How to optimise sow retention and longevity

Sow longevity is a complex phenomenon, influenced by many factors. Finding the right balance between keeping the herd young enough, while still maintaining a significant number of sows between parities 3 to 5 in the system is an ongoing challenge. By Dr Mark Wilson, swine reproductive physiologist, Zinpro Corporation, USA A recent analysis of herd records including more than 700,000 sows from 355 US swine farms, performed by PigChamp*, revealed an average replacement rate of 53.55