— Invited Review — Current status of global pig production: an overview and research trends

Abstract

Global pig production has increased by 140% since the 1960s. The increase in global population, coupled with improving socioeconomic conditions of many countries has led to an increased consumption of meat globally, including pork. To keep up with demand and capitalize on economic opportunities, the countries of China, the United States (US), and the European Union (EU) have become the top 3 pork producers globally. China is of particular interest, as it is the both the largest country in pork production and pig numbers, as well as being the largest importer of pork from other countries. Globally, the efficiency of pork production has improved, in relation to the integration of pig production and the dramatic increase in research efforts in pig nutrition and production. Through integration, large producers can consolidate resources and maximize profits and efficiency. The increased research interest and efforts in pig production have given scientists and producers the opportunity to collaborate to adapt to challenges and identify possible solutions to issues brought on by a volatile global market. Intestinal health (23%), general nutrition and growth (23%), and amino acid nutrition (15%) were the top 3 areas (61%) leading research trends in pig nutrition and production. Major dietary interventions with feed additives evaluated include functional amino acids, feed enzymes, pre-/pro-/post-biotics, and phytobiotics with a common goal to improve the growth efficiency by enhancing nutrient utilization and intestinal health. With increasing global issues with environment, pig producers and the supporting scientists should continue their efforts to improve the production efficiency and to reduce the environmental footprint from pig production.

Sustainable animal agriculture in the United States and the implication in Republic of Korea

“…The U.S. is the second-largest pork producer in the world, with over 80,000 swine farms. According to a report from the research team at North Carolina State University [ 15 ], the U.S. pork industry has consistently increased pig productivity over the 50-year period from 1960 to 2015 while also reducing the environmental impact. Swine farms have reduced water, land, and energy use by 25.1%, 75.9%, and 7%, respectively, resulting in their carbon footprint decreasing by 7.7%.…”

Exploring the Multifaceted Factors Affecting Pork Meat Quality

“…Pork is one of the most widely consumed red meats worldwide, accounting for 35% of global meat consumption [1]. In consumers' diets, pork is one of the important sources of rich animal protein and other essential nutrients (essential vitamin, mineral, and fatty acids) [2][3][4].…”

Use of chorionic gonadotropins during lactation to optimize postpartum sow reproductive performance: a review

“…Pig production represents 34% of global meat consumption and the consumer demand for pork is expected to increase in the coming decades, thus, improving the efficiency of pork production is the most critical goal for producers ( MacLeod et al, 2013 ; Kim et al, 2024 ). Reproductive efficiency is a key factor for the successful production of pork ( Britt, 1986 ) and significant changes in the sector have occurred as a direct result of the use of reproductive technologies, such as artificial insemination (AI; Knox, 2016 ).…”