The challenge was made at a workshop on improving reproductive performance in pigs organised by the British Pig Executive (BPEX).

BPEX Director of Pig Industry Development Mark Wilson called on the industry to achieve an extra pig born alive per litter and an extra two sold per sow per year.

Mark was one of the speakers at a workshop called Setting a New Standard which aimed to improve reproductive performance by training the trainers attended by a wide cross-section from the industry including. Vets, breeding companies, advisors and larger producers.

Mark said: "There are already many producers who are doing better than the national average but that is not to say they can't do exceptionally well.

"Our average born alive is just 10.7 when our major competitors in Europe are at least 1.5 pigs per litter better than that.

"It is not impossible to achieve significant improvement. Just four years ago the French were sixth in the European league table and now they are at the top. If they can do it so can we."

Speakers from all over Europe attended the workshop, held at the Radisson Hotel at Stansted Airport on Thursday (26) and gave a comprehensive view of factors affecting breeding herd performance from AI stud, boar contact and light levels to timing of insemination and the layout of an outdoor AI system.

At the event, BPEX Chief Executive Mick Sloyan launched the AI programme which has been developed in close consultation with breeding companies using the expertise of International Pig Genetics, a world leader in pig breeding.

The programme involves on-farm improvement, a reference lab, setting and auditing standards and recording to provide feedback.

The reference lab and stud audit will provide a single independent source for testing semen quality and monitoring stud procedures all of which should lead to improvements in quality.

Source: BPEX - 27th January 2006