Pradeep
A Pig Farm Is a Continuous Production Cycle
A pig farm does not simply manage animals.
It manages a continuous biological production cycle.
A gilt enters the breeding program.
She is serviced.
Pregnancy is confirmed.
She moves through gestation.
She farrows.
Piglets are born.
The litter is managed.
Piglets are weaned.
They move into growing and finishing.
The sow eventually enters another parity cycle.
At the same time, the farm is consuming feed, medicine, vaccines and labour while dealing with mortality, culling, animal movement and changing body weight.
If these activities are managed through separate registers and Excel sheets, it becomes difficult to answer even basic management questions quickly.
Which sows are due for service?
Which animals need pregnancy checking?
Which sows are expected to farrow this week?
What is the average litter size?
What is pre-weaning mortality?
How many pigs will move to the grower stage next week?
What is the feed cost per pig?
Which parity is performing better?
A Pig Farm Management Software connects these activities around the actual pig production lifecycle.
What Is Pig Farm Management Software?
Pig Farm Management Software is designed to manage pig production from breeding through finishing.
Depending on the operation, it can cover:
Gilt management
Sow management
Boar management
Service
Artificial insemination
Pregnancy
Gestation
Farrowing
Litter management
Piglets
Weaning
Nursery or weaner
Grower
Finisher
Feed
Weight
Health
Mortality
Culling
Movement
Inventory
Costing
Traceability
Sales
The system should follow the way the piggery actually operates rather than forcing the farm into a generic livestock register.
Individual Animal and Batch Management
Not every pig needs to be managed at the same level.
Breeding animals may require individual records.
Growing pigs may be managed by batch or group.
A practical system should therefore support both approaches where required.
For example:
Sow 1058 is managed individually.
Her litter has its own reference.
After weaning, piglets may move into Weaner Batch W-221.
The system should maintain the relationship between these stages.
Gilt Management
A gilt is a future breeding animal.
Management may need to know:
Animal ID
Breed
Date of birth
Age
Weight
Farm
Location
Selection date
Breeding readiness
Health status
Service history
The gilt should not simply appear as a sow without a history.
Gilt Selection
Not every female pig becomes breeding stock.
The farm may select suitable gilts based on its own criteria.
The system can record selection and movement into the breeding population.
This helps management understand how replacement breeding stock is being developed.
Sow Register
Every breeding sow should have a clear history.
The sow record may include:
Animal ID
Breed
Age
Current parity
Last service
Pregnancy status
Expected farrowing
Last farrowing
Litter history
Weaning history
Health
Current location
This gives the farm one place to understand the sow’s reproductive lifecycle.
Parity Management
Parity is one of the most important parts of sow management.
Each completed reproductive cycle should update the sow’s parity.
Management can then analyse performance by parity.
For example:
Parity 1
Parity 2
Parity 3
Parity 4
and so on.
This allows the business to understand how reproductive performance changes as sows move through successive cycles.
Why Parity Matters
Two sows may currently be pregnant but have very different production histories.
One may be in her first parity.
Another may be in her fifth.
Their historical litter size, mortality and reproductive performance may differ.
Parity gives management context behind the animal’s current status.
Service Management
Breeding records can include:
Sow or gilt
Service date
Service type
Boar or semen reference
Technician
Service number
Remarks
This creates the starting point of the reproductive cycle.
Artificial Insemination
Where AI is used, the farm can maintain:
Semen batch
Boar reference
AI date
Sow
Technician
Dose
This creates better traceability of breeding activity.
Repeat Service
If the sow returns to heat, another service may be required.
The previous service should remain in the history.
Management can then analyse repeat service rather than seeing only the latest date.
Pregnancy Checking
After service, the system can identify animals due for pregnancy confirmation.
The farm can record:
Check date
Result
Pregnant
Not pregnant
Recheck required
Remarks
This prevents animals from being missed between service and gestation.
Gestation Management
Once pregnancy is confirmed, the sow enters the gestation process.
Management needs visibility into:
Gestation stage
Expected farrowing date
Feed
Body condition where recorded
Vaccination
Medication
Location
Upcoming movement
The farm can plan activities before farrowing rather than reacting at the last moment.
Expected Farrowing
The expected farrowing date becomes a key planning date.
