Does absence make the heat grow stronger?
By Lucy Campbell, Animal Scientist, ACMC - If we are talking about ‘segregated service management’, then J.R. Behan and P.F. Watson would say “Yes”, as is detailed in their article ‘The effect of managed boar contact in the postweaning period on the subsequent...

Should Emotional And Societal Values Be Included In Breeding Programmes?
By Lucy Campbell, Animal Scientist, ACMC - This article looks at the concept of including those traits that have no economic importance into a breeding programme. Modern pig production is no longer focused on just economically efficient pork production;...

What next on the road to recovery?
By Dr. Sam Hoste, Consultant Geneticist, ACMC - Implementation of the British industry’s Road to Recovery strategy has been second-to-none and everyone involved should be congratulated. But there is one area where we need to go beyond this document in...

The Cost Of Rotational Crossing
By ACMC - While evaluating this article, readers who breed their own replacements may think “well a breeding company would say that wouldn’t they”. If all the following points have had full consideration during the decision-making process then this is...

Increasing Slaughter Weights - Profit or Peril?
By Sandra Edwards, School of Agriculture, Food & Rural Development, University of Newcastle - To survive in an increasingly global market for pigmeat, all pig producers need to produce a desirable product at a competitive price. However, the recent BPEX...