Breeder Central
Briefly introduce yourself:
I grew up on a diversified livestock operation and was very involved with showing livestock through 4-H, FFA and other junior programs such as the NJSA. I attended Fort Scott Community College as well as Iowa State University (ISU) where I was a member of the Livestock Judging Team. After graduation at ISU, I was fortunate to have the opportunity to return back to Missouri and oversee the showpig portion of Team Sloan Livestock. I am also part owner of Apex Sires that’s located in Indiana, as well as an advocate for Linder United.
Location: Cameron, MO
One word that best describes how you work: Fast
Current Mobile Device: iPhone 6S Plus
Current Computer: HP
Current Camera: Nikon 3300
First, tell us what you feel separates your business from other operations in the show pig business?
We are far from perfect, but we try to provide great customer service for our buyers, regardless of how much they spent on their hogs.
What websites, apps or tools can’t you live without? Why?
Showpig.com. – I enjoy looking at other breeder’s online sales and trying to stay up to date with what’s going on in the industry. Dropbox– It allows me to organize and store pictures including sale pictures, winners, and sow pictures. Snapchat is easily the best app out there, be sure to add me!
How do you keep your to-do list?
Honestly, organization is one of my weaknesses, but I use my phone for most of that. When things really get hectic, I resort to sticky notes.
What do you listen to while you work?
Pandora, most likely Eric Church Radio
What everyday thing are you better at than everyone else? What’s your secret?
There’s no secret here at Team Sloan. Livestock and Junior Shows are just something we have a strong passion for. We eat, sleep, and breathe it. We are far from where we want to be someday in this business, but we are constantly working to try to improve our program.
What are you currently reading?
The Seedstock EDGE, even though the Internet has changed a lot, it’s still nice to sit down and flip through a magazine.
How do you recharge?
Mountain Dew and Casey’s Pizza. However, I’m not against a Red Bull every now and then.
What is your favorite and least-favorite chore?
My favorite chore is farrowing sows, believe it or not. My least favorite is pressure washing.
How long does it take you to picture, sort and write a description for ONLY one pig in an online sale?
Roughly 30 minutes, some people call us crazy, but we are very particular and take a lot of pride in our work. If the whole world is going to see it, we want it to look nice.
Describe your ideal customer.
The ideal customer for us are the families that are dedicated, work hard, and get the absolute most out of their hogs. These are the customers that keep us motivated to do what we do each and every day.
Fill in the blank: I’d love to see _________ answer these same questions.
Ryan Stohlquist
What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
Hard work beats talent, when talent doesn’t work hard.