Monitoring the farm

 

A major problem with recording systems is keeping on top of the current farm situation.  A key component to controlling costs on a farm is to ensure that the farm is full.  Each batch of pigs should be “identical” to each other – thus reducing over-stocking and under-stocking stressors.

 

Majority of farm monitoring programmes provide historical advice only and provide little in terms of real time advice on the current state of the farm.

 

Using the batch farrowing concept allows for easy models to be created which can monitor the farm’s current performance and provide targets for each stage of production.  The report has a comment box which highlights areas where production needs to be checked. 

 

Complete the report on the last day of the batch (normally the day of weaning).  If you walk the farm and complete the report after the weaners are actually moved, report the situation as it was before weaning.

 

In the grow/finish area complete the columns for pigs which are still growing on the farm, those who have been removed for selection (primarily gilts) and those who have been sold.

 

There are three report formats available:

1 week batch farming  original excel 2007 format

2 week batch farming  original excel 2007 format

3 week batch farming  original excel 2007 format

pdf version

 

If you down load the excel spreadsheet the second page after each blank report provides an example of how the report could look like in an ideal world. It is possible to customise this ideal world to more closely match your farm.