Any farm can harness the maximum production potential that its facilities and structure allow, but many farms fail to do so. In order to reach this potential, you have to look at the whole production system, relating farm records to the production process. But where to start?
The first step is to set the farm’s target, that is, how many pigs the farm will have to deliver a year. Next, you should break this target down into weekly deliveries. Through weekly follow-ups you will be able to see if the farm is going the right direction towards achieving the expected results, identify areas for improvement and business opportunities.
It is important to identify problems that may result from failures in other steps of the process, the consequence of other actions taken – or forgotten – in previous production steps. Identifying and correcting these problems will help you harness the production potential of the farm.
Do you know what are the problems that prevent a farm from harnessing its full production potential?
FAILURE TO MEET BREEDING TARGETS
In order to meet planned weekly delivery targets – and thus reach the annual target – you have to think how many services are required to produce the expected number of pigs. If the sow breeding process is not homogeneous, it will affect the rest of the production flow.
EMPTY SOWS AND PREGNANCY LOSSES
Sows are like the “machines” in a farm and they need to be in production. When empty, they generate waste that often goes unnoticed.
BORN ALIVE BELOW THE GENETIC POTENTIAL
Pigs have a genetic that enables a given production potential and it is important that the number of born alive is close to this potential. If it is not, there may be waste in the production process and it should be corrected.
LOSSES IN THE FARROWING UNIT (PIGLET MORTALITY)
If breeding targets have been met, if sows are in production and the genetic potential is being fully used, work in the farrowing unit should be carried out in such a way as to avoid piglet mortality.
LOSSES IN THE NURSERY (PIGLET MORTALITY)
The same applies to the nursery, in order not to waste the work done so far, you have to track loss rates so that they stay within accepted limits.
LOSSES IN FINISHING (PIG MORTALITY)
This is the time to harvest the fruits that have been sown months ago and every unexpected loss is waste that will affect financial results.
As you have probably already realized, good production planning and being attentive to waste help achieve efficient management regarding the number of delivered pigs.
