Evaluation of smallholder pig production systems in North Vietnam: Pig production management and pig performances

This study investigated the productive adaptability of pig breeds under different smallholder production conditions in Vietnam, comparing an indigenous with a Vietnamese improved breed. Fieldwork was conducted in four villages with different remoteness in North Vietnam from 2001 to 2002, in 64 households keeping the improved Mong Cai or indigenous Ban as sow breeds and progeny for fattening. Four visits per farm yielded 234 structured interviews. Reproductive performances were derived from 135 litters. Individual weights of pigs (n = 755) were obtained. Data were analysed by regression, linear and generalised linear, especially loglinear models.

Two distinct pig production systems were identified, that differed in remoteness, market access, resource availability, distribution of pig breeds and pig production intensity. Higher performances of 1.4 and 1.5 litters year^− 1, 8.4 and 8.4 piglets weaned litter^− 1, 66.6 and 93.0 kg piglets weaned sow^− 1 year^− 1, and 136 and 177 g day^− 1 ADG were found in two villages near town with semi-intensive production conditions and a high rate of improved Mong Cai sows and MC and LW × MC offspring in the observed population. Lower performances of 1.1 and 1.1 litters year^− 1, 4.6 and 5.5 piglets weaned litter^− 1, 20.5 and 30.9 kg piglets weaned sow^− 1 year^− 1, and 66 and 85 g day^− 1 ADG were observed in parallel to higher incidences of indigenous Ban pigs away from town under extensive conditions. Total live weight offtake per household per year was higher near town and in one village distant to town. MC and LW × MC remained even under demand-driven conditions below the performance potential reported for improved genotypes. Under resource-driven conditions with a saving-oriented production pattern, the higher-yielding but more demanding Mong Cai might not be an efficient production alternative as a further performance reduction can be assumed. A considerable live weight output was observed under resource-driven conditions and with a higher percentage of crossbred LW × Ban offspring in the population, possibly representing a promising production alternative. Factors influencing the performance expression of pigs, and the suitability of different methods for the assessment of performance parameters on-farm are discussed.     

Comparison of production systems for efficient use of indigenous pig breeds in developing countries

Conserving pig genetic resources and improving their productivity is important to increase returns over investment in developing countries. The purebred, first‐cross, rotational cross and backcross matings representing production systems based on pig breeds indigenous to the country and exotic pig breeds were investigated. The number of pigs in the nucleus and commercial herds necessary to produce a defined quantity of pork was considered. The amount of heterosis between the indigenous and exotic breeds, superiority in meat production, and degree of inferiority in reproductive performance of the exotic breed compared with that of the indigenous breed were investigated. The number of breeding pigs in the whole system was in the following order: pure breeding (PB) > first‐cross (F1) > rotational cross (RC) > backcross (BC) systems. The number of breeding pigs in the nucleus herds of the RC and BC systems was smaller than that in the nucleus herds of the PB and F1 systems. The degree of inferiority in reproductive performance of the exotic breed compared with that of the indigenous breed affected the efficiency of the production system.     

Mini review: breeding Awassi and Assaf sheep for diverse management conditions

The Local Awassi, a triple-purpose breed for meat, milk, and carpet–wool production, is a low-prolific, hardy breed that is well adapted to the unfavorable conditions of the Middle East, where it is managed under traditionally extensive to semi-extensive conditions. Breeding work with the Awassi has included within-breed selection, crossbreeding, and gene introgression. Those efforts resulted in a variety of Awassi-derived genotypes that successfully occupy semi-intensive as well as intensive production systems. Thus, within-breed selection resulted in development of the “Improved Awassi”—a dairy-type Awassi strain which, under intensive management, produces over 500 l milk/ewe annually; crossbreeding with the East Friesian breed led to the development of the Assaf dairy breed, which exceeds the Improved Awassi in prolificacy and in year-round breeding activity, and introgression of the B allele of the FecB locus into the Awassi and Assaf breeds resulted in the formation of the prolific Afec Awassi and Afec Assaf strains, with prolificacies of 1.9 and 2.5 lambs born per ewe lambing, respectively. Advanced molecular genetics tools have enabled a better understanding of how the Awassi breed was formed during domestication and have uncovered differences in its genetic structure compared to other breeds. Implementing large-scale selection schemes that implement emerging new information on the sheep genome, overcoming threats of inbreeding depression, and further breeding for high uterine capacity are the new breeding goals for the Awassi, Assaf, and their derivatives.     

