News
Rattlerow Farms has officially opened its fourth AI centre
Long Meadow, a new hi-tech boar stud.
jan, 2012
Press release – September 20th
RA-SE Genetics for better performance in Russia
Importation of lower volumes but higher quality breeding stock
Line36 boar, pure line large white
"Targeted imports and data exchange will reduce costs of production in Russia."
Geert Rombouts, area sales director
After a decade of importation of high numbers of live animals and pork, the day is becoming closer that Russia will reduce its reliance on imports. Production of pork is continuously increasing and big steps have been made during the last few years to improve their herds through the import of advanced genetics from England and other European countries. In addition, new farms and management support have helped Russian pig producers to achieve higher levels of production.
All major integrated companies have started their own breeding pyramids: Instead of buying large numbers of breeding stock, they now introduce only GGP pigs or semen into their GGP herds. At the same time modern techniques for data collection, EBV calculations and exchange of breeding technologies are helping them to select the best animals into their own herds and avoid inbreeding in their pure breeds.
Rattlerow Seghers has successfully implemented a breeding and selection program in several Russian farms of between 1.000 and 25.000 sows. A recent example of this is the pig division of Ostankina Meat company. After an original import from Canada in 2004 and the start of their own breeding pyramid, results were not improving as expected from the Canadian genetics. They were sure the low number of piglets born and poor uniformity at weaning was affecting their cost of production.
After analyzing the weak points in the production structure, Rattlerow Seghers exported from England to Russia 170 GGP animals, from different purebred lines. This new genetic input together with a very close collaboration in data exchange and EBV/inbreeding calculation is expected to help Troparevo to achieve better production results. Significantly this is being done through importation of only a few GGP animals each year. This will decrease both the sanitary risk as well as import costs. A win-win situation for both companies.
sept 20th, 2011
Press release – April '11
China opens it’s borders
INCREASING DEMAND FOR PORK CREATES OPPORTUNITIES IN THE CHINESE MARKET
The fast expansion of pig production is one of the main actions in the Chinese government’s plan. The demand for pork meat keeps on rising. This has resulted in market prices increasing to 1.65 €/kg live weight, making the Chinese pig business profitable in spite of the high cost of raw materials.
The Chinese pig industry is looking to Europe for knowledge and new Genetic lines to make rapid breed improvement. This offers plenty of opportunities to European Genetic Companies to increase the export volume to China.
"The production of pork in China cannot keep up with the increasing demand."
Stefan Derks,
Co-CEO, Rattlerow Seghers
In the meantime, Rattlerow Seghers continues its activities in China and has exported breeding pigs to Beijing at the beginning of April, to expand the companies breeding pyramid in a country with 60 million sows.”Thanks to our efforts during the last 15 years, and our presence in 28 of the 32 Chinese provinces, Rattlerow Seghers has an established reputation for performance. Our company is recognized as one of the few national breeding companies which can obtain import licenses and we look forward working closer with the Chinese,”, according to Stefan Derks.
At this moment, the recently exported breeding stock are in a specially built quarantine facility where they will stay for 45 days before entering the nucleus breeding farm.
april ‘11, 2011
Press release – november 12th, 2010
Selection for IGF2 in dam lines improves sow performance
Researchers of the University of Leuven and Liege, the Canadian Centre for Swine Improvement and Rattlerow Seghers reveal a unique selection scheme to improve sow performance without jeopardizing the leanness and uniformity of the slaughter pigs.
The large effect of the IGF2 mutation on lean meat and back fat without a negative influence on growth or meat quality, has made IGF2 an important gene to use in any breeding program. Terminal sires have been selected to be homozygous for the lean allele (IGF2+) by the main breeding companies in order to pass the full effect to their offspring. Selection for leaner carcasses, demanded by the packing industry and consumers, does however conflict with the prolificacy and longevity of the sow and lead to increased replacement rates, involuntary culls and mortality of sows.
The mutation in the IGF2 gene provides a possibility to overcome this conflict. The imprinting character of the gene can be used to produce lean slaughter pigs from fatter dams, that inherited the wild type allele from their father (genotype of Grandparent boar = igf2-/igf2-), crossed with terminal sires being homozygous for the lean allele (IGF2+/IGF2+).
The results were recently published in “Animal Genetics” and show an important influence on prolificacy and longevity in sows. In two independent studies, one performed in Belgium and the other one in Canada, it was found that the paternal igf2- allele was associated with higher reproduction performance in the Sow.
The number of weaned piglets per litter increased by 0.5 per litter and the total litter weaning weight increased with 4 kg.
Because of the imprinted character of the gene, selection for the igf2- allele in sow lines will not influence the carcass quality of the offspring
Prof. Dr. Nadine Buys – nadine.buys@gentecweb.comnov 12th, 2010
Press Release – December 29th 2009
Rattlerow Seghers expands their nucleus program in China.
Ten years ago, a Joint Venture pig breeding farm was established in HEBEI province of China, 250 Km South of Beijing.
Today, a new decade started with agreements being signed that will ensure a rapid development of the nucleus farm of Rattlerow Seghers group in China. The Joint Venture partners HEBEI Yufeng Jing An breeding Co. Ltd. and Rattlerow Seghers group have agreed to increase the nucleus program to maintain around 400.000 commercial sows within the next three years. With these agreements, both Chinese and European partners have given their solid commitment to support the new Chinese industrial producers and improve production for the growing demand of high quality pork products.
