Indiana Ag Connection - Chinese Pork Producers Attend Purdue Short Course

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Chinese Pork Producers Attend Purdue Short Course
Indiana Ag Connection - 06/08/2009

A group of 10 Chinese pork producers, hosted by the U.S. Grains Council, spent two days last week learning about U.S. production practices and issues including topics from animal welfare and sow housing to alternative feeds and artificial insemination.

"Of the visiting Chinese producers, half of them use U.S. genetics," said Brian Richert, Purdue Extension swine management specialist who was among the short course speakers.

Allen Bridges, Extension reproductive specialist and also one of the speakers, said this means producers and researchers here have to think about the logistics of getting our genetics to producers in China.

"If you think about it we can ship a live animal, but the risk for disease transfer is a great risk," Bridges explained. "Due to the limited lifespan of fresh semen, it is often impractical. So right now, the best option is to ship frozen semen, but there are challenges with that too."

Bridges shared his expertise about artificial insemination using frozen and thawed boar semen, the benefits of it, the challenges and also the work being done to address those challenges.

"Several issues exist when using frozen boar semen," Bridges said. "Many ways to improve results when using frozen boar semen are being investigated. These include improving the semen extenders and semen freezing process, developing induced ovulation programs and using deep intra-uterine insemination techniques.

"We also know that semen from some boars freeze better than semen from other boars. Here at Purdue, we are working on methods to identify boars that are good candidates to have their semen frozen and boars that are not."

Bridges said their work freezing semen is not yet done. He and other researchers are still learning techniques and implementing them to increase the farrowing rate and litter size.

Jason Yan, USGC technical program manager in China who accompanied the group, said he views Chinese pork production as maybe the #1 feed grain use in China.

"I think the development, expansion and success of Chinese pork producers is important for U.S. corn growers," Yan said. "The arable land in China is gradually reducing, although the government is trying to control it and maintain the total area of arable land. But with the expansion of livestock and the demand for protein, pork, I think Chinese producers will need more corn, soybeans and other U.S. agriculture byproducts, like DDGS."

While the team was at Purdue, they toured the Swine Research Farm and the National Swine Registry. They also learned about pre-harvest food safety and how to better control salmonella shedding pre-slaughter, ractopamine use recommendations, alternative feed ingredients utilization and discussed U.S. swine purebred genetics. In addition, the group had lunch with the Indiana Corn Marketing Council, the state's checkoff organization.

After departing Purdue, the Chinese group traveled to Kansas State University for an additional short course focusing on health and disease, sow feeding and nutrition and different types of production facilities.

The group wrapped up its trip in Des Moines, Iowa, where they are attending the World Pork Expo and plan to meet with the Iowa Corn Promotion Board, Iowa Corn Growers Association and the Iowa Department of Economic Development.