United States 

Department of 

Agriculture

Animal and 

Plant Health 

Inspection 

Service

Veterinary 

Services

National 

Animal Health 

Monitoring 

System

February 2016

Swine 2012

Part II: Reference of Swine Health and Health 

Management in the United States, 2012

Table of 

Contents
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USDA–APHIS–VS–CEAH–NAHMS

NRRC Building B, M.S. 2E7

2150 Centre Avenue

Fort Collins, CO 80526–8117

970.494.7000

http://www.aphis.usda.gov/nahms

#676.0216

Cover photograph courtesy of Peggy Greb, ARS
USDA APHIS VS / i 

Population

The USDA’s National Animal Health Monitoring System (NAHMS) Swine 2012 study 

updates national estimates on the health and health management of U.S. swine 

previously collected during the NAHMS Swine 2006 study. One component of the Swine 

2012 study was conducted in 13 States on operations with 100 or more swine in total 

inventory on June 1, 2012. This report provides national estimates for this population, 

which includes swine production sites of all types. Two-thirds of sites (66.8 percent) had 

a grower/finisher unit. Almost one-fourth of sites (23.5 percent) had a breeding herd with 

gestation and farrowing.

Breeding herd

The three disease problems reported by the highest percentages of large sites were 

porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS), Mycoplasma pneumonia, and 

influenza. The top three disease problems in suckling pigs, regardless of herd size, were 

navel infections, colibacillosis, and Streptococcus suis.

The three vaccines administered to breeding females by the highest percentages of 

breeding herds, regardless of size, were leptospirosis, erysipelas, and parvo. Over 

three-fourths of large breeding herds also vaccinated for influenza, Mycoplasma 

hyopneumoniae, and porcine circovirus type 2.

Regarding PRRS herd classification, less than one-tenth of large breeding herds had an 

unknown PRRS status compared with more than half of small herds. Over one-tenth of 

medium and large breeding herds were PRRS positive unstable, half of large breeding 

herds were positive stable, and over one-fifth of all breeding herds were known negative.

Nursery phase

In nursery pigs, the top three disease problems reported by the highest percentages 

of sites, regardless of size, were Streptococcus suis, PRRS, and influenza. A majority 

of nursery sites vaccinated nursery pigs for porcine circovirus 2 and Mycoplasma 

hyopneumoniae.

Over 80 percent of nursery sites had administered injectable antibiotics to one or 

more nursery pigs during the previous 6 months. Almost two-thirds of nursery sites 

used injectable antibiotics to treat respiratory disease. Two-thirds of nursery sites had 

administered water-soluble antibiotics to nursery pigs for 1 or more days during the 

previous 6 months. Over 40 percent of nursery sites used water-soluble antibiotics to 

treat respiratory disease. Almost 90 percent of nursery sites had administered feed

antibiotics to nursery pigs for 1 or more days during the previous 6 months. Almost 

Items of Note
ii / Swine 2012

70 percent of nursery sites used feed antibiotics to prevent disease and control disease 

spread.

More than 40 percent of all nursery sites included distiller’s dried grain and solubles 

(DDGS) in at least one nursery diet. This percentage was similar across all size groups. 

On average, DDGS made up 13.4 percent of the nursery diet on nursery sites using 

DDGS. Spray-dried plasma, blood meal, and other blood products were used in nursery 

diets on more than 70 percent of large nursery sites.

Grower/finisher phase

More than half of grower/finisher sites reported problems with influenza, PRRS, and 

Mycoplasma. Over one-fourth of grower/finisher sites reported problems with ileitis, 

gastric ulcers, and hemorrhagic bowel syndrome. More than half of large grower/finisher 

sites vaccinated pigs for PCV2 and Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae. On the 20.8 percent of 

grower/finisher sites that vaccinated pigs against influenza, almost 100 percent of grower/

finisher pigs received an autogenous influenza vaccine.

Over 80 percent of grower/finisher sites had administered injectable antibiotics to one 

or more pigs during the previous 6 months. Over 70 percent of grower/finisher sites 

used injectable antibiotics to treat respiratory disease. Almost 75 percent of grower/

finisher sites had administered water-soluble antibiotics to pigs for 1 or more days during 

the previous 6 months. Almost two-thirds of grower/finisher sites used water-soluble 

antibiotics to treat respiratory disease. Over 90 percent of grower/finisher sites had 

administered feed antibiotics to pigs for 1 or more days during the previous 6 months. 

Over 60 percent of sites used feed antibiotics to prevent disease and control disease 

spread. Half of grower/finisher sites used antibiotics in feed for growth promotion. 

Almost 80 percent of grower/finisher sites included DDGS in at least one diet. This 

percentage was similar across all size groups. Overall, DDGS made up 21.8 percent of 

the grower/finisher diet on sites using DDGS. Spray-dried plasma, blood meal, and other 

blood products were used in grower/finisher diets on almost 12 percent of large grower/

finisher sites. 

Wean-to-finish phase

The disease problems reported by the highest percentages of large wean-to-finish sites 

were influenza (69.8 percent) and PRRS (61.4 percent). More than 85 percent of weanto-finish sites vaccinated pigs for PCV2 and Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae. About onethird of wean-to-finish sites vaccinated pigs for erysipelas and E. coli. On the 

15.4 percent of wean-to-finish sites that vaccinated pigs against influenza, almost 

100 percent of pigs received an autogenous influenza vaccine.
USDA APHIS VS / iii 

Over 90 percent of wean-to-finish sites had administered injectable antibiotics to one 

or more pigs during the previous 6 months. Over 50 percent of wean-to-finish sites used 

injectable antibiotics to treat respiratory disease. Over 85 percent of wean-to-finish 

sites had administered water-soluble antibiotics to pigs for 1 or more days during the 

previous 6 months. Almost half of wean-to-finish sites used water-soluble antibiotics to 

treat respiratory disease. Almost 98 percent of wean-to-finish sites had administered feed

antibiotics to pigs for 1 or more days during the previous 6 months. Over 80 percent of 

wean-to-finish sites used feed antibiotics to prevent disease and control disease spread. 

About 40 percent of wean-to-finish sites used antibiotics in feed for growth promotion.
iv / Swine 2012

Introduction 1

Terms Used in This Report 4

Section I: Population Estimates 7

A. Site Classification by Production Phase 7

B. Breeding Herd Health and Vaccination 8

1. Disease problems in breeding females 8

2. Disease problems in preweaned pigs 11

3. Vaccination practices 13

4. Influenza vaccination 16

5. Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome vaccination 17

6. Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome control 19

7. Use of antibiotics to treat disease 24

C. Nursery Phase 25

1. Disease problems 25

2. Swine dysentery 28

3. Vaccination practices 29

4. Influenza vaccination 31

5. Response to respiratory disease outbreak 33

6. Medications given by injection, in water, and in feed 34

7. Feed management 46

8. Outshipments 53

D. Grower/Finisher Phase 55

1. Disease problems 55

2. Swine dysentery 58

3. Vaccination practices 59

4. Influenza vaccination 61

5. Response to respiratory disease outbreak 62

6. Medications given by injection, in water, and in feed 63

7. Feed management 74

8. Outshipments 81

Table of Contents
USDA APHIS VS / v 

E. Wean-to-Finish Phase 83

1. Disease problems 83

2. Vaccination practices 86

3. Influenza vaccination 88

4. Response to respiratory disease outbreak 90

5. Medications given by injection, in water, and in feed 91

6. Feed management 102

7. Outshipments 112

F. Feed Management and Other Site-level Practices 113

1. Source of nutritional expertise 113

2. Diet manipulations 115

3. Split-sex feeding 115

4. Transport and hauling 117

Section II: Methodology 119

A. Needs Assessment and Study Objectives 119

B. Sampling and Estimation 120

1. State selection 120

2. Operation selection 120

3. Site selection 121

4. Population inferences 121

C. Data Collection 122

D. Data Analysis 122

E. Sample Evaluation 123

Appendix I: Sample Profile 124

Appendix II: U.S. Swine Inventory and Number of Farms 125

Appendix III: Study Objectives and Related Outputs 126
vi / Swine 2012

This report was a cooperative effort between two U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) 

agencies: the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) and the Animal and Plant 

Health Inspection Service (APHIS).

We would like to thank the NASS enumerators, State and Federal veterinary medical 

officers, and animal health technicians who visited the operations and collected the data 

for the Swine 2012 study. Their hard work and dedication to USDA’s National Animal 

Health Monitoring System (NAHMS) were invaluable in providing quality data for Swine 

2012 reports. We would also like to thank the personnel at the Center for Epidemiology 

and Animal Health for their efforts in generating and distributing valuable reports from 

Swine 2012 data.

Additional biological sampling and testing for the Swine 2012 study were afforded by the 

generous contributions of collaborators:

• USDA–APHIS, National Veterinary Services Laboratory

• USDA–ARS, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center

• USDA–ARS, Russell Research Center

• National Pork Board

• Kansas State University, Manhattan

• University of Minnesota, St. Paul

• Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc.

All participants are to be commended, particularly the producers whose voluntary efforts 

made the Swine 2012 study possible.

Bruce A. Wagner 

Director

Center for Epidemiology and Animal Health
USDA APHIS VS / vii 

Suggested bibliographic citation for this report:

USDA. 2015. Swine 2012 “Part II: Reference of Swine Health and Health Management in 

the United States, 2012” 

USDA–APHIS–VS–CEAH–NAHMS. Fort Collins, CO

#676.0216

Contacts for further information:

Questions or comments on data analysis: Drs. Eric Bush and Charles Haley, 

(970) 494–7000

Information on reprints or other reports: Ms. Abby Zehr (970) 494–7000

Feedback

Feedback, comments, and suggestions regarding Swine 2012 study reports are 

welcomed. You may submit feedback via online survey at: http://www.aphis.usda.gov/

nahms (Click on “FEEDBACK on NAHMS reports.”)

USDA APHIS VS / 1 

Introduction

Introduction

The National Animal Health Monitoring System (NAHMS) is a nonregulatory program of 

the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. 

NAHMS is designed to help meet the Nation’s animal-health information needs and has 

collected data on animal health, productivity, and management practices on U.S. swine 

operations in five previous studies.

The 1990 National Swine Survey was NAHMS first national study of the U.S. swine 

industry and provided a snapshot of animal health and management that would serve as 

a baseline from which to measure industry changes in animal health and management. 

NAHMS conducted the 1990 National Swine Survey in 18 States, with a target population 

of operations with at least 1 sow. The 18 States represented 95 percent of the U.S. swine 

population. National estimates generated from this study are reported in “Morbidity/

Mortality and Health Management of Swine in the United States” (November 1991).

Swine ’95 was conducted in 16 States, representing 91 percent of the U.S. swine 

population. The target population for the first phase of Swine ‘95 was producers with at 

least one pig. National estimates generated from this study are reported in “Swine ’95 

Part I: Reference of 1995 Swine Management Practices” (October 1995). The second 

phase of Swine ’95 was conducted on sites with at least 300 market pigs. National 

estimates generated from this phase of the study are reported in “Part II: Reference of 

1995 Grower/Finisher Health and Management” (May 1996).

Swine 2000 was designed to provide both participants and the industry with information 

on the U.S. swine herd on operations with 100 or more pigs. The National Agricultural 

Statistics Service (NASS) collaborated with Veterinary Services to select a producer 

sample statistically designed to provide inferences to the Nation’s swine populations 

on operations with 100 or more pigs. Included in the study were 17 of the major porkproducing States, which accounted for 94 percent of the U.S. pig inventory and 

92 percent of U.S. pork producers with 100 or more pigs. Results from this study are 

reported in “Part I: Reference of Swine Health and Management, 2000” (August 2001); 

“Part II: Reference of Swine Health and Management, 2000” (March 2002); “Part III: 

Reference of Swine Health and Environmental Management, 2000” (September 2002); 

and “Part IV: Changes in the U.S. Pork Industry, 1990–2000” (April 2005).

Swine 2006 used a study design similar to that used in the Swine 2000 study. Seventeen 

States participated in the Swine 2006 study, accounting for 94 percent of U.S. swine 

operations and inventory on operations with 100 or more pigs. As with Swine 2000, the 

Swine 2006 sample referred to the population of operations with 100 or more pigs in the 

17 selected States. Results from this study are reported in “Part I: Reference of Swine 

Health and Management, 2006” (October 2007); “Part II: Reference of Swine Health and 
2 / Swine 2012

Introduction

Management, 2006” (December 2007); “Part III: Reference of Swine Health, Productivity, 

and General Management in the United States, 2006” (March 2008); and “Part IV: 

Changes in the U.S. Pork Industry, 1990-2006” (November 2008).

The Small-Enterprise Swine 2007 study described the health and management 

practices on operations with fewer than 100 pigs. The study covered States that 

had participated in previous national swine studies plus States considered at risk for 

exposure to feral swine, and transmission of classical swine fever and pseudorabies. 

The information gathered in this study provided a more complete picture of smallenterprise swine operations and the risk of introduction of these diseases. Thirty-one 

States participated in the study. These States accounted for 88.3 percent of swine and 

84.4 percent of operations with fewer than 100 pigs, according to the 2002 Census 

of Agriculture. Results from this study are reported in “Small-Enterprise Swine 2007: 

Reference of Management Practices on Small-Enterprise Swine Operations in the United 

States, 2007” (February 2009).

Swine 2012 comprises two concurrent studies. The core study targeted operations with 

100 or more pigs in 13 States (see map on following page). A random sample of 4,600 

operations was selected to participate in Phase 1 of the study. There were two versions 

of the Phase I questionnaire administered from July 16 through August 15, 2012. The full 

version was completed during on-farm interviews and a shorter version was administered 

via computer-assisted telephone interview. Producers that completed Phase I, either by 

phone or interview, were asked to continue with phase 2 of the study. The questionnaire 

used in Phase 2 was administered by State and Federal veterinary medical officers 

(VMO) from September 5 through November 17, 2012. Phase II respondents also had 

the opportunity to participate in the collection of feed, feces, or blood for diagnostic 

testing and analysis. This report presents results from Phase 2 of the study (VMO data 

collection).

The small-enterprise swine study was conducted concurrently with the core NAHMS 

Swine 2012 study. This study targeted operations with fewer than 100 pigs in 31 selected 

States. A random sample of 2,000 operations was selected for participation from July 

17 through September 15, 2012. NASS mailed the questionnaire and then followed-up 

with nonrespondents via computer assisted telephone interview. Results from the 2012 

small-enterprise swine study are presented in “Swine 2012: Reference of Management 

Practices on Small-enterprise Swine Operations in the United States, 2012” 

(February 2014).

All NAHMS swine study reports are accessible online at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/

nahms. 
USDA APHIS VS / 3 

Introduction

AL

AZ AR

CA CO

CT

DE

FL

GA

ID

IL IN

IA

KS

KY

LA

ME

MD

MA

MI

MN

MS

MO

MT

NE

NV

NH

NJ

NM

NY

NC

ND

OH

OK

OR

PA

RI

SC

SD

TN

TX

UT

VT

VA

WA

WV

WI

WY

Swine 2012 Selected States

Region

North

West Central

East Central

South
4 / Swine 2012

Introduction

Operation: The overall business and top-level management unit for a swine farm, which 

might consist of one or more sites. An operation can encompass all production phases 

of swine rearing (e.g., gestation, farrowing, nursery, and grower/finisher) on one or more 

sites (geographic locations), each devoted to a different production phase or combination 

of phases (see Site).

Percent animals: The number of animals with a certain attribute divided by the total 

number of animals on all sites. In some cases, it is assumed that the attribute applies to 

all animals on the site. The number of animals is defined in each table and may include 

total inventory, sow inventory, number of pigs that entered the nursery, or other specific 

pig groups. The percent-animals estimates primarily reflect larger sites, which have the 

majority of pigs.

Percent sites: The number of sites with a certain attribute divided by the total number 

of sites. Percentages will sum to 100 where the attributes are mutually exclusive (e.g., 

percentage of sites located within each region). Percentages will not sum to 100 where 

the attributes are not mutually exclusive (e.g., the percentage of sites using treatment 

methods where sites may have used more than one method). The percent-sites 

estimates primarily reflect smaller sites, since they make up the majority of sites.

Pig-level average: A single site value multiplied by the number of animals on that site 

and summed across sites and divided by total number of animals on all sites. 

Population estimates: Estimates in this report are provided with a measure of precision 

called the standard error. A 95-percent confidence interval can be created with bounds 

equal to the estimate, plus or minus two standard errors. If the only error is sampling 

error, the confidence intervals created in this manner will contain the true population 

mean 95 out of 100 times. Alternatively, the 90-percent confidence interval would be 

created by multiplying the standard error by 1.65 instead of 2. Most estimates in this 

report are rounded to the nearest tenth. If rounded to 0, the standard error was reported 

(0.0). If there were no reports of the event, no standard error was reported (—).

Production phases: 

Farrowing: Production phase with sows or gilts designated for breeding that farrow 

(gave birth to a litter of piglets).

Gestation: Production phase with sows or gilts designated for breeding that service 

(breed) and/or farrow sows and gilts.

Grower/Finisher: Pigs are fed-out from approximately 60 lb to final market weight for 

slaughter.

Nursery: Newly weaned pigs are managed, fed, and housed until they go into the 

grower/finisher phase (at approximately 60 lb).

Wean-to-finish: Specialized production site that receives newly weaned pigs that are 

managed, fed, and housed to final market weight for slaughter.

Terms Used in 

This Report
USDA APHIS VS / 5 

Introduction

Regions:

• Midwest: Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, South Dakota 

• East: Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania

• South: Kansas, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Texas

Sample profile: Information that describes characteristics of the operations and sites 

from which Swine 2012 data were collected.

Separate site: A facility completely separate geographically or in the same location but 

physically separated (no livestock runways or paths joining other production facilities). It 

also might be managed as its own site, with separate procedures, biosecurity measures, 

and workers.

Site: One geographic location or address that functions as a unit to house one or more 

production phases in swine rearing. An example would be a gestation/farrowing site or a 

nursery site. A site can encompass more than one production phase, such as a “farrowto-finish” site, which has gestation, farrowing, nursery, and grower/finisher pigs all at the 

one location. A site can be a part of an operation or it can be the whole operation, if the 

operation has only one site. (See Operation.)

Site average: The average value for each site summed over all sites reporting and 

divided by the number of sites reporting.

Size of site: Size groupings were based on the total number of swine present on June 

1, 2012. Size of site was categorized as small (fewer than 2,000 pigs), medium (2,000 to 

4,999), and large (5,000 or more). For tables relating to breeding herds, size of site was 

based on the number of sows and gilts on-site: small (fewer than 250), medium (250 to 

499), and large (500 or more).

Split-sex feeding: Separating market pigs by sex and feeding them different diets.

Total inventory: All swine present on the site on June 1, 2012.

USDA APHIS VS / 7 

Section I: Population Estimates–A. Site Classification by Production Phases

Section I: Population Estimates

Note: Where appropriate, column and row totals are shown as 100.0 to aid in 

interpretation; however, some estimates may not sum to 100.0 due to rounding.

More than two-thirds of swine production sites had a grower/finisher phase. Almost onefourth of production sites had a breeding herd.

A.1. Percentage of sites by production phase and by size of site:

Percent Sites

Size of Site (total inventory)

Small 

(fewer 

than 2,000)

Medium

(2,000–4,999)

Large

(5,000 

or more) All sites

Production phase Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error

Breeding females 31.9 (3.8) 13.1 (2.7) 29.1 (8.8) 23.5 (3.0)

Nursery 47.2 (4.6) 18.5 (3.8) 30.1 (8.7) 32.0 (4.1)

Grower/finisher 67.3 (5.0) 69.6 (8.2) 57.8 (8.9) 66.8 (4.9)

Wean-to-finish 10.3 (3.9) 20.6 (8.6) 18.1 (7.5) 16.0 (5.1)

In the South region, less than 1 percent of sites had a wean-to-finish phase compared 

with over 25 percent of sites in the East region.

A.2. Percentage of sites by production phase and by region:

Percent Sites

Region

Midwest East South

Production phase Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error

Breeding females 17.5 (3.0) 28.1 (7.8) 38.0 (5.3)

Nursery 31.9 (6.0) 27.5 (7.7) 38.3 (5.0)

Grower/finisher 68.6 (6.5) 59.2 (12.0) 74.1 (4.2)

Wean-to-finish 14.9 (7.5) 27.5 (10.7) 0.1 (0.0)

A. Site 

Classification 

by Production 

Phase
8 / Swine 2012

Section I: Population Estimates–B. Breeding Herd Health and Vaccination

Note: All tables in section B refer to sites with breeding females. Herd-size categories are 

based on the number of sows and gilts on-site.

1. Disease problems in breeding females

The three disease problems reported by the highest percentages of large breeding 

herds were PRRS, Mycoplasma pneumonia, and influenza. The three disease problems 

reported by the highest percentages of small breeding herds were roundworms, mange, 

and lice. Only small herds reported that transmissible gastroenteritis was a problem in the 

breeding herd.

B. Breeding 

Herd Health and 

Vaccination
USDA APHIS VS / 9 

Section I: Population Estimates–B. Breeding Herd Health and Vaccination

B.1. Percentage of breeding herds in which the following disease problems were present 

in breeding females during the previous 12 months, by herd size:

Percent Breeding Herds

Herd Size (number of sows and gilts)

Small 

(fewer 

than 2,000)

Medium

(2,000–4,999)

Large

(5,000 

or more) All sites

Disease problem* Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error

PRRS 26.7 (6.2) 60.9 (11.9) 57.0 (6.3) 44.5 (4.6)

Roundworms 45.9 (7.0) 54.7 (11.9) 26.0 (7.4) 39.1 (5.1)

Mycoplasma pneumonia 19.4 (5.6) 26.2 (10.7) 45.4 (7.2) 31.2 (4.7)

Influenza 12.2 (4.0) 37.8 (11.3) 34.8 (9.3) 25.5 (4.3)

Porcine circovirus 2

(PCVAD) 18.5 (5.1) 20.9 (9.4) 26.4 (7.5) 22.1 (3.9)

Mange 36.1 (6.6) 21.4 (9.3) 0.7 (0.7) 19.2 (3.7)

Ileitis 13.4 (5.5) 17.3 (8.1) 24.9 (7.2) 18.7 (3.8)

Lice 32.1 (6.2) 16.8 (9.1) 0.0 (0.0) 16.5 (3.3)

Gastric ulcers 6.4 (4.9) 10.6 (5.8) 15.1 (5.0) 10.7 (3.0)

Glasser’s disease 3.3 (2.2) 7.2 (6.5) 14.0 (5.4) 8.3 (2.5)

Swine dysentery 12.1 (5.6) 0.0 (0.0) 1.8 (1.6) 5.9 (2.6)

Parvovirus 8.1 (3.6) 2.7 (2.6) 1.4 (1.0) 4.5 (1.7)

Erysipelas 3.1 (1.6) 0.0 (0.0) 6.7 (2.9) 4.1 (1.4)

Salmonella 2.8 (1.9) 0.0 (0.0) 3.5 (2.5) 2.6 (1.3)

Leptospirosis 3.8 (2.8) 0.0 (0.0) 0.0 (0.0) 1.6 (1.2)

Actinobacillus 

pleuropneumonia (APP) 1.1 (1.0) 0.0 (0.0) 1.0 (0.8) 0.9 (0.5)

Transmissible 

gastroenteritis (TGE) 1.1 (1.0) 0.0 (0.0) 0.0 (0.0) 0.5 (0.4)

Other 3.3 (2.3) 0.0 (0.0) 0.3 (0.2) 1.5 (1.0)

*This table reflects producer opinion, which may or may not have been confirmed by a veterinarian or laboratory 

diagnosis.
10 / Swine 2012

Section I: Population Estimates–B. Breeding Herd Health and Vaccination

0 10 20 30 40 50
USDA APHIS VS / 11 

Section I: Population Estimates–B. Breeding Herd Health and Vaccination

2. Disease problems in preweaned pigs 

The highest percentages of herds reported that the top three disease problems in 

suckling pigs were navel infections, colibacillosis, and Streptococcus suis, regardless of 

herd size. A higher percentage of large breeding herds reported PRRS and Clostridium

problems in suckling pigs compared with small breeding herds.

B.2. Percentage of breeding herds in which the following disease problems were present 

in preweaned pigs during the previous 12 months, by herd size:

Percent Breeding Herds

Herd Size (number of sows and gilts)

Small 

(fewer 

than 2,000)

Medium

(2,000–4,999)

Large

(5,000 

or more) All sites

Disease problem* Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error

Navel infections 45.3 (7.3) 78.1 (8.8) 70.2 (7.8) 60.6 (5.0)

E. coli (colibacillosis) 31.5 (6.5) 46.6 (10.9) 65.6 (8.5) 47.8 (5.5)

Streptococcus suis 38.8 (6.9) 39.2 (10.6) 59.2 (6.4) 46.9 (4.7)

Greasy pig disease 25.4 (6.8) 54.0 (10.9) 49.5 (7.0) 39.8 (4.7)

PRRS 10.9 (4.3) 45.6 (11.7) 51.5 (7.0) 33.0 (4.6)

Clostridium 16.7 (5.2) 13.3 (7.2) 50.1 (7.0) 29.6 (4.6)

Undifferentiated 

pneumonia 13.4 (4.9) 27.9 (9.0) 28.6 (5.5) 21.9 (3.5)

Rotavirus 6.7 (2.9) 0.0 (0.0) 41.0 (11.7) 19.4 (6.2)

Coccidiosis 9.1 (4.2) 11.3 (6.2) 17.6 (6.1) 12.9 (3.0)

Influenza 2.8 (1.9) 7.9 (5.3) 22.8 (6.9) 11.8 (2.8)

Salmonella 1.1 (1.0) 4.4 (4.1) 2.5 (2.0) 2.2 (1.2)

TGE 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—)

Other 3.8 (2.6) 4.6 (4.3) 3.6 (2.2) 3.9 (1.4)

*This table reflects producer opinion, which may or may not have been confirmed by a veterinarian or laboratory 

diagnosis.
12 / Swine 2012

Section I: Population Estimates–B. Breeding Herd Health and Vaccination

0 20 40 60
USDA APHIS VS / 13 

Section I: Population Estimates–B. Breeding Herd Health and Vaccination

3. Vaccination practices

The three vaccines administered to breeding females by the highest percentages herds, 

regardless of size, were for leptospirosis, erysipelas, and parvovirus. Over 90 percent 

of large breeding herds gave these vaccines compared with about 75 percent of small 

herds. Over three-fourths of large breeding herds also vaccinated for influenza, 

Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae, and PCV2.

