Record Details

Prolific pigs

CGSpace

View Archive Info
 
 
Field Value
 
Title Prolific pigs
 
Creator Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation
 
Description Scientists In the UK have launched a research programme to discover why the Chinese Meishan pig is so prolific; it produces an average of 14 to 16 piglets per litter compared to 10 to 12 in western breeds. The Meishan pig comes from the Shanghai area and is one of more than 70 breed types found in China. Despite the excellent breeding characteristics of the Meishan, its growth is slow and it carries excessive carcass fat making it of little direct interest to European pig producers.



The aim of the four-year government and industry-sponsored research programme is to determine the genetic and physiological mechanisms that allow the pigs to achieve their higher than average litter sizes. If successful, it is hoped that this information can be used to improve European breeds. At the same time, the scientists feel that the project may shed some light on certain human reproductive problems. So far, 32 Meishan pigs of the Taihu type have been imported into the UK for the project, which forms part of a bilateral research programme between the UK and the People's Republic of China.



For more details. contact:



Dr C S Haley

Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics Research

West Mains Road

Edinburgh EH9 3 JQ

UNITED KINGDOM
Scientists In the UK have launched a research programme to discover why the Chinese Meishan pig is so prolific; it produces an average of 14 to 16 piglets per litter compared to 10 to 12 in western breeds. The Meishan pig comes from the Shanghai...
 
Date 2014-10-02T13:13:34Z
2014-10-02T13:13:34Z
1988
 
Type News Item
 
Identifier CTA. 1988. Prolific pigs. Spore 13. CTA, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
1011-0054
https://hdl.handle.net/10568/44789
 
Language en
 
Relation Spore, Spore 13
 
Publisher CTA
 
Source Spore