Skip to main content
Presentation
Pre-sorting and pen size effects on the stress responses at loading and unloading and transport losses in market weight pigs
Proceedings of the Allen D. Leman Swine Conference
  • L. M. Gesing, Iowa State University
  • A. K. Johnson, Iowa State University
  • K. J. Stalder, Iowa State University
  • H. Hill, Iowa Select Farms
  • C. Feurbach, Iowa Select Farms
  • S. Abrams, Iowa Select Farms
  • A. Whiley, Iowa Select Farms
  • M. Faga, Iowa Select Farms
  • R. Bailey, JBS Swift and Co.
  • M. J. Ritter, Elanco Animal Health
Document Type
Conference Proceeding
Conference
2010 Allen D. Leman Swine Conference
Publication Version
Published Version
Publication Date
1-1-2010
Conference Title
2010 Allen D. Leman Swine Conference
Conference Date
September 2010
Geolocation
(44.977753, -93.26501080000003)
Abstract

Transport losses represent three challenges for the US swine industry and these are: 1) pig well-being, 2) increased rules and regulations, and 3) direct financial losses to producers and packers. Therefore; improving the well-being of pigs during transport and reducing the incidence of dead and non-ambulatory pigs is a priority for the US swine industry (NPB, 2007). Johnson et al. (2010) studied the effects of grow-finish pen size and manually pre-sorting pigs the day before loading on the stress responses at loading and unloading and transport losses in market weight pigs. The authors reported that pigs loaded from large pens (192 pigs/pen) that were pre-sorted from pen mates had 66% fewer dead and non-ambulatory pigs at the harvest facility compared to pigs loaded from small pens (32 pigs/pen) that were sorted from pen mates during loading. However, it is unclear if the reduction in transport losses was due to pen size and/or pre-sorting before marketing. Therefore, the objectives of the current two research trials were to 1) determine the effects of pre-sorting prior to loading on stress responses and transport losses at the harvest facility in the market weight pig; and 2) determine the effects of grow-finish pen size on stress responses and transport losses at the harvest facility in the market weight pig.

Comments

This proceeding was published as Gesing. L. M., A. K. Johnson, K. J. Stalder, H. Hill, C. Feurbach, S. Abrams, A. Whiley, M. Faga, R. Bailey, and M. J. Ritter. 2010. Pre-sorting and pen size effects on the stress responses at loading and unloading and transport losses in market weight pigs. In: Proc. A. D. Leman Swine Conference, Minneapolis, MN. September, 2010. 37:106-112. Posted with permission.

Copyright Owner
University of Minnesota
Language
en
File Format
application/pdf
Citation Information
L. M. Gesing, A. K. Johnson, K. J. Stalder, H. Hill, et al.. "Pre-sorting and pen size effects on the stress responses at loading and unloading and transport losses in market weight pigs" Minneapolis, MNProceedings of the Allen D. Leman Swine Conference Vol. 37 (2010) p. 106 - 112
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/kenneth_stalder/228/