Over the last 15 years Hermitage genetics have been used to restock almost 100 units in Ireland alone, ranging in unit size fro 120 sows to 2,600 sows. In total approximately 70,000 sows of the Irish pig herd have been restocked with Hermitage high health genetics during this period. This includes the restocking of 8 units (10,000 sows) in 2009.In addition , Hermitage Genetics have also been used to repopulate numerous herds internationally, particularly in Europe, Russia, and the USA.
The Hermitage de-stock/ re-stock programme has been specially developed and fine tuned over the years to meet our customers requirements. When Hermitage becomes involved in a restock, we can provide not only the latest high health genetics but also a range of services and advice for our customer’s that are essential for a successful operation. These services include assistance is sourcing isolated quarantine sites developed especially for our restock programmes. These sites are straw based and suitable for ‘hardening off gilts’ before service. The new high health gilts can be served in these quarantine sites also as each site is equipped with feed systems and service pens. By serving the gilts in the quarantine site, the amount of time that the unit is out of production is reduced to an absolute minimum, thereby further reducing the financial cost of the restocking programme.
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Other important components of the de-stock / re-stock programme include organizing a detailed timetable of events, advice on cleaning of the unit, defining the correct breeding programme for the unit, bio-security, estimate of overall cost of the programme.
The primary reason for deciding on a complete restocking programme is ultimately to increase the performance of the herd and overall profitability of the unit. Profitability will be increased through both improved performance and lower production costs. Improved performance can be achieved in areas such as increased born alive, higher farrowing rate, improved performance of the sow in the farrowing house resulting in lower pre weaning mortality and increased weaning weights. Performance in the weaner and fattner houses will also be improved through better weight gains and feed efficiencies and lower mortality rates. Major savings can also be made with a significant decrease in medication costs. Overall improvements after restocking can result in increased returns of over €10.00 per pig slaughtered.
Example of a Hermitage ‘De-stock/Re-stock’ Timetable of Events
| Day |
Main Event |
| 1 |
Stop Serving |
| 21 |
Buy in gilts (90-100kgs), 4 weeks pool required |
| 28 |
Weekly or monthly supply of gilts to be delivered |
| 106 |
Begin to serve gilts |
| 115 |
Begin to sell 32kg weaners |
| 115 |
Last sows to farrow |
| 140 |
Last sows weaned |
| 200 |
Unit empty |
| 210 |
Return new stock |
| 220 |
Begin to farrow |
| 380 |
Begin to sell finished pigs (23 weeks old) |
Hermitage Personnel are available to advise upon a de-stock/re-stock programme to suit your unit. Some of the areas in which we can provide information include:
- Advice on cleaning and de-stocking of the unit.
- Advice on the costs involved in restocking your unit.
- Improvements expected and increased returns.
- Detailed timetabling and scheduling of each event as it will occur.
- Assisting with sourcing of facilities for the customer to harden off and serve gilts.
- Advice on choice of breeding programmes.
- The provision of a Closed Herd BLUP Breeding Programme to optimize unit performance.
- Supply of high performance breeding stock sourced from Hermitage high health multiplication farms.
- Single source of stock where possible.
- Arrangements for the safe delivery of stock in the correct batch numbers and weights.
- Follow up advice and backup service.
- Monitoring of performance after restocking.
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Example of Performance of Re-Stocked Herds:
