The next 20 years for Pig Farming

When it comes to developments in the pig sector, selective breeding and estimated

breeding values are held up as two of the technologies which revolutionised the industry.

However, the latest developments in pig breeding mean the next steps for the industry could

be bigger than ever – and even harder to imagine.

The pig sector has always been at the forefront of making improvements in animal breeding,

but as we move towards 2030 it will arguably be the most rapidly moving period of

innovation we have ever seen.

Genomic technology

The reason for the industry’s potential revolution is the development of genomics, technology

which refines the way an animal’s genetic potential can be predicted. The system analyses

DNA for genomic variations, known as SNPs, which are compared against a bank of genetic

information. That information is then be used by breeders to enhance particular traits.

The distinction is important in pig breeding, because by having a clearer picture of the

degree of relationship for specific traits, such as feed conversion or back fat, you can get a

more accurate picture of the estimated breeding values of individual animals – and a better

understanding of which should be selected for breeding.

Improvements

At a farm level, those developments mean an increased rate of genetic improvement,

which can have significant impacts on a farm’s bottom line. Some traits are impacted more

than others – in some traits accuracy will increase by 150% while others will be minimal. Sex-

limited traits, for example, such as reproductive traits, will be easier to get improvements on.

But every year, those improvements will mean pigs have a greater profit potential.

Five years ago I’d have said that the current genomic technology was

science fiction, but it’s developing so rapidly that even looking five years

into the future is extremely difficult. The way it works today is by using

markers across the genome to identify true relations with animals across a

pedigreeship. It isn’t about just measuring traits, it’s about refining the true

degree of relationships.

Craig Lewis, genetic services manager, PIC

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Since implementing the technology in 2013, PIC has achieved a 35% increase in the rate of

genetic improvement in its animals.1 That increase in potential is worth about €56 cents (50p)

per pig in a system. What’s more, the improvement is compounded year-on-year as genetic

benefits are cumulative.

While the potential for significant genetic and economic gains are there, selections need to

be made responsibly, taking into account biology, welfare, economics and ethics. It’s very

important for a genetic provider to understand the consequences of selection.

“Back in 2012 we said good pigs could wean 30 pigs per sow per year, and that at current

rates of genetic improvement by 2062 that would reach 54. But you don’t want to go too fast

on total born if it just increases mortality, they need to reach slaughter.”2

Litter size

While prolificacy is important, aiming for ever-larger litter sizes should not be the sole focus for

the future of the UK pig sector. The emphasis should be on producing more uniform piglets at

birth. Progeny that is strong and robust with the potential to thrive and perform efficiently

throughout their lives.

While some breeders may be hinting at 40 pigs per sow per year, for UK farmers it would be

more realistic to produce 33-35 piglets with viable birth weights. And while genomics has a

significant value to the sector, selective breeding still has an important role to play in

breeding programmes,

Pigmeat quality

Pigmeat quality will also be an area of focus in future as retailers drive the industry to improve

the consistency of finished carcasses and pork’s eating quality. If it is possible to improve the

1 Farmers Weekly. 2017. The future of pig breeding: 2030 and beyond - Farmers Weekly. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.fwi.co.uk/livestock/the-future-of-pig-breeding-2030-and-beyond.htm. 2 Ibit

“What an animal expresses physically often supports its genetic value and

these characteristics must be considered. A good example is sow/gilt teat

lines. Dams selected for higher teat numbers do tend to rank highly in

statistical evaluations and these physical characteristics are now routinely

earmarked within selection criteria”

Ian Gillies, AI and genetic production manager, Rattlerow Farms

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quality and taste of farmers product via genetics, while maintaining traits that support higher

welfare standards, then that might help secure market share.

As underlying genotypes change, the nutrition, health and infrastructure also has to change.

There are evolutions that need to happen to help producers extract the potential in the

system. Linked to that are welfare and societal concerns, too.

How bolus technology helps to

manage calving

Knowing precisely when a cow is going to calve can allow farmers to be on top of health

and management, reducing risks to both the cow and calf. Until recently, that has required

either regular manual monitoring of a cow’s temperature or investment in vaginal monitors,

but now a multipurpose bolus is making the whole process easier.

