As the dust settles on another successful Summer Type Conference (STC), everyone’s focus seems to be shifting toward state fair season here in the Midwest. Definitely an exciting time, as those projects we have fed since spring are starting to come around and continue to get better every time you walk in the barn. However, before too long, it is going to be time to start thinking critically about what to breed those key sows to and start the process all over again.

With an absolutely incredible purebred show at Louisville, this year, I wanted to blog about some of the boars I was fortunate enough to see prior to STC, many of which went on to be exhibited at Louisville. I want to offer my opinion on where these studs may be used best. Also, if you would like some insight on STC boars I do not mention, please feel free to contact me at 319-430-7533.

Duroc Boars

I’ll start off with some discussion on the young Duroc boar Nathan Weisinger raised and sold at STC. I would have seen this Generator son prior to WPX, so he was still really young then. Even from the time I saw this guy at 120 lbs. until seeing him at the show, this young prospect hit me as a barrow maker. Driving at you, he is really opened up through his chest and blade, square off both ends of his skeleton and has the right length of body to make show barrows. He’s tall fronted with a great head carriage. My best guess is he’ll sire a lot like Generator does design wise, but bring it in a little stouter package. He went to Lean Value Sires for $41,000.

Chad Day’s boars were definitely fun to study at the farm and at the show. It was equally as fun to look at the clone-mate barrows exhibited in the junior show. Talk about a futuristic front third on all these clones! A really tall-fronted group that still read correct in the angle to their blade and curvature to their knee. One, I think, if mated right, will add look to the next generation and make them great designed, without sacrificing stoutness of skull or heaviness of structure. Both clones exhibited at STC were sold, the Reserve Champion Boar going to Premium Blend Genetics for $27,000, and the other going to Triple B Sires for $34,000.

I was not fortunate enough to see the Norman Bros. boars prior to STC, but after seeing  Slats last fall, I was really excited about this champion they brought. He was really heavy structured, yet still basic in his build, and  he could flex and reach with ease off both ends of his skeleton. Making durable replacements is what I see this guy doing best. He also went to Premium Blend Genetics for $30,000.

Hampshire Boars

Honestly, I did not see many Hampshire boars leading in to Louisville, but the ones I did see got me really excited. I’ll start off by mentioning the Champion Hampshire from STC, exhibited by JJ Genetics. Another one I would have seen prior to WPX, he had grown and changed some by the time he got to Louisville. Maybe not an extreme hog, but one I think holds a tremendous amount of breeding value in the Hampshire breed. I see him to be one that can fix structure, make them tall fronted and give them a cool look up-front. Also, he offers a little breathing room being a complete outcross to the Augusta line. Upperhand Genetics and Trey and Cade Fecke partnered on this guy for $30,000.

Another exciting Hampshire boar I saw leading up to STC, didn’t actually end up at a show. While at Jesse Heimer’s, Brian Anderson and I were fortunate enough to see a young Flat Bill son out of a Point Maker x Homegrown x Judge sow. Honestly, I was way in on this guy! He was a real power hog that comes equipped with an extra stout structure. Great from a flexibility standpoint, balances from the side, and plants and drives square and true going away. This young stud will call Chariton, Iowa, his new home at Cain Super Sires.

Landrace Boars

I only saw one Landrace boar prior to STC, but my visit to Arbuckle Farms did not disappoint. This eventual Champion Landrace Boar at Louisville had some really unique pieces. Moderate in his frame work, heavy structured, square and flexible off both ends, he had the right length of body to make both barrows and gilts. This outlier of a boar went to Walker Showpigs.

Yorkshire Boars

I only saw a handful of Yorkshire boars leading up to STC, two of which really stick out in my mind. The Don’t Stop Believin’ son from Seth Swenson projected the look of his sire, being tall fronted and extended. From there back, he read really level out his hip yet still had an ideal set to his hock. The unique thing about this guy, he accompanies all this by being powerful up high, heavy structured, while still being awesome in his joints and up on his toes. One I think can be taken to a variety of sow and won’t mess you up, but different enough in some areas where I think he can definitely make progress. He went to Shipley Swine Genetics for $77,000.

Finally, I wanted to talk about the boar Tracy Lorenzen brought to STC. One that was certainly impressive at the show, but honestly, I might have been an even bigger fan of him at 200 lbs at the farm! He’s a really unique piece that is an outcross pedigree to a lot of the popular Yorkshire lines and possesses the qualities that can definitely be used in the breed. This guy was up on his pasterns and tall shouldered, yet still read with the ideal slope and curvature to his front skeleton. Take him to those plainer-fronted, softer-centered Yorkshire sows is where, I think, he’ll be suited best. He was bought by Crossroads Genetics and Robin Ridge Farms for $40,000.

So there you have it, my perspective on some of the boars I have seen on the road and some of the ones that were represented well at Louisville. Once again, if you have any questions feel free to give me a call.