Improving Efficiency and Profitability in Pig Rearing

To target savings of up to £250,000 per year, focus on optimising routines, feed and water systems, herd performance, energy use and data-driven decision making.

1. Adopt Lean Management Principles

• Conduct “waste walks” around the farm: map every job step-by-step, time each task and record travel distances to pinpoint inefficiencies.
• Involve all staff in suggesting improvements. Empowered teams spot routine bottlenecks—small tweaks often add up to big savings.
• Use shadow boards for tool storage so staff spend less time searching for equipment and more time on high-value work.
• Schedule shared equipment (e.g., forklifts) on a time-table rather than ad-hoc “can you just…?” requests. This reduces downtime and duplication of effort.

2. Optimise Feed Conversion and Pig Growth

• Weigh pigs regularly to identify out-of-spec animals and adjust feed rations. Feed accounts for up to 70% of production costs, so even 1% improvement boosts margins significantly.
• Trial different diet specifications and micronutrient blends; measure P2 back-fat to ensure pigs hit target composition for market without overfeeding.
• Improve feeder and trough maintenance: leaking or poorly calibrated equipment wastes feed and adds cost.

3. Enhance Herd Health and Reproductive Performance

• Prioritise gilt retention and parity balance. Better-housed, uniform gilt groups drive higher farrowing rates and piglet yields.
• Implement robust biosecurity and vaccination protocols to reduce mortality and treatment costs. Even small health setbacks ripple through growth rates and feed efficiency.
• Maintain detailed production records (farrowing rates, piglet weaning weights, mortality). Use them to spot under-performers and cull or remediate swiftly.

4. Improve Energy Efficiency and Environmental Controls

• Review and renegotiate your energy contracts annually to secure the lowest rates.
• Invest in LED lighting, insulation upgrades and high-efficiency heaters for farrowing houses. Small reductions in kWh use translate to large bill savings over a year.
• Monitor ventilation fans and repair leaks; efficient airflows keep pigs healthy while cutting power consumption.

5. Action Plan: From Audit to Savings

1. Audit current routines: perform a whole-farm waste walk and time-map core tasks.
2. Staff workshop: gather frontline ideas, assign improvement projects with clear metrics.
3. Implement quick wins: shadow boards, feeder fixes, basic data collection.
4. Measure impact: track time saved, feed saved, and health outcomes monthly.
5. Scale major investments: plan capital projects (gilt housing, ad-lib feeders, insulation) once small wins prove ROI.
6. Review and iterate: revisit your audit every 6 months, keeping staff engaged in continuous improvement.

Beyond £250k: Additional Ideas

• Explore targeted genetic programmes for faster-growing, feed-efficient lines.
• Test precision-feeding technologies (e.g., RFID-driven feeders).
• Diversify on-farm revenue: consider on-site agritourism (farm tours, shooting estates) or value-added processing.
• Benchmark against local peers and networks (e.g., AHDB Pork events) to stay ahead of emerging best practices.

Implementing these strategies in concert can drive up to £250,000 of annual savings—often with modest upfront outlays and strong paybacks. Good luck turning data and lean thinking into bottom-line profit!