The bolus constantly measures body temperature and movement, making it suitable for

monitoring calving, bulling, health, lameness and a variety of other factors. Paul Redmore,

farm manager at Neston Home Farm, Corsham, has put the bolus in 50 of his Jersey cows,

and has found the calving alerts to be extremely useful.

“Any cow with a bolus has produced an alert typically 12-15 hours before she calves, which

enables us to focus our labour.”3

Alerts

The bolus generates alerts which are connected to the cloud via broadband or 4G, so they

go straight to a phone or computer, allowing the farmer can take immediate action if

necessary. The system can identify a number of issues from bulling to unwell cows – which

might otherwise have been missed at such an early stage.

Although the cows graze over the summer, they all calve inside on loose straw yards, with dry

and transition cows kept in separate groups.

Management

If a farmer gets an alert for a cow that is incorrectly in the dry cow group they can pull her

across into the transition group and keep a close eye on her. An alert can also be used to

draft the cows into individual calving pens at the right time. Whilst Mr Redmore’s Jerseys tend

to be relatively easy calving, when a high value pedigree animal is due to calf then the

farmer can keep a closer eye on her.

“The alerts have been so accurate that if every cow had one in her we wouldn’t need to

monitor them at night, unless we had had an alert.”4 Mr Redmore and his staff take the

calves off their mothers within 24 hours of calving, ensure they get sufficient colostrum, and

then feed them whole organic milk until weaning at 12 weeks old.

3 Farmers Weekly. 2017. The future of pig breeding: 2030 and beyond - Farmers Weekly. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.fwi.co.uk/livestock/the-future-of-pig-breeding-2030-and-beyond.htm. 4 Ibid

“We rear all of our own replacements, and calve our heifers at two to two-and-a-half years

old. We use sexed semen on 60-70 heifers each year and average 1.24 services per female

with a 64% non-return rate.”5

How the bolus works

Victor Ogedegbe, vet analyst at Smaxtec UK, says the bolus can be administered to heifers

weighing upwards of 300kg and will then operate for up to four years on its battery life.6

Other than the initial administration, the bolus removes the need for frequent handling or any

alterations of the device. Also, because it is located securely in the reticulum of the cow, it

will not get battered or damaged.

Collecting data on the cow’s temperature and movement, the device transmits to a base

station every 10 minutes, where it is then uploaded to a cloud system for the farmer to

access. A cow’s internal temperature will usually drop by more than 0.5C in the 12-24 hours

before birth, this means the system can accurately pinpoint when the cow is due to calve.

The farmer can then isolate the cow to avoid mis-mothering, feed her electrolytes before

calving to prevent milk fever, and organise labour efficiently to be on hand for optimum calf

and cow management.

Monitoring the cow’s temperature after calving also helps farmers to identify post-partum

diseases such as metritis at an early stage, and to see when they are ready to serve again.

Mr Ogedegbe says “it really helps to focus attention on the risk-periods, and provides a

definite trigger to act which can save thousands of pounds in the longer term.”7

5 Farmers Weekly. 2017. The future of pig breeding: 2030 and beyond - Farmers Weekly. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.fwi.co.uk/livestock/the-future-of-pig-breeding-2030-and-beyond.htm. 6 Ibid 7 Ibid

Farm facts:

300 purebred organic Jersey cows plus youngstock

607ha farm, predominantly grass and lucerne with home-grown cereals

Average yield 5,000 litres at 5.4% butterfat and 3.9% protein

Supplying own cheese unit and local high-end processors

Calving index 390 days. Replacement rate 15-18%

Costs: From £50 per bolus, £716 for the software and receivers, £210 for signal boosters

Silage analysis technology increases

milk from forage

Farmers could get instantaneous results to help them increase milk from forage by using an

on-farm silage analysis tool.

Near infrared spectrometry silage analysis (Nissa) is a relatively new concept. It measures the

intensity and wavelength of light reflected back from the sample. This information is then fed

back into a mathematical model, based on wet chemistry analysis.

