Having flexibility to use cheaper feed ingredients is a key element of profitability.

In the current economic climate it is hard to be optimistic about the prices for the major raw materials used in feed for pork production. The only certainty we have is uncertainty. Feed accounts for almost 60% of pig production costs, so the price of feed ingredients is a key element of profitability. Given the likelihood of continued price volatility within feed markets, nutritionists able to use a wider range of feed raw materials stand to gain the most.

A major challenge facing the pig industry relates to the environmental impact of undigested nutrients in the manure and the increasing costs of manure disposal.

Land application is the most common and most desirable method of utilising animal manure because of the value of the nutrients and organic matter. However, environmental regulations require animal operations to meet nutrient application standards when disposing of their manure by spreading it on cropland. There are many factors which can affect nutrient excretion into the environment from agriculture. Nutritional management strategies offer the most cost-effective means to reduce the negative environmental impact associated with pig production. Focusing solely on input costs in feed formulation ignores the cost of overfeeding specific nutrients, such as phosphorus and nitrogen, which can be the case with using cheaper protein and energy sources. Overfeeding nutrients leads to increased nutrient excretion in manure, which results in increased cost in order to meet the environmental regulations on manure disposal. Therefore feed formulations should take into account the effect of feed composition on manure management costs to minimise total pig production costs.

Pig unit profitability is dependent on a pig's ability to survive to weaning, thrive through the nursery period and grow to an optimum weight with acceptable carcass quality at market; in the shortest possible time period.

However, the selection for increased litter size in sows has to some extent decreased this ability in pigs, since it has resulted in litters with increased numbers of low birth weight piglets and greater variability in piglet body weights. Lower birth weight piglets generally have a decreased survival rate, experience poorer weight gains and have increased days to market. Each piglet lost prior to weaning represents a loss in income per sow and each extra day to market in the pig increases the costs of production. The lack of uniformity in body weight within litters is an important concern because it complicates the management of pigs in the later stages of production, resulting in a loss of income for the farmer. It follows that there is a need for measures which support the vitality and uniformity of piglets from hyperprolific sows to meet piglet growth and survival targets for profitable pig production.