THE CEFN IN HOUSE NUCLEUS PROGRAM. Rolf Sokolinski and Andrew Jones. CEFN PTY LTD, 54 King Street, Clifton, QLD 4361

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1 THE CEFN IN HOUSE NUCLEUS PROGRAM Rolf Sokolinski and Andrew Jones CEFN PTY LTD, 54 King Street, Clifton, QLD 4361 CEFN HISTORY CEFN PTY LTD is a family owned Australian pig genetics company. It supplies pig genetics and piggery equipment across Australia and the Pacific and has multiplier farms established in Australia, New Zealand and the Philippines. It is owner operator of currently 4000 breeding sows in Queensland, 200 kilometres west of Brisbane. CEFN Stud was established in In early days the founder Mr K.B. Jones, originally a dairy farmer, kept some pigs for the purpose of dairy waste conversion on his farm. He soon realized that in bad years his pig operation consistently outperformed his dairy operation in terms of financial income. CEFN started off with 3 breeding sows and one boar. The first boar for breeding was sold in 1941 for one Guinea ($2.10), which equalled a one week wage of an average worker at the time. Mr K.B. Jones exhibited pigs at shows at the style of the day and won many prizes. For example in one year CEFN either bred or exhibited the champion boar at every Royal Show in Australia. In 1962 CEFN withdrew from the show scene and concentrated on commercial customers. This was also the time that Mr Ian Jones, the son of the CEFN founder, joined the family business CEFN Stud PTY LTD. In 1963 CEFN commenced its HYPAR project (Hysterectomy procured artificially reared) in conjunction with the University of Queensland. CEFN supplied 100 pregnant sows. The piglets were born through hysterectomy and reared artificially in order to stock the new CEFN farm with high health pigs. During a study tour in Europe in 1967 Mr Ian Jones met Dr John King who was a Professor of genetics at the University of Edinburgh. Dr King s work involved four way cross experiments using different breeds. On his return home Mr Ian Jones commenced individual testing of males for growth rate, feed conversion ratio and back fat using Phillips ultrasound. By 1985 CEFN had exhausted its local genetics and introduced live pigs from Europe. Testing for Porcine Stress Syndrome (PSS) was commenced using Halothane gas. The structure of crossing stress carrying terminal sire lines with stress free dam lines also commenced. From that point the breeding program changed from using Landrace, Large White pure bred animals to developing a 4 line cross breeding system. Specialised dam and sire lines were bred for specific traits. The CEFN breeding program today still applies the same principles. The genetic program in the two dam-lines is primarily aimed towards reproductive traits (litter size, average piglet weight at birth and mothering ability). The breeding program in the two meat lines is primarily aimed towards meat, carcase traits and production efficiency (growth rate, feed conversion ratio, reduction of fat levels and muscling). CEFN applied economic measures of breeding stock for sale in very early days. A formula was used during the 70 s and 80 s in order to evaluate sales candidates by applying dollar values to their average daily gain and back fat performance test results. 93

2 Proof of Profit With the development of PIGBLUP there was an opportunity of using a much more sophisticated method of evaluating breeding stock. CEFN was actively involved in contributing to the early stages of PIGBLUP development. From the late 80 s to the mid 90 s CEFN supplied the Australian and Asian market with an annually increasing amount of live breeding stock. Mainly F1 dam line crosses and F1 sire line crosses were supplied to commercial farmers. However, in the late 90 s it became obvious that the way genes were transferred into commercial farms was not sustainable in the future. Transport costs, quarantine procedures and health risk were the main factors for the need to consider other options. The use of the PIGBLUP software package and the increased availability of computing power gave way to a completely different system of gene transfer into commercial pig farms. The approach of not only CEFN but also of other breeding stock suppliers changed more and more towards on-farm breeding systems without live animal introductions. As a result, most restock programs involved the introduction of live animals from high health populations initially, followed by on-farm breeding using semen without ever introducing live animals again. The aim is to manage the genetic program of daughter nucleus herds within commercial farms. The number of required animals (12 to 15 percent of the total herd size) is relatively small. Commercial farmers are not breeders and they don t want to be. However, the possible reduction of health risks, the minimised transport costs and the opportunity of vast genetic improvement lead to a general acceptation of such programs within the Australian industry. THE CIN PROGRAM The CIN (CEFN in-house Nucleus) Program has been developed over the past 9 years. Key principles behind the CIN-Concept are: The concept is designed to allow producers to operate as self contained breeding units. It uses the Australian PIGBLUP Software package to enhance genetic gains in each generation. After the initial stocking no further live inputs are required. Only semen ever enters the unit. The concept is designed to protect the unit s health. It avoids the health risk from incoming stock and avoids costly and lengthy isolation procedures. There are also financial advantages in comparison to the purchase of F1 females, with no genetic losses. The farmer selects his own breeding stock after genetic evaluation using PIGBLUP. F1 animals are often produced by using pooled semen of different top ranked sires. However, the EBV s of the dams of F1 selection candidates are available to the farmer to assist with the selection. A well run program increases genetic gains very quickly. There are advantages with the link to the AI system and PIGBLUP which allows comparisons over all linked herds ensuring the animals with the highest genetic merit are selected to the herd. Technical support is provided by the company, both to manage the program, provide training and to bench mark the herds for genetic improvement and for phenotypic performance. Currently there are 14 herds totalling 8150 breeding sows in Australia and the Philippines included in the program Grandparent (GP) and Great-Grandparent (GGP) females have full pedigree information. They are 100 percent linked to the Nucleus herd and they are genetically evaluated on a 94

