Farmers Weekly Pig Farmer of the Year 2013: Ian Davidson
Ian Davidson
Mosside Farm, Inverurie, Abedeenshire
Innovative thinking and the confidence to try things differently in order to get results is what marks Ian Davidson as a winner.
Working with his committed team who are passionate about doing their best for the herd, Ian has created a business that has continued to flourish and reap a profit when the rest of the industry has not fared so well.
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Taking over the farm at 18, pig numbers grew steadily as Ian recognised he could create a fully integrated system where slurry was used to fertilise the farm’s 182ha of crops, while the crops in turn could feed the animals.
But faced with spiralling input costs and falling pig prices in recent years, Ian realised he needed to change the working practices on his farm at Inverurie, Aberdeenshire, if he was to remain profitable.
Working with his staff and farm consultant, they overhauled everything from the pigs’ feed to their management system.
Having always milled his own feed, he started adding cheaper liquid fish instead of fishmeal, adapting his machinery to make best use of the inputs available to him and saving thousands of pounds in the process.
With the help of consultant Paul Wright, pig manager Phil Adam and farrowing unit superviser Helen Cruickshank, Ian also introduced a series of enhanced management strategies to improve and simplify the pig-rearing system.
Weaning up to 160 pigs a week, the animals are separated into batches of 40 and to reduce stress they stay in those groups until they are sold – a move that has led to increased growth rates while reducing staff workloads.
“Ian’s flair and passion is an unmistakable driving force in developing his well-run and expanding business, supporting his exceptional staff and providing vision for the future.”
Zoe Davies
General Manager, National Pig Association
Growth rates have been further helped by bringing in new genetics that have enabled the removal of antibiotic use. Nutrition has been adapted to maximise lean growth time so the pigs receive their specific mineral requirement and no inputs are wasted.
It has had an impressive effect, with feed conversion ratios hitting 2.75:1, making the unit perform in the top 5% in the UK. Meat sold a sow has also reached 2.1t, while litter sizes have increased by 1.5 pigs a sow to 27.44 pigs a sow each year.
Ian’s next aim is to add value to the pigs through the farm’s Mossies Pork catering brand, which he plans to develop with son Russell, who has just become a partner in the business.
They are also in the final planning stages for a 225kW wind turbine that will be used to power the pig units and to replace older buildings with porta-units to further streamline operations.
Ian is adamant that looking at efficiencies has been key to improving prices for his pork, as well as making him and his team better producers.
Sponsor’s message
“This year’s finalists have all dedicated a great deal of time and money to evolving their businesses, showing a great deal of commitment to the UK pig industry.”
Oliver Dale
Safety Revolution
Nominate someone else or enter yourself for the 2014 Farmers Weekly Awards.