Economic cost of preweaning mortality: a report of the NAHMS national swine survey.

We used data collected for the National Animal Health Monitoring Systems' (NAHMS) National Swine Survey to estimate the number and associated opportunity costs of piglet mortalities to producers of various herd sizes and in various regions of the United States in 1990. Opportunity costs are the profit opportunities that were lost by United States producers with each pig death event Herds participating in the NAHMS National Swine Survey were stratified by herd size and by region so that we could account for cost advantages efficiencies that accrue to herds in certain regions and to the largest herds. We used the costs and returns data to calculate the associated income lost from each mortality, and predicted the increase in income that would result from reduced preweaning mortality in each herd size and region. Weprovide estimation methods that may be adjusted to suit a particular farm situation. Practitioners can use this information to perform preliminary cost'benefit analysis of intervention strategies intended to reduce preweaning mortality.