The Power of knowledge

Benchmark Magazine Article Archive

Benchmark Magazine is published each spring to highlight the annual results of PigCHAMP's Benchmarking program, and to feature news, commentary and articles of interest written by pork industry experts.

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2026

A Benchmark Welcome

A Benchmark Welcome
We are proud to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Benchmark magazine. As always, this issue is centered on what matters most— data.

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2026

20 Years of Benchmarking

For more than 20 years, PigCHAMP benchmarking has provided producers, veterinarians, nutritionists, and industry partners with a trusted, consistent look at sow farm performance across North America.

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2026

Novel Essential Oil Blend for Nursery and Grow-Finish Pigs

These compounds have been widely studied for antibacterial activity and antioxidant effects, in part through membrane disruption and free radical scavenging.

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2026

Revisiting Farrowing Management

Because colostrum intake has a large impact on the lifetime survival of pigs, management practices are being utilized to ensure adequate colostrum intake.

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2026

When Feed Fails

While most producers recognize the importance of avoiding completely empty feeders, the true cost of feed delivery failures extends far beyond any of the obvious “out-of-feed” events.

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2026

A Novel Way to Measure Modern Sow Efficiency

The modern sow is capable of raising larger, heavier litters than ever before, placing greater demands on lactation performance.

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2026

Next Step in Precision Sow Management

By collecting data throughout the day, PLF systems can detect subtle changes in behavior, body shape, and physiological indicators that are difficult to observe during routine barn checks.

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2026

Understanding Postpartum Dysgalactia in Sows

Sow longevity is a crucial factor in the contribution towards efficiency and profitability of commercial swine operations, as the reproducing females represent the most valuable animals in the herd.

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2026

Synchronizing Sows to Strengthen Throughput

One of the factors for success in the nursery-finish phase is the consistent supply of healthy pigs that are similar in body weight and age.

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2026

The Next Leap in Precision Livestock Farming

Precision livestock farming (PLF) has already transformed dairy and poultry systems, and swine is now entering its own era of data driven management across operations.

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2026

USA and Canada 2025 Year Summary

Total number of farms = 149

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2026

Sow Prolapse Connected to Pre-Farrow Nutrition

Sow prolapses have continued to plague pig farmers for 10-plus years. Yet few management techniques have been reported to mitigate their occurrence with consistency.

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2025

A Benchmark Welcome

A Benchmark Welcome
While there have been many hurdles to overcome this past year, we know that those who have remained steadfast in the industry are Set for Success.

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2025

Factors Associated with Sow Efficiency

While producers rely on reports for sow records, task management, and performance summaries, many overlook a critical opportunity: harnessing advanced analytics to maximize reproductive efficiency, profitability, and sow longevity.

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2025

USA and Canada 2024 Year Summary

Total number of farms = 174

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2025

Making Technology Less Technical

While the company has always been driven by innovation, 2014-2015 marked a turning point. It was during this time that Ro-Main reinvented itself, embracing modern artificial intelligence - a set of tools previously untapped in livestock farming.

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2025

How Many Pigs Should a Sow Nurse?

Today’s modern hyper-prolific sow will often give birth to more piglets than the number of functional teats she possesses. For the farm business, it means that the producers are faced with the decision of having to either allow the sow to try and nurse the additional piglets above functional teat count or create more nurse sows.

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2025

Delivering Practical Improvements in Sow Robustness

Over the past decade, the modern sow has changed significantly. Increased productivity necessitates advancements in management strategies to support performance and longevity. Management improvements can also have a quicker impact than relying on genetics alone.

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