B.3. Percentage of breeding herds that vaccinated breeding females at any time 

(including before arrival) against the following diseases, by herd size:

Percent Breeding Herds

Herd Size (number of sows and gilts)

Small 

(fewer 

than 250)

Medium

(250–499)

Large

(500 

or more) All herds

Disease Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error

APP 2.6 (2.5) 18.9 (8.5) 3.4 (2.0) 5.5 (2.0)

Actinobacillus suis 3.0 (2.0) 17.6 (8.6) 2.5 (1.9) 5.1 (1.9)

Atrophic rhinitis 35.4 (6.7) 30.1 (11.0) 16.3 (6.9) 26.9 (4.7)

C. difficile 7.4 (2.9) 9.9 (7.2) 28.6 (8.9) 16.3 (4.6)

C. perfringens type A 17.0 (5.0) 28.5 (10.2) 51.0 (11.6) 32.5 (6.3)

C. perfringens

types C and D 42.6 (7.0) 55.9 (10.3) 53.9 (7.8) 49.2 (4.7)

Erysipelas 77.8 (5.6) 82.4 (7.8) 95.1 (2.4) 85.5 (3.1)

E. coli

(K88, K99, 987P, F41) 35.1 (6.9) 65.7 (11.1) 69.4 (6.1) 53.7 (4.5)

Glasser's disease 3.4 (3.2) 10.5 (5.8) 22.1 (5.6) 12.0 (3.0)

Ileitis/

proliferative enteritis 7.0 (2.9) 12.1 (6.5) 35.1 (6.3) 19.1 (3.3)

Influenza 17.6 (5.4) 39.6 (10.8) 80.5 (5.9) 46.4 (5.6)

Leptospirosis 78.9 (5.4) 85.7 (7.2) 96.6 (1.9) 87.1 (2.9)

Mycoplasma

hyopneumoniae 24.5 (5.8) 43.4 (10.6) 80.2 (5.6) 49.9 (5.5)

Parvovirus 78.1 (5.4) 73.7 (10.1) 93.0 (3.6) 83.4 (3.4)

Porcine circovirus 2 

(PCVAD) 24.5 (5.7) 50.3 (10.4) 78.8 (7.2) 50.4 (5.5)

PRRS 26.1 (5.9) 58.4 (11.2) 63.7 (6.3) 46.4 (4.6)

Rotavirus 6.3 (2.7) 17.7 (7.5) 19.2 (5.6) 13.3 (2.7)

Salmonella 1.5 (1.5) 3.3 (3.2) 19.1 (5.7) 8.9 (2.8)

Streptococcus suis 5.2 (2.5) 6.8 (4.7) 11.6 (6.2) 8.0 (2.8)

Transmissible 

gastroenteritis 0.0 (0.0) 4.1 (3.9) 0.2 (0.2) 0.7 (0.6)

Other 1.4 (1.4) 0.0 (0.0) 0.6 (0.4) 0.9 (0.6)
14 / Swine 2012

Section I: Population Estimates–B. Breeding Herd Health and Vaccination

0 20 40 60 80 100

Percent

Erysipelas

Disease

Percentage of breeding herds that vaccinated breeding females at any time 

(including before arrival) against the following diseases 

Leptospirosis 87.1

46.4

46.4

85.5

Parvovirus 83.4

49.9

49.2

50.4

53.7

32.5

Mycoplasma

hyopneumoniae

C. perfringens

types C and D

E. coli

Porcine

circovirus 2

Influenza

PRRS

C. perfringens

type A
USDA APHIS VS / 15 

Section I: Population Estimates–B. Breeding Herd Health and Vaccination

4. Influenza vaccination

More than 60 percent of large breeding herds vaccinated pigs against influenza before or 

at entry into the breeding herd. The highest percentage of breeding herds gave influenza 

vaccinations during gestation. Over one-half of large breeding herds vaccinated for 

influenza during the last 4 weeks of gestation.

B.4.a. Percentage of breeding herds that usually vaccinated breeding females against 

influenza during the following reproductive time periods, by herd size:

Percent Breeding Herds

Herd Size (number of sows and gilts)

Small 

(fewer 

than 250)

Medium

(250–499)

Large 

(500 

or more) All herds

Time period Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error

Before entering 

breeding herd 4.7 (3.1) 23.6 (9.2) 65.8 (8.4) 33.1 (6.2)

As gilts at time of 

entering the breeding 

herd

18.4 (5.7) 23.4 (9.3) 61.0 (8.6) 36.6 (5.8)

During gestation up 

to 4 weeks before

farrowing

7.7 (4.3) 9.0 (6.2) 30.3 (9.3) 17.2 (4.0)

During the last 

4 weeks of gestation 6.2 (3.3) 12.0 (6.7) 53.9 (9.9) 26.6 (6.2)

From farrowing 

to weaning 1.3 (1.2) 0.0 (0.0) 4.0 (3.0) 2.2 (1.4)

After weaning through 

breeding/mating 1.3 (1.2) 4.3 (4.0) 0.8 (0.7) 1.6 (0.9)

At regular intervals, 

regardless of 

reproductive stage

3.6 (2.7) 10.0 (6.6) 20.2 (6.3) 11.4 (3.3)

Did not vaccinate 81.6 (5.7) 60.4 (10.8) 19.5 (5.9) 52.7 (5.6)
16 / Swine 2012

Section I: Population Estimates–B. Breeding Herd Health and Vaccination

More than 60 percent of breeding females were in herds that vaccinated against influenza 

three times before the first farrowing. One-third of breeding females were in herds that 

vaccinated against influenza two times before the first farrowing (while in the breeding 

herd and either before or at entry).

B.4.b. For breeding herds that usually vaccinated breeding females against influenza, 

percentage of herds and percentage of sows and gilts, by vaccination timing: 

Vaccination Timing

Before 

entering 

breeding 

herd At entry

In the 

breeding 

herd

Percent 

sites

Std. 

error

Percent 

sows and 

gilts 

Std. 

error

Yes Yes Yes 51.4 (9.3) 61.9 (13.8)

Yes Yes No 2.9 (2.1) 1.0 (0.8)

Yes No Yes 16.4 (5.1) 24.0 (12.1)

No Yes Yes 19.8 (6.0) 9.2 (4.4)

Yes No No 0.3 (0.2) 0.1 (0.1)

No Yes No 2.7 (1.6) 1.1 (0.6)

No No Yes 6.4 (2.9) 2.7 (1.6)

100.0 100.0

B.4.c. For breeding herds that usually vaccinated breeding females against influenza, 

percentage of herds and percentage of breeding females by type of influenza vaccine 

used/received during the previous 12 months:

Influenza vaccine type

Percent 

breeding 

herds

Std. 

error

Percent 

breeding 

females

Std. 

error

Commercial influenza 

vaccine (killed) 73.7 (6.1) 69.9 (8.7)

Autogenous influenza 

vaccine (killed) 47.1 (9.9) 67.7 (10.9)
USDA APHIS VS / 17 

Section I: Population Estimates–B. Breeding Herd Health and Vaccination

5. Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome vaccination 

About 45 percent of large herds vaccinated breeding females against PRRS before or 

at entry into the breeding herd. Vaccination for PRRS given while in the breeding herd 

was given at regular intervals by over 40 percent of large breeding herds, regardless of 

reproductive stage. A higher percentage of large breeding herds vaccinated in response 

to a PRRS outbreak (33.0 percent) than medium (12.0 percent) or small (5.8 percent) 

breeding herds.

B.5.a. Percentage of breeding herds that usually vaccinated breeding females against 

PRRS during the following reproductive stages, by herd size:

Percent Breeding Herds

Herd Size (number of sows and gilts)

Small 

(fewer 

than 250)

Medium

(250–499)

Large

(500 

or more) All herds

Reproductive stage Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error

Before entering 

breeding herd 11.9 (4.5) 41.8 (11.6) 44.8 (7.5) 30.4 (4.3)

As gilts at time of 

entry into the 

breeding herd

19.5 (5.3) 39.8 (10.2) 46.9 (7.6) 34.0 (4.7)

During gestation up 

to 4 weeks before

farrowing

8.8 (4.3) 0.0 (0.0) 15.3 (5.4) 10.0 (2.8)

During the last 

4 weeks of gestation 5.5 (3.7) 3.3 (3.2) 17.4 (5.9) 10.0 (3.2)

From farrowing 

to weaning 2.1 (1.4) 14.1 (9.6) 2.2 (1.2) 4.1 (1.8)

After weaning through 

breeding/mating 6.0 (3.3) 8.8 (5.9) 9.5 (4.5) 7.8 (2.5)

At regular intervals, 

regardless of 

reproductive stage

8.8 (3.8) 41.9 (11.5) 40.9 (7.6) 27.3 (4.7)

In response to a 

PRRS outbreak 5.8 (2.7) 12.0 (6.7) 33.0 (6.7) 17.9 (3.6)

Did not vaccinate 73.0 (6.1) 41.6 (11.2) 36.3 (6.3) 52.9 (4.7)
18 / Swine 2012

Section I: Population Estimates–B. Breeding Herd Health and Vaccination

Almost half of breeding females were in herds that vaccinated pigs against PRRS three 

times before the first farrowing.

B.5.b. For breeding herds that usually vaccinated breeding females against PRRS, 

percentage of herds and percentage of sows and gilts, by vaccine timing: 

Vaccine Timing

Before 

entering 

breeding 

herd At entry

In the 

breeding 

herd

Percent

breeding 

herds

Std. 

error

Percent 

sows/gilts 

Std.

error

Yes Yes Yes 41.6 (6.7) 49.6 (12.6)

Yes Yes No 3.2 (2.2) 0.8 (0.8)

Yes No Yes 15.2 (5.3) 22.2 (12.5)

No Yes Yes 25.1 (6.0) 13.8 (4.9)

Yes No No 5.4 (2.8) 4.2 (2.2)

No Yes No 1.6 (1.5) 0.1 (0.1)

No No Yes 7.9 (3.3) 9.3 (5.9)

100.0 100.0

B.5.c. For breeding herds that usually vaccinated breeding females for PRRS, 

percentage of herds and percentage of breeding females in these herds, by type of 

PRRS vaccine used during the previous 12 months:

PRRS vaccine type

Percent 

breeding 

herds

Std. 

error

Percent 

breeding 

females

Std. 

error

Commercial modified-live 

PRRS vaccine 52.4 (7.5) 38.5 (12.4)

Autogenous PRRS 

vaccine (killed) 37.0 (8.5) 36.6 (15.4)
USDA APHIS VS / 19 

Section I: Population Estimates–B. Breeding Herd Health and Vaccination

6. Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome control

Nearly all medium and large breeding herds had specific control measures for PRRS. 

For large herds, 35.1 percent exposed gilts via infected animals, 26.6 percent exposed 

only replacement gilts via feedback of tissues from infected animals, and 23.0 percent 

exposed the entire breeding herd. Less than half of small herds had any specific control 

measures for PRRS compared with over 90 percent of medium and large herds.

B.6.a. Percentage of breeding herds by measure used specifically to control or eliminate 

PRRS in breeding females during the previous 12 months, and by herd size:

Percent Breeding Herds

Herd Size (number of sows and gilts)

Small 

(fewer 

than 250)

Medium

(250–499)

Large

(500 

or more) All herds

Control measure Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error

Expose replacement gilts via 

infected (seeder) animals 6.4 (3.1) 35.2 (10.7) 35.1 (8.6) 22.6 (4.8)

Expose replacement gilts 

via feedback of tissues from 

infected animals

2.4 (1.6) 22.0 (9.2) 26.6 (9.4) 15.3 (4.8)

Expose only replacement gilts1 7.2 (3.7) 6.4 (4.4) 33.6 (8.7) 17.7 (4.8)

Expose breeding herd1 2.4 (1.6) 6.4 (4.4) 23.0 (9.7) 11.3 (4.7)

Segregate gilts from breeding 

herd (parity segregation) so 

that they enter the sow herd 

after weaning their first litter

7.1 (3.4) 4.3 (4.0) 7.9 (3.6) 7.0 (2.2)

Depopulate whole herd 0.0 (0.0) 0.0 (0.0) 1.5 (1.1) 0.6 (0.4)

Temporarily cease introduction 

of replacement gilts (roll-over, 

herd closure)

9.6 (3.8) 11.9 (6.6) 13.3 (4.5) 11.5 (2.6)

Introduce PRRS negative 

replacement gilts 16.8 (4.6) 36.8 (11.3) 42.5 (8.1) 30.3 (4.8)

Introduce PRRS positive 

replacement gilts2 9.9 (5.6) 40.6 (11.8) 36.7 (6.1) 25.6 (4.1)

Use semen only from boars 

that are PRRS negative and 

monitored

34.2 (6.6) 79.4 (9.3) 82.6 (6.1) 60.9 (5.1)

Use air filtration system 0.0 (0.0) 0.0 (0.0) 1.7 (1.7) 0.7 (0.7)

Other measures not 

including vaccination 0.0 (0.0) 5.8 (5.5) 2.7 (2.3) 2.0 (1.3)

Any of above 48.0 (7.1) 95.4 (4.3) 93.3 (3.5) 73.7 (4.3)

1

Via live virus inoculation using serum from infected animals.

2

Gilts that were exposed, recovered, immune, and nonshedding.
20 / Swine 2012

Section I: Population Estimates–B. Breeding Herd Health and Vaccination

Over one-tenth of breeding herds (11.5 percent) had temporarily closed their herd during 

the previous 12 months to control PRRS (table B.6.a). On average, these herds were 

closed for 22 weeks.

B.6.b. For breeding herds that temporarily closed their herd to control PRRS, average 

number of weeks herd was closed, by herd size:

Average Number of Weeks

Herd Size (number of sows and gilts)

Small 

(fewer than 250)

Medium

(250–499)

Large

(500 or more) All herds

Avg.

Std. 

error Avg.

Std. 

error Avg.

Std. 

error Avg.

Std. 

error

29.3 (2.4) 12.1 (2.0) 22.9 (2.3) 22.5 (2.2)

B.6.c. For breeding herds that temporarily closed their herd to control PRRS, percentage 

of herds by average number of weeks herd was closed:

Average number of weeks Percent breeding herds Std. error

Less than 16 19.7 (9.8)

16–26 47.4 (12.9)

More than 26 32.8 (12.1)

Total 100.0
USDA APHIS VS / 21 

Section I: Population Estimates–B. Breeding Herd Health and Vaccination

B.6.d. For herds that temporarily closed their herd to control PRRS, percentage of herds 

by average number of weeks herd was closed, and by region:

Percent Breeding Herds

Region

Midwest East South

Average number 

of weeks Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error

Less than 16 25.8 (12.4) 0.0 (0.0) 0.0 (0.0)

16 to 26 36.3 (14.1) 67.3 (30.7) 100.0 (0.0)

More than 26 37.8 (14.4) 32.7 (30.7) 0.0 (0.0)

Total 100.0 100.0 100.0
22 / Swine 2012

Section I: Population Estimates–B. Breeding Herd Health and Vaccination

Less than one-tenth of large herds had an unknown PRRS status1 compared with more 

than half of small herds. Over one-tenth of medium and large herds were PRRS positive 

unstable. Almost half of large herds (48.7 percent) were PRRS positive stable. Over 

one-fifth of all breeding herds were classified as PRRS negative.

B.6.e. Percentage of breeding herds and percentage of sows and gilts, by PRRS status 

and by herd size:

1

PRRS status based on definitions in the following paper: 

Holtkamp DJ, Polson DD, Torremorell M, et al. 2011. “Terminology for classifying swine herds by porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus status.” J Swine Health Prod 19(1):44–56.

Percent Breeding Herds

Herd Size (number of sows and gilts)

Small 

(fewer 

than 250)

Medium

(250–499)

Large

(500 

or more) All sites

Percent 

sows and 

gilts

PRRS status Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std.

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error

Unknown 57.1 (7.4) 23.3 (9.4) 8.7 (4.7) 31.7 (4.8) 10.1 (5.3)

Positive unstable 0.9 (0.9) 13.8 (7.4) 12.8 (4.5) 7.9 (2.2) 14.2 (6.0)

Positive stable 15.1 (5.4) 45.3 (11.7) 46.0 (7.4) 32.8 (4.8) 38.4 (7.4)

Positive stable 

undergoing 

elimination

4.4 (2.4) 0.0 (0.0) 2.7 (1.8) 2.9 (1.3) 7.1 (5.8)

Provisional negative 1.3 (1.3) 4.5 (4.4) 1.4 (1.2) 1.9 (1.0) 1.3 (1.0)

Negative 21.1 (6.8) 13.1 (8.5) 28.5 (5.9) 22.8 (4.1) 29.0 (7.8)

Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
USDA APHIS VS / 23 

Section I: Population Estimates–B. Breeding Herd Health and Vaccination

0

20

40

60

80

Large (500 or more)

Medium (250-499)

Small (fewer than 250)

Percent

Percentage of breeding herds by PRRS status and by herd size

Unknown Positive

unstable

Positive

stable

Negative

23.3

13.8

46.0

1.4

57.1

45.3

4.4

13.1

PRRS status

Provisional

negative

Positive

stable

undergoing

elimination

Herd size (number of sows and gilts)

8.7

0.9

12.8 15.1

0.0

2.7 1.3

4.5

21.1

28.5
24 / Swine 2012

Section I: Population Estimates–B. Breeding Herd Health and Vaccination

B.6.f. Percentage of breeding herds by PRRS status and by region:

Percent Breeding Herds

Region

Midwest East South

PRRS status Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error

Unknown 36.2 (6.5) 29.8 (7.7) 26.5 (11.0)

Positive unstable 9.5 (3.7) 3.9 (2.3) 10.6 (5.7)

Positive stable 35.8 (6.2) 26.5 (7.5) 36.3 (12.2)

Positive stable 

undergoing elimination 5.2 (2.3) 0.0 (0.0) 3.2 (3.2)

Provisional negative 0.2 (0.2) 2.2 (2.2) 4.3 (3.3)

Negative 13.0 (3.6) 37.6 (8.8) 19.2 (7.9)

Total 100.0 100.0 100.0

7. Use of antibiotics to treat disease

Over half of breeding herds had used an antimicrobial on one or more sows and gilts to 

treat disease in breeding females during the previous 12 months. 

B.7. Percentage of breeding herds that used an antimicrobial to treat disease in breeding 

females during the previous 12 months, by herd size:

Percent Breeding Herds

Herd Size (number of sows and gilts)

Small 

(fewer than 250)

Medium

(250–499)

Large

(500 or more) All herds

Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std.

error Pct.

Std. 

error

41.4 (7.3) 60.5 (12.0) 78.6 (6.4) 59.5 (5.3)
USDA APHIS VS / 25 

Section I: Population Estimates–C. Nursery Phase

1. Disease problems

For nursery pigs, Streptococcus suis, PRRS, and influenza were the disease problems 

reported by the highest percentages of sites, regardless of size. Nearly twice the 

percentage of large sites than small sites reported that PRRS was a problem in nursery 

pigs.

C.1.a. Percentage of sites in which the following disease problems were present in 

nursery pigs during the previous 12 months, by size of site:

Percent Sites 

Size of Site (total inventory)

Small 

(fewer 

than 2,000)

Medium

(2,000–4,999)

Large

(5,000 

or more) All sites

Disease problem* Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error

Streptococcus suis 52.8 (6.8) 81.3 (6.7) 86.7 (6.2) 65.2 (5.8)

PRRS 35.7 (7.3) 58.0 (10.8) 70.2 (11.6) 46.6 (7.6)

Influenza 45.1 (7.0) 38.3 (10.2) 63.1 (13.6) 46.2 (4.8)

Greasy pig disease 26.3 (5.6) 32.4 (9.2) 63.1 (13.8) 33.5 (4.2)

E. coli 25.8 (5.2) 47.1 (7.8) 33.9 (13.3) 32.4 (4.3)

Mycoplasma pneumonia 30.7 (7.2) 32.2 (9.5) 28.3 (11.8) 30.7 (6.0)

Glasser’s disease 13.0 (5.1) 32.8 (14.2) 54.5 (15.7) 24.3 (9.2)

Other diarrhea 11.1 (3.9) 16.1 (6.1) 29.8 (9.8) 15.2 (3.0)

Porcine circovirus 2 

(PCVAD) 7.4 (2.5) 18.6 (7.0) 22.6 (11.0) 12.6 (2.7)

Roundworms 14.9 (4.2) 5.4 (4.0) 0.0 (0.0) 10.2 (2.9)

Mange 12.6 (3.8) 2.8 (2.1) 0.0 (0.0) 8.2 (2.5)

Salmonella 4.9 (1.8) 8.1 (4.5) 11.3 (6.0) 6.7 (2.0)

Swine dysentery 4.4 (1.8) 8.1 (6.2) 12.5 (7.6) 6.5 (2.3)

Edema disease (E. coli) 3.4 (1.5) 15.1 (5.9) 2.0 (2.1) 6.1 (1.8)

Lice 9.9 (3.6) 0.0 (0.0) 0.0 (0.0) 5.9 (2.2)

APP 0.0 (0.0) 6.3 (4.1) 4.5 (3.9) 2.3 (1.2)

Porcine dermatitis and 

nephropathy syndrome 

(PDNS)

0.0 (0.0) 4.7 (3.7) 1.3 (1.3) 1.4 (1.0)

Other 6.4 (3.2) 4.7 (3.1) 2.4 (1.4) 5.3 (2.1)

*This table reflects producer opinion, which may or may not have been confirmed by a veterinarian or laboratory 

diagnosis.

C. Nursery 

Phase
26 / Swine 2012

Section I: Population Estimates–C. Nursery Phase

0 20 40 60 80
USDA APHIS VS / 27 

Section I: Population Estimates–C. Nursery Phase

Morbidity rate (measured as a percentage of nursery pigs affected in a group) was above 

30 percent for nursery pigs with PRRS, Mycoplasma pneumonia, and roundworms. 

Disease problems with low morbidity in nursery pigs (<10 percent) included APP, 

Glasser’s disease, Salmonella, edema disease, PCVAD, PDNS, greasy pig disease, 

mange, and lice.

C.1.b. For sites in which the following disease problems were present in nursery pigs 

during the previous 12 months, percentage of nursery pigs affected in a group, by 

disease problem:

Disease problem1 Percent group affected Std. error

Streptococcus suis 10.3 (3.5)

PRRS 56.5 (14.8)

Influenza 16.9 (6.0)

Greasy pig disease 7.9 (4.2)

E. coli 11.6 (4.4)

Mycoplasma pneumonia 30.3 (14.3)

Glasser’s disease 9.7 (4.7)

Other diarrhea 8.2 (1.2)

Porcine circovirus 2 (PCVAD) 2.2 (1.4)

Roundworms 44.2 (27.2)

Mange 8.0 (4.9)

Salmonella 5.2 (1.4)

Swine dysentery 10.0 (4.6)

Edema disease (E. coli) 5.0 (0.2)

Lice 2

APP 2

Porcine dermatitis and 

nephropathy syndrome (PDNS) 2

TGE 2

Other 5.1 (4.3)

1

This table reflects producer opinion, which may or may not have been confirmed by a veterinarian or laboratory 

diagnosis.

2

Too few to report.
28 / Swine 2012

Section I: Population Estimates–C. Nursery Phase

2. Swine dysentery

For the 6.5 percent of sites that reported problems with swine dysentery, the case fatality 

rate for swine dysentery in the nursery was 3.5 percent. Almost 90 percent of sites with 

swine dysentery in nursery pigs treated the pigs.

C.2. For sites in which swine dysentery was present in nursery pigs during the previous 

12 months, site average percentage of nursery pigs that were treated or died:

Site average percent of 

nursery pigs Std. error

Treated 57.8 (16.1)

Died 3.5 (1.8)
USDA APHIS VS / 29 

Section I: Population Estimates–C. Nursery Phase

3. Vaccination practices

The majority of nursery sites, regardless of size, vaccinated nursery pigs for porcine 

circovirus 2 and Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae. Nearly all large nursery sites vaccinated 

nursery pigs against porcine circovirus 2. About one-fourth of medium and large sites 

vaccinated nursery pigs for Salmonella. More than one-third of nursery sites vaccinated 

pigs for erysipelas.

