Wean-to-finish production has proven itself as a sound economical system for finishing hogs. Producers’ decisions regarding continuation with a wean-to-finish system is dependent upon individual circumstances. Producers or potential contract finishers have different facility options for housing pigs. To evaluate the viability of a wean-to-finish production system versus a traditional nursery and grow-finish system, one must first take an inventory of their existing facilities, evaluate management skills, and review established long-term goals. Then, one must evaluate their current financial status and additional monies needed, along with reevaluating existing and future risks associated with the options, changes in labor, and the impact of management changes needed to maximize potential success.

Advantages and disadvantages for different production systems must be weighed and analyzed based on producers’ needs and expectations. Pig flow, production performance, and facility requirements are critical to provide an accurate portrayal of each system. Compare the production systems given in the Cost Analysis example.

Cost Analysis
 
Wean-to-Finish System: Two 1,000-head wean-to-finish barns using a 26-week grow out period, which enables two turns through each wean-to-finish barn yearly.

Traditional Nursery and Grow-Finish System: One 1,000-head nursery with two 1,000-head finishing buildings using a nine-week nursery with an 18-week finishing period. This production schedule allows for 5.67 turns through the nursery and 2.88 turns through each of the finishing barns on a yearly basis.

Facility Investment for Each System:
Wean-to-Finish System
26 x 1,000-head wean-to-finish barns @ $175 per pig space = $4,550,000 for 7 years $4,550,000 divided by 52,000 pigs per year = $87.50 facility cost per pig space per year or $43.75 per pig space per turn marketed per year if the building lasts only one year. Facility cost per pig per year if the building lasts 15 years would be $5.83 ($87.50 ÷ 15 years = $5.83).

Traditional Nursery and Grow-Finish System
      9 x 1,000-head nursery barns @ $110 per pig space = $ 990,000
    18 x 1,000-head finisher barns @ $160 per pig space = $2,880,000 Total $3,870,000

$3,870,000 divided by 51,840 pigs per year = $74.65 facility cost per pig space or marketed per year if the building lasts only one year. Facility cost per pig per year if the building lasts 15 years would be $4.98 ($74.65 ÷ 15 years = $4.98).

The Cost Analysis illustrates the investment on a per pig marketed basis using simple straightforward numbers without the complications of depreciation, interest, etc. The traditional system was setup to allow for slightly less throughput through the nursery and grow-finish system due to pig flow and the associated extra pig movement along with the clean-up required in a one-year time period.

Wean-to-Finish Advantages

• Less pig movement, trucking, and mixing.

• Less clean up and disinfecting costs.

• Potential greater value in the total dollar facility investment if the industry continues to change to wean-to-finish and minimizes need for nursery spaces. Wean-to-finish facilities can also function as grow-finish facilities if there is a need.

• Increased performance potential associated with the lower stress. Grow rate may improve 7.5% (Table 1).

• Greater square footage per pig through the nursery phase.

Table 1 Pig Performance Under Different Production Systems
Criteria	Nursery	Grow-Finish	Combined	Wean-to-Finish
In Wt, lb	10	60	10	10
Out Wt, lb	60	270	270	270
Days	58	120	178	171
ADG, lb	0.86	1.75	1.46	1.52
ADFI, lb	1.42	5.16	3.94	4.11
F/G	1.65	2.95	2.70	2.70
Source: ADM Alliance Nutrition Swine Production Database (2004).

Wean-to-Finish Disadvantages

• Constant need to relearn nursery pig care and procedures when only dealing with two groups per year per building.

• Retrofitting existing farrowing rooms and nurseries to wean-to-finish is difficult and probably not cost effective. ¨ Less total pounds of pork through a single new barn.

• Marketing only two times per year per building.

• Management skills needed are greater for nursery pigs versus traditional feeder pig through finish.

• Under utilization of floor space and specialized nursery equipment, heaters, mats, etc.; thus, increasing facility costs per pig marketed ($0.85 per pig marketed per year over 15-year building life-span, see Cost Analysis example).

Wean-to-Finish Versus Traditional Nursery and Grow-Finish
System Considerations

• Pig flow to fill a 1,000-head wean-to-finish barn in one week requires a sow source farm that has 2,500 sows from which all of the pigs go to wean-to-finish barns; thus, requiring 26 x 1,000-head wean-to-finish barns for this sow production unit.

• Pig flow from this 2,500-sow farm through nursery-finish requires 9 x 1,000-head nursery barns and 18 x 1,000-head finishing barns.

• Discussion surrounds double filling wean-to-finish barns and splitting pigs into two groups at the end of the nursery period, which may defeat some of the purposes of keeping the group integrity and not moving pigs.

• Wean-to-finish is best utilized when constructing new facilities.

• Converting existing traditional farrow through finish swine operations is generally best suited for conversion to nursery, then movement to finishers.

The wean-to-finish concept has application and presents advantages when constructing new facilities and new production systems. A key factor is pig flow, if buying pigs from a network that has an adequate and consistent number of animals to properly fill the types of facilities being constructed. Animal health, growth performance, and carcass quality are other factors that are vital for any system to be successful. The traditional nursery barn with movement to a finishing barn system remains the best-suited option for modification of an existing swine operations. All-in/all-out by site in any production system remains a key management practice that will pay huge dividends.
 

Summary
Key factors involved in the successful operation of a wean-to-finish production system include ability to sustain pig flow, pig health, and all-in/all-out management. The move to a wean-to-finish production system requires careful, calculated analysis based on an operation’s existing facilities, management skills, short- and long-term goals, financial status, additional capital required, and associated risks. Most importantly, the owner must be committed to staying in the swine business on a long-term basis.

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Or call ADM Alliance Nutrition Inc, Customer Service 866-666-7626