A higher standard
Humboldt farm family raises pigs to meet Niman Ranch standards
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HUMBOLDT -- Growing up on the family farm, Kyle Larsen learned the ins and outs of pork production.
Today, Larsen relies on artificial insemination to ensure the pork he and his wife produce for Niman Ranch has superior genetics and meets high quality standards.
Niman Ranch is a network of independent U.S. family farmers and ranchers who focus their efforts on sustainable, humanely raised and all-natural beef, pork, lamb and prepared meats. The animals are never given antibiotics or added hormones, and are fed a 100 percent vegetarian diet.
The animals harvested by Niman Ranch are raised outdoors or in deeply bedded pens with space to roam. Producers follow strict certified humane guidelines and do not use gestation crates.
In 2011, Larsen assumed ownership of Larsen Supreme Pork after initially teaming up with his father in the beginning. Now he farms with his wife, Abby. They joined the Niman Ranch network in 2012.
"We're up to 75 sows and we're projected to finish 1,500 pigs," Kyle Larsen said. "We are a small operation, but what makes us unique is that we raise all of our sows outdoors and our market hogs are finished in deeply bedded pens."
The couple also raises corn and soybeans, which are sold to nearby co-ops. They work closely with the feed mill to grind their corn for the hogs. Larsen works a full-time job off the farm, but with a home office that gives him flexibility for taking care of the hogs and planting then harvesting crops.
Artificial insemination has become an important part of the operation, because it allows them to bring in top quality genetics and continually improve the herd.
"We use it 100 percent in all of the sows," he said "I'm a big advocate of it. We have our own maternal gilts being born this fall that we produce through AI. We do it ourselves and are set up with boars out of Missouri. They use a courier service and I meet the driver on my acreage. He hands me a cooler with the product in it and I put it in the fridge that's both heated and cooled, so it stays at the perfect 62 degrees Fahrenheit."
The Larsens inseminate their herd on their own and use a live boar as a teaser boar. The insemination technique Larsen uses is called open launch, which he studied extensively in order to perfect.
"I knew how to AI before attending Iowa State, but I'm self-taught off of YouTube and then by our field reps," Kyle Larsen said. "There's a steep learning curve and I know years ago, I used to struggle with getting a high conception rate. But now we're 80 to 90 percent, which is at the commercial standard. AI works great for our operation."
Larsen Supreme Pork's hogs are sent to a packer in Sioux Center that's owned by Niman Ranch.
"We follow their protocol in raising the hogs and get paid for abiding by their rules. That's how we're able to have hogs on a small scale," Larsen said. "My wife, Abby, is heavily involved in the operation and helps me daily with AI-ing, processing pigs and moving market hogs."
The Larsens also encourage daughters Alice, 5, and Emma, 3, to be involved in the operation when old enough.
"They love the pigs," Larsen said. "My 5-year-old has started helping with the little pigs."