An increased interest in pig farm development this spring as farmers again have optimism flowing through their veins. We should see a number of pig farm startups, whether large or small. I doubt there will be a gigantic increase in the sow herd but there will be some Colonies repopulating and some of the existing farmers deciding to get the sow herd back to the normal size for maximum output. Our sales team is anxiously following up with all calls and is assuring new clients that boars and gilts are available for March and April.

Poultry placements are at their lowest in some time, so there is an opportunity for pig meat to be competitive with chicken in the coming months. BBQ season is coming: ribs, pork chops and Bratwurst will be charred for some darn good eating in summer

Where the Money is: Grow-Finish
( Reprinted from V6,No9 PEAK of Performance News! by the late Dr. Frank Aherne. This is the third of eleven articles in this series)

Whether we are producing farrow-to-finish, or finishing only, the source of our return on investment (ROI) is the market hog. Grow-finish is the most costly phase of pork production. It is that phase of the pig’s life where most of the costs are incurred. Feed costs are the single largest cost in pork production (65%-75%) and the majority (70%-75%) of these costs are associated with the grow-finish pig. Total feed costs per pig in Alberta averaged about $100 in the period July to December 2002. Total losses per pig averaged about $44 over that same period. We can expect lower feed prices in 2003 but market price predictions suggest that we will have to make every effort to insure efficient production and tight control on input costs.

Factors affecting production efficiency

1. Health status of the pigs
2. Genetic potential
3. Management/environment
4. Nutrition and feeding practices
5. Marketing practices.

Table 1: Potential lean growth rate actually expressed

	Grower	Finisher
Top 10% of herds	65-75%	80-85%
Bottom 10% of herds	50%	70%

Table 2: Effect of sanitary conditions on pig performance, Nursery to Finish (6-112 kg)

Sanitary Conditions	Good	Poor
Growth rate, grams/day	854	688
Protein gain, grams/day	117	88
Feed intake, kilograms/day	2.24	1.99

Major opportunities for improving production efficiency of growing-finishing pigs:
1. High Health • All-in/all-out by room, building or site
• Single source of high health pigs
• Strict biosecurity, good cleanliness practices
• Two- or three-site production, wherever possible.
2. Breeding stock with good appetites, robust and with high lean growth potential
3. Proper housing and management
• Adequate space per pig
• Adequate feeder space for the number of pigs in the pen
• Warm, comfortable lying conditions
• Minimal temperature fluctuations
• Minimizing the mixing or moving of pigs.
4. Proper diets
• Rations properly formulated to your pigs performance potential for its appetite and lean growth potential. Avoid over-or-under formulation, ration meets pigs’ energy and nutrient requirements at low cost
• Diets well-mixed
• Feed free of mycotoxin
• Optimal particle size
• Feeders frequently and correctly adjusted
• Feed wastage minimized.
5. Aggressive marketing
• Sell the majority of pigs in correct market weight range, particularly avoid selling hogs too light
• Reduce variation in market weights
• Meet market demands for fat and lean levels.

Health

Without healthy livestock, genetic potential is just that: potential. So start with high health breeding stock. It has been shown that, under commercial conditions, the genetic potential for lean tissue growth rate is seldom achieved (Table 1).
As shown, average herds only reach 65% to 75 % of the pig’s potential for lean growth in the grower period and 80%-85 % in finisher period (65kg-115 kg). Much of this loss in potential is due to disease and poor sanitary conditions. Unfortunately, the loss is greatest in the grower period. Under poor sanitary conditions, feed intake and consequently growth rate, are reduced (Table 2).
Feed intake and growth rate were reduced with poor sanitation but the negative effects were greatest on protein deposition. Under these conditions, increasing the amino acid content of the diet will not increase lean tissue growth rate.

In the next issue we’ll talk about sanitation and its relationship to pig performance.