To identify the key pre-weaning management factors that influence post-weaning survival, growth and feed efficiency, and to develop practical, evidence-based recommendations that improve pig performance and reduce cost of production in Australian pork production systems.
This APL funded project, led by JBS Pork Australia, combined analysis of more than 130,000 commercial pig records with controlled research trials to better understand how early-life management affects pig performance after weaning.
The research identified three major management factors influencing lifetime productivity. Firstly, pigs weaned at older ages consistently achieved better post-weaning survival and higher lifetime growth rates. Secondly, fostering practices influenced performance, with pigs that were fostered after the first day of life generally performing worse than non-fostered pigs or pigs fostered within the first 24 hours. Finally, tighter weaning age spread emerged as an important driver of performance, with pigs grouped within a narrower age range showing improved growth, feed intake, feed efficiency, uniformity and, in some cases, heavier carcass weights and greater loin depth.
The project also evaluated the potential benefits of increasing weaning frequency to reduce weaning age spread. Results suggested that, in larger production systems, the productivity gains associated with tighter age spread may outweigh the additional labour and operational costs required to increase weaning frequency.
Overall, the findings demonstrate that practical management decisions made around birth and weaning can have lasting impacts on pig robustness, performance and profitability.
The project provides producers with clear, practical strategies to improve post-weaning performance and whole-of-life productivity. Key recommendations include:
• Keep weaning age spread as tight as possible, ideally within 3 days, and no more than 7 days where the production system allows.
• Increase average weaning age where practical.
• Minimise fostering and avoid fostering after the first day of life.
• Plan farrowing and weaning schedules to reduce mixing of pigs of different ages and developmental stages.
• Evaluate whether increasing weaning frequency could deliver economic benefits in their production system.
By focusing on these management practices, producers can improve pig uniformity, feed efficiency, lifetime growth performance and potentially reduce overall cost of production.
