Commercial needs and the delivery of genetic improvement - success or failure?

At the last Pig Genetics Workshop two papers described aspects of the lost potential in pig production at the commercial level. Black (2000) estimated that slower growth, reduced efficiency of feed use and fatter carcases decreased the profitability of pig enterprises by as much as 25%. Walters (2000) estimated that successful progress had been achieved in backfat reduction but that there were shortfalls of 58% in lean growth, 47% in feed conversion and 67% in litter size against the achieved progress in research selection programmes. It was also shown that there had been a significant decline in feed intake. Use of these latter data together with a simple economic model (see Appendix One) indicates that the gains through genetic progress are valued at some A$2.01 per pig per year while the loss in performance potential is worth at least A$1.61. These data suggest that the delivery of genetic improvement has been both a success story and a failure.