1. Seminar July 2012 – Waldo Pigs
Dr. Thomas E. Socha

3. Status of Waldo Pigs in U.S.
Largest Duroc Breeder
Most Litters recorded each Year
More Genetic Diversity than other Duroc Breeders
Continually out perform other Duroc breeders
National Barrow show
Other NPPC tests

4. Waldo Boars used in A.I.
Six A.I. Centers use only Waldo Duroc or Duroc Cross terminal sires
Use pooled semen for commercial producers
Approximately 1,000 boars per year
Large producers use only Waldo boars in their private A. I. centers

5. Best Pig Performance
Several National Tests have proven Waldo’s are the best
Best for Growth Rate
Best for Feed Efficiency
Best at National Barrow Show based on the performance of their Offspring
Have been Tested against other Durocs, PIC, Danbred and other companies

6. Top Health Program Herds Originated from Caesarean derived pigs
Herd additions are by lab or A.I. only
No live pigs are brought into the Nucleus herds
Continual Blood Testing and Slaughter inspections

7. Advantages of Waldo Pigs
Growth Rate
Feed Efficiency
Carcass Lean Percentage
Meat Quality
Body Conformation
Continual Selection for Economically Important Traits

8. Waldo pigs in the U.S. Duroc are fastest growing of all pigs
York and Landrace are the fastest growing of York and Landrace in the U.S.
Based on data from National Swine Registry

9. Growth Rate Fewer Days for getting to Market weight
From 30kg to Market – Groups average daily gains are kg / day
Reduce the amount of Finisher Space Needed
At .6kg per day you need space for 121 days
At .8kg per day you need space for 91 days

10. Feed Efficiency Results from Rapid Lean Growth
Growth Rate and Leanness are related to Efficiency by 30%
Saving 10% in Feed Usage can result in 90rmb per pig or rmb per litter
This is worth more than getting 2 more pigs per litter
Best way to DECREASE production costs

11. Feed Efficiency Example
Presently most pigs are at 3.0 feed conversion
Waldo pigs can be 2.7 – 2.8 conversion
Save .3kg of feed for each kg of pig weight
100 kg pig will save 30 kg of feed
At 3rmb per kg of feed (3 X 30 = 90rmb)
Each litter has 9-10 pigs (810 – 900rmb / litter)
2 extra pigs / litter 350rmb (175rmb / pig)
Improved feed efficiency is more important than increasing litter size

12. Carcass Lean Percentage
By the U.S. system Waldo Pigs average 56 – 60 % lean
This is at kg
This is considered the ideal lean percentage for commercial pigs
Pigs that are too lean cause problems in skinning and in having thin bellies

13. Meat Quality Started testing 1992 High pH Values
High Intramuscular Fat Percentage
Good Color Scores (Visual & Minolta)
Thick Belly Walls that are Firm
Excellent Meat Flavor

14. Body Conformation Proper feet and leg structure for longevity
Higher percent of high value cuts
Loin, Ham and Belly
Ability to grow fast and stay lean at heavier weight which may become more important in China than what is considered today

15. Continual Selection for Economically Important Traits
Growth rate, Leanness, and litter size
Have proven Continual Genetic improvement over the last twenty years
Customers can be assured that the Genetics they get in the future will be improved above the current Genetics
Changes made in the selection techniques over time will reflect what is best for the swine industry

16. Selecting and Breeding in the Waldo Farm System
Many factors are used to produce the best pigs
Waldo pigs in China will follow the same procedures as those used in the U.S.
Many of the procedures have been used for over 40 years in the U.S.

17. How did they become the BEST
Data collected on over 95% of all pigs raised on the farm
Growth rate and backfat -1960
Litter traits added 1980
Loin size added 1992

18. Performance Testing of Pigs
Need to test as Many pigs as possible to find the very BEST
Methods must be as easy as possible to help get the job done
Could be testing 300 pigs per week
At 60 pigs/ hour – 5hours per week
Need to Adjust all Records to a Standard
Backfat at 100kg
Days to 100kg
Loin size at 100kg
Litter weaning weights at 21 or 28 Days

19. Genetic Improvement
The Most Important item in a Selection program is MAKING GENETIC improvement
A Consistent program must be followed over time
When Methods of Evaluation, testing procedures and Indexes are decided, they should not change for at least 5 years
Re-evaluation of all procedures is required every 5-10 years

20. Normal Distribution
Gilts – Top 25%
Boars
mean

21. Traits for Total Improvement
Growth- heritability = .35
Days to market - standard deviation = 10 days
Feed efficiency
Leanness – heritability = .50
Backfat – standard deviation = 2.0 mm
Loin eye size
Reproduction – heritability = .20
Number of pigs born and raised – standard deviation = 2.0 pigs

