Battling mortality: The pig livability project

Facing the stark reality that roughly one-third of all pigs in commercial production never make it to market, the swine industry has mobilized an unprecedented collaborative effort to tackle mortality head-on. The Improving Pig Survivability Project represents a groundbreaking partnership between academic institutions and commercial producers, funded by the National Pork Board and the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research.

This comprehensive initiative has already yielded tangible results. Enhanced individual sow care protocols have reduced mortality by 2-3% on multiple farms. Researchers have identified effective strategies for addressing prolapse issues while also discovering which common practices—like certain split-suckle protocols—simply don't improve outcomes despite consuming valuable time and resources. These findings empower producers to redirect their efforts toward interventions that genuinely move the needle on survivability.

Perhaps most remarkably, the project has fostered an environment where competitors openly share what works and what doesn't. The upcoming International Conference on Pig Livability (November 5-6 in Omaha) will feature speakers from major production systems alongside representatives from competing genetic companies — all united by the common goal of improving pig survivability industrywide. The conference structure includes both general sessions and production-specific breakouts with dedicated time for open discussion, creating fertile ground for innovation and problem-solving.

Joining Feedstuffs Ann Hess to talk more about pig survivability and the upcoming conference are Dr. Joel DeRouchey, Kansas State University, and Stacie Matchan, Iowa State University. Registration, hotel information and more details on the project can be found here: https://piglivability.org/