JIANG Yi-bao1,2, WANG Cheng-zhang2, CUI Guo-wen1 2010,Acta Agrestia Sinica

1. College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province 150030, China; 2. College of Animal and Veterinary Engineering, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province 450002, China

Effect of Red Clover Isoflavone on Immune Organs,Igs and Anti-oxidation Activity of Broiler Chicks

Abstract：The effect of red clover isoflavone on Immune Organs,Igs and Anti-oxidation Activity of Broilers was investigated.One-day-old AA broiler Chicks were randomly assigned to three groups(control,group 1 and group 2).Basic diet,basic diet+red clover isoflavone(10 mg·kg-1) and basic diet+red clover isoflavone(20 mg·kg-1) were fed to three groups respectively.Results indicated that red clover isoflavone increased daily weight and immune organ indexes.IgM contents in serum of both group 1 and 2 on 21 days after feeding were higher than control(P<0.05).IgG contents in serum of group 1 were higher than control on 49 days after feeding(P<0.05).Red clover isoflavone also enhanced GSH-PX activity and reduced MDA content in serum.Group 1 and group 2 had no significant difference.These results showed that red clover isoflavone could modulate growth performance and immunity of broiler chicks as well as increase anti-oxidation activity of broiler chicks.

Key words： Red Clover    Isoflavone    Broiler

 

 

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Funda Turan* 

Department of Aquaculture, Faculty of Fisheries and Aquaculture, University of Mustafa Kemal, 31040 Antakya, Hatay, Turkey (Received 22.11.05, Accepted 10.12.05)

The Israeli Journal of Aquaculture – Bamidgeh, 2006.

Key words: growth, Oreochromis aureus, red clover, tilapia, Trifolium pratense

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of red clover on growth, body composition, and survival of tilapia, Oreochromis aureus. Three concentrations of dietary red clover (50, 100, 200 mg/kg) were tested for 90 days. The growth rate was significantly better in fish fed 100 mg red clover/kg feed than in the control that contained no red clover (p<0.01). The specific growth rate ranged from 3.79±0.10 in the 200 mg/kg red clover treatment to 4.41±0.05 in the 100 mg/kg treatment. The food conversion ratio, protein efficiency ratio, and apparent net protein utilization were significantly highest in groups fed the 100 mg red clover/kg diet (p<0.01). Survival in groups fed red clover did not differ from that of the control. The highest protein content (19.74%) was obtained in the 100 mg/kg group and it was significantly higher than in all other groups (p<0.05). Moisture and ash contents did not differ among treatments. Lipid content was not significantly affected by red clover dosage. The findings of the present study suggest that 100 mg red clover/kg feed improves the growth rate and feed utilization of tilapia.

 

 

 

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Diarrhoea

(622) Whilst diarrhoea may be initiated by nutrition it is also associated with one or more of the following diseases. (Common ones *). See chapter 9.

• Anthrax (rare).
• Classical swine fever (in those countries where it is still endemic). See chapter 12
• Coliform infections and post-weaning diarrhoea *.
• Colitis (specific disease). *
• Oedema disease (diarrhoea uncommon).
• Parasites.
• Porcine epidemic diarrhoea PED. *
• Porcine enteropathy including PHE, PIA, NE & RI. *
• Rotavirus.
• Salmonellosis. *
• Spirochaetal diarrhoea.
• Swine dysentery. *
• TGE (rare in Europe now but still common in some other countries).

Refer to the above specific diseases after a diagnosis has been made in a laboratory. Use the Fig.14-11 to assist in interpreting the clinical picture.

