Robustness for better health and efficient production

03-11-2022 | Specials | Article

Topigs Norsvin breeds robust pigs. Compared to competitor animals, Topigs Norsvin animals are naturally better able to withstand climate, feed, and disease challenges. This leads to uniform, efficient, healthy, and sustainable production.

Robustness is an important element of the breeding goal of all Topigs Norsvin lines. This is made evident through the production of strong, vigorous pigs that cope better under challenging conditions.
This approach works and has been proven several times in independent trials.
For example, a leading US integrator conducted several scientific trials to evaluate performance differences between progeny of the Topigs Norsvin sire line TN Tempo versus progeny of leading competitor lines when challenged with PRRS. Coping better with PRRS infection.

BREEDING FOR ENHANCED, NATURAL PRRS RESISTANCE
In 2018, the company implemented selection for increased natural resistance to PRRS by including breeding values for PRRS resistance in the selection index. Breeding values are calculated based on WUR SNP genotype, a genetic marker for a major gene associated with natural resistance to PRRS. Pigs with the favourable genotype can cope better with the PRRS virus infection. This results in better performance following infection, reducing the overall economic impact of the disease.It continues to pursue traditional breeding strategies to enhance their natural resistance to specific diseases, like PRRS, and a general robustness to disease challenges.Results from a recent, independent scientific trial show that pigs sired by Topigs Norsvin boars with a high breeding value for robustness to disease were more robust to PRRS challenge than pigs sired by boars with a low breeding value. The high robustness group had a greater percentage of full-value pigs and required significantly fewer antibiotic treatments. Both groups demonstrated good overall performance throughout the trial, and at levels comparable to performance under conventional health conditions.The greatest differences between groups were detected between one and three weeks post-PRRS challenge. During this period, pigs from the high breeding value group had a higher feed intake, better feed conversion, and higher daily gain. The high breeding value group also had 1.6% more full-value pigs, due to lower mortality and culling, and 4.1% fewer animals that required one or more antibiotic treatments throughout the duration of the study.

Robustness improvement by selection
Results from this most recent trial confirm the inherent robustness advantage and show that this can be improved even further by selecting pigs based on existing, natural variation in response to challenge.

Figure 1– Less mortality with Topigs Norsvin after PRRS infection.

Coping better with PRRS infection

The magnitude of the performance differences between lines was unlike anything the research group had ever witnessed. Topigs Norsvin-sired pigs outperformed pigs sired by the competitor line in nearly every trait. These results demonstrated the superior robustness of the sire line (Figure 1).
The largest difference detected between groups was the survival rate, where the Topigs Norsvin group had 60% fewer mortalities than the competitor. TN Tempo-sired pigs also recovered faster, resulting in faster daily gain and better feed efficiency. Together, these performance advantages led to an extra USD$9.23 or €8.16 per pig placed compared to the competitor line.
In another trial (Figure 2), the same integrator evaluated the performance differences between TN Tempo-sired progeny versus progeny sired by the competitor under conventional health conditions. The TN Tempo group was the clear winner with a USD$2.64 or €2.33 advantage per finisher, again, partly attributed to a significantly superior survival rate.

Figure 2 – Better performance of Topigs Norsvin finisher pigs compared to another genetic line after PRRS infection.

More than economics

At the end of the day, producers make money by selling full-value pigs to the processor. Pigs that are robust contribute to this. However, the financial advantage is not the only benefit of superior robustness. Robustness is also relevant and important in other ways. Enhanced robustness also contributes to more sustainable production.
However, good producers are also concerned about animal welfare, meaning they want robust, healthy animals, not ones they have to drag out of the barn. That’s discouraging for the producer as well as the farm staff.
Robustness also leads to more efficient production, meaning that less feed and other resources are required.

Not only PRRS

More robust pigs need fewer antibiotics and other medicines. The robustness of the TN Tempo doesn’t just pay off when challenged with PRRS. In fact, the TN Tempo has demonstrated enhanced robustness to challenge other pathogens, as well as climatic challenges.
The ability of the TN Tempo to maintain a hearty appetite during such challenges contributes to its robustness. This leads to uniform, efficient and problem-free production.

SMOOTH, SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTION
The perfect team: a sow bred for longevity, high milk production, and mothering ability, and piglets bred for robustness and superior health and social behaviour. Together, they are the basis of a sustainable, problem-free, undisturbed production, from birth to the end of the finisher stage. The balanced breeding programme of Topigs Norsvin combines all aspects of the mothering abilities, piglet vitality, health, and robustness of both sows and piglets.
Society is now worried about the environment, food safety, and animal welfare, and it is Topigs Norsvin’s duty to act accordingly.
It has taken on the responsibility to breed vigorous pigs in a natural way without gene editing, thereby meeting the challenges our industry is facing. Our breeding goals are designed to secure the well-being of the pig, the farmer, and the environment. That is how we contribute to the sustainable and responsible production of pork, both now and in the future.