Outdoor Pig Production: A Pasture-farrowing Herd in Western Iowa
Abstract
Seven years of production records of an outdoor farrowing herd in western Iowa are summarzied. The average size of the herd was 68 sows. The herd was a one-litter system, i.e., sows were farrowed once and sold. Replacement gilts were saved annually to farrow at 1 year of age. Average conception rate was 80% and the prewean mortality was 12%. Weaning occurred at 4–6 weeks. An average of 7.9 pigs/litter was weaned. These results give approximate levels of performance for an outdoor farrowing herd by using the one litter system in western Iowa. Budgets using these values should generally be cost competitive.
Keywords: ASL R1498
How to Cite:
Honeyman, M. S. & Roush, W., (1998) “Outdoor Pig Production: A Pasture-farrowing Herd in Western Iowa”, Iowa State University Animal Industry Report 1(1).
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