Friday, July 11, 2014

Feed-efficient pigs are healthy

A researcher in Iowa has trashed the speculation that pigs bred for improved feed efficiency are more prone to sickness.

Jack Dekkers of Iowa State University, who ran research over 10 generations of pigs bred to improve feed efficiency, found they were just as healthy as other pigs.

"There's been some reluctance to breed for feed efficiency because of the notion that pigs that are very efficient run into difficulty if they're stressed,"  he said. "We found that's not the case. If anything, more efficient pigs are also more robust."


Feed is the single biggest cost of producing market hogs, accounting for more than 50 per cent of the bills hog farmers face.

There's another bonus Dekkers didn't mention: pigs that are more efficient are also better for the environment because they consume fewer resources and contribute less pollution.