C.3. Percentage of sites that vaccinated nursery pigs against the following diseases at 

any time during the previous 12 months, by size of site:

Percent Sites

Size of Site (total inventory)

Small 

(fewer 

than 2,000)

Medium

(2,000–4,999)

Large

(5,000 

or more) All sites

Disease Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error

APP 1.7 (1.0) 7.4 (4.3) 0.0 (0.0) 2.8 (1.2)

Actinobacillus suis 1.4 (1.3) 1.4 (1.1) 0.0 (0.0) 1.2 (0.8)

Atrophic rhinitis 19.0 (4.5) 8.4 (4.2) 3.0 (2.7) 13.9 (3.2)

C. difficile 0.0 (0.0) 0.0 (0.0) 0.6 (0.6) 0.1 (0.1)

C. perfringens Type A 0.0 (0.0) 1.8 (1.8) 0.0 (0.0) 0.5 (0.4)

C. perfringens

Types C and D 7.4 (6.7) 1.8 (1.8) 0.0 (0.0) 4.9 (4.1)

Erysipelas 42.8 (6.6) 34.0 (9.3) 19.3 (8.3) 36.9 (6.0)

E. coli

(K88, K99, 987P, F41) 8.1 (4.6) 34.6 (13.9) 49.2 (17.1) 21.0 (9.5)

Glasser’s disease 6.1 (2.8) 4.0 (2.6) 7.9 (4.9) 5.8 (2.2)

Ileitis 16.1 (5.1) 27.3 (8.4) 13.7 (6.5) 18.5 (4.1)

Influenza 13.9 (5.0) 33.0 (14.2) 38.2 (20.3) 22.4 (9.5)

Leptospirosis 4.1 (2.1) 0.2 (0.2) 0.0 (0.0) 2.5 (1.3)

Mycoplasma 

hyopneumoniae 66.5 (7.1) 81.4 (7.6) 80.2 (9.0) 72.3 (5.8)

Porcine circovirus 2 

(PCVAD) 70.7 (7.1) 85.2 (6.9) 97.1 (1.9) 78.4 (5.3)

PRRS 23.1 (7.1) 25.0 (7.9) 14.5 (7.5) 22.2 (4.6)

Rotavirus 0.9 (0.8) 0.0 (0.0) 0.6 (0.6) 0.6 (0.5)

Salmonella 12.2 (5.0) 26.4 (14.8) 25.2 (10.4) 17.7 (7.7)

Streptococcus suis 3.5 (1.5) 4.3 (2.5) 6.4 (4.0) 4.1 (1.3)

Other 1.4 (1.0) 1.7 (1.7) 0.0 (0.0) 1.2 (0.7)
30 / Swine 2012

Section I: Population Estimates–C. Nursery Phase

0 20 40 60 80
USDA APHIS VS / 31 

Section I: Population Estimates–C. Nursery Phase

4. Influenza vaccination

Only 4.3 percent of nursery sites used two or more doses of vaccine to vaccinate nursery 

pigs against influenza. 

C.4.a. Percentage of nursery sites that gave second and third doses of influenza vaccine 

to pigs, by size of site:

Percent Sites

Size of Site (total inventory)

Small 

(fewer 

than 2,000)

Medium

(2,000–4,999)

Large

(5,000 

or more) All sites

Dose Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error

Second 2.1 (1.4) 8.1 (5.1) 4.7 (3.7) 4.0 (1.8)

Third 0.5 (0.5) 0.0 (0.0) 0.0 (0.0) 0.3 (0.3)

The average age of pigs that received the first dose of influenza vaccine was 6.3 weeks.

C.4.b. Site average age of pigs (weeks) when receiving the first, second, and third dose 

of influenza vaccine:

Dose

Average age 

of pigs (wk)

Std. 

error

First 6.3 (0.5)

Second 8.1 (1.1)

Third 15.0 (0.0)
32 / Swine 2012

Section I: Population Estimates–C. Nursery Phase

On the 22.4 percent of nursery sites that vaccinated pigs against influenza, almost 

95 percent of nursery pigs received an autogenous vaccine.

C.4.c. For sites that usually vaccinated against influenza during the nursery phase, 

percentage of sites by type of influenza vaccine used in nursery pigs during the previous 

12 months and percentage of all nursery pigs on those sites:

Influenza vaccine type

Percent 

sites

Std. 

error

Percent 

nursery pigs

Std. 

error

Commercial influenza 

vaccine (killed) 24.6 (15.3) 7.3 (6.4)

Autogenous influenza 

vaccine (killed) 79.5 (13.1) 94.6 (5.1)
USDA APHIS VS / 33 

Section I: Population Estimates–C. Nursery Phase

5. Response to respiratory disease outbreak

Almost half of nursery sites with a respiratory disease outbreak during the previous 

12 months treated the whole room (all pigs in shared airspace with ill pigs). Almost 

one-fifth of sites treated only clinically ill pigs. A low percentage of sites did not treat any 

pigs with antibiotics.

C.5. Percentage of sites by action that best describes what was done during the most 

recent respiratory disease outbreak in nursery pigs during the previous 12 months, and 

by size of site:

Percent Sites

Size of Site (total inventory)

Small 

(fewer 

than 2,000)

Medium

(2,000–4,999)

Large

(5,000 

or more) All sites

Action Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error

Did not have clinical 

respiratory disease in 

nursery pigs in last 

12 months

27.0 (5.5) 12.2 (5.1) 12.4 (6.7) 21.1 (4.3)

Did not treat any pigs 

with antibiotics 7.8 (3.5) 2.6 (2.5) 2.9 (2.2) 5.8 (2.3)

Treated only clinically ill 

pigs with antibiotics 17.2 (4.3) 21.0 (7.4) 16.4 (8.4) 18.0 (3.9)

Treated all pigs in same 

pen with clinically ill pigs 

with antibiotics

1.0 (0.7) 0.0 (0.0) 1.8 (1.5) 0.9 (0.5)

Treated all pigs in same 

pen and pens adjacent 

to clinically ill pigs with 

antibiotics

7.4 (6.7) 0.8 (0.8) 0.0 (0.0) 4.6 (4.1)

Treated all pigs in entire 

room with clinically ill pigs 

with antibiotics (all pigs 

with shared airspace)

39.5 (6.7) 63.3 (10.2) 66.5 (12.6) 49.6 (7.5)

Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
34 / Swine 2012

Section I: Population Estimates–C. Nursery Phase

6. Medications given by injection, in water, and in feed

Over 80 percent of nursery sites administered injectable antibiotics to one or more 

nursery pigs during the previous 6 months. Over half of nursery sites used injectable 

antibiotics to treat nursery pigs for respiratory disease. The two injectable antibiotics 

used by the highest percentages of sites to treat respiratory disease were ceftiofur (e.g., 

Excede) and enrofloxacin (e.g., Baytril 100).

C.6.a. For sites with nursery pigs, percentage of sites that gave the following medications 

by injection to one or more nursery pigs during the previous 6 months, by primary 

reason medication was given:

Percent Sites

Primary Reason Given

Growth 

promotion

Disease 

prevention/

control

Respiratory 

disease 

treatment

Enteric 

disease 

treatment

Polyserositis

meningitis 

treatment

Parasite 

treatment/

deworming

Other 

reason

Any

reason*

Medication Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err.

Antimicrobial treatment

Ampicillin 0.0 (—) 0.3 (0.3) 2.5 (1.2) 0.0 (—) 0.7 (0.5) 0.0 (—) 1.5 (1.5) 5.0 (2.1)

Amoxicillin 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 5.5 (4.2) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 5.5 (4.2)

Ceftiofur 0.0 (—) 6.8 (2.4) 29.2 (4.8) 2.4 (1.6) 10.2 (6.2) 0.0 (—) 0.6 (0.5) 49.1 (7.4)

Enrofloxacin 0.0 (—) 2.5 (1.4) 31.2 (8.9) 2.1 (1.1) 0.6 (0.4) 0.0 (—) 0.1 (0.1) 36.4 (8.4)

Erythromycin 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—)

Florfenicol 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 4.0 (1.7) 0.8 (0.8) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 4.8 (1.9)

Gentamycin 0.0 (—) 0.8 (0.6) 1.3 (0.8) 0.6 (0.4) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 2.7 (1.1)

Lincomycin 0.0 (—) 1.8 (0.9) 0.9 (0.5) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.5 (0.5) 3.1 (1.2)

Oxytetracycline 0.0 (—) 0.9 (0.5) 6.1 (2.4) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 6.9 (2.4)

Penicillin 

benzathine 0.0 (—) 2.9 (1.7) 1.3 (0.8) 0.0 (—) 3.7 (1.8) 0.0 (—) 0.9 (0.9) 8.8 (2.8)

Penicillin G 

potassium 0.0 (—) 5.9 (2.2) 11.3 (3.0) 0.6 (0.6) 5.1 (1.8) 0.0 (—) 8.5 (2.7) 31.4 (5.6)

Tulathromycin 0.0 (—) 2.5 (1.8) 10.6 (4.2) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 13.1 (4.3)

Tylosin 0.0 (—) 3.0 (1.9) 1.8 (1.1) 4.6 (1.7) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 9.5 (2.9)

Any of the above 

antimicrobial 

treatments

0.0 (—) 16.4 (3.7) 59.9 (6.3) 10.6 (2.9) 18.3 (5.8) 0.0 (—) 12.0 (3.3) 83.4 (3.7)

Table cont’d →
USDA APHIS VS / 35 

Section I: Population Estimates–C. Nursery Phase

C.6.a. (cont’d) For sites with nursery pigs, percentage of sites that gave the following 

medications by injection to one or more nursery pigs during the previous 6 months, by 

primary reason medication was given:

Percent Sites

Primary Reason Given

Growth 

promotion

Disease 

prevention/

control

Respiratory 

disease 

treatment

Enteric 

disease 

treatment

Polyserositis

meningitis 

treatment

Parasite 

treatment/

deworming

Other 

reason

Any

reason*

Medication Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err.

Parasite treatment

Doramectin 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.5 (0.4) 0.0 (—) 0.5 (0.4)

Ivermectin 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 3.1 (1.2) 0.0 (—) 3.1 (1.2)

Levamisole 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—)

Any of the above 

parasite treatments 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 3.6 (1.3) 0.0 (—) 3.6 (1.3)

Supportive treatment 

Dexamethasone 0.0 (—) 0.9 (0.5) 2.5 (1.1) 0.0 (—) 1.7 (1.0) 0.0 (—) 1.4 (0.9) 6.5 (1.9)

Flunixin meglumine 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.1 (0.1) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.1 (0.1)

Isoflupredone 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 1.3 (0.9) 0.0 (—) 0.3 (0.3) 1.6 (0.9)

Vitamin A, D, E 2.2 (1.6) 0.0 (—) 0.3 (0.3) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.5 (0.5) 3.0 (1.7)

Any of the above 

supportive 

treatments

2.2 (1.6) 0.9 (0.5) 2.8 (1.2) 0.0 (—) 3.0 (1.4) 0.0 (—) 2.2 (1.1) 10.6 (2.8)

Other medication 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.5 (0.5) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.4 (0.4) 0.9 (0.7)

*Total may not sum to “Any reason” estimate due to rounding of specific treatments by reason.
36 / Swine 2012

Section I: Population Estimates–C. Nursery Phase

About two-thirds of nursery sites administered water-soluble antibiotics to nursery pigs 

for 1 or more days during the previous 6 months. Over 40 percent of nursery sites used 

water-soluble antibiotics to treat nursery pigs for respiratory disease. Chlortetracycline 

was the antibiotic used by the highest percentage of sites (18.8 percent) to treat 

respiratory disease. More than one-fifth of nursery sites used water-soluble antibiotics 

to treat nursery pigs for enteric disease, and almost one-fourth used water-soluble 

antibiotics for disease control and prevention. One-fourth of nursery sites used salicylic 

acid as supportive treatment.
USDA APHIS VS / 37 

Section I: Population Estimates–C. Nursery Phase

C.6.b. For sites with nursery pigs, percentage of sites that gave nursery pigs the following 

medications in water for 1 or more days during the previous 6 months, by primary reason 

medication was given:

Percent Sites

Primary Reason Given

Growth 

promotion

Disease 

prevention/

control

Respiratory 

disease 

treatment

Enteric 

disease 

treatment

Polyserositis

meningitis 

treatment

Parasite 

treatment/

deworming

Other 

reason

Any

reason*

Medication Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err.

Antimicrobial treatment

Amoxicillin 0.0 (—) 14.0 (4.8) 7.6 (2.5) 0.0 (—) 2.4 (1.1) 0.0 (—) 0.9 (0.6) 24.8 (5.6)

Bacitracin 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.7 (0.5) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.7 (0.5)

Chlortetracycline 0.0 (—) 1.9 (1.0) 18.8 (7.6) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 20.7 (7.5)

Chlortetracyline/

sulphamethazine 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.5 (0.5) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.5 (0.5)

Florfenicol 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—)

Gentamicin 0.0 (—) 4.0 (1.9) 1.6 (1.5) 7.3 (2.5) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 12.8 (3.6)

Lincomycin 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 1.2 (0.8) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 1.2 (0.8)

Lincomycin/

spectinomycin 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—)

Neomycin 0.0 (—) 2.0 (1.0) 0.5 (0.5) 15.8 (5.2) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 18.3 (5.0)

Oxytetracycline 0.0 (—) 0.9 (0.5) 5.2 (2.5) 0.9 (0.9) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 7.0 (2.6)

Penicillin G 

potassium 0.0 (—) 3.2 (1.4) 1.5 (0.9) 0.5 (0.5) 3.4 (2.2) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 8.5 (2.4)

Spectinomycin 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—)

Sulfachlorpyridazine 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—)

Sulfadimethoxine 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 4.7 (2.4) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 4.7 (2.4)

Sulfamethazine 0.0 (—) 0.5 (0.5) 8.2 (4.2) 0.4 (0.4) 1.2 (1.1) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 10.3 (4.2)

Tetracycline 0.0 (—) 0.2 (0.2) 7.0 (2.7) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 7.2 (2.7)

Tiamulin 0.0 (—) 1.5 (0.8) 9.3 (4.2) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 10.8 (4.1)

Trimethoprim/

sulfadiazine 0.0 (—) 2.8 (1.8) 2.8 (1.3) 0.3 (0.3) 0.2 (0.2) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 6.1 (2.3)

Tylosin 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.7 (0.5) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.7 (0.5)

Virginiamycin 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—)

Any of the above 

antimicrobial 

treatments

0.0 (—) 23.3 (5.4) 41.2 (6.2) 22.7 (4.9) 6.9 (2.4) 0.0 (—) 0.9 (0.6) 66.6 (5.5)

Table cont’d →
38 / Swine 2012

Section I: Population Estimates–C. Nursery Phase

C.6.b. (cont’d) For sites with nursery pigs, percentage of sites that gave nursery pigs 

the following medications in water for 1 or more days during the previous 6 months, by 

primary reason medication was given:

Percent Sites

Primary Reason Given

Growth 

promotion

Disease 

prevention/

control

Respiratory 

disease 

treatment

Enteric 

disease 

treatment

Polyserositis

meningitis 

treatment

Parasite 

treatment/

deworming

Other 

reason

Any

reason*

Medication Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err.

Parasite treatment 

Levamisole 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—)

Piperazine 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.4 (0.3) 0.0 (—) 0.4 (0.3)

Any of the above 

parasite treatments 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.4 (0.3) 0.0 (—) 0.4 (0.3)

Supportive treatment

Salicylic acid 0.0 (—) 14.9 (6.2) 5.8 (2.1) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 4.4 (2.3) 25.0 (7.3)

Vitamin D 0.4 (0.4) 3.9 (1.9) 0.6 (0.4) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.2 (0.2) 5.2 (2.0)

Vitamin E 0.0 (—) 2.7 (1.4) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.5 (0.5) 3.2 (1.5)

Any of the above 

supportive 

treatments

0.4 (0.4) 20.3 (6.0) 6.2 (2.2) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 5.1 (2.3) 30.9 (7.0)

Other medication 0.4 (0.4) 2.5 (1.7) 0.6 (0.6) 0.5 (0.5) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 4.0 (1.9)

*Total may not sum to “Any reason” estimate due to rounding of specific treatments by reason.
USDA APHIS VS / 39 

Section I: Population Estimates–C. Nursery Phase

As with most water-soluble medications used in the nursery, chlortetracycline was used in 

water for about 5 days, on average.

C.6.c. For sites that gave nursery pigs the following medications in water during the 

previous 6 months, site average of number of days medication was given:

Medication*

Average number 

of days Std. error

Antimicrobial treatment

Amoxicillin 5.4 (0.4)

Chlortetracycline 5.5 (0.5)

Gentamicin 5.9 (0.5)

Neomycin 5.1 (0.3)

Oxytetracycline 5.0 (0.4)

Penicillin G potassium 4.8 (0.3)

Sulfadimethoxine 16.9 (6.3)

Sulfamethazine 6.0 (1.0)

Tetracycline 5.4 (0.5)

Tiamulin 4.8 (0.3)

Trimethoprim/sulfadiazine 5.0 (0.2)

Supportive treatment

Salicylic acid 4.8 (0.3)

Vitamin D 4.7 (1.2)

Vitamin E 5.4 (1.4)

Other medication 5.6 (1.1)

*Estimates not reported for other medications listed in table C.6.b due to small sample size.
40 / Swine 2012

Section I: Population Estimates–C. Nursery Phase

C.6.d. For sites that gave nursery pigs any antimicrobials in water during the previous 

6 months, site average total number of days given, by primary reason antimicrobial was 

given:

Average Number of Days

Primary Reason Given

Growth 

promotion

Disease 

prevention/

control

Respiratory 

disease 

treatment

Enteric 

disease 

treatment

Polyserositis

meningitis 

treatment

Parasite 

treatment/

deworming

Avg.

Std. 

err. Avg.

Std. 

err. Avg.

Std. 

err. Avg.

Std. 

err. Avg.

Std. 

err. Avg.

Std. 

err.

NA 5.2 (0.4) 6.4 (1.3) 5.0 (0.3) 7.0 (1.6) NA

Almost 90 percent of nursery sites administered feed antibiotics to nursery pigs for 

1 or more days during the previous 6 months. Almost 70 percent of nursery sites used 

feed antibiotics to prevent disease and control disease spread in nursery pigs. The two 

feed antibiotics used by the highest percentages of sites for disease prevention were 

chlortetracycline and tiamulin (e.g., Denegard). Over 40 percent of nursery sites used 

carbadox in feed.
USDA APHIS VS / 41 

Section I: Population Estimates–C. Nursery Phase

C.6.e. For sites with nursery pigs, percentage of sites that gave the following medications 

in feed to nursery pigs for 1 or more days during the previous 6 months, by primary 

reason medication was given:

Percent Sites

Primary Reason Given

Growth 

promotion

Disease 

prevention/

control

Respiratory 

disease 

treatment

Enteric 

disease 

treatment

Polyserositis

meningitis 

treatment

Parasite 

treatment/

deworming

Other 

reason

Any 

reason*

Medication Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err.

Antimicrobial treatment

Bacitracin methylene 

disalicylate 5.6 (2.1) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 5.6 (2.1)

Bacitracin zinc 0.4 (0.4) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.4 (0.4)

Bambermycins 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—)

Carbadox 6.8 (2.3) 16.6 (3.9) 0.0 (—) 20.8 (9.7) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 44.3 (7.7)

Carbadox/

oxytetracycline 0.0 (—) 3.3 (1.4) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 3.3 (1.4)

Chlortetracycline 2.3 (1.0) 48.5 (7.5) 7.0 (2.6) 1.1 (0.9) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 58.9 (6.4)

Chlortetracycline/

sulfathiazole/

penicillin

0.0 (—) 1.3 (0.9) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 1.4 (0.9)

Chlortetracycline/

sulfamethazine/

penicillin

0.5 (0.5) 4.6 (1.8) 0.3 (0.3) 0.0 (0.0) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 5.4 (1.9)

Florfenicol 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—)

Lincomycin 0.1 (0.1) 0.4 (0.3) 1.6 (1.0) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 2.1 (1.1)

Neomycin/

terramycin 0.0 (—) 5.2 (1.8) 0.0 (—) 1.7 (1.5) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 6.9 (2.3)

Oxytetracycline 0.0 (—) 2.6 (1.2) 1.1 (0.8) 0.7 (0.7) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 4.4 (1.6)

Tiamulin 1.5 (0.8) 45.1 (7.9) 3.3 (1.4) 7.1 (2.9) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 57.0 (6.7)

Tilmicosin 0.0 (—) 1.0 (0.6) 4.9 (4.1) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 5.9 (4.2)

Tylosin 3.5 (1.7) 5.6 (1.7) 0.0 (—) 2.2 (1.1) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 11.4 (2.8)

Tylosin/

sulfamethazine 0.0 (—) 2.0 (1.2) 0.0 (—) 0.4 (0.4) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 2.4 (1.3)

Tylosin/

ractopamine 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—)

Virginiamycin 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.3 (0.3) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.3 (0.3)

Any of the above 

antimicrobial 

treatments

14.1 (3.3) 69.4 (5.5) 15.9 (4.9) 27.4 (9.2) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 89.4 (3.0)

Table cont’d →
42 / Swine 2012

Section I: Population Estimates–C. Nursery Phase

C.6.e. (cont’d) For sites with nursery pigs, percentage of sites that gave the following 

medications in feed to nursery pigs for 1 or more days during the previous 6 months, by 

primary reason medication was given:

Percent Sites

Primary Reason Given

Growth 

promotion

Disease 

prevention/

control

Respiratory 

disease 

treatment

Enteric 

disease 

treatment

Polyserositis

meningitis 

treatment

Parasite 

reatment/

deworming

Other 

reason

Any 

reason*

Medication Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err.

Parasite treatment

Dichlorvos 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—)

Doramectin 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—)

Fenbendazole 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 7.3 (2.6) 0.0 (—) 7.3 (2.6)

Ivermectin 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.5 (0.5) 0.0 (—) 0.5 (0.5)

Levamisole 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—)

Pyrantel tartrate 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 1.2 (0.8) 0.0 (—) 1.2 (0.8)

Any of the above 

parasite treatments 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 7.8 (2.6) 0.0 (—) 7.8 (2.6)

Other medications

Ractopamine 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—)

Zinc oxide 0.5 (0.4) 1.1 (1.1) 0.0 (—) 1.6 (1.1) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 3.2 (1.6)

Other medication 0.0 (—) 1.2 (0.9) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 1.2 (0.9)

*Total may not sum to “Any reason” estimate due to rounding of specific treatments by reason.
USDA APHIS VS / 43 

Section I: Population Estimates–C. Nursery Phase

0 20 40 60 80 100

Feed

Water

Injection

Percent

Enteric

disease

treatment

Primary

reason

For sites with nursery pigs, percentage of sites that gave any antimicrobial 

to nursery pigs during the previous 6 months, by primary reason 

antimicrobial was given and by route given

Growth

promotion

Disease

prevention/

control

Respiratory

disease

treatment

Polyserositis

meningitis

treatment

Parasite

treatment/

deworming

14.1

23.3

69.4

0.0

41.2

15.9

27.4

18.3

*Total may not sum to “Any reason” estimate due to rounding of specific treatments by reason.

Any

reason*

Other

reason

66.6

6.9

Route

0.0

16.4

59.9

10.6

0.0

12.0

83.4

0.0

22.7

0.0

0.9

0.0

89.4

0.0
44 / Swine 2012

Section I: Population Estimates–C. Nursery Phase

Chlortetracycline and tiamulin were used in nursery feed for 17 days, on average, and 

carbadox was used in nursery feed for 23 days, on average.

C.6.f. For sites that gave nursery pigs the following medications in feed during the 

previous 6 months, site average of number of days given:

Medication*

Average number 

of days Std. error

Antimicrobial treatment

Bacitracin methylene disalicylate 21.5 (2.3)

Carbadox 23.4 (3.3)

Carbadox/oxytetracycline 12.1 (1.8)

Chlortetracycline 17.8 (1.5)

Chlortetracycline/sulfamethazine/penicillin 21.8 (6.0)

Lincomycin 20.4 (2.9)

Neomycin/terramycin 13.0 (2.5)

Oxytetracycline 16.8 (2.0)

Tiamulin 17.3 (1.6)

Tylosin 21.9 (2.4)

Tylosin/sulfamethazine 26.2 (7.6)

Parasite treatment

Fenbendazole 6.6 (0.8)

Supportive treatment

Zinc oxide 45.8 (7.2)

*Estimates not reported for other medications listed in table C.6.e due to small sample size or no sites gave the 

medication.
USDA APHIS VS / 45 

Section I: Population Estimates–C. Nursery Phase

C.6.g. For sites that gave nursery pigs any antimicrobial in feed during the previous 

6 months, site average number of days given, by primary reason antimicrobial was given:

Average Number of Days

Primary Reason Given

Growth 

promotion

Disease 

prevention/

control

Respiratory 

disease 

treatment

Enteric 

disease 

treatment

Polyserositis

meningitis 

treatment

Parasite 

treatment/

deworming

Other 

reason

Avg.

Std. 

err. Avg.

Std. 

err. Avg.

Std. 

err. Avg.

Std. 

err. Avg.

Std. 

err. Avg.

Std. 

err. Avg.

Std. 

err.

23.6 (1.5) 17.4 (1.2) 16.7 (1.5) 25.0 (4.7) NA NA NA
46 / Swine 2012

Section I: Population Estimates–C. Nursery Phase

7. Feed management

More than 40 percent of nursery sites included distiller’s dried grain and solubles (DDGS) 

in at least one nursery pig diet. This percentage was similar across all size groups. 

Spray-dried plasma and blood meal, serum albumin, or other blood products were used 

in nursery pig diets on more than 70 percent of large nursery sites. Soybean meal or 

other vegetable protein sources were used on nearly 90 percent of nursery sites.

C.7.a. Percentage of sites that used the following ingredients in any nursery diet, by size 

of site:

Percent Sites

Size of Site (total inventory)

Small 

(fewer 

than 2,000)

Medium

(2,000–4,999)

Large

(5,000 

or more) All sites

Ingredient Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error

Tallow 7.3 (2.5) 6.9 (4.3) 13.2 (7.1) 8.1 (2.2)

Lard or choice 

white grease 29.9 (7.4) 36.1 (13.9) 53.4 (16.9) 35.0 (8.9)

Other animal fat 17.2 (5.3) 27.1 (14.9) 49.6 (16.9) 24.6 (9.2)

Soybean oil 24.8 (6.0) 30.6 (14.8) 36.0 (21.6) 27.9 (9.3)

Corn oil 1.3 (1.2) 0.0 (0.0) 5.2 (4.1) 1.6 (1.0)

Other vegetable fat 11.3 (4.9) 21.4 (16.2) 44.3 (19.2) 18.8 (9.9)

Molasses 0.0 (0.0) 2.1 (2.0) 0.4 (0.4) 0.6 (0.5)

Spray dried plasma 22.3 (5.5) 58.4 (11.0) 72.0 (11.2) 38.8 (8.1)

Blood meal, serum 

albumin, or other 

blood products

16.8 (5.4) 37.6 (13.9) 70.7 (11.8) 30.1 (8.8)

Mucosal products such 

as dried porcine soluble, 

PEP products 

1.9 (1.9) 0.0 (0.0) 6.9 (4.5) 2.2 (1.3)

Fish meal 21.0 (4.7) 29.7 (8.8) 38.7 (14.4) 25.8 (4.7)

Feather meal 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—)

Meat meal or meat 

and bone meal 7.8 (3.2) 7.9 (4.6) 14.4 (7.4) 8.8 (2.6)

Soybean meal or other 

vegetable protein source 87.2 (4.5) 88.6 (6.8) 90.9 (6.1) 88.1 (3.8)

Other protein sources 14.5 (4.8) 29.5 (14.8) 42.3 (19.7) 22.4 (9.5)

Bakery/food 

manufacture byproducts 13.1 (4.9) 33.7 (14.7) 35.7 (21.7) 21.6 (9.8)

Distiller’s dried grain 

and solubles (DDGS) 41.3 (7.1) 48.9 (12.2) 44.4 (16.4) 43.6 (7.0)
USDA APHIS VS / 47 

Section I: Population Estimates–C. Nursery Phase

Distiller’s dried grain and solubles were used on almost 60 percent of nursery sites 

in the Midwest region compared with only 12.4 percent of nursery sites in the South 

region. Spray-dried plasma was used on more than 70 percent of nursery sites in the 

South region compared with 32.3 and 18.9 percent in the Midwest and East regions, 

respectively.

