Key Points from "Performance Enhancing Technologies in Swine Production"

Introduction

• Technological Advancements: Over the past 35 years, technology has immensely improved sow productivity, growth performance, and carcass quality.
  • In 1980: 9.2 pigs per sow per year, average market weight of 242 lb, and less than 80 lb of lean meat per carcass.
  • Today: 22 pigs per sow per year, average market weight of 283 lb, and more than 118 lb of lean meat per carcass.
• Productivity Impact: Improvements in technology have significantly increased pork production efficiency.
• Future Demand: With global food demands expected to rise by 100% by 2050, continued technological innovation is necessary.

Record Systems

• Importance: Sophisticated record-keeping and benchmarking systems are critical for enhancing production efficiency.
• Development: Initiated in the late 1980s with PigChamp to monitor sow productivity.
• Usage: Used for identifying profitability drivers and monitoring technology adoption.

Performance Enhancing Technologies

• Animal Pharmaceuticals: Use of ractopamine, immunocastration products, and porcine somatotropin as performance enhancers.
• Other Technologies: Include advancements in record-keeping, nutrient refinement, and biosecurity.

Health Improvements

• Biosecurity: Advances have led to significant improvements in herd health, eliminating many diseases.
• Multiple-site Production: Separating younger pigs from older ones to maintain immunity and prevent disease spread.
• Vaccine and Biosecurity: Critical in controlling pathogens and maintaining herd health.

Genetic Progress

• Technological Application: Cross-breeding and genetic selection have improved productivity and reduced defects.
• Genomic Technology: Application of CRISPR and gene-editing technologies.

Reproduction Technologies

• Artificial Insemination (AI): Transition from pen mating to AI has improved efficiency and reduced disease risks.
• Insemination Advances: Post-cervical insemination (PCAI) allows for reduced sperm use.

Nutritional Advances

• Diet Formulation: Shift from crude protein to amino acids and ideal protein concept; use of crystalline amino acids.
• Phytase Enzyme: Reduces phosphorus excretion, enhancing environmental compatibility.
• Net Energy Systems: Implementation in diet formulation has led to improved growth efficiency.

Meat Production Improvements

• Carcass Merit-based Pricing: Lean-value-based grids enable economic incentives for leaner pork.
• Technological Tools: Use of ultrasound and optical probes for estimating carcass quality.

Production Systems

• Farm Consolidation: Decrease in number but increase in size of farms has allowed specialization and efficiency.
• Multiple-site Production: Specialization in labor and health management.

Education Systems

• Technology Dissemination: Essential for impacting swine production through university programs and producer initiatives like the Pork Checkoff.

Other Technologies

• Performance Enhancers: Usage of ractopamine and porcine somatotropin; shifting practices due to export market requirements.

Conclusion

• Continued Progress: The industry needs ongoing technological advancements to meet future protein demand.
• Role of Universities: Vital for training the next generation and continuing research initiatives.