A Good Insurance Policy

Patrick and Don “Duke” Harms, Forrest, IL, own production facilities with 23,000 pig spaces and provide contract feeding services for Keller Grain & Livestock. Shown here from left are: Site Manager Rueben Martinez, Site Manager Kevin “Slim” Boward, Patrick Harms and Duke Harms.
Investing in Farmweld finishing feeders could be likened to taking out a good insurance policy. Even in the event of a feed system going down, pigs can keep eating. The Farmweld feed hopper stores 70 pounds of feed per hole per side – enough to carry pigs through until problems can be addressed.“With tube feeders, if a motor goes out, you can run out of feed really fast,” says Patrick Harms, who owns several barns in central Illinois. In comparison, “pigs are always eating” with Farmweld feeders, Patrick says.

Patrick, who farms with his father, Don “Duke” Harms, in Forrest, IL, built three, 4,000-head wean-to- inish barns in 2006. The Harms’ opted for Farmweld dry finishing feeders after being impressed with results using Farmweld feeders in three, 1260-head barns they built in 2004. Tube feeders were installed in older barns in the operation.

Altogether, the Harms’ have nearly 23,000 pig spaces and provide contract growing services exclusively for Keller Grain & Livestock of Willow Hill, IL.

Great for wean-to-finish
Newly-weaned pigs start very well on Farmweld’s feeders, according to Patrick. The feeder’s low, 4 3/4" (121 mm) front lip and wide feed spaces allow baby pigs to step right in and eat comfortably. In the Harms’ operation, creep feed then starter pellets are fed on mats for four to five days after weaning. At the same time, starter pellets are placed in the feed tray to encourage pigs to explore the feeders.

“The pigs go right to them,” says Kevin “Slim” Boward, who manages about half of the Harms’ production. The Harms also rely on manager Rueben Martinez to oversee care and feeding for the new 12,000-head site.

Boward says it is easy to adjust Farmweld Jumbo Feeders. “We try to keep them adjusted so we see just a light dusting of feed in the tray,” he says. That means pigs can eat all they want without feed being spoiled or spilled out onto the slats. “There is no waste with these feeders,” says Boward.

Differences in feed efficiency
Pig owner Bob Keller of Keller Grain & Livestock says he sees noticeable differences in feed efficiencies between pigs raised in barns with dry feeders versus wet-dry feeders or tube feeders. “With dry feeders, feed efficiency is better,” he says.

Easy-to-clean feeders
Farmweld feeders are also easy to clean thoroughly between pig groups. That is something Patrick Harms greatly values. “You can get everything cleaned really well before you bring in new, little pigs,” he says. “That’s got to help with disease prevention.”

The Farmweld Flip-to-Cleansystem makes it convenient to handle even the biggest feeders. “You just lift the feeders up, hook them and then you can clean everything underneath,” Patrick says.

Besides feeders, the Harms have purchased Farmweld gating and several FAST scales. He says Farmweld went the extra mile to make sure equipment arrived on time and was easy to install and operate. “Kevin (Schnarre) led us through things very well,” says Patrick. “They do what it takes to get the job done.”