June 28, 2005

The perfect pig unveiled
 

The vision of the perfect pig, Symbol III, was unveiled by the US National Pork Board (NPB) at the World Pork Expo 2005, giving everyone in the pork production industry targets to achieve profitability.

Symbol III is based on inputs from hundreds of pork sector professionals and represents the standard for modern market hogs.

The targets for profitability include desired feed conversion efficiency, lean-gain efficiency, marketing time (156 days for barrows and 164 days for gilts), and weaning results.

The targets also cover expectations for carcass weight, belly thickness and loin muscle, as well as a number of pork quality traits.

Symbol III is not just merely designed to be visually perfect but to deliver performance, said Dr. David Meisinger, NPB's assistant vice president for education.

Symbol I was introduced in 1981 and Symbol II in 1995. Symbol III, however, marks the first of three visions where knowledge and technology are applied to improving pork quality, which is tied to raising pork's nutritional value and hence, demand for the meat.

Elaborating, Dr Meisinger pointed out that farmers are no longer merely raising pigs or pork, but nutrients for human consumption.