用生物经济模型对我国不同类型猪场的模拟研究——模型的构建和初步结果

根据我国当前养猪生产繁育体系,将我国集约化养猪生产概括为5类典型猪场,并利用农场模型的方法,构建了不同类型猪场的生物经济模型,并考虑了模型的生物学效率。模拟的600头母猪的商品猪场、猪苗场、杂种扩繁场、杜洛克育种场和长白（或大约克）育种场每年总利润分别为56.01、12.99、100.53、134.09和164.10万元,净能利用效率分别为27.69、32.98、28.25、28.32和28.48 MJ/kg。模型还输出了不同类型猪场的成本结构、收入组成和生产综合指标。对模型的敏感度分析表明,模型对不同市场形势、生产水平和管理措施变化的反应是灵敏的。     

Optimizing the use of breed types in developing country livestock production systems: a neglected research area

Developing country livestock production systems are diverse and dynamic, and include those where existing indigenous breeds are currently optimal and likely to remain so, those where non‐indigenous breed types are already in common use, and systems that are changing, such as by intensification, where the introduction of new breed types represents significant opportunities. These include opportunities to improve the livelihood of the world's poor, increase food and nutrition security and enhance environmental sustainability. At present, very little research has focused on this issue, such that significant knowledge gaps in relation to breed‐change interventions remain. The purpose of this study is to raise awareness of this issue and suggests strategic research areas to begin filling these knowledge gaps. Such strategic research would include (i) assessing the impact of differing breed types in developing country livestock productions systems, from a range of viewpoints including intrahousehold livelihood benefit, food and nutrition security at different scales, and environmental sustainability; (ii) identification of specific livestock production systems within developing countries, and the type of livestock keepers within these system, that are most likely to benefit from new breed types; and (iii) identification of new breed types as candidates for in‐situ testing within these systems, such as through the use of spatial analysis to identify similar production environments combined with community acceptance studies. Results of these studies would primarily assist stakeholders in agriculture, including both policy makers and livestock keepers, to make informed decisions on the potential use of new breed types.     

贵州地方猪品种毛色与KIT基因拷贝数之间的关联分析

为了研究KIT基因的拷贝数与贵州地方猪毛色之间的关系,本试验以黔北黑猪、柯乐猪、糯谷猪、香猪4个地方品种为试验材料,采用实时荧光定量PCR方法检测基因组中KIT基因的拷贝数变异,并与荣昌猪和大白猪2个白毛色猪品种相比较.结果显示,4个贵州地方猪种中,全黑/全棕毛色个体的KIT基因拷贝数以缺失为主,黑色带白斑个体的KIT基因拷贝数全部缺失,而棕色带白个体的KIT基因拷贝数增加、正常各半.大白猪的KIT基因拷贝数显著增加,荣昌猪KIT基因拷贝数以正常类型为主.表明大白猪的白毛色由KIT基因拷贝数增加决定,但荣昌猪的白毛色可能与KIT基因的拷贝数变异之间没有直接的联系;4个贵州地方品猪的全黑/全棕色毛色与KIT基因拷贝数的缺失有关,但柯乐猪和香猪中带白斑个体的KIT基因拷贝数并未增加,提示贵州地方猪品种的白斑毛色的形成机制有一定的特殊性.     

