New Zinpro Index brings predictive claw-health benchmarking to the global swine industry

USA – Zinpro® Corporation has launched the swine industry’s first predictive claw-health benchmarking system, unveiling the new Zinpro® Sow Excellence Index to help producers identify lesion-related productivity risks earlier and improve sow performance.

The system, unveiled this week, is the first in the industry to statistically quantify how claw lesions affect reproductive performance, allowing producers to identify risks early and protect herd productivity.

Developed using more than 30,000 individual sow assessments collected across multiple countries and continents, the index leverages Zinpro’s extensive sow-focused database, the largest of its kind. 

Its core measurement tool, the Lesion Index (L-Index), standardises how claw lesion severity and frequency are evaluated. 

By comparing farm-level data against global benchmarks, the system translates routine lesion scoring into predictive metrics tied directly to sow longevity, welfare and output.

“Claw lesions are a silent problem with loud consequences,” says Dr. Lucas Rodrigues, discovery researcher for Zinpro’s Swine Research and Discovery team. 

“Our multivariate analysis revealed that sows with poor claw health, such as heel overgrowth and white line lesions, consistently underperform in farrowing metrics. The Zinpro Sow Excellence Index empowers producers to act earlier, not later.”

Routine claw checks take less than a minute per sow and can be incorporated into lactation-phase evaluations. 

If lesions are detected, producers can immediately adjust nutrition, housing or management strategies to reduce performance losses. 

Because the data are tied to real-world production systems, the tool helps quantify how small health issues compound over an animal’s lifetime.

Turning lesions into production signals

The company says the new index marks a shift in how the industry interprets claw health, moving it from a diagnostic observation to a strategic performance indicator. 

Swine producers can now request customised L-Index reports through a Zinpro® Feet First® evaluation, enabling a detailed comparison with top-performing herds globally.

“The Zinpro Sow Excellence Index transforms claw lesion scoring from a diagnostic tool into a strategic production indicator,” says Dr. Ton Kramer, Zinpro’s South America business manager. 

“It empowers producers and technicians to act early to benchmark production, allowing them to improve sow longevity and performance.”

Zinpro highlights several key benefits for producers. The system provides early warnings before lameness occurs, strengthens decision-making through quantified monitoring, and links predictive insights to crucial KPIs such as reproductive success and sow lifespan. 

It also supports welfare assurance and sustainability reporting, areas under increasing scrutiny within global pork value chains.

With lameness recognised as one of the costliest health challenges in sow herds, Zinpro says the industry now has a scientifically validated way to show how claw health correlates with lifetime productivity. 

By identifying high-risk animals earlier and strengthening long-term management strategies, producers can reduce losses, extend the working life of their sows and elevate overall herd performance.

As the tool rolls out across global production systems, the company expects it to bolster both economic and welfare outcomes. For an industry where every cycle counts, the Zinpro Sow Excellence Index offers a new level of visibility into a once-overlooked driver of sow success.

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