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Bulletin No. 22 - Summer 2005
MiscelleanousProduction
LARRIESTRA AJ, MAES DG, DEEN J, MORRISON RB
Mixed models applied to the study of variation of grower-finisher mortality and culling rates of a large swine production system.
Canadian Journal of Veterinary Research, 2005, Volume 69, N°1, 26-31
A statistical analysis was conducted in a large 3-site production system located in the United States and involved a total of 1 720 040 pigs between 1996 and 2000. The recorded data included deaths, culls, average entry weight, days on feed (length of production turn) and the number of pigs marketed. Each site of the production system was run by one “site manager” who was shown to have a noticeable influence on the performance of the pigs. Indeed the detection and the management of health problems together with culling decisions are known to be rather subjective. Moreover, two other factors clearly influenced the performance: lower average entry weights and fewer days on feed were shown to be associated with higher mortality and culling rates.
