Managing variation within a batch of fattening pigs to optimize performance and minimize losses

General introduction

Unipig focused on an observation in pig farming, namely that fattening pigs within the same production cycle can vary greatly in body weight, which leads to economic and ecological costs.  The causal factors for this weight variation have now been partially identified, and several management strategies have been tested to better manage the variation and/or reduce it. However, the uniformity of fattening pigs remains difficult to control or has not yet been causally substantiated. In other words, relatively few direct tools have emerged to actively and successfully reduce the variation. The most concrete and directly usable result of UNIPIG is the further development of the web tool slachtdoordacht.be. 

Research approach

Based on literature, historical data, and observations at experimental and commercial farms, the researchers identified several factors associated with uniformity throughout the pig's life. These factors include a combination of genetic background, sow and litter characteristics, and early growth performance of the piglets. Six intervention studies tested various strategies to improve uniformity: from selection of terminal boars and adapted lactation feed for sows to reducing the weaning dip by optimizing iron status and feed intake to feed strategies and the use of Improvac in gilts. In parallel, the 'slachtdoordacht' tool was further developed to model populations with variation in body weight and optimize slaughter strategies. A monitoring protocol was also integrated into this web tool, enabling pig farmers to estimate the variation within their farm using slaughter data, even with staggered slaughter days.

Relevance/Valorisation

Although the studies provided valuable insights, uniformity of fattening pigs remains a challenge. The 'slachtdoordacht' tool can now simulate growth curves of individual fattening pigs. The tool calculates how growth rate, feed conversion, uniformity, and market prices together influence the gross balance. This allows pig farmers to determine the optimal slaughter time and better estimate the impact of variation on their business. The tool offers an accessible instrument for process optimization and economic management. Thanks to its user-friendliness, flexibility, and direct link to yield potential, the tool is expected to be widely adopted by Dutch-speaking pig farmers and their advisors.

Funding provider(s)
VLAIO