SOW CULLING PATTERNS AND SOW WELFARE

A survey was made of 25 pig farms within a 60 km radius of Moorepark R esearch Centre, Fermoy, Co. Cork, Ireland to assess the culling rate a nd the main reasons for sow disposal during the months January to Octo ber 1996. Farmers kept records for all sows that were culled or that d ied during that period. The culling rate was 43% (s.d. 2.3) using weig hted means. Culling rate varied considerably between herds, ranging fr om 26% to 70%. Culled females had produced an average of 4.58 (s.d. 0. 07) litters. Old age and reproductive failure were the main reasons fo r culling - at 31% and 30% of all removals, respectively. Lameness and poor performance each accounted for about 11% of culls. Thirty two pe r cent of animals culled for lameness had produced only one litter. De ath accounted for 6.6% of removals and illness was responsible for 5.9 % of culls. The high culling rates in the early parities for reproduct ive failure, locomotor problems, disease and injury seem to indicate t hat the adaptation capabilities of sows entering the breeding herd are heavily challenged.