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Missouri family adapts into hog production

Matt Stubblefield is adamant about the fact that he is a cattleman, not a hog farmer. But with generations of pork producers in his family, raising hogs was just a part of the farm operation.

“The hog barn on my father-in-law’s property was built by his grandpa in the 1950’s or ‘60’s,” said Matt’s wife, Rockael.

Like many farming operations in the mid- to late-1900’s, raising a few feeder pigs was standard for the Cuba, Missouri family. Matt’s great-great-grandpa would feed out about 1,000 head each year, according to his dad, Drew. Eventually, the Stubblefields started raising their own pigs and moved their sows to a pasture setting.

Going in and out of the hog business a few times, the family re-entered the business in the late 1990’s when Drew bought a gilt at the 4-H youth auction and bred her to a neighbor’s Poland China boar. Hogs have resided on the operation ever since.

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Swine Biosecurity: 5 Critical Steps to Prevent Disease Transmission | LANXESS

Video: Swine Biosecurity: 5 Critical Steps to Prevent Disease Transmission | LANXESS

Protecting herd health starts before anyone enters the barn. Every visitor, employee, piece of equipment and movement between farms can introduce disease risks if proper biosecurity protocols aren't followed.

In this SwineWeb Biosecurity Intelligence feature, Dr. Gisele Ravagnani of LANXESS Biosecurity Solutions explains practical steps pork producers can take to strengthen on-farm biosecurity and reduce the risk of disease transmission.

Key topics covered:

• Visitor Management: Why visitor logs, previous farm exposure and downtime requirements are essential.

• Controlled Barn Entry: How Danish entry systems establish a clear separation between clean and dirty areas.

• Shower-In/Shower-Out Protocols: The importance of dedicated clothing, footwear and controlled movement.

• Footbath Management: Proper cleaning, disinfection and maintenance practices, including the use of Virkon™ S.

• Equipment Biosecurity: Why equipment must be properly cleaned, disinfected and dried before entering production areas.