Balanced Pig Diet: How Protein, Energy, and Fiber Work Together
A balanced pig diet is not a list of numbers you check off one by one. It’s a set of relationships, and pulling on one moves the others. Make a ration more energy dense, and the pig eats less of it—so it now takes in less protein per day, while the…
Farrow-to-Finish vs. Wean-to-Finish: Which Pig Production System Is Right for You?
Table of Contents Introduction Choosing the right pig production system is one of the most consequential decisions a U.S. pig farmer will make — it determines your capital requirements, biosecurity exposure, labour needs, and, ultimately, your profit…
Inside a Modern Commercial Pig Farm: How Today’s Operations Really Work
Table of Contents Introduction The U.S. swine industry produces over 130 million market hogs annually, and the backbone of that output is the modern commercial pig farm – a highly engineered operation that looks nothing like the family barn of 50 years…
Pig Immunity Nutrition: Requirements, Limits, and What the Evidence Supports
Pig immunity nutrition is the practice of meeting the herd’s nutrient requirements so immune function is not the thing that gets shortchanged when disease pressure arrives. It is not a matter of raising one nutrient above the rest; in at least one…
Pig Parasite Management: What the Label Covers and What It Doesn’t
Pig parasite management combines recognizing the signs, confirming what you are actually dealing with, and knowing what an approved product label does and does not cover before you treat. Parasite problems can persist with little obvious illness,…
Pig Vaccination Schedule USA: Complete Guide for 2026
Introduction Disease prevention remains the cornerstone of profitable pig production, with vaccination programmes reducing mortality by 15-30% across U.S. swine operations, according to 2025 USDA veterinary surveys. A well-designed vaccination schedule…
Ready-Made vs Custom Pig Feed: Cost, Performance & Profitability (2026 Guide)
Introduction After 20+ years running a 5,000-head operation in North Carolina, I’ve used both ready-made commercial feeds and custom-formulated diets at different stages of my farming career. The decision between purchasing complete feeds from a…
Pig Feed Formulation Basics: Building Balanced, Cost-Effective Rations
Introduction Pig feed formulation is the process of combining available ingredients in set proportions so the finished ration meets every nutrient requirement at the lowest workable cost. Feed represents the largest single expense in pig production,…
Pig Farm Biosecurity Measures: Practical Protocols for Disease Prevention
Introduction Disease outbreaks cost the U.S. swine industry an estimated $3 billion annually in lost production, treatment expenses, and mortality. In my 15 years of swine practice across Iowa and the Midwest, I have witnessed devastating Porcine…
Vitamins and Minerals for Pigs: What They Need and Why It Matters
Introduction Vitamins and minerals for pigs make up less than 2% of the diet, yet they determine how efficiently the other 98% is used. Deficiencies rarely announce themselves—they erode growth rate, feed conversion, and immunity for months before…