How many litters can a sow give birth to annually?

Sows, or female pigs, are capable of reproducing multiple times throughout the year, making them an important part of swine production. On average, a sow can have about two litters annually. This is due to their reproductive cycle, which typically allows for the gestation period of approximately 114 days, followed by a breeding interval where the sow is typically bred within a few days of weaning the previous litter. After accounting for gestation and weaning periods, sows can efficiently produce two litters per year.

While some highly productive farms may achieve slightly more than two litters with careful management, the standard expectation in swine production is two litters. This allows producers to maximize productivity while also maintaining the health and welfare of the sow. Therefore, the most accurate answer regarding the number of litters a sow can give birth to annually is two.