The Porc d’Or Longevity Award is evaluated based on the percentage of sows that survive beyond the third cycle.
Following the 2024 sector meeting and several discussions with the Awards jury, it was agreed that, starting with the 2025 edition of the Awards, the Porc D’Or Longevity Award would be evaluated based on the percentage of sows that survive the third cycle.
At BDporc we want to tell you how this new indicator is calculated
The technical and production indicators evaluated in each edition of the awards take into account all cycles completed in the previous year. For example, in this 2025 edition of the awards, farms were evaluated based on the results of all their cycles completed in 2024. At BDporc, we consider a cycle completed when it ends in weaning, abortion, or sow death.
To calculate the percentage of sows that survive beyond the third cycle, we must first calculate the survival probability of sows in cycle 1 (C1), cycle 2 (C2), and cycle 3 (C3):
Survival rate C1 = 1 – [C1 losses / (C1 weaned litters + C1 abortions + C1 losses)]Survival rate C2 = 1 – [C2 losses / (C2 weaned litters + C2 abortions + C2 losses)]Survival rate C3 = 1 – [C3 losses / (C3 weaned litters + C3 abortions + C3 losses)]
Where C1 losses, C1 weaned litters, and C1 abortions are the sum of all first cycles on the farm that ended in loss, weaning, or abortion, respectively.
Since these are three events considered independent, the probability of surviving the third cycle is the product of the survival rates of the first three cycles, therefore:
% of sows surviving the 3rd cycle = (C1 survival rate * C2 survival rate * C3 survival rate) * 100
Let’s look at two examples:
Farm XX has a sow survival rate of 97%, 96%, and 95% for cycles 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Therefore, the probability of its sows surviving the third cycle is 88%.
Farm YY has a sow survival rate of 80%, 78%, and 65% for cycles 1, 2, and 3, respectively. In this case, the probability of its sows surviving the third cycle is 41%.
Please note that, in addition to the value of this new indicator, for nominations to the Longevity Award, the jury also gives particular consideration to a balanced herd pyramid and a relatively stable population (i.e., little difference between the percentage of deaths and new arrivals). Similarly, to avoid rewarding excessively aged farms, the average number of farrowings per sow cannot exceed a maximum value of 8.
