDA/FAS Manila office traveled to Cebu City to participate in several of the event’s activities. The group stopped by the ABG booth to visit with Dr. Justin Fix about the Philippines market (group pictured above). Thanks to all who stopped by the ABG booth!

Just prior to travelling to Cebu City for the tradeshow, Mr. Tony Clayton of Clayton Agri-Marketing, Inc., Mr. Bobby Badilla, Carmel Import/Export Corporation, and Dr. Justin Fix traveled to Cavite Pig City, located in General Trias, Philippines. During the visit, the trade team viewed some of the first litters farrowed as part of the Genetic Service Partnership between U.S. purebred breeders, the National Swine Registry and Cavite Pig City. Read more about this genetic partnership and consulting agreement here. Litter 7 (pictured below) was farrowed on March 26^th with 13 born alive with 12 pigs weaned.

Litter 7 was farrowed by a gilt purchased from Waldo Farms, WFDM1 30-11 Ms Starburst, and sired by a boar purchased from Cedar Ridge Farms, 1CR1 Pikkus 722-5.

Pedigree Portal: How to Register a Litter

One question we are often asked in the Pedigree department is how to record a litter. For those of you who may be registering your pigs for the first time, I wanted to put together some information to help you get started. 

First, you will need to make sure you have been set up with a Herdmark. You can acquire a Herdmark by contacting the NSR office here. A Herdmark is a second form of identification that goes in the front of the name of each pig you record.

We allow you to record as a Member of the NSR or as a NonMember. Members receive discounted litter rates and a one year subscription to the Seedstock Edge magazine, along with voting privileges. If you are interested in becoming a member, visit the Pedigree Section of our website and click on ‘NSR Member Application’ or simply click here.

If the dam of your litter was artificially inseminated, you will need to contact the boar stud where you purchased the semen and ask them to issue an AI certificate. This is sent directly to us and will be matched with your litter once we receive your work.

If your sow was bred naturally by your herd boar, please send a DNA sample to the NSR prior to registering litters to complete the blood banking and the stress testing requirements.   

Now, you are ready to record your litter! There are two ways to do this: 

1.     Download a litter application from our members only page, then click on:  Registration Application & Sow Productivity Data Form. Fill this out then mail it in to the NSR office. In this same portion of the website, you can also download an NSR fee structure for prices; this will give you an idea of how much money to send with your litter.

2.     Record your litter online. Simply call the NSR and ask to be set up to record litters online.

Once your litter is recorded, as long as we have received all the necessary information, your pedigrees will be mailed to you.

If you ever have questions, just give us a call at 765-463-3594.  

Good luck!

Whitney Hosier

Stock Marketing: Does your website pass the test?

 

With the spring showpig sale season winding down, most of us have time to take a quick breath before plunging into show season. (If you’re not in the field, that is.) In the NSR Marketing and Communications Department, we’re using this break to catch up on paperwork, prepare for the next issue of Seedstock EDGE and start re-designing our website. 

I’m sure many of you will be sending show and sale results off to your web designers. But before you do, put your site through the paces and see if it passes these tests highlighted in Steve Krug’s Don’t Make Me Think (a fast, surprisingly entertaining read on web usability):

1. Don’t Make Me Think (or anyone for that matter) – Surfing the web should not be a critical thinking exercise and neither should navigating your website. Ensure that visitors to your site don’t have to think by making your site navigation clear. Anything “clickable” should be easy-to-locate and obvious. If it is a button – make it look like a button.  
2. Scan Friendly Text – When was the last time you read a web page? No, I mean REALLY read a web page. If you can’t recall, you can join the majority of web users. The instant satisfaction of the Internet lends itself to short bits of text, known in the communications world as “copy.” The easier your copy is to scan, the more effective your message is. So use headlines, bulleted lists and paragraph breaks to organize your information according to its relevance and importance.
3. Pass the “Trunk Test” – In Krug’s book, he talks about the “trunk test.” To perform the trunk test, go to any page on your website and pretend you were just dumped out at that page from a search engine – or for the analogy’s sake, you were just let out of a car’s trunk at this site. Would you know where you are? How could you get back home? Make sure your site has “signs” and breadcrumbs (those little words with the arrows) so your users can find their way home. Navigating a site should not be an adventure like Homeward Bound, which is why every page of your site should include the site name, a button to get home and a clear navigation menu.
4. Home Sweet Home – Speaking of home, Krug says the home page should convey the “big picture” without overwhelming the user. Now, we know we’re guilty of overwhelming you with the amount of information on our homepage. So we’re taking our own advice, and Krug’s, and removing everything we think we can place elsewhere. The homepage is best suited for a welcome note and a company tagline – the rest is up to your user-friendly navigation.

I hope these four quick tips will help you improve your web presence. I know that we will be working hard for the next several months to improve ours. As always, if you have any ideas for us or need some marketing insight, feel free to get in touch with us.

Best,

Katie

Purebred Customers from China Learn About STAGES™

This past week, NSR hosted a group of visitors from China at the office in West Lafayette, Ind. The group, accompanied by Professor Wang of China Agricultural University, included buyers from three different Chinese companies. Throughout the visit, the buyers were escorted by George Bruns and Chuck Bastrom of Ag-World Inc., and Nicholas Zhang of China Animal Husbandry Group.

L to R: Professor Wang, Dr. Clint Schwab, & George Bruns

NSR CEO, Dr. Clint Schwab, and Director of Genetic and Technical Services at NSR, Dr. Justin Fix, hosted the meeting, which centered on the Swine Genetic and Testing Evaluation System (STAGES™). STAGES™ is a program developed by the National Swine Registry to facilitate genetic improvement through calculation of the most economically significant traits in purebred swine production. The international breeders, all customers of U.S. purebred genetics, were interested in the intricacies and daily functions of the genetic program. To learn more about STAGES™, click here.

Combined, the group of producers selected over 1,000 head for shipment from the U.S. to China this coming February.

Purebred customers from China visit the NSR office to learn about the STAGES™ program.