The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has released the third
part of its Swine 2000 report. USDA's National Animal Health
Monitoring System (NAHMS) surveyed producers in 17 states in
2000. Small sites were less than 2,000 head; medium sites, 2,000
to 9,999 head; and large sites, 10,000 or more pigs. Survey
highlights showed: The annual removal rate of breeding age
females from death loss and culling was 45.9%. An average of
10.9 pigs born/litter, 10.0 pigs/litter born alive, and 8.8
pigs/litter weaned. A higher percentage of pigs died in grow-
finish (3%) than in nurseries (2.4%). Only 25% of small sites
kept birds out of swine facilities, compared to more than 85% of
large sites. About half of sites using rodent baits outside
gestation buildings placed baits more than 50 ft. apart, too far
apart for effective rodent control. Hog enterprises had these
animals on their premises: cats, 73.1%; dogs, 70.9%; and cattle,
51.7%. Nearly 60% of operations in the southern region reported
having wild hogs in their co