From data to decision – Implementation of a sow replacement model

An implementation of a sow replacement model is presented. The model estimates the economic value and potential of sows based on litter size history and inseminations of the individual sow as well as herd specific information about production level, farrowing rates and mortality. Herd specific prices and feeding are also considered. The software, called SoLiv, is both a decision support application for culling strategies in pig farms and an evaluation tool for consultants and veterinarians. The application supports the management software AgroSoft and Cloudfarms from which historical data is extracted and analysed using dynamical models, in order to assess herd specific trends. Further, the software can display historical trends, determine the optimal age distribution, and ascertain historical losses by having a non-optimal culling strategy.