Enviropig™

Enviropig™ > Features, Performance, Pictures

Features of the Enviropig™ Biotechnology

Features Benefits
1. Advanced Technology
  • State of the art enhanced swine production
  • Industry leading technology
2. Proven Technology
  • The phytase gene was stably inherited through 7 generations
  • Level of phytase production in the saliva was maintained through the 7 generations
3. Environment Friendly
  • Reduces phosphorus output in manure by up to 60%
4. Reduced Production Cost
  • Eliminates the need for supplemental phosphorus or phytase in the ration
5. Nutrient Management Friendly
  • Allows producers to effectively meet government nutrient management regulations head on
  • Effective at reducing the impact of swine manure on land requirements
6. Equivalent optimal growth rate
  • Experiments have shown no impact on growth rate
  • Similar carcass characteristics
7. No impact on productive characteristics
  • No change in numbers of live born, still births or mummies compared controls
  • No change in numbers of piglets weaned compared to controls
8. Ease of introduction in herd
  • The phytase is a single trait that may be introduced by breeding or by gene transfer if there is the wish to avoid dilution of genetics, however, the latter course would require further regulatory testing

Examples of Enviropigs

Examples of hemiyzygous Enviropigs at the grower stage of life

Figure 3. Examples of hemiyzygous Enviropigs at the grower stage of growth.

Examples of mature Enviropig gilts

Figure 4. Examples of mature Enviropig gilts. Pigs numbered 1, 2 and 3 (from left to right) are homozygous for the phytase gene, and pig number 4 (on the right) is hemizygous for the phytase gene.. Pigs 1, 2, 3 and 4 have Sire Line Indexes of 137, 146, 139 and 151, respectively. Pigs with a Sire Line Index of 125 to 150 have desirable characteristics that place them among in the top 5% of pigs in Canada, while pigs with a SLI greater than 150 are in the top 2.5%. Sire Line Index is derived from the days for a pig to reach 100 kg, total body protein content, loin eye area and feed conversion (kg of feed per kg of weight gain). Fewer days to 100 kg, greater protein content, greater loin area and less feed per kg of gain gives a higher Sire Line Index (http://www.ccsi.ca/).

8 month old homozygous

Figure 5. An example of an 8 month old homozygous Enviropig boar with a Sire Line Index of 146.

16 month old hemizygous

Figure 6. An example of a 16 month old hemizygous Enviropig boar with a Sire Line Index of 153.

University of Guelph
50 Stone Road East
Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1
Canada
519-824-4120