Breeding Systems for Niche Markets

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Breeding Systems for Niche Markets

• Ron Bates

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Breeding Systems

• Breeding Systems
• Provide for a point of organization
• Create an opportunity to focus on the needs/goals
  of the farm

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Breeding Systems

• Goals/Needs
• Incorporate Uniqueness of the Farm
• Housing
• Management style
• Production Characteristics
• Address the performance and marketing goals

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Breeding Systems

• Example Needs/Goals
• Group housing/farrowing for sows
• Pasture or straw based.
• Minimal use of feed additives
• Antibiotics, etc
• Qualify a high percentage of market pigs for meat
  quality

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Breeding Systems

• Breeding Systems
• Strategically uses the strengths of breeds and
  crossing to optimize farm performance and meet
  the needs/goals of the farm
• Crossing (Heterosis) relies on the notion that
  for many traits the crossbred animal performs
  better than the average of the parental breeds.

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Breeding Systems
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Breeding Systems
aPercent Improvement
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Breeding Systems
Goodwin, 2004
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Breeding Systems
Goodwin, 2004
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Breeding Systems
Goodwin, 2004
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Breeding Systems

• Growth
• Duroc
• Landrace
• York
• Polands
• Berks
• Chester
• Spots
• Hamp

• Carcass
• Hamps
• Duroc
• York
• Landrace
• Spots
• Polands
• Chester
• Berks

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Breeding Systems
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Breeding Systems
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Breeding Systems

• Sow Productivity
• Yorkshire
• Landrace
• Chester
• Duroc
• Hamp

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Breeding Systems
Jungst and Kuhlers, 1988
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Breeding Systems
Summary of Pigs Born Over Four Parities
a,bMeans within a column with differing
superscripts differ (P1988
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Breeding Systems
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Breeding Systems
Purchase
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Breeding Systems
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Breeding Systems
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Breeding Systems
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Breeding Systems

• Choosing Breeding Stock
• As much variation within a breed as between
  breeds
• Know what you need
• Make the seedstock producer provide verifiable
  information as feasible

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Breeding Systems

• Choosing Breeding Stock Cont
• Stay away from Breeding Stock with the Stress
  gene (HAL-1843TM)
• Stay away from Breeding Stock with the Napole
  Gene (RN) primarily in Hampshires
• Be cautious of those who sell show pigs may or
  may not be able to meet your needs.

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Breeding Systems

• Choosing Breeding Stock An Example
• Choosing Duroc boars for Sow Productivity and
  Meat Quality
• Ask for SPI or EPDs and compare to herd/breed
• Ask for meat quality tests from sibs or sires
• Check Stress Gene and Napole status (no carriers
  either!)
• Determine lines or families within breeds that
  excel for your needs
• Dont forget health!!!!

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Breeding Systems

• Conclusion
• Breeding Systems can improve a farms ability to
  meet their production and marketing needs and
  goals
• Breeds and lines used should match the production
  and marketing goals of the farm
• Not all animals within a breed are alike
• Choose families within breeds that excel for
  characteristics important to the farm