Pre and Post-weaning

Changes in the intestine of the pig at weaning

Fig.14-12 shows the cross section of the small intestine of the weaned piglet to consist of many thousands of finger like projections called villi, which increase the absorptive capacity of the small intestine. During suckling they are continuously bathed by sows milk which contains the immunoglobulin IgA. This becomes absorbed into the mucous covering the villi surfaces and prevents E. coli and other organisms attaching to the fingers. If they are unable to attach they are unable to cause disease. The secretary IgA also helps to destroy bacteria. After weaning time however no more IgA is available, the levels rapidly decline and bacteria damage the villi causing them to shrink. This atrophy reduces the absorptive capacity of the gut and the ability of the pig to use its food. The enzymes produced by the cells of the villi are likewise reduced. The changes result in malabsorption of food and poor digestion with or without the development of scour. The villi normally regenerate within 5 to 7 days after weaning from cells at their base called enterocytes, which multiply and migrate upwards causing the villi to return to their normal length. The rate of multiplication and regeneration is in part an environmental temperature and energy dependent phenomena. If the pig is weaned in an environment below its lower critical temperature (LCT), the rate of regeneration of the villi is reduced and in some cases ceases. (This results in the hairy pig that doesn’t grow). Feed intake is a crucial part of the equation.

Other factors also increase the demand for energy and it is critical the balance is made in the first 24 hours of weaning. Draughts must be avoided.

Before weaning the piglet receives milk as a liquid feed at regular intervals. As a result the bacterial flora of the gut, although relatively simple compared with that of a mature pig, is stabilised.

At weaning cessation of milk removes secretory IgA and there is a period of starvation, followed by irregular attempts to eat solid feed. This results in a dynamic disruption of the bacterial flora of the gut which may last for 7 to 10 days before stabilising. This bacterial disruption may also contribute to poor digestion and possibly scour, particularly when high levels of pathogenic strains of E. coli are involved.

Before weaning the piglets led an ordered life, being “called” with their litter mates to suckle and obtain small amounts of milk at regular intervals, sleeping between meals in a warm creep. All this suddenly changes at weaning, the pigs finding themselves in strange surroundings with strange piglets, and only solid feed. Psychological trauma is inevitable and is likely to affect some pigs more than others, resulting in impaired digestibility and lowered resistance to disease. The more this psychological stress can be minimised the better

If poor growth is evident in the first seven days post-weaning the following options or variables need to be considered:

• Check that the weights of all pigs at weaning are to the target level.
• Check the ages of the pigs at weaning.
• Heavier but younger pigs will have a more immature digestive system.
• Group the pigs by weight or keep them in their litter groups.
• Use a highly digestible and palatable diet and mix and soak this for the first day or two with water.
• Use different diets according to body weight and age.
• Use open dishes for feeding for the first three days at least, instead of troughs.
• Feed small quantities of creep four to five times daily and remove uneaten stale feed.
• Provide easy access to fresh clean water.
• Use in-feed medication for the first ten days post-weaning.
• Check that the environmental temperature is constant and satisfies the pigs requirements particularly in the first four days post-weaning.
• Maintain a dry house without draughts.
• Reduce any form of stress.
• If pigs are housed on slatted floors provide solid comfort boards for them to lie on for the first few days.
• Remove the smallest piglets from each pen after 7 to 10 days and place them together in one pen in the same room. Their diet can then be adjusted accordingly.

Key factors that dictate the degree of villus atrophy

• Age of the pig at weaning.
• Weight of the pig at weaning.
• The environmental temperature and its fluctuations.
• Feed intake and availability of feed.
• Digestibility of the feed.
• Quality of the proteins.
• Levels of milk proteins.
• Levels of bacterial and viral challenge.

Nutrition

Only minimal amounts of solid food are eaten during the suckling period and very little before 10 days of age.

Key points to maximising feed intake

• Pigs at weaning time will eat a warm gruel better than a solid food.
• Gruel feeding reduces the degree of villus atrophy and dehydration.
• Pigs need to be encouraged to feed in the first 2 to 3 days post-weaning because the maternal discipline of suckling every 40 minutes is lost.
• Provide creep feed for the first 72 hours in open dishes 5 to 6 times a day. This will encourage the pigs to eat and avoid over eating. Piglets naturally “root” pellets from the floors rather than a trough. Recently washed metal troughs have unattractive smells.
• By experiment place the feeders in the most attractive part of the pen.
• A small pellet or crumb will increase intake. Pellet size should be 2mm or less.
• Examine the piglets mouths at weaning time to ensure there has been no damage to the gums during teeth removal. Pigs with sore infected gums will not eat.
• Use a highly palatable diet.

