Purina sees some of managing a swine operation similar to climbing the summit of Mount Everest. That’s why the company partnered with Everest climber Lance Fox as part of an interactive discussion at last month’s World Pork Expo in Des Moines, Iowa. The session also included Steve Stitzlein, production supervisor of Heimerl Farms and Purina Animal Nutrition swine specialists Becky Bierlein and Dan McManus, DVM.
“From disease outbreaks to uncertain markets, we each have our own Mount Everest,” Bierlein said. “Whether you’re looking to climb Mount Everest or manage a swine facility, it’s not the challenge that defines you, but rather how you handle it and what you learn from it that makes you successful.”
Fox first thought of climbing the world’s tallest mountain in 1997 – more than a decade before making the 29,035-foot climb.
“The summit didn’t happen overnight,” he said, explaining the climb is equal to climbing 30 Empire State Buildings. “From the time I decided to do it, it took 12 years of planning and preparation to make it to the mountain. It then took nine days of hiking to get to the base camp in Nepal and 45 days to climb to the peak.”
“A long-term plan is equally important when managing swine,” Bierlein said. “When we’re working in the nursery, big changes don’t happen immediately. We need to define our target goals and set small milestones to get there.”
The group added that teamwork is key, whether you are trying to summit Mount Everest or trying to stay profitable in swine production.