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Prairie Swine Centre is an affiliate of the University of Saskatchewan
Prairie Swine Centre is grateful for the assistance of the George Morris Centre in developing the economics portion of Pork Insight.
Financial support for the Enterprise Model Project and Pork Insight has been provided by:
ADVANTAGES, DISADVANTAGES AND ECONOMICS IMPACTS OF BATCH FARROWING
Posted in: Pork Insight Articles, Production by admin on May 11, 2017
Traditionally, pig producers have used a continuous flow production method, which
usually involves weekly mating, farrowing and weaning. As a result, a farrowing room may house piglets ranging from newborn to weaning age, while grower sheds may house pigs with an age spread from 10 weeks to slaughter weight. In America, most growing/ finishing swine facilities have been operated on a continuous basis; barns always contain pigs of different ages and weight. Due to the fact that pigs are always present, it is impossible to thoroughly clean, disinfect, or fumigate the environment. It is generally assumed that the common air space shared by pigs of various age groups allows for both clinical and subclinical diseases to be more prevalent and be transmitted easily in these types of facilities. Indeed, this mixing of age groups maximize the spread of disease and increases the reliance of medication in order to control disease which further adds to the cost of production.