Genetics Play Key Role in Animal Health and Welfare, Aggression and Handling

An animal science professor with Colorado State University suggests, when it comes to health and welfare, aggression and animal handling, genetics is a key factor to consider."Pig Handling and Welfare" will highlight day one of Saskatchewan Pork Industry Symposium 2024, set for tomorrow and Wednesday Saskatoon. Dr. Temple Grandin, an animal science professor with Colorado State University, says, while animal handling has improved dramatically over the past 40 years, one factor that plays a role is genetics.

Quote-Dr. Temple Grandin-Colorado State University:

I'm getting more and more concerned about both pigs and cattle that have things like foot and leg confirmation issues which makes them lame and that's going to make them difficult to handle.There are some pigs and some cattle that have really bad foot and leg confirmation and it makes the animal lame.
Where we're having a problem is with some of the babies.

Right now, in cattle there's problems in certain parts of North America with congestive heart failure and lameness that's conformational, that's genetic and that's just pushing for meat traits.It's gotten worse in the last 10 years in cattle.

Hopefully that's not happening to the pigs but I think foot and leg conformation is something that needs to be considered in any of these animals because we tend to indiscriminately breed for meat traits, you often end up breeding for bad feet and legs.Some lines of lean pigs are very nasty about fighting and that’s not going to work in group housing.

You have to get the right pig.I just read some research which I'm a bit concerned about where you get a pig that's really gentle, her piglets aren't as robust and strong.That's not good, so you've got to find the right balance of genetics where we get a sow that doesn't fight a whole lot but she still breeds strong robust piglets.

For full details on Saskatchewan Pork Industry Symposium 2024 can be found at SaskPork.com.