Q4 2025 PigCHAMP benchmarking results reflect continued improvement in output efficiency, while reinforcing a familiar industry challenge: balancing productivity gains with sow longevity and herd stability.

From a quarter‑over‑quarter perspective, productivity improved meaningfully. Pigs weaned per sow per year increased approximately 6% compared to Q3 2025, supported by a substantial reduction in repeat rate and modest improvements in piglet survival. These gains indicate continued progress in breeding efficiency and farrowing‑through‑weaning management.

3rd to 4th Quarter Comparison

• ⬇ Repeat Rate decreased from 7.13 to 5.37 (-24.68%)
• ⬇ Farrowing Rate decreased from 83.13 to 78.77 (-5.24%)
• ⬆ P/S/Y increased from 28.47 to 30.18 (+6.01%)
• ⬇ Death Rate decreased from 13.11 to 11.39 (-13.12%)
• ⬇ Cull Rate decreased from 41.27 to 37.25 (-9.74%)

At the same time, sow removal dynamics warrant closer examination. While sow death rate declined modestly in Q4, mortality remained elevated at 11.39%, a level that continues to rank as average‑to‑high risk relative to industry benchmarks. Cull rate declined sharply across the same period. When evaluated together, these trends suggest that lower culling is not necessarily reflective of improved herd health but may instead indicate that involuntary removals are displacing planned, revenue‑generating culls.

This pattern holds true in the year‑over‑year comparison as well. Relative to Q4 2024, pigs weaned per sow per year increased nearly 6%, and pre‑weaning mortality declined more than 6%, reinforcing continued progress in piglet management. However, cull rate declined more than 15% year‑over‑year while sow mortality remained above desired levels. In this context, reduced culling limits salvage value and increases replacement pressure, reducing the economic benefit of productivity gains.

2024 to 2025 4th Quarter Comparison

• ⬇ Farrowing Rate decreased from 82.98 to 78.77 (-5.07%)
• ⬇ Pre-weaning Mortality decreased from 14.19 to 13.33 (-6.06%)
• ⬆ P/S/Y increased from 28.48 to 30.18 (+5.97%)
• ⬇ Death Rate decreased from 11.70 to 11.39 (-2.65%)
• ⬇ Cull Rate decreased from 43.84 to 37.25 (-15.03%)

Importantly, farrowing rate declined just over 5% both quarter over quarter and year over year, suggesting continued reproductive conversion pressure. When combined with elevated mortality, this highlights the need for ongoing focus on sow durability, health resilience, and structured herd turnover.

Overall, Q4 2025 benchmarking underscores a key industry reality: net productivity can continue to increase even as biological and economic constraints intensify. Sustaining progress into 2026 will depend not only on pigs weaned per sow, but on reducing involuntary losses to restore the balance between voluntary culling, longevity, and profitability.

View the full PigCHAMP 4th Quarter 2025 Results here.