In recent years there has been a general trend in the pig industry towards early weaning. A number of factors were responsible for this but perhaps the major reason was that of economic pressure dictating increasing sow productivity. Early weaning was putatively the means for the production of more piglets per sow per year. In Table 1 are presented data derived from the Meat and Livestock Commissions Pig Improvement Services over the years 1970-1983. This data illustrates the changing pattern of production. The indications are that this trend will continue.