C.7.b. Percentage of sites that used the following ingredients in any nursery diet, by 

region:

Percent Sites

Region

Midwest East South

Ingredient Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error

Tallow 7.7 (2.5) 9.6 (5.3) 7.5 (5.5)

Lard or choice 

white grease (pork fat) 30.5 (7.2) 18.1 (7.9) 61.7 (20.8)

Other animal fat 9.5 (3.2) 12.0 (6.9) 71.0 (15.4)

Soybean oil 10.5 (3.1) 27.6 (9.0) 67.5 (18.3)

Corn oil 2.9 (1.8) 0.0 (0.0) 0.0 (0.0)

Other vegetable fat 4.0 (2.1) 8.2 (5.1) 61.9 (20.7)

Molasses 0.0 (0.0) 2.4 (2.2) 0.0 (0.0)

Spray dried plasma 32.3 (5.7) 18.9 (6.1) 72.6 (14.9)

Blood meal, serum albumin, 

or other blood products 15.2 (3.9) 26.0 (8.6) 67.3 (17.2)

Mucosal products such 

as dried porcine soluble, 

PEP products 

3.6 (2.4) 0.0 (0.0) 1.4 (1.6)

Fish meal 27.6 (5.1) 35.5 (8.8) 12.4 (7.6)

Feather meal 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—)

Meat meal or meat 

and bone meal 12.7 (4.0) 4.1 (2.5) 4.7 (4.2)

Soybean meal or other 

vegetable protein source 88.7 (4.6) 81.1 (9.5) 93.7 (5.6)

Other protein sources 13.3 (3.6) 2.2 (1.9) 62.6 (19.9)

Bakery/food 

manufacture byproducts 10.1 (3.4) 12.9 (6.2) 55.9 (23.6)

Distiller’s dried grain 

and solubles (DDGS) 59.4 (6.3) 39.5 (9.8) 12.4 (9.1)
48 / Swine 2012

Section I: Population Estimates–C. Nursery Phase

On average, DDGS made up 13.4 percent of the nursery diet on nursery sites that used 

DDGS.

C.7.c. For sites that used DDGS in any nursery diet, average percentage of DDGS in 

feed, by size of site:

Average Percent

Size of Site (total inventory)

Small

(fewer than 2,000)

Medium

(2,000–4,999)

Large

(5,000 or more) All sites

Avg.

Std. 

error Avg.

Std. 

error Avg.

Std. 

error Avg.

Std. 

error

13.3 (1.8) 13.8 (1.6) 12.9 (1.5) 13.4 (1.1)

Roughly half of nursery sites that included DDGS in nursery diets did so at a 

concentration of 1 to 10 percent. Slightly fewer sites included DDGS at 11 to 20 percent 

of the diet. 

C.7.d. For sites that used DDGS in any nursery diet, percentage of sites by percentage of 

DDGS in feed, and by size of site:

Percent Sites

Size of Site (total inventory)

Small

(fewer than 

2,000)

Medium

(2,000–4,999)

Large

(5,000 

or more) All sites

Percent DDGS Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error

1–10 48.2 (13.8) 50.9 (11.9) 51.5 (14.4) 49.5 (9.0)

11–20 50.6 (14.0) 40.7 (11.6) 48.5 (14.4) 47.5 (9.1)

21–30 1.2 (1.2) 8.4 (7.9) 0.0 (0.0) 3.0 (2.4)

Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
USDA APHIS VS / 49 

Section I: Population Estimates–C. Nursery Phase

C.7.e. For sites that used DDGS in any nursery diet, percentage of sites by percentage of 

DDGS in feed, and by region:

Percent Sites

Region

Midwest East South

Percent DDGS Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error

1 to 10 54.5 (11.7) 36.1 (17.8) 46.7 (26.5)

11 to 20 42.0 (11.9) 61.1 (17.6) 53.3 (26.5)

21 to 30 3.4 (3.4) 2.8 (2.8) 0.0 (0.0)

Total 100.0 100.0 100.0

Overall, sites fed more than three different rations to nursery pigs.

C.7.f. Average number of different rations fed to nursery pigs, by size of site:

Average Number of Rations

Size of Site (total inventory)

Small

(fewer than 2,000)

Medium

(2,000–4,999)

Large

(5,000 or more) All sites

Avg.

Std. 

error Avg.

Std. 

error Avg.

Std. 

error Avg.

Std. 

error

3.2 (0.1) 3.8 (0.2) 3.7 (0.3) 3.4 (0.1)
50 / Swine 2012

Section I: Population Estimates–C. Nursery Phase

More than three-fourths of medium and large nursery sites used three to four different 

rations for nursery pigs. A higher percentage of small nursery sites used one to two 

rations than did medium or large nursery sites. Over 15 percent of nursery sites used five 

to six different rations. On average, nursery sites administered 3.4 different rations for 

nursery pigs.

C.7.g. Percentage of sites by number of different rations fed to nursery pigs, and by size 

of site:

Percent Sites

Size of Site (total inventory)

Small

(fewer 

than 2,000)

Medium

(2,000–4,999)

Large

(5,000 

or more) All sites

Number of 

different rations Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error

1–2 26.6 (5.5) 2.2 (2.1) 0.0 (0.0) 16.3 (3.8)

3–4 59.6 (6.6) 77.8 (8.0) 84.8 (7.3) 68.1 (5.7)

5–6 13.7 (4.0) 20.0 (7.6) 14.5 (7.1) 15.5 (3.6)

7 or more 0.0 (0.0) 0.0 (0.0) 0.7 (0.7) 0.1 (0.1)

Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
USDA APHIS VS / 51 

Section I: Population Estimates–C. Nursery Phase

More than three-fourths of nursery sites used at least one pelleted diet. While 

three-fourths of all nursery sites used at least one meal/mash diet, less than half of large 

nursery sites did.

C.7.h. Percentage of sites that fed at least one ration of the following type to nursery pigs, 

by size of site:

Percent Sites

Size of Site (total inventory)

Small

(fewer 

than 2,000)

Medium

(2,000–4,999)

Large

(5,000 

or more) All sites

Ration Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error

Meal/mash 84.8 (5.7) 70.8 (15.1) 47.7 (16.9) 75.5 (9.9)

Pellet 73.7 (6.1) 86.7 (6.3) 84.7 (7.8) 78.7 (4.8)

Liquid 0.0 (0.0) 0.0 (0.0) 0.7 (0.7) 0.1 (0.1)

Other 9.1 (3.7) 4.6 (3.2) 0.0 (0.0) 6.6 (2.5)

Overall, more than half of nursery sites fed meal and pelleted diets. More than half of 

large sites fed only pellet diets to nursery pigs compared with only 7.6 percent of small 

sites.

C.7.i. Percentage of sites that fed different rations of the following type to nursery pigs, by 

size of site:

Percent Sites

Size of Site (total inventory)

Small

(fewer 

than 2,000)

Medium

(2,000–4,999)

Large

(5,000 

or more) All sites

Ration Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error

Meal/mash only 23.7 (5.8) 13.3 (6.3) 14.7 (7.6) 19.7 (4.7)

Pellet only 7.6 (4.8) 24.5 (15.7) 52.3 (16.9) 18.7 (10.2)

Meal and pellets 59.7 (7.1) 57.5 (13.3) 32.0 (12.6) 54.9 (8.1)

Other 9.1 (3.7) 4.6 (3.2) 1.0 (0.8) 6.7 (2.5)

Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
52 / Swine 2012

Section I: Population Estimates–C. Nursery Phase

Over two-thirds of small and medium nursery sites mixed the last nursery ration on-site 

compared with 27.5 percent of large nursery sites.

C.7.j. Percentage of sites by source of last ration fed in the nursery phase, and by size of 

site:

Percent Sites

Size of Site (total inventory)

Small

(fewer 

than 2,000)

Medium

(2,000–4,999)

Large

(5,000 

or more) All sites

Source Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error

Mixed by the 

farm on-site 67.7 (7.7) 67.8 (8.0) 27.5 (9.4) 61.8 (5.5)

Mixed by the farm/ 

company but off site 1.1 (0.8) 17.8 (7.4) 46.9 (13.0) 11.5 (3.4)

Custom-mixed off farm 21.3 (7.7) 12.3 (4.7) 12.9 (5.9) 18.1 (5.2)

Purchased as a 

commercial diet 7.9 (3.9) 2.1 (2.1) 12.8 (8.7) 7.4 (3.2)

Other source 2.0 (1.9) 0.0 (0.0) 0.0 (0.0) 1.3 (1.2)

Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

On average, a nursery pig ate almost 60 pounds of feed during the nursery phase.

C.7.k. Average total amount of feed (lb/pig on an as-fed basis) nursery pig consumed 

while in the nursery, by size of site:

Average Total Feed (lb/pig)

Size of Site (total inventory)

Small

(fewer than 2,000)

Medium

(2,000–4,999)

Large

(5,000 or more) All sites

Avg.

Std. 

error Avg.

Std. 

error Avg.

Std. 

error Avg.

Std. 

error

67.5 (4.3) 56.4 (2.3) 58.6 (3.0) 59.3 (2.5)
USDA APHIS VS / 53 

Section I: Population Estimates–C. Nursery Phase

On average, bulk feed bins on nursery sites contained 12 days of feed when full, which 

implies that feed-delivery trucks came approximately every 12 days.

C.7.l. Average number of days until bulk feed bins containing nursery feed would run 

empty after being filled, by size of site:

Average Number of Days

Size of Site (total inventory)

Small

(fewer than 2,000)

Medium

(2,000–4,999)

Large

(5,000 or more) All sites

Avg.

Std. 

error Avg.

Std. 

error Avg.

Std. 

error Avg.

Std. 

error

11.2 (1.1) 12.5 (1.8) 14.5 (3.2) 12.1 (1.5)

8. Outshipments

Small nursery sites had shipped pigs to a grower/finisher site an average 3.6 times during 

the previous 6 months, which equates to about one shipment every 7 weeks. Large 

nursery sites shipped pigs to a grower/finisher site an average 21.1 times during the 

previous 6 months, or about once a week. 

C.8.a. Average number of shipments of pigs that left the nursery during the previous 

6 months, by destination and by size of site:

Average Number of Shipments

Size of Site (total inventory)

Small

(fewer 

than 2,000)

Medium

(2,000–4,999)

Large

(5,000 

or more) All sites

Destination Avg.

Std. 

error Avg.

Std. 

error Avg.

Std. 

error Avg.

Std. 

error

Grower/finisher site 3.6 (0.6) 15.5 (5.3) 21.1 (2.2) 9.7 (1.7)

Slaughter plant 

as culled pigs 0.4 (0.4) 0.1 (0.1) 0.6 (0.6) 0.4 (0.2)

Auction/ 

livestock market 0.0 (0.0) 0.1 (0.1) 0.0 (0.0) 0.0 (0.0)

Other 1.2 (0.8) 0.2 (0.2) 0.3 (0.2) 0.8 (0.5)
54 / Swine 2012

Section I: Population Estimates–C. Nursery Phase

C.8.b. Average distance (miles) to the closest destination of pig shipments that left the 

nursery during the previous 6 months, by destination:

Destination Average distance (mi) Std. error

Grower/finisher site 17.5 (6.6)

Slaughter plant as culled pigs 64.2 (40.4)

Auction/livestock market *

Other 47.1 (18.2)

*Too few observations to report.

C.8.c. Average distance (miles) to the farthest destination of pig shipments that left the 

nursery during the previous 6 months, by destination:

Destination Average distance (mi) Std. error

Grower/finisher site 43.6 (15.1)

Slaughter plant as culled pigs 74.3 (44.7)

Auction/livestock market *

Other 129.2 (31.0)

*Too few observations to report.

C.8.d. Percentage of sites that had at least one shipment of pigs leave the nursery and 

cross State lines during the previous 6 months, by destination:

Destination Percent sites Std. error

Grower/finisher site 8.1 (3.4)

Slaughter plant as culled pigs 20.2 (19.2)

Auction/livestock market *

Other 36.0 (20.5)

*Too few observations to report.
USDA APHIS VS / 55 

Section I: Population Estimates–D. Grower/Finisher Phase

Note: All tables in section D refer to sites with grower/finisher pigs. Herd sizes are based 

on total inventory.

1. Disease problems

More than half of grower/finisher sites reported problems with influenza, PRRS, and 

Mycoplasma pneumonia in grower/finisher pigs. Over one-fourth of grower/finisher sites 

reported problems with hemorrhagic bowel syndrome, ileitis, and gastric ulcers. Over 

one-tenth of small sites with grower/finisher pigs reported a problem with mange.

D.1.a. Percentage of sites in which the following disease problems were present in 

grower/finisher pigs during the previous 12 months, by size of site:

Percent Sites 

Size of Site (total inventory)

Small 

(fewer 

than 2,000)

Medium

(2,000–4,999)

Large

(5,000 

or more) All sites

Disease problem* Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error

Influenza 53.1 (5.8) 61.4 (7.9) 71.9 (9.2) 59.4 (5.3)

Mycoplasma pneumonia 38.1 (5.6) 78.0 (6.8) 57.4 (12.3) 58.8 (6.6)

PRRS 30.6 (5.9) 71.7 (7.6) 58.7 (16.3) 53.0 (6.6)

Hemorrhagic bowel 

syndrome 31.5 (5.0) 36.0 (12.4) 24.8 (14.7) 32.7 (7.8)

Glasser’s disease 12.7 (3.9) 45.8 (11.3) 25.4 (10.4) 29.4 (7.1)

Ileitis 33.2 (5.1) 25.9 (6.6) 24.3 (9.3) 28.7 (5.0)

Gastric ulcers 22.9 (5.4) 34.2 (7.5) 25.8 (9.1) 28.4 (5.5)

PCVAD 14.1 (4.5) 12.2 (4.8) 17.2 (9.6) 13.7 (3.5)

Roundworms 18.3 (3.7) 2.4 (1.2) 0.8 (0.7) 8.8 (2.1)

Atrophic rhinitis 5.7 (2.1) 3.4 (2.2) 14.8 (10.8) 5.9 (2.5)

Salmonella 3.1 (1.3) 4.0 (2.1) 18.8 (10.2) 5.6 (2.1)

Mange 10.4 (2.9) 0.2 (0.2) 0.0 (0.0) 4.4 (1.4)

Swine dysentery 4.3 (1.7) 5.1 (2.5) 1.7 (1.6) 4.3 (1.5)

APP 4.4 (2.4) 5.1 (3.9) 1.4 (0.9) 4.3 (2.7)

Lice 7.2 (2.6) 0.2 (0.2) 0.0 (0.0) 3.1 (1.2)

Erysipelas 0.9 (0.8) 3.7 (2.6) 5.0 (3.7) 2.7 (1.3)

PDNS 0.0 (0.0) 3.9 (2.8) 2.4 (1.8) 2.1 (1.4)

Other 3.2 (1.2) 5.6 (2.8) 1.5 (0.8) 4.0 (1.4)

*This table reflects producer opinion, which may or may not have been confirmed by a veterinarian or laboratory 

diagnosis.

D. Grower/

Finisher Phase
56 / Swine 2012

Section I: Population Estimates–D. Grower/Finisher Phase

0 20 40 60 80

Percent

PRRS

Disease

problem*

Percentage of sites in which the following disease problems were present in 

grower/finisher pigs during the previous 12 months

Influenza

Mycoplasma

pneumonia

Glasser’s

disease

Hemorrhagic

bowel

syndrome

59.4

58.8

53.0

32.7

29.4

*This graph reflects producer opinion, which may or may not have been confirmed by a veterinarian 

or laboratory diagnosis.

Ileitis

Gastric

ulcers 28.4

28.7
USDA APHIS VS / 57 

Section I: Population Estimates–D. Grower/Finisher Phase

Morbidity rate, in this case measured as the percentage of grower/finisher pigs affected 

in a group, was above 40 percent for influenza and PRRS. Disease problems with low 

morbidity (<10 percent) included Glasser’s disease, Salmonella, swine dysentery, 

hemorrhagic bowel syndrome, ileitis, gastric ulcers, erysipelas, PCVAD, PDNS, mange, 

and lice.

D.1.b. For sites in which the following disease problems were present in grower/finisher 

pigs during the previous 12 months, percentage grower/finisher pigs affected in a group, 

by disease problem and by size of site:

Percent Group Affected 

Size of Site (total inventory)

Small 

(fewer 

than 2,000)

Medium

(2,000–4,999)

Large

(5,000 

or more) All sites

Disease problem* Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error

Influenza 29.7 (6.2) 46.5 (12.3) 42.4 (9.3) 43.0 (9.2)

Mycoplasma pneumonia 22.5 (4.2) 19.1 (6.1) 32.0 (12.2) 27.8 (10.2)

PRRS 30.2 (2.7) 44.0 (9.0) 50.5 (7.2) 47.6 (5.9)

Hemorrhagic bowel 

syndrome 4.9 (1.7) 4.3 (0.7) 4.5 (0.5) 4.5 (0.5)

Glasser’s disease 8.9 (2.3) 7.8 (1.3) 7.7 (2.1) 7.8 (1.5)

Ileitis 7.3 (1.7) 9.2 (2.5) 5.1 (1.0) 6.0 (1.1)

Gastric ulcers 3.9 (0.7) 2.7 (0.7) 1.2 (0.2) 2.1 (0.6)

PCVAD 33.0 (2.2) 11.8 (7.1) 3.2 (1.0) 7.1 (3.4)

Roundworms 40.6 (12.6) 5.1 (5.4) 2 10.2 (6.4)

Atrophic rhinitis 3.0 (0.7) 13.6 (7.5) 2 27.3 (2.7)

Salmonella 4.4 (0.7) 5.1 (3.7) 5.3 (1.1) 5.2 (1.3)

Mange 28.0 (9.2) 2 2 2.7 (2.9)

Swine dysentery 2 4.3 (3.4) 2 5.5 (4.2)

APP 2 35.0 (29.4) 2 32.3 (25.2)

Lice 26.3 (14.9) 2 2 1.2 (1.5)

Erysipelas 2 0.9 (0.8) 2 0.9 (0.6)

PDNS 2 2.3 (1.2) 2 2.8 (1.2)

Other 2 1.0 (0.7) 2 2.5 (1.4)

1

This table reflects producer opinion, which may or may not have been confirmed by a veterinarian or laboratory 

diagnosis.

2

Too few to report.
58 / Swine 2012

Section I: Population Estimates–D. Grower/Finisher Phase

2. Swine dysentery

For the 4.3 percent of sites that reported problems with swine dysentery, the case fatality 

rate for swine dysentery in the grower/finisher phase was 1.5 percent, although the 

percentage was substantially higher for small sites than large sites.

D.2. For sites in which swine dysentery was present in grower/finisher pigs during the 

previous 12 months, site average percentage of pigs treated and percentage that died, by 

size of site:

Average Percent

Size of Site (total inventory)

Small 

(fewer 

than 2,000)

Medium

(2,000–4,999)

Large

(5,000 

or more) All sites

Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error

Treated 77.7 (13.4) 97.1 (3.2) 100.0 (0.0) 89.2 (6.7)

Died 2.2 (0.8) 1.1 (1.0) 0.0 (0.0) 1.5 (0.7)
USDA APHIS VS / 59 

Section I: Population Estimates–D. Grower/Finisher Phase

3. Vaccination practices

Almost half of grower/finisher sites vaccinated pigs for PCV2 and Mycoplasma 

hyopneumoniae. 

D.3. Percentage of sites that vaccinated grower/finisher pigs against the following 

diseases at any time during the previous 12 months:

Vaccine Percent sites Std. error

APP 1.4 (0.6)

Actinobacillus suis 0.6 (0.3)

Atrophic rhinitis 3.7 (1.2)

C. difficile 11.1 (8.5)

C. perfringens type A 11.3 (8.5)

C. perfringens types C and D 1.2 (0.7)

Erysipelas 31.0 (8.0)

E. coli (K88, K99, 987P, F41) 19.7 (8.4)

Glasser’s disease 5.3 (2.5)

Ileitis/proliferative enteritis 26.6 (8.2)

Influenza 20.8 (8.3)

Leptospirosis 1.6 (0.7)

Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae 46.4 (7.9)

Porcine circovirus 2 47.0 (7.8)

PRRS 8.5 (2.3)

Salmonella 6.2 (2.5)

TGE 0.0 (—)

Other 0.3 (0.3)
60 / Swine 2012

Section I: Population Estimates–D. Grower/Finisher Phase

0 20 40 60
USDA APHIS VS / 61 

Section I: Population Estimates–D. Grower/Finisher Phase

4. Influenza vaccination

Only 4.4 percent of grower/finisher sites vaccinated pigs against influenza with two or 

more doses. The average age of pigs receiving the first dose of influenza vaccine was 

7.9 weeks.

D.4.a. Percentage of sites that gave pigs second and third doses of influenza vaccine, by 

size of site:

Percent Sites

Size of Site (total inventory)

Small 

(fewer 

than 2,000)

Medium

(2,000–4,999)

Large

(5,000 

or more) All sites

Dose Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error

Second 1.6 (1.3) 2.6 (2.0) 11.4 (8.9) 3.4 (2.3)

Third 0.0 (0.0) 1.6 (1.5) 2.1 (2.0) 1.0 (0.9)

D.4.b. Site average age of pigs (in weeks) when receiving first, second, and third dose of 

influenza vaccine:

Dose

Average age 

of pigs (wk) Std. error

First 7.9 (0.6)

Second 12.0 (0.0)

Third 15.0 (0.0)

On the 20.8 percent of grower/finisher sites that vaccinated pigs against influenza, almost 

100 percent of grower/finisher pigs received an autogenous influenza vaccine.

D.4.c. For sites that usually vaccinated pigs against influenza during the grower/finisher 

phase, percentage of sites by influenza vaccine used in grower/finisher pigs during the 

previous 12 months and percentage of all grower/finisher pigs on those sites:

Influenza vaccine 

Percent 

sites

Std. 

error

Percent 

grower/

finisher pigs

Std. 

error

Commercial influenza 

vaccine (killed) 21.1 (11.0) 15.0 (9.5)

Autogenous influenza 

vaccine (killed) 91.8 (6.6) 98.8 (1.3)
62 / Swine 2012

Section I: Population Estimates–D. Grower/Finisher Phase

5. Response to respiratory disease outbreak

Almost two-thirds of grower/finisher sites that had a respiratory disease outbreak during 

the previous 12 months treated the whole room (all pigs in shared airspace with ill pigs). 

Over one-fifth of sites treated only ill pigs, and just 2.4 percent did not treat any pigs with 

antibiotics.

D.5. Percentage of sites by action that best describes what was done during the most 

recent respiratory disease outbreak in grower/finisher pigs during the previous 

12 months, and by size of site:

Percent Sites

Size of Site (total inventory)

Small 

(fewer 

than 2,000)

Medium

(2,000–4,999)

Large 

(5,000 

or more) All sites

Action Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error

Did not have clinical 

respiratory disease in 

nursery pigs in last 

12 months

13.2 (3.1) 4.5 (1.9) 8.5 (3.8) 8.6 (2.0)

Did not treat any pigs 

with antibiotics 4.9 (2.3) 0.6 (0.4) 1.2 (1.2) 2.4 (1.1)

Treated only clinically 

ill pigs with antibiotics 21.9 (4.6) 26.0 (8.6) 17.3 (9.7) 23.1 (5.4)

Treated all pigs in same 

pen with clinically ill pigs 

with antibiotics

3.5 (1.5) 0.0 (0.0) 0.0 (0.0) 1.4 (0.7)

Treated all pigs in same 

pen and pens adjacent 

to clinically ill pigs with 

antibiotics

1.7 (1.2) 0.9 (0.9) 0.0 (0.0) 1.1 (0.7)

Treated all pigs in entire 

room with clinically ill pigs 

with antibiotics (all pigs 

with shared airspace)

54.9 (5.7) 68.1 (8.6) 73.0 (11.3) 63.3 (6.3)

Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
USDA APHIS VS / 63 

Section I: Population Estimates–D. Grower/Finisher Phase

6. Medications given by injection, in water, and in feed

Over 80 percent of grower/finisher sites had administered injectable antibiotics to one or 

more pigs during the previous 6 months. Over 70 percent of grower/finisher sites used 

injectable antibiotics to treat respiratory disease. The highest percentages of sites used 

ceftiofur (e.g., Excede) and enrofloxacin (e.g., Baytril 100) to treat respiratory disease.

D.6.a. For sites with grower/finisher pigs, percentage of sites that gave the following 

medications by injection to one or more pigs during the previous 6 months, by primary 

reason given:

Percent Sites

Primary Reason Given

Growth 

promotion

Disease 

prevention/

control

Respiratory 

disease 

treatment

Enteric 

disease 

treatment

Polyserositis

meningitis 

treatment

Parasite 

treatment/

deworming

Other 

reason

Any

reason*

Medication Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err.

