First Imports of Pigs from Ireland to Japan
JAPAN - In February 2009 the health certificate facilitating trade in porcine species was officially agreed between the Irish and Japanese veterinary authorities.

Maxgro Has Arrived in US
US - Maxgro^TM, the new terminal sire line from Hermitage NGT, has just arrived in the United States.

ACMC Nucleus Expansion in the Philippines
PHILIPPINES - To meet unprecedented demand for the prolific AC1 hybrid gilt in the Philippines, Wellisa Farms has invested 15 million Philippine pesos (over £200,000) to expand its nucleus herd from 300...

Maprelin Stimulates Pig Breeding Herd Performance
UK - Janssen Animal Health has introduced a management tool for UK pig producers that stimulates oestrus in gilts and sows, shortens weaning to oestrus interval and can improve reproductive performance...

Hypor Grows Production in the US
US - Hypor, the pig breeding division of Hendrix Genetics announced today that it has signed a genetic distribution agreement with Bricelyn, Minnesota-based American pig breeder, LSG Health Systems.

Danish Pig Producers Use More Antibiotics
DENMARK - During the first six months of this year the use of antibiotics by Danish pig producers increased 12 per cent, according to a report by the Danish Technical University.

IMV Confirms Leadership in Reproductive Technologies
FRANCE - During the 23^rd edition of the Space show, held in Rennes from 15-18 September, IMV confirmed its position as a leader in reproductive biotechnologies.

Breeding for Profitability More Accurate than Ever Before
EU - As described in the article Breeding for Profitability, rather than focusing on selecting...

Hypor Lands in Viet Nam
VIET NAM - Hypor, the pig breeding division of Hendrix Genetics, announced today that their first delivery of GGPs/GPs to Viet Nam arrived on 30 August.

Positive Signs for English Pig Sector
UK - Provisional Defra Pig census results published this week report a 5.5 per cent increase in the English breeding herd during the past twelve months.

TOPIGS and SNW Collaborate on Piétrain Breeding
GERMANY - Breeding organisations TOPIGS and SNW will now collaborate in the breeding of Piétrain terminal boars. The merging of the two breeding programmes will result in more rapid genetic progress.

NPA Calls for Rethink on Vitamin A
UK - To protect consumers, the European Food Standards Agency has proposed new maximum levels of vitamin A in animal feed.

ACMC Tip: Dealing with Deadstock
UK - Unit bio-security is critical to maintaining health on a pig unit. One route of disease transmission which must be controlled is the disposal of dead stock. Ideally, this should be through on-farm...

New Advances in Animal Reproduction
FRANCE - IMV Technologies is pleased to invite you at two conferences focused on the advancements in animal reproduction and their direct impact for semen production centres.

Portuguese Pig Producers Choose UK Breeding Stock
PORTUGAL - UK pig genetics and breeding stock will soon be distributed throughout Portugal, Angola, Mozambique, Guiné Bissau and Cabo Verde. This follows the signing of a new contract between UK based...

New Assisted Boar Collection System
FRANCE - IMV Technologies is introducing a new assisted boar collection system, Safemate.

TOPIGS Achieves 28.6 Weaned Piglets/Sow/Year
BRAZIL - Pig producers in Brazil with TOPIGS sows achieved an average production of 28.6 weaned piglets per mated sow per year in 2008.

Getting Gilt Integration Right
UK - With good returns on finished pigs, attractive cull sow prices and a contracting EU pig herd, many producers are building up their breeding herds again, some of which have been run at below optimum...

To Dry or Not to Dry: That is the Question
UK - The June issue of Target Farm Action from BPEX explains the benefits and best procedures for drying off gilts right after their first farrowing.

Chinese Scientists Succeed in Pig Gender Selection
CHINA - Chinese scientists have claimed a commercial breakthrough after breeding 10 piglets whose sex was successfully selected before conception, heralding potential higher profits for farmers.

New Boar Quality Assurance Scheme
UK - Although AI now accounts for 75-80 per cent of pig services nationally, the boar is still a very important animal on most farms and is used extensively to provide cover for sows both naturally and...

McDonalds Launches Flagship Farms Programme
EU - Fast food restaurant chain McDonald's Europe has launched a new Flagship Farms programme, designed to promote and share the benefits of sustainable agricultural practices via real case studies from...

WPE REPORT: Certification in PQA Plus Called for
US - The US National Pork Board is calling on pork producers to become certified in the in the Pork Quality Assurance Plus programme, writes ThePigSite senior editor Chris Harris.

China Invests in Pig Breeding
CHINA - China has earmarked 3 billion yuan (€322 million) this year to support the large-scale breeding of pigs and cows in a bid to stabilise agricultural development and help raise farmers' incomes,...

ACMC Tip: Get Cover for Reduced Fertility
UK - Last year many herds suffered from reduced fertility in both summer and autumn. On many units this is a predictable effect says Paul Thompson, veterinary consultant to pig- breeding company, ACMC...