SHAKESPEARE, Ont. – Two genetic lines of lean pigs may perform equally
well under ideal conditions, but raise the stress level and farmers
will find that some lean lines are better than others.
Calling the phenomenon “environmental sensitivity,” Allan Schinckel of
Purdue University told a hog production seminar in Shakespeare on Feb.
20 that a recent study compared a European line of lean pigs with a
lean United States line.
Both lines performed well in an all in-all out management system.
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However, in a continuous flow system, where crowding and disease
pressures were greater, the European line didn’t gain as fast as the
U.S. pigs.
Schinckel said there are other repercussions. Lean gain is affected
more than fat gain when genetically lean pigs are stressed.
“We see on genetically leaner animals, if there are stresses on the
pigs, the pigs grow slower and get fatter.”
Farmers with facilities that are more stressful for pigs will likely
make more money if they stay away from lean lines, Schinckel said.
These lines can earn farmers more money in all in-all out systems,
where stress levels are often lower, because of the premiums that are
