March 26, 2009
TOPIGS exports 355 gilts to Japan
TOPIGS have exported 355 gilts from the Netherlands to Japan, the first time the company's breeding material has been sent to Japan.
The TOPIGS 20 gilts of various ages came from Van Beek SPF Varkens in Lelystad.
After a state quarantine period the gilts will go to their final destination to a group of cooperating pig farmers and this group of independent pig farms produce about one-third of Japanese pigs.
In June a second consignment with purebred line animals and terminal boars will be sent from the SPF nucleus breeding farm of TOPIGS in Canada.
The Japanese group of pig farmers includes the most progressive farms in the country.
To hold their own against the international competition, within their own country they have to compete with a large number of exporters to Japan, they sought improved genetics.
TOPIGS for Asia area manager Henk Janssen said the Japanese considered the Dutch pig farming to be of a very high level and that the health status of pig farms in the Netherlands also struck them.
A high health status makes it possible to export from the Netherlands to Japan where the veterinary requirements are very strict.
