Malta gets genetic update

Boars on test on one of ACMC’s nucleus units in Yorkshire.
Boars on test on one of ACMC’s nucleus units in Yorkshire.

A consignment of high-value nucleus breeding stock to boost the small, but efficient, Maltese pig industry has just been completed by international genetics company, ACMC.

A total of 57 great-grandparent (GGPs) and grandparent (GPs) boars and gilts were despatched from the company’s Yorkshire nucleus units. The consignment included the hyper-prolific Meidam and Volante female lines as well as the heavily-muscled and ultra-lean Vantage Extreme boar line.

“Malta revitalised its pig industry in 2011 by improving health and nutrition, setting up a new nucleus unit and switching genetics. This had a significant impact on productivity and the latest import from Britain will enable the KIM Co-op, which represents the island’s pig producers, to breed its own replacements to ensure the stock remain genetically up-to-date,” commented Matthew Curtis, ACMC’s managing director.

“All feed in Malta has to be imported, so sow productivity and efficient feed conversion from modern genetics is vitally important to help the island’s pig industry to remain competitive,” he added.