Productivity and profitability differences between pseudorabies-infected and pseudorabies-noninfected farrow-to-finish swine herds

Abstract

Productivity and economic effects of pseudorabies were estimated for a mean-size, farrow-to-finish swine enterprise. A Delphi technique was used to elicit productivity effects from an expert panel. Enterprise budgets for pseudorabies-infected and noninfected herds were constructed by use of these productivity estimates, as well as by use of economic data from secondary sources. Data examined to determine effects on productivity included preweaning, nursery, and growing/finishing pig mortality; breeding hog mortality; feed conversion; labor; and veterinary services and medication expenses. Results indicated that profitability was lowered in infected herds by approximately $6/cwt of swine produced.