Market weight variation in the pork industry

Summary

Variation in the market weight of pigs is of major concern in pork production systems due to the application of tight marketing grids by processors. With 'all-in, all-out' (AIAO) facilities, the impact of slower growing pigs becomes obvious and 'tail-end' pigs become more difficult to manage. Therefore, management of variability has become an essential component of successful pork production.

This Primefact reviews the difficult problem of market weight variation in the pork industry and the latest strategies to minimise its impact on profitability. Contents include the following:

• introduction
• economic impact
• marketing strategies
• summary - minimising market weight variability
• management strategies
• summary - managing market weight variability
• stock management
• health
• summary: Minimising and managing market weight variability
• further reading