What characterizes a farrow-to-nursery operation in swine production?

In a farrow-to-nursery operation in swine production, the primary focus is on breeding and raising piglets from birth until they are weaned. The sow, which is the female pig, gives birth to piglets (a process known as farrowing). After the piglets are born, they are kept in the nursery phase where they are cared for and fed until they reach the age of weaning, which typically occurs at around 3 to 4 weeks old.

At this point, the operation typically sells the weaned piglets to other producers or operations specializing in further growth stages, such as finishing or market-ready pigs. Therefore, the operation does not continue to raise the piglets to slaughter weight within the farrow-to-nursery setup. Instead, it focuses solely on the farrowing and nursery stages, making the characteristic of selling piglets at weaning a defining feature of this type of operation. This understanding helps clarify the specific role of farrow-to-nursery operations in the overall production cycle in swine farming.