Roger North Earns Select Pride Top Grower Award for 2022
posted on Thursday, September 29, 2022
“My dad taught me to let the pigs tell you what they need,” said Brody Abell, manager of last year’s top grower, Roger North. “It’s a sixth sense of when we need to adjust air, feed and water, or if the pigs need pulled out and treated.”
Brody’s dad, Randy, is a long-time caretaker at nearby Cooper 1 and Cooper 2. To see his son take over as manager and earn the top grower award for the farm has been a point of pride for the Abell family.
Together, Brody and Bob Sobotka were responsible for animal care at the farm, a role to which they are deeply committed.
“Brody and Bob hold their families, livestock and farming at the highest levels of importance,” said Tysen Abell, their supervisor. “Both have been around cattle and sheep their entire lives and converting that knowledge to pigs proved easy.”
“We both grew up on farms, and we know if you take care of the animals, they will take care of you,” said Brody. “The farm will run smoothly, and the animals will thrive, which sets gilts in a multiplication grower farm well for the gilt developer and, ultimately, the sow farms.”
Additionally, Brandon Munyon helped at Roger North. “Throwing Brandon into the mix made the team stronger,” said Tysen.
“Brody, Brandon and Bob made for a team I knew I could count on when we needed help at other farms, had a truck to be unloaded or weekend coverage,” said Tysen. “Team is not the right term—they are more like a family.”
Today, Brody is a pod manager for Roger North, Roger South, Cooper 1 and Cooper 2. He has Brandon and Ricky Cena on his team.
Bob is now on Travis Hartman’s team along with Levi Martin and Dani Schuster.
Congratulations to Brody, Bob and Brandon on your top overall grower achievement.
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