Antimicrobial treatment

Ampicillin 0.0 (—) 0.1 (0.1) 1.3 (0.6) 0.0 (—) 0.2 (0.2) 0.0 (—) 0.7 (0.5) 2.3 (0.8)

Amoxicillin 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.3 (0.3) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.3 (0.3)

Ceftiofur 0.1 (0.1) 1.4 (0.8) 34.6 (8.5) 1.0 (1.0) 0.9 (0.5) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 38.0 (8.4)

Enrofloxacin 0.0 (0.0) 2.2 (1.7) 34.7 (9.0) 0.3 (0.2) 0.1 (0.1) 0.0 (—) 1.0 (1.0) 38.4 (8.8)

Erythromycin 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—)

Florfenicol 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 4.0 (1.6) 0.0 (0.0) 0.4 (0.4) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 4.4 (1.7)

Gentamycin 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.1 (0.1) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.1 (0.1)

Lincomycin 0.0 (—) 2.0 (1.8) 4.7 (2.3) 1.0 (0.7) 0.2 (0.1) 0.0 (—) 3.4 (2.3) 11.2 (3.9)

Oxytetracycline 0.0 (—) 0.7 (0.5) 15.3 (8.1) 0.4 (0.3) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 16.5 (8.1)

Penicillin 

benzathine 0.0 (—) 0.2 (0.1) 3.5 (1.7) 0.0 (—) 0.3 (0.2) 0.0 (—) 0.5 (0.4) 4.4 (1.8)

Penicillin G 

potassium 0.3 (0.3) 5.4 (1.7) 16.1 (4.0) 1.0 (1.0) 4.7 (1.9) 0.0 (—) 5.9 (2.0) 33.5 (6.0)

Tulathromycin 0.0 (—) 1.4 (0.9) 2.5 (1.2) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.3 (0.3) 4.1 (1.6)

Tylosin 0.0 (—) 1.4 (0.9) 3.2 (1.3) 3.7 (1.1) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.3 (0.3) 8.6 (2.4)

Any of the above 

antimicrobials 0.5 (0.3) 8.9 (3.2) 72.8 (5.2) 6.2 (1.8) 6.5 (2.0) 0.0 (—) 10.8 (3.3) 82.2 (4.6)

Table cont’d →
64 / Swine 2012

Section I: Population Estimates–D. Grower/Finisher Phase

D.6.a. (cont’d) For sites with grower/finisher pigs, percentage of sites that gave the 

following medications by injection to one or more pigs during the previous 6 months, by 

primary reason given:

About 75 percent of grower/finisher sites had administered water-soluble antibiotics 

to pigs for 1 or more days during the previous 6 months. Almost two-thirds of grower/

finisher sites (32.2 percent) used water-soluble antibiotics to treat respiratory disease. 

Chlortetracycline was used by the highest percentage of sites to treat respiratory disease. 

More than 15 percent of grower/finisher sites used water-soluble antibiotics to treat pigs 

for enteric disease, and less than 12 percent used water-soluble antibiotics for disease 

control and prevention.

Percent Sites

Primary Reason Given

Growth 

promotion

Disease 

prevention/

control

Respiratory 

disease 

treatment

Enteric 

disease 

treatment

Polyserositis

meningitis 

treatment

Parasite 

treatment/

deworming

Other 

reason

Any

reason*

Medication Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err.

Parasite treatment

Doramectin 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 1.5 (0.9) 0.0 (—) 1.5 (0.9)

Ivermectin 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.3 (0.3) 0.0 (—) 0.3 (0.3)

Levamisole 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.7 (0.7) 0.0 (—) 0.7 (0.7)

Any of the above 

parasite treatments 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 2.5 (1.2) 0.0 (—) 2.5 (1.2)

Supportive treatment 

Dexamethasone 0.0 (—) 0.4 (0.3) 2.0 (0.8) 0.0 (—) 1.3 (0.7) 0.0 (—) 4.3 (2.2) 8.0 (2.6)

Flunixin meglumine 0.0 (—) 0.1 (0.1) 0.3 (0.3) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.6 (0.4) 1.1 (0.5)

Isoflupredone 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 1.7 (1.3) 1.7 (1.3)

Vitamin A, D, E 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.2 (0.1) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.2 (0.1)

Any of the above 

supportive 

treatments

0.0 (—) 0.5 (0.4) 2.4 (0.9) 0.0 (—) 1.3 (0.7) 0.0 (—) 6.3 (2.5) 10.2 (2.7)

Other medication 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.2 (0.2) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.2 (0.2)

*Total may not sum to “Any reason” estimate due to rounding of specific treatments by reason.
USDA APHIS VS / 65 

Section I: Population Estimates–D. Grower/Finisher Phase

D.6.b. For sites with grower/finisher pigs, percentage of sites that gave grower/finisher 

pigs the following medications in water for 1 or more days during the previous 6 months, 

by primary reason given:

Percent Sites

Primary Reason Given

Growth 

promotion

Disease 

prevention/

control

Respiratory 

disease 

treatment

Enteric 

disease 

treatment

Polyserositis

meningitis 

treatment

Parasite 

treatment/

deworming

Other 

reason

Any

reason*

Medication Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err.

Antimicrobial treatment

Amoxicillin 0.2 (0.2) 4.2 (1.7) 11.0 (6.0) 0.0 (—) 0.7 (0.4) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (0.0) 16.1 (6.1)

Bacitracin 0.1 (0.1) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.1 (0.1)

Chlortetracycline 0.0 (—) 2.3 (1.2) 32.2 (7.4) 0.0 (—) 0.4 (0.4) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 34.9 (7.4)

Chlortetracyline/sulphamethazine 0.0 (—) 0.2 (0.2) 0.8 (0.5) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 1.0 (0.6)

Florfenicol 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.6 (0.4) 0.0 (—) 0.1 (0.1) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.7 (0.4)

Gentamicin 0.0 (—) 1.5 (1.0) 1.0 (0.6) 1.5 (1.0) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 3.9 (1.6)

Lincomycin 0.0 (—) 1.1 (0.9) 5.5 (1.9) 0.4 (0.3) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 7.0 (2.4)

Lincomycin/

spectinomycin 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.4 (0.4) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.4 (0.4)

Neomycin 0.0 (—) 0.4 (0.3) 0.1 (0.1) 4.4 (1.6) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 4.8 (1.6)

Oxytetracycline 0.0 (—) 1.7 (1.0) 15.1 (8.3) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 16.8 (8.3)

Penicillin G 

potassium 0.0 (—) 1.1 (1.0) 2.5 (1.2) 0.0 (—) 0.1 (0.1) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 3.7 (2.0)

Spectinomycin 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.6 (0.6) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.6 (0.6)

Sulfachlorpyridazine 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—)

Sulfadimethoxine 0.0 (—) 0.1 (0.1) 8.7 (3.3) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 8.9 (3.3)

Sulfamethazine 0.0 (—) 1.3 (1.2) 4.9 (3.4) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 6.2 (4.4)

Tetracycline 0.0 (—) 0.7 (0.3) 5.4 (2.1) 0.0 (—) 0.3 (0.2) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 6.4 (2.1)

Tiamulin 0.0 (—) 3.5 (1.5) 20.5 (7.9) 10.1 (7.1) 0.2 (0.2) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 34.3 (8.2)

Trimethoprim/

sulfadiazine 0.0 (—) 1.5 (1.0) 0.0 (0.0) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 1.5 (1.0)

Tylosin 0.0 (—) 0.3 (0.2) 0.0 (—) 1.7 (0.7) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 2.0 (0.8)

Virginiamycin 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—)

Any of the above 

antimicrobials 0.3 (0.2) 11.8 (3.1) 64.2 (6.2) 17.1 (6.7) 1.5 (0.7) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (0.0) 74.3 (4.8)

Table cont’d →
66 / Swine 2012

Section I: Population Estimates–D. Grower/Finisher Phase

D.6.b. (cont’d) For sites with grower/finisher pigs, percentage of sites that gave grower/

finisher pigs the following medications in water for 1 or more days during the previous 6 

months, by primary reason given:

Percent Sites

Primary Reason Given

Growth 

promotion

Disease 

prevention/

control

Respiratory 

disease 

treatment

Enteric 

disease 

treatment

Polyserositis

meningitis 

treatment

Parasite 

treatment/

deworming

Other 

reason

Any

reason*

Medication Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err.

Parasite treatment 

Levamisole 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—)

Piperazine 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 3.4 (1.3) 0.0 (—) 3.4 (1.3)

Any of the above 

parasite treatments 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 3.4 (1.3) 0.0 (—) 3.4 (1.3)

Supportive treatment

Salicylic acid 0.0 (—) 10.0 (4.4) 27.7 (7.7) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 3.3 (2.1) 41.0 (8.7)

Vitamin D 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—)

Vitamin E 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—)

Any of the above 

supportive 

treatments

0.0 (—) 10.0 (4.4) 27.7 (7.7) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 3.3 (2.1) 41.0 (8.7)

Other medication 0.0 (—) 0.3 (0.3) 0.1 (0.1) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.5 (0.3)

*Total may not sum to “Any reason” estimate due to rounding of specific treatments by reason.
USDA APHIS VS / 67 

Section I: Population Estimates–D. Grower/Finisher Phase

Most water-soluble antibiotics were given an average of 5 to 6 days. Chlortetracycline 

was given in water for almost 6 days, on average.

D.6.c. For sites that gave grower/finisher pigs the following medications in water during 

the previous 6 months, site average number of days given:

Medication*

Average number

of days Std. error

Antimicrobial treatment

Amoxicillin 5.7 (0.6)

Chlortetracycline 5.9 (0.4)

Gentamicin 5.0 (0.6)

Lincomycin 5.4 (0.3)

Neomycin 5.6 (0.3)

Oxytetracycline 5.2 (0.2)

Penicillin G potassium 5.0 (0.5)

Sulfadimethoxine 8.5 (3.1)

Sulfamethazine 4.8 (0.2)

Tetracycline 5.2 (0.3)

Tiamulin 5.4 (0.3)

Tylosin 4.6 (0.4)

Parasite treatment 

Piperazine 1.7 (0.3)

Supportive treatment

Salicylic acid 5.8 (0.6)

*Estimates not reported for other medications listed in table D.6.b due to small sample size or no sites gave the 

medication.
68 / Swine 2012

Section I: Population Estimates–D. Grower/Finisher Phase

D.6.d. For sites that gave grower/finisher pigs any antimicrobial in water during the 

previous 6 months, site average of the number of days given, by primary reason given:

Average Number of Days

Primary Reason Given

Growth 

promotion

Disease 

prevention/

control

Respiratory 

disease 

treatment

Enteric 

disease 

treatment

Polyserositis

meningitis 

treatment

Parasite 

treatment/

deworming

Other 

reason

Avg.

Std. 

err. Avg.

Std. 

err. Avg.

Std. 

err. Avg.

Std. 

err. Avg.

Std. 

err. Avg.

Std. 

err. Avg.

Std. 

err.

* 5.2 (0.3) 5.9 (0.5) 5.1 (0.3) 6.4 (0.7) NA *

*Too few to report.

Over 90 percent of grower/finisher sites had administered antimicrobials to pigs in feed 

for 1 or more days during the previous 6 months. Over 60 percent of sites used feed 

antibiotics to prevent disease, control disease spread, and for growth promotion. The two 

feed antibiotics used for disease control and prevention by the highest percentages of 

sites were chlortetracycline and tiamulin (e.g., Denegard). Overall, half of grower/finisher 

sites used antibiotics in feed for growth promotion. The two feed antibiotics used for 

growth promotion by the highest percentages of sites were virginiamycin and bacitracin 

methylene disalicylate. Just over one-fourth of sites used ractopamine for growth 

promotion.
USDA APHIS VS / 69 

Section I: Population Estimates–D. Grower/Finisher Phase

D.6.e. For sites with grower/finisher pigs, percentage of sites that gave pigs the following 

medications in feed for 1 or more days during the previous 6 months, by primary reason 

given:

Percent Sites

Primary Reason Given

Growth 

promotion

Disease 

prevention/

control

Respiratory 

disease 

treatment

Enteric 

disease 

treatment

Polyserositis

meningitis 

treatment

Parasite 

treatment/

deworming

Other 

reason

Any

reason*

Medication Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err.

Antimicrobial treatment

Bacitracin methylene 

disalicylate 20.5 (7.0) 2.1 (0.8) 0.0 (—) 0.6 (0.5) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 23.2 (6.9)

Bacitracin zinc 9.7 (8.3) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 9.7 (8.3)

Bambermycins 1.8 (1.2) 5.2 (4.5) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 7.0 (5.5)

Carbadox 1.3 (1.0) 1.5 (0.6) 0.0 (—) 0.9 (0.7) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 3.8 (1.5)

Carbadox/

oxytetracycline 0.0 (—) 0.0 (0.0) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (0.0)

Chlortetracycline 1.3 (0.7) 31.4 (7.5) 8.6 (2.3) 0.1 (0.0) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 41.4 (7.9)

Chlortetracycline/

sulfathiazole/

penicillin

0.1 (0.1) 0.4 (0.3) 0.2 (0.2) 0.0 (0.0) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.7 (0.4)

Chlortetracycline/

sulfamethazine/

penicillin

0.0 (—) 1.7 (0.9) 1.4 (1.1) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 3.1 (1.4)

Florfenicol 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—)

Lincomycin 0.1 (0.1) 11.6 (4.6) 1.4 (0.7) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (0.0) 0.0 (—) 0.2 (0.2) 13.4 (4.7)

Neomycin/

terramycin 0.0 (—) 0.7 (0.4) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.7 (0.4)

Oxytetracycline 0.3 (0.3) 1.8 (0.7) 1.5 (0.9) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 3.5 (1.2)

Tiamulin 0.1 (0.1) 28.3 (8.6) 1.4 (1.3) 1.2 (0.6) 0.0 (—) 0.3 (0.2) 0.0 (—) 31.2 (8.4)

Tilmicosin 0.0 (—) 0.5 (0.4) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.5 (0.4)

Tylosin 7.0 (2.1) 9.1 (2.2) 0.2 (0.2) 6.2 (1.9) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 22.5 (4.4)

Tylosin/

sulfamethazine 0.6 (0.5) 3.8 (2.1) 0.0 (—) 0.1 (0.1) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 4.6 (2.1)

Tylosin/

ractopamine 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—)

Virginiamycin 22.6 (8.2) 7.0 (4.5) 0.8 (0.5) 0.4 (0.3) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.8 (0.6) 31.5 (8.2)

Any of the above 

antimicrobials 50.8 (7.2) 62.2 (7.5) 12.0 (2.8) 8.6 (2.2) 0.0 (0.0) 0.3 (0.2) 1.0 (0.6) 91.2 (2.0)

Table cont’d →
70 / Swine 2012

Section I: Population Estimates–D. Grower/Finisher Phase

D.6.e. (cont’d) For sites with grower/finisher pigs, percentage of sites that gave pigs 

the following medications in feed for 1 or more days during the previous 6 months, by 

primary reason given:

Percent Sites

Primary Reason Given

Growth 

promotion

Disease 

prevention/

control

Respiratory 

disease 

treatment

Enteric 

disease 

treatment

Polyserositis

meningitis 

treatment

Parasite 

treatment/

deworming

Other 

reason

Any

reason*

Medication Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err.

Parasite treatment

Dichlorvos 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—)

Doramectin 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—)

Fenbendazole 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 10.1 (2.5) 0.0 (—) 10.1 (2.5)

Ivermectin 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.9 (0.5) 0.0 (—) 0.9 (0.5)

Levamisole 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—)

Pyrantel tartrate 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 1.3 (0.6) 0.0 (—) 1.3 (0.6)

Any of the above 

parasite treatments 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 11.8 (2.8) 0.0 (—) 11.8 (2.8)

Other treatment

Ractopamine 28.7 (6.2) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 28.7 (6.2)

Zinc oxide 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 1.1 (0.8) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 1.1 (0.8)

Other medication 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—)

*Total may not sum to “Any Reason” estimate due to rounding of specific treatments by reason.
USDA APHIS VS / 71 

Section I: Population Estimates–D. Grower/Finisher Phase

0 20 40 60 80 100

Feed

Water

Injection

Percent

Enteric

disease

treatment

Primary

reason

For sites with grower/finisher pigs, percentage of sites that gave any 

antimicrobial to pigs during the previous 6 months, by primary reason given

and by route given

Growth

promotion

Disease

prevention/

control

Respiratory

disease

treatment

Polyserositis

meningitis

treatment

Parasite

treatment/

deworming

50.8

11.8

62.2

0.3

64.2

12.0

8.6

6.5

*Total may not sume to “any reason” estimate due to rounding of specific treatments by reason.

Any

reason*

Other

reason

74.3

1.5

Route

0.5

8.9

72.8

6.2

0.0

10.8

82.2

0.3

17.1

0.0

0.0

1.0

91.2

0.0
72 / Swine 2012

Section I: Population Estimates–D. Grower/Finisher Phase

Chlortetracycline and tiamulin were used for disease prevention in grower/finisher 

feed for an average of 16.8 and 19.2 days, respectively. Virginiamycin and bacitracin 

methylene disalicylate were used in grower/finisher feed for an average of 70.7 and 

65.3 days, respectively.

D.6.f. For sites that gave grower/finisher pigs the following medications in feed during the 

previous 6 months, site average number of days given:

Medication*

Average number 

of days Std. error

Antimicrobial treatment

Bacitracin methylene disalicylate 65.3 (13.6)

Bacitracin zinc 109.0 (1.3)

Bambermycins 35.8 (5.9)

Carbadox 21.9 (2.9)

Chlortetracycline 16.8 (1.6)

Chlortetracycline/sulfathiazole/penicillin 5.9 (2.4)

Chlortetracycline/sulfamethazine/penicillin 17.2 (5.8)

Lincomycin 12.7 (1.9)

Oxytetracycline 13.4 (3.9)

Tiamulin 19.2 (2.4)

Tylosin 43.4 (4.5)

Tylosin/sulfamethazine 61.3 (21.3)

Virginiamycin 70.7 (17.9)

Parasite treatment

Fenbendazole 8.8 (1.9)

Supportive treatment

Ractopamine 23.8 (1.3)

*Estimates not reported for other medications listed in table D.6.e due to small sample size or no sites gave the 

medication.
USDA APHIS VS / 73 

Section I: Population Estimates–D. Grower/Finisher Phase

D.6.g. For sites that gave grower/finisher pigs any antimicrobial in feed during the 

previous 6 months, site average number of days given, by primary reason given:

Site Average Number of Days

Primary Reason Given

Growth 

promotion

Disease 

prevention/

control

Respiratory 

disease 

treatment

Enteric 

disease 

treatment

Polyserositis

meningitis 

treatment

Parasite 

treatment/

deworming

Other 

reason

Avg.

Std. 

err. Avg.

Std. 

err. Avg.

Std. 

err. Avg.

Std. 

err. Avg.

Std. 

err. Avg.

Std. 

err. Avg.

Std. 

err.

74.0 (9.7) 22.8 (2.6) 19.5 (4.8) 24.4 (5.1) * * *

*Too few to report.
74 / Swine 2012

Section I: Population Estimates–D. Grower/Finisher Phase

7. Feed management

Almost 80 percent of grower/finisher sites used dried grain and solubles (DDGS) in at 

least one diet. This percentage was similar across all size groups. Spray-dried plasma 

and blood meal, serum albumin, or other blood products were used in grower/finisher 

diets on almost 12 percent of large sites.

D.7.a. Percentage of sites that used the following ingredients in any grower/finisher diet, 

by size of site:

Percent Sites

Size of Site (total inventory)

Small 

(fewer 

than 2,000)

Medium

(2,000–4,999)

Large

(5,000 

or more) All sites

Ingredient Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error

Tallow 9.0 (4.1) 16.5 (10.1) 33.7 (18.0) 15.7 (8.6)

Lard or choice 

white grease 15.6 (4.4) 35.3 (12.0) 27.8 (14.0) 26.2 (7.1)

Other animal fat 7.0 (3.0) 41.7 (13.1) 35.5 (16.2) 26.5 (9.0)

Soybean oil 4.1 (1.9) 3.5 (1.9) 0.3 (0.2) 3.3 (1.2)

Corn oil 2.3 (1.3) 0.5 (0.4) 0.7 (0.4) 1.3 (0.6)

Other vegetable fat 4.8 (2.7) 35.3 (13.0) 22.5 (15.0) 21.0 (8.9)

Molasses 0.0 (0.0) 2.3 (2.3) 0.0 (0.0) 1.0 (1.0)

Spray dried plasma 1.6 (1.3) 2.6 (2.0) 11.5 (9.0) 3.4 (2.4)

Blood meal, serum 

albumin, or other 

blood products

2.6 (1.5) 3.9 (2.3) 11.8 (9.1) 4.5 (2.4)

Mucosal products such 

as dried porcine soluble, PEP products 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—)

Fish meal 2.1 (1.1) 1.3 (0.8) 0.7 (0.7) 1.6 (0.6)

Feather meal 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—)

Meat meal or meat 

and bone meal 7.0 (2.3) 7.7 (3.6) 2.1 (1.6) 6.7 (2.2)

Soybean meal or 

other vegetable 

protein source

91.5 (2.9) 96.3 (2.3) 86.1 (9.5) 92.9 (2.9)

Other protein sources 4.7 (1.9) 2.7 (2.1) 16.6 (9.9) 5.4 (2.6)

Bakery/food manufacture byproducts 10.9 (4.5) 37.2 (13.3) 24.8 (18.8) 24.7 (9.6)

Distiller’s dried grain 

and solubles (DDGS) 65.6 (4.7) 89.5 (3.2) 80.5 (10.1) 78.4 (4.1)
USDA APHIS VS / 75 

Section I: Population Estimates–D. Grower/Finisher Phase

A higher percentage of sites in the South region than in the Midwest and East regions 

used lard or choice white grease and other animal fat in any grower/finisher diet. 

D.7.b. Percentage of sites that used the following ingredients in any grower/finisher diet, 

by region:

Percent Sites

Region

Midwest East South

Ingredient Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error

Tallow 3.0 (1.3) 44.0 (22.0) 16.1 (13.5)

Lard or choice

 white grease 21.7 (6.5) 13.9 (10.1) 57.0 (15.6)

Other animal fat 21.0 (13.3) 8.4 (8.1) 69.0 (8.7)

Soybean oil 3.0 (1.2) 6.5 (4.4) 0.0 (0.0)

Corn oil 1.7 (0.9) 0.0 (0.0) 2.0 (2.1)

Other vegetable fat 21.2 (13.3) 0.0 (0.0) 49.5 (12.9)

Molasses 1.8 (1.8) 0.0 (0.0) 0.0 (0.0)

Spray dried plasma 0.0 (0.0) 8.4 (8.1) 7.0 (7.4)

Blood meal, serum albumin, 

or other blood products 1.9 (0.9) 8.4 (8.1) 7.0 (7.4)

Mucosal products such as 

dried porcine soluble, PEP 

products 

0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—)

Fish meal 1.5 (0.7) 1.4 (1.2) 1.9 (2.0)

Feather meal 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—)

Meat meal or meat 

and bone meal 9.3 (3.3) 5.6 (4.7) 0.1 (0.1)

Soybean meal or other 

vegetable protein source 94.5 (2.5) 91.1 (8.2) 90.8 (8.2)

Other protein sources 2.6 (1.2) 9.9 (8.4) 8.0 (7.8)

Bakery/food manufacture 

byproducts 8.7 (4.8) 47.0 (21.1) 43.5 (22.3)

Distiller’s dried grain and 

solubles (DDGS) 85.9 (3.3) 71.7 (13.4) 64.7 (12.5)
76 / Swine 2012

Section I: Population Estimates–D. Grower/Finisher Phase

On average, DDGS made up 21.8 percent of the grower/finisher diet on sites using 

DDGS.

D.7.c. For sites that used DDGS in grower/finisher diets, average percentage of DDGS in 

feed, by size of site:

Average Percent

Size of Site (total inventory)

Small

(fewer than 2,000)

Medium

(2,000–4,999)

Large

(5,000 or more) All sites

Avg.

Std. 

error Avg.

Std. 

error Avg.

Std. 

error Avg.

Std. 

error

18.5 (1.6) 22.7 (3.7) 26.0 (2.6) 21.8 (2.5)

For small sites with a grower/finisher phase, 30.7 percent included DDGS in a diet at a 

concentration of 1 to 10 percent compared with 2.8 percent of large sites. About 

30 percent of grower/finisher sites included DDGS at an 11- to 20-percent concentration, 

and about 30 percent included it at 21 to 30 percent concentration. More than one-fifth of 

medium and large sites included DDGS at a concentration exceeding 30 percent of the 

diet. 

D.7.d. For sites that used DDGS in grower/finisher diets, percentage of sites by 

percentage of DDGS in feed, and by size of site:

Percent Sites

Size of Site (total inventory)

Small

(fewer 

than 2,000)

Medium

(2,000–4,999)

Large

(5,000 

or more) All sites

Percent DDGS Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error

1–10 30.7 (6.8) 26.1 (15.4) 2.8 (1.5) 24.2 (9.3)

11–20 40.1 (7.3) 19.8 (7.5) 35.3 (18.1) 28.8 (7.7)

21–30 25.3 (8.0) 31.2 (12.5) 40.6 (21.1) 30.6 (10.8)

More than 30 3.9 (3.8) 22.9 (15.1) 21.3 (18.3) 16.4 (11.1)

Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
USDA APHIS VS / 77 

Section I: Population Estimates–D. Grower/Finisher Phase

Medium and large sites, on average, fed more than six different rations to grower/finisher 

pigs.

D.7.e. Average number of different rations fed to grower/finisher pigs, by size of site:

Average Number of Rations

Size of Site (total inventory)

Small

(fewer than 2,000)

Medium

(2,000–4,999)

Large

(5,000 or more) All sites

Avg.

Std. 

error Avg.

Std. 

error Avg.

Std. 

error Avg.

Std. 

error

5.2 (0.3) 6.2 (0.3) 6.0 (0.3) 5.7 (0.2)

Almost half of grower/finisher sites used five to six different rations for pigs, and about 

one-third of medium and large sites used seven or more rations. More than one-third of 

small grower/finisher sites used three to four different rations. 

