What type of production system results in selling piglets right after birth?

The farrow-to-nursery production system involves breeding sows, which gives birth to piglets, and then raising those piglets in a nursery setting. In this system, piglets are typically weaned from their mothers and sold shortly thereafter, usually after a period of early growth. This approach allows producers to focus on the critical early stages of piglet development before selling them to other producers or feeding operations. Selling piglets right after birth would not be typical in this context, though they are sold relatively soon after weaning.

In contrast, the farrow-to-finish system entails managing pigs from birth all the way to market weight, meaning piglets are kept on the farm until they are fully grown. A feeder pig operation buys weaned piglets and raises them until they reach market weight, but piglets are not sold right after birth either. Lastly, a finishing operation is focused exclusively on the growth phase from weaning to market weight and does not deal with piglets directly after birth.