Creep feeding / options

The term “creep feed” here means the pre-starter diet offered to piglets before and just after weaning until they can be changed to a cheaper starter diet.

When sows were loose-housed in farrowing pens the pre-starter had to be placed in a “creep” where the sows could not get to it. Now that sows are farrowed in crates or tethers the creep is placed outside the warm creep area in a cooler part of the pen to keep it fresh but the term “creep feed” is still used.

There are a number of options:

• No creep given pre-weaning.
• Different creeps given pre and post-weaning.
• Mixed creeps given post-weaning.
• A high dense diet used pre-weaning and a low one post-weaning.
• A low dense diet used pre-weaning and a high one post-weaning
• Restricted feed for varying periods of time.
• Choice feeding.

By trial and error determine the best methods that produce a healthy rapid growing weaner.

On most farms the best method is to offer very small quantities of fresh creep feed several times a day for the last 7 to 10 days before weaning and to continue this for one to three days after weaning while gradually changing to starter rations.

Nutritional components of a good creep diet

Whilst it is not the purpose of this book to discuss nutrition in detail nevertheless Fig.14-14 shows the effects on growth rate of a simple diet compared to a complex one. A complex diet could consist of the following:

Cooked cereals 38 %, maze oil 11%, milk products 45%, Glucose and sugars 5% plus minerals and vitamins, MJ DE/kg 16.4, Protein 21 to 23%, lysine 1.3 to 1.4%, oil 20%.

Coliform Infections and Post-Weaning Diarrhoea

The bacterium E. coli is a common inhabitant of the intestine of the pig. There are two types, non haemolytic and haemolytic, which describe whether or not the organism breaks down blood (haemolysis) on a culture plate. In some countries haemolytic types invariably cause disease due to the toxins that they produce but in others non haemolytic strains predominate. At weaning time the loss of sows milk and IgA allow the E. coli to attach to the villi of the small intestines, the toxins cause acute enteritis and diarrhoea. Post-weaning diarrhoea is a common cause of mortality and morbidity.

Clinical signs

These are usually seen within five days of weaning. In severe cases a pig is found dead with sunken eyes and slight blueing of the extremities. Diarrhoea will not necessarily be seen but in less acute cases the first signs are often slight loss of condition, dehydration and a watery diarrhoea. To identify the latter press the abdomen of a suspect pig and see whether diarrhoea is evident. Dehydration results in rapid loss of weight. The changes in the intestine can be so severe as to cause haemorrhage and blood or black tarry faeces may be seen, but usually the pig dies. The diarrhoea varies in consistency from very watery to a paste with a wide range of colour from grey white, yellow and green. Colour is not of any significance. Fresh blood or mucus would normally be absent.

Diagnosis

This is based on the history of disease in the first week post-weaning although diarrhoea can develop 10 to 14 days post-weaning. Other causes e.g. rotavirus, can give similar symptoms and it is necessary to submit a live or recently dead untreated pig to the laboratory for bacteriological and virological tests to distinguish between them. Determine the antibiotic sensitivity to the E. coli.

Similar diseases

These include porcine epidemic diarrhoea, rotavirus, TGE and salmonella infections. A useful and simple test to differentiate between virus causes and E. coli diarrhoea involves the use of litmus paper to determine whether the scour is an alkaline or an acid consistency. Soak the paper in the scour, E. coli diarrhoea is alkaline (blue colour change) whereas viral infections are acid (red colour change).

Treatment

• It is important to know the history of the disease on the farm and antibiotic sensitivities to the bacteria present. Sick pigs should always be treated individually and group treatment applied to the pigs at risk. Ideally by water medication. (Fig.9-22).
• Add zinc oxide at a level of 2,500ppm of zinc per tonne. Feed for 2-3 weeks. This is highly effective in controlling E. coli infection.
• If pigs become dehydrated, electrolytes should be provided in a separate drinker.