It helps the farm plan:
Farrowing space
Sow movement
Labour
Feed
Health activities
Farrowing supervision
Future piglet population
Farrowing House Planning
Knowing which sows are expected to farrow allows the farm to plan farrowing house capacity.
Management can see:
Expected sows
Available pens or crates
Planned movement
Expected dates
This becomes increasingly important on larger pig farms.
Farrowing Record
When farrowing occurs, the system can capture:
Sow
Date
Parity
Total born
Born alive
Stillborn
Mummified
Other farm-defined classifications
The exact classifications should follow the farm’s operating practice.
Litter Management
The litter becomes an important production unit.
The system can maintain:
Sow
Litter number
Farrowing date
Born alive
Mortality
Transfers
Fostered piglets
Weaned quantity
Weaning weight
This gives management a complete view from farrowing to weaning.
Born Alive Versus Total Born
Total born alone does not tell the complete story.
Management should distinguish between:
Total born
Born alive
Stillborn
Other relevant categories
This helps evaluate reproductive performance more accurately.
Piglet Mortality
Pre-weaning mortality has a direct impact on the number of pigs available for the next production stage.
Mortality can be recorded by:
Litter
Date
Age
Reason
Quantity
Management can then analyse where and why piglet losses are occurring.
Cross-Fostering
Piglets may move between sows to balance litter size or improve survival.
The system should maintain:
From sow
To sow
Piglet quantity
Date
Reason
This helps preserve litter reconciliation.
Piglet Population Reconciliation
A litter should reconcile.
For example:
Born alive
Plus piglets received
Minus piglets transferred
Minus mortality
Equals piglets available for weaning
This basic control prevents unexplained differences in animal numbers.
Weaning
At weaning, the system can record:
Sow
Litter
Weaning date
Piglets weaned
Weaning weight
Destination
This closes the farrowing and lactation stage for the litter.
Weaning Performance
Management can analyse:
Piglets weaned per litter
Average weaning weight
Pre-weaning mortality
Lactation period
Performance by sow
Performance by parity
This gives a better view of sow productivity.
Sow After Weaning
The sow does not disappear after piglets are weaned.
She may return to the breeding cycle.
Management can monitor:
Weaning date
Next heat
Next service
Days from weaning to service
New pregnancy
Next parity
This is why pig breeding needs lifecycle-based management rather than separate event registers.
Weaner Management
After weaning, piglets may move into a weaner or nursery stage.
At this point, group-level management often becomes more practical.
The system can maintain:
Batch
Source
Animal quantity
Age
Opening weight
Feed
Mortality
Medication
Vaccination
Transfers
Closing quantity
Grower Stage
As pigs progress, they may move to the grower stage.
The system can track:
Batch
Population
Feed consumption
Weight
Mortality
Health
Age
Farm
Location
This provides continuity through the production cycle.
Finisher Stage
The final production stage may focus heavily on:
Feed efficiency
Weight gain
Mortality
Days to target weight
Cost per pig
Sale readiness
Management needs to know not only how many pigs are available but whether they are reaching the required market weight economically.
Stage Movement
A typical pig production flow may look like:
Gilt → Service → Gestation → Farrowing → Piglet → Weaner → Grower → Finisher
Not every movement is simply a stock transfer.
Each stage represents a biological and management change.
The software should retain this lifecycle.
Pig Feed Management
Feed is normally one of the largest costs in pig production.
Consumption can be recorded by:
Sow
Stage
Batch
Farm
House
Feed type
Date
Quantity
This provides the base for both production and cost analysis.
Feed by Production Stage
Feed requirements differ across stages.
The business may use different feed programs for:
Gestation
Lactation
Piglets
Weaners
Growers
Finishers
Tracking consumption by stage helps management understand where feed cost is being incurred.
Feed Consumption Per Pig
Total feed consumption alone can be misleading.
Management can analyse feed relative to:
Animal population
Days
Weight gain
Production stage
This gives a more useful operational view.
Weight Management
Weight can be recorded at important production stages.
For example:
Birth weight
Weaning weight
Grower weight
Finisher weight
Sale weight
This allows management to see how animals are progressing through the cycle.
Average Daily Gain
For growing pigs, management can compare:
Opening weight
Current weight
Days
Average Daily Gain
This can be reviewed together with feed consumption and mortality.
Feed Conversion
Feed conversion becomes particularly important during growing and finishing.