Many UK dairy farmers were producing a good amount of milk from grass, but there was

huge potential to grow the amount of milk produced from silage. Nissa could achieve this

and help farmers lower concentrate use and improve disease and fertility by not

underfeeding or overfeeding protein.

Fresh grass analysis

It could also be used as a more accurate tool to

measure fresh grass samples and guide farmers when

to cut and how best to preserve silage quality. Dave

Davies from Silage Solutions explains

“Sugars start to be respired as soon as you cut grass

and they are needed to produce lactic acid to aid

fermentation.”8

Finding out if sugars were low before cutting would

enable farmers to plan to preserve crops better. For

example, the farmer has the option of leaving it or if

it is at the right stage of growth, because it is high in D

value, additives should be used to improve

fermentation.

This technology allows farmers to look at the quality and make choices before they make the

silage so they can drive performance from forage. It has huge potential to reduce cost of

production because farmers can lower their concentrate use.

Future

8 Farmers Weekly. 2017. Royal Welsh Show: Silage analysis technology could increase milk from forage - Farmers Weekly. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.fwi.co.uk/livestock/silage-analysis-technology-could-increase-milk-from-forage.htm.

Near infrared spectrometry silage

analysis

Three near infrared

spectrometry silage analysis

(Nissa) products are available,

with prices starting from £5,000

Each model differs in

capability but they typically

measure dry

matter, metabolisable energy,

protein, neutral detergent

fibre, sugar, acid detergent

fibre

For silages Nissa also measures

UFA and amino acids

Although companies needed to collect a wider sample of forage analyses to improve the

accuracy of Nissa, Mr Davies said in the not-too-distant future the technology could then be

used in mixer wagons to measure the dry matter content of silage and better balance

rations.

“Dry matter is the first driver for different components in the ration and it drives intakes, so if

we can get a rapid analysis of dry matter we have the potential to ration cows more

accurately on a daily basis.”9

Eventually the technology could be developed to measure things such as colostrum quality

and faecal starch content to give an indication of nutrition digestibility. These new

technologies have the potential to put livestock farming where the arable sector is in terms

of technological advancement.

9 Farmers Weekly. 2017. Royal Welsh Show: Silage analysis technology could increase milk from forage - Farmers Weekly. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.fwi.co.uk/livestock/silage-analysis-technology-could-increase-milk-from-forage.htm.

Case Study: Dairy farm reaps benefits

from milk analysis technology

On Mearfield Farm, the 135-cow Holstein Friesian herd is milked through two robots and

technology was fitted on to each unit to help monitor cows’ reproductive status and detect

the early onset of mastitis and ketosis.

Heat detection

The tool tracks levels of the hormone, progesterone, with the makers claiming a heat

detection rate of 95%-plus and an accuracy rate of 90% for pregnancy diagnosis. It can

highlight individual animals 24 hours before standing heat is observed, to allow for more

accurate timing of insemination.

Measuring progesterone levels through milk analysis can also identify barren cows, early

abortions and prolonged periods of anoestrus. It picks up on cows with follicular and luteal

cysts, allowing early remedial treatment and avoiding a wasted insemination.

“The progesterone testing was my priority and it has proved highly accurate for diagnosing

heat and pregnancy,” says Mr Cox.

In fact, so accurate is the tool that Mr Cox has stopped using his activity monitors.

“The cows used to wear collar-type activity monitors at a cost of £90-£100 each and some

are still in use, but they will not be replaced when they fail.”

MARCH PETER AND SHELIA COX became the first dairy farmers

in the UK to install a new advanced milk analysis tool. Since installing

Herd Navigator at Mearfield Farm 11 months ago, herd fertility has

improved and cow infections are being picked up much quicker.

Since installation the herd’s calving interval has been reduced from 380

days to 376 days since the installation. “ ”

The pregnancy diagnosis tool has enabled them to reduce the number of vet visits previously

required.

