National Pork Board initiated the Production Benchmarking Analysis to give pork producers access to vital data that can help evaluate productivity across all phases of their operations. The report was prepared by MetaFarms and its subsidiary affiliate SMS.
“By comparing your farm’s performance with the insights provided in this report, you can identify key productivity indicators and implement strategies to boost your profitability,” National Pork Board shares.
Access the benchmarking report here.
The analysis is designed with pork producers’ success in mind. It highlights areas where improvements can be made and guides the direction of Checkoff-funded programs and research to ensure they address the most impactful aspects of farm productivity.
“This is your opportunity to leverage industry-wide data to drive your farm’s performance forward and contribute to broader industry advancements,” National Pork Board says.
Sow Farm Performance by Sow Farm Size
One of the new components in the 2023 Industry Production Analysis is the sow farm performance by sow farm size.
Each KPI is determined by the sow farm size, the report explains. This type of analysis is beneficial for producers to benchmark their own sow farm size versus the industry.
When observing the differences by size, one of the big differences observed is the fact that those farms that are greater than 4,000 head, have the highest pigs weaned per mated female per year (PWMFY) at 26.79 as well as the highest total born per female farrowed at 15.81.
So why are these large sized sow farms performing so well? Aside from the general sow farm health, there are two import KPIs that are telling the story of why, the report says. They are repeats and wean to first service interval.
Repeats are animals that have fallen out of a breed week whether that’s because of a repeat mating, negative pregnancy check, abortion, or not-in-pig.
“Consider these fallout reasons and why they happen. Then look at the animal itself and ask yourself if it is worth making breed target or whether replacing this animal with a new gilt is better. Once a sow leaves the farrowing house, the clock is ticking on when that female will get bred,” the report says.
To improve your sow farm’s wean-to-first service interval, the report offers a few tips:
1) Have enough piglets on the sow. A sow without enough piglets nursing could cause the sow to come into heat in the farrowing house.
2) Body condition of the sow. A skinny or fat sow coming out of the farrowing house can cause less eggs to be produced from the ovaries.
3) Proper heat detection in the gestation barn as soon as the weaned sow arrives.
Dig deeper in PORK’s State of the Pork Industry Reports:
What’s Wrong With Being Average? Q2 State of the Pork Industry Report is Out Now