Improving production efficiency in the presence of genotype by environment interactions in pig genomic selection breeding programmes

We simulated a genomic selection pig breeding schemes containing nucleus and production herds to improve feed efficiency of production pigs that were cross‐breed. Elite nucleus herds had access to high‐quality feed, and production herds were fed low‐quality feed. Feed efficiency in the nucleus herds had a heritability of 0.3 and 0.25 in the production herds. It was assumed the genetic relationships between feed efficiency in the nucleus and production were low (r_g = 0.2), medium (r_g = 0.5) and high (r_g = 0.8). In our alternative breeding schemes, different proportion of production animals were recorded for feed efficiency and genotyped with high‐density panel of genetic markers. Genomic breeding value of the selection candidates for feed efficiency was estimated based on three different approaches. In one approach, genomic breeding value was estimated including nucleus animals in the reference population. In the second approach, the reference population was containing a mixture of nucleus and production animals. In the third approach, the reference population was only consisting of production herds. Using a mixture reference population, we generated 40–115% more genetic gain in the production environment as compared to only using nucleus reference population that were fed high‐quality feed sources when the production animals were offspring of the nucleus animals. When the production animals were grand offspring of the nucleus animals, 43–104% more genetic gain was generated. Similarly, a higher genetic gain generated in the production environment when mixed reference population was used as compared to only using production animals. This was up to 19 and 14% when the production animals were offspring and grand offspring of nucleus animals, respectively. Therefore, in genomic selection pig breeding programmes, feed efficiency traits could be improved by properly designing the reference population.     

提高波尔山羊繁殖效率的意义与方法

波尔山羊为季节性多次发情品种 ,产羔率较低 ,但肉用性能好 ,与国内多个品种杂种对生长速度和肉用性能有良好的杂种优势。为了提高肉羊生产经济效益 ,提高波尔羊繁殖效率具有重要意义。季节、光照和温度以及饲养管理等因素对波尔羊繁殖力有影响。加强选育和饲养管理 ,诱导青年羊发情排卵 ,缩短成年羊产羔间隔 ,提高窝产羔数 ,合理应用胚胎移植技术 ,提高公羊性欲和精液品质及保存效果等 ,均可提高波尔羊的繁殖力。     

MyoD基因在不同猪种中的分布及群体遗传结构分析

利用RFLP法检测了MyoD基因在10个中外猪种及部分杂交群体中的分布情况,分析了各群体内MyoD基因的遗传分布、遗传变异、群体杂合性等群体遗传信息,并进一步以各群体基因频率为基础,计算出群体间遗传距离和进化距离,根据进化距离对群体进行聚类,重建了系统发生树。结果表明:MyoD基因内含子1的DdeI酶切位点上不同基因型的分布在多数群体中都服从Hardy-Weinberg平衡,但在杜洛克和DLY群体中发生偏离。总体上讲,各试验群体的遗传多样性较丰富,群体遗传变异性较高,进化过程中受到自然选择压的作用,选择潜力较大。在系统发生树上,10个群体被分为4个分枝。分别是长白猪血缘、原始地方品种、杜洛克血缘和高原藏猪分枝。这一结果与各猪种的育种过程有较高的吻合性。说明部分功能基因的RFLP数据可用于近缘物种间的遗传分化研究。     

藏猪肥胖基因多态性研究

藏猪为中国高原特色的瘦肉型猪种,本研究采用PCR-RFLP技术检测藏猪肥胖基因（ob）外显子2内Hinf I酶切多态性。结果显示,藏猪群体内出现TT、CT和CC 3种基因型,其中突变型CC频率最高,为50.00%;TT基因型频率最低,为6.25%;等位基因T和C频率分别为28.12%和71.88%。其频率分布处于瘦肉型外种猪和脂肪性地方猪之间,但更接近脂肪性猪,说明从该位点看藏猪并不属于瘦肉型猪种,其瘦肉率较高可能与营养和饲养环境等有关。     

Comparative susceptibility of indigenous and improved pig breeds to Classical swine fever virus infection: Practical and epidemiological implications in a subsistence-based, developing country setting

