For Carlos Alacron, site manager at Keller and three other Iowa Select Farms finishing sites, success in pork production comes down to one core principle: consistency.
“There’s no better feeling than seeing healthy pigs go out the door,” Carlos says. With years of experience under his belt, he takes pride in doing things the right way—every day, every barn, every pig. What makes his work even more meaningful is sharing it alongside his mom, who works as a caretaker on his team.
“We make a good team,” he explains. “We both know what to look for and don’t cut corners. It’s all about staying on top of the basics.”
For Carlos, that means everything from mat feeding and water checks to daily pen walks and early intervention when something seems off. Recently, when a few pigs weren’t looking their best, Carlos and his team acted immediately. “That makes the difference—being in the pens daily and paying attention,” he says.
Carlos’s message to other site managers is simple: trust the process. “If they’re telling you to do something, there’s a reason,” he says. “The system works if you stick to it. Doing it right takes time, but when those pigs are growing, gaining, and headed out the door healthy—there’s nothing better than that.”
Stay tuned to SwineWeb.com for more producer stories and insights from the front lines of pork production.