3 regular basis using PIGBLUP. GGP females are used to produce GP (pure bred) replacement stock and GP animals are used to produce (cross bred) F1 parent stock. F1 parent stock produce the slaughter generation. Both, GGP and GP animals are pure bred animals. The differentiation entirely depends on their genetic value and subsequent ranking. Each of the GP/GGP herds is considered to be a daughter nucleus herd. In order to generate the Best Linear Unbiased Prediction (BLUP) data file each of the herds is also recorded in the main herd recording system as a separate management group. Therefore, the participation in the program requires the submission of several records through the farmers: Basic GP/GGP herd records such as matings, farrowings, weaning records and animal exits to be submitted on a weekly basis preferably in electronic format. Weekly submission of GGP IDs of females weaned in the current week to be mated the following week. Performance test data for BLUP evaluation to be submitted after testing. Currently the majority of the herd records still need to be manually entered into the database. An electronic download facility also exists. Benefits: Units participating in the program gain considerable benefits: Mating targets for GP and GGP animals are set by the system. The actual number of GP and GGP matings are constantly monitored. Accordingly targets maybe increased or decreased. The actual herd replacement rate is reviewed at 6 month intervals. Mate selection is carried out on a weekly basis after the farms have submitted animal IDs of weaned GP and GGP females. Due to the fact that full pedigree information is available inbreeding coefficients are generated for potential litters between the concerning females and possible sires. The AI centres are then advised which boars are to be collected on the following Monday for specific matings for each individual CIN-customer. Every time performance test records are submitted the farm receives a list including all animals tested, ranked by selection index. PIGBLUP provides the option to use a specific selection index (Buyers own Index). This index is used for some farms in accordance to their specific marketing and economic conditions. Quarterly the GP and GGP females in each herd are re-ranked. Farmers maybe advised to remove certain animals out of the GGP herd into the GP herd and vice versa. With the use of PIGBLUP environmental trends are available to every producer. Producers maybe informed about negative environmental trends for certain performance traits. Every AI boar used within the CIN system is originated from the CEFN nucleus herd. AI boars are selected from the top 2% of all performance tested males. Table 1 shows the genetic gain of boars used in the CIN program from 2002 to 2006 (BLUP analyses start year 1997). The $-Index is calculated by using the specific payment system, the marketing, economic and the production conditions in PIGBLUP. It represents the economic value due to genetic improvement on a per litter basis. 95

4 Proof of Profit Table 1: Average estimated breeding values of boars used in the CIN program by year Year Trait Large White Landrace (Dam Line) (Dam Line) 2002 $-Index Average Daily Gain (g) Back fat (mm) Average Number Born Alive Feed Conversion Ratio (g) N/A $-Index Average Daily Gain (g) Back fat (mm) Average Number Born Alive $-Index Average Daily Gain (g) Back fat (mm) Average Number Born Alive $-Index Average Daily Gain (g) Back fat (mm) Average Number Born Alive $-Index Average Daily Gain (g) Back fat (mm) Average Number Born Alive Feed Conversion Ratio (g) The $-Index of boars used in the CIN program has improved by $64 in the Large White breed and by $50 in the Landrace breed over the past 5 years. Therefore the genetic gain past on by the boars used in the program would represent 50 percent of the genetic gain of their progeny. The Large White boars have passed an increase of 32 Dollars per litter onto their off spring. The Landrace boars passed on 25 Dollars per litter onto their off spring. The increase of genetic gain from the female side is difficult to be analysed. This is due to the fact that farms are populated at different points in time. Some of the farmers even used their own sow herd and GP and GGP animals were identified using on-farm records. Most CIN customers are populated from CEFN high health multiplication farms. Most of the times the animals used in stocking programs are too young to be performance tested. In PIGBLUP estimated breeding values can be calculated for animals over 35 days of age even though performance test results are not yet available. Therefore it is possible to target certain (highly ranked) litters for GP/GGP selection. Across herd evaluation and re-ranking of the GP/GGP herds is carried 96

5 out on a regular bases and accuracies are improving as more performance test data is supplied to the BLUP system. The number of breeding sows managed through the CIN program has increased from 800 in 2001 to 8150 in Producers involved become more and more comfortable with the technical aspect of the program and most producers are very satisfied with their results. A number of new producers are planning to become CIN customers in the near future. The program has proven to be a successful alternative in comparison to live introduction of breeding stock. 97