SAC Rural Policy Centre

This Research Briefing reports the results of recent work to explore whether it is possible to improve the survival and production of pigs through genetic selection strategies using key survival traits.

Neonatal mortality in pigs is a major animal welfare economic concern. Traditionally farmers have used farrowing crates to project piglets, but these are known to stress the sow and may be linked to other types of piglet mortality. The research demonstrates how piglet survival can be improved in one generation in non-crate systems, and suggests practical strategies to help farmers increase profits while also improving the quality of life of sows and piglets.

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