December 2011
To Russia we look - to export our expertise
Pork production and consumption may be on the rise in Russia, but the style of its pig breeding operations are changing.
Pigmeat production companies are consolidating their businesses and have begun to operate their own nucleus and multiplication farms. Most of the larger integrators are continuing to introduce GGP pigs and semen into their nucleus herds to increase production rapidly where breeding pyramids are established, but the number of live imports of parent stock into these businesses has dropped because these businesses are increasingly managing their own genetics supplies.
The importation of live breeding animals is still important and is occurring in considerable volumes where companies are consolidating their own pure line production systems. The market for Rattlerow Seghers GGP stock remains strong.
But other business opportunities are emerging in other areas, such as technical support, training and the management of individual genetic development programmes.
During the past few years the company has successfully implemented breeding and selection programmes with several Russian pig producers each with between 1,000 and 25,000 sows. It is now helping them to manage their pig breeding and optimise genetic development by accessing the latest technology and tailoring it to advance their own individual businesses and increase efficiency.
Managing development
A recent example is with the pig division of the Ostankina Meat company. After an original import of live animals from Canada in 2004 which started their own breeding pyramid, RS has now helped the company get performance back on track, through better management and an injection of new genes from England.
Initial results from the Canadian genetics were not as expected with low number of piglets born and poor uniformity at weaning was affecting their cost of production.
After analysing the weak points in the production structure, Rattlerow Seghers supplied 170 GGP animals, of different purebred lines from its English breeding herds. This new genetic injection, together with a very close collaboration in data exchange and EBV/inbreeding calculations will help the business achieve better production results.
The new genetics will be supplied from only a few GGP animals each year, so reducing the biosecurity risks and import costs. The company will also tap into the extensive technical expertise and support available through Rattlerow, which should help them optimise the genetic potential of the new stock. |
