June 2007 ,  Vol. 10, No. 6
PEAK OF PERFORMANCE NEWS                        
 
General Manager Comments
 
The March 30 USDA Hogs and Pigs Report showed March 1 inventory of pigs to be 61.1 million head, up 1% from a year ago but down 2% from three months ago. Breeding inventory of 6.08 million sows was up 1% as was the market hog inventory at 55.0 million head.
Average pigs saved per litter were 9.08 in the past quarter, up from 9.03 last year, ranging from 7.6 pigs in small herds to 9.2 pigs for herds with more than 5000 pigs produced.

2007
(million)

2006
(million)

%
change

Breeding sows

6.081

6.025

0.9

Market hogs

55.055

54.301

1.3

<27 kg

20.265

19.988

1.4

27-54 kg

13.086

13.006

6.3

54-81 kg

11.423

11.434

-0.1

>81 kg

10.248

9.874

3.8

These numbers indicate that hog prices should remain at seasonal levels for the next few months, no big increases in price unless demand for pork increases significantly.

 
PEAK Growth Summit

GROWTH in Performance Improvement:

Boars and gilts probed at Five Lakes Farms at the end of April continue to show great performance parameters. Biggest loin probed at 100 kg live weight on Trailblazer boars was 69.3 mm; on Landrace boars was 69.7 mm; on Landrace gilts was 72.1 mm and on Duroc gilts was 68.3 mm.

Breed

No.

Average Backfat

Loin Depth

Loin Area

Est. Lean Yield

Duroc gilts

5

9.6 mm

65.9 mm

45.4 sq cm

63.9%

Landrace boars

4

10.1 mm

64.9 mm

42.0 sq cm

63.7%

Landrace gilts

15

8.9 mm

67.8 mm

46.9 sq cm

64.5%

Yorkshire gilts

25

9.9 mm

61.2 mm

43.0 sq cm

63.7%

 
Peak Customers
 

Congratulations to our 24 boar and 6 gilt customers who received the Lowest Warranty Awards for Trailblazer boars and Summit gilts at the Alberta Pork Congress! It’s terrific to see ten clients have 0% warranties on their boars – they obviously know how to introduce these boars into service. Thank you to every one of our continuing clients!

 
PEAK BookOf World Records
 
Lacombe boar BL2691S probed at Bloomsbury Farms in March indexed 182 as SLI and 176 as DLI in its Estimated Breeding Values. Lacombe gilt BL2592S indexed 175 SLI and 173 DLI in the same report.

Spring Point Colony weaned its first set of piglets from gilt litters – 195 pigs from 20 litters. 19 of the 20 boars delivered for the fill startup were able to breed successfully.

Peaceview Colony reports that all 12 of the Summit gilts delivered in February were bred before the next delivery in March. We expect that the gilts were sized right, fed right, induced right and bred to good breeding Trailblazer boars.

 
Territory Managers
 
For more information, contact:
 
  Manager Territory Cell Telephone
Les Robinson Southern & Central Alberta (250) 833-6196
Paul Klingeman Pacific Northwest  (509) 989-1347
Mike Miller Saskatchewan and Montana (403) 317-0543
 
Recent Issues
 
2007 2006 2005 2004
January (Vol. 10, No.1) January (Vol. 9, No.1) January (Vol. 8, No.1) January (Vol. 7, No.1)
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No.3a)

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No.3a)

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No.3a)

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No.3a)

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(Vol. 10, No. 5)

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May

(Vol. 8, No. 5)

May

(Vol. 7, No. 5)

June

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June

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June

(Vol. 8, No. 6)

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(Vol. 7, No. 7)

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(Vol. 9, No. 8)

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(Vol. 8, No. 8)

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(Vol. 9, No. 9)

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(Vol. 8, No. 9)

September

(Vol. 7, No. 9)

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