The nucleus herd of the Rattlerow Seghers group will be increased by an import of pure line animals during next summer. At the same time construction work has already started to extend the capacity of the nucleus farm to 600 sows.
“HEBEIseghers breeding Co ltd. guarantees the supply of high quality pig breeding technologies to lower the cost of production. At present around 20.000 GP sows produce Parent stock in 28 provinces of China”.
Stefan Derks,
Co-CEO, Rattlerow Seghers
Mr. Wei Zhimin and Mr. Stefan Derks signing contracts
A dedicated team working at the nucleus farm in HEBEI province will guarantee the successful breeding of pure lines of Rattlerow Seghers. Every month nucleus data are sent to the central offices in Belgium to calculate inbreeding indexes and BLUP values to run the breeding program in the best possible way.
With support of the most advanced European technologies and know-how from specialists from the local industry’s top performing companies, Rattlerow Seghers breeding program has the solid reputation for the production of the best carcass quality available in the market. The fast growing Chinese pig industry has recognised this quality. During 2009 around 85.000 breeding animals were produced within the Rattlerow Seghers breeding program and were sold throughout China.
dec 29th ‘09
Press Release
ELITA FARMS AND RATTLEROW SEGHERS SIGN AN AGREEMENT TO DEVELOP UKRAINIAN PIG PRODUCTION.
The first ever nucleus stock arrived from Belgium in the Ukraine.
In January 2009, Rattlerow Seghers delivered 192 high health nucleus breeding stock from Belgium to Elita Farms in the Ukraine. This is the first delivery of a complete nucleus collaboration program between both companies and is the first shipment ever of breeding stock from the Benelux to the Ukraine. Government institutes of both countries worked closely together to get this delivery done. During a meeting of Mr Melnik Yuriy Fedorovych, minister of Agriculture of Ukraine and Mr. Geert Rombouts, area manager of Rattlerow Seghers in October 2008, the plans were made and four months later, the first shipment arrived at the quarantine facilities in the Ukraine.
“The contract includes delivery of a large nucleus program and training programs to support growth and efficiency of the Ukrainian pig industry. With support of the national Ukrainian government and genetics from Elita, we will focus to expand the total pig herd after some years of serious decline”
Mr. Geert Rombouts
From left to right : Mrs. Nadia Kudlai, director of Elita Farms,
Mr. Mr Melnik Yuriy Fedorovych, minister of Agriculture of the Ukraine,
Mr. Geert Rombouts, area manager at Rattlerow Seghers
Mr. Ivan Kudlai, director of OSC "Terezine"
Mrs. Svitlana - interpreter
Elita farms
Elita farms imported the first breeding animals of Rattlerow Seghers in 2004. Great Grand Parents and Grand Parent of both female and sire lines were sent from the U.K. ELITA produces GP- and P-boars, GP-gilts and P-gilts which have been successfully marketed since beginning of 2005. Due to a growing demand, additional GGP stock was shipped in 2005 and 2006 and the plan for a closer collaboration grew in 2008. The EASY2MANAGE approach of Rattlerow Seghers convinced Elita to switch from Mira to the Cora program as to confirm the lead in setting new standards in Ukrainian Pig Production. Bigger farms need strong and reliable breeding stock to perform well under intensive conditions. The objective of ELITA is to combine local resources with the best technology and know how from Western Europe to improve results of pig farming in the Ukraine. Today the Ukraine only produces around 44% of local consumer demand. The latest currency problems have only strengthened the will of the minister of agriculture to expand this industry rapidly like the Russian Federation has done over the last 5 years. The ministry of agriculture has chosen to establish and restore the industry on solid grounds with local partners and the best breeding programs of the world.
The total breeding program will maintain a total breeding herd of 200.000 sows. We thank the Belgian and the Ukrainian ministries of agriculture and health authorities for their help and support for this successful collaboration between both countries.
march 7th ‘09
Piensos Costa has received the diamond award as ‘best pig producer of 2008’. Their Caspe unit of more than 5000 CORA sows weaned last year 28,25 pigs/sow/year.
The Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, the National Association of Pig Producers (Anprogapor) and IRTA (Spanish National Research Institute) has awarded the best pig producers of 2008. During that year, data were collected from 581 companies, with a total stock of more than 500.000 sows. Participating farms were divided according to the number of productive stock on the farm. Golden, silver and bronze medals were distributed based on results of piglets born alive per litter, the production index and the farrowing rate. Besides those prices, a unique award is given to one farm with excellent scores in all the above mentioned categories as well as for a continuous focus on efficiency, bio-security and management skills.
A jury has visited all participating farms and has awarded this Diamond Award to Caspe Unit of Piensos Costa.
Nor the numbers on the computer, nor the value on paper but the ‘economical value of the whole chain production’ is the driving force of Piensos Costa. Their goal is to produce a pig as cheap as possible but well as demanded by the market. Efficiency in the whole chain is not only including the boar in the AI station but also an EASY2MANAGE sow, the motivation of the staff by being present on the farm every day and last but not least, using the genetic package ensuring a better economical balance, measured in the slaughterhouse. An EASY2MANAGE approach for a bigger farm in a strong company.
5 jan ‘09