Quality Equipment For Quality Pigs

Tony, Tracy and Dave Lorenzen

“Even though we are not a big operation, they took time to build the equipment that we wanted,” said Tracy.

He rated Farmweld’s service as “superb” throughout the project, from Niebrugge’s attention to detail in measuring and planning the project, to the quality craftsmanship in the manufacturing of the equipment, and the excellent sales support from Farmweld’s office staff. “Everyone was so nice,” Tracy said.

Quality and value are important to the Lorenzens. “I think for what we got in quality, the equipment was well priced,” he said.

“I have been super satisfied with the pens (in the facility),” Tracy said. “I wouldn’t change a thing about it.”

This Lorenzen gilt was awarded the Reserve Grand Champion Yorkshire Gilt at the Southeast Regional hog show in Perry, GA, in January 2010. Tracy Lorenzen, who operates his Chrisman, IL, hog enterprise with his father, Dave, and brother, Tony, has sold Yorkshire gilts and boars to places as far off as California, Oregon, Texas, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Georgia.

Tracy Lorenzen operates a Yorkshire breeding stock business for the show pig market with his father, Dave, and brother, Tony, in Chrisman, IL. The family exhibits at two or three national livestock shows each year to create interest in their herd. Prize winners bring customers. “You have to sell what people want,” says Tracy.

The Lorenzens recently learned their marketing philosophies mirror Farmweld’s goals of supplying products that fit a customer’s needs and goals. Tracy stopped by the Farmweld booth at World Pork Expo last June to check out replacement gestation equipment. “I’d always been impressed with the quality equipment that they displayed,” says Tracy. “It looked like it was built to last.”

The Lorenzens’ existing facility contained 240, 2’ x 7’ (.61 x 2.13 M) gestation stalls, and they wanted to create pens that were twice that size to give their sows extra space. “We only run 120 sows so I knew we had the room to do this,” Tracy said.

After the show, Farmweld’s Aaron Niebrugge went to the Lorenzen farm to discuss ideas for the remodeled facility, take measurements of the space, and brainstorm equipment and layout options.

Farmweld then designed four prototype, 4’ x 7’ (1.21 x 2.13 M) pens. After observing sows in the prototype pens, the Lorenzens ordered and installed 56 more pens last year and will install another 60 later this year.