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Cute baby pig relaxing and enjoying life and smiles, illuminated by the sun.

Swine Health by Management

Swine health today is shaped by more than treatment—it is increasingly driven by how well systems are managed. Good animal husbandry, combined with a proactive focus on critical management practices and procedures, aims to avoid challenges. This management-focused approach empowers producers to move from tactical responses to strategic approaches, supporting better management of herd health, improving animal well-being, enhancing productivity, and building more resilient production systems to deal with the present and the future.

In line with this aim, Kemin has published a book titled “Swine Health by Management”, authored by Dr. D.P. McKenzie, B.V.Sc., Dr. R.R. Carter, Ph.D., and Dr. S. Kirwan, Ph.D. Bringing together their knowledge and expertise, the book presents practical insights and real-world applications that bridge science and on-farm execution.

At its core, the publication aims to:

  • Provide actionable insights for producers, veterinarians, and consultants
  • Encourage a shift from reactive treatment to proactive, management-driven preventative approaches to herd health
  • Support sustainable production with the goal of optimizing antibiotic use as part of responsible management practices
  • Equip farms to identify factors that may influence health and productivity outcomes

A perspective from Dr. Peter McKenzie on the role of management in shaping swine health:

Chapter highlights and key takeaways

This chapter focuses on farm-level management strategies to improve pig health and productivity.

Key highlights:

  • Poses possible farm situations to be addressed, e.g., low birth weights, low growth rates, large variation in the number of finished pigs, their final weights and/or age, unsatisfactory feed conversion ratio, high antibiotic use, breeder herd problems, inconsistent profit
  • Outlines a technical, operational, and financial team approach to dealing with issues
  • Identifies the elements of the holistic approach required to address health and productivity issues
  • Introduces the importance of all-in-all-out (AIAO) pig flow systems to reduce disease transmission
  • Outlines management approaches to a range of common diseases

Key takeaway:
Strong management fundamentals are key contributors to herd health and consistent performance.

This section provides a structured framework for analyzing and improving farm performance.

Key highlights:

  • Supports antimicrobial stewardship through the responsible use of medication
  • Explains the principles of “change management” and its implementation
  • Encourages the systematic evaluation of outputs, inputs, challenges and risk factors, including the use of accurate health and production data
  • Compares continuous flow with all-in-all-out production systems
  • Discusses pig housing, hygiene, biosecurity, water quality, and the breeder unit
  • Outlines the basis of deciding on what changes to make and when they should be made
  • Emphasizes collaboration between farm managers, veterinarians, and nutritionists, as well as commitment from farm owners and farm staff

Key takeaway:
Sustainable improvements require structured planning, cross-functional collaboration, and disciplined implementation of management changes. 

This chapter provides some deeper scientific insights into selected topics.

Key highlights:

  • Identifies environmental stressors, nutritional stressors, and social stress
  • Discusses some aspects of gestation, lactation and weaner nutrition
  • Discusses birth weight, litter size, and replacement gilt selection
  • Discusses heat stress in relation to summer infertility
  • Connects science with farm outcomes

Key takeaway:
An understanding of the science behind nutrition, immunity, and reproduction, and the impact of the pig’s environment, helps to inform the direction and implementation of management-driven strategies aimed at supporting health, welfare, and productivity.

This chapter provides information on feed additives and nutritional solutions that complement management practices.

Key highlights:

  • Describes how products (e.g., probiotics, organic acids, enzymes, bio-emulsifiers) are designed to support gut health and performance
  • Provides university and farm trial data referencing outcomes such as health, growth, and efficiency of feed use
  • Shows how these solutions may support management strategies aimed at reducing reliance on antibiotics when used alongside good management

Key takeaway:
Specialty products are not always standalone solutions—they are most effective when integrated into a well-managed production system. 

Change4Good - Cover

How does Kemin's Swine Health by Management book benefit you

This publication provides practical information in relation to swine health and productivity.

You'll benefit from:

  • Understanding how a holistic approach to swine health, welfare and production works
  • Appreciating the role of collaboration between farm management teams, veterinarians, and nutritionists
  • Learning how positive swine health outcomes may be supported via management
  • Appreciating that responsible management practices may support efforts to optimize antibiotic use while maintaining performance outcomes, depending on farm conditions
  • Understanding what a well-managed or best-practice system can look like
  • Aligning production practices with evolving regulatory and consumer expectations

In summary, the book describes management approaches that aim to support healthier production systems, animal welfare, and productivity objectives. These approaches may contribute to more stable and sustainable production systems, helping producers remain responsive in a rapidly changing industry.

Claim Your Change4Good Book

Access Expert Strategies for Swine Health

If you're interested in applying these learnings to your operations, our Kemin representatives would be happy to connect and explore how these approaches may be applied within your operations.

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