TOPIGS press releases: new European facilities

TOPIGS enters Romania

With the appointment of Genetic Material Ft as distributor of TOPIGS genetics in Romania, TOPIGS has started activities in yet another country.

In 2007, Genetic Material Ft will also start with the production of TOPIGS genetics. On top of this, a farm with 600 sows will start producing TOPIGS-40 sows and an AI centre will be set up.

Genetic Material Ft is a company active in the trade of one-day chickens for broiler production, premixes and feed additives.

The company is well known for its client-focused approach and its high level of technical support. These qualities make it an ideal partner for TOPIGS.

New B-line Nucleus In Spain

TOPIGS Iberica has started a new B-line nucleus in Galarreta, in the Álava province of North of Spain.

This farm, called Arri Turri, is the fourth B-line SPF nucleus worldwide, making Spain one of TOPIGS key centres for B-line breeding in the world alongside France, Canada and the Netherlands.

The new B-line nucleus houses 320 sows and is populated from the SPF nucleus in France. The nucleus is located in an isolated mountainous area, a perfect site for SPF production of the highest level. The nearest pig farm is more than 10 kilometres.

New Test Facility In France

Just like other sire line nucleus units, the testing facility in Dombras works with Aloka scanners.

The TOPIGS nucleus unit in Dombras, in the northeast of France, has a new boat testing facility. The unit is equipped with IVOG-feeding stations, making it possible to record the individual feed intake of the young boars in a group housing situation.

The information collectd will provide greater genetic progress especially with feed conversion and daily growth. Boars at the Dombras unit will also be tested with Aloka scanners, which measure meat and fat contents of the live animals.

The Dombras unit will test more than 4000 breeding boars a year from the Tempo, Top York and Top Pi lines. The testing facility is an important step in the new TOPIGS strategy for breeding sire lines.

It hopes to boost genetic progress, as improved data collection and shorter generation intervals offer more effective breeding and selection.

First Piglets Born At Russian Nucleus

At the end of April the first TOPIGS A-line piglets were born at the TOPIGS nucleus in Kursk, Russia.

This nucleus, populated with animals from Canada last year, has a capacity of 1300 sows.

Also the first TOPIGS breeding sows of Kamsiky Bacon farrowed. The first 150 gilts had an average live born of 12.4 per litter.

This results shows that in modern Russian farms, it is also possible to comply with the TOPIGS tradition of producing big litters.