PRODUCTIVITY AND PROFITABILITY DIFFERENCES BETWEEN PSEUDORABIES-INFECTED AND PSEUDORABIES-NONINFECTED FARROW-TO-FINISH SWINE HERDS

Productivity and economic effects of pseudorabies were estimated for a mean-size, farrow-to-finish swine enterprise. A Delphi technique was used to elicit productivity effects from an expert panel. Enterprise b udgets for pseudorabies-infected and noninfected herds were constructe d by use of these productivity estimates, as well as by use of economi c data from secondary sources. Data examined to determine effects on p roductivity included preweaning, nursery, and growing/finishing pig mo rtality, breeding hog mortality, feed conversion; labor; and veterinar y services and medication expenses. Results indicated that profitabili ty was lowered in infected herds by approximately $6/cwt of swine prod uced.