Management can compare:
Feed consumed
Weight gain
FCR
Batch
Farm
Period
A higher final weight does not automatically mean a better-performing batch if it required significantly more feed.
Pig Health Management
Health records can include:
Animal or batch
Condition
Treatment
Medicine
Dose
Date
Veterinarian
Outcome
This creates a health history that can be reviewed with production performance.
Vaccination
Vaccination schedules may differ by production stage.
The system can identify:
Planned vaccination
Due date
Animal or batch
Actual completion
Vaccine
Dose
This reduces the risk of missed activities.
Medicine Consumption
When medicine is used, it can be linked with the animal or batch receiving the treatment.
This gives the business both:
Health history
Inventory consumption
Mortality by Production Stage
Mortality should be analysed separately across stages.
For example:
Pre-weaning mortality
Weaner mortality
Grower mortality
Finisher mortality
Sow mortality
A single farm-level mortality percentage can hide where the real problem exists.
Mortality Reason
Recording a reason helps management identify recurring patterns.
Analysis can be done by:
Farm
Stage
Age
Batch
Reason
Period
This is more useful than only reporting the number of dead pigs.
Culling
Breeding animals may be culled due to:
Age
Poor reproductive performance
Health
Repeated service
Low litter performance
Physical condition
The system should maintain the culling reason so management can analyse breeding herd replacement.
Sow Performance History
One of the strongest benefits of individual sow management is the ability to see complete lifetime performance.
For example:
Number of parities
Total born
Born alive
Piglets weaned
Average litter size
Repeat services
Farrowing history
Mortality
Culling reason
This helps management make better breeding decisions.
Boar Management
Where boars are maintained, their records can include:
Animal ID
Breed
Age
Health
Breeding activity
Semen information where applicable
Location
Status
This completes the breeding management process.
Pig Movement Between Farms
Pigs may move between:
Breeding farm
Farrowing unit
Nursery
Grower farm
Finisher farm
The system should maintain:
Source
Destination
Batch
Quantity
Weight
Date
This creates visibility across multi-site pig operations.
Population Reconciliation
At any point, management should be able to reconcile:
Opening animals
Birth
Purchase
Transfer in
Transfer out
Mortality
Culling
Sale
Closing animals
Unexplained differences should be visible rather than hidden inside month-end adjustments.
Pig Farm Inventory
Farm inventory may include:
Feed
Medicine
Vaccines
Disinfectants
Farm consumables
Other materials
Inventory should be visible by farm or store where required.
Pig Farm Costing
A pig reaches market weight through several stages.
Cost accumulates along the way.
Depending on the company’s costing model, this may include:
Breeding cost
Piglet cost
Feed
Medicine
Vaccination
Labour
Farm expenses
Mortality impact
Other overheads
Cost Per Pig
Management should be able to understand the cost of producing a pig rather than only total farm expense.
Cost per pig can be analysed by:
Batch
Stage
Farm
Period
This makes production performance commercially meaningful.
Cost Per KG Live Weight
For finishing operations, cost per KG live weight can be an important commercial measure.
It brings together:
Animal cost
Feed
Health
Mortality
Other production costs
Final weight
This gives management a clearer view of production economics.
Mortality Has a Cost
Feed and medicine already consumed by an animal do not disappear when that animal dies.
Mortality therefore affects more than animal numbers.
It affects the cost of the surviving production output.
This is why mortality needs to be considered in both operational and cost analysis.
Pig Sales
When pigs reach the required market stage, sales can be recorded by:
Batch
Animal quantity
Weight
Customer
Rate
Value
Dispatch date
This completes the production lifecycle.
Weight-Based Pig Sales
Where pigs are sold by actual live weight, the sales process can use:
Animal quantity
Total weight
Average weight
Rate per KG
Sale value
This connects production performance with revenue.
Multi-Farm Piggery Management
Large pig businesses may operate separate:
Breeding farms
Farrowing farms
Nursery units
Grower farms
Finisher farms
Management should be able to follow animals across these locations while maintaining population and cost continuity.
Daily Pig Farm Dashboard
Management may want to see:
Breeding herd population
Services due
Pregnancy checks due
Expected farrowing
Farrowing completed
Born alive
Piglet mortality
Weaning
Weaner population
Grower population
Finisher population
Feed consumption
Mortality
Sale-ready pigs
Exception-Based Management
The system should highlight situations requiring attention.