D.7.f. Percentage of sites by number of different rations fed to grower/finisher pigs, and 

by size of site:

Percent Sites

Size of Site (total inventory)

Small 

(fewer 

than 2,000)

Medium

(2,000–4,999)

Large

(5,000 

or more) All sites

Number of 

different rations Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error

1–2 7.1 (2.3) 1.1 (0.8) 2.1 (2.0) 3.6 (1.2)

3–4 35.4 (5.4) 13.0 (4.3) 14.3 (6.9) 22.1 (4.7)

5–6 41.2 (5.7) 51.1 (12.4) 51.6 (17.2) 47.2 (8.6)

7 or more 16.4 (4.5) 34.8 (13.1) 32.0 (15.5) 27.1 (8.5)

Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
78 / Swine 2012

Section I: Population Estimates–D. Grower/Finisher Phase

More than 70 percent of grower/finisher sites used at least one meal/mash ration for 

grower/finishers pigs. While almost half of medium and large grower/finisher sites used at 

least one pelleted ration, less than 10 percent of small sites did.

D.7.g. Percentage of sites that fed at least one ration of the following type to grower/

finisher pigs, by size of site:

Percent Sites

Size of Site (total inventory)

Small 

(fewer 

than 2,000)

Medium

(2,000–4,999)

Large

(5,000 

or more) All sites

Ration Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error

Meal/mash 88.8 (4.4) 59.1 (13.9) 55.3 (16.1) 70.6 (9.5)

Pellet 8.0 (4.2) 49.4 (11.0) 49.5 (13.9) 32.7 (8.7)

Liquid 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—)

Other 4.1 (2.0) 0.0 (0.0) 0.0 (0.0) 1.6 (0.8)

Almost 90 percent of small grower/finisher sites fed only meal/mash rations. More than 

40 percent of medium and large grower/finisher sites fed only pellet rations.

D.7.h. Percentage of sites by type of ration fed to grower/finisher pigs, and by size of site:

Percent Sites

Size of Site (total inventory)

Small 

(fewer 

than 2,000)

Medium

(2,000–4,999)

Large

(5,000 

or more) All sites

Ration Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error

Meal/mash only 88.0 (4.5) 50.6 (11.0) 50.5 (13.9) 65.6 (8.6)

Pellet only 7.2 (4.1) 40.9 (13.9) 44.2 (16.0) 27.7 (9.6)

Meal and pellets 0.8 (0.7) 8.6 (5.8) 4.3 (3.5) 4.8 (3.3)

Other 4.1 (2.0) 0.0 (0.0) 1.0 (1.1) 1.8 (0.9)

Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
USDA APHIS VS / 79 

Section I: Population Estimates–D. Grower/Finisher Phase

More than half of small grower/finisher sites mixed the last grower/finisher ration on-site 

compared with less than 20 percent of medium and large grower/finisher sites. Over 

60 percent of large grower/finisher sites used custom-mixed feed for the last ration.

D.7.i. Percentage of sites by source of last ration fed in the grower/finisher phase, and by 

size of site:

Percent Sites

Size of Site (total inventory)

Small 

(fewer 

than 2,000)

Medium

(2,000–4,999)

Large

(5,000 

or more) All sites

Source Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error

Mixed by the 

farm on-site 53.6 (5.3) 19.4 (5.8) 12.4 (5.3) 32.9 (5.6)

Mixed by the farm/ 

company but off site 13.7 (3.9) 31.8 (12.6) 22.3 (10.9) 22.9 (6.6)

Custom-mixed off farm 23.8 (4.9) 39.6 (13.6) 61.4 (14.2) 35.9 (9.5)

Purchased as a 

commercial diet 8.2 (3.4) 9.1 (5.0) 3.9 (3.1) 8.1 (3.3)

Other source 0.6 (0.6) 0.0 (0.0) 0.0 (0.0) 0.3 (0.2)

Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

On average, a grower/finisher pig ate roughly 575 pounds of feed during the grower/

finisher phase.

D.7.j. Average total amount of feed (lb/pig on an as-fed basis) a pig consumed while in 

the grower/finisher phase, by size of site:

Average Total Feed (lb/pig)

Size of Site (total inventory)

Small 

(fewer than 2,000)

Medium

(2,000–4,999)

Large

(5,000 or more) All sites

Avg.

Std. 

error Avg.

Std. 

error Avg.

Std. 

error Avg.

Std. 

error

564.2 (11.6) 577.2 (11.8) 579.8 (8.8) 576.4 (8.0)
80 / Swine 2012

Section I: Population Estimates–D. Grower/Finisher Phase

D.7.k. Average total amount of feed (lb/pig on an as-fed basis) a pig consumed while in 

the grower/finisher phase, by weeks in grower/finisher phase and by size of site:

Average Total Feed (lb/pig)

Size of Site (total inventory)

Small 

(fewer 

than 2,000)

Medium

(2,000–4,999)

Large

(5,000 

or more) All sites

Weeks Avg.

Std. 

error Avg.

Std. 

error Avg.

Std. 

error Avg.

Std. 

error

15 or less 552.2 (24.8) 574.5 (18.5) 563.4 (22.4) 565.7 (13.9)

16–17 601.7 (17.1) 577.1 (18.4) 576.6 (12.0) 579.3 (12.1)

18 or more 598.4 (51.6) 581.2 (12.1) 604.8 (6.6) 580.2 (7.4)

Total 570.4 (12.5) 577.1 (11.5) 581.7 (8.4) 577.9 (7.7)

On average, bulk-feed bins on grower/finisher sites contained 7.5 days of feed when full, 

which implies that feed delivery trucks came about once a week.

D.7.l. Average number of days until bulk feed bins containing grower/finisher feed would 

run empty after being filled, by size of site:

Average Number of Days

Size of Site (total inventory)

Small 

(fewer than 2,000)

Medium

(2,000–4,999)

Large

(5,000 or more) All sites

Avg.

Std. 

error Avg.

Std. 

error Avg.

Std. 

error Avg.

Std. 

error

7.2 (0.3) 8.0 (0.4) 7.0 (0.5) 7.5 (0.3)
USDA APHIS VS / 81 

Section I: Population Estimates–D. Grower/Finisher Phase

8. Outshipments

Small grower/finisher sites had shipped pigs to slaughter an average 13.8 times during 

the previous 6 months, which equates to about 1 shipment every 2 weeks. Large grower/

finisher sites shipped 40 loads on average, or almost twice a week.

D.8.a. Average number of pig shipments that left the grower/finisher site during the 

previous 6 months, by destination and by size of site:

Average Number of Shipments

Size of Site (total inventory)

Small 

(fewer 

than 2,000)

Medium

(2,000–4,999)

Large

(5,000 

or more) All sites

Destination Avg.

Std. 

error Avg.

Std. 

error Avg.

Std. 

error Avg.

Std. 

error

Slaughter as 

market hogs 13.8 (1.2) 26.7 (2.8) 39.8 (7.8) 22.8 (1.7)

Slaughter plant 

as culled pig 1.4 (0.3) 4.3 (1.9) 3.2 (0.9) 2.9 (1.0)

Breeding herd at 

another site 0.1 (0.0) 4.1 (3.3) 0.3 (0.2) 1.9 (1.6)

Auction/

livestock market 0.4 (0.2) 0.3 (0.2) 0.9 (0.4) 0.4 (0.1)

Other 0.2 (0.1) 0.1 (0.1) 0.1 (0.0) 0.1 (0.0)

D.8.b. Average distance (miles) to the closest destination of pig shipments that left the 

grower/finisher site during the previous 6 months, by destination and by size of site:

Average Distance (mi)

Size of Site (total inventory)

Small 

(fewer 

than 2,000)

Medium

(2,000–4,999)

Large

(5,000 

or more) All sites

Destination Avg.

Std. 

error Avg.

Std. 

error Avg.

Std. 

error Avg.

Std. 

error

Slaughter as 

market hogs 13.8 (1.2) 26.7 (2.8) 39.8 (7.8) 22.8 (1.7)

Slaughter plant 

as culled pig 1.4 (0.3) 4.3 (1.9) 3.2 (0.9) 2.9 (1.0)

Breeding herd 

at another site 0.1 (0.0) 4.1 (3.3) 0.3 (0.2) 1.9 (1.6)

Auction/

livestock market 0.4 (0.2) 0.3 (0.2) 0.9 (0.4) 0.4 (0.1)

Other 0.2 (0.1) 0.1 (0.1) 0.1 (0.0) 0.1 (0.0)
82 / Swine 2012

Section I: Population Estimates–D. Grower/Finisher Phase

D.8.c. Average distance (miles) to the farthest destination for pig shipments that left the 

grower/finisher during the previous 6 months, by destination and by size of site:

Average Distance (mi)

Size of Site (total inventory)

Small 

(fewer 

than 2,000)

Medium

(2,000–4,999)

Large

(5,000 

or more) All sites

Destination Avg.

Std. 

error Avg.

Std. 

error Avg.

Std. 

error Avg.

Std. 

error

Slaughter as 

market hogs 80.1 (6.8) 77.1 (11.6) 86.0 (6.6) 79.5 (6.4)

Slaughter plant 

as culled pig 58.0 (23.0) 40.3 (7.4) 41.1 (9.3) 44.9 (10.4)

Breeding herd 

at another site 16.8 (8.7) 38.3 (7.9) 17.3 (8.0) 31.5 (9.1)

Auction/

livestock market 30.6 (9.2) 19.7 (2.5) 26.8 (4.5) 26.1 (4.5)

Other 21.0 (2.3) 11.9 (1.6) 31.9 (21.6) 19.3 (2.3)

D.8.d. Percentage of sites that had at least one shipment of pigs leave the grower/finisher 

site during the previous 6 months and cross State lines, by destination and by size of site:

Percent Sites

Size of Site (total inventory)

Small 

(fewer 

than 2,000)

Medium

(2,000–4,999)

Large

(5,000 

or more) All sites

Destination Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error

Slaughter as 

market hogs 49.8 (6.3) 55.7 (12.6) 63.3 (10.3) 54.1 (6.8)

Slaughter plant 

as culled pig 16.3 (7.7) 7.3 (4.0) 15.9 (10.4) 11.2 (4.9)

Breeding herd 

at another site 0.0 (0.0) 0.0 (0.0) 14.5 (16.0) 2.7 (2.6)

Auction/

livestock market 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—)

Other 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—)
USDA APHIS VS / 83 

Section I: Population Estimates–E. Wean-to-Finish Phase

1. Disease problems

Overall, the highest percentages of sites with a wean-to-finish phase reported problems 

with influenza (61.5 percent) and PRRS (39.8 percent).

E.1.a. Percentage of sites in which the following disease problems were present in 

wean-to-finish pigs during the previous 12 months:

Disease problem* Percent sites Std. error

Influenza 61.5 (14.7)

PRRS 39.8 (12.9)

Ileitis 28.7 (11.2)

Streptococcus suis 27.6 (11.7)

Hemorrhagic bowel syndrome 19.8 (8.4)

Mycoplasma pneumonia 17.7 (9.1)

E. coli diarrhea 15.9 (5.1)

Glasser’s disease 15.6 (8.5)

Greasy pig disease 14.2 (6.9)

Gastric ulcers 11.5 (5.8)

Swine dysentery 9.2 (4.6)

PCVAD 8.6 (6.5)

Other diarrhea 5.5 (3.8)

APP 4.1 (2.3)

Salmonella 3.9 (2.7)

Roundworms 2.3 (1.9)

Atrophic rhinitis 1.7 (1.7)

Lice 1.7 (1.7)

Edema disease 1.0 (1.1)

Erysipelas 0.3 (0.3)

TGE 0.1 (0.0)

Mange 0.0 (—)

PDNS 0.0 (—)

Other 7.4 (5.1)

*This table reflects producer opinion, which may or may not have been confirmed by a veterinarian or laboratory 

diagnosis.

E. Wean-toFinish Phase
84 / Swine 2012

Section I: Population Estimates–E. Wean-to-Finish Phase

0 20 40 60 80
USDA APHIS VS / 85 

Section I: Population Estimates–E. Wean-to-Finish Phase

Morbidity rate, in this case measured as the percentage of wean-to-finish pigs affected 

in a group, was above 30 percent for influenza, PRRS, and ileitis. Disease problems with 

low morbidity (<10 percent) included APP, Salmonella, edema disease, atrophic rhinitis, 

gastric ulcers, erysipelas, PCVAD, roundworms, and lice.

E.1.b. For sites in which the following disease problems were present in wean-to-finish 

pigs during the previous 12 months, average percentage of wean-to-finish pigs affected 

in a group, by disease problem:

Disease problem* Percent group affected Std. error

Influenza 66.7 (15.7)

PRRS 45.9 (12.2)

Ileitis 30.1 (13.7)

Streptococcus suis 25.1 (12.8)

Hemorrhagic bowel syndrome 21.5 (11.5)

Mycoplasma pneumonia 10.4 (6.6)

E. coli diarrhea 15.7 (4.6)

Glasser’s disease 17.6 (8.4)

Greasy pig disease 20.2 (11.4)

Gastric ulcers 9.2 (5.7)

Swine dysentery 11.2 (4.7)

PCVAD 5.3 (4.2)

Other diarrhea 2.5 (1.6)

APP 2.4 (1.6)

Salmonella 3.0 (2.4)

Roundworms 0.6 (0.5)

Atrophic rhinitis 0.4 (0.5)

Lice 0.4 (0.5)

Edema disease 1.6 (1.8)

Erysipelas 0.3 (0.3)

TGE 0.2 (0.2)

Mange 0.0 (—)

PDNS 0.0 (—)

Other 7.3 (5.6)

*This table reflects producer opinion, which may or may not have been confirmed by a veterinarian or laboratory 

diagnosis.
86 / Swine 2012

Section I: Population Estimates–E. Wean-to-Finish Phase

2. Vaccination practices

More than 85 percent of wean-to-finish sites vaccinated pigs for PCV2 and Mycoplasma 

hyopneumoniae. About one-third of wean-to-finish sites vaccinated pigs for erysipelas 

and E. coli.

E.2. Percentage of sites that vaccinated wean-to-finish pigs against the following 

diseases at any time during the previous 12 months, by size of site:

Percent Sites

Size of Site (total inventory)

Small 

(fewer 

than 2,000)

Medium

(2,000–4,999)

Large

(5,000 

or more) All sites

Disease Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error

APP 6.3 (6.3) 0.0 (0.0) 13.1 (7.5) 4.0 (2.1)

Actinobacillus suis 0.0 (0.0) 2.1 (2.2) 0.0 (0.0) 1.2 (1.2)

Atrophic rhinitis 14.3 (8.9) 0.0 (0.0) 0.0 (0.0) 3.8 (2.5)

C. difficile 0.0 (0.0) 2.1 (2.2) 1.4 (1.6) 1.4 (1.2)

C. perfringens type A 0.0 (0.0) 1.0 (1.1) 0.0 (0.0) 0.6 (0.6)

C. perfringens

types C and D 0.0 (0.0) 1.0 (1.1) 0.0 (0.0) 0.6 (0.6)

Erysipelas 10.2 (6.5) 44.8 (24.8) 47.3 (15.7) 36.1 (18.9)

E. coli

(K88, K99, 987P, F41) 6.4 (6.5) 45.1 (24.7) 35.7 (19.4) 33.2 (19.4)

Glasser’s disease 0.0 (0.0) 0.0 (0.0) 7.5 (6.7) 1.3 (1.1)

Ileitis/proliferative 

enteritis 0.0 (0.0) 20.2 (11.3) 7.5 (6.7) 12.7 (6.1)

Influenza 4.1 (3.9) 21.8 (18.1) 12.0 (11.9) 15.4 (12.5)

Leptospirosis 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—)

Mycoplasma 

hyopneumoniae 79.8 (12.9) 95.3 (3.1) 69.6 (10.9) 86.7 (5.0)

Porcine circovirus 2 

(PCVAD) 91.9 (5.8) 96.6 (2.7) 81.2 (7.4) 92.7 (2.5)

PRRS 10.4 (7.8) 28.3 (18.5) 41.1 (13.4) 25.8 (12.0)

Rotavirus 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—)

Salmonella 6.4 (6.5) 5.5 (3.9) 0.0 (0.0) 4.7 (3.4)

Streptococcus suis 10.4 (7.8) 2.1 (2.3) 1.4 (1.6) 4.2 (3.3)

TGE 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—)

Other 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—)
USDA APHIS VS / 87 

Section I: Population Estimates–E. Wean-to-Finish Phase

0 20 40 60 80 100
88 / Swine 2012

Section I: Population Estimates–E. Wean-to-Finish Phase

3. Influenza vaccination

E.3.a. Percentage of wean-to-finish sites that gave pigs second and third doses of 

influenza vaccine, by size of site:

Percent Sites

Size of Site (total inventory)

Small 

(fewer 

than 2,000)

Medium

(2,000–4,999)

Large

(5,000 

or more) All sites

Dose Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error

Second 4.1 (3.9) 0.0 (0.0) 0.0 (0.0) 1.1 (1.0)

Third 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—)

Only 1.1 percent of wean-to-finish sites administered two doses of influenza vaccine to 

pigs. On average, pigs were 6.0 weeks of age when receiving the first dose of influenza 

vaccine.

E.3.b. Site average age of pigs (weeks) when receiving the first, second, and third dose 

of influenza vaccine:

Dose

Average age of 

wean-to-finish pigs (wk) Std. error

First 6.0 (0.0)

Second 8.0 (0.0)

Third NA (—)
USDA APHIS VS / 89 

Section I: Population Estimates–E. Wean-to-Finish Phase

On the 15.4 percent of wean-to-finish sites that vaccinated pigs against influenza, almost 

100 percent of wean-to-finish pigs received an autogenous influenza vaccine.

E.3.c. For sites that usually vaccinated against influenza during the wean-to-finish phase, 

percentage of sites by type of influenza vaccine used in wean-to-finish pigs during the 

previous 12 months and percentage of all wean-to-finish pigs on those sites:

Influenza vaccine type

Percent 

sites

Std. 

error

Percent 

wean-tofinish pigsStd. 

error

Commercial influenza 

vaccine (killed) 7.0 (8.6) 1.1 (1.4)

Autogenous influenza 

vaccine (killed) 93.0 (8.6) 98.9 (1.4)

Total 100.0 100.0
90 / Swine 2012

Section I: Population Estimates–E. Wean-to-Finish Phase

4. Response to respiratory disease outbreak

About two-thirds of wean-to-finish sites with a respiratory disease outbreak during the 

previous 12 months treated the whole room (all pigs in shared airspace with ill pigs); 

17.0 percent of did not treat any pigs with antibiotics. No wean-to-finish sites treated pigs 

at the pen level.

E.4. E.4. Percentage of sites by action that best describes what was done during the 

most recent respiratory disease outbreak in wean-to-finish pigs during the previous 

12 months, and by size of site:

Percent Sites

Size of Site (total inventory)

Small 

(fewer 

than 2,000)

Medium

(2,000–4,999)

Large 

(5,000 

or more) All sites

Action Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error

Had not had clinical 

respiratory disease in weanto-finish pigs in last 

12 months

0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—)

Did not treat any pigs 

with antibiotics 8.1 (5.8) 22.6 (15.1) 12.3 (12.2) 17.0 (9.3)

Treated only clinically ill 

pigs with antibiotics 29.2 (12.9) 4.8 (4.1) 18.3 (14.1) 13.6 (6.5)

Treated all pigs in same 

pen with clinically ill pigs 

with antibiotics

0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—)

Treated all pigs in same 

pen and pens adjacent 

to clinically ill pigs with 

antibiotics

0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—)

Treated all pigs in entire 

room with clinically ill pigs 

with antibiotics (all pigs 

with shared airspace)

62.7 (12.3) 72.6 (19.0) 69.4 (19.0) 69.4 (13.2)

Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
USDA APHIS VS / 91 

Section I: Population Estimates–E. Wean-to-Finish Phase

5. Medications given by injection, in water, and in feed

Over 90 percent of wean-to-finish sites administered injectable antibiotics to one or 

more pigs during the previous 6 months. Over 50 percent of wean-to-finish sites used 

injectable antibiotics to treat respiratory disease. Ceftiofur (e.g., Excede) was used by 

38.2 percent of sites to treat respiratory disease. One-third of wean-to-finish sites used 

injectable antibiotics to prevent disease and control disease spread.

E.5.a. For sites with wean-to-finish pigs, percentage of sites that gave the following 

medications by injection to one or more pigs during the previous 6 months, by primary 

reason given medication was given:

Percent Sites

Primary Reason Given

Growth 

promotion

Disease 

prevention/

control

Respiratory 

disease 

treatment

Enteric 

disease 

treatment

Polyserositis

meningitis 

treatment

Parasite 

treatment/

deworming

Other 

reason

Any

reason*

Medication Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err.

Antimicrobial treatment

Ampicillin 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 1.9 (2.0) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 1.9 (2.0)

Amoxicillin 0.0 (—) 0.6 (0.6) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.6 (0.6)

Ceftiofur 0.0 (—) 15.8 (4.8) 38.2 (10.5) 0.5 (0.5) 0.5 (0.5) 0.0 (—) 1.5 (1.4) 56.5 (11.5)

Enrofloxacin 0.0 (—) 10.9 (7.8) 8.5 (3.6) 3.3 (3.0) 4.5 (2.9) 0.0 (—) 0.1 (0.1) 27.3 (12.4)

Erythromycin 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—)

Florfenicol 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 1.9 (1.3) 0.6 (0.7) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 2.6 (1.5)

Gentamycin 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 1.0 (0.8) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 1.0 (0.8)

Lincomycin 0.0 (—) 5.4 (4.1) 0.2 (0.3) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 3.6 (2.9) 9.2 (5.4)

Oxytetracycline 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 2.3 (1.8) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 1.2 (1.2) 3.4 (2.3)

Penicillin 

benzathine 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 4.2 (3.4) 0.0 (—) 0.3 (0.3) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 4.5 (3.5)

Penicillin G 

potassium 0.0 (—) 7.2 (4.2) 9.8 (5.0) 2.4 (2.5) 2.8 (1.5) 0.0 (—) 2.9 (2.4) 26.3 (9.9)

Tulathromycin 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 1.7 (1.3) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 1.7 (1.3)

Tylosin 0.0 (—) 4.2 (3.5) 5.5 (3.9) 4.9 (2.9) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 2.2 (1.6) 16.8 (7.1)

Any of the above 

antimicrobials 0.0 (—) 33.8 (7.6) 51.6 (9.6) 11.1 (5.2) 7.1 (2.4) 0.0 (—) 9.1 (4.2) 90.7 (3.3)

Table cont’d →
92 / Swine 2012

Section I: Population Estimates–E. Wean-to-Finish Phase

E.5.a. (cont’d) For sites with wean-to-finish pigs, percentage of sites that gave the 

following medications by injection to one or more pigs during the previous 6 months, by 

primary reason medication was given:

Over 85 percent of wean-to-finish sites administered water-soluble antibiotics to pigs for 

1 or more days during the previous 6 months. Almost half of wean-to-finish sites used 

water-soluble antibiotics to treat respiratory disease. The highest percentages of sites 

used chlortetracycline (24.7 percent) and tiamulin (23.9 percent) to treat respiratory 

disease. Almost one-third of wean-to-finish sites used water-soluble antibiotics to control 

and prevent disease. Salicylic acid was used for supportive care on about half the sites.

Percent Sites

Primary Reason Given

Growth 

promotion

Disease 

prevention/

control

Respiratory 

disease 

treatment

Enteric 

disease 

treatment

Polyserositis

meningitis 

treatment

Parasite 

treatment/

deworming

Other 

reason

Any

reason*

Medication Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err.

Parasite treatment

Doramectin 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—)

Ivermectin 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—)

Levamisole 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—)

Any of the above 

parasite treatments 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—)

Supportive treatment 

Dexamethasone 0.0 (—) 1.3 (1.2) 12.9 (6.7) 0.0 (—) 6.9 (4.5) 0.0 (—) 1.7 (1.4) 22.9 (9.4)

Flunixin meglumine 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—)

Isoflupredone 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—)

Vitamin A, D, E 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 1.2 (1.2) 1.2 (1.2)

Any of the above 

supportive 

treatments

0.0 (—) 1.3 (1.2) 12.9 (6.7) 0.0 (—) 6.9 (4.5) 0.0 (—) 1.7 (1.4) 22.9 (9.4)

Other medication 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—)

*Total may not sum to “Any reason” estimate due to rounding of specific treatments by reason.
USDA APHIS VS / 93 

Section I: Population Estimates–E. Wean-to-Finish Phase

E.5.b. For sites with wean-to-finish pigs, percentage of sites that gave the following 

medications in water for 1 or more days during the previous 6 months, by primary reason 

medication was given:

Percent Sites

Primary Reason Given

Growth 

promotion

Disease 

prevention/

control

Respiratory 

disease 

treatment

Enteric 

disease 

treatment

Polyserositis

meningitis 

treatment

Parasite 

treatment/

deworming

Other 

reason

Any

reason*

Medication Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err.

