Peter Farms

We maintain 300 sows in site-segregated production, all in confinement facilities. The makeup of our herd by breed are 120 pure York sows, 40 pure Hamp sows, 20 Duroc sows, 20 Exotic cross sows, and 100 York x Duroc sows. All our herd boars are housed offsite at I-net and Boar Max, two regional boar studs. All replacement females are home raised and undergo extensive blood testing and vaccination protocol prior to entry into the sow herd. We test monthly for PRRS, psuedorabies, and brussologious. We also conduct quarterly slaughter checks. Our current sow herd has been closed since 1991 and was derived from Nationally Accredited S.P.F. breeding stock. Dr. Johnson and Dr. Wilke of Griggsville Veterinary Clinic have been our veterinarians since 1992. Information about our general herd health or recent serology can be obtained by contacting their office at 217-833-2359.

Our production system includes 21-day weaning and segregated nursery rearing. At 9 weeks our breeding stock is moved to an offsite finishing building that is partial slats and partial solid concrete. Boars are raised in pens of twenty and growth indexes are gathered at 270-280 pounds. We also gather scan data on several groups per year. Market animals are finishes in a standard 1,250 head, double curtain sided, fully-slatted, deep-pitted building. Cutouts on these pigs run 53-54% lean and 76-78 dressing percentage. Replacement females are also grown-out offsite. Currently we produce 120-150 show pig prospects January and July-August farrowed per season that are offered for sale privately. Karl Peter heads up this enterprise and we have pictures and breeding information on the show pig page. Karl can be called at 217-653-3941 or emailed at info@peterfarms.com.

We also sell high-health pure gilts, both Yorkshire and Hampshire that are suitable for domestic and export markets. We have made exportation to China and Mexico in 2008 and 2009 and work well with number export firms. Contact Mark at 217-257-1381 for availability. Boars are sold through Premier Swine Systems.

Our family has bred Hampshires since 1962. Both Don and Mark have served on the National Hampshire Board of directors and are past presidents of NHR. Mark also served on the NSR board from 1999 to 2001 and, with fellow Yorkshire breeder Bill Funderberg, suggested a Junior Swine Show in conjunction with the NSR Summer Type Conference. That concept has evolved into the NJSA.

We have seen many changes and an evolution in management practices, hog types, and production systems in the five decades that we have been involved in the breeding stock business. We have pictured several animals and milestones from our years of raising Hampshires. As we review the animals that have contributed to our success, and ultimately our customers success, a strong pattern emerges in terms of the phenotypic characteristics that those individuals have in common. They were all correct in their structure, with sound feet and legs. They were wider bodied than many of the animals that were their contemporaries, heavier structured, and leveler in their design. Also nearly all of these animals were extra productive and fertile. Truly superior breeding stock are efficient in their reproductive capabilities. We believe these are unchanging fundamentals common to improving a species of livestock no matter what the latest fad might be in the show ring. The other bedrock of superior breeding stock is the honesty and integrity of the family that produces it. We believe our reputation in this regard will withstand the most intense scrutiny. We invite you to review the rest of this site and call or email if we can be of assistance in supplying any of your breeding stock needs. Thank you.