Energy Restriction During Breeding Gilt Development: An Economic Analysis

Authors

Justin Cech, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Darrell R. Mark, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Roger K. Wilson, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow

Date of this Version

3-3-2010

Comments

Published by the Department of Agricultural Economics, University of Nebraska – Lincoln. Copyright 2010 Regents of the University of Nebraska.

Abstract

Swine production has increasingly become a lowmargin business. As costs of production have increased, producers are continuing to increase efficiency in both market pig production and gilt development. Restricting energy during gilt development reduces feeding costs and can enhance some productivity measures, but can also negatively impact other areas of production. Thus, the net economic returns from a restricted energy gilt development program are unclear. This study utilized gilt development and market pig production data for two genetic lines of hogs, LWxLR (a cross between industry Large White and Landrace) and L45X (a Nebraska line selected 23 generations for increased litter size) from Johnson and Miller and Johnson et al., to estimate the returns to finishing market hogs using conventional and restricted energy gilt development programs.