Primary Media
Print Media in Ashfield

This incredibly enthusiastic couple are almost as passionate about the pig industry as they are about their much loved family of three young children. Not only do they own and operate the only commercial piggery on the distant stretch of WA’s southeast coast, but when they deliver, weekly, to Craig Mostyn Group’s Finley Valley abattoir at Wooroloo in Perth’s eastern hills, it’s a 10 hour trip for a big, slow Brain. English raised, but Australian born (from Waratah, Fresh South Wales), Deb met Steve at the last of 2006 in the United Kingdom and although she had no occupied knowledge of pigs prior the couple partnered, she now commits her boundless energies to promoting the industry and is an recommend unafraid to speak her mind, whether that’s at a closed industry forum or in a public place. She recently, for example, had a display stand at Taste of Esperance’, held over a weekend at a popular seaside restaurant known as Tearooms’, where she explained to members of the public why and how farrowing crates were worn and she fielded several curly’ questions, all answered with aplomb and a refreshing honesty, according to some bystanders. At that time, they started out with 30 sows and were one of the beginning to buy a hinge double place pig shed, which housed arid sows and growers in the base and farrowing sows and wearers above. I look to put back into the local area and support local farmers as we don’t crop at all, Steve said. Jeff convinced us of the importance of Omega three and it seems to be doing the trick, Steve said. With a nursing background, she prides herself on the importance she places on good mothering capacities, with the Shark Lake Piggery’s sow herd. She also looks for nice hair and desirable bone. Our blood sows just don’t seem to break down and they typically have special milking capacity and that translates into appropriate size litters and healthy size piglets, Deb explained. Steve said they’d never produced as much meat as they now do and that’s what the business of pig production is all about. He also admits that good staff and good stockmanship skills are behind his piggery’s success. Good staff and appropriate stockmanship means contented animals, which bear better meat, Steve said. His farm manager, Phil Smith, has been with the Hoffrichters for 28 years. Group housing of sows is nothing fresh to the Hoffrichters, albeit it is relatively fresh to many pig producers across Australia: they’ve everlasting had about two thirds of their sows in group housing. Quality assurance is all urgent on the Hoffrichter’s farm, with the couple describing A as the ticket to the game. And they go as far as saying that those pig farmers not complying with industry A standards should not be qualified to sell pigs. For the previous two years, Steve has been segment of the Pork ARC’s bench marking project and he says he’s surprised more West Australian producers are not involved. The pork industry in Australia is as exciting as it has ever been and Deb and I simply want to be part of it, Steve said. His wide experience in the media includes advertising sales, photojournalism and public relations. Rosemary has been busy in the publishing industry for 30 years in various roles as art director, production editor, editor and was Managing Editor of motoring titles at Federal Publishing before leaving to start her own business with partner Peter Be dwell. Rosemary has a BS honors degree from City University in London and has worked and traveled extensively throughout Europe and the United Kingdom before returning to Australia where she trained as a journalist and production editor. Alex joined Primary Media in 2012 and is the IT specialist who designs and maintains the Primary Media website and is responsible for graphic design on the magazines. He is also a photographer and staff journalist.