WORK is due to begin next month on a #350,000 top security base in Perthshire for a state-of-the-art pig gene transfer centre.
Selection of the site, at Mains of Murthly near Dunkeld, was based on ease of access to key production areas in Scotland and Northern England, as well as international airports, and biosecurity.
The latter is considered vital for pig health assurance, according to Stephen Dunstan, Pig Improvement Company UK's general manager. ''Scotland offers us the very best biosecurity option of anywhere in the UK.''
The company has invested substantially in its Scottish sow production nucleus operation, expanding it to 1100 head.
The centre, due for completion in September, will initially house 100 boars. It will supply Scottish and northern English producers with fresh semen as well as providing the frozen product for nucleus units elsewhere.
The facilities meet Ministry of Agriculture and Scottish Pig Industry Initiative requirements.
''The influence of PIC genetics has spread to 68% of the Scottish pig population. This stud will give our customers in Scotland and northern England reliable access to the best pig genetics, overcoming logistical difficulties of supply from the south,'' said Dunstan.
The company is also introducing a ''pay as you use it'' scheme for boar purchase, with payments spread over 24 months.
With an estimated one-in-three pigs being reared on outdoor units, the groups rival, the Cotswold Pig Development Company, has developed a new guilt - the Gold X - which it claims will enable outdoor producers to compete on level terms with indoor operators.
Produced by a novel breeding record which incorporates genes from the Duroc breed in both parent lines, the new gilt is claimed to have a 33% faster rate of genetic improvement compared with traditional outdoor gilts.
It is said to produce 30 live pigs per sow per year and over the next five years this potential is expected to increase by nearly two more pigs per sow per year, with an improved lean content.
At the same time, a Dundee company JT Inglis & Sons, have introduced a halfway house between traditional indoor housing and outdoor systems with the creation of a low cost canvas tent system called the Flexi-Shelta.
Trials carried out by the Scottish Agricultural Centre's Aberdeen Pig Research Centre have produced some useful results with excellent lung and liver scores and daily live weight gain and standard feed conversion ratios.
''Despite the weather conditions over the last winter, the pigs grew nearly 25% faster than the MLC average,'' said a company spokesperson.
Why are you making commenting on The Herald only available to subscribers?
It should have been a safe space for informed debate, somewhere for readers to discuss issues around the biggest stories of the day, but all too often the below the line comments on most websites have become bogged down by off-topic discussions and abuse.
heraldscotland.com is tackling this problem by allowing only subscribers to comment.
We are doing this to improve the experience for our loyal readers and we believe it will reduce the ability of trolls and troublemakers, who occasionally find their way onto our site, to abuse our journalists and readers. We also hope it will help the comments section fulfil its promise as a part of Scotland's conversation with itself.
We are lucky at The Herald. We are read by an informed, educated readership who can add their knowledge and insights to our stories.
That is invaluable.
We are making the subscriber-only change to support our valued readers, who tell us they don't want the site cluttered up with irrelevant comments, untruths and abuse.
In the past, the journalist’s job was to collect and distribute information to the audience. Technology means that readers can shape a discussion. We look forward to hearing from you on heraldscotland.com
Comments & Moderation
Readers’ comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers’ comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. You can make a complaint by using the ‘report this post’ link . We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments.
Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article