In this issue of the newsletter;
- Landing High Health Genetics
- PIC Herd Restock for Hermitage
- PIC 337
- PIC 359
- Producers Benefit from Genetic Progress ❏ New Technology at Hermitage AI Centres
- PIC Indexing change
- Real-Time Scanning
- Danish Genetics
Category: News
THE IMPORTANCE OF LITTER WEANING WEIGHT – MLI 2
UPDATE ON FCR RECORDING AT PIC AND HERMITAGE
RESOURCES – PRACTICAL TECHNICAL SUPPORT AVAILABLE FROM PIC AND HERMITAGE TECHNICAL SERVICES TEAMS
THE NEXT STEP – INNOVATION IN GENETIC IMPROVEMENT – SEQUENCING THE PIC GENOME
PIC INVESTS MORE IN YOUR SUCCESS
PIC AND HERMITAGE TEAMING UP TO MAKE PRODUCERS MORE SUCCESSFUL
The first of April 2017 marked a major milestone in the history of Hermitage and the Pig Improvement Company (PIC).We entered into a strategic, long-term partnership with the ambition to accelerate genetic improvement and make pig producers in Europe and beyond more successful.The partnership combines the strength of PIC’s genetic improvement approach and Hermitage’s operational excellence in running an end- to-end supply chain.
PIC will take on the responsibility for genetic improvement.The combined PIC- Hermitage pure line population gives us greater genetic diversity which is an important lever for genetic improvement. PIC will apply its leading science and technology platform to the germplasm and both PIC and Hermitage customers will benefit from that. For example, in 2013 PIC was the first swine genetics company to use single step genomics in their breeding program which resulted in an acceleration of genetic gain by more than 35%. In addition the Hermitage customers will get access to the technical know-how from PIC to help them get the most out of their pigs. PIC continues to invest in our genetics, supply chain, and technical support to create more value for our customers. Our motto is “Never Stop Improving”.
Hermitage takes on distribution and supply chain roles in the partnership.The quality and customer-oriented approach of the Hermitage supply chain will further strengthen the support for pig producers.
• First, Hermitage will continue to serve customers in the UK and Ireland and other agreed markets and build on the long term relationships that had been established.
• Second, Hermitage will manage the combined PIC-Hermitage boar stud networks in the UK, Ireland, and Italy.
• Third, Hermitage will serve as a nucleus in the PIC global network.
In the initial months since the establishment of our partnership, we have focused on a seamless transition for our customers.While we integrate our lines and our supply chains, we will continue to communicate with producers and business partners about the progress we are making and how this benefits you.
At PIC, we are excited about the new partnership with Hermitage. In the end we want to create a better pig every day, get that to you in a bio-secure and reliable way, and help you realize the genetic potential in your farm. Our overall goal is to make you more successful and we believe we can do that together with Hermitage.
HERMITAGE F1 GILTS AT MOOREPARK, IRELAND
The new Teagasc (Government) Research and Development farm was stocked with 200 Hermitage F1 gilts. Farrowing began in June 2016 with an average farrowing rate of 96.89 and a BA of 13.8. Hermitage staff organised the quarantine and inseminated the gilts.
We wish Moorepark and this impressive facility success with all its R& D projects in the future.
HERMITAGE GENETICS & SK KAMENKA LTD FORM PARTNERSHIP IN NEW GENETIC PRODUCTION CENTRE IN RUSSIA
Hermitage Genetics is expanding its genetic production base in Russia through a new partnership with SK Kamenka Ltd. (CX KAMEHKA) which will entail the stocking of a new ‘state of the art’ 2,600 sow Genetic Nucleus in the Voronezh region, 650 km south of Moscow. This will increase the Hermitage Genetic Nucleus herd size in Russia to 3,700 sows when added to the existing established partnership with ZAO Shuvalovo –Sloboda 1,100 sow Nucleus in Vologda, 450 km North of Moscow. The new site will commence accepting breeding stock in early spring 2017 from the Sloboda Nucleus. Demand in the Russian Federation is high for breeding stock of high genetic merit and health status for the stocking of new federal and regional supported agricultural swine complexes in a bid to reach ‘self-sufficiency’ in pork production by 2020.
