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Increased value shared with producer

Under the scheme, 50% of any additional value of LincPorc pigs is shared with the pig producer. The week-long benchmarking exercise was carried out at the abattoir of Geo. Adams & Sons Limited at Spalding in Lincolnshire. Geo. Adams is a partner in the LincPorc scheme, together with PIC UK and a producer group. The objectives of the scheme are to supply pigs to Geo. Adams that meet their carcase requirements more specifically and consistently. Emphasis is on the higher value parts of the carcase, the leg and the loin.

Evaluation Method

During a four-day period to determine the added value of LincPorc carcases to the Adams system, 424 carcases were evaluated. 222 were LincPorc carcases from all current members of the scheme and the remainder, the "Control" carcases, were from eight other producers. Half of each type - PIC or Control - were taken on both slaughter days.

The usual slaughter data was collected for every carcase and initial pH measured in the leg and loin. Left-side primals were individually identified and collected the following day in the cutting room. These were weighed, with 24 hour pH and Minolta colour scores measured on legs and loins. One hundred primals, per group, were saved for butchery dissection with the butchery weights collected by individual primal identification. Data was statistically analysed for each individual trait.

"This is a clear example of the success of genetics in helping to tailor carcases to meet the increasingly specialised requirements of the processors," said Nigel Bateson, PIC UK's business development manager. "PIC already leads the market in genetic developments associated with all aspects of pig production. Benchmarking in this way is an integral part of successful pork chain development. It is critical for success to ensure that value is added throughout the supply chain."

"To achieve this it must be measured on a regular basis," he said. "With 32 genetic markers now available for commercial application, many of which influence carcase and meat quality, there is plenty of opportunity for further progress beyond the current scope of this project."

Source: PIC Genetics - 31st October 2003