Meal based pig production - Canterbury survey 1967-1969

Abstract

With large sums of capital invested in fattening and breeding facilities, coupled with the uncertainty of pigmeat prices, the survey has confirmed that the modern pig farmer must maintain high levels of efficiency.

The key factors to profitability are:-

1. Pigs produced per sow per year. This will depend both on the number raised per litter and the number of litters per sow per year. These are largely factors of management – ensuring sows are mated at the correct time, providing optimum farrowing facilities and keeping sow and piglet health at a high level.

2. Quantity of food for breeding stock. The amount of food will influence both the type and number of weaners. Analysis of the survey results shows that higher meal supplementation alone will increase the number of piglets per litter. The cost of this though may not be justified in itself and improved sow management may give a greater financial return. Individual sow feeders will decrease the use of meal by controlling sow intake to her requirement yet will not decrease efficiency. The decrease in meal cost can be quite significant and hence will reduce the direct cost of the weaner.

3. Efficiency of fattening stock. The type of weaner produced by the breeding herd has the largest bearing on the efficiency of food conversion and rate of growth in the fattening herd. Although the effect of housing and disease is not so great (except in the extremes) they can also increase the profitability of the unit quite substantially especially when the food cost is so high.

4. Cost of food. A comparison of extensive and intensive systems is outside the scope of this survey and indeed difficult at any time especially when one involves appreciating capital and the other depreciating capital. The farmer who has the lower cost structure and maintains stock performance can best cope with the unstable market. This does not mean that increased performance associated with a higher feed cost is not justified economically. Profits in pig production depend very much on efficiency levels. Farmers should keep records of stock performance and feed costs. They are simple to record and will at least provide some guide to assess efficiency.