Pork Production in the United States Joel Brendemuhl Tim Marshall University of Florida

U.S. swine industry is changing fast Who raises hogs? How hogs are raised? Where hogs are raised?

Vertical Integration of the Swine Industry One company controls, through ownership or contract relationships, from the farm to the fork

Trends Changing the U.S. Swine Industry 1.Improved herd performance - Producer efficiency - 2.Fewer & bigger hog farms 3.Specialization 4.Fewer & bigger packing plants 5.Geographic shift in production 6.Integration of production and packing 7.Contracting 8.Globalization

Producer Efficiency –Pigs/litter –Litters per breeding animal –Market pigs per breeding animal –Pork production per breeding animal –Slaughter weights Trends in the Industry

Estimated Daily Slaughter Capacity, U.S. – June, 2000 CompanyCompany Total # of hd/d Smithfield80,300 IBP69,500 Swift39,400 Excel38,700 Hormel31,600 Farmland22,800 Seaboard16,000 Total all U.S.377,620 PorkFacts,

Fewer & Bigger Hog Farms

Total Hog Farms, 1000 farms United States USDA/NASS, 2001

Average Inventory Per U.S. Hog Farm R. Plain - Univ. of Missouri

Percent of Inventory by Size of Operation United States USDA-NASS,

Percent of Operations and Inventory United States USDA-NASS,

10 Largest U.S. Hog Farms Smithfield Foods675,000 sows Conti Group201,000 sows Seaboard Farms175,000 sows Prestage Farms122,000 sows Tyson Foods110,000 sows Cargill109,000 sows Iowa Select96,000 sows Christensen Farms74,000 sows Purina Mills70,000 sows Goldsboro Hog Farm70,000 sows Source: Successful Farming

Specialization Allowed producers to become more efficient and lower costs of operation.

Early Production 1950’s

Today’s Confinement Building

Farrowing Barn

Farrowing Crate

Nursery

Growing - Finish

Most operations are an All-in / All-out type of production

A “Pot” 200 Slaughter Pigs

Conventional farrow to finish Breeding-gestation Farrowing (3 to 4 wk) Nursery (to 50 #) Finishing (to 260 #) Site 1

Segregated Early Weaning 3 Site Breeding-gestation Farrowing (2 to 3 wk) Nursery (to 50 #) Finishing (to 260 #) Site 1 Site 2 Site 3

Modern Swine Production Intensive management Breeding programs - hybrids Feeding programs Environmentally controlled buildings Disease control/sanitation is critical –“all in, all out” production systems –“shower in, shower out” –Multiple-site systems

Where are pigs produced in the United States?

Corn Production Primary energy source = CORN

Soybean Production 1 2 Primary protein source = soybean meal

Traditional Swine Producing Areas 1

Geographic Shift

Geographic Shift in Hog Production Sows are leaving the corn states Hogs went to N.C. because N.C. developed a better system Hogs are moving west to get away from rain and people

Percent of U.S. Swine Breeding Herd State Change N.C Okla Colo Utah Ky Wis Ill Ga Iowa

Where are the Pigs?

Contracting Farrowing Nursery Finishing

Swine Breeds & Breeding Mgmt

Categorizing Swine Breeds Colored: –Paternal -- muscle, growth traits, leanness White: –Maternal -- milk, litter size, mothering ability

Duroc Paternal breed Red Droopy ears

Hampshire Paternal breed Black w/ white belt Erect ears

Yorkshire Maternal breed White Erect ears

Landrace Maternal breed White Large droopy ears

Reproductive Mgmt of Swine

Boar Reproductive Tract Testes Epididymis Scrotum Vas Deferens Accessory Sex Glands Penis High semen volume: ml Low concentration: million/ml If use AI, may breed sows/ejaculate

Sow Reproductive Tract Rectum Ovary Oviduct Uterus Cervix Vagina Mammary

Sow Reproductive Information

Reproductive Management Estrus Detection - expose the sow/gilt to boar –vocalization, “flirt” with the ears –respond to pressure on the rump (won’t move) –greatly swollen vulva

Reproductive Management Mating systems Pen mating –natural, but controlled matings based on estrus Artificial Insemination (AI) –  usage by large integrators (nearly 100%) –use “fresh” semen, collected from boars on site –frozen semen yields smaller litters than fresh

Farrowing Process of the sow/gilt giving birth. Farrowing stalls (crates) –protect baby pigs from being “crushed” –provides for “dual heat” drip coolers for the sow heat pads/lamps for baby pigs (85-95 o F)