30TH September 2016- Embassy of Ireland Moscow– Both companies were invited to take part in an official contract signing ceremony in the embassy hosted by Ambassador Adrian McDaid. The signing ceremony and dinner was attended by representatives from both companies, along with representatives from the Department of Foreign Affairs, Bord Bia and Enterprise Ireland Moscow offices.
About SK Kamenka Ltd.
This vertically integrated company owns a pig slaughter and meat processing plant in Bobrov, the rich ‘black soil’ Voronezh region which slaughters more than 1 million pigs annually. They presently have two relatively new commercial sow farms totalling 5,000 sows with plans to increase their commercial sow base in the region to 40,000 sows in the coming years, thereby securing a large percentage of the animals required to maintain homogenous supply for the meat plant.
THE IMPORTANCE OF IMPROVING FOOD CONVERSION EFFICIENCY
UNDERSTANDING THE ECONOMIC SIGNIFICANCE OF FCE
The range in F.C.E. from 40 – 110kg on commercial farms varies greatly from 2.4 – 2.9. This equates to 0.5 F.C.E or 500g of feed per kg live weight gain: costs €9/pig.
Hermitage Genetics have selected for F.C.E for 30 years and in the past 2 years more than 10,000 individual pigs have been tested for F.C.E. The average F.C.E. of these 10,000 pigs is 2.42 (58 – 105kg) which include sireline and damline boars and gilts.
The genetic potential using Hermitage Genetics for pigs from 40 – 110kg, is less than 2.5:1 F.C.E.
Scope for improvement for F.C.E comes from A) Environment, B) Nutrition, C) Health and D) Genetics.
A. Environment
We believe there are three important areas under this heading:
(i) Type of Feeding System
Trials on Hermitage farms have compared two types of feeding system; probe wet fed vs ad-lib wet-dry. Having repeated trials three times with similar findings, the wet dry system outperformed the probe wet fed by 0.16 F.C.E.
Another interesting finding is that mortality on the wet/dry feeders is running below 0.5%; compared to probe wet feeding where the mortality/pull-outs are +2% due to significantly higher injuries.
Probe wet feeding may be beneficial if a farm has a supply of a low priced liquid by-product. Hermitage has not enough detailed data to comment on long trough wet feed systems.
(ii) Room Temperature
Hermitage Farms have excellent temperature control technologies; however the finishing rooms do not have supplementary heat in the winter time and therefore the room temperatures can drop back to 20°C in cold days and nights. The significance of the colder months can be seen on the average monthly F.C.E. reports over the past two years. We believe the optimum temperature for finisher pigs to be 23°C and we estimate from our data that each drop of -2°C will cost 0.1 in F.C.E.!
We are continually monitoring the effects of room temperature on F.C.E.
(iii) Pen Design, access to feeder space/pig.
Optimum Space per Finish Pig is .85m².
Distance to Feeder – Hermitage suggest not more than 4 meters from pig to feeder.
B. Nutrition
Nutritional requirements are outlined in the ‘’Feeding Hermitage Genetics Guidelines” and attention should be given to quality of cereals used.
C. Health
Maintaining a stable health status is essential in this area. Where virus/bacterial problems exist, it is critical to implement a vaccine programme; e.g. pneumonia can affect F.C.E by 300g of feed per kg live weight gain!!
D. Genetics
Hermitage Genetics is one of the few breeding companies who are individually testing its replacement females (all breeds maternal and terminal). All Hermitage AI boars are selected for less than 2.2 F.C.E. from 60 – 110 kgs. Hermitage has seen a 0.1 improvement over the last two years by selecting replacement gilts with a known F.C.E.
Boars convert their feed at 0.2 better than gilts. This equates to 14kg of finish feed at 27c/kg = €3.78 benefit per boar vs gilt (40-110kg).
In conclusion, all finishing farms should target to have finishing F.C.E. below 2.5 from 40 – 110kgs.