This study investigated the comparative susceptibility of indigenous Moo Laat and improved Large White/Landrace pig breeds to infection with classical swine fever virus (CSFV) under controlled conditions in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR). The Moo Laat (ML) and Large White/Landrace crossbreed (LWC) pigs were inoculated with a standard challenge strain designated Lao/Kham225 (infectivity titre of 10^2.75 TCID₅₀/ml). The results demonstrated that both the native breed and an improved pig breed are fully susceptible to CSFV infection and the mortality rate is high. LWC pigs demonstrated lower (or shorter) survival times (50% survival time: 11 days), earlier and higher pyrexia and earlier onset of viraemia compared to ML pigs (50% survival time: 18 days). In the context of village-based pig production, the longer time from infection to death in native ML pigs means that incubating or early sick pigs are likely to be sold once an outbreak of CSF is recognized in a village. This increased longevity probably contributes to the maintenance and spread of disease in a population where generally the contact rate is low.     

陆川猪mtDNA D-loop序列遗传多样性分析

本研究测定了陆川猪17个个体mtDNA D-loop高变区序列,共检测到5个单倍型,单倍型多样度和核苷酸多样度分别为0.640和0.0074,表明陆川猪有较高的遗传多样性。结合已报道的中国地方猪种的mtDNA D-loop序列进行分析,结果发现,陆川猪和属于华中型的宁乡猪、大花白猪有很近的遗传关系,但与传统上同属华南型的香猪和滇南小耳猪的遗传关系较远,这与传统的分类方法不一致。     

The cost of conserving livestock diversity? Incentive measures and conservation options for maintaining indigenous Pelón pigs in Yucatan,Mexico

In the Mexican state of Yucatan the Pelón pig breed has been identified as being endangered. The gradual disappearance of this indigenous breed that is able to survive well in an extreme environment and under low-input conditions undermines food and livestock security for Yucatan’s rural poor. This study uses contingent valuation to identify those backyard pig producers who require least compensation to conserve the Pelón breed. Understanding the conditions under which livestock keepers most committed to the use of the indigenous breed would be willing to participate in different conservation scenarios allows for a comparative analysis of alternate conservation schemes, in terms of cost and breed population growth. The findings suggest that establishing a community-based conservation scheme could be sufficient to ensure that the Pelón pig reaches a ‘not at risk’ extinction status. Alternatively, establishing open-nucleus breeding schemes would result in a higher effective population size, but at relatively greater cost. We conclude that for the specific case of the Pelón pig in Yucatan, Mexico, if effectively designed, the cost of conservation and sustainable use strategies may be little more than the cost of facilitating access to the animal genetic resource for those most reliant upon it.     

Dairy goat production systems

Goat production concentrated in developing countries (tropics, dry areas), contributes largely to the livelihoods of low and medium income farmers. Farming systems in these areas have evolved to cope with the formidable constraints imposed by harsh natural and economic conditions by adapting integrated crop/livestock production strategies. In Asia, Africa and Latin America, due to its almost exclusive extensive nature, goat production relies mainly on grazing on communal lands that hardly provide the minimum nutrient requirements due to overstocking and degradation. While some of these production systems are becoming semi-intensive, appropriate breeding strategies should be designed to promote conservation and improvement of their unique attributes, such as adaptability, water use efficiency and suitability under harsh climatic conditions. In Europe, dairy goat production is more common around the Mediterranean basin, where it is important from an economic, environmental and sociological perspective to the Mediterranean countries: Spain, France, Italy and Greece. Europe owns only 5.1 % of the world’s dairy goat herds, but produces 15.6 % of the world’s goat milk; this is the only continent where goat milk has such an economic importance and organization. In developing countries the dairy goat sector requires a systemic approach, whereby nutrition, animal health, breeding, know-how, inputs and technologies must be assembled. This would allow the optimization of natural and local resources and would promote the transition from a risk reduction strategy towards an increased productivity strategy. Such an increase would privilege production efficiency based on clean, green and ethical practices for responsible innovation.     

