Learn how continuous monitoring helps producers identify developing production challenges through changes in water consumption, growth performance and other key production indicators.
Pig production is currently under significant pressure across most regions of the world. Volatile pig prices and increasing requirements for animal welfare and sustainability are steadily eroding margins. At the same time, producers are expected to deliver consistent performance under conditions that are becoming more complex and less predictable.
For OEMs supplying equipment, systems and technology to the pig production industry, this creates a clear challenge: how to help customers maintain profitability and stability in an environment where small deviations in performance can quickly turn into substantial financial losses.
Disease pressure has reshaped global pig production
Disease outbreaks have been one of the most disruptive forces in pig production over the past decade. African Swine Fever (ASF), PRRS and other endemic diseases have had a measurable impact on global pork supply due to the sheer scale of production losses.
Between 2023 and 2025, global losses of slaughter pigs are estimated at 23–40 million animals annually, corresponding to approximately 1.8–2.8 percent of total global pig production. During the peak crisis period from 2019 to 2021, when ASF spread widely across Asia, annual losses rose dramatically to 45–70 million slaughter pigs, equivalent to 3.5–5.0 percent of global production.
These figures illustrate why disease prevention and early detection have moved from being operational concerns to becoming strategic priorities. Production losses on this scale have not only reduced supply but also contributed to increased price volatility, making revenue planning and long-term investment decisions significantly more difficult for producers.
Economic pressure amplifies the cost of late reactions
When margins are tight, the cost of reacting too late becomes disproportionately high. Disease, stress, suboptimal climate or feed changes rarely appear overnight. In most cases, performance deterioration starts gradually, through reduced feed intake, slower growth, increased variation or subtle behavioral changes.
However, these early signals are often missed in traditional production setups. Problems are typically detected only once mortality increases, feed conversion worsens or veterinary intervention becomes necessary. At that point, the financial damage has already occurred.
For OEMs, this raises a fundamental question: how can technology provide earlier insight into performance deviations, so corrective actions can be taken before losses accumulate?
Higher welfare expectations and reduced antibiotic use raise the bar
Consumer expectations are also changing rapidly. Across key markets, demand is growing for pork produced with higher animal welfare standards and minimal use of antibiotics. Retailers, processors and regulators increasingly require documentation to prove that welfare targets are being met and that antibiotic use is justified and controlled.
This development places additional pressure on producers to manage health proactively rather than reactively. Good welfare outcomes depend on stable environments, early intervention and consistent management, all of which benefit from better visibility into daily production performance.
For OEMs, the ability to support customers with data-driven insights that link welfare, health and productivity is becoming a critical differentiator.
