Swine '95 Part I: Reference Of 1995 Swine Management Practices

This report is the first of a three-part release of national information from the second National Animal Health Monitoring System (NAHMS) swine study, the Swine '95 Grower/Finisher. The first national study, 1990 National Swine Survey, focused on farrowing sows and preweaning piglets. For the Swine '95 Study, the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) collaborated with Veterinary Services (VS) to select a producer sample that was statistically designed to provide inferences to the nation's swine population. Data for this report were collected from 1,477 producers in sixteen major pork production states, accounting for nearly 91 percent of the U.S. hog inventory and nearly three fourths of U.S. pork producers. By percent of pigs contained, total confinement facilities were the most widely utilized. The most widespread production phase among operations was grower/finisher, which was present on 86 percent of operations. Forty percent of grower/finisher pig deaths were due to respiratory problems. The mean number of piglets born per litter was approximately 10, with 93 percent born alive. Preweaning deaths due to scours varied slightly by season, accounting for 13 percent of deaths from December to February, versus 19 percent from March to May. Larger operations were more likely to wean pigs at a younger age, with 71 percent of operations of 10,000 head or more weaning at 16-20 days, versus 48 percent of all operations weaning at 35 or more days. Over 60 percent of operations treated piglets before or at weaning with iron supplements, antibiotics in feed, dewormer, or mange/lice treatment. Use of vaccinations against porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome increased with herd size. Eighty-eight percent of operations marketed their own animals. Contact for this paper: Eric Bush