The Velas analysis covered 467 sow farms, 331 rearing units, and 315 finishing farms, revealing that the national average in Denmark reached 37.3 piglets per sow annually.
However, the gap between top-performing and struggling farms remains significant:
- Top 10% of farms achieved 42.8 piglets/sow/year.
- Bottom 10% recorded only 29.7 piglets/sow/year.
Overall, 30% of all Danish farms now exceed the 40-piglet threshold, a remarkable achievement even by European standards.
Finishing Farm Results
Performance on finishing farms is equally notable:
- Average daily weight gain: 1,095 g.
- Mortality: less than 3%.
- Feed conversion ratio (FCR): 2.5 kg of feed per 1 kg of weight gain.
The top 10% of farms reported an even better FCR of 2.27, showcasing exceptional feed efficiency.
The Other Side of High Productivity
Yet, such record-breaking results also carry challenges. At a recent Hipra event, Danish veterinarian Andreas Birch (Ø-vet) highlighted that the country’s high prolificacy comes with a 15% sow mortality rate. This raises concerns about balancing productivity with animal welfare and longevity.
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