Pig Biodiversity

The European pig industry relies on a limited number of breeds. In a recent survey covering several EU countries, the Large White x Landrace parental sows were estimated to represent 66% of the total sow herd, and one single breed (Large White) shared 30% of the total gene pool of the European fattening pigs.

In order to facilitate and rationalise the maintenance of genetic diversity, and be able to encourage breeders in that direction, it was essential that simple assays be quickly developed taking advantage of the molecular genetics tools now available. The PiGMaP programme has generated excellent tools to undertake a co-ordinated project on the biodiversity of pig breeds. The main tool for such studies will be highly polymorphic microsatellites, which have been shown already to meet the suggested requirements for the FAO Global Programme for Management of Farm Animal Genetic Resources. However, it is the FAO aim and that of the EC Biotechnology RTD programme to quantify biodiversity in order to utilise and maintain this diversity. This approach will ensure that sustainable production is achieved. In order to do this it will be very important to consider the situation within existing improvement programmes. For this reason this project included a significant component aimed at quantifying diversity of improved breeds where the level of diversity was expected to be relatively small.

The objective of this project was to demonstrate the benefits of an evaluation of genetic diversity in the European pig considering both commercial populations and local breeds in order to enhance utilisation and preservation for future generations.

By utilising the results of previous EC funded programmes, the project ensured that European leadership was maintained in an area of rapid development. For pigs in particular, European breeders have a world lead and this demonstration will help to consolidate their position.

The benefits of biodiversity to pig breeding have already been demonstrated. The prolificacy of the Chinese Meishan pig was such that the industry was prepared to conserve this breed despite its lack of overall economic value. The description of pig diversity at the DNA level will provide new opportunities for breeding by improving the utilisation of locally adapted breeds. It was also felt that this will be perceived as a very positive use of molecular biology which will assist in the public acceptance of an important technology. A significant benefit of this project is the strong technology transfer element of the programme, as manifested by the databases set-up on Internet, and the workshops for transmission of the knowledge generated to a wide audience.