John Gadd
John Gadd, after training in Scotland 50 years ago, worked as stockman on several pig farms and managed several more before joining a large agricultural chemists as pig product manager. He was then technical director of a pig feed concentrate firm and also helped run their pig farm, then the largest in Britain.
Head-hunted by Britain's second largest feed firm to be their chief pig advisor, after 12 years he set up on his own as an international pig consultant, where over the past 24 years he has been problem solving on pig farms in 23 countries world-wide.
Well-known for his writing on pigs across 38 years, he has written over 2,600 articles and papers, all on pigs, winning several international writing awards. His third pig textbook was published in 2007.
His speciality is the cost-effectiveness of pig technology and has published a list of new terms to encourage everyone to measure performance in a more meaningful manner - aligned to profit as well as just physical performance. His monthly column "What the Textbooks Don't Tell You…" for Pig Progress is now in its 15th year.
Latest Blogs (1-10 of 55)
Farm-specific diets
For growing/finishing pigs, that is – and the concept is a major revolution in the way to buy the feeds for them. Important enough to devote 3 of my `What the Textbooks Don`t Tell You` columns to explain the reasons, the costs, and the benefits from changing to this improved method of buying growing/finishing food. The textbooks so far seem to be coy in covering the subject.
The most impressive pig producer in the world
I am often asked "Which, of all the pig producers you have met - impressed you the most?"
Buying feed in 2011 – the right way to do it
Feed is still the biggest on-cost you have to bear. When so many pig industries have their backs to the profit wall at this time, buying feed intelligently must be one of the most important management tasks you can employ.
Does ‘topping’ help?
We all get this problem to a greater or lesser extent. Topping is the term given to removing pigs to a spare pen or even on to slaughter which are 5% to 10% ahead of the rest of their companions in a pen. Until I am persuaded otherwise, however, topping is not for me.
Feeder settings
I've been working in Central Europe recently and while everyone seems happily fitted up with competition or plate feeders for growers, I notice that the operation of them leaves a lot to be desired.
Causes of liveweight and probe variations at slaughter – a checklist
Last time I described the ‘profit box’ concept and how useful it was in identifying some of the main causes of liveweight and probe variations at slaughterweight. So what are these causes?
Managing Variation at Slaughter by using a 'Profit Box'
“ Some variation is largely unavoidable - but manageable!” (Dr. John Patience, 2008).
This last year I seem to have visited more farms than usual where this problem was raised. The problem of variation in shipping weights resulted in under-occupied pens holding up the re-occupation of the finishing building with new pigs. I’m sure you have noticed it, but housing costs as a percentage of real-term total costs (outside inflation) of raising a finishing pig have nearly doubled in the past 20 years, especially for new-builds. Empty pens waste capital resources.
Where are you in these comparisons?
Those of you who know me have learned that I collect farm figures like crazy – have done so for 40 years or more. They teach you so much about what is really happening on pig farms.
Cost survey of CWF (Computerised Wet Feeding)
Over the past four decades that I have been closely involved with CWF, I have tried to monitor what has been the cost of both newbuilds (17) and conversions from dry pellet feeding (over 100) to growing pigs.
Sanitising those water lines
Recently, I just returned from working in Europe, I happened to be present on two farms which were replacing parts of their water lines, and stopped to take a good look at the inside of the discarded piping.
