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Significant increases in stocking densities have been seen in finishing pens, especially among larger pigs, as various abattoirs have ‘rolled back’ their weekly kills. While maximising sale weights increases the return on a pig, considerable numbers of over-weights are being seen on some farms, says Paul Thompson, veterinary consultant to pig-breeding company ACMC Ltd.
The effect of higher stocking density can be to reduce daily liveweight gain and increase disease problems. On some farms it may be possible to use short-term alternative accommodation or to accept a lower price on a percentage of pigs to clear the backlog and keep the remaining pigs growing efficiently, he suggests.
www.acmc.co.uk
