Cooper Farms opens new sow hog farm

VW independent/submitted information

MARK CENTER — Cooper Farms held an open house and ribbon cutting on Friday for its new sow hog farm, Pheasant Run, located in Mark Center in Mercer County.

The new farm will be home to female hogs and their piglets. Utilizing state of the art technology, Pheasant Run takes farming to a new level.

“We like to think of it as more of a smart barn,” said Kevin Stuckey, Sow Division manager. “With the help of technology we can provide high quality individualized care for each animal in the barns.”

This technology controls barn temperatures, alternating fans, airflow and cooling cells to keep a consistent and comfortable climate for the hogs at all times. The system also has the ability to self-heal.

“If a fan were to stop working correctly overnight, the system would recognize that and turn on a different fan in the same area,” said Bud Koenig, facility maintenance manager.

Open pen gestation allows the pregnant sows to roam in large stalls of 80 sows each. It will also feature electronic feeding stations to provide the pregnant sows with individualized diets and care, while in the open pens.

“With each new farm we build, we are working to improve the environments for the animals, and make them more comfortable by using the latest technology available,” said Stuckey.

The farm sits on approximately 640 acres and will use a center pivot system to apply all-natural fertilizer on 120 tillable acres. Pheasant Run farm will bring new jobs to the area, employing 20 full-time team members, one certified livestock manager, and 18 other indirect jobs at the farms completion.

About Cooper Farms:

Growing healthy live turkeys, chickens, egg layers and hogs and producing great food products has been a tradition for the Cooper family of northwest Ohio for three generations. Founded in 1938 by Virgil and Virginia Cooper, Cooper Farms is still family owned and operated. Today, with the help of company team members, Cooper Farms is a leading food supplier, selling a variety of fully cooked and ready-to-cook turkey, ham, and chicken products to customers throughout North America. Visit www.cooperfarms.com or www.facebook.com/cooperfarms for more information.