However, the computer results followed the vet’s diagnosis so accurately that it has reduced

the need for regular PD sessions. Their vets are also enjoying the wealth of information it

provides them.

The breeding policy is focused on using bulls that will produce a type that is suited to robotic

milking, with correct udder and teat position and good speed of milking. Selection is

confined to high PLI bulls that also have a type index of more than two.

Genomic and sexed semen is used on the heifers, which have themselves been genomically

tested for the past 18 months.

The system can even measure quality of heat; if it is strong, a cow will receive sexed semen,

with a beef bull used if is relatively poor. Every cow is served, whether she exhibits physical

heat or not, because of the accuracy of the heat detection.

Mastitis infections

The technology is also helping the farm to pick up mastitis infections in advance, so protocols

can be established early on.

Mastitis detection relies on measuring the level of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in the

sample. In response to the bacterial infection and subsequent inflammation of the mammary

gland, the cow’s somatic cell count goes up, triggering the release of a number of enzymes,

including LDH.

These enzymes are produced by cells that have been damaged as a result of the body’s

attempt to fight off the bacteria using its own white blood cells. As the disease increases in its

severity, the level of LDH will rise.

The mastitis detection at Mearfield so far has produced some unexpected results.

“It picks up on udder infections so far in advance that I am beginning to

see a pattern, where certain cows become mildly infected and their

immune systems fight off the disease; I describe them as “self-curing”. I can

then work out treatment protocols for those cows whose immune response

is not quite so robust.

“ ”

“The system is also an excellent tool for making decisions on selective dry cow therapy,

giving me extra information on infections during the lactation and deciding whether to use

antibiotics or just teat sealant alone.

“However, I have taken a cautious approach to mastitis, as the system is still in its first year. I

would use teat sealant only on cows that have had a somatic cell count of below 100 for the

past five months and no high LDH readings from Herd Navigator within the same time period.

Once my confidence grows, these parameters will be increased, to include more cows to be

given teat sealant only.”

The results are also influencing breeding decisions.

“A cow which flags up as a repeat offender, for example, or a cow showing several

infections over her lactation, can be ruled out for breeding replacements.”

Energy balance

These new technologies can also measure the level of BHB (beta hydroxybutyrate) in milk.

The metabolite is linked to the mobilisation of energy from the body’s fat tissue. The main

benefit of the test is to pinpoint cows at risk of sub-clinical ketosis. It is allowing Mr Cox to

detect Keotosis early on, before yields are dented.

“It automatically tests milk for ketosis in the first 60 days of lactation,” says Mr Cox. “It can also

measure milk urea content, to provide information on whether the ration is over-supplied or

under-supplied with protein and non-protein nitrogen

“Early intervention usually means making minor adjustments to the diet, which should

improve feed efficiency. Once I have been alerted to an at-risk cow, she will be given

propylene glycol when she goes to be milked.

“In a conventional system, a cow would probably have to reach the clinical stage of ketosis,

before ketosis is picked up. By that stage, she would be feeling very unwell and her yield

would fall quite dramatically. It is unlikely that she would reach her full potential over that

lactation. Ketosis used to crop up intermittently, but there has not been a case since the new

regime started.”

Savings and payback

Mr Cox says the system is producing a saving a saving of about £100 a cow a year over due

to the improvements in cow fertility, health and the considerable reduction in labour.

“I would not be without it now and it would be invaluable on farms with a number of staff, to

keep everyone on the same page. I am interested in computers and want to utilise the

program in great detail. For anyone who is not so keen, it can be set up to manage the

monitoring process and simply produce an action report each morning.”

Farm facts:

The farm is owner-occupied and spans 75ha

The 135 Holstein Friesian herd averages 12,000kg over a 305-day lactation, at 4.1% butterfat

and 3.4% protein

The herd calves all year round

Cows are housed in cubicles and fed a total mixed ration, with 50% grazed during the

daytime over the summer

Milk is sold to Arla

Surplus heifers are sold as calves, with the remainder marketed bulling or in-calf

The herd is milked between two to six and four times every 24 hours, depending on stage of

lactation