Management control and prevention

The principles of controlling this disease are common to the general management of the post-weaned pig. These are discussed at the beginning of the chapter and you are advised to review these and adjust your control systems as indicated. If there is a problem on the farm use the following checklist:

Pre-weaning

• Assess health and body condition of the lactating sow.
• Are there respiratory or enteric problems during sucking? Adopt control measures.
• Are the weaning problems mainly in gilt litters? If so consider E. coli vaccination.
• Are gilts and sows vaccinated against E. coli?
• Consider aspects of farrowing house environment and hygiene as discussed in chapter 7.
• Creep feeding. Consider the type, frequency and age of introduction.
• Stop creep feeding before weaning and assess the effects.

On the day of weaning – consider the significance of:

• Stress.
• Stocking density – group sizes.
• House temperatures and fluctuations.
• House hygiene.
• Water availability.
• Nutrition
  – Type: Meal or pellets, wet or dry.
  – Feeding practices.
  – Quality of nutrition.

After weaning consider:

• Air flow.
• Temperature fluctuations.
• Ventilation, humidity.
• Creep feed management.
• Response to different creep diets.
• Disease.
• Age and weight at weaning.
• Floor surfaces – comfort boards.
• Rate and evenness of growth.

Diarrhoea or Scour

Of all the diseases in the sucking piglet, diarrhoea is the most common and probably the most important. In some outbreaks it is responsible for high morbidity and mortality. In a well run herd there should be less than 3% of litters at any one time requiring treatment and piglet mortality from diarrhoea should be less than 0.5%. In severe outbreaks levels of mortality can rise to 7% or more and in individual untreated litters up to 100% (in TGE it may reach 100% overall) . The causes of diarrhoea are shown in Fig.8-29. Four of the agents listed in Fig.8-29 are viruses, transmittable gastro-enteritis (TGE), rotavirus, porcine epidemic diarrhoea (PED) virus and PRRS virus. The main bacterial causes are E. coli and clostridia and the main parasite is coccidia. This section deals principally with E. coli diarrhoea. Clostridial diarrhoea, coccidiosis, TGE and PED are dealt with in more detail in other sections in this chapter.

At birth the intestinal tract is micro-biologically sterile and it has little immunity to disease producing organisms. Organisms begin to colonise the tract quickly after birth, among them potentially pathogenic strains of E. coli and Clostridium perfringens. Immunity is initially provided by the high levels of antibodies in colostrum (IgG, IgM, IgA). After the colostral antibodies have been absorbed into the blood stream, the immunity is maintained by the antibody (IgA) which is present in milk. IgA is absorbed into the mucous lining of the intestines. It is essential that the newborn piglet drinks sufficient colostrum soon after birth to prevent potentially pathogenic organisms multiplying against the intestinal wall and causing diarrhoea. It is also essential that the piglet continues to drink milk regularly after the colostrum has gone so that its intestines continue to be lined by protective antibodies.

The antibodies acquired passively from the colostrum and milk are finite and can be overwhelmed by large doses of bacteria present in the environment. The higher the number of organisms taken in, the greater the risk of disease. Environmental stress such as chilling also plays a role because it lowers the piglets resistance. There is thus a delicate balance between the antibody level on the one hand and the weight of infection and stress on the other.

Other agents such as adenoviruses, astroviruses, bredaviruses, calciviruses, toroviruses, picoburnaviruses and chlamydia, have been identified in diarrhoeic faces but their significance is mostly unknown. Adenoviruses may be involved in pneumonia and are thought sometimes to worsen other pneumonias such as enzootic pneumonia. Bredaviruses have been associated with loss of appetite, weakness, tremors and death in weaners but it is extremely rare. Chlamydia cause conjunctivitis, coughing and arthritis (and in sows have been associated with infertility and stillbirths). Non of these agents cause common diseases of any importance in pigs and are best ignored by the pig farmer.

Clinical signs

Scour in the piglet can occur at any age during sucking but there are often two peak periods, before 5 days and between 7 and 14 days.