22. Changes in last 30 Years at Waldo
Days to market
days to 100 kg
days to 115 kg
About 1 day per year improvement
Backfat
mm at 100 kg
mm at 115 kg
About 0.3 mm decrease per year

23. Records That Must Be Kept
Requires Labor and Dedication
Litter Birth weights
Number Born Alive
21 Day litter weights
Number at 21 Days
Weight, Backfat, Loin Size at about days
Meat Quality Traits

24. Indexes Needed for Genetic Improvement
Sow Productivity Index (SPI)
In Herdsman program (sow index)
Litter birth weight
Number born alive
21 day litter weight
Survival at 21 days
Used for evaluating and culling sows

25. Indexes (cont.) Terminal Breeds – used for sire side
Growth rate 50%
Leanness 30%
Litter traits 20% (SPI values)
Maternal Breeds – Used for female side
Litter Traits 40% (SPI values)
Growth rate 40%
Leanness 20%

26. Building a Good Herd Selection Culling Keeping the best animals
Boars
Gilts
Culling
Sell poorest animals
Performance of Offspring
Reproduction of females

27. Selection of Boars and Gilts
Rank each sex by their breed index after testing - most important part of selection
Determine how many of each sex must be selected
Evaluate 200% of needed boars-phenotype
If we need 2, we select the top 4 to evaluate
Evaluate 150% of needed gilts-phenotype
If we need 20, we select the top 30 to evaluate

28. Body Conformation Length of body Loin Width Levelness of the top
Levelness of rump
Width of hams
Too large can affect the ability to move or to decrease longevity in breeding system
Too small can reduce overall leanness and decrease high quality meat cuts
Depth of chest

29. Genetic Change per Year
Genetic Change = Selection intensity X heritability X standard deviation
Change per Year = Genetic Change / generation interval
Age of parents when replacements are born
Ideally the generation interval should be about years

30. Using Boars and Females
We need to make genetic progress, so we need to turn generations as quickly as possible
Boars should generally be used for 9 – 12 months
Females should generally be used to produce 2 -3 litters
If we keep the same animals around for three years we make no progress during that time

31. Culling Boars and Females
We expect the next generation to be better than the last if we are selecting properly
Cull boars based on breeding percentage, offspring performance and feet and legs
Females should be culled based upon SPI values and for injury problems
Should cull 20% of each group weaned
Each female will farrow 2.4 times / year
This will mean culling 50% per year

32. Expected progress in buyer herd
Breeder herd progress
Genetic Change
Buyer herd
One generation behind
Generations of Breeding

33. Using the Best Breeds Maternal Effects Terminal Effects Litter size
Milking Ability
York and Landrace
Terminal Effects
Growth Rate
Feed Efficiency
Duroc is the Best

34. Using Top Genetics for Crossing
Advantages of crossbred pigs
Heterosis effects – greatest for traits with lower heritabilities
Two breed gilts
One extra pig born – Y=11.9, L=11.8; then Y X L = =12.85
Three breed market hogs
100% heterosis = 7 days faster to market

35. Testing in F1 producing herds
If all replacements come from Nucleus herd
Maternal traits
Must produce
Must raise pigs
Culling 15% in each group
Annual culling about 35-40%

37. Nutrition for Good performance
Rations need to have all essential ingredients
Protein
Energy
Vitamins
Minerals

39. Assurance of Performance
Testing of Pigs
All Pigs have performance data
Tested at 100 kg ( kg)
Growth
Back fat
Loin eye area
Ultra sound equipment
Aloka 500

40. Mr. Fu, owner of Liuma-Waldo
JV farm at Beijing

50. Feeding Breeding Stock
Need five or six different rations
Starter feed
N1 (10 – 15 kg)
N2 (15 – 30 kg)
F1 (30 – 70 kg)
F2 (70 – 100 kg)
Feed Full Feed (ad-lib) until 120kg

51. Feeding Breeding Stock
Limit Feed from 120 kg to breeding
2.5 kg per day
Want gilts to gain 450 grams per day
Increase feed two weeks before breeding
Flushing effect to improve litter size
Limit feed from breeding to 100days

52. Feeding in Lactation Feed 0 kg on day they farrow
Bring up to full feed
York and Landrace – about 5 days
Increase 1.5 kg per day
Duroc – about 7 days
Increase 1.0 kg per day
Weight loss in Lactation- 18 – 20 kg

53. Protein Usage in sows
Body
Protein
Reproduction
Milk

54. All In – All Out Production
Farrowing House
Fill in one week
Nursery
Fill in 1 – 2 weeks
Can be from 2 farrowing rooms
Finisher
Fill with 1 – 2 weeks ages

55. Building Ventilation Must circulate and change air
Sow Housing And Finishing
Cool Season – use natural ventilation
Hot Season – use tunnel ventilation with cool cells
Farrowing and Nursery
Use multiple inlets with fan exhaust
Could have cool cell for hot weather