Author Archives: NSR

From the University of Illinois
URBANA – Meg Meeker of Logan County exhibited the Champion Junior Pork Premiere at the 2011 Illinois State Fair Pork Premiere Carcass Show. Meeker’s pig was also named Champion Junior Land of Lincoln and Reserve Open Land of Lincoln.

“Meg’s barrow had a hot carcass weight of 223.5 pounds with 0.90 inches of backfat and a 10.0 square-inch loineye,” said Dan Jennings, University of Illinois Extension 4-H livestock specialist. “With 129 days on test, this barrow had 0.822 pounds of lean gain per day, which is the ultimate figure used in ranking the premiere hogs. Her 283-pound Duroc barrow also scored well on qualitative measures such as color, marbling, firmness and pH.”

The second place hog in the Junior Premiere Show was exhibited by Kade Buysse of Henry County. His 258-pound crossbred pig had a hot carcass weight of 212 pounds, 0.70 inches backfat, and a 10.5 [ … ]

From the University of Illinois
The 2011 Illinois Superior Young Swine Producers Award Contest was held on Aug. 10 in conjunction with the Illinois State Fair. Twenty-two 4-H and FFA members from across Illinois competed in the event. 
“This three-phase competition challenges young people to display their working knowledge of swine production,” said Dan Jennings, University of Illinois Extension 4-H livestock specialist. 
Each year, five $1,000 scholarships are presented to the highest scoring individuals overall. The contest is sponsored by Archer Daniels Midland of Decatur and the Illinois State Fair. The Land of Lincoln Purebred Livestock Breeders Association supplies the individual plaques presented to the scholarship and phase winners. 
The top five youth receiving $1,000 scholarships include Caitlyn Bowyer of Sumner, Jaylene Jennings of DeKalb, Trey Fecke of Bonfield, Tara Bernard of Newark, and David Ammann of Highland.
In the swine management test, Jennings, Bowyer and Ammann sorted themselves to the top and [ … ]