swine: growing-finishing management

Closed Herd

• Group of animals that restricts entry of new animals

• Helps prevent disease introduction

Open Herd

• Allows entry of animals from other groups

• Higher risk of disease transmission

Farrow-to-Finish System

• Full-service operation

• Includes breeders, piglets, weanlings, and finishing pigs

Farrow-to-Wean System

• Focuses on breeding sows and piglets

• Raises pigs until weaning age/weight

Feeder-to-Finish System

• Raises weanlings to market weight

• No breeding component

Grower Pig

• ~40–100 lbs (20–45 kg)

• rapid growth and development

Finisher Pig

• >100 lbs (45 kg) until slaughter

• of final weight gain

Barrow

• Castrated male pig

• Prevents reproduction and improves meat quality

Genetic potential of the pig

Environmental conditions

Feed intake

Availability of feed ingredients

Market prices

profitability of commercial swine enterprises is influenced by multiple factors:

Varies per production unit

Changes with environmental conditions

Adapts to economic fluctuations

final feeding and management strategy:

65-75%

feed accounts for __ of the total cost of pork production

75% of feed cost

About __ is consumed during the grow-finish phase

Regular Monitoring

is essential to evaluate factors affecting nutrient requirements, nutrient recommendations, body weight and lean growth potential, practical feeding strategies

Ad Libitum

Pigs are commonly fed __

• ~240–280 lbs (109–127 kg)

• Achieved at 5–6 months of age

• Barrows and gilts not selected for breeding are sent to slaughter

market parameters

Protein Accretion and Fat-Free Lean Grain

__ are key indicators of fat-free body growth

Genetic potential

Nutrient availability

Feed intake

Environment

Health status

Gender

significant variation in lean gain capacity among pigs, influenced by:

Lean Meat Deposition

__ is critical for efficient pork production

Better feed conversion

Higher economic returns

Improved carcass quality

improving lean growth efficiency leads to: