481 Current Knowledge Gaps in Swine Production Management

Recently I’ve started questioning everything I thought I knew about common management practices in the swine industry. As a scientist I’m trained to trust the science and use the data, but when the science contradicts common knowledge, do I question the science or question the common knowledge? Perhaps both, which has led me down a path to scientifically reevaluate the basic management principles of hog production; or taking it back to the basics. Management practices that were implemented 30 years ago are still being commonly used; however, over the years those practices have been altered to make them simpler or cheaper. By altering these fundamental principles, we may have unintentionally disrupted the overall intent of the principle and caused accidental consequences to production. For example, it is common knowledge that newborn pigs need to be dried at birth to improve the chance of survival. Originally these pigs were picked up and thoroughly dried and rubbed to stimulate the muscles and then strategically placed at the teat and encouraged to suckle. Over the years this practice has been altered; sprinkling drying agent over the litter instead of picking them up and using cheaper drying agents that may not be intended for this purpose, and placing the pigs down at the back of the crate. Robust and replicated science is needed to identify which components of these fundamental management processes are beneficial, serve a purpose, and therefore should not be adulterated. Therefore, prioritizing research back to the basics of fundamental management practices.