Verbivar bvba Nevele, Belgium

Kristof and Angelique Verschelde – Dobbels (36 and 37)

Henri, Louis and Elise (13, 12 and 10)

Verbivar bvba

Development of the farm

1. 1968: Leon and Rosa Verschelde : 35 sows and 25 dairy cows

2. 1968 – 1995 : expansion till 375 sows, 1960 pigs and 80 dairy cows

3. 1995: Kristof and Angelique : take over the pigbusiness from the parents

4. 2006: Take over the second part of the farm from the parents

5. 2007: Transformation to 700 sows and 3000 fatteners

Implantation of the company

± 500 m tot woonuitbreidingsgebied

± 450m tot woongebied

Agrarisch gebied

sows : 5 groups : 140 in farrowing house140 in mating area140 in 4 w gestation140 in 8 w gestation 140 in 12 w gestation

piglets : 2 groups : 1750 4 w weaned1740 8 w weaned

fattening pigs: 4 groups : 1700 10-14 w1700 15-20 w1700 21-24 w1700 25-30 w

replacement gilts : in the same weaner house, afterwards to a specific rearing house (different from the fattening stable), then after 30 weeks to the gestation room

Different age groups in a 4-week system

Day 1 weaning & cleaning do Day 15Day 2 moving & washing S vrij Day 16Day 3 stimulating za Day 17Day 4 stimulating zo Day 18 Day 5 mating ma Day 19 selling fattening pigsDay 6 mating di Day 20 cleaningDay 7 farrowing woe Day 21 Day 8 farrowing do Day 22 moving pigletsDay 9 farrowing vrij Day 23 cleaningDay 10 za Day 24Day 11 start regumate zo Day 25Day 12 castrating ma Day 26 selecting F1- sowsDay 13 castrating di Day 27 scanning, moving SDay 14 woe Day 28 piglets to weaner h

Work proces in a 4-week system :

advantages:

- fixed operation scheduling- Work efficiency- Only 1 age of piglets in farrowing area - 2 weeks hard-working, 2 weeks easier

disadvantages:

- Less opportunities to change planning - weaker position in trading, the places must become free

4-week system :

700 productive sows : 630 F1 (sows) en 70 YY (grand-parents)

F1 * Piétrain : to produce fattening pigs

YY * LargeWhite : to produce YY sows, mothers

YY * Danish Landtype : to produce F1 sows, grandmothers

40 % substitution per year = producing 280 sows/yr

advantages own breeding : - own selection criteria- sanitarily closed

Closed herd:

Entrance control and delivery of raw materials

Verbivar bvba : The sows mating area

Verbivar bvba : The sows gestation room

Verbivar bvba : The sows farrowing area

Verbivar bvba : Early weaning area

Verbivar bvba : The weaner house

Verbivar bvba : The fattening

Varbell cvba : Former stables (1500 pl)

Varbell cvba : New fattening stable (1500 pl)

Verbivar bvba : The feeding system

Verbivar bvba : Storage of the liquid raw materials

60 ha maize for CCM

Verbivar bvba : Airwashing and denitrification

Verbivar bvba

Strong points :

• 2-site production

• Batch farrowing : 4 weeks system

• Liquid feeding

• 1 fulltime and 1 parttime employee

• 90 ha land (60 ha maize for CCM)

• Cooperation with VC-energy

Verbivar bvba :

Biological key data : Piglet production

Number of live born piglets/sow and litter : 14,67

Number of dead born piglets/sow and litter : 1,6

Number of litters/sow : 2,48

Piglet loss until weaning (%) : 11,1

Number of weaned piglets/sow and year : 32,07

Verbivar bvba :

Biological key data : Fattening

Feed conversion : 2.28

Daily increases : 810

Feed intake : 1.95

Loss rate % : 2.1

Lean meat % : 61

Verbivar bvba

What is important to me, my priority areas in pig production

1. Animal health

2. Take care of each stage in the production

3. Feeding optimalisation

4. Economical optimalisation

5. Attention to meat quality and taste

6. Exchance of experiences with european pig producers

Verbivar bvba

How do I see my future?

• Managing an economical farm

• To maintain our farm with pleasure

• Quality will be more important than quantity

• More act together with the client

Verbivar bvba

Challenges:• Making progress in marketing, the whole chain must have equal profit

• To control the cost price and keeping the production high

• Keeping the positive reputation in our sector

Opportunities• To take all chances to reckon the higher costs into the selling price

• More act together with the client to make a better product for a fair price

2006 :

Nomination Pig Award

2007:

Agrafiek

2007:

Meetjeslander

2008:

Eurotier Pig Farmer

- Retailers lower the prices to the consumers by paying less on the level of the producer

- Higher demands of the consumers and the authorities, despite of the same prices as 30 years ago

- Everyone needs everyone, everyone is responsible on all levels

- Upscaling, efficiency, good healthcare is important but not enough

- Policy makers must realize that impermissible speculations on raw materials lead to, on the one hand the impossibility to conceive a good agricultural policy and, on the other hand, to more hunger.

- Guarantee the continuity of the farming sector

CRISIS, also in agriculture…