"The feed conversion ratio reached 2.66, the average litter size reached 11.6, and the marketing rate of genuine products reached 97.6%. There are even one or two batches achieved 100% marketing rate!" In the face of the ASFV outbreak, the performance of Yang Dong, an Hechuan Dekon family farmer, once again impressed many people.
Many people came to inquire about his secret to raising pigs, but he replied simply and plainly: “You can do it well if you follow the instructions and standards!”
“I know nothing about pig farming, so I have to study how to do it! "
“Actually, we used to raise ducks, and knew nothing about raising pigs!" Yang Dong said, with self-deprecation, at the beginning of the interview. Yang Dong learned about Dekon and get to know the cooperation model of the well-established Dekon Family Farm by accident in 2017. Although he had never raised pigs at that time, Dekon's strong technical support inspired him, and he decided to cooperate with Dekon and engage in pig farming just within a few days!
Yang Dong (Left) and Dekon's Production Management Specialist
Therefore, after reaching a cooperation agreement with Hechuan Dekon in 2018, Yang Dong, who was completely clueless about pig raising, began his pig raising career. Arranged by the company, he first entered a Dekon Pig Breeding Farm to accept several months of training for the family farmers. Due to the lack of knowledge in large-scale pig farming, the farm arranged a supervisor to teach Yang Dong. Feeding, adjusting fences, healthcare...Yang Dong always carefully observed all of his master's movements at key nodes in each production process. Why do we need to adjust the fences like this? Why does the feed amount vary every day? What is the purpose of healthcare? During that period, the supervisor was always followed by an "attendant" who is older than him, because whenever there was any question, Yang Dong would get to the bottom of things.
Then the construction of his own pig farm entered the critical equipment installation period, and Yang Dong reluctantly returned to the building farm. "I must be more familiar with my farm than everyone else!” With this thought in mind, in the day time, Yang Dong personally installed various equipment and instruments in the farm with the workers, and learned to operate them. At night, he would light a lamp in the room with flying mosquitoes and insects, lonely and serious, flipping through the "Dekon Production Management Manual" and occasionally writing some reflection notes. In early 2018, his pig farm was put into operation at last, and by that time, the pages of his Production Management Manual were curled and the blank spaces were filled with dense notes.
(Part of Yang Dong's Notes)
Three years have passed since then, and Yang Dong is no longer the "pig farming novice" who found it difficult to understand "batch management". Under the one-to-one guidance of the company's technical teacher, he learned how to manage a family farm well, how to observe a sow's estrus, how to conduct artificial insemination, and how to deliver piglets... However, he continues to study by himself every night. In addition to reading some professional books on breeding, he often goes online to learn more in-depth farming techniques. He always says: "I have to study. I won't know how to correctly raise pigs if I don’t study."
"Worrying about problems is the only way to avoid problems."
With continuous and in-depth learning, it's becoming clearer to Yang Dong that pig farming is truly a delicate job. This perception made him hesitant to employee workers to help him. Apart from his elder sister, who is helping him manage the fattening house, he has always insisted on taking care of everything in the pig farm himself.
" After work, I will patrol around to check the temperature control equipment, carefully feeling the wind with hands to see if there are any problems with the equipment, and if the temperature is appropriate..."
"After the sows give birth, I usually stay in the pig house for another half an hour after work to check if any piglet is crushed by the sow..."
“I always worry about the sow's nutritional status after they give birth, so I never spare with the glucose.”
“Every time I leave the farm, such as going to the company for businesses or extracting semen, I’m worrying about the pig farm, so I return to the farm as soon as possible. “
"Worrying about problems is the only way to avoid problems." For three years, Yang Dong always bears in mind what the Dekon production management specialist told him, "Raising pigs needs patience, and there's no shortcut". He is used to patrolling day and night, staying in the pig house every day, and observing the movements and expressions of each pig. Due to his delicate care, his pig herd rarely get diseases and take medication, and his production performance has always been excellent.
“Following the standards is good for everyone!”
In 2019, during the outbreak of the ASFV, Yang Dong, like many farmers, was at a loss and extremely anxious. Fortunately, Dekon's rapid response, efficient management, and reliable technology gave him the utmost confidence.
Firstly, he renovated the hardware in his pig farm. Under the guidance of the Dekon’s production management specialist, he immediately renovated the peripheral biosafety of his pig farm by setting up walls, wrapping colored steel plates, setting up atomization disinfection rooms, and whitening disinfection of the entry roads... In just one month, Yang Dong's farm was transformed into an "impregnable fortress" against the ASFV.
However, with the repeated promotion and training of the production management specialist, he learned that the most important thing in preventing the ASFV is "not to rest assured, but to strictly follow the standards"!
Viruses are not from the air, but from humans, and biosafety standards must be strictly enforced at all times!” Since then, every time Yang Dong entered the pig house, he would silently count at least 15 seconds when soaking his hands in disinfectant water. He would take a shower for at least 5 minutes when entering and leaving the production area. The water in the foot pedal basin at the entrance of the pig was replaced every day. When flushing the pig delivery room, he will prepare it as if he is conducting an operation, repeatedly flushing the fences at least twice.
Once, when Yang Dong and his wife entered the pig house, his wife forgot to stay on the foot pedal basin. The usually gentle Yang Dong instantly pulled his wife out and shouted angrily: “I've said it many times, do as requested by the specialist! Who is the biosafety good for? Do you want to regret after the pigs get sick?"
"We cannot rest assured, and we should follow the standards!" Due to his high attention to biosafety and the strict implementation of Dekon standards, Yang Dong's family farm has never experienced a large-scale epidemic. Not only did he defend against the ASFV, but his performance was also getting better. Yang Dong couldn't help but sigh: "It's not difficult if we follow Dekon's standards and pay attention to details, whether it's anti-ASFV or pig farming. "
In the whole year of 2020, except for going to the company for businesses, Yang Dong spent all his time on the pig farm. His wife often worries that he worries too much and is overwork, but Yang Dong is not willing to rest even for a day.
“Since the company trusts me so much, entrusts me with raising so many pigs, and entrusts me to manage so many biological assets, I must raise the pigs well, and manage the assets well! Let me feel at ease, relieve the family’s burden, and assure the company!", said Yang Dong.