Antimicrobial treatment

Amoxicillin 0.0 (—) 5.8 (3.7) 1.9 (2.0) 0.0 (—) 1.0 (0.7) 0.0 (—) 2.9 (2.6) 11.6 (6.4)

Bacitracin 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—)

Chlortetracycline 0.0 (—) 12.9 (6.0) 24.7 (9.5) 0.0 (—) 2.2 (2.3) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 39.8 (14.1)

Chlortetracyline/

sulphamethazine 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 7.0 (5.0) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 7.0 (5.0)

Florfenicol 0.0 (—) 2.9 (3.0) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 2.9 (3.0)

Gentamicin 0.0 (—) 4.2 (3.7) 0.0 (—) 20.4 (8.7) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 24.5 (11.3)

Lincomycin 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.2 (0.3) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 1.2 (1.2) 1.4 (1.2)

Lincomycin/

spectinomycin 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—)

Neomycin 0.0 (—) 2.3 (2.3) 0.0 (—) 4.3 (3.3) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 6.6 (4.2)

Oxytetracycline 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 5.9 (5.8) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 5.9 (5.8)

Penicillin G 

potassium 0.0 (—) 2.0 (1.4) 0.4 (0.4) 0.0 (—) 1.8 (1.3) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 4.2 (2.0)

Spectinomycin 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—)

Sulfachlorpyridazine 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—)

Sulfadimethoxine 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 4.0 (2.4) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 4.0 (2.4)

Sulfamethazine 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.4 (0.4) 0.6 (0.7) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 1.1 (0.8)

Tetracycline 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.4 (0.4) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.4 (0.4)

Tiamulin 0.0 (—) 9.4 (6.1) 23.9 (15.6) 1.3 (1.2) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 1.2 (1.2) 35.8 (20.7)

Trimethoprim/

sulfadiazine 0.0 (—) 6.3 (4.6) 5.1 (4.5) 0.5 (0.5) 0.5 (0.5) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 12.4 (6.7)

Tylosin 0.0 (—) 2.6 (2.6) 1.0 (1.1) 0.2 (0.3) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 3.9 (3.0)

Virginiamycin 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—)

Any of the above 

antimicrobials 0.0 (—) 30.5 (5.6) 47.5 (10.1) 21.8 (8.9) 5.0 (2.8) 0.0 (—) 4.1 (3.0) 86.3 (5.9)

Table cont’d →
94 / Swine 2012

Section I: Population Estimates–E. Wean-to-Finish Phase

E.5.b. (cont’d) For sites with wean-to-finish pigs, percentage of sites that gave the 

following medications in water for 1 or more days during the previous 6 months, by 

primary reason medication was given:

Percent Sites

Primary Reason Given

Growth 

promotion

Disease 

prevention/

control

Respiratory 

disease 

treatment

Enteric 

disease 

treatment

Polyserositis

meningitis 

treatment

Parasite 

treatment/

deworming

Other 

reason

Any

reason*

Medication Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err.

Parasite treatment 

Levamisole 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—)

Piperazine 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.6 (0.6) 0.0 (—) 0.6 (0.6)

Any of the above 

parasite treatments 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.6 (0.6) 0.0 (—) 0.6 (0.6)

Supportive treatment

Salicylic acid 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 33.7 (19.4) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 16.6(12.4) 50.3 (15.8)

Vitamin D 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 1.2 (1.2) 1.2 (1.2)

Vitamin E 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—)

Other medication 0.0 (—) 0.6 (0.6) 0.6 (0.6) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 1.2 (0.9)

*Total may not sum to “Any reason” estimate due to rounding of specific treatments by reason.
USDA APHIS VS / 95 

Section I: Population Estimates–E. Wean-to-Finish Phase

Chlortetracycline and tiamulin were administered in water to wean-to-finish pigs for an 

average of 6 to 7 days.

E.5.c. For sites that gave wean-to-finish pigs the following medications in water during 

the previous 6 months, site average of number of days water was given:

Medication*

Average number

of days Std. error

Antimicrobial treatment

Amoxicillin 4.8 (0.6)

Chlortetracycline 6.4 (0.5)

Gentamicin 3.3 (0.3)

Neomycin 9.3 (2.2)

Tiamulin 6.9 (0.1)

Trimethoprim/sulfadiazine 5.5 (0.4)

Parasite treatment 

Piperazine 5.0 (0.0)

Supportive treatment

Salicylic acid 8.0 (1.4)

Vitamin D 7.0 (0.0)

Other medication 12.3 (6.0)

*Estimates not reported for some medications listed in table E.5.b due to small sample size.

E.5.d. For sites that gave wean-to-finish pigs any antimicrobials in water during the 

previous 6 months, site average of number of days given, by primary reason given:

Average Number of Days

Primary Reason Given

Growth 

promotion

Disease 

prevention/

control

Respiratory 

disease 

treatment

Enteric 

disease 

treatment

Polyserositis

meningitis 

treatment

Parasite 

treatment/

deworming

Other 

reason

Avg.

Std. 

err. Avg.

Std. 

err. Avg.

Std. 

err. Avg.

Std. 

err. Avg.

Std. 

err. Avg.

Std. 

err. Avg.

Std. 

err.

NA 9.5 (1.7) 10.4 (2.1) 5.8 (2.0) 7.6 (1.3) NA *

*Too few to report.
96 / Swine 2012

Section I: Population Estimates–E. Wean-to-Finish Phase

Almost all wean-to-finish sites had administered feed antibiotics to pigs for 1 or more 

days during the previous 6 months. Over 80 percent of wean-to-finish sites used 

feed antibiotics to prevent disease and control disease spread. Chlortetracycline and 

carbadox were used for disease control and prevention by the highest percentages 

of sites. About 40 percent of wean-to-finish sites used antibiotics in feed for growth 

promotion. Virginiamycin was used in feed by 32.3 percent of wean-to-finish sites for 

growth promotion. Just over one-fifth of wean-to-finish sites used ractopamine. No sites 

administered parasite treatment in the feed of wean-to-finish pigs.
USDA APHIS VS / 97 

Section I: Population Estimates–E. Wean-to-Finish Phase

E.5.e. For sites with wean-to-finish pigs, percentage of sites that gave the following 

medications in feed for 1 or more days during the previous 6 months, by primary reason 

medication was given:

Percent Sites

Primary Reason Given

Growth 

promotion

Disease 

prevention/

control

Respiratory 

disease 

treatment

Enteric 

disease 

treatment

Polyserositis

meningitis 

treatment

Parasite 

treatment/

deworming

Other 

reason

Any 

reason*

Medication Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err.

Antimicrobial treatment

Bacitracin methylene 

disalicylate 7.6 (4.4) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 7.6 (4.4)

Bacitracin zinc 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—)

Bambermycins 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—)

Carbadox 0.0 (—) 35.1 (19.1) 0.0 (—) 4.4 (2.7) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.3 (0.3) 39.7 (18.3)

Carbadox/

oxytetracycline 0.0 (—) 19.4 (8.2) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 19.4 (8.2)

Chlortetracycline 1.7 (1.4) 49.5 (7.7) 13.5 (6.5) 1.9 (2.0) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 66.7 (8.7)

Chlortetracycline/

sulfathiazole/

penicillin

0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—)

Chlortetracycline/

sulfamethazine/

penicillin

0.0 (—) 3.9 (3.0) 0.1 (0.0) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 3.9 (3.0)

Florfenicol 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—)

Lincomycin 0.1 (0.1) 12.2 (5.2) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 12.3 (5.3)

Neomycin/

terramycin 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 2.9 (3.0) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 2.9 (3.0)

Oxytetracycline 0.0 (—) 0.6 (0.6) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.6 (0.6)

Tiamulin 0.0 (—) 23.3 (7.0) 3.5 (2.8) 18.5(12.3) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 45.3 (10.4)

Tilmicosin 0.0 (—) 4.2 (3.0) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 4.2 (3.0)

Tylosin 0.3 (0.3) 13.5 (7.9) 0.0 (—) 6.9 (3.9) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 20.7 (9.8)

Tylosin/

sulfamethazine 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—)

Tylosin/

ractopamine 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—)

Virginiamycin 32.3 (19.5) 2.4 (1.7) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 34.7 (21.1)

Any of the above 

antimicrobials 39.9 (18.1) 83.4 (7.0) 13.6 (6.5) 26.9(13.3) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.3 (0.3) 97.9 (1.6)

Table cont’d →
98 / Swine 2012

Section I: Population Estimates–E. Wean-to-Finish Phase

E.5.e. (cont’d) For sites with wean-to-finish pigs, percentage of sites that gave the 

following medications in feed for 1 or more days during the previous 6 months, by primary 

reason medication was given:

Percent Sites

Primary Reason Given

Growth 

promotion

Disease 

prevention/

control

Respiratory 

disease 

treatment

Enteric 

disease 

treatment

Polyserositis

meningitis 

treatment

Parasite 

treatment/

deworming

Other 

reason

Any 

reason*

Medication Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err. Pct.

Std. 

err.

Parasite treatment

Dichlorvos 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—)

Doramectin 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—)

Fenbendazole 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—)

Ivermectin 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—)

Levamisole 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—)

Pyrantel tartrate 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—)

Any of the above 

parasite treatments 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—)

Supportive treatment

Ractopamine 19.0 (9.4) 2.3 (2.3) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 21.3 (10.1)

Zinc oxide 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 1.9 (2.0) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 1.9 (2.0)

Any of the above 

supportive 

treatments

19.0 (9.4) 2.3 (2.3) 0.0 (—) 1.9 (2.0) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 23.2 (10.6)

Other medication 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—)

*Total may not sum to “Any Reason” estimate due to rounding of specific treatments by reason.
USDA APHIS VS / 99 

Section I: Population Estimates–E. Wean-to-Finish Phase

0 20 40 60 80 100

Feed

Water

Injection

Percent

Enteric

disease

treatment

Primary

reason

For sites with wean-to-finish pigs, percentage of sites that gave any 

antimicrobial to wean-tofinish pigs during the previous 6 months, by primary 

reason antimicrobial was given and by route given

Growth

promotion

Disease

prevention/

control

Respiratory

disease

treatment

Polyserositis

meningitis

treatment

Parasite

treatment/

deworming

39.9

30.5

83.4

0.0

47.5

13.6

26.9

7.1

*Total may not sum to “Any reason” estimate due to rounding of specific treatments by reason.

Any

reason*

Other

reason

86.3

5.0

Route

0.0

33.8

51.6

11.1

0.0

9.1

90.7

0.0

21.8

0.0

4.1

0.3

97.9

0.0
100 / Swine 2012

Section I: Population Estimates–E. Wean-to-Finish Phase

Chlortetracycline and carbadox were used in the feed of wean-to-finish pigs for disease 

prevention for an average of 17.7 and 14.3 days, respectively. Virginiamycin was in 

wean-to-finish feed for growth promotion for an average of 21.2 days.

E.5.f. For sites that gave wean-to-finish pigs the following medications in feed during the 

previous 6 months, site average of number of days medication given:

Medication*

Average number 

of days Std. error

Antimicrobial treatment

Bacitracin methylene disalicylate 70.1 (11.5)

Carbadox 14.3 (1.3)

Carbadox/oxytetracycline 10.8 (1.2)

Chlortetracycline 17.7 (3.8)

Lincomycin 27.4 (8.7)

Tiamulin 21.7 (5.3)

Tylosin 22.5 (7.5)

Virginiamycin 21.2 (6.3)

Other treatment

Ractopamine 21.6 (1.5)

Zinc oxide 35.0 (0.0)

*Estimates not reported for other medications in table E.5.e due to small sample size or no sites gave the 

medication.
USDA APHIS VS / 101 

Section I: Population Estimates–E. Wean-to-Finish Phase

E.5.g. For sites that gave wean-to-finish pigs any antimicrobial in feed during the 

previous 6 months, site average number of days antimicrobials were given, by primary 

reason given:

Site Average Number of Days

Primary Reason Given

Growth 

promotion

Disease 

prevention/

control

Respiratory 

disease 

treatment

Enteric 

disease 

treatment

Polyserositis

meningitis 

treatment

Parasite 

treatment/

deworming

Other 

reason

Avg.

Std. 

err. Avg.

Std. 

err. Avg.

Std. 

err. Avg.

Std. 

err. Avg.

Std. 

err. Avg.

Std. 

err. Avg.

Std. 

err.

33.0 (14.6) 32.2 (4.4) 23.7 (3.7) 30.5 (4.0) NA NA *

*Too few to report.
102 / Swine 2012

Section I: Population Estimates–E. Wean-to-Finish Phase

6. Feed management

Over 80 percent of medium and 100 percent of large wean-to-finish sites included DDGS 

in at least one diet fed to pigs before the split. Less than 30 percent of small wean-tofinish sites did so. Almost 90 percent of wean-to-finish sites included DDGS in at least 

one diet fed to pigs after the split, if there was one. More than one-third of wean-to-finish 

sites included spray dried plasma in at least one diet fed to pigs after the split, if there 

was one.

E.6.a. Percentage of sites that used the following ingredients in any wean-to-finish diet 

before the split, by size of site:

Percent Sites

Size of Site (total inventory)

Small 

(fewer 

than 2,000)

Medium

(2,000–4,999)

Large

(5,000 or more) All sites

Ingredient Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error

Tallow 0.0 (0.0) 57.5 (21.3) 34.4 (22.7) 38.0 (21.6)

Lard or choice 33.1 (21.6) 70.8 (15.1) 59.3 (23.1) 58.8 (15.7)

Other animal fat 6.0 (6.2) 0.0 (0.0) 24.5 (21.4) 6.4 (5.6)

Soybean oil 16.7 (15.9) 5.6 (6.4) 13.0 (12.3) 9.9 (8.0)

Corn oil 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—)

Other vegetable fat 0.0 (0.0) 68.0 (15.7) 50.8 (23.3) 46.9 (18.8)

Molasses 16.7 (15.9) 5.6 (6.4) 8.1 (8.1) 9.0 (7.7)

Spray dried plasma 39.1 (22.9) 7.8 (7.4) 35.9 (22.4) 21.5 (12.2)

Blood meal, serum 

albumin, or other 

blood products

22.7 (17.4) 5.6 (6.4) 33.0 (22.4) 15.5 (10.2)

Mucosal products 

such as dried porcine 

soluble, PEP products 

0.0 (0.0) 0.0 (0.0) 8.1 (8.1) 1.6 (1.7)

Fish meal 16.7 (15.9) 65.3 (17.6) 83.8 (13.1) 56.3 (15.9)

Feather meal 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—)

Meat meal or meat 

and bone meal 0.0 (0.0) 2.2 (2.5) 0.0 (0.0) 1.2 (1.2)

Soybean meal or 

vegetable protein source 100.0 (0.0) 81.3 (9.8) 100.0 (0.0) 89.9 (5.4)

Other protein sources 0.0 (0.0) 16.2 (14.2) 24.5 (21.4) 13.6 (9.2)

Bakery/food 

manufacture byproducts 10.6 (10.2) 0.0 (0.0) 0.0 (0.0) 2.7 (2.7)

Distiller’s dried grain and 

solubles (DDGS) 28.4 (18.9) 81.3 (9.8) 100.0 (0.0) 71.2 (12.4)
USDA APHIS VS / 103 

Section I: Population Estimates–E. Wean-to-Finish Phase

E.6.b. Percentage of sites that used the following ingredients in any wean-to-finish diet 

after the split, by size of site:

Percent Sites

Size of Site (total inventory)

Small 

(fewer 

than 2,000)

Medium

(2,000–4,999)

Large

(5,000 

or more) All sites

Ingredient Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error

Tallow 0.0 (0.0) 24.9 (20.7) 17.8 (15.2) 17.0 (14.3)

Lard or choice 

white grease 16.3 (12.5) 85.5 (8.7) 74.0 (18.7) 64.9 (14.6)

Other animal fat 14.4 (11.7) 1.9 (2.0) 0.0 (0.0) 5.0 (3.7)

Soybean oil 0.0 (0.0) 0.0 (0.0) 7.5 (7.5) 1.2 (1.1)

Corn oil 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—)

Other vegetable fat 12.0 (11.2) 4.0 (4.2) 0.0 (0.0) 5.5 (4.2)

Molasses 0.0 (0.0) 0.0 (0.0) 0.8 (0.9) 0.1 (0.1)

Spray dried plasma 12.4 (11.8) 47.4 (24.2) 33.3 (11.0) 35.7 (17.3)

Blood meal, serum 

albumin, or other 

blood products

12.4 (11.8) 12.8 (8.6) 0.4 (0.3) 10.7 (7.2)

Mucosal products 

such as dried porcine 

soluble, PEP products 

0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—)

Fish meal 12.4 (11.8) 49.8 (23.9) 25.4 (12.8) 35.8 (17.4)

Feather meal 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—)

Meat meal or meat 

and bone meal 0.0 (0.0) 0.0 (0.0) 0.4 (0.3) 0.1 (0.0)

Soybean meal or 

other vegetable 

protein source

93.8 (4.7) 100.0 (0.0) 87.6 (13.0) 96.4 (2.6)

Other protein sources 3.9 (3.9) 0.0 (0.0) 22.0 (7.8) 4.5 (2.0)

Bakery/food 

manufacture byproducts 2.3 (2.4) 27.9 (20.8) 35.2 (12.3) 22.1 (13.5)

Distiller’s dried grain 

and solubles (DDGS) 73.5 (14.6) 95.4 (4.3) 81.0 (15.7) 87.2 (6.5)
104 / Swine 2012

Section I: Population Estimates–E. Wean-to-Finish Phase

Overall, DDGS made up 9.1 percent of wean-to-finish diets fed to pigs before the split 

and 20.6 percent of diets fed after the split, if there was one.

E.6.c. For sites that used DDGS in any wean-to-finish diet before the split, average 

percentage of DDGS in feed, by size of site:

Average Percent

Size of Site (total inventory)

Small

(fewer than 2,000)

Medium

(2,000–4,999)

Large

(5,000 or more) All sites

Avg.

Std. 

error Avg.

Std. 

error Avg.

Std. 

error Avg.

Std. 

error

6.1 (1.2) 5.6 (0.7) 12.9 (2.7) 9.1 (2.7)

E.6.d. For sites that used DDGS in wean-to-finish diets after the split, average 

percentage of DDGS in feed, by size of site:

Average Percent

Size of Site (total inventory)

Small

(fewer than 2,000)

Medium

(2,000–4,999)

Large

(5,000 or more) All sites

Avg.

Std. 

error Avg.

Std. 

error Avg.

Std. 

error Avg.

Std. 

error

15.7 (4.9) 21.7 (3.0) 20.1 (1.8) 20.6 (2.4)
USDA APHIS VS / 105 

Section I: Population Estimates–E. Wean-to-Finish Phase

Over 90 percent of small and medium wean-to-finish sites included DDGS in any diet fed 

to weaned-to-finish pigs before the split at a concentration of 1 to 10 percent, compared 

with 37.6 percent of large sites. Over 60 percent of large wean-to-finish sites included 

DDGS in feed at an 11- to 20-percent concentration level before the split. More than half 

of wean-to-finish sites included DDGS at a concentration of 11 to 20 percent of diets fed 

after the split, if there was one.

E.6.e. For sites that used DDGS in any wean-to-finish diet before the split, percentage of 

sites by percentage of DDGS in feed, and by size of site:

Percent Sites

Size of Site (total inventory)

Small 

(fewer 

than 2,000)

Medium

(2,000–4,999)

Large

(5,000 

or more) All sites

Percent DDGS Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error

1–10 100.0 (0.0) 93.2 (7.7) 37.6 (22.9) 78.0 (15.0)

11–20 0.0 (0.0) 6.8 (7.7) 62.4 (22.9) 22.0 (15.0)

21–30 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—)

More than 30 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—)

Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
106 / Swine 2012

Section I: Population Estimates–E. Wean-to-Finish Phase

E.6.f. For sites that used DDGS in any wean-to-finish diet after the split, percentage of 

sites by percentage of DDGS in feed, and by size of site:

Percent Sites

Size of Site (total inventory)

Small 

(fewer 

than 2,000)

Medium

(2,000–4,999)

Large

(5,000

or more) All sites

Percent DDGS Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error

1–10 52.1 (25.3) 12.3 (9.0) 14.8 (13.1) 22.1 (13.0)

11–20 28.5 (19.1) 56.9 (24.7) 68.8 (24.6) 52.0 (21.4)

21–30 16.3 (15.5) 30.8 (23.1) 16.4 (17.4) 25.2 (17.3)

More than 30 3.1 (3.3) 0.0 (0.0) 0.0 (0.0) 0.7 (0.8)

Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

Overall, an average of 4.7 different rations were fed to wean-to-finish pigs before the split 

and an average of 7.9 different rations were fed after the split, if there was one. 

E.6.g. Average number of different rations fed to wean-to-finish pigs before the split, by 

size of site:

Average Number of Rations

Size of Site (total inventory)

Small 

(fewer than 2,000)

Medium

(2,000–4,999)

Large

(5,000 or more) All sites

Avg.

Std. 

error Avg.

Std. 

error Avg

Std. 

error Avg

Std. 

error

4.0 (0.3) 3.4 (0.3) 6.3 (1.8) 4.7 (1.1)
USDA APHIS VS / 107 

Section I: Population Estimates–E. Wean-to-Finish Phase

E.6.h. Average number of different rations fed to wean-to-finish pigs after the split, by size 

of site:

Average Number of Rations

Size of Site (total inventory)

Small 

(fewer than 2,000)

Medium

(2,000–4,999)

Large

(5,000 or more) All sites

Avg.

Std. 

error Avg.

Std. 

error Avg

Std. 

error Avg

Std. 

error

6.6 (0.7) 8.3 (0.7) 7.7 (0.7) 7.9 (0.5)

Almost 70 percent of wean-to-finish sites used three to four different rations before the 

split. More than 80 percent of medium and large wean-to-finish sites used seven or more 

different rations after the split, if there was one. 

E.6.i. Percentage of sites by number of different rations fed to wean-to-finish pigs before

the split, and by size of site:

Percent Sites

Size of Site (total inventory)

Small 

(fewer 

than 2,000)

Medium

(2,000–4,999)

Large

(5,000 

or more) All sites

Number of 

different rations Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error ct.

Std. 

error

1–2 16.5 (15.5) 0.0 (0.0) 0.0 (0.0) 4.5 (4.5)

3–4 61.2 (22.1) 86.0 (13.1) 37.6 (22.9) 69.3 (14.9)

5–6 22.3 (14.7) 14.0 (13.1) 24.5 (21.4) 18.4 (10.4)

7 or more 0.0 (0.0) 0.0 (0.0) 37.9 (23.1) 7.8 (6.4)

Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
108 / Swine 2012

Section I: Population Estimates–E. Wean-to-Finish Phase

E.6.j. Percentage of sites by number of different rations fed to wean-to-finish pigs after

the split, and by size of site:

Percent Sites

Size of Site (total inventory)

Small 

(fewer 

than 2,000)

Medium

(2,000–4,999)

Large

(5,000 

or more) All sites

Number of 

different rations Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error

1–2 0.0 (0.0) 0.5 (0.5) 0.0 (0.0) 0.3 (0.3)

3–4 14.6 (9.9) 2.9 (2.6) 0.0 (0.0) 5.3 (3.7)

5–6 52.0 (12.3) 4.7 (4.4) 19.1 (7.2) 18.6 (7.0)

7 or more 33.4 (13.5) 91.9 (5.7) 80.9 (7.2) 75.7 (8.6)

Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
USDA APHIS VS / 109 

Section I: Population Estimates–E. Wean-to-Finish Phase

All wean-to-finish sites used at least one meal/mash ration before the split, and more 

than 80 percent used a pelleted ration in the same period. Less than 40 percent of large 

wean-to-finish sites used a meal/mash ration after the split. More than half of 

wean-to-finish sites used at least one pelleted ration after the split.

E.6.k. Percentage of sites that fed at least one ration of the following type to the 

wean-to-finish pigs before the split, by size of site:

Percent Sites

Size of Site (total inventory)

Small 

(fewer 

than 2,000)

Medium

(2,000–4,999)

Large

(5,000 

or more) All sites

Ration Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error

Meal/mash 100.0 (0.0) 100.0 (0.0) 100.0 (0.0) 100.0 (0.0)

Pellet 60.9 (22.9) 91.5 (7.9) 88.6 (9.3) 82.6 (10.2)

Liquid 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—)

Other 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—)

E.6.l. Percentage of sites that fed at least one ration of the following types to the 

wean-to-finish pigs after the split, by size of site:

Percent Sites

Size of Site (total inventory)

Small 

(fewer 

than 2,000)

Medium

(2,000–4,999)

Large

(5,000 

or more) All sites

Ration Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error

Meal/mash 79.6 (13.4) 91.6 (5.6) 37.2 (23.5) 79.9 (8.9)

Pellet 60.2 (20.3) 50.6 (17.6) 63.6 (23.2) 55.0 (14.8)

Liquid 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—)

Other 0.0 (0.0) 0.0 (0.0) 6.7 (7.2) 1.1 (1.1)
110 / Swine 2012

Section I: Population Estimates–E. Wean-to-Finish Phase

Over 80 percent of wean-to-finish sites fed meal and pellet rations before the split. More 

than 55 percent of large wean-to-finish sites fed pellet-only rations after the split (if there 

was one) and no sites fed only pelleted rations before the split. About 40 percent of small 

and medium wean-to-finish sites fed meal and pellets after the split, if there was one.

E.6.m. Percentage of sites that fed different rations of the following type to wean-to-finish 

pigs before the split, by size of site:

Percent Sites

Size of Site (total inventory)

Small 

(fewer 

than 2,000)

Medium

(2,000–4,999)

Large

(5,000 

or more) All sites

Ration Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error

Meal/mash only 39.1 (22.9) 8.5 (7.9) 11.4 (9.3) 17.4 (10.2)

Pellet only 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—)

Meal and pellets 60.9 (22.9) 91.5 (7.9) 88.6 (9.3) 82.6 (10.2)

Other 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—) 0.0 (—)

Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

E.6.n. Percentage of sites that fed different rations of the following type to wean-to-finish 

pigs after the split, by size of site:

Percent Sites

Size of Site (total inventory)

Small 

(fewer 

than 2,000)

Medium

(2,000–4,999)

Large

(5,000 

or more) All sites

Ration Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error

Meal/mash only 39.8 (20.3) 49.4 (17.6) 36.4 (23.2) 45.0 (14.8)

Pellet only 20.4 (13.4) 8.4 (5.6) 56.1 (26.3) 19.0 (9.1)

Meal and pellets 39.8 (13.3) 42.3 (13.5) 0.8 (0.9) 34.9 (8.6)

Other 0.0 (0.0) 0.0 (0.0) 6.7 (7.2) 1.1 (1.1)

Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
USDA APHIS VS / 111 

Section I: Population Estimates–E. Wean-to-Finish Phase

On average, a wean-to-finish pig ate roughly 615 pounds of feed during the 

wean-to-finish phase.

E.6.o. Average total amount of feed (lb/pig on an as-fed basis) a pig consumed while in 

the wean-to-finish phase after the split, if there was one, by size of site:

Average Total Feed (lb/pig)

Size of Site (total inventory)

Small 

(fewer than 2,000)

Medium

(2,000–4,999)

Large

(5,000 or more) All sites

Avg.

