Swine '95 Part Iii: Changes In The U.S. Pork Industry, 1990-1995

This report is the third of a three-part release of national information from the second National Animal Health Monitoring System (NAHMS) swine study. 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 collected for the study represented the top 16 pork states and nearly 91 percent of the U.S. hog inventory, as well as nearly three fourths of the nation's pork producers. In the 6 years from 1990 through 1995, hog and pig inventory estimates increased approximately 7 percent. The number of U.S. swine operations decreased more than 30 percent. The proportion of herds with an inventory of 1000 head or more consistently increased. Preweaning deaths per litter decreased 20 percent (from 1.10 to 0.88) from 1990 to 1995. A significant decrease in the number of scours-related deaths was reported along with a slight increase in unknown problems causing preweaning deaths. Being laid on continued to be the leading cause of preweaning deaths. Scours was identified as the leading cause of nursery pig deaths in 1990 (25 percent), while respiratory problems accounted for the highest mortality in 1995 (32 percent). An increase in scours-related mortality of grower/finishers was identified by producers in the Swine '95 Study over the 1990 study (from 1.9 percent to 7.1 percent). Administration of antibiotics as a preventive practice for sows, gilts, and boars increased dramatically. From 1973 to 1992, there was a sharp drop in the total number of foodborne disease outbreaks attributed to pork or ham. World pork production increased 8 percent between 1991 and 1996. Contact for this paper: Eric Bush, Eric.J.Bush@aphis.usda.gov