猪的选种方法概述

本文较为详细地阐述了各种选种方法的产生及其应用特点。随着人类社会的进步 ,猪的自然选择逐步为人工选择所替代。而数学、统计学、遗传学等基础学科的不断发展 ,带动了群体遗传学、数量遗传学及分子遗传学的发展 ,猪的表型选择、遗传参数的应用、指数选择、BLUP法、遗传标记辅助选择等多种选种方法相继问世 ,并在猪育种实践中得到广泛应用。在应用中 ,各种选育方法各有特点 ,但其本质是一致的 ,即选出具有优良性状的基本个体。因此 ,选种方法的发展趋势将由表观转向微观 ,由间接选择转向直接选择 ,选择响应也相应加快     

利用青饲料养猪 提高经济效益

进行了利用青饲料替代部分精饲料的养猪试验。结果表明,在养猪生产过程中,合理利用青饲料替代精饲料养猪,既能降低成本,又能提高经济效益。     

岳西黑猪与北京黑猪和巴克夏猪的杂交效果分析

岳西黑猪为安徽省岳西县独有的地方猪品种。文章通过繁殖、胴体、肉质性能的测定和比较分析,综合评价北京黑猪和巴克夏猪与岳西黑猪的杂交效果,筛选可推广的杂交组合模式,为岳西黑猪的杂交利用奠定基础,旨在更好地促进岳西黑猪产业化开发。     

中国地方猪种利用现状及展望

中国地方猪种除作为杂交母本在商品生产中直接利用以外,近年来作为基本育种材料,导入不同比例的国外猪种血统,选育出一批瘦肉型新品系。新品系的选育和推广利用既促进了地方猪种资源的保护,也给保种工作带来了挑战。优质猪肉生产为未来地方猪种的利用提供了广阔的市场。     

Production objectives and trait preferences of village poultry producers of Ethiopia: implications for designing breeding schemes utilizing indigenous chicken genetic resources

To generate information essential for the implementation of breeding schemes suitable for village poultry producers in Ethiopia, a survey was conducted aimed at defining the socioeconomic characteristics of the production environments in different geographic regions, understanding the important functions of chickens, identifying farmers’ choice of chicken breeds and the underlying factors that determine the choice of genetic stock used. The survey included both questionnaire survey and a participatory group discussion. A total of 225 households (45 households from each of five Woredas) were interviewed. The questionnaire was designed to collect data covering general information on village poultry production such as socio-management characteristics, production objectives, population structure, breed choice and trait preferences, market preferences of specific traits, and farmers’ selection practices. The participatory farmers’ discussions were designed to involve stakeholders in defining the breeding objective “traits” and deriving their relative importance in the production environment based on the different functions of chickens and “traits” identified in the interviews. The results showed that production of eggs for consumption is the principal function of chickens in most regions followed by the use as source of income and meat for home consumption. The production system in all geographic regions studied revealed similar features generally characterized by extensive scavenging management, absence of immunization programs, increased risk of exposure of birds to disease and predators, and reproduction entirely based on uncontrolled natural mating and hatching of eggs using broody hens. Farmers’ ratings of indigenous chickens with respect to modern breeds showed the highest significance of the adaptive traits in general, and the superior merits of indigenous chickens to high yielding exotic breeds in particular. Adaptation to the production environment was the most important attribute of chickens in all the study areas. The high significance attributed to reproduction traits indicates the need for maintaining broody behavior and high level of hatchability while breeding for improved productivity of indigenous chickens for village conditions. The market price of chickens is primarily dictated by weight, but farmers rated growth (males) and number of eggs followed by growth (females) as the production traits they would like the most to be improved. Therefore, the ultimate breeding goal should be to develop a dual-purpose breed based on indigenous chicken genetic resources with any of the comb types other than single for all the regions studied having the most preferred white body plumage for farmers in the Amhara region and red body plumage for those in Oromia, Benshangul-Gumuz, and Southern regions.