Acute disease
The only sign may be a perfectly good pig found dead. Post-mortem examinations shows severe acute enteritis, so sudden that there may be no evidence of scour externally. Clinically affected piglets huddle together shivering or lie in a corner. The skin around the rectum and tail will be wet. Look around the pen for evidence of a watery to salad cream consistency scour. In many cases there is a distinctive smell. As the diarrhoea progresses the piglet becomes dehydrated, with sunken eyes and a thick leathery skin. The scour often sticks to the skin of other piglets giving them an orange to white colour.

Prior to death piglets may be found on their sides paddling and frothing at the mouth.

Sub acute disease
The symptoms are similar but the effects on the piglet are less dramatic, more prolonged and mortality tends to be lower. This type of scour is often seen between 7 to 14 days of age manifest by a watery to thin salad cream consistency diarrhoea, often white to yellow in colour.

Diagnosis

The overall picture must be considered when making a diagnosis. Sudden outbreaks of scour involving large numbers of litters with acute diarrhoea and high mortality suggest TGE, epidemic diarrhoea or PRRS. It always helps in differentiating these infections to know whether the herd had previously been exposed to any of these diseases or not. If exposure is for the first time the outbreak is likely to be explosive.

Rotavirus diarrhoea appears in waves in individual litters or groups of litters and normally in the second half of lactation. Coccidiosis has an incubation period of 6 days and is usually involved in diarrhoea complexes from 7 to 14 days of age. At less than 5 days of age the most common cause is E. coli with acute diarrhoea particularly in gilts’ litters because they pass on poorer levels of immunity. Clostridial infections also occur at this age.

Diagnosis is based on the clinical examinations, the response to treatment (viral diseases do not respond to treatment) and laboratory examination of the scour. Submit a rectal swab or a live pig to the laboratory for cultural examinations and antibiotic sensitivity tests.

Treatment

• Some antibiotics available are shown in Fig.8-30. Most of these are active against E. coliand clostridia but not the virus infections.
• In severe outbreaks of E. coli disease the sows feed can be top dressed with the appropriate antibiotic daily, from entry into the farrowing house and for up to 14 days post-farrowing. This can be effective in reducing bacterial output in the sows faeces.
• Observe litters for the presence of diarrhoea both night and morning.
• Study the history of the disease on your farm. Is it sporadic, in one piglet in a litter, or total litters?
• In the light of the history either treat the individual pig or on the first signs of disease treat the whole litter.
• If a litter is badly scoured dose night and morning for a minimum of two days.
• Assess the response to treatment. If there is no change within 12 hours then change to another medicine as advised by your veterinarian.
• Always treat piglets less than 7 days of age by mouth.
• For older pigs where the disease is less acute injections are equally effective and easier to administer.
• Provide electrolytes in drinkers. These prevent dehydration and maintain body electrolyte balances.
• Cover the pen, the creep area and where the pigs defecate with straw, shredded paper, shavings or sawdust.
• Provide an additional lamp to provide an extra source of heat.
• Use binding agents such as chalk, kaolin or activated attapulgite to absorb toxins from the gut.

Management control and prevention

• Adopt procedures to prevent the spread of the scour.

– Disinfect boots between pens. – Use a disposable plastic apron when dosing piglets to prevent heavy contamination of clothing. – Wash hands after handling a scoured litter. – Disinfect brushes and shovels between pen.

