At this year’s American Association of Swine Veterinarians (AASV) Annual Meeting in San Francisco, Joel Sparks and Amy Woods of AMVC Management Services and AMVC Swine Health Services shared field results that reinforce a key message: sometimes the biggest gains in sow health come from executing the basics—better.
Their presentation, “How to Reduce Sow Mortality in Gestating Sows,” highlighted how small operational changes on a commercial farm can lead to measurable improvements in survivability and overall productivity. The work builds on insights from the Improving Pig Survivability Project, showing how the timing and quality of observation can make a major difference.
Shifting Observation to When It Matters Most
The study took place on a 10,000-sow commercial farm in Indiana with both individual and group housing. Traditionally, feed was dropped by a timer several hours before caretakers arrived—meaning that by the time staff walked the barns, sows had already eaten and were resting. This timing made it harder to spot early signs of illness or off-feed behavior, particularly in group-housed systems.
Two simple adjustments were introduced:
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Feed delivery was timed to coincide with staff arrival, allowing observation during peak sow activity.
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A designated team member walked the barns during feeding, flagging any off-feed or lame sows using bright treatment cards with the sow’s ID, location, and issue.
Later that same day, the same employee returned to evaluate and treat the identified animals using standard protocols—ensuring quick, consistent follow-up without disrupting daily chores.
Proven Impact on Sow Health
The results were clear.
After implementing these changes, sow treatments increased—a sign that health issues were being caught earlier—and sow mortality declined from 20.21% to 16.34%, a 3.85% reduction.
Beyond the numbers, the protocol encouraged a renewed focus on hands-on husbandry, improved communication among staff, and helped build accountability and engagement around animal care.
Practical Takeaways for Producers
This real-world example demonstrates that improving sow survivability doesn’t always require new technology or added labor—it often comes down to timing, consistency, and attention to detail.
Aligning feeding schedules with staff presence, marking animals in real time, and following up with targeted care are simple, low-cost steps that deliver measurable results.
In swine production, success often starts with mastering the fundamentals—and this case proves that refining daily routines can have a lasting impact on herd health and performance.
Source: Adapted from research presented by AMVC at the 2025 AASV Annual Meeting.
