2004 Dr. F.X. Aherne Prize Winners

Peter Heyblom of Sunterra Farms

Heyblom was recognized for his creation of a safe handling system for boars and his award nomination included a video that demonstrated how the boar restraint system works. Boars can sometimes become aggressive, which can be a challenge and a possible danger for producers when they attempt to take blood samples or collect semen, for example. The restraint system designed by Heyblom controls the boar in the pen so that the producer can have safe, free access to the animal.

Lauren and Nancy Wiebe of Topeaka Farms Ltd.

The Wiebes, who maintain a farm with 5,500 sows and 1,000 cattle, were nominated for their work in "Public Education and Manure Management: An Innovation in Public Relations." The Wiebes were concerned about community reaction to the livestock industry as a whole, and about the fact that most fears are based on misinformation. In response to this, the Wiebes opened up their farm and held tours in order to improve community relations. The goal was to get the message out that manure is not a waste, but in fact a valuable resource. Their events generated significant media coverage.

Selene Kiltau of Big Sky Farms Inc.

Kiltau was honoured for her research that compared the performance of grow-finish pigs in conventional versus large pens using an auto-sorter/weigh system. Her research looked at growth rates, treatment rates and weight variation differences between pens of 55 hogs versus 600 hogs in the large pens. The innovation within Kiltau’s research lies in the way in which the information on large groups regarding pen design and performance evaluation was collected.

Press Release: Pork Production Innovators Honoured 

At 2004 Banff Pork Seminar

Banff, Alta., Jan. 23, 2004: The pork industry, in recognizing the need for continual innovation, has honoured three industry leaders at the 2004 Banff Pork Seminar, January 20-23, with the second annual presentation of the F.X. Aherne Awards for Innovative Pork Production.

The awards are named for pork industry innovator Dr. Frank Aherne, an outstanding former researcher and educator within the pork industry, says Lee Whittington of the Prairie Swine Centre in Saskatoon, who introduced the presentation of the awards. "Much like Aherne himself, winners of the award exemplify the qualities typical of innovators. Not only do they embrace new ideas, but they find ways to make them work and then implement them."

This year’s three award winners were all honoured for their individual and unique innovations within Canada’s pork industry. The award winners include Peter Heyblom of Sunterra Farms, Didsbury, Alta.; Lauren and Nancy Wiebe of Topeaka Farms Ltd., Grunthal, Man.; and Selene Kiltau of Big Sky Farms Inc., Sturgis, Sask.

Heyblom was recognized for his creation of a safe handling system for boars and his award nomination included a video that demonstrated how the boar restraint system works. Boars can sometimes become aggressive, which can be a challenge and a possible danger for producers when they attempt to take blood samples or collect semen, for example. The restraint system designed by Heyblom controls the boar in the pen so that the producer can have safe, free access to the animal.

The Wiebes, who maintain a farm with 5,500 sows and 1,000 cattle, were nominated for their work in "Public Education and Manure Management: An Innovation in Public Relations." The Wiebes were concerned about community reaction to the livestock industry as a whole, and about the fact that most fears are based on misinformation. In response to this, the Wiebes opened up their farm and held tours in order to improve community relations. The goal was to get the message out that manure is not a waste, but in fact a valuable resource. Their events generated significant media coverage.

Kiltau was honoured for her research that compared the performance of grow-finish pigs in conventional versus large pens using an auto-sorter/weigh system. Her research looked at growth rates, treatment rates and weight variation differences between pens of 55 hogs versus 600 hogs in the large pens. The innovation within Kiltau’s research lies in the way in which the information on large groups regarding pen design and performance evaluation was collected.

The F.X. Aherne Prize for Innovative Pork Production was instituted to offer recognition for on-farm technology innovations that answer production challenges. The award applies to producers, owners, production managers or consultants in the Western Canadian pork industry, and all innovations entered must be in use on a farm in Western Canada. Innovations nominated should fit into one or more of six categories: improved productivity, improved profitability, improved working conditions, improved animal well-being, reduced impact on the environment, and improved pork quality or food safety.

The Banff Pork Seminar is co-ordinated by the Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Sciences, University of Alberta, in co-operation with Alberta Pork, Alberta Agriculture, Food and Rural Development and other pork industry representatives. This year’s Seminar played host to more than 700 delegates from throughout North America and Europe.