Page 6 - Pork Newspaper - February 2018

Deb Hoffrichter at her display stand at ‘Taste of Esperance’, held over a weekend in 2015. She explained to members of the public why and how farrowing crates were used and fielded numerous ‘curly’ questions, all answered with aplomb and a refreshing honesty, according to bystanders.
Selling about 25 pigs per sow, per year and weaning an average of 11 piglets per litter, the Hoffrichters’ ‘girls’ are doing the job, for sure, sometimes achieving 16 parities. She’s pictured with seven-week-old weaners.
ns Magnificent seven in the wild west
Cant Comment by BRENDON CANT
back in February 2008, when Lou Giglia AM was Westpork chairman, I wrote: “Although low key in WA pig ‘circles’, he has the key to doors that could open opportunities for WA’s pig industry. Well respected in Austral- ian farming and agribusi- ness circles, the former North Dandalup dairy farmer was a director on
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TEN years is a long time in the life of any col- umn, or columnist for that matter, and this col- umn and columnist go
the Board of Wesfarm- ers for 35 years and is a former president of the Royal Agricultural Soci- ety of WA.”
wonderful with wit, Rose- anne has a PhD, but work- ing alongside the ultimate pragmatist, she rarely has the time or opportunity to draw too deeply on her academic addiction. Diana Turpin, veteri- narian and researcher
and these days armed with a PhD, Megan continues to make a positive impact on enhancing the eating quality of WA pork while working at the home of fresh WA pork (Linley Valley).
6 a long way further back than 10 years.
This month I’m limit- ing my commentary to a ‘magnificent seven’, rath- er than a top 10.
Anyway, in the process of creating this month’s Cant Comment column, I turned back a few pages to what I wrote about in February 2008 and noted, with some amusement, that I flew the flag, or lowered it in some cases, for some WA pig person- alities.
Deb Hoffrichter, Shark Lake pig farmer
A veterinarian who completed a Pork CRC supported PhD, Diana these days splits her time between Portec, working as a vet, and Murdoch University, working as a research fellow with sup- port from PIWA.
A regular attendee at in- dustry forums and work- shops in the west and the east, Megan’s modest demeanour disguises a strong will and an innate ability to get her own way when necessary.
So, I thought I’d have another crack at creating commentary on several WA characters of interest to me.
English raised but Aus- tralian born (Waratah, NSW), Deb met Steve at the end of 2006 in the UK and although she had no working knowledge of pigs before the couple partnered, she now com- mits her boundless energy to promoting the industry and is an advocate una- fraid to speak her mind, whether that’s at a closed industry forum or in a public place.
Torben Soerenson, GD Pork
To refresh, 10 years ago I covered (not necessar- ily in glory) Rob Wilson, Reg Maddock, Graham Smythe, Lou Giglia, Neil Ferguson, Kim Nairn, Errol Howard, Darryl D’Souza, David Chown and Richard Evison.
Very bright, very per- sonable and with an in- fectious smile, Diana has been a breath of fresh air since moving west from South Australia.
A Dane who effectively got his WA start in pig production in 2007 when he bought the Pinjarra piggery once owned and run by Roy Christmass, who just happens to own Great Danes!
We’ll leave the above ‘top 10’ alone this year, other than to say that Lou Giglia, a very close friend of mine is unwell, so my warm thoughts are with him and his devoted, love- ly wife Maria.
Roseanne Thomas, D’Orsogna financial controller
He also owns and runs an abattoir 100km down the track at Corrigin.
By way of reminder,
Fine with figures and
I was pleased that Lin- ton flagged his interest in making a wider con- tribution to WA’s pig and pork industry last year by nominating for WAPPA’s executive.
Deb and husband Steve run a sharp ship on WA’s far east coast, not far out of Esperance.
She’s a ripper.
Linton Batt runs black Berkshire pigs on his small farm at Beverley, 130km southeast of Perth.
The ever-churning rumour mill has it that Torben is now looking to build an abattoir at the site of his Kojonup piggery. Jan Cooper, WAPPA EO
A quiet achiever and the financial wicket keeper be- hind opener Brad Thoma- son in his time running D’Orsogna and in earlier days running Watsonia.
His Berkshire pork took out top honours at the 2017 Sydney Fine Food Awards.
Although she fronts two high-profile WAPPA events each year, Jan, born and bred on a Kojonup farm, prefers to stay out of the spotlight and let WAP- PA president Dawson Bradford do the spruiking on and off stage.
She was awarded Pork CRC’s best oral presen- tation at APSA in Mel- bourne last year.
WAPPA treasurer and one of WA’s biggest pork producers.
Linton Batt
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Naturally ahead
He didn’t get up, but I suspect will one day. Megan Trezona
Sometimes this doesn’t quite work well for WA P- PA because Dawson has somewhat similar traits, albeit he’s a big player in WA’s pork industry.
Formerly with DAFWA
Page 6 – Australian Pork Newspaper, February 2018
With a nursing background, Deb prides herself on the importance she places on good mothering capacities with the Shark Lake Piggery’s sow herd. She’s pictured with hand-selected gilts.
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