National Pig Association THE VOICE OF THE UK PIG INDUSTRY NPA is active on members' behalf in Brussels & Whitehall, and with processors, supermarkets & caterers - fighting for the growth and pros-perity of the UK pig industry.

Drs Elizabeth McCann and Elizabeth Magowan presented a detailed overview of current pig research at the Institute. The English producers were particularly interested in results from recent research, highlighting a difference of at least 18 days between pigs in ‘good’ and ‘poor’ performing herds reaching a liveweight of 100kg.

Results from other production research - eg. the effect of feeder design on pig performance and the effect of drinker design on water use - were also key discussion points.

Research work on nutritional opportunities to reduce nitrogen and phosphorus emissions, funded jointly by DARD, Devenish Nutrition Ltd and John Thompson and Sons Ltd, was also discussed.

And research continues into nutritional and management regimes to reduce growth rate variability within farms during growing and finishing periods.

Simon Guise thanked the pig unit staff for their hospitality and commented on the clearly focused, practical and relevant research that was being undertaken. He commented on the absence of similar pig research facilities in Great Britain.

Pictured above: Dr Elizabeth McCann (AFBI, Hillsborough) and Dr Violet Beattie (Devenish Nutrition) with representatives of the British pig industry on a visit to the Pig Unit at AFBI, Hillsborough.