Reducing Pig Mortality is Not a Simple Fix
Reducing pig mortality is a complex challenge influenced by animal health, management, environment and other factors throughout production. To reduce losses, producers need to know where losses occur and which prevention strategies are effective. Additionally, producers need to assess whether they can afford to implement those strategies. A five-year Improving Pig Survivability research effort funded by FFAR and the Pork Checkoff set out to address these challenges.
Bringing Together a Team
Led by Iowa State University animal scientist Dr. Jason Ross, the project brought together researchers, veterinarians, economists, producers and other specialists to follow the risks pigs face from birth to market. The project also hosted two well-attended international conferences where pork producers shared insights and discussed research outcomes.
Identifying Straightforward Solutions
The research team learned that some straightforward solutions include identifying and treating lameness in sows earlier, improving nutrition and providing targeted feeding and enrichment after weaning. In one commercial study, treating sow lameness earlier resulted in a 25.4% relative reduction in annualized sow mortality.
Weighing the Costs
Any strategy that reduces mortality must also make economic sense. Iowa State University Extension livestock specialist Russ Euken and economist Dr. Lee Schulz developed tools to calculate mortality costs using data from commercial farms. These tools are the first free and publicly available resources that provide farm-specific estimates for operations covering breeding through weaning and weaning through market.
Calculations Can Be Eye-Opening
One trial using these tools on a 4,800-sow farm, found that early health assessment and treatment reduced sow mortality by 4.9%, which the breed-through-weaning tool estimated could provide a $240,000 financial benefit. Producers are already using the two tools, which can be customized to specific farm metrics to provide personalized estimates of financial returns associated with reduced mortality.
Impact Could Reach Beyond Any Single Farm
According to Dr. Chris Hostetler, Pork Checkoff director of animal science, even modest progress in reducing mortality can meaningfully improve pig welfare across U.S. pork production. This research can help producers identify risks earlier and make informed management decisions that support the health and well-being of pigs throughout their care.