Jonathan French

The United States Department of Agriculture reported that sow mortality ranges from 2.5% to 3.7% each year, depending on herd size1. It also was stated that annual mortality rates of sows in typical confined-sow herds should not exceed 3%2. In contrast, some sow herds experience annual losses of at least 10% of inventoried females3-6. The reasons for sow mortality are poorly understood; however, l ...