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.

The Cold Weather Will Warm Up the Market
UK - Although DAPP dropped a further 1.04p to stand at 142.31p, Cranswick probably set the trend last week by leaving its shout price unchanged and this cue was followed by Tulip, leading to all the other...

Livestock 2012 Stand Space Schedule Launched
UK - The stand space schedule for Livestock 2012, the rebranded Dairy Event and Livestock Show, to be held at the NEC, Birmingham, on 4 to 5 September, has been launched on-line this week by the event’s...

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"...

Slap-Dash Slap-Marking
UK - ACMC says it still sees numerous farm reports where slap-markings are recorded by the abattoir or by BPHS (British Pig Health Scheme) vets as illegible.

Outlook Conference Date Set
UK - This year’s Outlook conference, jointly hosted by BPEX, DairyCo and EBLEX, will be held at One Great George Street in London, on Wednesday 2 May.

British Pork Production Highest Since 2002
UK - Last year, United Kingdom pig slaughterings were their highest since 2002, at 9.8m head — up six per cent on the previous year.

BPEX 2TS: Focus on Weaning - Diary Dates
UK - At the 2TS Focus on Weaning event, local producers will speak about how they help get their weaned piglets off to a good start and industry experts will discuss appropriate use of antimicrobials,...

Final Members Join Animal Health & Welfare Board
UK - The final two members of the Animal Health and Welfare Board for England (AHWBE) have been appointed.

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...

BPEX Finisher Challenge for Pig Producers
UK - A few pig finishers have already said they want to join in the 2TS Finisher Challlenge. BPEX has challenged English producers to see how much further they can improve growing pig production by October...

Tulip & Woodhead Take Off; Vion & Gill Drop
UK - Although Friday proved to be another difficult day for sellers following a further slide in the DAPP which shed another 2.07p to 143.35p, shout prices fell by less than this with only Tulip and Woodhead...

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.

Farm Income Forecasts a Mixed Bag
UK - New government figures confirming a strong year for the farming industry are welcome, but the continued rise in input costs and the crisis in the eurozone means that there’s no room for complacency,...

How to Make Better Vaccines for Humans & Animals
UK - Researchers at the Institute for Animal Health (IAH) and collaborators at the Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, have discovered why some vaccines are not as effective at stimulating an immune...

Bag £1,000 with ABN Innovation Award
UK - Open to anyone with an idea for adding greater value to the British pig and poultry industry, the ABN Innovation Award 2012 sets out to highlight the very best idea to help tackle some of the challenges...

Govt Looks to Increase Food Exports
UK - A Government-backed drive to boost exports of British food and drink to high growth markets like India and China will be an engine for economic growth, Agriculture Minister Jim Paice said today.

NFU Livestock Board Chairman Steps Down
UK - Outgoing National Farmers Union (NFU) livestock board chairman Alistair Mackintosh believes the industry is more optimistic now than when he was elected in 2008.

BPEX Launches Revamped Website
UK - The BPEX website has been given a makeover to make it easier to navigate around the vast amount of information it contains.

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.

Congenital Tremor Type A2 in Gilt Litters
UK - Congenital tremor type A2 was diagnosed on two farms in gilt litters.

New Head of Marketing for BPEX
UK - BPEX has appointed a new Head of Marketing to replace Chris Lamb who is retiring at the end of February after more than 20 years in the industry.

eAML2 Demo Ready & Compulsory by April
UK - The countdown is on to when the eAML2 pig movement system becomes compulsory at the beginning of April 2012 in England and Wales.

Shout Prices Slip Across the Board
UK - Although Friday proved to be another depressing day for sellers especially in the spot market, signs are starting to emerge that we may be at or close to the bottom of the January trough that we seem...

Pork Turning Up the Volume
UK - Last year was good for fresh and frozen pork as volume sales were 2.2 per cent up on the year – the only meat to show an increase.

2TS Pig Finisher Challenge for 2012
UK - Pig finishing units have been challenged to see how far they can improve production by October this year.

Meat Industry Hits Back over Cancer and Meat Claims
UK - The British pig industry has hit back following the publication in the British Journal of Cancer by researchers at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm suggesting eating two rashers of bacon a day...

Helping British Pig Exports Succeed
UK - A call has been put out to support the British pig industry and to back quality British pig meat after a UK pig meat processing company was blocked from exporting to China, writes Lucy Towers, ThePigSite...

UK Implementing Higher Animal Welfare Too Soon?
UK - Compassion in World Farming was disappointed to hear David Cameron’s lack of support for the UK bringing in higher welfare systems, ahead of the legal obligatory time and subsequently leading the...

Eat Yourself Happy, Urges Vion
UK - Vion Food Group is to launch the second phase of its "Put Pork on Your Fork" campaign, encouraging the nation to eat more British pork, with a New Year promotion entitled, Eat Yourself Happy