Battling mortality: The pig livability project

Facing the stark reality that roughly one-third of all pigs in commercial production never make it to market, the swine industry has mobilized an unprecedented collaborative effort to tackle mortality head-on. The Improving Pig Survivability Project represents a groundbreaking partnership between academic institutions and commercial producers, funded by the National Pork Board and the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research.

This comprehensive initiative has already yielded tangible results. Enhanced individual sow care protocols have reduced mortality by 2-3% on multiple farms. Researchers have identified effective strategies for addressing prolapse issues while also discovering which common practices—like ce...