Project on Gender–Sorted Semen Ended
DENMARK – Videncenteret for Svineproduksjon (VSP; Danish Pig Research Centre) has halted its project on the sex-sorting of pig semen.

From the Wallingford Pig Study Group to PIC
UK - In 1955, a group in the UK called the Wallingford Pig Study Group was concerned that the traditional purebred breeders were not producing the right pig for future markets.

PIC Celebrates First 50 years of Genetic Improvement
UK - 26 February 2012 marks the 50th anniversary of business for global swine genetics leader Pig Improvement Company (PIC). From the very beginning, the company has been true to its "never stop improving"...

TOPIGS Philippines Imports Top Genetics
PHILIPPINES - TOPIGS Philippines recently imported 1111 top SPF genetics from Canada to set up a new nucleus farm for San Miguel Foods, Inc. (SMFI) in the Isabela province of the country. Thanks to this...

Research into AI Semen Age and Fertility
UK - Research carried out by pig breeding company PIC in the UK into the effect of semen age on reproductive performance in AI has seen a surprising result - that fresh is not necessarily best, writes...

Improving AI to Improve Commercial Pig Herd
UK - Fresh work on the study of porcine semen production could go a long way to improving the commercial pig herd in the UK, writes ThePigSite editor in chief, Chris Harris.

Less Boar Taint with TOPIGS Nador Concept
GERMANY & NETHERLANDS - TOPIGS introduces the Nador concept. With Nador it is possible to select and use finisher boars that produce offspring with 40 per cent less boar taint. With this innovation one...

PIC Opens New AI Research Centre
UK - Pig breeding company PIC opened a gene technology research centre in the UK on Tuesday – believed to be the first of its type in the UK and probably in Europe.

Hermitage MaxgroTerminal Line - Alternative to Castration
IRELAND - The issue of piglet castration has become a major animal welfare concern in many European countries. Some supermarket chains have decided to only sell products from pigs that have not been physically...

Traceability Project Uses DNA to Improve Genetics
CANADA - The Canadian Swine Health Board and the University of Prince Edward Island’s (UPEI) Atlantic Veterinary College (AVC) have completed the first phase of an innovative research project that analyses...

Hermitage Builds New AI Station in Italy
ITALY - In 2005, Hermitage Italia srl launched their high health boar stud ‘Centro Verri Italia’ which services the genetic requirements of the dynamic Italian pig industry.

Hermitage UK - Restock Reports Excellent Results
UK - Having been without pigs for the previous five years, Stephen Tuer from Northallerton, restocked his unit with 400 high health Classic 1 gilts from Hermitage Seaborough in the second half of last...

Scientists Find Meat Quality Biomarkers
DENMARK - Scientists use modern technology to develop tools that slaughterhouses and pig producers can use to predict meat quality.

Testing Females to Improve Accuracy
UK - Over 1,000 female pigs annually are currently individually tested at nucleus level for feed intake, feed conversion and growth rate by the Yorkshire-based international pig-breeding company, ACMC...

Phobic Food Marketing
UK - Think of some famous advertising brands, it is remarkable how many of these brands implement science and technology into their products and highlight its importance, writes Dr Grant Walling, Managing...

Major European Genomics Report Published
NETHERLANDS - The Sustainable Animal Breeding (SABRE) Report on genomics for sustainable breeding of cattle, pigs and poultry has been published, reports Wageningen UR.

Herd Restock: Act Now for Earlier Payback
UK - With so many factors to consider - finance, logistics and sheer hard work - a full herd restock has never been a lightly made decision. What of the rewards?, asks James Christian, JSR's new COO.

Stuart Bosworth Pig Farmer of the Year
UK - Stuart Bosworth from Willingale, Essex (UK) is Pig Farmer of the Year 2011.

Endocrinology: the Answer to Seasonal Infertility?
GLOBAL - For years the annual cycle of infertility has had major implications for the pig industry globally, from indoor producers in Korea to outdoor units in Scotland, writes Stephen Waite, Head of Science...

Feed Training at TOPIGS Danubia, October 2011
CENTRAL EUROPE - In the middle of October, TOPIGS Danubia organised seminars for the Central European Region about the new TOPIGS feeding recommendations.

JSR Purchases 650-Sow Nucleus Farm in Canada
CANADA - JSR's Nucleus Farm in Elstow, Saskatoon, Canada is now fully stocked producing the company's own GP1 and GP2 female lines alongside the Geneconverter 500 and Geneconverter 700 sire lines. Production...

TOPIGS Imports More Top Genetics to China
CHINA - TOPIGS has imported 500 top breeding pigs into China. This second successful importation comes just one month after a first import of 1,000 animals.

Awards Presentation at TOPIGS Canada
CANADA - TOPIGS Canada hosted the annual Customer Appreciation Night on 3 November 2011.

JSR Holds Seminar for Bioenergia
RUSSIA - Bioenergia, OOO Managing Company, the JSR agent for Russia (excluding Krasnodar Kray region), recently attended a sales and product training seminar at their offices in Saratov.

Less Boar Taint by Selecting Terminal Boars
EU - TOPIGS will soon start selecting finisher boars which have less risk of breeding offspring with boar taint.

JSR Signs Contract with Agroprime Holding Ltd.
UKRAINE - Agroprime Holding Ltd based in the Ukraine, have been established since 2005. It has grown into one of the leading agricultural companies in the Odeas region, growing from 5,000 ha to over 18,000...

Research Conducted Could Benefit Pork Producers
CANADA - Research being conducted on behalf of the Canadian Swine Research and Development Cluster as part of Swine Innovation is expected to be of benefit to pork producers across Canada, writes Bruce...

SNPs for More Uniform and Bigger Litters Found
NETHERLANDS - TOPIGS researchers have found a series of SNPs that define the region of the genome that explains genetic variation for litter size and uniformity between litters.

Silver Success for Yorkshire Pig Farmer
UK - Yorkshire pig farmer, Ian Broumpton, gained an armful of trophies at this year’s Hull Market Christmas Fatstock Show, according to ACMC.

Greater Insight into Danish Genes and Technology
UK - The country's newest pig breeding and genetics supplier, DanBred International UK, has launched its own web site.