Worldwide perspective for swine production and reproduction for the next 20 years

Over numerous years, breeding herds have faced challenges to sustainability with poor profitability, impact of disease, export market instability, limited labor, and increasing environmental and animal welfare regulations. Many of these scenarios are expected to continue, but their impact lessened with adjustments in management, technology, and business. The prospects for success in the future for the pig industry in various locations are based on costs of pig production efficiency and projections for domestic and export markets. Sow farms are expected to increase in size to meet large retailer needs, while smaller farms will fill domestic regional markets. The risk of PRRS in breeding herds and loss of pigs and infertility will continue to be a major concern for producers. Changes in sow housing will likely continue with designs that meet welfare requirements and allow for practical management of the breeding herd. Trends for selection and increase in litter size will continue but will include measures for birthweight and survival, and traits for heat stress and disease resistance. Changes in boar semen production and AI procedures are unlikely since fertility measures are very high. But advances in technology for identifying fertile and time of ovulation, or procedures that aid in selection of sperm or induction of ovulation, could facilitate reduction in the number of sperm used to produce a litter of pigs.