Reproductive Management Conference
David Stender,
swine field specialist
Situation
Reproduction is the driver for productivity and cost efficiency in modern pork
production. New technologies are increasingly available and require an ever
higher level of management to apply them correctly and cost efficiently. Leaner
genetics is one of the technologies that is more difficult to manage. These
meat type females have higher death loss and reduced reproductive rates if not
managed correctly. In Jan 2004, 55 producers looking to improve the reproductive
performance of their breeding herds attended a seminar in NW IA. Participants
were asked to measure their improvement in knowledge and skills by filling out
a post seminar survey. Thirty participants filled out the survey, they have
control over 133,800 finishing pigs (that is about 45 FTE @ 2/3 hr per pig)
and 16.230 breeding stock (about 81 FTE). A significant portion of swine production
in Northwest Iowa was in attendance at this workshop.
Response
Twenty-one surveys were filled out, the results that participants
reported are as follows:
- The reproductive performance talk was sited as some benefit
by 33% of the producers, a fair amount of benefit by 44% of the producers
and quite a lot of benefit y 22% of the producers, regardless of the fact
that most thought they knew a lot about it on the pre-test.
- The talk outlining the new technology in breeding herd synchronization
was reported beneficial by half the respondents.
- 79% of the participants reported at least a fair amount of
benefit for the discussion on managing reproductive diseases with the remaining
21% reporting at least some benefit gained through the information.
- 100% said the management factors learned to improve reproductive
performance was beneficial, about 1/3 sited quite a lot of benefit.
- 100% reported the overall program beneficial, 88% said the
seminar was more than just ‘some’ benefit
- General discussion/questions was also rated at least some
benefit by 100% of the participants.
A few examples of the most important ideas learned by producers
from the seminar include:
- The pros and cons of deep A. I. ¸ The impact of lactating
feed on reproduction
- 24 vs. 21 day wean age ¸ Dot your “I’s”
and cross your “t’s” in breed room
- Herd health. ¸ All the ideas are new to me a little
- Breeding future ¸ A.I. technique
- Stockmanship analysis ¸ Farrowing feeding ideas
- PRRS ¸ New technologies
- Things I can improve on ¸ Don Levis’s stink stick
- New PRRS elimination ideas ¸ New insemination techniques
- Stink stick ¸ New AI tech
- Reproduction problems ¸ Conditioning sows
- PRRS ¸ Handling PRS
- Deep insemination, etc. ¸ Waiting till gilts are 220
days old, plus 250 – 260 lbs.
- How to make my boars smell
The following are some examples of impact to operations referred
to by producers, as they plan to apply ideas learned at the conference:
- The use of Matrix as a reproduction tool in gilts
- Try to train help
- Heat lamps hotter – farrowing room cooler
- Noon farrowing feeding
- Going to look at batch farrowing more
- A few I try to change
- A.I. technique
- Stockman attitude
- Farrowing feeding
- Do a better job of fine-tuning
- Decrease feed to heavy weight sows in gestation
- Make a stink stick
- Track low intake sows after weaning
- AI tool management ideas
- Compare to high feed intake sows condition
- Feed intake record keeping
- Change in boar/sow interaction during
- A.I Pig flows
- Marking sows for feed consumption & condition pre-weaning
- Pig handling
Eleven producers made the effort to estimate the economic impact
of the meeting to their operations. Those 11 operations reported a benefit of
$2,050 per operation financial impact from applying the information gained from
this meeting.