• Ensure that farrowing houses are only used on an all-in all-out basis with a pressure wash and disinfection between each batch.
• Farrowing pens must be dry before the house is repopulated. Remember that moisture, warmth, waste food and faeces are ideal for bacterial multiplication.
• Pen floors should be well maintained. Poor pen hygiene associated with bad drainage predisposes to scour.
• Look carefully at the part of the pen floor where there are piglet faeces. Is this poorly drained? Do large wet patches develop? If so cover them with extra bedding daily and remove. This is a most important aspect of control.
• Check nipple drinkers and feeding troughs for leakages.
• Ensure that faeces are removed daily from behind the sow from the day she enters the farrowing crates until at least 7 days post-farrowing if the floors are slatted. Also remove faeces daily throughout lactation if they are solid concrete.
• Maintain creep environments that are always warm and comfortable. Fluctuating temperatures are a major trigger factor to scour particularly from 7 to 14 days of age.
• Do not penny-pinch on your heating costs. Many cases of scour are precipitated by attempts to save on costs of energy.
• Check for high air flow and draughts. They predispose to scour.
• Consider vaccinating against E. coli (make sure first that this is the cause of the problem however). E. coli vaccines only protect the piglet for the first 5 to 7 days of age.
• Assess the environment of all the farrowing house. Poor environments allow heavy bacterial multiplication and a much higher bacterial challenge is likely to break down the colostral immunity.
• Check the sow’s health. Animals affected with enteric or respiratory disease, lameness or mastitis predispose the litter to scour.
• Avoid the use of milk replacers where possible. Their routine use, particularly if they are allowed to get stale or contaminated, may increase the incidence.
• Where farrowing house floors are very poor, pitted and difficult to clean, brush them over with lime wash containing a phenolic disinfectant. See chapter 15.
• Scour is more common in large litters. Split suckling should be adopted.

Colostrum management

It is vital that the piglet receives the maximum amount of colostrum within the first 12 hours of birth. High levels of antibody are only absorbed during this period. Factors such as poor teat access, poor crate design, and particularly the development of agalactia in the sow, associated with udder oedema, reduce intake.

In an outbreak of scour it is important to establish if udder oedema is present. It is more common in gilts and second parity than in older sows. If E. coli diarrhoea is a problem in younger aged females this suggests that immunity levels are low and vaccination should be considered. Inject the sow twice 2 to 4 weeks apart the second injection at least two weeks before farrowing, but these times are variable depending upon the vaccine used. With good management it should not be necessary to vaccinate the sows, only the gilts.

Eradication

It is not possible to eliminate organisms such as rotavirus E. coli and coccidiosis from the herd and most if not all pigs will be infected with them. Herds can be maintained free of TGE, PED and PRRS. All herds carry clostridia but other factors are required to cause disease.

A summary of the management factors associated with disease is shown in Fig.8-31.

China COFCO-Genesus Pig Imports – June 2016

22 June 2016

CHINA – In the first week of June 2016 Genesus supplied almost 1000 animals to the Chinese company COFCO for one of their nucleus farms. COFCO Corporation is a leading supplier of agri-products, diversified foodstuffs and services in China, fully integrated and providing grain and oil products to one quarter of the world’s population.

COFCO has sales of US$71.9 billion.

Cofco’s sow herd is presently 175,000 sows with further expansion underway.

The breeding stock were sent by charter plane, great efforts were taken to provide a safe and comfortable journey for the pigs to China.

Genesus and COFCO work together to ensure that COFCO’s genetic program is operating at the highest level with regular imports of animals, semen and genetic support from Genesus to keep the genetic link between nucleus herds in China and Canada and to ensure that genetic improvement is maximised. Genesus has the world’s largest registered purebred herd, known for the most prolific female in the industry and the leader on meat quality research and implementation.

Genesus is the world’s major supplier of imported swine genetics to China.

EU Compound Feed Production Up in 2015

06 July 2016

EU – Compound feed production in the EU-28 in 2015 reached 157.3 million tonnes, which is 0.6 per cent more than in 2014, according to data provided by members of feed producers’ organisation FEFAC.

While cattle feed production dropped by 0.7 per cent, pig feed and poultry feed grew by respectively 0.6 per cent and 1.2 per cent.

Poultry feed therefore cemented its leading position in EU feed production, boosted by an increase per capita in meat consumption (+2.7 per cent), which primarily benefited poultry meat (+4 per cent).

Feed costs remained low and even decreased compared to 2014. This was due to a good 2015 cereals harvest in the EU, and a largely sufficient supply of oilseed meals globally, especially soybean meal.