For example:
Sow overdue for service
Pregnancy check pending
Expected farrowing approaching
High stillbirth
High pre-weaning mortality
Low weaning weight
Grower weight below target
Feed consumption above expected level
High finisher mortality
These are more useful than simply producing another daily register.
NAVFarm for Pig Farm Management
NAVFarm can support the pig production lifecycle from breeding through finishing.
Depending on the operation, it can connect:
Individual breeding animals
Parity
Gestation
Farrowing
Litters
Weaning
Growing batches
Feed
Health
Mortality
Weight
Inventory
Costing
Sales
Traceability
This provides one operational structure across the piggery.
NAVFarm With Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central
Where the business uses Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, NAVFarm can manage pig-specific operations while Business Central manages areas such as:
Purchasing
Inventory
Vendors
Customers
Sales
Finance
Accounting
This helps connect farm activity with wider business and financial processes.
NAVFarm With an Existing ERP
Piggery companies already using SAP, Oracle or another ERP may not need to replace their existing corporate system.
NAVFarm can be assessed for integration based on the customer’s existing ERP, available interfaces and required business transactions.
This allows the farm to gain livestock-specific functionality while retaining the existing financial environment.
A Practical Sow Lifecycle Example
A gilt is selected for breeding.
She is serviced.
Pregnancy is confirmed.
The expected farrowing date is calculated.
She moves to the farrowing unit.
She gives birth to 13 piglets, of which 12 are born alive.
During lactation, one piglet dies.
Eleven piglets are weaned.
The sow returns to service and starts the next reproductive cycle.
Instead of maintaining these events in separate registers, the entire history remains connected with the same sow.
That is what makes parity and lifetime sow analysis possible.
A Practical Grower Batch Example
A weaner batch starts with 500 pigs.
During the production cycle, the system records:
Opening population
Feed consumption
Mortality
Medicine
Weight
Transfers
By the end of the grower stage, management can see:
Closing population
Average weight
Feed consumed
Mortality
Cost per pig
The batch then moves to finishing without losing its history.
What to Look for in Pig Farm Management Software
Before selecting a solution, check whether it supports:
Gilt management
Sow management
Boar management
Service
AI
Pregnancy
Gestation
Farrowing
Parity
Litter management
Piglet management
Cross-fostering
Weaning
Weaner
Grower
Finisher
Feed
Weight
FCR
Health
Vaccination
Medication
Mortality
Culling
Movement
Inventory
Costing
Sales
Traceability
Multi-farm operations
Mobile data entry
ERP integration
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Pig Farm Management Software?
It is software used to manage pig breeding, gestation, farrowing, litters, weaning, growing, finishing, feed, health, mortality, costing and other pig farm operations.
Can individual sows be tracked?
Yes. Each breeding sow can have an individual record containing parity, service, pregnancy, farrowing, litter and health history.
Can parity be managed?
Yes. The sow’s reproductive cycles can be maintained so performance can be analysed by parity.
Can piglets be tracked from farrowing to weaning?
Yes. Litter information can include born alive, mortality, transfers, cross-fostering and weaning.
Can grower and finisher pigs be managed by batch?
Yes. Group or batch management can be used where individual animal tracking is not operationally required.
Can feed and FCR be monitored?
Yes. Feed consumption, weight gain and FCR can be analysed at the relevant production stage or batch level.
Can pig farm cost per animal be calculated?
Yes. Feed, medicine, animal cost and other relevant expenses can contribute to cost per pig according to the company’s costing methodology.
Can pig farm software integrate with an existing ERP?
Yes. NAVFarm can work with Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central or be assessed for integration with other ERP systems based on the customer’s requirements.
The Sow, the Litter and the Growing Pig Are Part of One Business Cycle
Piggery management becomes difficult when breeding, farrowing, weaning and growing are treated as separate registers.
They are not separate processes.
They are connected stages of the same production cycle.
Gilt → Service → Gestation → Farrowing → Piglet → Weaner → Grower → Finisher → Sale
Feed, mortality, weight and cost follow the animals through that journey.
When the complete cycle is visible in one system, management can understand not only how many pigs are on the farm, but how efficiently those pigs are being produced and what they are costing the business.
