The Real Cost of Re-Mixing Nursery Pigs

Moving and mixing pigs in the nursery is a common practice on commercial farms. Producers often pull smaller or compromised pigs into recovery pens to give them extra care and help manage variation in body weight. While this can improve welfare, mixing pigs also changes their social groups and may increase exposure to disease. In this episode, Dr. Christine Mainquist-Whigham reviews a recent trial that looked at how different nursery movement strategies affect pig growth, health, and survival in real-world nursery barns.