Assessment of reproductive challenges and nutritional practices on Pennsylvania sow farms.

Pennsylvania is ranked 12th in the United States of America in pork production and hosts a diverse population of farms of different herd sizes, management techniques, and reproductive issues. Despite the appreciation of this diversity, these differences have not been systematically quantified. Variations in housing systems, feeding strategies, and overall management can influence reproductive outcomes and animal health. Furthermore, significant knowledge gaps persist regarding the vitamin A and D requirements of modern sows necessary to support optimal health and reproductive function. Establishing baseline serum concentrations of these vitamins is essential for defining nutritional adequacy in contemporary swine production systems. A survey was distributed to Pennsylvania pork producers assessing herd health, reproductive challenges, and management strategies, aiming to characterize statewide variation. A total of 45 responses that met the inclusion criteria were analyzed. Respondents were also asked about their willingness to participate in a follow-up blood sampling effort to evaluate serum vitamin A and D levels; four respondents agreed to participate. Survey responses were analyzed using frequency statistics, and serum data were evaluated using parametric and non-parametric statistics. Differences were observed when comparing health issues, feed source, veterinary records, and mortality between herd sizes, and reproductive issues by frequency of selection (P < 0.05). Serum retinol concentrations differed by farm (P < 0.10), with sows from Farm 1 having higher values than Farm 2 (P < 0.05). Serum retinol concentrations were not affected by parity or pregnancy status (P > 0.05). Serum 25(OH)D concentrations were not affected by parity but varied by farm, being greater in Farm 2 than Farm 3 (P = 0.01). These data indicate that Pennsylvania swine producers face diverse health and reproductive challenges, influenced in part by herd size and associated management strategies. As such, education and management strategies to optimize herd nutrition, health, and reproduction should account for these contextual differences.