Yesterday I returned once again to the sow unit I was assigned for the summer. After early mornings at the Boar Stud it was nice to not have to be to work until 6 AM. Yesterday I helped wean, did some farrowing rounds, dried newborn piglets, and helped scrape crates after sows were removed from one of the rooms as well as empty feeders before he room was power-washed. After lunch I sat down with he farm manager and farrowing manager to look over the spread sheets for my research project for the next few weeks. We determined what needed to be added to the sheets, how to separate the stuff, and what needed to be deleted that was unnecessary info. Yesterday afternoon I helped put sows back into the room that was emptied that morning and assisted with misc. work around the barns. I also went around and "tagged" (stapled a note card to their info cards) my 10% random samples of each group of sows that I will be "researching" for feed efficiency and production rates.
Today I helped wean once again, as well as empty the crates of their sows, scrape the floors, and cleaned feeders. After break this morning I helped breed sows/gilts and heat checked Heat No Service gilts. I helped move the bred sows into their gestation barns and put up their sheets above their crates. After lunch I started collecting my data. I wrote down the tag numbers of the sows that I "tagged" yesterday, took down their 114 day gestation date, their body condition score, and what parity their currently were in. I also posted all of my data into the computer and helped clean up around the office.
Tomorrow will pretty much be a lot like the last few days have been. Thursday I get to head to the Pork Expo in Des Moines and then I have Friday/Saturday/Sunday off! :)
<3 Roz
No comments:
Post a Comment