July 5, 2023

Gene test kits to help farmers in China produce pigs with better resistance to diseases

Chinese consumers can look forward to savoring quality pork thanks to domestically developed gene testing kits that will allow farmers to raise pigs with better resistance to diseases, China Daily reported.

Microarray technology, commonly called "pig chips", refers to a microchip-based testing platform that allows automated analysis of many DNA samples at once.

China's ability to make its own microarray testing kits not only offers a cost-effective way to analyse a large quantity of genetic materials, but it also substantially reduces the nation's dependency on imported pig strains, industry experts said.

The technology can help fast-track the otherwise lengthy process of selecting piglets with certain genetic makeup, which is a boon for breeders seeking to raise new species with desirable traits such as better immunity and reproductive performance, they said.

In February last year, a team of scientists led by Wu Zhenfang, a professor at South China Agricultural University, announced that they had developed their own microarray testing kit.

The breakthrough was reported by China Central Television (CCTV), which said the domestically developed kit could reduce testing costs by about 90%. "With the test kit, it is possible to know early on if a piglet has the potential to grow into a quality pig fit to be used for breeding," CCTV reported at that time.

- China Daily