First Nucleus Stock Sent from Belgium to Ukraine
GLOBAL - Elita Farms and Rattlerow Seghers have signed an agreement to develop Ukrainian pig production, and the first shipment of animals has now arrived in quarantine.
4 March 2009
3 minute read
In January 2009, Rattlerow Seghers delivered 192 high health nucleus breeding stock from Belgium to Elita Farms in the Ukraine. This is the first delivery of a complete nucleus collaboration program between both companies and is the first shipment ever of breeding stock from the Benelux to the Ukraine. Government institutes of both countries worked closely together to get this delivery done.
During a meeting with Melnik Yuriy Fedorovych, minister of Agriculture of Ukraine and Geert Rombouts, area manager of Rattlerow Seghers in October 2008, the plans were made and four months later, the first shipment arrived at the quarantine facilities in the Ukraine.
"The contract includes delivery of a large nucleus programme and training programs to support growth and efficiency of the Ukrainian pig industry. With support of the national Ukrainian government and genetics from Elita, we will focus to expand the total pig herd after some years of serious decline"
Elita Farms imported the first breeding animals of Rattlerow Seghers in 2004. Great Grand Parents (GGP) and Grand Parent (GP) of both female and sire lines were sent from the UK Elita produces GP- and parent (P)-boars, GP-gilts and P-gilts, which have been successfully marketed since the beginning of 2005. Due to a growing demand, additional GGP stock was shipped in 2005 and 2006 and the plan for a closer collaboration grew in 2008. The Easy2Manage approach of Rattlerow Seghers convinced Elita to switch from Mira to the Cora programme as to confirm the lead in setting new standards in Ukrainian pig production. Bigger farms need strong and reliable breeding stock to perform well under intensive conditions.
The objective of Elita is to combine local resources with the best technology and know how from Western Europe to improve results of pig farming in the Ukraine.
Today, the Ukraine only produces around 44 per cent of domestic demand. The recent currency problems have strengthened the will of the Minister of Agriculture to expand this industry rapidly like the Russian Federation has done over the last five years. The Ministry of Agriculture has chosen to establish and restore the industry on solid grounds with local partners and the best breeding programmes of the world.
The total breeding programme will maintain a total breeding herd of 200,000 sows.
Rattlerow Seghers thanks the Belgian and the Ukrainian ministries of agriculture and health authorities for their help and support for this successful collaboration between both countries.
