SWINE PRODUCTION

SYSTEMS

KENNETH D. VINO
Presenter
BASIC TERMINOLOGIES
• Farrow ‐ to give birth to piglets
• Farrowing rate – number of sows that farrowed divided by
the number of sows bred
• Finisher – stage after grower – 70 kg to market
• Gilt – female pig that has not farrowed
• Grower – stage after weaner – 25 – 70 kg
• Parity – the number of litters a sow has had
• Sow – a female pig that has given birth
A. Based on Type of
Enterprise/Operation

1. Farrow
to finish

2. Farrow-
to-feeder

3. Feeder-
to-finish
Investment

To determine which enterprise will work best in your

situation, you must first consider the following:
• Amount of capital, labor, and land available
• Level of management and marketing skill needed
• Social and environmental implications associated with manure
management
1. Farrow-to-Finish
• Also known as fattening operation..
Buying weaned piglets and fatten to
slaughter weight for sales. You don't
need parent stock to run this
operation.

• A farrow-to-finish enterprise involves

breeding and farrowing sows, and
feeding the offspring until they reach
a market weight of about 280
pounds.

• The entire production period takes

approximately 10 months, with 4
months for breeding and gestation
and 6 months to raise the litter to
market weight.
Farrow-to-Finish

Of the three systems, farrow-to-finish has the

greatest long-run market potential and flexibility.

• This system also demands the most capital and labor, and
requires a long-term commitment to the swine business.

A small number of sows can fit into a crop

operation nicely when farrowings are scheduled
to avoid peak harvest times.
• With the current focus on animal welfare, most new farrow-
to-finish operations are designed to hold gestating sows in
pens rather than crates, which may increase the capital
required for sow housing.
Farrow-to-Finish
Levels of farming

Semi-commercial
Backyard
(50-300 sow
(<50 sow level)
level)

Commercial
Sow Housing Systems - Comparisons
• Key Issues in Group
Housing: Social Stress
and Space
– stress due to aggression early on and social
tension for the duration.
– feeding inequality
– Moreover, this increased fighting can result
in vulva biting skin lesions and wounds on
rump, shoulders and other regions of the
body as well as lameness
–Group housing often increases the rates of sow
scratches and skin lesions. One recent paper
(Salak-Johnson et al., 2007) measured sow body
condition, skin lesions and sow performance when
sows were in crates or pens with between 1.4 to
3.3 m2 per sow (15, 25 or 35 ft2 per sow in a pen
of 5 sows).
–While the Illinois group started their work with
mixed-parity sows, Hulbert and McGlone (2006)
started their study with gilts that had developed in
the same social groups. Fighting was minimal and
group-housed and crated sows had statistically
similar rates of lesions (and the numbers of lesions
were very low).
2. Farrow-to-Feeder

• Breeding and farrowing sows then sell

piglets out after weaning.

• A farrow-to-feeder enterprise involves

breeding and farrowing sows and then
selling the piglets to finishing operations
when they weigh 30 to 60 pounds.

• Compared to a farrow-to-finish operation,

this option decreases the need for
facilities, operating capital, and the amount
of feed and manure handled.
Farrow-to-Feeder

It also provides a good foundation for

increasing the number of sows or
expanding into a farrow-to-finish
operation.
• The biggest drawback of this system is that
producers, especially those with small herds, are
at the mercy of a volatile feeder pig market.
• This may require farrowing sows in groups to
increase the number of pigs available during
periods of high demand.
3. Feeder-to-Finish
• This combines both operations and
requires the availability of parent
stock and much labour
• Most feeder-to-finish enterprises
buy feeder pigs weighing 30 to 60
pounds and feed them to market
weight.
• In many cases, existing facilities are
adequate for this system.
• This system allows for minimum
overhead, low labor requirements,
and no long-term commitment.
Feeder-to-Finish

The feeder-to-finish operation offers an opportunity

for a grain farmer to use homegrown feeds to finish
pigs without having to manage breeding stock.
• The operation also may capitalize on the fertilizer value of the
manure. Important points of concern are the source, health, and
quality of purchased feeder pigs.

Ideally, all feeder pigs should originate from a single

farm to reduce potential herd health problems.
PRODUCTION SYSTEMS
HOUSING

The above pictures show typical backyard pens made of indigenous materials like nipa or cogon grass
for roofing, coco lumber, bamboo for sidings and cement for feeders and flooring.
Typical commercial farms above where pigs are housed accordingly in sections i.e. breeding, farrowing,
nursery, grower and finisher. During the summer season, pigs from starter to breeders are provided
wallows. The pool is cleaned twice a week.
Elements for good housing
NURSERY FACILITIES
GROWING & FINISHING FACILITIES
GESTATION AND BREEDING FACILITIES
 REFERENCES
• Hulbert, L. and J.J. McGlone. 2006. Evaluation of Drop vs. Trickle Feeding Systems for
Crated or Grouped Penned Gestating Sows. J. Anim. Sci. 84:1004-1014.
• McGlone, J.J., E. von Borell, J. Deen, A.K. Johnson, D.G. Levis, M. Meunier- Salaun, J.
Morrow, D. Reeves, J.L. Salak-Johnson and P.L. Sundberg. 2004. Review: Compilation of
the scientific literature comparing housing systems for gestating sows and gilts using
measures of physiology, behavior, performance and health. Professional Animal Scientist.
20:105-117.