Using a Stochastic Model to Evaluate Swine Production Management with Paylean III: Fixed Schedule Environment

Modern swine producers often face a fixed schedule for barn closeout, either due to a contracted date for delivering market hogs or the arrival of a new group of feeder pigs. With a fixed schedule, producers have to adjust their management strategies in order to shift the growth rate of the animals and raise the hogs to the packers desired weight range. Because Paylean (ractopamine, RAC) has proved to be able to enhance swine growth rate, as well as change the lean growth rate, it is a potential tool for producers to handle a fixed schedule environment and increase returns of swine production. In this research, the economically optimal return and management strategies for swine production with the application of Paylean were investigated for alternative fixed schedule environments.