Grow/finish Variation: Cost and Control Strategies

Variation in growth rate for grower/finisher pigs causes increased fixed costs of production and makes all-in all-out production management difficult or impossible. We conducted an observational study on 9 cooperating commercial farms between 1998-2000. All pigs born over a 1-6 week period were weighed onto the study at 1-2 days of age, to ensure a minimum of 250 pigs per farm. The pigs were then weighed at weaning and approximately 7, 14, and 20 weeks of age. Due to biosecurity concerns and the number of farms involved, after the pigs were weaned, the farms were not visited on a weekly basis. Therefore, the exact age of the pigs at the 7, 14, and 20 week weighing, within a farm, varied by 14 days.