Increased litter size in purebred herds has been identified by the BLUP (best linear unbiased prediction) statistical analysis in swine improvement programs. Canadian Centre for Swine Improvement analyzes the productivity of animals tested (probed and weighed) regionally to compile a Dam Line Index (DLI) on each of the gilts and boars probed. The DLI is essentially a measure of the productivity of the litter tested as well as the productivity of family members - littermates, sire and dam, and extended family members.

The benefit to selecting on DLI can be seen recently at Jakubec Farms, where two 2nd parity Landrace sows with high indexes in their breeding background recently produced litters of 20 and 17 live piglets, respectively.
Herds that are continuing with an in-house multiplication program will find that litter size of the crossbred litters will increase as the genetics of the grandparent purebred sows are improved through ongoing selections for DLI in the national Swine Improvement Program.

A number of herds are moving toward an in-house multiplication program, whereby Yorkshire or Landrace gilts constitute a herd being bred to Landrace or Yorkshire boars. This program allows fewer animals to enter the herd (increased biosecurity) and provides the producer an opportunity to manage the replacement Summit gilts according to his own needs. The selection process for replacement gilts by the producer can be managed to include varied feeding regimes, added aging and sizing as well as selecting for physical attributes most desired by that producer.

The In-House program offered by PEAK Swine Genetics appears to meet the animal quality and financial needs of producers to a greater extent than other programs being offered in the industry.

Thanks to everyone for joining us as PEAK clients!

Small jackrabbits in southern Alberta can run at a sustained rate of 45 kph for over one kilometer. They have a capacity to burst to 50 kph for shorter distances!

4-H Fair pigs in Montana and Washington supplied from Big Sky Colony were class winners this fall. One of the pigs in MT returned $700 from its sale, with Fair pigs in WA selling between $2-$3/pound live.
Congratulations to all the class winners!

Oh, deer!

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