But Canavate said the focus on litter size will likely evolve to include more factors like piglet quality at birth and weaning. Increasing litter size has been a primary focus for North American operations over the past decade.
“ Breeding gilts at the right age and weight and keeping them in optimal body condition from the start will increase lifetime productive performance and retention in sow herds.” Gilt management isn’t a new conversation, but it’s more relevant now than ever before, said Canavate. One way is to maximize weaned pig quality using known practices like increasing weaning age, batch farrowing or improving gilt acclimation into the sow farm.” Gilt and sow management, litter size “If you can wean a quality litter, it’s going to help pig survival, performance, and ultimately, throughput.
He said US swine producers should find ways to influence grow-finish feed efficiency prior to weaning. “We need to ask ourselves, are the right feed management strategies in place? Is body condition scoring accurate and consistent? How can we manage sow body condition better through feed?” remarked Fred Kuhr, production supervisor for sows and finishing at Dykhuis Farms, a pork production operation in Michigan with 19,000 sows, and marketing about 450,000 pigs per year.įeed is a producer’s largest cost so grow-finish feed efficiency must also be a focus, according to Mark Knauer, associate professor and extension swine specialist at North Carolina State University. Fred Kuhr, production supervisor for sows and finishing at Dykhuis Farms, Michigan, US