Poland and Spain performed well, with annual growth close to 4 per cent. In contrast, Germany recorded a significant decrease (-2.9 per cent), whereas the UK was set back by more than 4 per cent, due to a decline in poultry feed production. All other major producers saw limited changes in production.

Forecast for 2016

FEFAC market experts are relatively pessimistic about industrial compound feed production in 2016. They do foresee the upward trend on poultry feed demand to persist, though at a slower pace than in 2015 (+0.5 per cent), but also a significant reduction in pig feed demand (-1.5 per cent), in line with expert forecasts on pigmeat production in the EU.

Overall, this would lead to a 0.7 per cent decrease in compound feed production in 2016 vs 2015.

On the feed materials side, concerns regarding the quality of the EU cereals harvest 2016 due to the humid and cold weather conditions in several EU Member States may result in higher supply of feed wheat. However, prudence will be required as regards the sanitary quality.

Concerning proteins, after the lower than expected South American soya harvest 2016 combined with a higher global demand for soybean meal, the attention is put on the US soya harvest forecast, which is relatively good for the time being.

In 1812, early “Red Hogs” were bred in New York and New Jersey. They were large in size. Large litters and the ability to grow quickly were characteristics Durocs possessed from the beginning. The foundation that formed today’s “Duroc” was comprised of Red Durocs from New York and Jersey Reds from New Jersey.

In 1823, Isaac Frink of Milton in Saratoga County, New York, obtained from Harry Kelsey of Florida New York, a red boar, one of a litter of ten pigs. The sire and dam of these pigs were probably imported from England. Kelsey owned a famous trotting stallion named Duroc, so Frink named his red boar in honour of the horse. This boar was known for his smoothness and carcase quality.

His progeny continued the Duroc name and many of them inherited his colour, quick growth and maturity, deep body, broad ham and shoulder, and quiet disposition. The Duroc was smaller than the Jersey Red, with finer bones and better carcase quality. Beginning in the early 1860s, Durocs were made from a systematic blending of the two very different strains.

The first organization for the purpose of recording, improving, and promoting Red Hogs was the American Duroc-Jersey Association, which was established in 1883. At the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair, Durocs gained wide popularity at the first successful Duroc Hog Show.

The Duroc made two attempts to gain a foothold in this country; the first in the early 70s was not very successful, although some of those pigs were exported on to Denmark. They were re-imported in the early 80s and a comprehensive trial was undertaken by the MLC to assess the merits of the Duroc as a terminal sire. It was found that in the British skin-on fresh pork market the Duroc could not be used as a purebred but only as component of a crossbred boar. The development of Duroc crossbred boars produced large numbers of crossbred gilts. A market was found for these due to a resurgence of interest in outdoor pig production. This has resulted in breeding and selection programmes for the British Duroc focusing on female line characteristics rather than the traditional terminal sire traits associated with the breed. The Duroc has now found a special niche in the British industry and a unique British version of the breed has been developed.

Their thick auburn winter coat and hard skin allows them to survive the cold and wet of the British winter. This coat moults out in summer to leave the pig looking almost bald, but as a consequence it can cope with hot dry summers equally well. All purebred Durocs are red in colour and the development of a so-called “White Duroc” has only been achieved by crossbreeding with a white breed.

Its tenacity in looking after its young combined with its docility between times makes it an ideal candidate for an outdoor pig, either as a dam or sire line, and its succulence and heavy muscling makes it very suitable for anything from light pork to heavy hog production.

Further research funded by the MLC has investigated the Duroc’s claim to produce high levels of tenderness. This has led to a recommendation to include Duroc genetics as part of the meat quality Blueprint.

Breeds of Livestock – Fengjing Swine

Update on Swine Enteric Coronavirus Disease in US

21 July 2016

US – The number of pig farm samples that were confirmed positive for porcine epidemic diarrhoea virus (PEDV) in the last week was 12. There was one premises confirmed with having porcine delta coronavirus (PDCoV) and one with the dual infection (PEDV and PDCoV), in the 14 July 2016 report.

For the latest week the total number of premises with confirmed positive status is 2,283 for PEDV, 158 for PDCOV and 148 for dual infection.