Std. 

error Avg.

Std. 

error Avg.

Std. 

error Avg.

Std. 

error

631.9 (19.5) 600.6 (28.6) 631.3 (10.8) 614.9 (17.9)

On average, bulk feed bins on wean-to-finish sites contained 8 to 9 days of feed when 

full, which implies that feed delivery trucks came about once a week.

E.6.p. Average number of days until bulk feed bins containing wean-to-finish feed would 

run empty after being filled before the split, by size of site:

Average Number of Days

Size of Site (total inventory)

Small 

(fewer than 2,000)

Medium

(2,000–4,999)

Large

(5,000 or more) All sites

Avg.

Std. 

error Avg.

Std. 

error Avg.

Std. 

error Avg.

Std. 

error

9.3 (0.5) 10.8 (2.6) 7.2 (0.9) 9.1 (1.1)

E.6.q. Average number of days until bulk feed bins containing wean-to-finish feed would 

run empty after being filled after the split, by size of site:

Average Number of Days

Size of Site (total inventory)

Small 

(fewer than 2,000)

Medium

(2,000–4,999)

Large

(5,000 or more) All sites

Avg.

Std. 

error Avg.

Std. 

error Avg.

Std. 

error Avg.

Std. 

error

8.3 (1.0) 9.1 (2.0) 6.6 (1.5) 8.1 (1.8)
112 / Swine 2012

Section I: Population Estimates–E. Wean-to-Finish Phase

7. Outshipments

E.7. Percentage of sites that had at least one shipment of pigs leave the wean-to-finish 

phase after the split during the previous 6 months and cross State lines, by destination 

and by size of site:

Percent Sites

Size of Site (total inventory)

Small 

(fewer 

than 2,000)

Medium

(2,000–4,999)

Large

(5,000 

or more) All sites

Destination Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error

Another grower/

finisher site 1.2 (0.8) 2.2 (1.3) 11.2 (4.1) 3.3 (1.1)

Slaughter 

as market hogs 10.4 (2.1) 14.3 (1.4) 26.6 (2.5) 15.4 (1.4)

Slaughter plant 

as culled pig 1.6 (1.4) 0.8 (0.1) 2.5 (1.4) 1.3 (0.5)

Breeding herd 

at another site 0.0 (0.0) 0.0 (0.0) 2.9 (2.6) 0.5 (0.4)

Auction/livestock 

market 0.0 (0.0) 0.0 (0.0) 0.0 (0.0) 0.0 (0.0)

Other 0.0 (0.0) 0.1 (0.1) 0.0 (0.0) 0.0 (0.0)
USDA APHIS VS / 113 

Section I: Population Estimates–F. Feed Management and Other Site-level Practices

1. Source of nutritional expertise

About half of sites, regardless of size, rated a veterinarian as a very or extremely 

important source of nutritional expertise. A higher percentage of large sites than small 

sites rated company/staff nutritionist very or extremely important as a source of nutritional 

expertise. Conversely, a higher percentage of small sites than large sites rated a genetic 

supplier very or extremely important as a source of nutritional expertise. 

F.1.a. Percentage of sites that rated the following sources of swine nutritional expertise 

as very or extremely important, by size of site:

Percent Sites

Size of Site (total inventory)

Small 

(fewer 

than 2,000)

Medium

(2,000–4,999)

Large

(5,000 or more) All sites

Information 

source Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error

Company/staff 

nutritionist 48.4 (5.5) 73.5 (7.5) 85.3 (5.1) 65.1 (6.3)

Feed company 62.0 (5.1) 54.5 (11.9) 44.1 (13.3) 55.8 (8.1)

Consulting 

nutritionist 47.5 (5.5) 47.6 (12.3) 44.8 (13.9) 47.1 (8.2)

Veterinarian 54.8 (5.5) 41.1 (11.7) 59.1 (12.0) 49.6 (7.0)

Genetic supplier 25.0 (4.3) 15.4 (4.4) 7.5 (2.9) 18.0 (3.5)

Other producers 9.7 (2.7) 2.9 (1.2) 3.4 (1.7) 5.7 (1.5)

Trade journals/

Internet 12.8 (4.0) 1.4 (0.7) 4.5 (2.5) 6.5 (2.0)

Other sources 1.9 (1.0) 1.4 (0.8) 0.4 (0.3) 1.5 (0.6)

F. Feed 

Management and 

Other Site-level 

Practices
114 / Swine 2012

Section I: Population Estimates–F. Feed Management and Other Site-level Practices

F.1.b. Percentage of sites that rated the following sources of swine nutritional expertise 

as very or extremely important, by region:

Percent Sites

Region

Midwest East South

Information source Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error

Company/staff 

nutritionist 58.0 (8.5) 58.2 (12.8) 92.5 (4.9)

Feed company 75.1 (6.2) 52.6 (13.8) 8.1 (4.6)

Consulting 

nutritionist 53.5 (9.7) 68.2 (10.6) 4.8 (3.4)

Veterinarian 65.0 (7.8) 39.5 (11.8) 21.4 (4.5)

Genetic supplier 26.8 (5.8) 12.2 (4.3) 2.2 (2.2)

Other producers 6.5 (2.1) 6.3 (2.9) 2.8 (2.1)

Trade journals/

Internet 5.3 (1.7) 12.3 (6.1) 1.8 (1.6)

Other sources 1.9 (0.9) 1.4 (1.0) 0.3 (0.3)
USDA APHIS VS / 115 

Section I: Population Estimates–F. Feed Management and Other Site-level Practices

2. Diet manipulations

Over one-fourth of sites were currently using mycotoxin binders, and almost half of sites 

had tried them but were not currently using them. One-third of small sites had never used 

mycotoxin binders. 

F.2.a. Percentage of sites by use of mycotoxin binders, and by size of site:

Percent Sites

Size of Site (total inventory)

Small 

(fewer 

than 2,000)

Medium

(2,000–4,999)

Large

(5,000 

or more) All sites

Use of binders Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error

Currently using 25.5 (4.7) 21.0 (7.0) 36.5 (11.5) 25.4 (5.9)

Tried but not 

currently using 27.4 (5.3) 63.5 (8.8) 54.9 (12.2) 47.5 (7.6)

Never used 33.2 (4.7) 11.8 (3.6) 6.3 (2.6) 19.5 (3.7)

Don’t know 13.9 (4.2) 3.7 (1.7) 2.3 (1.6) 7.6 (2.2)

Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
116 / Swine 2012

Section I: Population Estimates–F. Feed Management and Other Site-level Practices

Over three-fourths of all sites were using DDGS, although over one-fourth of small sites 

had never used DDGS. 

F.2.b. Percentage of sites by use of DDGS, and by size of site:

Percent Sites

Size of Site (total inventory)

Small 

(fewer 

than 2,000)

Medium

(2,000–4,999)

Large

(5,000 

or more) All sites

Use of DDGS Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error

Currently using 61.4 (4.8) 89.3 (3.0) 83.2 (7.1) 77.1 (4.0)

Tried but not 

currently using 10.5 (2.4) 7.7 (2.6) 11.1 (5.9) 9.4 (2.4)

Never used 26.7 (4.3) 3.0 (1.3) 5.7 (3.1) 13.0 (2.7)

Don’t know 1.3 (0.6) 0.0 (0.0) 0.0 (0.0) 0.5 (0.2)

Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

3. Split-sex feeding

Split-sex feeding is the practice of separating market pigs by sex and feeding them 

different diets. About 15 percent of sites used split-sex feeding. On average, split-sex 

feeding began when pigs were about 8 weeks of age.

F.3.a. Percentage of sites that fed different rations to weaned male and female market 

pigs, by size of site:

Percent Sites

Size of Site (total inventory)

Small 

(fewer than 2,000)

Medium

(2,000–4,999)

Large

(5,000 or more) All sites

Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error

14.6 (3.6) 15.8 (5.2) 14.9 (6.6) 15.2 (3.7)
USDA APHIS VS / 117 

Section I: Population Estimates–F. Feed Management and Other Site-level Practices

F.3.b. Percentage of sites that fed different rations to weaned male and female market 

pigs, by region:

Percent Sites

Region

Midwest East South

Percent

Std.

error Percent

Std. 

error Percent

Std. 

error

15.2 (4.1) 20.6 (8.6) 7.5 (7.6)

F.3.c. For sites that used split-sex feeding, average age (in weeks) of pigs when split-sex 

feeding was started, by size of site: 

Average Age (wk)

Size of Site (total inventory)

Small 

(fewer than 2,000)

Medium

(2,000–4,999)

Large

(5,000 or more) All sites

Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error

7.7 (1.0) 7.8 (0.8) 8.5 (0.6) 7.9 (0.7)

4. Transport and hauling

F.4.a. Percentage of sites that shipped swine from the site, by truck ownership and by 

size of site:

Percent Sites

Size of Site (total inventory)

Small 

(fewer 

than 2,000)

Medium

(2,000–4,999)

Large

(5,000 

or more) All sites

Truck 

ownership Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error

This operation 59.1 (5.5) 73.5 (8.4) 76.8 (11.4) 68.3 (6.7)

Commercial 

hauler 62.8 (4.9) 78.2 (4.6) 61.3 (12.5) 69.2 (4.5)
118 / Swine 2012

Section I: Population Estimates–F. Feed Management and Other Site-level Practices

A higher percentage of sites in the South region than in the Midwest region shipped 

swine using their own trucks.

F.4.b. Percentage of sites that shipped swine from this site using trucks owned and 

operated by the operation, by region:

Percent Sites

Region

Midwest East South

Percent Std. error Percent Std. error Percent Std. error

67.1 (7.3) 50.0 (13.7) 95.7 (2.8)

F.3.c. For sites that shipped swine using commercial trucks hired by the operation, 

percentage of sites that used only commercial truckers that were Transport Quality 

Assurance certified, by size of site:

Percent Sites

Size of Site (total inventory)

Small 

(fewer than 2,000)

Medium

(2,000–4,999)

Large

(5,000 or more) All sites

Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error Pct.

Std. 

error

92.9 (2.6) 86.7 (11.8) 85.5 (13.2) 88.8 (7.8)
USDA APHIS VS / 119 

Section II: Methodology

NAHMS develops study objectives by exploring existing literature and contacting 

stakeholders about their informational needs and priorities during a needs assessment 

phase. Stakeholders for NAHMS studies include industry members, allied industry 

representatives, government agencies, animal health officials, and many others. The 

purpose of the needs assessment was to collect information about the most important 

swine health and production management issues facing the U.S. swine industry. A 

driving force for the needs assessment was for NAHMS to receive input from a variety 

of producers, as well as from industry experts and representatives; Federal, State, 

and private veterinarians; extension specialists; universities; and swine organizations. 

Information was collected via interviews and through a needs assessment survey.

Once the most important issues were identified, the study objectives were created by 

prioritizing the needs garnered throughout the needs assessment phase. 

The study objectives for the NAHMS Swine 2012 study follow:

1. Describe current U.S. swine production practices including general management 

practices, housing practices, productivity, disease prevention, and mortality for 

five phases of production: gestation, farrowing, nursery, grower/finisher, and 

wean-to-finish.

2. Describe trends in swine health and management practices.

3. Determine the prevalence and associated risk factors for select respiratory, 

neurologic, gastrointestinal, systemic, and foodborne pathogens found in weaned 

market pigs.

4. Describe antibiotic usage patterns in pigs postweaning to market to control and 

treat disease and promote growth.

5. Evaluate presence of or exposure to select pathogens and characterize isolated 

organisms from biological specimens (feces, sera, feed).

6. Update estimates of the economic costs of select respiratory, neurologic, 

gastrointestinal, systemic, and foodborne pathogens found in commercial swine 

herds and create estimates of the costs of different treatment approaches.

Section II: Methodology

A. Needs 

Assessment and 

Study Objectives
120 / Swine 2012

Section II: Methodology

1. State selection

The preliminary selection of States to be included in the study was done using the 

NASS 2007 Census of Agriculture and the December 1, 2010, quarterly “Hogs and Pigs” 

report. A goal for NAHMS national studies is to include States that account for at least 

70 percent of the animal and producer populations in the United States. Factors that 

influenced State selection were a high proportion of U.S. farms or animals, demographic 

trends, and regional representation. The 13 States recommended for inclusion in 

the study were Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North 

Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, and Texas. The selection criteria 

for operations in these States were 100 or more pigs. 

2. Operation selection

The sample design was a multistage design in which the operation was the primary 

sampling unit and the site was the analysis unit. (See Terms Used in this Report for a 

definition of operation and site.)

The list frame used for sampling operations was provided by NASS. Within each State, a 

stratified random sample was selected in which the size stratum was based on operation 

inventory on the NASS list frame. Size strata were 100 to 999 head, 1,000 to 

1,999 head, 2,000 to 4,999 head, and 5,000 or more head in total inventory. The sample 

of 4,600 operations was drawn in 5 replicates to facilitate mixed- mode data collection, 

with 2,000 operations receiving a computer-assisted telephone interview (CATI) and 

2,600 operations getting an on-farm personal interview. The CATI sample was chosen 

from operations with fewer than 1,000 pigs (according to the list frame) to minimize the 

number of operations with multiple sites in the CATI sample.

The State-level allocation was based on a weighted percentage of the number of 

operations in the State and the pig inventory relative to the U.S. levels for swine farms 

with 100 or more pigs. The percentage of the 13-State total for the population of 100-plus 

swine farms in the State was given a 0.4 weighting and the percentage of pigs was given 

a 0.6 weighting. For example, Iowa has 31.6 percent of pigs and 34.2 percent of the

the farms in the United States. Iowa was initially assigned 32.6 percent 

(31.6*0.6+34.2*0.4=32.6) of the sample of 4,600 operations drawn in replicates. The 

allocation was adjusted to move some of the sample from States with a large number of 

operations to other States with fewer operations. Within States, the number of operations 

was allocated to each size stratum using the same strategy as for the State-level 

allocation.

B. Sampling and 

Estimation
USDA APHIS VS / 121 

Section II: Methodology

3. Site selection

Some producers on the NASS list frame represented swine operations in which pigs were 

raised on multiple sites. A subsample of sites was selected for operations with multiple 

sites in a State. The number of sites selected depended on the size of the operation. 

If the operation had fewer than 20 sites, 1 sow site and 2 nonsow sites were randomly 

selected. If the operation had 20 to 49 sites, 2 sow sites and 6 nonsow sites were 

randomly selected. If the operation had 50 or more sites, 3 sow sites and 12 nonsow 

sites were randomly selected.

4. Population inferences

Data collected from sampled producers were used to generate national estimates. All 

respondent data were statistically weighted to reflect the population from which they 

were selected. The inverse of the probability of selection for each operation was the 

initial selection weight. This selection weight was adjusted for nonresponse within each 

State and size group. Site-level weights were then calculated for sow sites and nonsow 

sites, so that sow sites only represented other sites with sows, and non-sow sites only 

represented other sites without sows. The site-level weights were also adjusted for 

nonresponse.

Inferences are to the population of swine operations with 100 or more pigs in the 

13 participating States. According to the 2007 Census of Agriculture, these States 

accounted for 88.9 percent of U.S. swine operations with 100 or more swine, and 

90.8 percent of swine on operations with 100 or more swine. 
122 / Swine 2012

Section II: Methodology

Two methods were used to collect data for the Swine 2012 study. For the 2,600 

producers selected to complete the survey via face-to-face interview, producers were 

contacted by a NASS enumerator to set up a convenient time for an on-farm visit. The 

NASS enumerator administered the general swine farm questionnaire (GSFQ) via 

face-to-face interviews conducted from July 16 through August 15, 2012. For the 2,000 

producers selected to complete the survey via CATI, a shorter version of the GSFQ was 

completed during the same time period.

Upon completion of the interviews (CATI and on-farm), respondents with 100 or more 

pigs were asked to sign a consent form allowing NASS to turn their names over to 

APHIS for further consideration in the study, which completed phase I of the study. NASS 

provided the list of producers willing to participate in the study’s second phase to NAHMS 

coordinators in each State. NASS sent a dataset to NAHMS along with completed 

questionnaires via mail. 

State and Federal veterinary medical officers (VMOs) contacted producers to solicit 

participation in phase II. A producer agreement that explained data confidentiality and 

indicated producer intentions for biological sampling was signed by respondents. VMOs 

administered the VS questionnaire via face-to-face interviews conducted from September 

10, 2012, through January 31, 2013.

Initial data entry and validation were performed in individual NASS State offices for the 

on-farm questionnaire and in a centralized NASS call center for the CATI questionnaire. 

Data were entered into a SAS dataset. NAHMS staff performed additional data validation 

after data from all States were combined.

After completing VS questionnaires, data collectors sent them to the State NAHMS 

coordinators; the questionnaires were manually reviewed for errors and accuracy and 

forwarded to CEAH. Data entry and validation were performed by NAHMS staff. Data 

were entered into a SAS data set and the data entry edit and validation programs were 

executed. As with GSFQ data, NAHMS staff performed additional data validation on the 

entire VS visit data set after data from all States were combined.

Data analysis was performed using SAS and SUDAAN software. Responses were 

weighted to make inference back to the population from which the sample was selected. 

Sites were nested within operations and strata to account for clustering. SUDAAN uses a 

Taylor series expansion to estimate appropriate variances for the data that are stratified, 

clustered, and weighted. 

C. Data 

Collection

D. Data Analysis
USDA APHIS VS / 123 

Section II: Methodology

The purpose of this section is to provide various performance measurement parameters. 

Historically, the term “response rate” was used as a catch-all parameter, but there 

are many ways to define and calculate response rates. Therefore, the following table 

presents an evaluation based upon a number of measurement parameters, which are 

defined with an “x” in categories that contribute to the measurement.

Phase I: General Swine Farm Questionnaire

Response 

category

Number 

sites

Percent 

sites Contacts Usable1 Complete2

Survey complete 

and VMO consent 944 18.0 x x x

Survey complete, 

refused VMO 

consent

1,175 22.4 x x x

No hogs on 

June 1, 2012 915 17.5 x x

Out of business 33 0.6 x x

Out of scope 17 0.3

Refusal of GSFQ 908 17.3 x

Office hold (NASS 

elected not to 

contact)

151 2.9

Inaccessible 1,094 20.9

Total 5,237 100.0 3,975 3,067 2,119

Percent of 

total sites 75.9 58.6 40.5

Percent of total 

sites weighted3 71.2 55.5 32.4

1

Usable sites—respondent provided answers to inventory questions for the site (either zero or positive number 

on hand).

2

Survey complete site—respondent provided answers to all or nearly all questions.

3

Weighted response—the rate was calculated using the initial selection weights.

E. Sample 

Evaluation
124 / Swine 2012

Appendix I: Sample Profile

1a. Total inventory

Phase I: General Swine 

Farm Questionnaire Phase II: VS Visit

Size of site 

(total Inventory)

Number 

responding sites

Number 

responding sites

Fewer than 2,000 1,230 187

2,000 to 4,999 617 182

5,000 or more 272 105

Total 2,119 474

1b. Sow inventory

Phase I: General Swine 

Farm Questionnaire Phase II: VS Visit

Size of site

(total sows and gilts)

Number 

responding sites

Number 

responding sites

No sows and gilts 1,273 316

1 to 249 502 59

250 to 499 66 20

500 or more 278 79

Total 2,119 474

2. Regions

Phase I: General Swine 

Farm Questionnaire Phase II: VS Visit

Region Number responding sites Number responding sites

Midwest 1,308 285

East 574 100

South 237 89

Total 2,119 474

Appendix I: Sample Profile

A. Responding 

Sites
USDA APHIS VS / 125 

Appendix II: U.S. Swine Inventory and Number of Farms

Number of hogs and pigs Number of farms

Region State All farms

Farms with 

1–99 head All farms

Farms with

1–99 head

Northeast Illinois 4,298,716 25,219 2,864 1,203

Indiana 3,669,057 31,903 3,420 1,839

Michigan 1,032,054 28,199 2,691 2,138

New Jersey 8,551 (D) 271 254

New York 85,741 17,468 1,871 1,810

Ohio 1,831,084 34,112 3,718 2,686

Pennsylvania 1,167,449 31,487 3,637 2,907

Wisconsin 436,814 39,300 3,188 2,698

Total 12,529,466 NA 21,660 15,535

Central Iowa 19,295,092 38,935 8,330 1,365

Kansas 1,885,252 18,224 1,454 988

Minnesota 7,652,284 28,886 4,382 1,490

Missouri 3,101,469 33,955 2,999 2,034

Nebraska 3,268,544 17,765 2,213 696

South Dakota 1,490,034 9,355 959 377

Total 36,692,675 147,120 20,337 6,950

West Arizona (D) 2,479 378 369

California 153,983 11,635 1,389 1,332

Colorado 882,695 10,184 1,171 1,106

Hawaii 14,933 (D) 225 196

New Mexico 1,972 (D) 395 394

Washington 28,545 10,899 1,463 1,439

Total NA NA 5,021 4,836

South Alabama 178,275 (D) 753 693

Arkansas 289,342 9,017 1,142 995

Florida 19,937 13,289 1,906 1,881

Georgia 263,471 9,401 1,111 1,008

Louisiana 10,615 7,207 718 701

Mississippi 337,244 5,424 683 622

North Carolina 10,134,004 (D) 2,836 1,095

Oklahoma 2,398,372 22,720 2,702 2,551

South Carolina 293,793 6,754 812 729

Tennessee 138,207 15,495 1,566 1,469

Texas 1,155,790 31,759 4,471 4,369

Total NA NA 18,700 16,113

Total (31 States) NA NA 65,718 43,434

Total U.S.(50 States) 67,786,318 622,032 75,442 52,521

Source: NASS 2007 Census of Agriculture.

Appendix II: U.S. Swine Inventory and Number of Farms
126 / Swine 2012

Appendix III: Study Objectives and Related Outputs

1. Describe current U.S. swine production practices including general management 

practices, housing practices, productivity, disease prevention, and mortality for five 

phases of production: gestation, farrowing, nursery, grow/finish, and wean-to-finish.

• Part I: Baseline Reference of Swine Health and Management, 2012, January 2015

• Part II: Reference of Swine Health and Health Management in the United 

States, 2012, January 2016

• Reference of Management Practices on Small-enterprise Swine Operations in the 

United States, 2012, February 2014

• Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS) Control in Breeding 

Herds, info sheet, expected fall 2016

• Feed Management, info sheet, expected fall 2016

2. Describe trends in swine health and management practices.

• Part III: Changes in the U.S. Pork Industry, 1995–2012, expected fall 2015

3. Determine the prevalence and associated risk factors for select respiratory, neurologic, 

gastrointestinal, systemic, and foodborne pathogens found in weaned market pigs.

• Toxoplasma, info sheet, expected fall 2016

• Trichinae, info sheet, expected fall 2016

• Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS) Prevalence, info sheet, 

expected fall 2016

• Salmonella, info sheet, expected spring 2016

• Enterococcus, info sheet, expected spring 2016

• Generic E. coli, info sheet, expected spring 2016

4. Describe antibiotic usage patterns in pigs postweaning to market to control and treat 

disease and promote growth.

• Part II: Reference of Swine Health and Health Management in the United States, 

2012, January 2016

Appendix III: Study Objectives and Related Outputs
USDA APHIS VS / 127 

Appendix III: Study Objectives and Related Outputs

5. Evaluate presence of or exposure to select pathogens and characterize isolated 

organisms from biological specimens (feces, sera, feed).

• Toxoplasma, info sheet, expected fall 2016

• Trichinae, info sheet, expected fall 2016

• Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS) Prevalence, info sheet, 

expected fall 2016

• Salmonella, info sheet, expected spring 2016

• Enterococcus, info sheet, expected spring 2016

• Generic E. coli, info sheet, expected spring 2016

6. Update estimates of the economic cost of select respiratory, neurologic, 

gastrointestinal, systemic, and foodborne pathogens found in commercial swine herds 

and create estimates of the economic cost of different treatment approaches.

• Part I: Baseline Reference of Swine Health and Management, 2012, January 2015

• Part II: Reference of Swine Health and Health Management in the United 

States, 2012, January 2016


Introduction 1

Terms Used in This Report 4

Section I: Population Estimates 7

A. Site Classification by Production Phases 7

B. Breeding Herd Health and Vaccination 8

1. Disease problems in breeding females 8

2. Disease problems in preweaned pigs 11

3. Vaccination practices 13

4. Influenza vaccination 15

 5. Porcine reproductive and respiratory 

syndrome (PRRS) vaccination 17

6. PRRS control 19

7. Use of antibiotics to treat disease 24

C. Nursery Phase 25

1. Disease problems 25

2. Swine dysentery 28

3. Vacination practices 29

4. Influenza vaccination 31

5. Response to respiratory disease outbreak 

32

6. Medications given by injection, in water, and in 

feed 33

7. Feed management 46

8. Outshipments 53

D. Grower/Finisher Phase 55

1. Disease problems 55

2. Swine dysentery 58

3. Vaccination practices 59

4. Influenza vaccination 61

5. Response to respiratory disease outbreak 

62

6. Medications given by injection, in water, and in 

feed 63

7. Feed management 74

8. Outshipments 81

E. Wean-to-Finish Phase 83

1. Disease problems 83

2. Vaccination practices 86

3. Influenza vaccination 88

4. Response to respiratory disease outbreak 

90

5. Medications given by injection, in water and in 

feed 91

6. Feed management 102

7. Outshipments 112

F. Feed Management and Other Site-level 

Practices 113

1. Source of nutritional expertise 113

2. Diet manipulations 115

3. Split-sex feeding 115

4. Transport and hauling 117

Section II: Methodology 119

A. Needs Assessment and Study Objectives 

119

B. Sampling and Estimation 120

1. State selection 120

2. Operation selection 120

3. Site selection 121

4. Population inferences 121

C. Data Collection 122

D. Data Analysis 122

E. Sample Evaluation 123

Appendix I: Sample Profile 124

Appendix II: U.S. Swine Inventory and Number of 

Farms 125

Appendix III: Study Objectives and Related Outputs 

126

Table of Contents