Benefits of Progress

Inconsistent use of barns that were vulnerable to extreme weather, injury, predators and illness.

Today’s barns protect pigs from injury, illness and predators, and provide comfortable temperatures year-round.

Pigs were only treated in response to illness or injury.

Many approaches are used in partnership with veterinarians to prevent and control disease and mitigate the risk of illness. Disease identification and treatment of sick pigs has also improved.

Few standardized methods to control odors.

Pig farmers use methods such as dust management and vegetative windbreaks to mitigate the spread of farm odors. They also use better manure management techniques to control odors.

Most farms were farrow to finish operations with no specialty among farms.

Specialized farms provide care for pigs at each stage of their life cycle.

Smaller pigs with higher fat content, averaging 200 pounds with 2.86 inches of back fat.

Larger and leaner pigs averaging 270 pounds with just 0.75 inches of back fat.

Largely unregulated diet included grass, clover and table scraps.

Strictly regimented rations include corn, wheat and soybean meal with added vitamins and minerals. Better administration means proper nutrition is equally distributed.

Little manure containment and reuse.

Sophisticated systems capture, control and use manure as fertilizer.